BCS 4206, Operating Manual

Page 1: ...Meto mi 4 Label and Tag Printer Extended Operating Manual B a r c o d e S y s t e m s ...

Page 2: ...nd Licensor retains all rights not expressly granted In no event will Licensor or its suppliers be liable for any damages or loss including direct incidental economic special or consequential damages arising out of the use or inability to use the Firmware Software Information in this document is subject to change without notice and does not represent a commitment on the part of Checkpoint Systems ...

Page 3: ...ares under sole responsibility that this product conforms to the following standards or other normative documents EMC EN 55022 1993 Class B EN 50024 1998 Safety This product complies with the requirements of EN 60950 All 1997 Gost R FCC This device complies with FCC CFR 47 Part 15 Class A Note This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class A digital device pursuant ...

Page 4: ...rm surface Do not place the printer on or near a heat source To protect your printer from overheating make sure no openings on the printer are blocked Never insert anything into the ventilation slots and openings of the printer Do not use the printer near water or spill liquid into it Ensure that the AC power source matches the ratings listed for the printer If unsure check with your dealer or loc...

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Page 6: ...Installing the Printer 12 3 0 1 Communications Interfacing 13 3 1 Loading Media 15 3 1 1 Roll Media 16 3 1 2 Fan Fold Media 17 3 2 Loading the Internal Media Rewinder 18 3 2 1 Winding Labels 18 3 2 2 Winding with the Peel and Present Option 21 3 3 Loading Ribbon 23 Using the Front Panel 4 0 Operating the Front Panel 25 4 0 1 Ready Mode Normal Operation 25 4 0 2 Menu Mode Configuration 26 4 0 3 Qui...

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Page 8: ... Maintaining the Printer 5 0 Media Sensor Adjustment 62 5 1 Positioning Calibration 64 5 2 Media Sensor Calibration 64 5 2 1 Standard Calibration 64 5 2 1 1 Calibration Problems 62 5 2 1 2 Preprinted Labels 63 5 2 2 Advanced Entry Calibration 75 5 3 Printhead Adjustments 81 5 3 1 Leveling Cam Adjustment 81 5 3 2 Burn Line Adjustment 82 5 4 Printhead Replacement 84 5 5 Cleaning Schedule 85 5 5 1 Cl...

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Page 10: ...Code Chart 109 Appendix B Available Fonts and Bar Codes 111 Appendix C Module Assignments 119 Print Resolutions and Maximum Widths 119 Speed Settings and Defaults 120 Appendix D GPIO Port Description 121 GPIO Port Connections 121 Appendix E Menu System Multi Language Support 123 Advance File Handling Information 127 Limitation of Liability 115 Glossary of Terms 119 Index 136 ...

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Page 14: ...his manual provides all the information necessary for everyday printer operation To begin printing labels refer to the instructions provided with the label creation software you have chosen If you wish to write custom label programs a copy of the Programmer s Manual is included on the enclosed Accessories CD To grow with all of your printing needs the design of the printer allows most upgrades to ...

Page 15: ...tch Printing X X X X X X Rotating Media Hub X X X X X X Media Tear Bar X X X X X X Fan fold media capability X X X X X X Flash memory 1MB 1MB 2MB 2MB 4MB 4MB SDRAM 8MB 8MB 16MB 16MB 16MB 16MB RS 232 interface port X X X X X X IEEE 1284 Compliant parallel interface port X X X X X X Liquid Crystal Display X X X X X X EFIGS multi language display and configuration label support X X X X X X AGFA Scala...

Page 16: ...or additional fonts and graphics ILPC consists of one of the following CG Times Western European Scalable font Kanji Gothic B Scalable font Simplified Chinese GB Scalable font Korean Hangul Scalable font Internal Media Rewinder An internal hub with a six inch outer diameter capacity to wind printed labels or backing material only when the Peel and Present Mechanism is attached I O Expansion Card s...

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Page 18: ... Serial Interface Single drop interface hardware to support greater distances from the host at communication rates of up to 38 400 baud Thermal Transfer specify feature type at time of order A printing method that uses ribbon to produce exceptional image clarity as compared to most direct thermal media types This option can be ordered for use with either coating in or coating out ribbons Twinax Co...

Page 19: ...t Option Qualified Installer Cutter Tray Operator Cutters Light and Standard Duty Operator External Keyboard Operator Font Expansion Card Certified Technician Internal Rewind Operator I O Expansion Card Certified Technician LAN Interface Certified Technician Peel and Present Mechanism Operator Present Sensor Operator RS 422 Serial Interface Certified Technician Thermal Transfer Assembly Operator T...

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Page 21: ...o remove the packaging materials i e tape and foam placed there for shipment Complete the following steps prior to connecting power or attempting to load media n With the arrow on the box pointing up open the box o Remove Accessories Box p Tilt the printer on its side and slide the printer out of its box q Place the printer in an upright position and remove the packing foam plastic bag and tape No...

Page 22: ...Printer Power Cord Accessories CD Any special or additionally purchased items 2 0 2 Additional Requirements The following items are necessary to produce labels Contact your dealer or a customer support representative for advice on which media and software may best suit your needs A serial or parallel interface cable see Section 3 0 1 Applicable media see Section 2 1 Applicable software ...

Page 23: ...y Ribbon backcoating is highly recommended It provides protection for the printhead and may also provide an anti static coating For additional printhead protection use ribbon with a slightly greater width than the overall width of the label and backing material 2 1 1 Print Quality Controls The printer provides total application flexibility with a comprehensive set of print controls of these the am...

Page 24: ...ages will fade and at the next higher heat setting the images will bleed This is because the reaction temperature of the media is so high that at higher rates of speed it cannot react fast enough To print fine images at higher speed media with lower reaction or release temperatures are required On the slower end of the print rate settings crisper images are possible because the media is not being ...

