Intermec PD4 User Manual
User’s Guide
EasyCoder PD4
Bar Code Label
Printer
Intermec Technologies Corporation
Corporate Headquarters
6001 36th Ave. W.
Everett, WA 98203
U.S.A.
www.intermec.com
e information contained herein is proprietary and is provided solely
for the purpose of allowing customers to operate and service Intermecmanufactured equipment and is not to be released, reproduced, or used
for any other purpose without written permission of Intermec.
Information and specifications contained in this document are subject to
change without prior notice and do not represent a commitment on the
part of Intermec Technologies Corporation.
© 2005 by Intermec Technologies Corporation. All rights reserved.
e word Intermec, the Intermec logo, Norand, ArciTech, CrossBar,
Data Collection Browser, dcBrowser, Duratherm, EasyCoder, EasyLAN,
Enterprise Wireless LAN, EZBuilder, Fingerprint, i-gistics, INCA (under
license), InterDriver, Intermec Printer Network Manager, IRL, JANUS,
LabelShop, Mobile Framework, MobileLAN, Nor*Ware, Pen*Key,
Precision Print, PrintSet, RoutePower, TE 2000, Trakker Antares, UAP,
Universal Access Point, and Virtual Wedge are either trademarks or regis
tered trademarks of Intermec Technologies Corporation.
-
roughout this manual, trademarked names may be used. Rather than
put a trademark (™ or ®) symbol in every occurrence of a trademarked
name, we state that we are using the names only in an editorial fashion,
and to the benefit of the trademark owner, with no intention of infringe
ment.
ere are U.S. and foreign patents pending.
e name Centronics is wholly owned by GENICOM Corporation.
Windows is a trademark of Microsoft Corporation.
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FCC Notice (United States of America)
WARNING
is equipment generates, uses, and can radiate radio frequency energy
and if not installed and used in accordance with the instructions manual,
may cause interference to radio communications. It has been tested and
found to comply with the limits for a Class A computing device pursu
ant to Subpart J of Part 15 of FCC Rules, which are designed to provide
reasonable protection against such interference when operated in a com
mercial environment. Operation of this equipment in a residential area
is likely to cause interference in which case the user at his own expense
will be required to take whatever measures may be required to correct the
interference.
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EMS and EMI Compliance Statement
is equipment has been tested and passed with the requirements relating to electromagnetic compatibility based on the standards EN50081-1
(EN55022 CLASS A) and EN61000-4-2/-3/-4/-5/-6/-8/-11 (IEC Teil
2,3,4). e equipment also tested and passed in accordance with the
European Standard EN55022 for the both Radiated and Conducted
emissions limits.
Intermec EasyCoder PD4—User’s Guide iii
iv Intermec EasyCoder PD4—User’s Guide
Contents
Before You Begin .........................................................................viii
Global Services and Support ..........................................................
Introduction
1
2
Description of EasyCoder PD4 ...................................................... 2
Safety Warnings .............................................................................
Product Identification ....................................................................
Installation
Unpacking the Printer ....................................................................6
Front View .....................................................................................
Rear View ......................................................................................
Media Compartment .....................................................................
Print Mechanism ..........................................................................
Connections ................................................................................. 11
Controls and Indicators ...............................................................
Contents
Safety Summary ............................................................
Safety Icons ....................................................................
Warranty Information ......................................................
Web Support ...................................................................
Telephone Support ..........................................................
Related Documents .........................................................
Power ............................................................................
Computer ......................................................................11
Control Lamps ..............................................................
Display ..........................................................................
Control Keys .................................................................
Beeper ...........................................................................
viii
10
11
12
12
12
12
12
ix
x
x
x
x
x
3
3
7
8
9
Starting Up
3
Intermec EasyCoder PD4—User’s Guide v
Switching On the Printer ............................................................. 16
Direct Mode ................................................................................
Printing a Test Label .....................................................................
