Best Way to animate loading a printer

You should be able to make that work. If you take photos, make sure to use a tripod. You could photograph each step and then use those stills to "faux" animate the sequence by using different wipe effects. It could be a case for a pause and play video sequence as well.

You could set the base image up and use drop points for each step/sequence and let the user select where the tape should go next. A correct answer could wipe your next image on screen. Or simply have info markers that describe in detail the next part of the sequence. After the user views that you could wipe in the next part of the paper path.

Your Zebra printer probably also has a good PDF manual with line art or photos already in it. Do a search on that for image ideas as well.