Page 25: ...d or data cables to the printer ensure the Power On Off Switch is in the Off position Connect the AC power cord to the receptacle located on the back of the printer then plug the cord into a properly grounded outlet For ease of connectivity the standard printer can be connected to the Host Computer though the Parallel or Serial Interface as described in Section 3 0 1 ...

Page 26: ...nal mode is forward channel communication and requires a Centronics cable with a 36 pin male connector Bi directional mode is IEEE 1284 Compliant using forward and reverse channel communications In this mode data can be sent to the host provided it is also IEEE 1284 Compliant and has supporting software This mode requires an IEEE 1284 cable with a Centronics 36 pin male connector Serial Port The s...

Page 27: ... used for connection to a PC compatible with DB9P communication ports Flow control can be either Xon Xoff or CTS DTR PC DB25P to Printer RS 422 Connection Part Number 417 105 Cable used for connection to a PC compatible with DB25 communication ports Flow control can be either Xon Xoff or CTS DTR The diagram above is provided only as a reference This is an optional interface however it is unavailab...

Page 28: ...e down position q The Media Hub can accept two different core sizes 3 0 inch 76mm and 1 5 inch 38mm To use media with 1 5 inch cores first remove the 3 0 inch Hub by grasping it firmly and pulling outward The larger hub will slide off the smaller inner hub Store the removed hub in a safe place for future use Depending upon the type of media and printer options several loading configurations are po...

Page 29: ...rest lightly against the media s edge q Slide the Media Sensor into position see Section 5 0 for details r Lower the printhead by rotating the Printhead Latch to the locked position Close the Access Cover If you are printing with thermal transfer media see Section 3 3 for ribbon loading instructions If you have a thermal transfer printer but will be printing on direct thermal labels see Section 4 ...

Page 30: ...he front of the printer q Raise and slide the Media Guide over to rest lightly against the edge of the media r Ensure the Media Sensor is correctly positioned see Section 5 0 for details s Lower the printhead by rotating the Printhead Latch to the locked position Close the Access Cover If you are printing with thermal transfer media see Section 3 3 for ribbon loading instructions If you have a the...

Page 31: ...ps 3 2 1 Winding Labels Note When winding labels the outer diameter of the wound stock cannot exceed 6 n Remove the Front Fascia o Remove the Tear Plate by first removing the Thumbscrew p Position the Rewind Plate on the printer and install and tighten the Thumbscrew q If installed remove the Rewind Retainer and Media Clip from the Media Rewind Hub r With media loaded as described in Section 3 1 p...

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Page 33: ...to rest lightly against the outside edge of the media and tighten the Thumbscrew to secure Manually rotate the hub to remove slack in the media After finishing close the Access Cover then push and hold the FEED key for 4 seconds to secure the backing material and calibrate the TOF Removal Remove the Rewind Retainer and Media Clip Grasp the end of the hub While pulling outwardly squeeze the hub tog...

Page 34: ...the printer and complete the following loading steps n Pull outward on the Latch and allow the Roller Bracket to swing down o Load media and advance approximately 20 inches 51 cm of media from the front of the printer Remove all labels from the Backing Material p Route the Backing Material through the Roller Bracket as shown Raise the Roller Bracket up to its latched position Continued next page ...

Page 35: ...d Hub to secure Slide the Rewind Retainer onto the Media Rewind Hub Rotate the Rewind Hub to remove any slack in the backing After finishing close the Access Cover then push and hold the FEED key for four seconds to secure the backing material and calibrate the TOF Note After loading media enable the Present Sensor for on demand printing see Section 4 1 3 Removal Remove the Rewind Retainer and Med...

Page 36: ...ibbon type q Slide the ribbon on completely to rest against the flange r Route the ribbon under the Ribbon Roller then out the front of the printer s Continue routing the ribbon up to and around the Ribbon Take Up Hub as shown Wind the ribbon around several times in a clockwise direction to secure it in place t Lower the printhead by rotating the Printhead Latch to the locked position Close the Ac...

Page 37: ...ilable with ink layer wound either coating side in or coating side out Directional arrows near the Ribbon Supply Hub determine the correct coating configuration for use in the printer Coating Side In Routing Path Coating Side Out Routing Path ...

Page 38: ...ormal operation o The FEED key advances one label and clears any corrected faults Pressing and holding for 4 seconds will reset the expected label length for gap and reflective modes p The CANCEL key pauses the printer and then prompts for confirmation If yes the current job is cancelled The printer remains paused Pressing and holding for 4 seconds will reset the printer and clear temporary host s...

Page 39: ...o The UP ARROW key scrolls to the next menu item It also increments numerical values in most menu selections p The ENTER key selects the function item or displayed value selection is indicated with an or for bootables which require a reset to become effective It also moves between selections in multiple parameter fields q The ESCAPE key moves to the previous menu level and finally back to the READ...

Page 40: ...Label this quantity is always one Holding down the key scrolls quantities q The ESCAPE key will exit the Quick Test Mode without printing r The TEST key will print the selected test label at the selected quantity During test label printing this key can also perform as a cancel key the printer will prompt for confirmation before cancellation occurs Notes The test functions are disabled while proces...

Page 41: ... Section 6 1 for a list of these messages 4 0 5 LCD Display n Liquid Crystal Display The display provides several types of information Following a brief power up sequence the READY message The time and date if the printer has received it from one of the following the host the front panel setting or the Time and Date option A label counter during a batch print job Any prompt condition downloading w...

Page 42: ... until the SYSTEM RESET message flashes Note This reset can also be executed using the menu system System Settings Set Factory Defaults See Section 4 1 for a listing of the factory default settings 4 0 6 3 Level 2 Reset To return the printer to the factory default settings and clear all the calibration and adjustment parameters n Turn Off the printer o Press and hold the PAUSE FEED and CANCEL keys...