17
18
Contents
Loading Media
4
Tear-Off (Straight-through) .........................................................20
Peel-Off (Self-strip) .....................................................................
ermal Transfer Printing ............................................................
Ribbon Load ................................................................................ 30
Printing
5
Controlling the Printing ...............................................................34
Setup Methods .............................................................................
Navigating in the Setup Mode .....................................................
Options
6
Stripper and Internal Rewinder .................................................... 40
Cutter ..........................................................................................
Troubleshooting
7
Error Handling ............................................................................46
Clearing Media Jam in Cutter ......................................................
Entering the Dump Mode ............................................................
Installation Instructions .................................................
Installation Instructions .................................................
25
29
35
35
40
42
42
49
50
Maintaining the Printer
8
Printhead Cleaning ......................................................................52
External Cleaning ........................................................................
Media Jams ..................................................................................
54
56
Adjustments
9
vi Intermec EasyCoder PD4—User’s Guide
Printhead Balance Adjustment .....................................................58
Printhead Pressure Adjustment .....................................................
Printhead Dot Line Position Adjustment .....................................
Label Gap Sensor Position Adjustment ........................................
Label Gap Sensor Calibration ......................................................
Ribbon Tension Adjustment .........................................................
Ribbon Shield Adjustment ...........................................................
Switching Edge Guide ..................................................................
59
60
62
63
64
65
66
Technical Data
A
Table of Technical Data ................................................................70
Media Specifications
B
Media Roll Size ............................................................................74
Core ..............................................................................
Internal Roll ..................................................................
Media ..........................................................................................
Non-Adhesive Strip .......................................................
Self-Adhesive Strip .........................................................
Self-Adhesive Labels .......................................................
Tickets with Gaps ..........................................................
Tickets with Black Mark ................................................
Interfaces
C
RS-232 Interface .......................................................................... 84
Protocol .........................................................................
Interface Cable ..............................................................
USB Interface ..............................................................................
Parallel Interface ...........................................................................
Contents
74
74
75
75
76
77
79
81
84
84
85
86
Firmware Upgrading
D
Intermec EasyCoder PD4—User’s Guide vii
Requirements ...............................................................................88
Instructions ..................................................................................
88
Before You Begin
Before You Begin
is section provides you with safety information, technical support
information, and sources for additional product information.
Safety Summary
Your safety is extremely important. Read and follow all warnings and
cautions in this document before handling and operating Intermec
equipment. You can be seriously injured, and equipment and data can be
damaged if you do not follow the safety warnings and cautions.
Do not repair or adjust alone
Do not repair or adjust energized equipment alone under any circumstances. Someone capable of providing first aid must always be present
for your safety.
First aid
Always obtain first aid or medical attention immediately after an injury.
Never neglect an injury, no matter how slight it seems.
Resuscitation
Begin resuscitation immediately if someone is injured and stops breathing. Any delay could result in death. To work on or near high voltage,
you should be familiar with approved industrial first aid methods.
Energized equipment
Never work on energized equipment unless authorized by a responsible
authority. Energized electrical equipment is dangerous. Electrical shock
from energized equipment can cause death. If you must perform autho
rized emergency work on energized equipment, be sure that you comply
strictly with approved safety regulations.
viii Intermec EasyCoder PD4—User’s Guide
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Before You Begin
Safety Icons
is section explains how to identify and understand dangers, warnings,
cautions, and notes that are in this document. You may also see icons
that tell you when to follow ESD procedures.
A warning alerts you of an operating procedure, practice,
condition, or statement that must be strictly observed to
avoid death or serious injury to the persons working on the
equipment.
A caution alerts you to an operating procedure, practice,
condition, or statement that must be strictly observed to
prevent equipment damage or destruction, or corruption or
loss of data.
is icon appears at the beginning of any procedure in this
manual that could cause you to touch components (such as
printed circuit boards) that are susceptible to damage from
electrostatic discharge (ESD). When you see this icon, you
must follow standard ESD guidelines to avoid damaging the
equipment you are servicing.
