Evolis printers use Windows drivers that let you print using most printing/desktop software.
Before printing, make sure the dimensions of the card (ISO CR80) are accurate.
For encoding, compatibility with an Evolis printer is a matter of software design.
For more information, please directly contact the appropriate software vendor or your Evolis reseller/distributor.
To develop your own application(s) and monitor all Evolis printers, a development kit is available for download, which provides you with all the tools, escape commands, DLL and code samples that you require. Please contact your Evolis reseller/distributor for more information on this.
A firmware is a resident software, embedded in a flash memory on the main board and that operates as a layer between the hardware and the software. It is mainly used to directly manage the resource and is provided by Evolis for exclusive use with its printers.
A regular update is strongly advised to receive all the latest improvements:
Enhanced performances
New command(s) and feature(s)
Bug fixing.
Each main board has its own firmware, which can be downloaded from this website.
Note: The Secution printer has got 2 firmwares : a first one for the printing station and another one for the lamination station. You can up-to-date these 2 firmwares using only one file (*.exe)
All the latest firmware versions can be found on the Evolis website:
Download and unzip the firmware onto your hard disk.
Connect your printer to the computer and switch it on.
Click on the EXE file and follow the instructions on the screen.
Select your printer and click on "update Firmware"
Wait for the up & down movement of the print head when the update is complete.
You can check if the update has been successful by sending the Rfv command (or by opening the Dialog Box with the printer).
A driver is software used to communicate with the printer through the computer in order to manage ribbon choice, print intensity, contrast, insertion modes, magnetic settings, lamination settings, etc.
The driver also broadcasts internal notification and information from the printer. The driver must be installed before the first use of the printer and must be compatible with the target operating system.
Administrator rights are required for its installation.
Before starting an Evolis driver installation on a Windows, Mac or Linux platform, make sure you are logged-in with ADMINISTRATOR rights, or else the computer will turn down the driver's installation.
Make sure that the installation package you are using is compatible with your OS.
To know the driver version in use by the computer, open the Driver Properties/Graphic screen and click the About menu item.
The driver version will be required by Evolis whenever you need assistance.
To know the firmware version of an Evolis printer, open the Driver Properties/Tools menu screen and click the Printer self test button:
A technical test card will then be output to the printer, stating the current firmware version of the printer, as shown below:
All Evolis drivers are available from the CD-ROM shipped with the printer.
You can also download them from the Evolis website.
Drivers for Pebble are available for the following platforms:
The Pantone references are :
Blue: 300C
Red: 186C
Green: 356C
The difference between the standard black monochrome ribbon and the Black Wax one is in the ink composition. The Black Wax ribbon will enable you to print on cards (ABS, PET, paper …) which are not compatible with the standard black ribbon.
ONLY Evolis ribbons must be used with an Evolis printer. Using generic ribbons with an Evolis printer will expose you to printing problems, plus, the warranty will be null and void. No support request will be entertained if generic ribbons have been used.
It’s not possible to print with an YMCKO ribbon on a card that has already been printed with this ribbon. The ink can be applied only once on each side of the card.
In fact, printing will optimize colors only on a white background.
The information about “How to install a ribbon” is available in the
User’s Guide.
After installing the ribbon, go to the Driver Properties/Graphic screen, choose the correct ribbon to match the one installed in the printer, and then click on the Set ribbon button.
If the printer skips ribbon panels during the printing process, please check the following points:
Make sure you are using a genuine Evolis ribbon (not a generic one)
Make sure the printer has been upgraded with the latest firmware
Within the Driver Properties/Graphic screen, make sure that the selected ribbon type is correct and click on the Set Ribbon button to validate
Make sure there is a color ribbon inside the printer. Open the Driver Properties/Tools/Bi-directional communication screen and send the following command which will adjust the color sensor: Sa;c.
If you still have the same glitch even after following these points, please contact your Evolis reseller or distributor.
If the ribbon gets cut during the printing process, please check the following points:
If the problem persists even after checking out these points, please contact your Evolis reseller or distributor.
YMCKO refers to a 5-panel ribbon. Each letter matches up to a panel color:
Y Yellow
M Magenta
C Cyan
K blacK
O Overlay
A half-panel YMCKO color ribbon is a dye-sublimation ribbon which has the same ink specifications as the standard or full-panel YMCKO color ribbon. The difference between the standard YMCKO ribbon and the half-panel ribbon is in the Yellow, Magenta and Cyan panels which have a maximum length of 35 mm.
