Printronix T5000R User Manual

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Online Data Validator User’s Manual

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SL5000r and T5000

RFID Smart Label and Thermal Printers

SL5000r and T5000 RFID Smart Label and Thermal Printers

Online Data Validator User’s Manual

Software License Agreement

CAREFULLY READ THE FOLLOWING TERMS AND CONDITIONS BEFORE USING THIS PRINTER. USING THIS PRINTER INDICATES YOUR ACCEPTANCE OF THESE TERMS AND CONDITIONS. IF YOU DO NOT AGREE TO THESE TERMS AND CONDITIONS, PROMPTLY RETURN THE PRINTER AND ALL ACCOMPANYING HARDWARE AND WRITTEN MATERIALS TO THE PLACE YOU OBTAINED THEM, AND YOUR MONEY WILL BE REFUNDED.

Definitions.

“Software” shall mean the digitally encoded, machine-readable data and program. The term “Software Product” includes the Software resident in the printer and its documentation. The Software Product is licensed (not sold) to you, and Printronix, Inc. either owns or licenses from other vendors who own, all copyright, trade secret, patent and other proprietary rights in the Software Product.

License.

1. Authorized Use. You agree to accept a non-exclusive license to use the Software resident in the printer solely for your own customary business or personal purposes.

2. Restrictions. a. To protect the proprietary rights of Printronix, Inc., you agree to maintain the Software Product and

other proprietary information concerning the typefaces in strict confidence. b. You agree not to duplicate or copy the Software Product. c. You shall not sublicense, sell, lease, or otherwise transfer all or any portion of the Software Product

separate from the printer, without the prior written consent of Printronix, Inc. d. You may not modify or prepare derivative works of the Software Product. e. You may not transmit the Software Product over a network, by telephone, or electronically using any

means; or reverse engineer, decompile or disassemble the Software. f. You agree to keep confidential and use your best efforts to prevent and protect the contents of the

Software Product from unauthorized disclosure or use.

3. Transfer. You may transfer the Software Product with the printer, but only if the recipient agrees to accept the terms and conditions of this Agreement. Your license is automatically terminated if you transfer the Software Product and printer.

Limited Software Pr oduct Warranty

Printronix, Inc. warrants that for ninety (90) days after delivery, the Software will perform in accordance with specifications published by Printronix, Inc. Printronix, Inc . does not warrant that the Software is free from all bugs, errors and omissions.

Remedy

Your exclusive remedy and the sole liability of Printronix, Inc. in connection with the Software is replacement of defective software with a copy of the same version and revision level.

Disclaimer of Warranties and Limitation of Remedies

1. THE PARTIES AGREE THAT ALL OTHER WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING WARRANTIES OF FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND MERCHANTABILITY ARE EXCLUDED. Printronix, Inc. does not warrant that the functions contained in the Software will meet your requirements or that the operation of the Software will be uninterrupted or error free. Printronix, Inc. reserves the right to make changes and/or improvements in the Software without notice at any time.

2. IN NO EVENT WILL PRINT R O NIX, INC. BE LIABLE FOR LOST PRO FI T S, LOST DAT A, BUSINESS INTERRUPTIONS, OR ANY OTHER DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES ARISING OUT OF THE USE OF OR INABILITY TO USE THIS PRODUCT, EVEN IF PRINTRONIX, INC. HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES, OR ANY DAMAGES CAUSED BY THE ABUSE OR MANIPULATION OF THE SOFTWARE. SOME STATES DO NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OR LIMITATION OF LIABILITY FOR CONSEQUENTIAL OR INCIDENTAL DAM AGES, SO THE ABOVE LIMITATION MAY NOT APPLY TO YOU.

3. Printronix, Inc. will not be liable for any loss or damage caused by delay in furnishing a Software Product or any other performance under this Agreement.

4. Our entire liability and your exclusive remedies for our liability of any kind (including liability for negligence except liability for personal injury caused solely by our negligence) for the Software Product covered by this Agreement and all other performance or nonperformance by us under or related to this Agreement are limited to the remedies specified by this Agreement.

5. California law governs this Agreement.

Termination of License Agreement

This License shall continue until terminated. This license may be terminated by agreement between you and Printronix, Inc. or by Printronix, Inc. if you fail to comply with the terms of this License and such failure is not corrected within thirty (30) days after notice. When this License is terminated, you shall return to the place you obtained them, the printer and all copies of the Software and documentation.

U.S. Government Restricted Rights

Use, duplication or disclosure by the Government is subject to restrictions as set forth in the Rights in Technical Data and Computer Software clause at FAR 242.227-7013, subdivision (b) (3) (ii) or subparagraph (c) (1) (ii), as appropriate. Further use, duplication or disclosure is subject to restrictions applicable to restricted rights software as set forth in FAR 52.227-19 (c) (2).

Acknowledgement of Terms and Conditions

YOU ACKNOWLEDGE THAT YOU HAVE READ THIS AGREEMENT, UNDERSTAND IT, AND AGREE TO BE BOUND BY ITS TERMS AND CONDITIONS. NEITHER PARTY SHALL BE BOUND BY ANY STATEMENT OR REPRESENTATION NOT CONTAINED IN THIS AGREEMENT. NO CHANGE IN THIS AGREEMENT IS EFFECTIVE UNLESS WRITTEN AND SIGNED BY PROPE R LY AU T HO R I ZE D REPRESENTATIVES OF EACH PARTY. BY U SI N G THI S PRINTER, YOU AGREE TO AC CEPT THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF THIS AGREEMENT.

Communication Notices

This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B digital device, pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference in a residential installation. This equipment generates, uses, and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with the instructions, may cause harmful interference to radio communications. However, there is no guarantee that interference will not occur in a particular installation. If this equipment does cause harmful interference to radio or television reception, which can be determined by turning the equipment off and on, the user is encouraged to try to correct the interference by one or more of the following measures:

• Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna.

• Increase the separation between the equipment and receiver.

• Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit different from that to which the receiver is connected.

• Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician for help.

Unauthorized changes or modifications could void the user’s authority to operate the equipment. This device complies with part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the following two conditions: (1)

this device may not cause harmful interference, and (2) this device must accept any interference received, including interference that may cause undesired operation.

Any change or modification to this product voids the user’s authority to operate it per FCC Part 15 Subpart A Section 15.21 regulations.

This product contains an intentional radiator with the following parameters: Operating Frequency: 902 to 928 MHz Typical RF Power: 25 to 100 milliwatts (SL5x04 MP) or 25 to 205 milliwatts (SL5x04 C1) Maximum RF Power: 1 Watt under abnormal conditions

Printronix SL5000

and T5000

Tested To Comply With FCC Standards

FOR HOME OR OFFICE USE

Canada

This Class B digital apparatus complies with Canadian ICES-003 and RSS 210. Cet appareil numérique de la classe B est conforme à la norme NMB-003 du Canada. Operation is subject to the following two conditions: (1) this device may not cause interference, and (2) this

device must accept any interference, including interference that may cause undesired operation of the device. This device has been designed to operate with the antennas listed below, and having a maximum gain of

–18 dBi. Antennas not included in this list or having a gain greater than –18 dBi dB are strictly prohibited for use with this device. The required antenna impedance is 50 ohms.

To reduce potential radio interference to other users, the antenna type and its gain should be so chosen that the equivalent isotropically radiated power (e.i.r.p.) is not more than that permitted for successful communication.

CE Notice (European Union)

Marking by the CE symbol indicates compliance of this Printronix system to the EMC Directive and the Low Voltage Directive of the European Union. Such marking is indicative that this Printronix system meets the following technical standards:

• EN 300 220-1 (2000), Electromagnetic Compatibility and Radio Spectrum Matters; Short Range Devices;

Radio equipment to be used in the 25 MHz to 1000 MHz frequency range with power levels ranging up to 500 mW.

• EN 55022 — “Limits and Methods of Measurement of Radio Interference Characteristics of Information

Technology Equipment.”

• EN 50082-1: 1992 — “Electromagnetic compatibility—Generic immunity standard Part 1: Residential,

commercial, and light industry.”

• EN 60950 — “Safety of Information Technology Equipment.”

This printer is a Class B product for use in a typical Class B domestic environment.

CE Symbol

Taiwan

Lithium B att e ry Warning

The controller board contains a lithium battery sealed inside the real-time clock chip. Do not disassemble the chip to replace the battery. Do not dispose of the chip by incineration. Failure to comply may cause the battery to explode. Contact your local waste agency for the correct disposal procedure.

Printronix makes no representations or warranties of any kind regarding this material, including, but not limited to, implied warranties of merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose. Printronix shall not be held responsible for errors contained herein or any omissions from this material or for any damages, whether direct, indirect, incidental or consequential, in connection with the furnishing, distribution, performance or use of this material. The information in this manual is subject to change without notice.

This document contains proprietary information protected by copyright. No part of this document may be reproduced, copied, translated or incorporated in any other mat erial in any form or by any means, whether manual, graphic, electronic, mechanical or otherwise, without the prior written consent of Printronix.

Trademark Acknowledgements

Printronix, LinePrinter Plus, IGP, and PGL are registered trademarks of Printronix, Inc. Code V is a trademark of Quality Micro Systems, Inc. IPDS is a trademark of International Business Machines Corporation. SL5000r and T5000r are trademarks of Printronix, Inc.