Note: Notes either provide extra information about a topic or
contain special instructions for handling a particular condition
or set of circumstances.
Intermec EasyCoder PD4—User’s Guide ix
Before You Begin
Global Services and Support
Warranty Information
To understand the warranty for your Intermec product, visit the
Intermec web site at
Support. e Intermec Global Sales & Service page appears. From the
Service & Support menu, move your pointer over Support, and then
click Warranty.
Web Support
Visit the Intermec web site at http://www.intermec.com to download
our current documents in PDF format. To order printed versions of the
Intermec manuals, contact your local Intermec representative or distribu
tor.
Visit the Intermec technical knowledge base (Knowledge Central) at
http://intermec.custhelp.com to review technical information or to
request technical support for your Intermec product.
Telephone Support
http://www.intermec.com and click Service &
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Contact your local Intermec representative. To search for your local representative, from the Intermec web site, click
Contact.
Related Documents
e Intermec web site at http://www.intermec.com contains our current
documents that you can download in PDF format. To order printed ver
sions of the Intermec manuals, contact your local Intermec representative
or distributor.
x Intermec EasyCoder PD4—User’s Guide
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Introduction
1
is chapter introduces the EasyCoder PD4 printer.
e chapter covers the following topics:
• Description of EasyCoder PD4
• Safety summary
• Product identification
Intermec EasyCoder PD4—User’s Guide 1
Chapter 1—Introduction
Description of EasyCoder PD4
e EasyCoder PD4 is a basic-performance thermal transfer/direct thermal label printer suitable for medium-duty industrial applications. With
robust metal outer casing and inner mechanics, the EasyCoder PD4
provides durability, even in industrial environments.
e EasyCoder PD4 comes in three main versions:
A Printer with a three-key front panel, 203 dpi (dots per inch) print-
head, and the options limited to keyboard/display unit and EasyLAN
10 external Ethernet adapter.
B Printer with a graphic display and three-key front panel for easy setup
and monitoring, 203 dpi printhead, a real-time clock, and a label
taken sensor. e options include stripper and rewinder unit, cutter,
memory expansion module, external keyboard/display unit, and
EasyLAN 10 external Ethernet adapter.
C Same as B, but with a 300 dpi printhead.
Please refer to Appendix A, “Technical Data” for more information.
Note: roughout this manual, the printer models with a
graphic display are described, unless otherwise stated.
2 Intermec EasyCoder PD4—User’s Guide
Chapter 1—Introduction
Safety Warnings
• Read this manual carefully before connecting the printer.
• Moving parts are exposed when the side door is open, so ensure that
the door is closed before you operate the printer.
• Do not open the front/left-hand cover. Dangerous voltage!
• Do not remove the bottom plate. Dangerous voltage!
• Do not put your fingers inside the print mechanism when the power is
on.
• Place the printer on an even surface which can support its weight of
approximately 13 kg (28.7 pounds) plus supplies.
• Do not spray the printer with water. If you are using a hose to clean
the premises in an industrial environment, remove the printer or pro
tect it carefully from spray and moisture.
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• Carefully read the warning text on the envelope before using a clean
ing card.
Product Identification
e machine label is attached to the printer’s rear plate and contains
information on type, model, and serial number as well as AC voltage. It
also contains various signs of approval.
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Intermec EasyCoder PD4—User’s Guide 3
Chapter 1—Introduction
4 Intermec EasyCoder PD4—User’s Guide
Installation
2
is chapter explains how to unpack and install
the EasyCoder PD4 printer and also describes the
printer’s various parts in detail. It covers the following
topics:
• Unpacking the printer
• Parts on the printer’s front
• Parts on the printer’s rear plate
• Parts in the media compartment
• Parts in the print mechanism
• Connecting the printer
• Using the controls and understanding the indica
tors
Intermec EasyCoder PD4—User’s Guide 5
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Chapter 2—Installation
Unpacking the Printer
Before you install the printer, examine the package for possible damage
or missing parts:
• Open the box and lift the printer out.
