This guide provides step-by-step instructions for loading badges and calibrating your Zebra printer. If you encounter difficulties during the setup or configuration process, please consult the troubleshooting guide included in this document. For additional support, see the "Getting Help" section provided at the conclusion of this guide.

The basics

We support two specific Zebra ZD620 sub-models and all ZD621 models with an LCD touchscreen.

• ZD620 (ZD62142-T21F00EZ) - Direct thermal and thermal transfer

• ZD620 (ZD62142-D41F00EZ) - Direct thermal only

• ZD621 (all LCD touchscreen models)

Loading badges (all supported Zebra models)

Two primary forms of badges are used: fanfold badges, resembling long, narrow stacks of paper, and badge rolls. The loading method varies depending on the badge type. Typically, badges are marked with a black bar and "FEED DIRECTION" arrows on their reverse side. Always ensure the black bar is facing downwards and the arrows are oriented towards the printer's front.

Fanfold badges

This badge stock looks like a stack of paper, and it doesn't usually require ribbon. Set the stack of badges directly behind the printer so they feed straight into the back without bending.

1. Pull the two yellow tabs on either side of the printer toward the front and lift the top of the printer to open it.

2. Feed the first badge into the slot at the back of the printer and pull it forward.

3. Use the yellow knob between the yellow media guides to adjust the width of the guides. They should be wide enough to keep the badges centered in the printer. Make sure the badges slide easily between the guides without bending.

   1. If you're using badges with a hole in the backing, make sure the yellow sensor near the front of the printer is positioned so the holes pass over it. Otherwise, position the yellow sensor in the middle of the printer.

       

4. Bring the first badge over the black roller at the front of the printer. Feed it through the slot so that half a badge hangs out the front of the printer. Make sure the black bar on the back of the badges is facing down and the arrow on the back is pointing toward the front of the printer.

5. Close the top of the printer tightly. If the screen shows "HEAD OPEN", the printer isn't fully closed.

6. If badge stock was included with your shipment, then the printers have been pre-calibrated and you can skip to the Testing section. If badges arrived separately from your rental kit, calibrate the printer using the following instructions.

Badge rolls

Badge rolls are suspended between two pins inside the printer, and some types of badges may require a ribbon roll.

1. Pull the two yellow tabs on either side of the printer toward the front and lift the top of the printer to open it.

2. Pull one of the yellow guides toward the side of the printer to make room for the badge roll. Place the roll in the printer so it's suspended between the guides. The leading edge of the roll should fall to the front of the printer, as shown in the following illustration.

    

3. Bring the first badge over the black roller at the front of the printer. Feed it through the slot so that half a badge hangs out the front of the printer.

   1. If you're using badges with a hole in the backing, make sure the yellow sensor near the front of the printer is positioned so the holes pass over it. Otherwise, position the yellow sensor in the middle of the printer.

4. If the badges came with ribbon, follow the instructions on the sticker inside the printer to load the ribbon and the cardboard rewind tube.

5. Close the top of the printer tightly. If the screen shows "HEAD OPEN", the printer isn't fully closed.

6. Now, calibrate the printer using the following instructions.

Calibrating ZD620 model printers

As you calibrate the printer, use the arrow buttons and the two buttons below the display to navigate the printer's menus. The left button is called the HOME button. The right button starts actions or selects items.

Before you begin calibration, press HOME (lower left button), then press the checkmark (✔) button to enter SETTINGS. Press the right (▶) button until you see PRINT MODE. Press the up (▲) button to select TEAR OFF, then press the HOME button twice. This prevents wasted badges while calibrating. When you're done calibrating, go back to the PRINT MODE setting and set it to CUTTER.

ZD620 quick calibration

Some Zebra printers have a quick calibrate function that's much easier than doing a full manual calibration. After loading badges, simply press and hold the pause (II) and X buttons at the same time for a few seconds until badges start feeding out. If the screen shows an error or badges aren't printing in the right location, follow the manual calibration steps below.

ZD620 manual calibration

1. Press HOME, then the right (▶) arrow to select TOOLS. Press the (✔) button.

2. Press the right (▶) arrow 4 times until you see MEDIA/RIBBON CAL. Press START (lower right button).

3. The screen shows LOAD BACKING. Press the pause (II) button.

4. The screen shows CALIBRATING PLEASE WAIT for a few seconds, then RELOAD ALL CONTINUE appears. Press pause (II) again.

5. CALIBRATING PLEASE WAIT appears one more time, and badges begin feeding through the printer. When the badges stop feeding through, the pause light above the screen should be on, and no errors should appear.

6. Open the printer again and pull the badges that were fed through back onto the roll so they're not wasted. After you close the printer again, the pause light will be on. Press pause (II), and the pause light should turn off.

Now, change the PRINT MODE selection back to CUTTER as described above.

You're ready to print! Now is a good time to set up your kiosk iPads.

Calibrating ZD621 model printers (no LCD display)

ZD621 manual calibration (no LCD display)

To manually calibrate a Zebra ZD621 printer without an LCD screen, follow these steps:

1. Power off the Printer

• Ensure the printer is turned off by pressing the power button.