1 Installation Instructions............................11

Overview..............................................................................11

Safety Notices .....................................................................14

Installation and Removal .....................................................15

Prepare The Printer.......................................................15

Install The Ferrite ..........................................................16

Install The Brackets.......................................................22

Attach The Grounding Wire And Power/Data Cable.....24

Restore The Printer To Operation .......................................25

Enable The Validator...........................................................26

Adjust The Scanning Beam .................................................27

Continuous, Tear-Off, and Tear-Off Strip........... ....... .... 27

Peel-Off Media Handling Mode.....................................28

Cut Media Handling Mode.............................................29

Shifting The Scanning Beam...............................................33

Calibration ...........................................................................34

Bar Code Validation Demo Page..................................36

2 Operation ................................................ 39

Basic Validator Setup ..........................................................39

VALIDATOR Menu........................................................41

Configuring The Validator......... ....... ...... ...... ....... ...... ...........44

Enabling And Disabling The Validator...........................44

Validator Reporting .......................................................45

Validator Statistics.........................................................49

Defining Validator Options ............................................50

Advanced Validator Options..........................................55

General Process For Barcode Analysis........................73

Table of Contents

Operation.............................................................................74

Print Speed Limits.........................................................74

On-Demand Printing ....................................... ....... ...... .77

Bar Code Failures........... ....... ...... ....... ...... ....... ...... ....... ...... .78

Bad Bar Code Error Detection ......................................78

Missing Bar Code Error Detection.................................78

Error Action...................................................................79

Error Messages.............................................................86

Troubleshooting...................................................................92

Maintenance........................................................................94

A Contact Information.................................95

Printronix Customer Support Center.............................95

Printronix Supplies Department ....................................96

Corporate Offices..........................................................96

1 Installation

Overview

Instructions

The online data validator (validator) is an external bar code scanning device attached above the paper exit of the printer. When activated, it scans the printed output looking for bar codes. When it finds a bar code, it determines what type of bar code it is and monitors the bar code quality as it passes through the scan area.

After the entire bar code has passed under the scanning beam, the validator grades the bar code and sends a report to the printer. How the printer responds is determined by the validator settings, explained in “Configuring The Validator” on page 44.

Operational Parameters

The design parameters of the validator are as follows:

• The validator can track the performance of up to four horizontal

bar codes at one time.

• The validator requires a minimum distance of 1/2 inch or 20

times the minimum element width (x-dimension), whichever is greater, between bar codes.

• The validator recognizes the following linear, picket fence bar

codes: Codabar, Code 39, Code 93, Code 128, Interleaved 2 of 5, and UPC/EAN.

Chapter 1 Overview

• The validator can also evaluate PDF 417 bar codes. For PDF

417 Limited, the validator works best with security level 5 or higher, using the current default printer settings for Defects Percentage, Percent Decode, and Decodeability. For lower security levels, lower the Defects Percentage to 5% to enable checking for bar code damage.

• Stacked, 2D, and vertical (ladder) bar codes are not supported.

• Bar codes must have a minimum x-dimension of 10 mil

(0.010 inch) to be recognized by the full width of the scanning beam. The validator can recognize bar x-dimension as narrow as 6.6 mil (0.0066 inch) for 300 dpi printers, and 10 mil (0.010 inch) for 203 dpi printers. The validator cannot recognize x-dimensions smaller than 6.6 mil (0.0066 inch) or larger than 40 mil (0.040 inch).

Refer to Table 1 for the minimum x-dimension requirements for each printer size of a 300 dpi printer.

Table 1: Minimum X-Dimension and Beam Width for

a 300 dpi Printer

Printer Size Beam Width

4 inch 4.5 inches 6.6 mil 6 inch 6.5 inches 10 mil 8 inch 8.5 inches 13 mil

X-Dimension

Minimum

Tools And Materials You W ill Need

•

SL5000r/T5000r User’s Manual

• Static wrist strap*

• 2.5 mm hex key*

Parts List

• 3 mm hex key

• Validator/ Upper bracket

• Lower bracket

• Grounding wire

• Overlays

• Bar code calibration card

• Ferrite*

• Cable assembly*

• Wire saddle*

• Grommet*

* Only for a field installation

Chapter 1 Safety Notices

Safety Noti ces

The validator is a Class 2 laser product. The following notices apply at all times when the printer is powered on and the validator is active:

WARNING

Note: This is the laser exit window.

Class 2 laser light. Do not stare into the laser beam or a reflected image of the laser beam.

Using controls, making adjustments, or performing procedures other than those specified herein may result in hazardous radiation exposure.

Figure 1. Safety Warnings

Installa tion and Removal

This section describes how to install the validator. To remove the validator, reverse the steps of this procedure.

Prepare The Printer

1. Set the printer power switch to O (Off).

Prepare The Printer

WARNING

Always unplug the printer power cord from the printer or power outlet before doing any installation procedure. Failure to remove power could result in injury to you and damage the equipment. You will be instructed when to apply power.

2. Unplug the printer power cord from the printer or the AC power source.

Factory Installation

If your printer has a factory installed validator, the ferrite, cable, wire saddle, and grommet have already been installed. Go to “Install The Brackets” on page 22.

Field Installation

If you are doing a field installation, you must install the ferrite, cable, wire saddle, and grommet. Go to “Install The Ferrite” on page 16.

Chapter 1 Installation and Removal

Install The Ferrite

1. Loosen the two captive screws securing the top of the frame side cover. (Figure 2.)

2. Tilt the frame side cover back from the top and lift it until the tabs along the lower edge disengage from the slots in the printer frame.

Captive Screw (2)

Frame Side Cover

Figure 2. Removing the Frame Side Cover

Install The Ferrite

RJ-11 Connector

(to validator)

Figure 3. Wrapping the Power/Data Cable Around the Ferrite

Power/Data Cable

Second Wrap

20.0 ± 0.5 inches

Power/Data Cable

First Wrap

Ferrite

Wide P10 Connect or

(to controller board)

3. Using the RJ-11 connector end of the power/data cable, insert the cable through the ferrite. (Figure 3.)

4. Wrap the power/data cable around the ferrite twice.

5. Adjust the position of the ferrite so that the length from the ferrite to the RJ-11 connector is 20 ± 0.5 in

ches.

Chapter 1 Installation and Removal

Wire Saddle

Frame Boss

Figure 4. Inserting the Wire Saddle Into the Frame Boss

6. Insert the wire saddle into the frame boss. (Figure 4.)

Install The Ferrite

Ferrite

Wire Saddle

RJ-11 Connector

(to validator)

Frame

Opening

Figure 5. Inserting the Power/Data Cable Through the Hole in the Frame Wall

7. Raise the media cover and remove the solid grommet from the frame opening.

8. On the electronics side of the printer, push the RJ-11 connector end of the power/data cable through the frame opening. (Figure 5.)

9. Route the power/data cable through the wire saddle.

Chapter 1 Installation and Removal

Split

Grommet

RJ-11

Connector

Power/Data Cable

(approximately

17 inches exposed)

Inserted Split

Grommet

(media side)

Figure 6. Adding the Grommet to the Power/Data Cable

10. On the media side of the printer, slide the split grommet onto the power/data cable and insert it into the frame opening. (Figure 6.)

11. Inspect the power/data cable to ensure approximately 17 inches of cable is exposed from the grommet to connect it to the validator.

NOTE: You will plug the power/data cable into the validator later.

J10

Power/Data Cable

Install The Ferrite

Wire Saddle

Ferrite

Upper DC Motor

Figure 7. Position the Ferrite

12. On the electronics side of the printer, position the ferrite on top of the upper DC motor. (Figure 7.)

13. Route the power/data cable through the wire saddle as shown in Figure 7.

14. Plug the wide P10 connector end of the power/data cable into the J10 receptacle on the controller board.

Chapter 1 Installation and Removal

Install The Brackets

Lower

Bracket

M4x10mm Screw (3)

Figure 8. Installing the Lower Bracket

1. Using three of the four M4x10mm screws, install the lower bracket as shown in Figure 8.

NOTE: You will use the fourth screw later in this procedure.

Install The Brackets

4 in.

6 in. 8 in.

Printer

Validator

(Rear View)

Validator

(Front View)

Hash

Marks

Alignment

Screw

Lower

Bracket

Upper

Bracket

Inside Adjustment Screw

Outside Adjustment Screw

Figure 9. Installing the Validator/Upper Bracket Unit onto the Lower Bracket

2. Face the front of the printer while installing the validator/upper bracket unit.

3. Loosen the outside adjustment screw and remove the inside adjustment screw on the bottom of the validator.

4. Slide the validator/upper bracket unit onto the lower bracket and align the hash marks with the alignment screw accordingly.

NOTE: Refer to Figure 9, Detail A for location of the validator hash

mark for each printer model size. The printer model size is also inscribed on the lower bracket.

5. When the unit is positioned correctly, tighten the outside adjustment screw on the validator to lock the unit into place.

Chapter 1 Installation and Removal

Attach The Grounding Wire And Power/Dat a Cable

Power/Data Cable

(Long Connector)

Upper Bracket Screw (3)

Cable Channel

Bracket Tab

Validator

(Front View)

Figure 10. Attaching the Grounding Wire and Power/Data Cable

1. Attach one end of the grounding wire to the validator using the

Grounding

Wire

Bracket Moun ting Screw

Grounding Wire

Slack Inside Adjustment Screw

inside adjustment screw as shown in Figure 10.