• Check that the printer has not been visibly damaged during transpor
tation. Keep the packing materials in case you need to move or reship
the printer.
• Check the label on the printer’s rear plate, which gives the voltage, the
part number, and the serial number.
• Check that any options you ordered are included.
• Check that all the accessories are included. As standard, the box con
tains:
- Intermec EasyCoder PD4 printer
- Power cord
- Parallel cable
- High edge guide
- Empty ribbon core
- Supporting software and product information on CD
- Quick Start Guide.
• Check that the power cord is appropriate for the local standard. e
printer works with 100 to 240 VAC, 50 to 60 Hz.
If the printer has been damaged in any way during transportation, com
plain to the carrier immediately.
If the delivery is incorrect or any parts are missing, report it immediately
to the distributor.
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6 Intermec EasyCoder PD4—User’s Guide
Chapter 2—Installation
Front View
At the front of the printer are the display window, the control lamps, and
the control keys. ese features allow the operator to control and set up
the printer manually as described later in this chapter.
e printed labels, tickets, or tags are presented at the front of the print
mechanism. e front cover can be removed for loading of labels at peeloff (self-strip) operation and for installation of a cutter (options).
Control lamps
LCD display
(some models
only)
Control keys
Front cover
Side door with
inspection window
Intermec EasyCoder PD4—User’s Guide 7
Chapter 2—Installation
Rear View
e rear plate contains the On/Off switch, the AC power cord socket,
and various interface connectors and slots.
Serial port
USB port
Parallel port
On/Off Switch
AC Power cord
socket
Intake slot for external
fan-fold supply
8 Intermec EasyCoder PD4—User’s Guide
Chapter 2—Installation
Media Compartment
e media compartment is covered by a side door that completely
encloses the print mechanism and media compartment. It can be opened
180° to provide full access to the media compartment. e inspection
window allows checking how much ribbon and media remains without
having to open the door. e media can be supplied from a supply post,
or from an external supply of fan folds behind the printer.
Side door (opened)
Ink position lever
Supply post
Edge guide
Ribbon supply
shaft
Ribbon rewind
shaft
Ribbon rod
Printhead lever
Intermec EasyCoder PD4—User’s Guide 9
Chapter 2—Installation
Print Mechanism
e print mechanism features either an 8 dot/mm (203.2 dots/inch) or
11.81 dots/mm (300 dots/inch) quick-mount thermal printhead.
In front of the print mechanism is a fold-out label taken sensor, which
can hold the printing of next label until the previous one has been
removed.
Label taken
sensor
Printhead
pressure
adjusters
Thermal printhead
10 Intermec EasyCoder PD4—User’s Guide
Tear bar
Label
feed
guide
Printhead
lever
Chapter 2—Installation
Connections
Power
1 Place the printer on a level surface, near an AC outlet. You should be
able to easily access the printer to load media and to remove the print
out.
2 Both the printer and the host computer must be switched off while
they are being connected.
3 Connect the power cord between the receptacle on the rear plate and
to the electrical outlet (100 to 240 VAC).
Computer
e EasyCoder PD4 is fitted with one 36-pin Centronics socket for the
parallel interface, one 9-pin D-style subminiature (DB9) socket for the
RS-232 serial interface port and one class B connector for the USB inter
face port (see Appendix C).
Parallel Interface
Use the parallel interface with Intermec LabelShop or the Intermec InterDriver. e parallel port supports error signal and paper end signal.
RS-232 Serial Interface
Use the serial interface with Intermec LabelShop or the Intermec InterDriver. You can also use it for programming (see Intermec ESim v5.xx for
EasyCoder PD4, Programmer’s Reference Manual). Before you can use the
serial interface, you may need to set up the communication parameters,
such as baud rate, parity, etc. as described in Chapter 5, “Printing.”