This ribbon is useful and cost-effective if the color-printed area of your layout is no bigger than a logo or an ID picture.
The monochrome black, blackWAX, blue, red and green ribbons can print up to 600 cards (for a maximum printed area of 70mm -2.75 mil- per card).
The monochrome gold, silver, white and scratch off ribbons – can print up to 500 cards (for a maximum printed area of 70mm -2.75 mil- per card).
Monochrome printing can be performed with different color ribbons:
Black
Blue
Green
Red
Gold
Silver
Scratch-off (not for the Tattoo 2 )
White
Black Wax
The “User’s Guide” provides you a clear explanation of every LED on the control panel.
This guide is available on the Evolis CD-ROM shipped with the printer, or, it can also be downloaded from our website.
Please refer to the user's guide or to the "How to" delivered on the CD with the printer.
Please refer to the user's guide or to the "How to" delivered on the CD with the printer .
Please refer to the user's guide or to the "How to" delivered on the CD with the printer .
Please refer to the user's guide or to the "How to" delivered on the CD with the printer .
To get a complete list of spare parts for your printer, please visit the “Partners Section” on our website, or contact your Evolis reseller/distributor.
If no LED light is on, including the power button, please check the following points:
Is the power supply connected to a live electrical wall socket?
Is the power supply an Evolis one?
Is the power supply faulty? (The power supply displays a green light when it operates properly).
Is the power supply suitably connected to the printer?
The warranty period for your printer and print head is of 2 years.
This warranty is valid as long as the cleaning process is performed, on-time when requested by the system, and certified consumables are used.
The warranty conditions are detailed in a paper document that is provided with Evolis printers, and are also displayed on the second screen of the driver setup wizard.
Evolis warrants all spare parts against material and manufacturing defects for six (6) months from the original date of purchase.
Spare parts specifically exclude wearable parts.
Pebble offers a USB port in its standard version.
Pebble3 offers also an LPT port and for Pebble4, an Ethernet port is also available as an option.
Note that Ethernet connectivity is included for printers shipped with the smart or/and contactless option(s).
If you want all the computers on your network to be able to access a single printer, the printer can be networked through a print server, using the LPT port and via a print server.
Click the following links to access technical details on the print servers that have been successfully tested with Evolis printers:
The basic idea of printer sharing illustration:
Yes, you can. All power supplies are fully compatible between the Zenius, Primacy, Tattoo, Pebble, Dualys and Quantum printers
Input AC: 100-240V ~ 2.0A
50-60Hz
Output: 24V, 6.25A
Only the SECURION card printer requires a special power supply. It is the same used for Quantum 2. This power supply is not compatible with the other Evolis card printers. (Tattoo, Tattoo RW, Tattoo2, Tattoo RW 2, Pebble2/3/4, Dualys1/2/3, and Quantum 1)
In the same way, the other Evolis card printers power supplies (Tattoo, Tattoo RW, Tattoo2, Tattoo RW 2, Pebble2/3/4, Dualys1/2/3, and Quantum 1) are not compatible with Securion card printer (except the Quantum 2 one).
Pebble offers a CR79 option (smaller size card). With this option, both card size (CR79 &CR80) are supported.
Please refer to the user's guide or to the "How to" delivered on the CD with the printer .
IMPORTANT: to avoid any possibility of poor printing quality, DO NOT touch the card surface. Pick up cards by the edges.
The dimensions of the card that will be used with the Evolis printer must be strictly respected. These dimensions correspond to the ISO CR80 norm as described below:
For the card thickness a manual gauge will allow you to use cards from 0.25 (10mil) to 1mm (40mil)
The Stt card (or technical test card) will provide you with important information regarding the printer: serial number, firmware version, print head kit number, position of the image, number of printed lines, number of cleaning cycles and numeric values of different sensors.
During printing, if a card remains in the feeder or gets stuck in the middle of the printer, please check the following points:
Has the printing job been correctly sent to the printer? If en error has occurred, the Windows toolbar will display a red circle with a question mark on the printer icon.
Is the card thickness gauge adjusted to the actual card thickness?
Clean the printer.