2. Load the Media

• Open the printer and load the media (labels, tags, etc.) and ribbon (if required) into the printer.

3. Close the Printer

• Close the printer cover ensuring it locks into place.

4. Press and Hold the Feed Button

• With the printer still off, press and hold the Feed button on the front of the printer.

5. Power on the Printer

• While continuing to hold the Feed button, power on the printer by pressing the power button.

6. Wait for the Feed Button LED to Blink

• The LED on the Feed button will blink a specific number of times, indicating different modes. For calibration, wait until the LED blinks four times, then release the button.

7. Automatic Calibration Process

• The printer will automatically feed some labels to determine the correct calibration settings, such as label length and gap.

8. Calibration Completion

• Once the printer stops feeding the labels, the calibration is complete. The printer is now ready for use.

If the printer is still not calibrated correctly, you may need to repeat the process or check for any issues with the media or sensors.

Calibrating ZD621 model printers (LCD touchscreen)

ZD621 automatic calibration

Tap Wizards > Print, then tap Start Print and follow the instructions on the screen, keeping the following in mind:

• If badges have a black bar on the back, select Mark as the Media Type. Otherwise, select Gap/Notch.

• Select Tear Off on the Media Handling step to prevent wasted badges while calibrating.

If automatic calibration fails, follow the instructions below to do a manual calibration. Otherwise, open the printer again and pull back the badges that were fed through so they're not wasted. Close the printer again, and the pause light will be on. Press the pause button, and a single badge will feed out.

Now tap Menu > Print (🖨️) > Image Adjust > Media Handling, and select Cutter.

You're ready to print! Now is a good time to set up your kiosk iPads.

ZD621 manual calibration

Before you begin manual calibration, tap Menu > Print (🖨️) > Image Adjust > Media Handling, and select Tear Off. This prevents wasted badges while calibrating. When calibration is done and you're ready to print badges, go back and select Cutter instead.

Tap Menu > Print (🖨️) > Sensors > Manual Calibration, then tap Start Calibration. Follow the steps on the screen to continue, keeping this in mind:

• If you're using fanfold badges that sit in a stack behind the printer, wait until calibration to load badges.

When you tap 'Calibrate' on step 9, badges begin feeding through the printer. When the badges stop feeding through, the pause light above the screen should be on, and no errors should appear. Press the pause button (II), and the pause light should turn off.

Open the printer again and pull back the badges that were fed through so they're not wasted. Close the printer again, and the pause light will be on. Press the pause button, and a single badge will feed out.

Now change the 'Media Handling' setting back to 'Cutter' as described earlier.

You're ready to print! Now is a good time to set up your kiosk iPads.

Testing

Always test several badge prints to make sure the printer is correctly loaded and calibrated. Use the EventGen App on one of the kiosk iPads to print a badge and use the troubleshooting steps below to resolve any errors or problems.

Set up and test at least one day before check-in begins, then test each morning of the event to make sure everything still works properly.

Troubleshooting

Calibration failed

1. Try calibrating again! The printer may simply need another look at the badges.

2. If you're using badges with a hole in the backing, make sure the yellow sensor near the front of the printer is positioned so the holes pass over it. Otherwise, position the yellow sensor in the middle of the printer.

3. Make sure the right media type is selected.

   1. (ZD620) Press HOME, then press the (✔) button to enter SETTINGS. Press the right (▶) button until you see MEDIA TYPE. Use the up (▲) and down (▼) arrow buttons to change the type.
      If your badges have a black bar on the back, select MARK. Otherwise, select GAP/NOTCH.

   2. (ZD621 touchscreen) Tap Menu > Print (🖨️) > Print Quality > Media Type. If your badges have a black bar on the back, select Mark. Otherwise, select Gap/Notch.

4. Make sure the right sensor type is selected.

   1. (ZD620) Press HOME, then press the right (▶) button, then the down (▼) button to highlight the SENSORS menu.
      If you're using badges with a hole in the backing, choose TRANSMISSIVE. If you're using any other type, choose REFLECTIVE.

   2. (ZD621 touchscreen) Tap Menu > Print (🖨️) > Sensors > Sensor Type. If you're using badges with a hole in the backing, choose Transmissive. If you're using any other type, choose Reflective.

"MEDIA OUT"

Do a calibration and make sure the yellow media guides fit closely, not tightly, against either side of the badges.

"Cutter Error"

This message means the cutter is likely jammed. To fix a cutter jam, follow the steps below.

1. Open the printer by pulling the release levers forward.

2. Remove the badge stock from the printer and check the slot at the front for any debris that could be obstructing the cutting area.

3. Reinsert the badge stock, making sure it’s inserted correctly with the black bar on the back of the badges facing down and the FEED DIRECTION arrows pointing toward the front of the printer.

4. As you insert the badge stock, double-check for debris in the slot at the front of the printer that could obstruct the cutting area, then firmly close the printer.