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USB Interface
Use the USB interface with an USB-compatible version of the Intermec
InterDriver for printing. e USB interface works in the same manner as
RS-232 and is useful for error message handling (see Intermec ESim v5.xx
for EasyCoder PD4, Programmer’s Reference Manual)
Intermec EasyCoder PD4—User’s Guide 11
.
Chapter 2—Installation
Controls and Indicators
e EasyCoder PD4 has several ways of communicating directly with its
operator:
• ree control lamps,
• a graphic display window with background illumination,
• three control keys,
• and a beeper.
Control Lamps
e LED (Light Emitting Diode) control lamps are labelled “Power”,
“Ready”, and “Error.”
• Power (solid green) indicates that the power is on.
• Ready (solid green) indicates that the printer is ready for use.
Ready (flashing green) indicates that the printer is in downloading
mode.
• Error (solid red) indicates that an error has occurred, that is, the
printer is in error mode.
Error (flashing) indicates that the printer is in downloading mode.
Display
e display window contains a graphic LCD (Liquid Crystal Display)
with background illumination. e display shows a fixed logotype plus
two lines of text.
Control Keys
ere are three membrane-switch type keys labelled “Feed”, “Pause”,
and “Cancel.” What happens when a key is pressed depends on in which
mode the printer presently is, see table on the next page.
Beeper
e beeper notifies the operator when an error has occurred by two short
beeps and emits one short beep when an error has been cleared.
12 Intermec EasyCoder PD4—User’s Guide
Chapter 2—Installation
Key Functions
Mode Feed key Pause key Cancel key
Startup Print test label or
Enter Dump Mode
(press >3 sec.)
Enter Autosensing
Mode
Cancel + Pause key:
Enter Download
Mode (service only)
In Direct Mode Feed one copy Pause Direct Mode
Pause + Feed key:
Enter Setup Mode
In Print Mode Pause Printing Mode
In Error Mode Recover some error
types
In Setup Mode Select parameter
or select parameter
value
In Dump Mode Enter Direct Mode
In paused Direct
Mode
In paused Print
Mode
In Autosensing
Mode
- Enter Direct Mode -
- Continue printing Cancel printing
- - Cancel autosensing
- -
Enter parameter
setup or set value to
parameter
- Reset printer to
-
Exit actual param
eter and go up one
level
default (press >3
sec.)
(press >1 sec.)
-
Intermec EasyCoder PD4—User’s Guide 13
Chapter 2—Installation
14 Intermec EasyCoder PD4—User’s Guide
Starting Up
3
is chapter explains how to start up the printer after
installation or after having been switched off. It covers
the following topics:
• Switching on the printer
• Direct Mode
• Printing a test label
Intermec EasyCoder PD4—User’s Guide 15
Chapter 3—Starting Up
Switching On the Printer
Before switching on the printer, make the necessary connections, and
check that the printhead is engaged (in the lower position).
Switch on the power using the On/Off switch on the rear plate. e
green “Power” control lamp on the front panel lights up when the power
is on. Wait for a few moments, while the printer starts up. Provided the
printer is fitted with a display, the following message is shown:
e startup takes just a few seconds. e text line “Flash Checking”
quickly disappears. You can now divert from the normal startup proce
dure by pressing the keys before the printer enters the Direct Mode.
• Press the Feed key for less than 3 seconds to print a test label (see later
in this chapter).
• Press the Feed key for more than 3 seconds to go to the Dump Mode.
Dump Mode means that the printer will print out the echo of the
received ASCII data. Use this capability to debug your software
when the printer does not perform as you expect. Also see Chapter 7,
“Troubleshooting.”
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• Press the Pause key to go to the Autosensing Mode, which is used to
calibrate the label gap sensor and adjust the amount of media feed
according to the distance between gaps between labels, detection slots
in continuous stock, or black marks at the back of the media web.
Also see Chapter 9, “Adjustments.”
