How to Perform Maintenance and Cleaning on Thermal Printers

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Introduction

This article provides instructions for routine maintenance and cleaning of Star Micronics Thermal Printers. Perform these steps every 3–6 months, depending on usage. Inadequate maintenance may lead to faded prints, cutter lock errors, or paper jams.

Supported Printers: All Thermal Printers
Supported Interfaces: N/A
Supported Environments: N/A

Before you begin

Important! General maintenance and cleaning are encouraged to be performed every 3 to 6 months (depending on use). Please visit the Star Global Support Site to download the manual for your specific printer which provides more details on performing maintenance.

Note: Power the printer off before performing any maintenance. Avoid using thinners or ketone base solvents for cleaning as they may damage parts. Take care not to damage any electrical parts, wiring, or moving components, and ensure they remain dry.

TSP100, TSP650, TSP700, TSP800 Series

Routine Maintenance

When using the printer daily, it’s important to ensure it is operated properly and maintained under optimal conditions. Regular checks and cleaning help maintain reliable printer performance.

Is the paper loaded correctly?
Is there any foreign material inside the printer? If so, please remove it.
For cleaning, using a vacuum cleaner (such as an electric cleaner) is recommended to gently remove dust and debris from inside the printer.

Periodic Maintenance

Conduct periodic maintenance after three to six months use.

Thermal Head

Note: Do not clean the thermal head immediately after printing, as it may still be hot. Use caution to avoid static electricity during cleaning, as it can damage the thermal head. Turn the printer back on only after the alcohol has completely dried from the cleaned area.

1. Power off the printer, open the cover and remove the paper roll.
2. Check the thermal head area and clear any debris.
3. Wipe the thermal head with a cotton swab or soft cloth moistened with 70% isopropyl alcohol and allow to dry.
4. Reinsert the paper roll, close the cover, and turn the printer back on.

Platen (Rubber Roller)

1. Wipe dirt from the rubber roller with a dry, soft cloth.
2. Rotate the roller to clean its entire surface.

Paper Holder Surrounding Area

1. Clear the paper holder of dust, debris, and paper particles.
2. Remove any other objects that may have accumulated.

Around the Paper Exit on Label Printers (TSP100IVSK)

Note: When label paper rolls are used, glue adhering to the thermal head, platen, or paper guides may cause paper feeding failure or printing quality failures. Therefore, it is recommended that you clean these parts to keep them free of glue at all times, regardless of the periodic maintenance period.

1. Remove any label paper glue, debris, dust and paper powder with a dry, soft cloth.
2. In particular, immediately remove any sticky debris and dust occurring from the label paper glue. Not doing so can lead to paper jams.

Congratulations! You have successfully performed maintenance and cleaning on your Star Thermal Printer.