Problem

When the print-head comes into contact with the media being printed.
This appears as smeared ink in a particular spot on the print.

Causes

1. If the head height (or platen gap) is not set properly to accommodate thicker media, this could cause a head strike.

• Is there is a strong curl to the media you are printing on,
  this could also cause a head strike as the media surface may be raised inside the printer.

• If the media is not loaded correctly the pinch rollers can cause the media to skew or create waves in the media.
  These waves could come in contact with the print-head causing a head strike.

Solution

1. Check the thickness of your media and raise the platen gap/head height accordingly.

• If the media has a strong curl to it, feed the first few inches to avoid the curled leading edge.

• Adjust the heaters according to the needs of the media. Too much heat in the earlier stages of the print may cause the media to buckle.
  This is especially true with adhesive vinyl and heat sensitive materials.