Moving Beyond Black

Gallet of Printronix relates that ribbon differences could create printer compatibility problems. He compares ribbons to brands of photographic film, all of which bring slightly varied formulations to the table, but will work in any camera that is adjusted correctly.

Appropriate printer settings can help manage ribbon variances, and maximize overall ribbon and hardware performance. Harder resins won't transfer at all if the heat setting is too low, because the resin won't be able to solidify on the substrate, confirms Jordan, while a too-high setting can actually melt the ribbon's polyester carrier. General setting guidelines from each supplier will help, he notes, but some fine tuning for each ribbon will likely be necessary.