Poor print quality or no printing on the DM100i-DM225

Resolve poor print quality or no printing issues on the DM100i, DM125, DM200L and DM225, by checking your ink, running a test pattern, and cleaning your print head.
Products affected: DM100®i, DM125™, DM200L™, DM225™
Try these solutions in order to resolve your poor print quality or no print issues:  

Solution 1: Check your ink cartridge

  1. Make sure you installed a genuine Pitney Bowes ink cartridge. 
  2. If you need ink, order a genuine Pitney Bowes replacement ink cartridge:
Order Ink
 

Solution 2: Run a test pattern to assess print quality

  1. Press Options.
  2. Press Page Down twice.
  3. Select Advanced Features.
  4. Select Maintenance Mode.
  5. Select Printer Maintenance.
  6. Select Test Print.
  7. Insert an envelope as you normally would to print postage.
  8. The test pattern should appear as a grid with no broken lines or smears in the pattern:
  • If the test pattern looks good, press Enter/Yes. Then press Home to return to the Home screen.
Good Test Print
Good Test Print
  • If the test pattern looks incorrect, with broken lines or smears in the pattern, or if there is no print at all, select No and your meter performs a print system purge.
Poor Test Print
Poor Test Print
  1. If your print quality is still poor or non-existent after performing a print system purge, or if you have already said No twice, press Yes to return to the printer maintenance menu and run the stronger purge C.

Solution 3: Run purge C to resolve print quality

  1. Select Purge from the printer maintenance menu.
  2. Select Purge C.
  3. When your purge completes, the prompt to insert an envelope to print a test pattern displays. Insert an envelope again. If your pattern still has broken lines or smears, or if there is no print at all, clean your print head.
  4. Press Yes to return to the printer maintenance menu.

Solution 4: Clean your print head

  1. Select Replacement from the printer maintenance menu.
  2. Select Replace Print Head.
  3. Remove the scale, if one is present.
  4. Open your ink tank access cover. The print assembly moves to the front of your meter.
  5. Open your print head cover.
 
remove ink cartridge
  1. Remove your ink cartridge from the print assembly, and set it aside with the red circle facing up.
  2. While squeezing the clips that hold your print head in place, lift your print head up and out of the meter.
Remove print head
  1. Wipe the copper-colored section of your print head with a dry, lint-free cloth or foam swab.
Clean print head
  1. Reinstall the print head in your meter, making sure that it clicks into place.
  2. Reinsert your ink cartridge and close the print head cover.
  3. Close your ink tank access cover. The ink tank mechanism re-initializes.
  4. Select Continue.


 

UPDATED: October 04, 2023