Make sure that the cards are not sticking together, and also, that they meet all compatibility requirements from your printer.
Due to the presence of INFRARED sensors which are used for the cards synchronization, the transparent or translucent card cannot be used correctly with the Evolis printers.
For more information or special request, please contact your Evolis reseller/distributor.
All PVC, composite PVC, composite PET, composite ABS* and special varnished* cards can be used with Tattoo 2.
Please note that printing quality may vary depending of the card manufacturer.
* Subject to special conditions
Before ordering a printer with an integrated smart/contactless coupler, make sure the cards and the application you are using are compatible with the coupler.
Technical brochure for each coupler can be found on the relevant manufacturer’s website.
Card 5 offers 2 possible ways of sending the printing/encoding job to the printer: (1) by using the integrated Evolis driver (DCL Driver), or (2) by using the Windows Evolis driver (installed by the user).
With the DCL driver, magnetic encoding requires no adjustment, except for the level of coercitivity.
With the Windows Evolis driver, the Lead-in code and Trailer have to be changed from the Evolis driver or from Card 5.
In the Evolis Driver Properties/Tools/Encoder Settings screen, change the Lead-in and the Trailer values as shown below:
The printer can be upgraded on site to support magnetic option encoding (your Evolis vendor will assist you with the upgrade). For the other encoding options, the printer must be returned to Evolis for a quotation.
The data that can be encoded on the track depends on the encoding format/standard:
ISO1 accepts up to 76 alphanumeric characters, from A to Z and from 0 to 9
ISO2 accepts up to 37 numeric characters, from 0 to 9
ISO3 accepts up to 104 numeric characters, from 0 to 9
SIPASS accepts up to 21 numeric characters
C2: custom mode
JIS2: Japanese industrial standard.
The easiest way to visually determine if a stripe on a card is Hico or Loco is by checking the color of the stripe. Hico stripes are black and Loco stripes are brown. This information applies to magnetic cards provided by Evolis but does not hold good for all manufacturers.
If you are using cards from another manufacturer, please check up on the specifications.
Pebble supports multiple encoding options:
3 encoding options can be installed in the same printer (Magnetic, Smart, contactless)
Check the card positioning inside the feeder (see figure under the feeder)
Clean the printer with an Evolis cleaning card (see user’s guide for the procedure)
In the Driver
Properties/Tools/Encoder Settings screen, check if the coercivity is the same as that of the magnetic cards (stripe color) and then click the
Set button before clicking OK
Check if the data is correct (number of characters and/or allowed characters).
If the issue remains even after checking these points, please contact your Evolis reseller or distributor.
The coercivity has to be set in the driver before any magnetic encoding is carried out. Go to the Driver Properties/Tools/Encoder Settings screen:
After checking the coercivity settings, a simple encoding test can be done from the Driver Properties/Tools/Bi-directional communication screen:
A color profile may solve this issue; check the following points:
The color profile of your screen needs to be installed on your computer. Contact your IT Manager for more information.
Select the Evolis color profile from the printer driver as indicated below:
Open the Driver Properties/Color Management screen and select the Evolis Profile (evolis_profile_v701) which was installed during driver setup.
White lines on the printed cards mean that the print head is unable to heat the ribbon in this zone: the ink cannot be diffused/applied correctly onto the card surface. This issue may arise from a dirty or faulty print head.
If cleaning of the print head does not clear this defect, please contact your Evolis reseller/distributor.
For mechanic, adjustment and also warranty reasons, the print head of the other or previous ranges are not compatible with the other Evolis printers. Each print head has a specific part number.
The resolution, i.e. the details in an image, is of 300 dpi (11.8 dots/mm).
The white margins on the edges of the printed card can be reduced by changing the offset settings. A technical process will allow you to move the position of the image and increase/reduce the number of printed lines on the card. For more information, please contact your Evolis reseller/distributor.
If the colors on the printed card are too dark or too fade, the following points have to be checked:
Are the contrast/intensity values too high or to low?
Is the power supply an Evolis one?
Make sure that the Evolis power supply is not faulty.
If the issue remains even after checking these points, please contact your Evolis reseller/distributor.
This issue relates to the quality of the card.
The card’s flatness (which is really important with sublimation printers) is thinner around the chip area. Ink cannot be applied appropriately onto this area.
The only way to resolve this defect is to use higher-quality cards.