Page 43: ...power is lost or removed the new settings will be retained A reset will be automatically invoked when exiting the menu system and answering Yes to the Save Changes prompt The same functional commands from the host computer may in some cases override the printer s menu settings In addition as a security feature for the prevention of accidental or unauthorized changes the menu system has a password ...

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Page 45: ...ity has been enabled and now the correct user definable password is required for access the Menu Mode functions KEEP HOST CHANGES ENTER YES You are now entering the Menu Mode Host commands have affected the configuration of the printer Pressing ENTER will save these changes otherwise the printer will revert to previously saved settings SAVE CHANGES ENTER YES You are now exiting the Menu Mode but h...

Page 46: ...EL LENGTH 16 00in 0 99 99 Sets the maximum length between TOF marks gap or black stripe If this limit is exceeded a top of form fault is declared LABEL WIDTH Sets the maximum limit for the printable surface width Objects extending beyond this limit will not print see Appendix C for the default values SENSOR CALIBRATION Adjusts the printer to sense your media PERFORM CALIBRATION The user follows st...

Page 47: ...e Appendix C ROW OFFSET 00 00in 0 99 99 Shifts the vertical start of print position This is the user setting for row adjustment COLUMN OFFSET 00 00 in 0 99 99 Shifts the horizontal left justified start of print position to the right without shifting the Label Width termination point to the right This is the user setting for Column Adjust PRESENT DISTANCE 0 00 in 0 4 00 Sets the label stop position...

Page 48: ...ontrols the printhead strobe time to fine tune the HEAT setting ROW ADJUST XXX DOTS 0 128 Shifts the vertical start of print position upward in dots to fine tune the ROW OFFSET setting see Appendix C Note A Positioning Calibration must be performed before this parameter takes effect see Section 5 1 COLUMN ADJUST XXX DOTS 0 128 Shifts both the horizontal start of print position and the LABEL WIDTH ...

Page 49: ...ODULE The user may select from a list of available modules for formatting all data will be erased DELETE FILE The user may select from a list of available files for deleting protected modules will not appear Bytes will NOT be retrieved until the module that contained the deleted file is packed PACK MODULE Packing the module removes files marked as deleted and defragments existing file structures t...

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Page 51: ...UTTER Used to cut media into separate labels The physical presence of a cutter must be detected to show the ENABLE DISABLE selections ENABLED Enables the cutter for label cutting DISABLED Disables the cutter NOT INSTALLED No cutter is detected ...

Page 52: ...YTE SYMBOLS Selects the code page used to print single byte fonts unless otherwise specified in DPL PC_850 MULTILINGUAL 61 selectable sets are standard see the Programmer s Manual for details DOUBLE BYTE SYMBOLS When equipped with the ILPC option this selects the code page used to print double byte fonts unless otherwise specified in DPL see the Programmer s Manual for details JIS Japanese Industr...

Page 53: ...ser RESETTABLE COUNTER The number of operational hours and inches printed from the date last reset User may reset RESET COUNTER Resets the resettable counters to zero PRINT CONFIGURATION Prints the effective configuration of the system In addition if settings were changed that require a reset to become effective this will be indicated with the symbol A symbol next to the printed item indicates tha...

Page 54: ...ents the model number of the application loaded wwxx represents the configuration level where ww represents the hardware compatibility level of the main board xx represents the software compatibility level see below yyyyyy is a manufacturing date code PRINTER KEY zzz is a unique time stamp UPGRADE PRINTER CODE The application version may only be updated with a configuration level of equal or lesse...

Page 55: ...ed An odd number of overlapping objects will print XOR Intersecting text strings images and bar codes print on top of one another OPAQUE Interacting text strings images and bar codes are obliterated by those formatted last Each character cell is treated as opaque IMAGING MODE Instructs the printer whether to pre image the label format Note This selection can affect the accuracy of time stamped lab...

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Page 57: ... printer settings made through the operator panel SELECT SECURITY Enable or disable the menu system s security feature ENABLED Password protected DISABLED No protection MODIFY PASSWORD Modify the password required to access the menu system when security is enabled UNITS OF MEASURE Selects the measurement system in which the system s settings are represented in the menu system and on configuration ...

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Page 59: ...e Allegro printer ENABLED The row position is calculated based on 194 DPI This calculation is slightly smaller than the actual 203 DPI value DISABLED Label formats interpreted normally mi 4206 mi 4208 mi 4212 Models DPI EMULATION For users who want to print DPL files intended for a 203 DPI printer DISABLED Label formats interpreted as intended for 406 DPI 203 DOTS PER INCH Label formats interprete...

Page 60: ...ermines the timing of the label back up ENABLED Commands the printer to immediately back up the label after the cut operation is complete or after the present sensor is clear Provides the advantage of faster throughput DISABLED The printer will not initiate repositioning until the next label is ready to print May help prevent the curling of the label edge MENU LANGUAGE Selects the language in whic...

Page 61: ...ts per second PROTOCOL Sets the data flow control handshaking method BOTH Uses both handshaking methods SOFTWARE XON XOFF HARDWARE CTS DTR NONE No flow control is used PARITY Sets Word parity NONE No parity ODD Odd parity EVEN Even parity DATA BITS Sets Word length 7 Seven bit Word length 8 Eight bit Word length STOP BITS Sets the number of stop bits 1 One stop bit 2 Two stop bits SERIAL PORT B Sa...

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Page 63: ...TIMEOUT 03 SEC 1 60 The number of seconds a communications port must be idle before the printer may process data from a different port This value is also used to timeout an image label download CONTROL CODES Allows the operator to change the prefix of the software commands interpreted by the printer STANDARD CODES Hex 01 SOH command Hex 02 STX command count by Hex 1B ESC Hex 0x0D Carriage Return A...

