Articles | Tips for Printing Labels on a Laser Printer

Repairing laser printers can cost hundreds of dollars for the company and having one laser printer out for repairs would have a significant impact on the productivity and efficiency of a workgroup. In addition, the printer workload would have to be distributed among the remaining printers in the office. The worse case scenario would be not having any running printer at all if it is the only printer in the office.

In order to avoid costly repair work, it is encouraged to follow correct use of printing materials such as paper and labels. Doing so can help prevent problems such as the usual paper jam up to damaged printer components. The following tips are provided to help protect laser printers and extend its useful economic life:

Since labels are made of several layers: (a) printable paper layer; (b) adhesive; and (c) backing, a label sheet can be thicker than ordinary paper. It becomes more complicated if the printable paper surface is glossy. Always follow printing instructions indicated on the label packaging to prevent paper jams since a label sheet (the paper itself or the adhesive) can melt if it gets stuck in the fuser unit during printing.

Always check label printing instructions as written in your printer's user manual. If a paper sheet is too light or too heavy for your printer it may cause jamming. In addition, always select the printer setting for "Labels" as indicated in your printer's printing options. This ensures that the drum's heat setting is correct. If the drum is not heated correctly the printer toner will not stick well.

Environmental conditions may affect a printer's capability to print labels correctly. This includes changes in temperature and humidity levels. Most printers are designed to operate in temperatures between 60 degrees to 90 degrees Fahrenheit and humidity levels between 8 to 80 percent. Likewise, label sheets must be stored in the same environment where the printer is placed for at least 24 to 48 hours before printing. This process is called conditioning. Conditioning ensures that printer jams, poor print quality, and label deterioration (peeling) are avoided.

Always perform maintenance on laser printers for every 250 sheets of polyester or 200 sheets of paper labels printed. Use cleaning sheets for the fuser roller to take out any dirt or debris. For laser printers with fuser cleaners, the fuser cleaner may need to be changed more often if label sheets are used frequently. Check the fuser cleaner daily and replace it if it becomes stiff.

If a label gets jammed, do not pull out the label sheet. Doing so may damage the drum or fuser unit. You need to turn the rollers slowly until the label sheet can be removed safely. In addition, never place paper and transparencies on the same tray to avoid jamming.