Grommet

2. Attach the other end of the grounding wire to the lower bracket using the fourth bracket mounting screw as shown in Figure 10.

3. Push any excess grounding wire slack through the grommet.

Attach The Grounding Wire And Power/Data Cable

4. Loosen the three upper bracket screws and route the power/data cable through the cable channel in the upper bracket, as shown in Figure 10.

5. Plug the RJ-11 connector end of the power/data cable into the validator.

6. Route the power/data cable behind the bracket tab as shown in Figure 10.

NOTE: If necessary, loosen the bracket mounting screws enough

to slip the power/data cable behind the bracket tab, then retighten the bracket mounting screws.

7. Pull the cable to minimize the slack behind the lower bracket. Push any excess slack through the grommet.

8. Tighten the three upper bracket screws.

Restore The Printer To Operation

1. Lower the media cover.

2. Engage the tabs on the bottom of the frame side cover in the slots in the printer frame.

3. Rotate the cover into position.

4. Tighten the two captive screws. (Figure 2.)

5. Plug the AC power cord into the printer and the power source.

6. Set the printer power switch to | (On).

Chapter 1 Enable The Validator

Enable The V a lidator

NOTE: If you make any changes to the default configuration menu

items, you will be prompted to save the configuration. See “Auto Save Configuration” in the

Software can automatically detect an installed validator when the printer is powered up. If the printer is powered up with Power-Up Config. set to Factory, the VALIDATOR menu will be available and Validator Funct. is set to Enable in the QUICK SETUP and VALIDATOR menus.

If Power-Up Config. is not set to Factory, the VALIDATOR menu appears, but Validator Funct. is set to Disable. Enable Validator Funct. by completing the following steps. (This is a one-time setting once you save the configuration.)

1. Press to take the printer offline and place the printer in Menu mode.

Quick Setup Guide

2. If necessary, press ↓ and

↵ at the same time to unlock the

↵ key. (This key combination can be changed by the user. Use

the customer’s key combination if necessary.)

3. If necessary, press until VALIDATOR displays.

4. Press ↓ until Validator Funct. displays.

5. Press + or – until the Enable displays.

6. Press

7. Press ↓ and

8. Press PAUSE again to put the printer online.

↵ to enable the validator. An asterisk (*) should appear

after Enable. Once enabled, the printer will command the validator to begin scanning and reporting errors, and the counters will be incremented.

↵ at the same time to lock the ↵ key, then press

PAUSE to take the printer offline.

Adjust The Scanning Beam

NOTE: Make sure the printer is on and the scanning beam is on. If

the beam is off, press the RESET button for less than 2 seconds to turn on the beam.

Continuous, Tear- Off, and Tear-Off Strip

When the validator is first installed, the scanning beam may need to be aligned with the two notches on the sides of the tear bar, as shown in Detail A of Figure 11. When the scanning beam is properly aligned it will line up with the two notches.

Scanning Beam

Continuous, Tear-Off, and Tear-Off Strip

Notch in Tear Bar

t5lsrlc2 Ju ne 19

2000

Figure 11. Aligning the Scanning Beam: Continuous, Tear-Off, and Tear-Off Strip

Media Handling Modes Only

Chapter 1 Adjust The Scanning Beam

Peel-Off Media Handling Mode

If your printer is configured for Peel-Off Media Handling mode (use of optional internal rewinder), you may need to align the beam further behind the notches (0.20 to 0.30 inches [5.08 mm to

7.62 mm] from the front edge of the tear bar) so that the peeled

label remains on the tear bar and the trailing edge of the last bar code can still pass completely under the scanning beam. See Figure 12.

Aligning the scanning beam to any position other than the notches on the tear bar should only be done if the last printed bar code image does not clear the beam when the label is at the peel-off position after printing. In addition, the distance the beam moves back from the tear bar edge must correspond to a distance from the leading edge of the label that does not have bar code printing. For example, aligning the beam 0.20 inches from the front edge of the tear bar requires that 0.20 inches of the leading edge of the label must not have bar code images.

0.30 inches (7.62 mm)

Figure 12. Aligning the Scanning Beam: Peel-Off Media Handling Mode Only

Cut Media Handling Mode

If your printer has a cutter installed and is configured for Cut Media Handling Mode, align the beam with the notches at each side of the opening on the hinged upper lid, as shown in Detail A of Figure 13.

Scanning Beam

Notch in Tear Bar/

Figure 13. Aligning the Scanning Beam: Cutter Installed

Cutter

Chapter 1 Adjust The Scanning Beam

Top Left Screw

Bottom Right Screw

Bottom Left Screw

Figure 14. Scanning Beam Adjustment Screws

Figure 14 shows the screws used to adjust the parallelism and position of the scanning beam. The positions of the screws assume that you are in front of the validator unit and facing the printer. The following instructions and illustrations show how to adjust the validator according to how the beam appears.

1. Power the printer on and make sure the scanning beam is on. If the beam is off, press the RESET button for less than 2 seconds to turn on the scanning beam.

2. Use the Allen key provided to adjust the screws.

NOTE: You may have to loosen all three screws and allow the

rubber spacers to expand (relax) before making any adjustments.

Cut Media Handling Mode

Correct alignment of the scanning beam. The beam lines up with the end notches and is parallel to the long edge of the tear bar.

Tighten the to p left screw to move the scanning beam downward. If the screw is already tight, loosen both bottom screws to lower the beam.

Tighten both bottom screws to move the scanning beam upward. If they are already tight, loosen the top left screw to move the beam upward.

Loosen the bottom right screw to rotate the scanning beam clockwise. If it is already loose, tighten the bottom left screw.

Loosen the bottom left screw to rotate the scanning beam counterclockwise. If it is already loose, tighten the bottom right screw.

Chapter 1 Adjust The Scanning Beam

Summary Of Scanning Beam Adjustment

To Move Beam

Down

Tighten top left screw

or or or or Loosen both

bottom screws

To Move Beam

Tighten both bottom screws

Loosen top left screw Tighten bottom

NOTE: If the printer does not have a tear bar with notches at the

ends, adjust the scanning beam so that the center of the beam is approximately 0.06 inches (1.52 mm) from the lower edge as shown in Figure 15.

0.06 inches (1.52 mm)

T o Rotate Beam

Clockwise

Loosen bottom right screw

left screw

Counterclockwise

Loosen bottom left screw

Tighten bottom right screw

To Rotate Beam

Figure 15. Adjusting the Center of the Scanning Beam

Shif ting The Scanning Beam

This option enables you to shift the scanning beam horizontally to the left or right. The left edge of the beam should be approximately

0.13 inches (3.3 mm) past the left edge of the tear bar. After you set this value, save it as part of the configuration for future use.

The value range is from –99 to 99. The default is 0. Lower values will move the beam to the left.

NOTE: You must set Admin User to Enable in the PRINTER

CONTROL menu to access the Beam Shift option. (Refer to the

1. Press to take the printer offline and place the printer in Menu mode.

User’s Manual

Cut Media Handling Mode

2. If necessary, press ↓ and

↵ at the same time to unlock the

↵ key.

3. If necessary, press until VALIDATOR displays.

4. Press ↓ until Validator Funct. displays.

5. Make sure Enable is selected.

6. Press ↓ until Beam Shift displays.

7. Press + or – to scroll through the values: –99 to 99. The default is 0. Lower values will move the beam to the left. Press accept the shift value.

Keep selecting the new value until the beam width is at the desired position. The left edge of beam should be approximately 0.13 inches (3.3 mm) from the left edge of the tear bar.

8. Save the configuration for future use.

↵ to

Chapter 1 Calibration

Calibration

WARNING

Time RESET Button Is Depressed Result

Less than 2 seconds Turns on the scanning beam More than 4 but less than 6 seconds Validator goes into calibration mode More than 6 seconds Resets validator to the last good calibration

Class 2 laser light. Do not stare into the laser beam or a reflected image of the laser beam.

Using controls, making adjustments, or performing procedures other than those specified herein may result in hazardous radiation exposure.

The validator should be calibrated when it is first installed or when the printer displays Calibration warning. A special calibration bar code card is included with the validator package.

1. Make sure the printer is on and the scanning beam is on. If the beam is off, press the RESET button for less than 2 seconds to turn on the beam.

Table 2. RESET Button Settings

settings and turns off the scanning beam

2. Raise the media cover. Open the pivoting deck by rotating the deck lock lever fully clockwise. The pivoting deck will swing upward, exposing the bottom of the printhead assembly.

3. If the printer has the cutter option, put the cutter in the open (down) position.

4. Remove the calibration bar code card from its protective sleeve and slide it into the open printhead and under the scanning beam. (Figure 16.)

5. Make sure the bar code is under the scanning beam and the CALIBRATION light is on.

6. Press and hold the RESET button on the validator until the CALIBRATION light begins flashing.

CALIBRATION Light

Cut Media Handling Mode

RESET Button

Deck Lock Lever

Calibration Bar Code Card

Figure 16. Calibrating the Validator

7. The scanning beam should turn off for a few seconds then back on, and the CALIBRATION light should turn off. This indicates a successful calibration.