Page 64: ...ignored and the data is processed Bitmapped font downloads are disabled in this mode HEAT COMMAND Allows the user to disable the DPL Heat Command providing compatibility with other printers ENABLED Normal printer operating mode DISABLED DPL Heat Commands are ignored The heat value is controlled via the menu setting see Print Control Section 4 1 2 SPEED COMMANDS Allows the user to disable the DPL s...

Page 65: ...ts of each attempt will be displayed PRINT TEST RATE MIN 0 0 120 The number of minutes to delay between the printing of batches of labels SENSOR READINGS Analog Sensor readings are displayed THR TRAN RIBM 24V Æ 255 255 255 255 Live sensor values are displayed View can be toggled with forward and reverse keys Maximum values are shown in this example thermistor sensor transmissive gap media sensor T...

Page 66: ... and Condition Messages Displayed Message Description Condition s The printer is trying to clear a fault condition Occurs when the FEED key is pressed after the correction of a fault A calibrated feed operation is being performed The FEED key was pressed and held four seconds or during a label feed when the TOF was expected but the media sensor did not detect one The CANCEL or TEST key was pressed...

Page 67: ...dication updated with each label printed READY Mode Normal operating mode The printer is ready to receive and process label formats The Present Sensor option is enabled and a printed label is awaiting removal A label blocks the Present Sensor remove it to continue printing You are now exiting the menu but have made changes to the settings of the printer Pressing ENTER will save these changes if no...

Page 68: ...Condition s Normal power up soft reset condition Follows the SYSTEM RESET IN PROGRESS message after a reset or power up Normal power up soft reset condition Occurs when the user resets the printer via the host or Front Panel The media calibration is not set Perform calibration See Section 5 2 ...

Page 69: ...ting on the platen see Section 4 1 2 During any Quick Test Label run pressing the key or the key will stop printing 4 3 1 Print Quality Label The Print Quality Label provides an indication of overall print quality at a pre selected heat and speed setting This format consists of compliant bar codes in fence and ladder orientations assorted font sizes and graphic fill patterns These can be used to e...

Page 70: ...content can vary with the application version and model of the printer To print all label information the media cannot be less than 2 inches wide 51mm and the Label Width setting must match the width of the media being used see Section 4 1 2 To print a Configuration Label n Press the key o Use the key to scroll to Print Configuration p Press the key to start printing ...

Page 71: ...pliant picket fence bar code that can be used to verify thermal transfer and print quality functions To print a Quick Ribbon Test Label n Press the key o Use the key to scroll to Ribbon Test Label p Use the key to select a quantity see Section 4 0 3 q Press the key to start printing ...

Page 72: ...t a Dot Test Pattern Label n Press the key o Use the key to scroll to Dot Test Pattern p Use the key to select a quantity see Section 4 0 3 q Press the key to start printing Good Test Pattern Label Even pattern consistency indicates the printhead is operating normally Faulty Test Pattern Label Streaks indicate a dirty or faulty printhead See Section 5 5 1 for cleaning instructions ...

Page 73: ...ect a quantity see Section 4 0 3 q Press the key to start printing 4 3 6 User Defined Label The User Defined Label will reprint the last label printed unless the printer was powered off between the printing of the last label and the request to print a user defined label This label is recalled from the print buffer and can be any of the Quick Test labels a label format from the host or a label form...

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Page 75: ...sor Type Sensor Eye Mark Position Standard die cut Gap Near the middle of the label Circular die cut Gap Directly over the apex Notched Gap Directly over the notch Reflective Reflective Directly over the black mark Continuous Continuous Near the middle of the label See Section 7 for an explanation of the media requirements To adjust the Media Sensor position n With the printer powered On media loa...

Page 76: ...eturn to READY mode s Press and hold the FEED key until 2 3 labels are advanced approximately 4 seconds to set the TOF see Section 5 1 If Uncalibrated Top of Form Fault or Position Error is displayed go to Section 5 2 Note Changes to the start of print position can be made using the Print Control Row Adjust or Row Offset see Section 4 1 2 ...

Page 77: ...s displayed first calibrate the Media Sensor see Section 5 2 If a Ribbon Fault is displayed first perform a Level 2 reset before calibrating see Section 4 0 6 Ribbon sensor calibration must be performed with a ribbon installed and with the printer configured for the thermal transfer printing see Section 4 1 1 5 2 Media Sensor Calibration Media Sensor calibration should be performed during initial ...

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Page 79: ... Operator Action Displayed Message Comment 1 Turn On the printer Wait until Ready is displayed 2 Press the key to enter Menu Mode Raise the printhead for visual access to the Media Sensor and load label media See Section 4 0 2 for details 3 Press the key to enter the Media Settings menu See Section 4 1 1 for details 4 Press the key See Section 4 1 1 for details 5 Press the key Use the key to scrol...

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Page 81: ...ibration See Section 4 1 1 for details Press the key to abort this procedure 7 Press the key See Section 4 1 1 for details 8 Press the key Ensure no label media is in the Media Sensor then press any key _ Sets the parameter for the out of stock condition Where yyy is a numerical value representing the current sensor reading Continued next page ...

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Page 83: ... the sensor and adjust the Sensor Eye Mark over the notch Reflective media place the black mark face down in the sensor and adjust the Sensor Eye Mark over the black mark Press any key to continue _ OR _ Sets the parameter for the gap or mark value Where yyy is a numerical value representing the current sensor reading If the Sensor Type is set to Continuous this step is skipped going directly into...

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Page 85: ...rrent sensor reading 11 Depending upon the Sensor Type selection observe the display for the calibration message OR OR The calibration was successful See Calibration Problems next page for other possible messages 12 Exit upon successful calibration Back out of the menu tree by repeatedly pressing the key Press and hold the FEED key approximately 4 seconds to calibrate the label position The label ...

