What causes fault code PKG-PRINT1 (Case Printer / Date Coder — Print Quality Fault)?

Ink supply low or empty — needs refill or cartridge replacement. Print head nozzle clogged — dried ink or contamination blocking one or more nozzles. Print head distance from product changed — product height variation or print head shifted. Ink type wrong for the substrate — ink not adhering to the packaging material. Encoder signal lost — inkjet not receiving product speed signal, distorting print

How do I fix fault code PKG-PRINT1?

Check ink level — refill or replace cartridge. Run print head purge/cleaning cycle from the printer menu — clears clogged nozzles. Check print head distance to product surface — typical gap is 5-15mm for inkjet. Verify ink type is correct for the substrate (porous vs non-porous, hot surface vs cold surface). Check product speed encoder — verify encoder is spinning when conveyor moves, and signal reaches the printer. If print quality doesn't improve after purge, manually clean the print head face plate with manufacturer-approved solvent

Case Printer / Date Coder — Print Quality Fault

PKG-PRINT1

Inkjet or thermal date coder on the packaging line producing illegible, faded, or missing print. Product traceability and date coding not meeting quality standards.

medium packaging

packaging printer inkjet date code print head nozzle ink

Probable Causes (ranked)

Ink supply low or empty — needs refill or cartridge replacement
Print head nozzle clogged — dried ink or contamination blocking one or more nozzles
Print head distance from product changed — product height variation or print head shifted
Ink type wrong for the substrate — ink not adhering to the packaging material
Encoder signal lost — inkjet not receiving product speed signal, distorting print

Fix Steps

1 Check ink level — refill or replace cartridge
2 Run print head purge/cleaning cycle from the printer menu — clears clogged nozzles
3 Check print head distance to product surface — typical gap is 5-15mm for inkjet
4 Verify ink type is correct for the substrate (porous vs non-porous, hot surface vs cold surface)
5 Check product speed encoder — verify encoder is spinning when conveyor moves, and signal reaches the printer
6 If print quality doesn't improve after purge, manually clean the print head face plate with manufacturer-approved solvent

Field Trick

When an inkjet printer nozzle clogs, don't run 10 purge cycles in a row — you'll waste a ton of ink. Run one purge, print a test pattern, evaluate. If still clogged, soak the print head in manufacturer cleaning solution for 10 minutes, then purge once. The soak dissolves dried ink that purging alone can't clear.

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