NOTE: If the scanning beam does not turn back on and/or the

calibration light is still on or flashing, the calibration has failed. In this case, refer to Table 2 on page 34 to repeat the calibration procedure or to reset the validator settings back to factory default.

8. Once you have a successful calibration, remove the calibration bar code card.

9. Close the pivoting deck and rotate the deck lock lever fully counterclockwise.

10. Close the media cover.

Chapter 1 Calibration

11. Power the printer off, wait a few seconds, then power the printer on.

If the calibration was successful, the scanning beam is on and the CALIBRATION light is off.

If the calibration was not successful, the scanning beam remains on and the CALIBRATION light stays lit without flashing. Repeat the calibration procedure. If repeated attempts fail, check the room for excessive ambient light, including direct sunlight. You may need to move the printer to a darker area of the room.

NOTE: In some cases the validator can detect and indicate to the

Bar Code Validation Demo Page

The bar code validation demo page allows you to test or demonstrate the validator operation without a host computer. This page contains some text and two good bar code symbologies: one in Code 39, the other in Code 128.

To print and validate the bar code validation demo page:

printer that calibration is required. See “Calibration warning” in Table 6, page 86.

1. Load the factory default configuration. (Refer to the

Manual

2. In the VALIDATOR menu, set Validator Funct. to Enable.

3. In the CALIBRATE CTRL menu, set Gap/Mark Sensing to Gap.

4. Load media.

5. In the CALIBRATE CTRL menu, run Auto Calibrate for proper gap sensing.

6. The printer must be offline. If the printer is in Menu mode, press the PAUSE key to take the printer offline.

7. Press the TEST PRINT key to enter the Test Print menu. Continue to press TEST PRINT until Barcode Demo displays.

8. Press the key is locked, unlock it by pressing ↓ and

↵ key to print and validate the demo page. (If the ↵

↵ at the same time.)

User’s

Bar Code Validation Demo Page

9. The printer will print one demo page containing two good bar codes.

NOTE: In the QUICK SETUP or MEDIA CONTROL menu, if Label

Length is set between 0.5 and 1.0 inches, only one good bar code will print.

If Label Length is less than 0.5 inches and Label Width is less than 2.0 inches, no demo page will print.

10. To demonstrate a bad bar code reading, block the scanning beam with an opaque object while the bar code moves under the beam. When you block the beam, the validator will generate a reading error and will perform a default error action. The default setting for the Validator Action in the VALIDATOR menu is Retry Form.

11. Press PAUSE to take the printer offline.

12. Press ↓ and PAUSE to put the printer back online.

↵ at the same time to lock the ↵ key, then press

Chapter 1 Calibration

2 Operation

Basic V alid ator Setup

Unit Positioning

The validator must be positioned so that the scanning beam covers the entire area containing the bar codes, including the area required for quiet zones. The validator can be moved along the lower bracket and aligned with any of the inscribed hash marks, depending on the size of the labels printed and the positioning of the bar codes on those labels. In addition, the beam width can be moved horizontally to the left or right (see “Shifting The Scanning Beam” on page 33).

If a bar code is completely outside of the scanning area, straddles an edge, or does not pass completely under the scanning beam, the validator interprets it as a missing bar code and generates error conditions.

V alidato r Front Pan el

The front panel of the validator has the following controls and indicators:

• POWER: Indicates the validator is at full power.

• CALIBRATION: Flashes when the validator is in calibration

mode. See page 34 for calibration instructions .

• READ: Flashes when the validator is reading a bar code.

• 1 and 2: Used for maintenance purposes only.

• RESET: This button is used in the calibration procedure and

possible troubleshooting situations. Except in these specific circumstances, the RESET button should not be used.

Chapter 2 Basic Validator Setup

Table 3. RESET Button Settings

Time RESET Button Is Depressed Result

Less than 2 seconds Turns on the scanning beam More than 4 but less than 6 seconds Validator goes into calibration mode More than 6 seconds Resets validator to the last good calibration

settings and turns off the scanning beam

CAUTION

Do not lift the printer by the validator unit or by the lower bracket.

The validator contains sensitive electronic equipment. Do not jar or drop the unit.

VALIDATOR

VALIDATOR Menu

VALIDAT OR Menu

Validator Funct.

page 44

Auto Report

page 45

Auto Report Time

page 46

Clear Data

page 47

Good Barcodes

page 49

Good Forms

page 49

Overstrike Forms

page 49

Average BWD

page 49

Last BWD

page 49

Telemetry Pat h

page 47

Enable* Disable

Disable* Enable

1 second* 1 to 10 seconds

Disabled* Network Port

Notes:

* = Default Italicized items appear only when Admin User is set to Enable (in the PRINTER CONTROL menu).

Display item only

Telemetry Data

page 48

Number of Codes

page 50

Validator Ac t i on

page 79

Quiet Zones

page 50

(cont. on next page)

Short Report*

Auto* 1 to 99

Retry Form* Stop & Retry Grade&Report

Rescan&Retry Stop Overstrike

Enable* Disable

Full Report Validation Mode

Rescan Form

Rescan&Stop

Chapter 2 Basic Validator Setup

VALIDATOR

(cont. from previous page)

Min. Code Height

page 74

Min. Code Gap

page 76

Skip Labels

page 52

F/W Revision

page 51

Overstrike Style

page 52

I2of5 Checksum

page 53

Num Retry

page 54

Num Rescan

page 54

Max Retry Action

page 54

Decodeability

page 55

Percent Decode

page 56

Defects

page 56

Overall Grade

page 57

Modulation

page 59

0.13 to 1.00 inches0.30 inches*

0.15 to 1.00 inches0.30 inches*

Minimum* Maximum

Version: xxxx

Grid* Error Typ e MsgCheckerboard

Disable* Enable

5* 3

1* 1 to 5

Dump Form* Keep Form

Grey

37%* 30% to 90%

60%* 0% to 99%

20%* 0% to 100%

0.5* 0.0 to 4.0

50%* 0% to 100%

Notes:

* = Default Italicized items appear

only when Admin User is set to Enable (in the PRINTER CONTROL menu).

Display item only.

(cont. on next page)

EC Min

page 59

15%* 0% to 100%

VALIDATOR

(cont. from previous page)

VALIDATOR Menu

Rmin

page 60

Symbol Contrast

page 61

Gain

page 61

Offset

page 62

SN Threshold

page 62

Scan Report

page 63

Scan Profile

page 65

Profile H Mag

page 67

Print Settings

page 68

Scanner Settings

page 70

0% to 100%50%*

0% to 100%30%*

1 to 255

5 to 19970*

1* 1 to 4

Default 4xx, Default 6yy, or Default 8zz*

feature files

Beam Width

page 71

Beam Shift

page 72

1800, 2550, or 3100*

0* –99 to 99

250 to 3100

Notes:

* = Default Italicized items appear only when Admin User is set to Enable (in the PRINTER CONTROL menu).

Depends on the printer model: 4, 6, and 8 inch printers respectively.

xx, yy, zz

= file revision

numbers.

Appears only if feature files have been downloaded to the printer. Up to seven files can appear.

Depends on the printer model: 4, 6, and 8 inch printers respectively.

Chapter 2 Configuring The Validator

Configuring The Validator

Setting validator options is done through the printer configuration menu. The validator comes equipped with a default setting for each configuration option, and it works without having to change any of these options. However, in some cases it is necessary to adjust these options, which are described below.

NOTE: If you make any changes to the default configuration menu

items, you will be prompted to save the configuration. See “Auto Save Configuration” in the

Enabling And Disabling The V alidator

If Power-Up Config. is not set to Factory, the VALIDATOR menu will be available, but Validator Funct. is set to Disable. Enable Validator Funct. by completing the following steps. (This is a onetime setting once you save the configuration.)

Quick Setup Guide

IMPORTANT

Do not disable or enable the validator with data in the buffer. See “Resetting Validator Data” on page 47.

1. Press to take the printer offline and place the printer in Menu mode.

2. If necessary, press ↓ and

↵ at the same time to unlock the

↵ key.

3. If necessary, press until VALIDATOR displays.

4. Press ↓ until Validator Funct. displays.

5. Press + or – until Enable displays.

6. Press

↵ to enable the validator. An asterisk (*) should appear

after Enable. Once enabled, the printer will command the validator to begin scanning and reporting errors, and the counters will be incremented.

Validator Reporting

7. Press ↓ and ↵ at the same time to lock the ↵ key, then press PAUSE to take the printer offline.

8. Press PAUSE again to put the printer online.

NOTE: To disable the validator once it has been enabled, repeat

steps 1 to 8 and select Disable in step 5.

RFID Encoder

If you have an RFID encoder but are not encoding RFID tags, make sure RFID Reader is set to Disable (in the RFID CONTROL menu), otherwise the validation process will slow down considerably as the RFID encoder attempts to scan for non-existent RFID tags.

V alidat or Reporting

After any completed print job, you can request a report from the printer which describes the validation statistics since the printer was turned on, or since the last data reset (for information on resetting data, see page 47).

Requesting A Validator Report

This procedure prints a summarized validator report. (This report also includes RFID data if the printer has an RFID encoder.)

1. Press the PAUSE key to take the printer offline.

2. If necessary, press ↓ and

↵ at the same time to unlock the

↵ key.