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Page 87: ...indication after the media supply is emptied Or Displayed Message Action Comment Press any key Only a small difference or no change in low sensor readings was detected Ensure that nothing is stuck in the media sensor Retry calibration If the problem persists perform the Advanced Entry Calibration see Section 5 2 2 If in reflective mode REFLECTIVE MODE will be displayed instead of GAP MODE Or Displ...

Page 88: ...ing by one or two points remember to press the ENTER key to select the item then exit the menu system after saving the changes 5 2 2 Advanced Entry Calibration The second calibration method is the Advanced Entry Calibration This method overrides all previous calibration settings and should be used only if the Standard Calibration method has failed The procedure has two parts 1 Sensor Gain Differen...

Page 89: ...roll to Sensor Calibration Press the key Press the key to abort this procedure 7 Use the key to scroll to Advanced Entry Press the key See Section 4 1 1 for details 8 Press the key See Section 4 1 1 for details 9 Place the label under the Sensor Eye Mark and lower the printhead Using the key increment the Gain Number Press the key to select the new setting and then record the sensor reading the yy...

Page 90: ...notch Lower the printhead Reflective stock place the black mark face down in the sensor and adjust the Sensor Eye Mark over the mark Lower the printhead Using the key increment the Gain Number Press the key to select the new setting and then record the sensor reading the yyy value Repeat this process for each of the Gain Numbers recording each value These are the TOF Values _ JQQ HQ L TRI OR _ JQQ...

Page 91: ...L TRI Where yyy is a numerical value representing the current sensor reading Both sensor readings must be above 20 Gain Number Label Value TOF Value Difference Value 00 255 254 1 01 251 240 11 02 241 213 28 03 231 182 49 04 219 150 69 05 212 119 93 06 200 88 112 07 189 58 131 08 178 32 146 09 167 20 147 10 156 17 139 11 146 16 130 12 136 15 121 13 126 15 111 30 116 14 102 31 112 14 98 Example from...

Page 92: ...e Gain Number set in Step 12 complete the following steps n Place the label under the Media Sensor Record the sensor reading and label it P paper o Place the backing mark or notch under the Media Sensor Record the sensor reading and label it G or M gap or mark respectively p Remove all media Record the sensor reading and label it E _ JQY HQ L TRI OR _ JQY HQ L TRI Where yyy is a numerical value re...

Page 93: ...us step Press the key to set the entry and advance the menu Repeat for the Mark or Gap and Empty levels JRXY JRTW JQRU È JRXY JTS JQRU OR JRXY JTS JQRU È JRXY JTS JQRR 16 Press the key to back out of the menu and then press the key to save the settings and return to the Main Menu and Ready Mode From Ready Mode press and hold the FEED key approximately 4 seconds to calibrate the label position ...

Page 94: ...format or use a Quick Test label p Begin printing and examine the right side of the label q Rotate the Printhead Leveling Cam clockwise or counter clockwise until even print is achieved across the width of the label see examples below Leveling Cam Adjustment too much An over adjustment produces an image that gradually fades across the label To correct decrease the setting of the Printhead Leveling...

Page 95: ...a with a different thickness or rigidity is used e g heavy tag stock an adjustment may be needed if the print quality has been adversely affected Generally thicker media requires a slight forward adjustment of the printhead while thinner media requires a backward adjustment to compensate for the change in the burn line to vertex relationship To adjust the Burn Line of the printhead n With the prin...

Page 96: ...step until labels with even print contrast darkness and acceptable print quality are produced s Tighten the Locking Screws Print a final Quick Test label to verify the adjustment Note When the Locking Screws are snug turning the Adjustment Screws counter clockwise will not move the printhead outward If you have adjusted the printhead too far inward restart the entire procedure ...

Page 97: ...thead Latch forward and raise the printhead Remove the ribbon if installed p Lower and rotate the Printhead Latch to the locked position q Loosen the Printhead Mounting Screw it will remain captivated in the assembly Rotate the Printhead Latch forward to the unlocked position r Raise the assembly While carefully holding the Printhead disconnect the two Cables and then remove the old Printhead s Wh...

Page 98: ...lcohol clean the printhead from end to end removing all build up See Section 5 5 1 WARNING Before cleaning allow time for the printhead to cool Clean after each roll or box of labels or after each roll of ribbon Platen Roller Using a cotton swab dampened with isopropyl alcohol rotate the platen and remove all build up See Section 5 5 2 Clean after each roll or box of labels or after each roll of r...

Page 99: ... Open the access cover Unlock the Printhead Latch and raise the Printhead Assembly Move media and ribbon away from the printhead as necessary p Gently wipe off all debris build up on the Printhead surface paying close attention to the burn line using a cotton swab moistened not soaked with isopropyl alcohol Allow the printhead to dry q Replace the ribbon and media Lower and rotate the Printhead La...

Page 100: ...nlock the Printhead Latch and raise the Printhead Assembly Remove media and ribbon p Using a Cotton Swab dampened with isopropyl alcohol clean the Platen Roller manually rotate the roller and repeat cleaning the entire surface Allow the Platen Roller to dry q Replace ribbon and media r Lower the Printhead Assembly and lock the Printhead Latch s Close the access cover Plug in and turn On the printe...

Page 101: ...e found on our web site There are two modes in which the firmware of the printer can be updated 1 the Ready Mode or 2 the Download Mode WARNING Should an error occur during the file download see Section 5 6 3 the update is aborted If this process did not reach Erasing Flash or Updating Software the previous program is left intact otherwise a successful download must be completed before the printer...

Page 102: ... zs lpt1 where lpt1 is the host computer s port however this selection can differ to include a serial or other port as the printer is equipped The Ready Indicator will flash while the data is received 2 No action required The new application program is being stored and verified 3 USRS TOQU QXPSWPSQQQ No action required The printer has reset automatically and is now displaying the new firmware vers...

