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Evolis Printer Support

By on February 1st, 2020

Welcome to our support page for Evolis ID card printers. We’ve created our own Evolis FAQs section that runs through some of the main queries Evolis users ask us. 

You’ll also find handy links to Evolis’ site allowing you to download Drivers and Firmware updates directly and view in-depth user manuals.

Evolis driver and firmware FAQs

Firmware for Evolis printers and can be directly on the manufacturer’s site. To install the required files:

  1. Download and unzip the firmware on to your computer.
  2. Connect your printer to the computer and ensure it’s switched on.
  3. Click on the .exe file and follow the on-screen instructions.
  4. Select your Evolis printer from ‘Devices’ and click ‘Update Firmware’.
  5. Wait for the printer to complete downloading the update. You should hear the print head move up and down once it is complete.

The Primacy and Zenius share Firmware and Driver software, while the Tattoo 2 has its own. You can find a full list of Evolis Firmware and Software variants directly on the Evolis website. 

 

To find out which Driver and Firmware your printer is running, you need to open the ‘Driver Properties/Graphic Screen’ and click the ‘About’ menu. The details you need will be displayed here should you need to know them. 

Evolis printing and ribbons FAQs

A cut or broken ribbon is a common fault that is usually easily resolved. Follow the below steps:

1. Carry out a cleaning cycle on your Evolis printer. Tiny dust particles are a common occurrence and can disturb the smooth running of the print process by damaging the ribbon.

2. Check your cards. If you’re using cards that have been laying unused or haven’t been stored correct,ly they may be contaminated. 

3. Check within the ‘Driver Properties/Graphics’ menu that the contract and quality values are not set too high. 

4. Ensure you’re using the correct Evolis ribbon and that it does not appear to be faulty. If it isn’t an Evolis ribbon, it won’t work.

 

Occasionally, you might experience a card jam. This can be caused by ribbon issues, but it’s worth checking the following:

  • The dimension of the cards you’re using
  • If you’re printer has been cleaned recently
  • The card thickness adjustment setting. A manual gauge wil allow you to use cards between 0.25mm (10mil) to 1mm (40mil).

You can print a test card on your Evolis printer by following this path on the Menu screen: Print Centre > Properties > Testing cards.

A printed technical test card will provide you with important info regarding the printer such as its serial number, Firmware version, print head kit number, position of the image, and number of cleaning cycles.

If you’re experiencing card jams or your Evolis printer isn’t recognising your cards, you’ll need to calibrate the card path sensors.

  1. Load in your cards, then open the ‘Evolis Print Centre’ by double-clicking on the Evolis printer.
  2. Click on ‘Maintenance’ and type the command ‘Sa;p’. Click ‘Send’. This has to be exact otherwise the process will fail. 
  3. The printer will feed a card in and check the path sensors. It should tell you that it is ‘OK’.
  4. The card path sensors should now be calibrated, which should resolve your issue.

If the quality of your print needs improvement, adjusting the print head power can help. To change it on an Evolis printer:

  1. Open the ‘Evolis Print Centre’ and double-click on the appropriate printer.
  2. Click on to the ‘Printing’ tab.
  3. From the drop-down menu, select ‘Front Side Graphical Settings’.
  4. Use the ‘Monochrome resin adjustment’ slider to change the print head heat. We advise you increase and decrease the value in increments of 10 and carry out a test print. The higher the value, the darker your print will be; the lower the value, the lighter the colour will become. 

Evolis cleaning FAQs

Yes, Evolis printers will tell you when a clean is required. The frequency depends on the printer, but generally Evolis recommends a cleaning cycle takes place every time a ribbon is changed. 

You must remove the ribbon from the printer before starting a cleaning cycle. 

  1. Hold down the control panel button on the printer and select ‘Printer Cleaning’ from the ‘Driver Properties > Tools’ tab.
  2. Send a ‘Scp’ escape command from the ‘Driver Properties > Tools> tab. 
  3. The cleaning card will now pass back and forth through the printer, cleaning the rollers, print head and any encoding heads.
  4. Now locate and remove the cleaning roller.
  5. Use a cleaning wipe to gently remove any dust from the surface before re-seating it in the printer. 
  6. Turn off the printer and use a swab to clean the print head. Remember this is a very delicate piece of equipment, so be careful.
  7. Wait a few moments before closing the lid – you should allow any cleaning agents to fully evaporate. 
  8. The cleaning cycle is now complete.

Sometimes, it’s worth while giving your Evolis printer a ‘deep clean’. This can help eradicate any errors that can’t be resolved. In fact, to keep your Evolis in top condition, a manual clean should be carried out after a standard cleaning cycle.

  1. Open the lid 
  2. Remove the printer ribbon and the card feeder module
  3. Hold down the ‘Clean’ button on the printer
  4. The internal rollers will now rotate so you can place a cleaning card against each of them by applying pressure.
  5. Use as many cleaning cards as is needed.

Evolis encoding FAQs

The latest Evolis models such as the Primacy and Zenius are available with several encoding options including:

  • Magnetic stripe ISO cards (HiCo and LoCo)
  • Smart card encoding (MIFARE, HID)
 

Yes, it is possible to upgrade Evolis printers. Single modules can be added and integrated into a printer at a later date, but you need to check whether or not your Evolis model can be updated. Get in touch with our friendly staff via the number below if you need further guidance. 

Evolis warranty FAQs

The usual warranty period for Evolis printers is three years, inclusive of the print head. The warranty will be valid provided the cleaning process has been performed on-time when requested by the system, and certified consumables have been used. These are strict conditions that you must follow if you do not want to void the warranty. If you use generic ribbons, your request for assistance will be ignored by Evolis.

Spare parts supplied by Evolis come with a six-month warranty that starts from the date of purchase. This excludes consumables such as printer ribbons. 

Evolis resources

Primacy

Zenius

Tattoo 2

Primacy

Zenius 

Tattoo 2

The French company Evolis has been in the ID printing industry for almost two decades and has a history of adopting innovative technologies to keep ahead of its competitors. The newest models include the Primacy and Zenius, both of which offer direct-to-card printing and will meet the demands of medium-to-high volume printers. 

Need more assistance?

If you can’t find the answer you’re looking for here, don’t hesitate to get in touch with our helpful staff by calling the number below. 

Evolis printer ribbons
Evolis cleaning kits
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