3. Press TEST PRINT. Printer Tests displays.

4. Press + unti l RFID/O DV Report disp lay s.

5. Press

6. Press ↓ and

7. Press PAUSE again to put the printer online.

↵ to print the report.

↵ at the same time to lock the ↵ key, then press

PAUSE to take the printer offline.

Setting Auto Report

This function allows you to disable or enable an automatic validator report printout after a batch job. The default is Disable.

Chapter 2 Configuring The Validator

You can determine the end of a batch job in two ways:

• by using an Execute command, or

• by enabling the Auto Report Time (see below).

To enable Auto Report:

1. Press to take the printer offline and place the printer in Menu mode.

2. If necessary, press ↓ and

↵ at the same time to unlock the

↵ key.

3. If necessary, press until VALIDATOR displays.

4. Press ↓ until Auto Report displays.

5. Press + or – to scroll through the choices: Enable or Disable. The default is Disable.

6. When Enable displays, press

7. Press ↓ and

↵ at the same time to lock the ↵ key, then press

↵ to activate Auto Report.

PAUSE to take the printer offline.

8. Press PAUSE again to put the printer online.

Setting Auto Report T ime

This function allows you to set, in seconds, the timeout for the Auto Report. If the printer is idle for the set number of seconds, an Auto Report will be generated if Auto Report is set to Enable (see “Setting Auto Report” on page 45.) The default is 1 second.

To set the Auto Report Time:

1. Press to take the printer offline and place the printer in Menu mode.

2. If necessary, press ↓ and

↵ key.

3. If necessary, press until VALIDATOR displays.

4. Press ↓ until Auto Report Time displays.

↵ at the same time to unlock the

5. Press + or – to scroll through the choices: 1 to 10 seconds. The default is 1 second.

6. When the desired number of seconds displays, press

↵ to set

the Auto Report Time.

Validator Reporting

7. Press ↓ and ↵ at the same time to lock the ↵ key, then press PAUSE to take the printer offline.

8. Press PAUSE again to put the printer online.

Resetting Validator Data

The validator reports on all bar codes it detects since the last data reset. For example, you print a large batch of labels with bar codes and then print a validator report. Then you print another batch of labels with bar codes and print another report. The report will contain information on both batch jobs. However, if you reset the validator data between batch jobs, the second report will only contain information on the second batch job.

To reset Validator Data:

1. Press to take the printer offline and place the printer in Menu mode.

2. If necessary, press ↓ and

↵ at the same time to unlock the

↵ key.

3. If necessary, press until VALIDATOR displays.

4. Press ↓ until Clear Data displays.

5. Press

6. Press ↓ and

↵ to clear validator data.

↵ at the same time to lock the ↵ key, then press

PAUSE to take the printer offline.

7. Press PAUSE again to put the printer online.

Defining The Data Output Destination (Telemetry Path)

You may want to send a streaming flow of validation data to an external device during the print job. The default is Disabled. Follow the procedure below to select the data output destination.

1. Press to take the printer offline and place the printer in Menu mode.

2. If necessary, press ↓ and

↵ key.

3. If necessary, press until VALIDATOR displays.

4. Press ↓ until Telemetry Path displays.

↵ at the same time to unlock the

Chapter 2 Configuring The Validator

5. Press + or – to cycle through the choices:

• Disabled. Default setting. The validator does not send any data to an external device.

• Network Port. The printer outputs the bar code analysis and underlying data from the validator to a device connected to the network port so the validator data can be seen and analyzed with the optional remote management software.

6. When your select i on displ ay s, pres s reports are output to your selection.

↵ to activate it. All future

7. Press ↓ and

PAUSE to take the printer offline.

8. Press PAUSE again to put the printer online.

↵ at the same time to lock the ↵ key, then press

Selecting The Type Of Report For the Data Output Destination (Telemetry Data)

By default, the validator sends the Short Report to the selected data output destination, but there are two other report options available: Full Report and Validation Mode.

1. Press to take the printer offline and place the printer in Menu mode.

2. If necessary, press ↓ and

↵ key.

3. If necessary, press until VALIDATOR displays.

4. Press ↓ until Telemetry Data displays.

5. Press + or – to cycle through the choices:

• Short Report. Default setting. Provides the encoded failure

• Full Report. Provides a completed report of all the data

↵ at the same time to unlock the

cause or pass indication and the bar width deviation, shown as a percentage.

captured by the validator.

• Validation Mode. Provides the same data as the Short

Report, but adds the actual bar code data read.

6. When your select i on displ ay s, pres s

↵ to activate it.

Validator Statistics

7. Press ↓ and ↵ at the same time to lock the ↵ key, then press PAUSE to take the printer offline.

8. Press PAUSE again to put the printer online.

V alidator Statistics

The validator displays a number of statistics directly on the printer LCD, without having to print a report. To view any of the statistics:

1. Press to take the printer offline and place the printer in Menu mode.

2. If necessary, press ↓ and

↵ at the same time to unlock the

↵ key.

3. If necessary, press until VALIDATOR displays.

4. Press ↓ to scroll through the following statistics on the printer display:

• Good Barcodes: The number of bar code reports sent

from the validator since the last Clear Data command.

• Good Forms: The number of good (non-overstruck) forms

printed since the last Clear Data command.

• Overstrike Forms: The number of forms containing a bar

code that fell below the minimum acceptable level since the last Clear Data command.

• Average BWD: The average of all Bar Width Deviations

reported since the last Clear Data command, shown as a percentage.

• Last BWD: The Bar Width Deviation included in the most

recent report received from the validator, shown as a percentage.

NOTE:

A bar code’s Bar Width Deviation is determined by comparing the bar width the validator expects to the bar width that is actually printed. For example, if the bar width is printed exactly as the validator expects, the BWD is 0%. However, if the bar width as printed is 25% wider or narrower than the validator expects it to be, it reports a BWD of 25%.

5. Press ↓ and ↵ at the same time to lock the ↵ key, then press PAUSE to take the printer offline.

6. Press PAUSE again to put the printer online.

Chapter 2 Configuring The Validator

Defining Validator Options

A number of validator options which define specific parameters for certain print jobs can be set from the printer configuration menu.

Setting Number Of Bar Codes On A Form

You can define how many bar codes the validator should expect on a form. This setting is required when bar codes are produced as a part of a larger bitmapped image. When set to a specific number, the printer checks after a form has printed and passed the validator and determines if it has received an analysis report for each bar code. If the printer does not have as many reports as it expects, it assumes a gross bar code failure.

When Auto (the default) is selected, the printer only expects as many bar code analyses as bar codes printed using printer bar code commands defined by the host software.

1. Press to take the printer offline and place the printer in Menu mode.

2. If necessary, press ↓ and

↵ key.

3. If necessary, press until VALIDATOR displays.

4. Press ↓ until Number of Codes displays.

5. Press + or – to scroll through the choices: Auto, 1 to 99. The default is Auto.

↵ at the same time to unlock the

6. Press

7. Press ↓ and

8. Press PAUSE again to put the printer online.

↵ to select the desired value.

↵ at the same time to lock the ↵ key, then press

PAUSE to take the printer offline.

Checking Quiet Zones

Quiet zones are the white spaces surrounding the bar code. Each bar code requires a minimum quiet zone distance in order for the bar code to be scanned properly.

NOTE: The validator requires a minimum distance of 1/2” or 20

times the minimum element width (x-dimension), whichever is greater, between bar codes.

Defining Validator Options

When set to Enable (the default), then the bar code quiet zone is included as part of the pass/fail criteria.

1. Press to take the printer offline and place the printer in

Menu mode.

2. If necessary, press ↓ and

↵ at the same time to unlock the

↵ key.

3. If necessary, press until VALIDATOR displays.

4. Press ↓ until Quiet Zones displays.

5. Press + or – to scroll through the choices: Enable or Disable. The default is Enable.

6. Press

7. Press ↓ and

↵ to select the desired value.

↵ at the same time to lock the ↵ key, then press

PAUSE to take the printer offline.

8. Press PAUSE again to put the printer online.

NOTE: The validator does not recognize x-dimensions greater

than 40 mil with Quiet Zones enabled.

Checking The Firmware Revision Number

For troubleshooting purposes, you may need to reference the firmware revision number.

1. Press to take the printer offline and place the printer in Menu mode.

2. If necessary, press ↓ and

↵ key.

3. If necessary, press until VALIDATOR displays.

4. Press ↓ until F/W Revision displays. The firmware revision number displays.

↵ at the same time to unlock the

5. Press ↓ and

↵ at the same time to lock the ↵ key, then press

PAUSE to take the printer offline.

6. Press PAUSE again to put the printer online.

Chapter 2 Configuring The Validator

Setting For Skip Labels

This option is used for skipping blank labels after bad labels have been marked. It is useful when you want to have extra blank labels in between bad and good ones. The settings are Minimum (the default) and Maximum. Minimum allows up to one blank label, and Maximum allows up to two blank labels.

NOTE: Minimum and Maximum blank labels are only applicable for

forms 2 inches (5.08 cm) high or more. For labels less than 2 inches high, the minimum and maximum blank labels may vary.

1. Press to take the printer offline and place the printer in Menu mode.

IMPORTANT

2. If necessary, press ↓ and

↵ at the same time to unlock the

↵ key.