Page 103: ...inter see Step 2 in Section 5 6 1 The printer is ready to accept the new application version Note The parallel port LPT1 must be used to write to the printer 3 No action required The printer is receiving the new image program 4 No action required The program has been received and verified now memory is being cleared of the previous application 5 No action required The new program is being written ...

Page 104: ...ot successfully erase Flash memory The possible cause is defective Flash memory Try the download again however if the problem continues call for service The printer could not successfully write the program into Flash memory A possible cause is defective Flash memory Try the download again however if the problem continues call for service Application Firmware downloaded was not compatible with the ...

Page 105: ...ite Download the desired version onto your computer s hard drive To update the Boot Loader Program Boot Loader Update Procedure Step Displayed Message Operator Action Comment s 1 Using the DOS copy command where filename is the program to be loaded and lpt1 is the selected interface port enter the following copy filename lpt1 As an example this would be entered as copy boottb99_0209 bs lpt1 where ...

Page 106: ...is the correct type for the application Try setting the Parallel Port Direction to Uni Directional some host computers are not bi directional compatible See Section 4 1 5 Display is blank but the READY indicator is On The display contrast may set too low Press and hold the MENU key for 10 seconds or until the display reappears Erratic printing instead of the label format strange characters are pri...

Page 107: ...ide the dimensions of the label all row column values must allow enough space for the height length of the characters and bar codes to be printed within the format size The available memory may have been exceeded by the memory requirement of the label format Try reducing the memory allocated to either the internal module or scaleable font caches see System Settings Memory Settings Section 4 1 4 Mi...

Page 108: ...ribbon y Verify that the ribbon was properly loaded per Section 3 3 y If it was properly loaded the wrong ribbon coating configuration was used Clean the printhead see Section 5 5 1 then replace the ribbon with one that has the coating on the correct side per Section 3 3 If there is no image on the used ribbon Run a Quick Test label see Section 4 3 If an image printed then check the protocol and p...

Page 109: ...n combination may not be compatible see Section 2 1 The Printhead Leveling Cam may be incorrectly adjusted see Section 5 3 1 The Platen Roller may be dirty or worn see Section 5 5 2 The Printhead Burn Line may need adjusting see Section 5 3 2 Skips labels when printing The printer may need calibration see Section 5 1 and 5 2 The Media Sensor may be slightly out of position readjust the position se...

Page 110: ... fault must be corrected and then FEED key must be pressed to clear the condition Fault Messages Displayed Message Description Possible Solution s The printer has detected an analog to digital circuit converter failure Try cycling the printer power Off and On If the fault does not clear call for service The printer has detected a cutter mechanism fault Try cycling the printer power Off and On WARN...

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Page 112: ...r see Section 5 2 The printer has determined that the media is not correctly positioned to print Press and hold the FEED key for 4 seconds see Section 5 1 Calibration may also be needed See Section 5 2 The printer has detected a problem in the print logic Try cycling the printer power Off and On If the fault does not clear call for service The system has detected a RAM failure Try cycling the prin...

Page 113: ... and ribbon take up hubs for obstructions that may be stopping movement 3 Ensure that the ribbon supply core fits snugly on the ribbon supply hub 4 Ensure that the media and paper combination is correct 5 Perform a Level 2 Reset Section 4 0 6 and then a Positioning Calibration Section 5 1 The printer has detected a problem applying the printhead heat strobe Try cycling the printer power Off and On...

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Page 115: ... The media may not be properly loaded Reload media and ensure that the Media Guide is positioned properly see Section 3 1 4 The label may be longer than the default value for maximum length Check the Media Settings Maximum Label Length see Section 4 1 1 5 The Media Sensor may be obstructed Check and carefully remove any obstruction labels paper dust adhesive etc If media is not moving The printhea...

Page 116: ...C line voltage has been lost The host has pending configuration changes that will not take effect until a host reset command is issued To save changes send a host reset command in DPL or to discard changes perform a soft reset see Section 4 0 6 The printer has detected a low operating voltage A possible low or fluctuating line voltage level Try moving the printer to another outlet If this conditio...

Page 117: ...er handshaking problems if they exist Handshaking problems are identified by sections of missing data in the character string To begin go to the Diagnostics menu and enable Hex Dump Mode see Section 4 1 6 Exit the menu save changes and returning to the READY mode Now all data sent to the printer will now be output in hexadecimal code along with the printable ASCII equivalents The figure below is a...

Page 118: ...7 Data Matrix QR Code Aztec and MicroPDF417 Fonts 9 Bit Mapped Fonts rotatable 0 90 180 270 degrees CG Triumvirate Scalable Font CG Triumvirate Condensed Bold Scalable Font Communications Interfaces EIA RS 232 DB 25 Serial and IEEE 1284 Compliant Parallel Serial Data Rates 1200 2400 4800 9600 19 2K and 38 4K baud Handshaking Xon Xoff CTS DTR Parity Even Odd or None Stop Bits 1 or 2 Data Bits 7 or ...

Page 119: ...mmps mi 4212 2 8 IPS 51 203 mmps mi 4308 2 6 IPS 51 152 mmps mi 4406 2 4 IPS 51 102 mmps mi 4604 Printhead Resolution 203 DPI 8 0 dots mm mi 4206 mi 4208 mi 4212 300 DPI 11 8 dots mm mi 4308 406 DPI 16 0 dots mm mi 4406 600 DPI 23 6 dots mm mi 4604 Nominal Dot Size 0043 X 0052 11 mm x 13 mm mi 4206 mi 4208 mi 4212 0027 X 0043 07 mm X 11 mm mi 4308 0013 X 0018 05 mm X 07 mm mi 4406 0008 X 0015 03 m...

