5.4.1.1.1 Ribbon Shield Face Inspection
A high percentage of printers sent to Craden for repair has a ribbon shield that has reached end of
life and is the primary cause of the printer’s problem. Document jams, damaged documents,
streaking, poor print quality, and document skewing can often be alleviated by replacing ribbon
shields after four to five ribbon replacements. Below is a guide to assist in ribbon shield inspection.
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New ribbon shield. Face is smooth, no
defects
Ribbon shield at end of life. Face is
scored. There is no visible damage to
the six-sided opening but a breech is
imminent. This shield may begin to
snag documents.
Damaged ribbon shield. There is a
breech in the six-sided opening. This
ribbon shield will streak and tear
documents.
Damaged ribbon shield. One side of the
six-sided opening is missing. This
ribbon shield will streak and tear every
document and may scratch the platen.
The angle between the face and base
(back) of the ribbon shield must be
perpendicular. Ribbon shields are made
of thin stainless steel and if bent can
cause poor print quality or snag the
ribbon fabric.