3. If necessary, press until VALIDATOR displays.

4. Press ↓ until Skip Labels displays.

5. Press + or – to scroll through the choices: Minimum or Maximum. The default is Minimum.

6. Press

7. Press ↓ and

↵ to select the desired value.

↵ at the same time to lock the ↵ key, then press

PAUSE to take the printer offline.

8. Press PAUSE again to put the printer online.

Setting Overstrike Style

This option is used for marking bad labels with different overstrike styles: Grid (the default), Grey, Checkerboard, or Error Type Msg.

If you are using an RFID encoder, set the validator Overstrike Style different than the RFID Overstrike Style (in the RFID CONTROL menu). This will help you differentiate between a validator error and an RFID error.

1. Press to take the printer offline and place the printer in Menu mode.

2. If necessary, press ↓ and

↵ key.

3. If necessary, press until VALIDATOR displays.

↵ at the same time to unlock the

Defining Validator Options

4. Press ↓ until Overstrike Style displays.

5. Press + or – to scroll through the choices: Grid, Grey, Checkerboard, or Error Type Msg. The default is Grid.

6. Press

7. Press ↓ and

8. Press PAUSE again to put the printer online.

↵ to select the desired value.

↵ at the same time to lock the ↵ key, then press

PAUSE to take the printer offline.

Setting I2of5 Checksum

This option allows you to include or exclude the checksum option in the Interleaved 2 of 5 code as part of the grading. For example, if you enable this option, then any incoming bar code data without checksum digits will be graded as a failure, and a Checksum Failure error will display. The default is Disable.

1. Press to take the printer offline and place the printer in Menu mode.

2. If necessary, press ↓ and

↵ key.

3. If necessary, press until VALIDATOR displays.

4. Press ↓ until I2of5 Checksum displays.

5. Press + or – to scroll through the options: Enable or Disable. The default is Disable.

6. Press

↵ at the same time to unlock the

↵ to accept the desired value.

7. Press ↓ and

PAUSE to take the printer offline.

8. Press PAUSE again to put the printer online.

↵ at the same time to lock the ↵ key, then press

Chapter 2 Configuring The Validator

Num Retry

This option allows you to set the number of times a form will be reprinted before the printer stops. After you clear the error message, the printer will print the same form or the next form, depending on the setting for Max Retry Action (see “Max Retry Action” below).

The options are 3, 4, and 5. The default is 5. NOTE: This setting is utilized only when Validator Action is set to

Retry Form, Stop & Retry, or Rescan&Retry. See “Error Action” on page 79.

Num Rescan

This option allows you to set the number of times a form will be rescanned before the printer stops. After you clear the error message, the printer will print the same label or the next label, depending on the setting for Max Retry Action (see “Max Retry Action” below).

The options are 1 to 5. The default is 1.

NOTE: This setting is utilized only when Validator Action is set to

Rescan, Rescan&Retry, or Rescan&Stop. See “Error Action” on page 79.

Max Retry Action

This option determines what the printer will do with the current form once the Num Retry or Num Rescan counter has been exhausted (see “Num Retry” or “Num Rescan” above).

If Max Retry Action is set to Dump Form, after you clear the fault the form will be dumped and printing will resume with the next form.

If Max Retry Action is set to Keep Form, after you clear the fault printing will resume with the same form again. It will not attempt to print the next form until the problem form has printed correctly.

NOTE: This setting is utilized only when Validator Action is set to

Retry Form, Stop & Retry, Rescan Form, Rescan&Retry, or Rescan&Stop. See “Error Action” on page 79.

Advanced Validator Options

The following items are considered advanced items and are only visible if Admin User is set to Enable (in the PRINTER CONTROL menu). Refer to the configuration section of your more information.

Decodeability

NOTE: This parameter factors into the Overall Grade (page 57).

You can determine how strict the validator grades the wide/narrow bars and spaces which compose the bar code by setting the Decodeability parameter to a percentage value from 30% to 90%. The higher the percentage value chosen, the stricter the validator grades. The default is 37%.

For example, if the Decodeability value is set to 37%, the validator gives the bar code a failing grade if the decodeability of the bar code is at or below 37%.

1. Press to take the printer offline and place the printer in Menu mode.

User’s Manual

for

2. If necessary, press ↓ and

↵ at the same time to unlock the

↵ key.

3. If necessary, press until VALIDATOR displays.

4. Press ↑ until Decodeability displays.

5. Press + or – to scroll through the percentage values: 30% to 90%. The default is 37%.

6. Press

7. Press ↓ and

8. Press PAUSE again to put the printer online.

↵ to select the desired value.

↵ at the same time to lock the ↵ key, then press

PAUSE to take the printer offline.

Chapter 2 Configuring The Validator

Percent Decode

NOTE: This parameter factors into the Overall Grade (page 57).

You can set how strict the validator grades each bar code. For example, the Percent Decode default is 60%. This means that 60% of the scanned bar code must be readable for the validator to give the bar code a passing grade. You can set the Percent Decode parameter to a percentage value from 0% to 99%. The higher the percentage value chosen, the stricter the validator grades.

1. Press to take the printer offline and place the printer in Menu mode.

2. If necessary, press ↓ and

↵ at the same time to unlock the

↵ key.

3. If necessary, press until VALIDATOR displays.

4. Press ↑ until Percent Decode displays.

5. Press + or – to scroll through the percentage values: 0% to 90%. The default is 60%.

6. Press

7. Press ↓ and

↵ to select the desired value.

↵ at the same time to lock the ↵ key, then press

PAUSE to take the printer offline.

8. Press PAUSE again to put the printer online.

Defects

NOTE: This parameter factors into the Overall Grade (page 57).

You can set how strict the validator grades the irregularities such as voids and spots found within elements and quiet zones for each bar code. For example, the Defects default is 20%. This means that if the bar code and quiet zone defects exceed 20%, the validator gives the bar code a failing grade. You can set the Defects parameter to a percentage value from 0% to 100%. The lower the percentage value chosen, the stricter the validator grades.

1. Press to take the printer offline and place the printer in Menu mode.

2. If necessary, press ↓ and

↵ at the same time to unlock the

↵ key.

3. If necessary, press until VALIDATOR displays.

Advanced Validator Options

4. Press ↑ until Defects displays.

5. Press + or – to scroll through the percentage values: 0% to 100%. The default is 20%.

6. Press

7. Press ↓ and

8. Press PAUSE again to put the printer online.

↵ to select the desired value.

↵ at the same time to lock the ↵ key, then press

PAUSE to take the printer offline.

Overall Grade

This menu item sets the value used by the validator for pass/fail threshold during the analysis of bar codes. Instead of a letter grade, numbers are used to allow for more resolution. The numbers can be translated to letter grades according to the 4.0 grade table below.

T a ble 4. Grading Scale for Overall Grade

Letter Grade Grade Numerical Range

A 3.5 to 4.0 B 2.5 to 3.4 C 1.5 to 2.4 D 0.5 to 1.4

F 0.0 to 0.4

Any bar code with a grade below this threshold value will cause the printer to display the Overall Grade Fail error message (see “Error Messages” on page 86) and take the appropriate error action. Higher values create a stricter pass criterion.

The Overall Grade is determined by taking the lowest grade obtained for any of these bar code quality parameters: Decodeability, Percent Decode, Defects, Modulation, EC Min, Rmin, and Symbol Contrast.

You can set the Overall Grade parameter to a value from 0.5 to 4.0. The default is 0.5.

Chapter 2 Configuring The Validator

Overall Grade Calculations

The validator follows the specified algorithm defined in the ANSI X3.182 specification for determining the Overall Grade based on an average. Although it is not defined, the validator truncates the result of all analysis parameters averages for a slightly stricter grading.

A side effect of the ANSI specified algorithm is that the Overall Grade may be lower than any of the averaged analysis parameters. This occurs because the Overall Grade is based on the lowest grade on any scan converted to a single digit grade (A to F, 4 to 0) which is then averaged. This usually occurs when a single analysis parameter has a value just above or just below the Overall Grade.

Example

The Decodeability value of 51 displays as B, but the Overall Grade displays as C.

The bar code was scanned five times: three scans had values of

0.49 (grade C) and two scans had values of 0.54 (grade B). The Decodeability grading cal c ula tio n is:

(3 x 0.49) + (2 x 0.54) = 2.55

2.55 ÷ 5 = 0.51 (grade B) The Overall Grade calculation is:

(3 x 2.0) + (2 x 3.0) = 12 12 ÷ 5 = 2.4 (grade C)

Also, with certain combinations of multiple analysis parameters and possibly the truncation used on the analysis parameter’s average, the Overall Grade may be higher than an individual analysis parameter grade.

Example

The Decodeability value of 48 displays as C, but the Overall Grade displays as B.

The bar code was scanned five times: four scans had values of

0.51 (grade B) and one scan had a value of 0.40 (grade C). The Decodeability grading cal c ula tio n is:

(4 x 0.51) + (1 x 0.40) = 2.44

2.44 ÷ 5 = 48.8 (grade C) The Overall Grade calculation is:

(4 x 3.0) + (1 x 2.0) = 14 14 ÷ 5 = 2.8 (grade B)

Advanced Validator Options

Modulation

NOTE: This parameter factors into the Overall Grade (page 57).