Page 120: ...Ribbon Media Types Roll Fed Die Cut Continuous and Fan Fold Flat on the printable side with no more than 0007 018 mm protrusions on the opposite side Maximum Media Width 4 65 118 1 mm Minimum Media Width 1 25 4 mm Media Thickness 0025 01 06 mm 25 mm Media Roll Capacity 8 203 2 mm outer diameter Media Core 1 5 or 3 0 38 mm 76 2 mm inner diameter Ribbon Core 1 010 006 25 6 mm 2 mm inner diameter Cor...

Page 121: ...re are in inches The reflective black mark must be carbon based and placed on the backside of the stock The reflectance of the mark shall be less than 10 at wavelengths of 950 and 640 nm Approved Media To achieve optimum print quality and maximum printhead life we recommend the use of our brand media and ribbons These supplies are specially formulated for use in our printers use of other supplies ...

Page 122: ... 76 4C l 108 6C Ctrl M CR 13 0D 45 2D M 77 4D m 109 6D Ctrl N SO 14 0E 46 2E N 78 4E n 110 6E Ctrl O SI 15 0F 47 2F O 79 4F o 111 6F Ctrl P DLE 16 10 0 48 30 P 80 50 p 112 70 Ctrl Q DC1 17 11 1 49 31 Q 81 51 q 113 71 Ctrl R DC2 18 12 2 50 32 R 82 52 r 114 72 Ctrl S DC3 19 13 3 51 33 S 83 53 s 115 73 Ctrl T DC4 20 14 4 52 34 T 84 54 t 116 74 Ctrl U NAK 21 15 5 53 35 U 85 55 u 117 75 Ctrl V SYN 22 1...

Page 123: ...ï 139 8B 1 2 171 AB 203 CB Ù 235 EB î 140 8C 1 4 172 AC 204 CC y 236 EC ì 141 8D 173 AD 205 CD Y 237 ED Ä 142 8E 174 AE 206 CE 238 EE Å 143 8F 175 AF 207 CF 239 EF É 144 90 176 B0 Ò 208 D0 240 F0 Æ 145 91 177 B1 D 209 D1 241 F1 Æ 146 92 2 178 B2 Ê 210 D2 242 F2 ô 147 93 3 179 B3 Ë 211 D3 3 4 243 F3 ö 148 94 180 B4 È 212 D4 244 F4 ò 149 95 Á 181 B5 213 D5 245 F5 û 150 96 Â 182 B6 Í 214 D6 246 F6 ù ...

Page 124: ...matting command These fonts are non proportional monospaced each character takes the same amount of space for printing The Triumvirate font number 9 is a proportional font each character will take up a different amount of space when printed Font Valid ASCII Characters 0 32 127 1 32 168 171 172 225 2 32 168 171 172 225 3 32 35 38 40 58 65 90 128 142 144 146 153 154 156 157 165 168 225 4 32 35 38 40...

Page 125: ... 7 5 1 1 13 7 2 2 18 10 2 3 27 14 2 4 36 18 3 5 52 18 3 6 64 32 4 7 32 15 5 8 28 15 5 Font 0 96 character alphanumeric upper and lower case Font 1 145 character upper and lower case alphanumeric with descenders and ascenders Font 2 138 character alphanumeric upper and lower case Font 3 62 character alphanumeric uppercase ...

Page 126: ...mi 4 Series 113 Font 4 62 character alphanumeric uppercase Font 5 62 character alphanumeric uppercase Font 6 62 character alphanumeric uppercase ...

Page 127: ...Font 7 OCR A size I Font 8 OCR B size III Font 9 Internal Triumvirate font The number in the bar code height field sets the point sizes Larger point sizes can be obtained by increasing the height and width multipliers ...

Page 128: ... a modulo 10 checksum Varies M 10 48 57 Numeric only K Plessey Up to 14 M 10 48 57 Numeric only Option is Last Character for Second M 11 Checksum L Interleaved 2 of 5 with a modulo 10 checksum shipping bearer bars 13 M 10 48 57 Numeric only M 2 digit UPC addendum 2 Yes 48 57 Numeric only N 5 digit UPC addendum 5 Yes 48 57 Numeric only O Code 93 Varies No 35 38 42 58 65 90 97 122 p Postnet Varies Y...

Page 129: ... of 9 Bar Code B UPC A Bar Code C UPC E Bar Code D Interleaved 2 of 5 Bar Code E Code 128 Bar Code F EAN 13 Bar Code G EAN 8 Bar Code H Health Industry Bar Code HBIC Bar Code I Codabar Bar Code J Interleaved 2 of 5 w modulo 10 checksum ...

Page 130: ...ode L Interleaved 2 of 5 w modulo 10 checksum and shipping bearer bars Bar Code M 2 Digit UPC addendum Bar Code N 5 Digit UPC addendum Bar Code O Code 93 Bar Code p Postnet Bar Code Q UCC EAN Code 128 Bar Code R UCC EAN Code 128 KMART NON EDI ...

Page 131: ...Code S UCC EAN Code 128 Random Weight Bar Code T Telepen Bar Code u UPS MaxiCode Bar Code v FIM Bar Code z PDF 417 Bar Code WG USD 8 Bar Code W1c DataMatrix Bar Code W1d QR Code Bar Code W1f Aztec Bar Code W1z MicroPDF417 ...

Page 132: ...nts and label formats not available on the mi 4206 mi 4208 models Y 64 KB No Main PCB Flash reserved for EFIGS Z 4 MB No Optional Flash Card reserved for ILPC When power is removed from the printer stored data will be lost Print Resolutions and Maximum Label Widths Resolutions and Widths Maximum Print Width Model Printhead Resolution Inches Millimeters Factory Default Setting mi 4206 mi 4208 mi 42...

