Bodno A-Series Card Comes Out Blank: 4 Checks That Fix It

Fix a problem·Updated Oct 9, 2026·2 min read

Bodno A-Series Help · Print quality

A10A20A30A40 Pro

The card goes in, the ribbon moves, and the card comes out with nothing on it. It feels like a dead printhead, but it is usually a setting, and four quick checks find it.

The short version

Print the test chart. If it is blank, reset Position Calibrate to factory default. Look at the used ribbon to see whether the image is on it. If the chart prints but your cards do not, check the printer you are sending to and reinstall the driver.

Check 1: does the test chart print?

Where:Printing Preferences › Tool › Position Calibrate › Print Test Chart

This prints straight from the driver, without your card software. If the chart prints normally, skip to check 4.

Check 2: reset the print position

A blank chart usually means the print position has been moved so far that the image lands off the card. We have seen it after L was set to −2 to hide a thin white edge.

Where:Printing Preferences › Tool › Position Calibrate › Reset to factory default

Print the chart again. When it prints, fine-tune L or T one step at a time with a test card in between.

Check 3: look at the used ribbon

Lift the cartridge out and look at the panels that just went past the printhead.

Your image is on the ribbon, not on the cardThe card is not taking the dye. Use plain CR80 PVC cards, not coated cards.
The ribbon is untouchedThe printhead is not printing. Contact us with the serial number, especially on a new printer or right after a firmware update.
Black ribbon installed, light-colored designA black ribbon only prints black. Light colors print as nothing.

Check 4: the chart prints, your cards do not

  • Make sure you are sending to the A-Series printer and not a copy of it or the office printer.
  • If the first card prints and the rest come out blank or doubled, contact us; it is a connection inside the printer.
  • Reinstall the driver: uninstall it, restart the computer, install it fresh from your A10, A20, A30 or A40 Pro support page.
Do not open the printer

If the chart is still blank after a factory reset, the printhead or its bracket needs reseating. We do that with you on a video call or arrange a repair. Opening it yourself risks turning a quick fix into a printhead replacement.

Parts for this fix

Bodno CR80 30 mil PVC Cards $14.99 Add to cart
Bodno A5100 Color Ribbon, A10 (100 prints) $64.99 Add to cart
Bodno A5300 Color Ribbon, A20 / A30 / A40 Pro (300 prints) $94.99 Add to cart
Bodno BB001 Cleaning Kit for A-Series $39.99 Add to cart

Write to us with these and we can answer the same day

Most cases go back and forth an extra time only because we have to ask for these. Put them in your first message:

  1. The serial number from the label on the back of the printer
  2. Your model: A10, A20, A30 or A40 Pro
  3. A screenshot of the printer information screen in the driver (it shows the firmware and driver version)
  4. A photo of the test chart (blank or not)
  5. A photo of the used ribbon panels
  6. Whether you recently updated firmware or changed position settings
Call (732) 987-5300Email support@bodno.comSupport request form

Written by Bodno Tech Support from real A-Series support cases. Last reviewed October 2026.

Still stuck?

Tell our support team your printer model and what you see on the screen, and we'll help you get printing.

support@bodno.com·(732) 987-5300
Monday to Friday, 9 AM to 7 PM ET

Products in this guide

Questions about this

01 The ribbon moves but nothing prints. Is the printhead dead?
Not usually. A print position pushed off the card is far more common. Reset Position Calibrate to factory default first.
02 I can see my image on the used ribbon but not on the card.
The dye is not taking to the card. Use plain white CR80 PVC cards, not coated cards.
03 The first card prints, the rest are blank or doubled.
That pattern points to a loose internal connection. Contact us and we will walk you through it.
04 Should I open the printer?
No. If a factory reset does not bring the test chart back, contact us.