5. If the screen shows "HEAD OPEN", simply open the printer again, and then close it firmly. The error should disappear.

6. Press the pause (II) button. The cutter will activate, and a badge will feed forward. If the cutter is still jammed, repeat these steps until you see "PRINTER READY".

Badges are cut at the wrong place

1. Do a calibration.

2. Try adjusting the TEAR OFF (ZD620) or Tear Line Offset (ZD621) setting. This often involves some trial and error.

   1. (ZD620) Press home, then press the right (▶) button to select SETTINGS. Press the select (✔) button, then press the right (▶) button until you see TEAR OFF. This setting defaults to 0. Adjust the setting either up or down by increments of +/-10 as needed and test until badges cut in the right place. Press the HOME button twice to save your settings.

   2. (ZD621 touchscreen) Tap Menu > Print (🖨️) > Image Adjust > Tear Line Offset. This setting defaults to 0. Adjust the setting either up or down by increments of +/-10 as needed and test until badges cut in the right place.

Printer won't connect to the EventGen App or Printer lost connection to the EventGen app

For all problems related to operating the EventGen App and connecting a printer to the app, contact support@captello.com.

Printer feeds out blank badges before printing a badge

This is likely because the media type selection is wrong or the badges are facing the wrong direction. You can also resolve this issue by changing the print mode.

1. To check the media type:

   1. (ZD620) Press HOME, then press the (✔) button to enter SETTINGS. Press the right (▶) button until you see MEDIA TYPE. Use the up (▲) and down (▼) arrow buttons to change the type.
      Badges with a black bar on the back should use MARK. Badges with a hole or a gap between badges should use GAP/NOTCH.

   2. (ZD621 touchscreen) Tap Menu > Print (🖨️) > Print Quality > Media Type. If your badges have a black bar on the back, select Mark. Otherwise, select Gap/Notch.

2. For either model, if you're using badges with a hole in the backing, make sure the yellow sensor near the front of the printer is positioned so the holes pass over it. Otherwise, position the yellow sensor in the middle of the printer.

3. If the media type is already set correctly, double-check that you loaded badges in the right orientation. The "FEED DIRECTION" indicator on the back of the badges should face down toward the table, and the arrows should point toward the front of the printer.

4. If the media type selection is correct, the sensor is aligned properly, and the badges are oriented correctly, try changing the printer's print mode to 'Peel Off'. This can resolve the blank badge issue even if you're not using adhesive badges. Please note that the printer will no longer cut the badges, and you must separate badges along the perforations.

   1. (ZD620) Press HOME, then press the checkmark (✔) button to enter SETTINGS. Press the right (▶) button until you see PRINT MODE. Press the up (▲) button to select PEEL OFF.

   2. (ZD621 touchscreen) Tap Menu > Print (🖨️) > Image Adjust > Media Handling, and select Peel Off.

Print is too light

This means the Darkness setting needs to be adjusted.

• (ZD620) Press HOME, then press the (✔) button to enter SETTINGS. The first setting is DARKNESS. Press the up (▲) button to increase the darkness. We recommend a darkness setting of 10. Darkness should never be over 20.

• (ZD621 touchscreen) Tap Menu > Print (🖨️) > Print Quality > Darkness, and use the plus and minus buttons to make adjustments. We recommend a darkness setting of 10. Darkness should never be over 20.

Print is crooked

If the print is crooked on the badge, make sure your badge stock is properly aligned. If you're using roll stock, make sure the yellow guides aren't too tight against the badge. If you're using fanfold stock, carefully align the stack of badges with the printer so they enter the printer as straight as possible.

Print is too close to one edge

If the print is too close to one edge of the badge, you can adjust the position of the print to center it. This often involves some trial and error.

• (ZD620) Press HOME, then press the (✔) button to enter SETTINGS. Press the right (▶) button until you see either LABEL TOP or LEFT POSITION. Adjust whichever one is necessary up or down by increments of 10.

  • LABEL TOP - Increasing the number nudges the print down

  • LEFT POSITION - Increasing the number nudges the print to the left

• (ZD621 touchscreen) Tap Menu > Print (🖨️) > Image Adjust and select either Horizontal or Vertical Label Offset, depending on which direction the print should go. Adjust whichever one is necessary by increments of +/-5.

  • Vertical - Increasing this value nudges the print down

  • Horizontal - Increasing this value nudges the print to the left

Identifying the Printer IP Address

ZD621 (no LCD display) - Print a Network Configuration Report

• Step 1: Ensure the printer is powered on and loaded with paper.

• Step 2: Press and hold the Feed button for about 5-10 seconds until the printer begins to print a configuration report.

The printed report will include network details such as the IP address, subnet mask, and gateway.

Getting help

If you can't find a solution to a question or problem using the resources above, here's what to do next:

App help

For all issues related to the EventGen app, such as errors, attendee data problems, and settings, chat with the Captello support team using the bubble at the bottom right corner of the web app or email support@captello.com.

Hardware help

For all issues related to hardware, such as misprints and configuration problems, contact your rental provider. If you bought your own equipment, simply live chat with us using the bubble at the bottom right corner of the web app.