Page 133: ...ge Default Setting Function IPS MMPS IPS MMPS Print 2 12 51 305 8 0 203 Feed 2 12 51 305 8 0 203 Reverse 2 4 51 102 4 0 102 mi 4308 Speed Range Default Setting Function IPS MMPS IPS MMPS Print 2 8 51 203 6 0 152 Feed 2 10 51 254 6 0 152 Reverse 2 4 51 102 4 0 102 mi 4406 Speed Range Default Setting Function IPS MMPS IPS MMPS Print 2 6 51 152 5 0 127 Feed 2 6 51 152 6 0 152 Reverse 2 4 51 102 4 0 1...

Page 134: ...on see next page is a 9 pin Mini DIN Female connector e g a KYCON KMDG 9S BS Each pin function is detailed in the table below GPIO Pin Functions Pin Signal Name Signal State Signal Direction Description 1 VCC 5 VDC Output Printer 5 VDC 2 Ribbon Fault Low Output Goes low when the printer detects a ribbon fault 3 Paper Fault Low Output Goes low when the printer detects a label movement fault 4 Print...

Page 135: ...r to the one shown right For additional interfacing data see the table below GPIO Port Specifications Vin max 5 5 VDC maximum input into any pin VIH 3 8 VDC minimum high level input voltage VIL 1 65 VDC maximum low level input voltage IOH 8 mA typical 25 mA maximum high level output current IOL 8 mA typical 25 mA maximum low level output current VOH IOH 8 mA minimum 3 8 VDC VOL IOL 8 mA maximum 44...

Page 136: ...languages are stored on Module Y a 64KB Flash Module located on the Main PCB It is okay to download menu files generated for a lesser firmware revision to new firmware any messages that are not defined are displayed in English For the procedures below the printer will accept the menu downloads from any available port The language creation programs support Windows 95 Windows 98 Windows NT and Windo...

Page 137: ...4 Series Creating a Menu Language 1 Invoke Excel and open the gemmsglst xls file Excel opens the file and the following screen appears 2 Click the Enable Macro box and the following appears Continued next page ...

Page 138: ...t cutting and pasting fields could defeat this warning system B Two Line Messages Some of the message are displayed as two lines These are indicated in the comment fields C Comments This field can be modified with no effect 4 When editing has been completed highlight all of the columns you desire to create more than one language may be selected by pressing the letter above the column 5 Press the G...

Page 139: ...126 mi 4 Series Continued next page ...

Page 140: ...essage Description Please select the entire column s or the desired language s by clicking on the column letter s After pressing the Generate DPL File s radio button the languages to convert were not correctly selected Message text may not exceed MAX xx designated characters for this MID The entered message exceeds the number of characters specified in column C You may not modify this number Advan...

Page 141: ...e memory space Use the Pack Module feature see Section 4 1 3 or reload the FIGS file to free the space y Deletion of the selected language will set the printer to English y The total number of languages that the printer can now accept is limited to 10 but this number is dependent upon the size of each language translation The translation size will vary with the number of messages that are translat...

Page 142: ...mi 4 Series 129 ...

Page 143: ... no event exceed the total amounts paid to Meto hereunder by the purchaser for a defective product In no event shall Meto be liable to the purchaser for any damages resulting from or related to any failure or delay of Meto in the delivery or installation of the computer hardware supplies or software or in the performance of any services Some states do not permit the exclusion of incidental or cons...

Page 144: ...mi 4 Series 131 ...

Page 145: ...ation The process through which sensor readings are entered into the printer for correct sensor function e g detection of a given media type and TOF positioning character set The entire complement of alphanumeric symbols contained in a given font checksum An alphanumeric error detection method used in many bar code symbologies for informational security continuous media An uninterrupted roll or bo...

Page 146: ...commands used specifically for control of and label production A complete listing of commands can be found in the Programmer s Manual EFIGS English French Italian German Spanish and other multi language support as programmed for the printer s menu system and configuration label fan fold Media that is folded and stacked feed speed The speed at which the media moves under the printhead in non printe...

Page 147: ...ective media MMPS millimeters per second Metric measurement of printer speeds notched stock Media typically tag stock with holes or notches in the material that is used to signal the top of form The printer must be set to gap to use this media type perforation small cuts extending through the label and backing material to facilitate their separation Also referred to as perf print speed The speed a...

Page 148: ...ad leveling cam adjustment roll media A form of media that is wound upon a cardboard core start of print The position on the label where the printing actually begins tag stock A heavy paper or synthetic printing material typically featuring a notch or black mark and without an adhesive backing thermal transfer The printing method that creates an image by transferring ink from a ribbon onto the med...

Page 149: ...a 132 core diameter 132 CUSTOM ADJUSTMENTS 35 42 cutter 3 38 52 97 132 CUTTER 38 52 D default 29 30 102 132 diagnostics 133 Diagnostics See Menu Settings die cut media 63 133 direct thermal 5 10 11 16 17 108 133 direct thermal media 16 17 133 Display 2 25 28 53 93 Dot Test Pattern Label 59 double byte symbols 39 Download Error Messages 91 Download Mode 88 90 Downloading Messages 53 DPI 106 133 DPL...

Page 150: ...34 Positioning Calibration 64 PRESENT SENSOR 36 52 Print Control See Menu Settings Print Quality 10 56 Print Quality Label 56 Print Resolutions 119 print speed 11 134 PRINTER KEY 41 Printer Options See Menu Settings Printhead 2 15 16 17 23 62 81 82 84 85 86 87 94 96 106 119 Printhead Adjustments 81 Q Quick Test Mode 27 53 56 R Ready Mode 25 32 80 88 89 reflective media 134 Reflective sensor mark S...

Page 151: ...138 mi 4 Series U User Defined Label 60 User Prompts 53 54 55 V Validation Label 60 void 135 voids 88 135 W Warning Messages 53 97 103 104 ...