Tag Archives: fargo ribbon

Persona C30e – How to Calibrate the Ribbon

To calibrate the ribbon sensor, click the Start button in the lower left corner of your monitor and select Settings. Then select Printers and Faxes. Depending on your installation of Windows, you may need to go to the Control panels and then select Printers.


In the Printers and Faxes window, Right Click on the driver for your printer and select Printing Preferences from the list.

In the Persona C30e Card Printer Printing Preferences window, Select the Calibrate tab and then click the Sensors button.

For the C30 and C30e printers follow the instructions in the Calibration window to calibrate the ribbon sensor. When the calibration is complete, the printer will beep twice.

Note that for the C30 or C30e printer, you must cover the front of the printer before clicking the send button to prevent ambient light from entering the printer as it may negatively impact the ribbon calibration process.

For information about Fargo printers or other photo id card systems, contact our ID card experts at 888-485-4696.

How to Repair a Broken Print Ribbon

print ribbon

If you are using the id card printer ribbon type that has two spools and the ribbon breaks during printing, do not do what many people do and throw the rest of the card printer ribbon away. It is possible to save most of the remaining prints left on the ribbon by following these instructions.

1. Remove the printer ribbon spools from the printer and stand them upright on their ends.
2. Pull some of the ribbon from the spool supplying the ribbon and line it up with the end of the ribbon from the spool taking used ribbon. You may need to trim the ribbon with sissors to line them up.
3. Tape the broken ends of the ribbon that you have matched together.
4. Roll the ribbons one time around so that the tape is wound inside the used ribbon spool and not visible.
5. Place the ribbon back into the printer following the manufacturers guidelines for placing print ribbons in your printer.
6. Turn the power to the printer off.
7. After a few moments, turn the printer power back on and begin your id card printing processes.

If you are using a printer cartridge from the newer id badge printers, such as the Fargo C30, follow the directions below.

1. Remove the printer cartridge from the printer.
2. Line up the broken ribbon ends.
2. Tape the right hand spool ribbon to the left hand spool with a piece of scotch tape.
3. Turn the take up spool on the left counter clockwise to wind up a few panels of the ribbon.
4. Reinsert the cartridge.
5. Turn the printer off.
6. After a few moments, turn the printer power back on. This will reset the ribbon to the proper color panel.

Visit our website for more information on id card printers. We provide the following printer lines: Fargo Printer, Evolis Printer, CIM Printer and Magicard Printer. Ideal id sofware, cameras and all accessories and supplies are available to make id card printing easy.