Modulation measures how well the scan laser sees the wide elements (bars or spaces) relative to the narrow elements. In general, scanning lasers see bars better than spaces and wide elements better than the narrow elements. This menu item sets the value used by the validator for pass/fail threshold during the analysis of bar codes. Higher values create a stricter criterion for passing.

You can set the Modulation parameter to a percentage value from 0% to 100%. The default is 50%.

1. Press to take the printer offline and place the printer in Menu mode.

2. If necessary, press ↓ and

↵ at the same time to unlock the

↵ key.

3. If necessary, press until VALIDATOR displays.

4. Press ↑ until Modulation displays.

5. Press + or – to scroll through the percentage values: 0% to 100%. The default is 50%.

6. Press

7. Press ↓ and

↵ to select the desired value.

↵ at the same time to lock the ↵ key, then press

PAUSE to take the printer offline.

8. Press PAUSE again to put the printer online.

EC Min

NOTE: This parameter factors into the Overall Grade (page 57).

The higher the value, the stricter the criterion for passing.

This menu item sets the minimum edge contrast, which is the worst edge transition (bar to space or space to bar) used by the validator for pass/fail threshold during the analysis of bar codes. Bar codes with an edge contrast below this threshold will fail.

You can set the EC Min parameter to a percentage value from 0% to 100%. The default is 15%.

1. Press to take the printer offline and place the printer in Menu mode.

Chapter 2 Configuring The Validator

2. If necessary, press ↓ and ↵ at the same time to unlock the

↵ key.

3. If necessary, press until VALIDATOR displays.

4. Press ↑ until EC Min displays.

5. Press + or – to scroll through the percentage values: 0% to 100%. The default is 15%.

6. Press

7. Press ↓ and

8. Press PAUSE again to put the printer online.

↵ to select the desired value.

↵ at the same time to lock the ↵ key, then press

PAUSE to take the printer offline.

Rmin

NOTE: This parameter factors into the Overall Grade (page 57).

This menu item sets the minimum reflectance value used by the validator for pass/fail threshold used during the analysis of bar codes. A bar code will fail if all the bar reflectance values are above the percentage of space reflectance set by this threshold. For example, an Rmin setting of 50% requires that at least one bar reflectance value fall under the mid point of the reflectance value read for the highest space reflectance.

You can set the Rmin parameter to a percentage value from 0% to 100%. The default is 50%.

1. Press to take the printer offline and place the printer in Menu mode.

2. If necessary, press ↓ and

↵ key.

3. If necessary, press until VALIDATOR displays.

4. Press ↑ until Rmin displays.

↵ at the same time to unlock the

5. Press + or – to scroll through the percentage values: 0% to 100%. The default is 50%.

6. Press

7. Press ↓ and

8. Press PAUSE again to put the printer online.

↵ to select the desired value.

↵ at the same time to lock the ↵ key, then press

PAUSE to take the printer offline.

Advanced Validator Options

Symbol Contrast

NOTE: This parameter factors into the Overall Grade (page 57).

The higher the value, the stricter the criterion for passing.

Symbol Contrast represents the contra st betwe en the bars and spaces in the bar code used by the validator for pass/fail threshold used during the analysis of bar codes. The bar code must have a certain level of contrast to be recognized by the validator. Bar codes with a symbol contrast below the threshold will fail.

You can set the Symbol Contrast parameter to a percentage value from 0% to 100%. The default is 30%.

NOTE: To disable this parameter, set Symbol Contrast to 0%.

1. Press to take the printer offline and place the printer in Menu mode.

2. If necessary, press ↓ and

↵ key.

3. If necessary, press until VALIDATOR displays.

4. Press ↑ until Symbol Contrast displays.

5. Press + or – to scroll through the percentage values: 0% to 100%. The default is 30%.

↵ at the same time to unlock the

6. Press

7. Press ↓ and

8. Press PAUSE again to put the printer online.

↵ to select the desired value.

↵ at the same time to lock the ↵ key, then press

PAUSE to take the printer offline.

Gain

This menu item sets the scanner gain setting. This allows you to adjust the amplitude (height) of the space/bar transitions as seen on a Scan Profile to optimize the validator hardware for applications where standard settings make the bar codes unreadable.

NOTE: This menu does not have a default setting because the

value is hardware dependent. The initial value is read from the validator’s flash memory.

After the initial value has been determined, you can set the Gain parameter to a value from 1 to 255.

Chapter 2 Configuring The Validator

To write a new Gain value to the validator’s flash memory, save a configuration. See “Saving A Configuration” in the

Guide

NOTE: This value will not be saved in the configuration. It will only

be written to the validator’s flash memory.

Offset

This menu item sets the scanner offset setting. This allows you to adjust the vertical position of the scan profile to guarantee that the validator hardware is reading the bar codes within the optimal range. You can adjust this to place the bar code profile in the center of the profile scale above 10% and below 90%.

NOTE: This menu does not have a default setting because the

value is hardware dependent. The initial value is read from the validator’s flash memory.

After the initial value has been determined, you can set the Offset parameter to a value from 1 to 255.

To write a new Offset value to the validator’s flash memory, save a configuration. See “Saving A Configuration” in the

Guide

Quick Setup

NOTE: This value will not be saved in the configuration. It will only

be written to the validator’s flash memory.

SN Threshold

This menu item sets the SN (signal to noise) threshold used by the validator to discriminate between high peak noise and actual bar code transitions. Any reflectance transitions that are below the threshold are ignored and considered noise.

You can set the SN Threshold to a value from 5 to 199. The default is 70.

1. Press to take the printer offline and place the printer in Menu mode.

2. If necessary, press ↓ and

↵ key.

3. If necessary, press until VALIDATOR displays.

4. Press ↑ until SN Threshold displays.

↵ at the same time to unlock the

Advanced Validator Options

5. Press + or – to scroll through the values: 5 to 199. The default is 70.

IMPORTANT

6. Press

7. Press ↓ and

8. Press PAUSE again to put the printer online.

↵ to select the desired value.

↵ at the same time to lock the ↵ key, then press

PAUSE to take the printer offline.

Scan Report

To print a Scan Report, Telemetry Data must be set to Full Report.

This executable menu item prints a diagnostic printout of bar code analysis parameters calculated by the validator. It allows you to determine which parameter may be the cause of bar code verification failures. The report printed is based on the last Full Report received from the validator. This allows you to send a bar code print job to the printer, have the bar code scanned by the validator, and view a report of the parameters as seen by the validator.

For forms with multiple bar codes, only information from the last scanned bar code will be included in the report. To view validator parameters for all bar codes on a form, use the Online Data Validator Data Manager softwar e.

NOTE: If the label is not wide enough, not all of the information will

print.

The printed report is generated from validator reports received by the printer during printing. The report does not include information about bar codes that are placed in the validator scan beam while the printer is idle or from print jobs that generate an “Unscannable code / check media” error message.

The number of Total Scans and Good Scans can help you determine if the print speed is set too high and causing borderline failures by not allowing for enough scans to be done by the validator. The Scan Report is based on the last Full Report received by the validator. So if the last bar code printed is positioned close to the last inch of the form, and on-demand printing occurs to force the last bar code to be fed past the laser beam, the Total Scans and Good Scans reported will not be the same as those reported by the

Chapter 2 Configuring The Validator

validator when printing at the set Print Speed (in the QUICK SETUP and MEDIA CONTROL menus). This is because the on-demand printing portion is done at a fixed print speed which may be higher or lower than the set Print Speed. For example, a bar code printed at 7 ips may yield eight Total Scans, but if printed in an on-demand printing mode it may yield 18 Total Scans.

Scan Report Information

1. “ERROR:” followed by highest priority failure message (if an error other than “Unscannable Code” occurred) or “None” if no error occurred

2. Printout of characters read from the bar code

3. Symbology Type Read (e.g. Code 39, Code 128, etc.)

4. Overall Grade (letter grade and calculated/number value)

5. X dimensio n (mils )

6. Decodeability (%)

7. Modulation (%)

8. Symbol Contrast (%)

9. EC (Average Edge Contrast) (%)

10. Defects (%)

11. Rmin/Rmax (reflectance min/max)

12. PCS (Print Contrast Signal)

13. Percent Decode (%)

14. Bar Deviation Avg (%)

15. Min. Bar Deviation (%)

16. Max. Bar Deviation (%)

17. Ratio

18. Good Scans

19. Total Scans

Advanced Validator Options

The following is a sample scan report of a Code 39, 10 mil bar code containing "*RJS8702*" with a quiet zone violation:

SCAN REPORT

ERROR: Bar code quiet zone too small Barcode Data: [ST]RJS8702[ST] Symbology Code 39 Overall Grade C (2.1) X dimension (mils) 09.9 Decodeability (%) 65 Modulation (%) 34 Symbol Contrast (%) 68 Edge Contrast (%) 30 Defects (%) 14 Rmin/Rmax 2 PCS 92 Percent Decode (%) 100

Bar Deviation Avg (%) -16 Min. Bar Deviation (%) -31 Max. Bar Deviation (%) -4 Ratio 2.0 Good Scans 28 Total Scans 30

Scan Profile

This is an executable menu that prints the scan reflectance profile of a bar code placed in the validator scan beam.

NOTE: You will need a minimum installed label width of 2 inches

to support the Scan Profile printout.

1. Press to take the printer offline and place the printer in Menu mode.

2. If necessary, press ↓ and

↵ key.