• If you simultaneously press the Cancel and Pause keys, you will go to
the Download Mode, which is used for service purposes only. You can
only exit the Download Mode by sending a Reset command (^@) or
rebooting the printer.
If you take none of the actions described above, the printer will enter the
Direct Mode, which is indicated in the display window:
16 Intermec EasyCoder PD4—User’s Guide
Chapter 3—Starting Up
Direct Mode
e Direct Mode is the normal idle mode, where all commands from
external ports are interpreted and normal control key actions are per
formed. During reception of data, this message is shown in the display:
In the Direct Mode, you can use the keys for the following purposes:
• Feed out one blank label or portion of continuous stock by pressing
the Feed key.
• Pause the Direct Mode by pressing the Pause key. When the Direct
Mode is paused, this message is displayed:
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• Enter the Setup Mode by simultaneously pressing the Feed and Pause
keys (see Chapter 5).
Intermec EasyCoder PD4—User’s Guide 17
18 Intermec EasyCoder PD4—User’s Guide
Chapter 3—Starting Up
Printing a Test Label
An easy way to check that the printer is working and find out how it is
presently set up is to print a test label. e test label can also be used to
check the printout quality.
• Switch off the power to the printer.
• For best result, load the printer with full width labels or tags and
transfer ribbon as described in Chapter 4.
• Hold down the Feed key and turn on the power again.
• Release the Feed key within 3 seconds.
• e printer emits a beep and “Self test” is shown in the display, if any.
• A single test label is printed.
• After the test label has been printed, the printer automatically enters
the Direct Mode.
Part No , ESim version, & checksum
Serial RS-232 port setup (see Y cmd)
USB port
Test pattern
DRAM size installed
Image buffer size
Flash memory size
Form memory used/ No of forms
Graphic memory used/No of images
Font memory used/No of fonts
Asian fonts memory used/No of fonts
Character set (see I command)
Speed – Density – Ref. point – Dir – Errors
(see S, D, R, Z & UN/US cmds)
Label width –Form length
(see q & Q cmds)
Options (see O & C cmd)
LSS (liner+label – detection level – liner)
Date
Time
Example of a test label from an 203.2 dpi (8 dots/mm) EasyCoder PD4. For the meaning
of the various commands, refer to the ESim v5.xx for EasyCoder PD4, Programmer's
Reference Manual.
Loading Media
4
is chapter explains how to load the printer with
media, that is labels, tickets, tag, or strips, as well as
transfer ribbon, for the following modes of operation:
• Tear-Off (straight-through)
• Peel-Off (self-strip, requires an optional stripper
and internal rewinder)
• ermal transfer printing
Intermec EasyCoder PD4—User’s Guide 19
Chapter 4— Loading Media
Tear-Off (Straight-through)
e EasyCoder PD4 can print on labels, tickets, tags, and continuous
stock in various forms. is section describes the case when the media
is torn off manually against the printer’s tear bar. is method is also
known as “straight-through printing.”
Tear-off can be used for:
• Non-adhesive continuous stock
• Self-adhesive continuous stock with liner
• Self-adhesive labels with liner
• Tickets with gaps, with or without perforations
• Tickets with black marks, with or without perforations
e label taken sensor can hold the printing of the next copy in the batch
until the present copy has been removed, see Chapter 2, “Installation;
Print Mechanism.” e label taken sensor is enabled/disabled using the
O command, see the ESim v5.xx for EasyCoder PD4, Programmer’s
ESim
Reference Manual. e point of detection is approximately 15 mm (0.6
in) outside the inner edge of the media path.
Note: When using the printer for the first time or when chang
ing to another media with different characteristics in regard
of label length, gap length, liner transparency, black mark size
or position, etc., you should calibrate the label gap sensor and
adjust the media feed in the Autosensing Mode, see Chapter 9,
“Adjustments”, after you have loaded the media.
When loading a new roll of media from the same stock as
before, it is usually sufficient to press the Feed key and feed out
a label.
20 Intermec EasyCoder PD4—User’s Guide
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