3. If necessary, press until VALIDATOR displays.

4. Press ↑ until Scan Profile displays.

5. Place a bar code in the scan beam path.

6. Press

7. When prompted on the control panel, remove the scanned bar code.

8. Press

↵ at the same time to unlock the

↵ to scan the bar code.

↵ to print the scan profile.

Chapter 2 Configuring The Validator

9. Press ↓ and ↵ at the same time to lock the ↵ key, then press PAUSE to take the printer offline.

10. Press PAUSE again to put the printer online.

The length of the scan profile printed is proportional to the Beam Width setting (page 71) and depends on the Profile H Mag setting (page 67).

The scan profile will print either a 1.5 inch wide or a 3 inch wide graph depending on the Label Width setting (in the MEDIA CONTROL menu). (Label widths less than 4 inches print the smaller 1.5 inch wide profile.)

Printing is done in continuous mode without taking into account media gap/marks.

NOTE: Use continuous media or else the scan profile may distort

at the media gap/marks.

The following figure shows a sample scan profile graph. It only shows the profile of actual bar code data. The dashed lines represent the 90% and 10% marks. You can use these to help set the gain and offset (if necessary).

Figure 17. Sample Scan Profile

Advanced Validator Options

Profile H Mag

This menu item selects the horizontal magnification for printing the scan profile. This allows you to zoom in on the profile. Magnification values are multiples of the scan profile length printed for a given Beam Width setting. For example, if the Beam Width setting of 1800 prints a 4 inch scan profile, a Profile H Mag setting of 2 prints an 8 inch scan profile.

You can set the Profile H Mag parameter to a value from 1 to 4. The default is 1.

1. Press to take the printer offline and place the printer in Menu mode.

2. If necessary, press ↓ and

↵ at the same time to unlock the

↵ key.

3. If necessary, press until VALIDATOR displays.

4. Press ↑ until Profile H Mag displays.

5. Press + or – to scroll through the values: 1 to 4. The default is 1.

6. Press ↵ to select the desired value.

7. Press ↓ and

↵ at the same time to lock the ↵ key, then press

PAUSE to take the printer offline.

8. Press PAUSE again to put the printer online.

Figure 18 shows a Profile H Mag setting of 2 for the same scan profile shown in Figure 17, page 66 (Profile H Mag setting of 1).

Figure 18. Sample Scan Profile: Profile H Mag = 2

Chapter 2 Configuring The Validator

Print Settings

This is an executable menu item that reads and prints the settings used by the validator.

The response received from the validator after sending the ~DV (retrieves version), ~HT (retrieves hardware settings), and ~PT8 (retrieves parameter settings) commands are printed. Use the printout to view all the active settings the validator is using and to determine if there is any invalid setting which may be causing problems.

The following is a sample printout:

F/W Version: X334

~HT Response: [~HS###]SOS= 025 [~HP###]Beam Shift= 000 024 [c]HIGHcal= 088 [c]LOWcal= 004 [~Sh##]= 088 [~Sl##]= 004 [c]SCfact= 044 [c]min cal= 031 [~HB#]baud= 003 [~LL]smt_decode= 343 [~LM##]chars= 003 [~LN##]num_bc= 001 [~LZ##]num_bc_exact= 000 [~LR#]No_Read_Enable=000 [~LF##]I25_Mod10_Chk=000 [~HQ#]output_mode= 001 [~HO#]oper_mode= 001 [~LA##]ansi= 005 [~LS##]min_scn= 003 [~LT#]sync_in= 001 [~LP#]sync_pol= 000 [~LX#]sync_typ= 001 [~LV##]sync_md= 000 [~PO#]port_sel= 005 [PC#]port_clear_md= 000 [Pt##]port_time= 099 [~LD##] %dec= 075 [~PR####]PRST= 000200 [~HL#]ladder_code= 000 [~HJ####]ladd_start= 0200 [~HK####]ladd_end= 4000 [~HC####]ana_len= 1800 [~HG####]ana_lenh= 0950 [~HN####]pana_len= 0950

Advanced Validator Options

[~HU####]freq= 400 [~HV###]GTLA_len= 199 [~HY###]snoise= 070 [~HX###]dist= 084 [~H=#]dyn_out= 000 [~H!###]zone_tol= 450 [~H@##]gt_%= 043 [~SN###]#scans= 050 [~Lp#]part= 000 [~Lt#]itfp= 000 [DACs]= 178 151 255 255 [~LQ#]p_out= 000 [~Lw,d]def= 000 000 [~L*]pnet= 000 [~LC##]I25min= 000 [~H###]NTrys= 010 [~OS#]Data_Output= 000 [~Hs#]RunSpeed= 000 [~SS######]CntlChars=013 010 [~Lm####]DataCmpr= 00 00 (Locked) [~SW#]NetworkXmit= 000

~PT8 Response Port Status: Global HW: 001 Global SW MIRR: 001 PORT STATE: 000 PASS/FAIL PARAMETERS: 001 - 255 255 002 - 040 000 003 - 255 255 004 - 050 000 005 - 255 255 006 - 020 004 007 - 255 255 008 - 255 255 009 - 255 255 010 - 255 255 011 - 255 255 012 - 255 255 013 - 255 255 014 - 255 255 015 - 255 255 016 - 255 255 017 - 255 255 018 - 255 255 019 - 255 255 020 - 255 255 021 - 255 255 022 - 255 255 023 - 255 255 024 - 255 255 025 - 255 255 026 - 255 255

Chapter 2 Configuring The Validator

Scanner Settings

This option has two purposes:

• Allows the validator to upload an optimized setting for a particular printer size at power up. This will use the full scanner beam width and improve the performance and efficiency of the validator.

• Allows you to customize a special scanner setting for a specific application. The feature file can then be downloaded to the printer by using normal printer download procedures and must be saved as part of the power up configuration. For more information, contact the Printronix Customer Support Center. See “Contact Information” on page 95.

To set this option when a feature file has been downloaded:

1. Press to take the printer offline and place the printer in Menu mode.

2. If necessary, press ↓ and

↵ key.

3. If necessary, press until VALIDATOR displays.

4. Press ↑ until Scanner Settings displays.

5. Press + or – to scroll through the options: Default or feature file 1, feature file 2, etc. (up to seven feature files). The default is Default 4xx, Default 6yy, or Default 8zz (4, 6, and 8 inch printers respectively; xx, yy, and zz are file revision numbers).

↵ at the same time to unlock the

6. Press

↵ to accept the desired value.

7. Save this configuration and set it as the Power-Up configuration in the CONFIG CTRL menu.

8. Cycle power for the new setting to take effect.

9. The beam may need to be moved horizontally. See “Beam Shift” on page 72.

Advanced Validator Options

Beam Width

This menu item allows you to adjust the width of the scan beam to focus on specific areas where bar codes are expected. This will reduce the amount of data the validator must process. Use this to read bar codes near text or graphics that may interfere with the validator if the text or graphics are scanned.

Reducing the beam width and focusing it to specific areas also reduces light reflection interference to the validator from the media, ribbon, tear bar, or other shiny surfaces.

You can set the Beam Width parameter to a value of 250 to 3100. The default is 1800, 2550, or 3100 (4, 6, or 8 inch printers). The higher the value, the wider the beam width.

NOTE: The Beam Width menu item will change the width of the

scan beam but it is assumed that users will use the Beam Shift menu item to move the beam to the correct horizontal focus point.

1. Press to take the printer offline and place the printer in Menu mode.

2. If necessary, press ↓ and

↵ key.

3. If necessary, press until VALIDATOR displays.

4. Press ↑ until Beam Width displays.

5. Press + or – to scroll through the values: 250 to 3100. The default is 1800, 2550, or 3100 (4, 6, or 8 inch printer).

↵ at the same time to unlock the

6. Press

↵ to accept the desired value.

7. Save this configuration and set it as the Power-Up configuration in the CONFIG CTRL menu.

8. Cycle power for the new setting to take effect.

9. The beam may need to be moved horizontally. See “Beam Shift” on page 72.

Chapter 2 Configuring The Validator

Beam Shift

This option enables you to shift the scanning beam horizontally to the left or right. The left edge of the beam should be approximately

0.13 inches (3.3 mm) from the left edge of the tear bar. After you set this value, save it as part of the configuration for future use.

The value range is from –99 to 99. The default is 0. Lower values will move the beam to the left.

1. Press to take the printer offline and place the printer in Menu mode.

2. If necessary, press ↓ and

↵ at the same time to unlock the

↵ key.

3. If necessary, press until VALIDATOR displays.

4. Press ↑ until Beam Shift displays.

5. Press + or – to scroll through the values: –99 to 99. The default is 0. Lower values will move the beam to the left. Press accept the shift value.

Keep selecting the new value until the beam width is at the desired position. The left edge of beam should be approximately 0.13 inches (3.3 mm) from the left edge of the tear bar.

6. Save the configuration for future use.

↵ to

General Process For Barcode Analysis

General Process For Barcode A nalysis

The following flow chart is an overview of how the validator performs the barcode analysis.

Edge Determination

Reflectance Mi nimum <=

Threshold percenta ge of Reflectance

Maximum

Symbol Contrast >= Symbol Contrast

Threshold

Grading Scale:

A: >= 70 % B: >= 55 % C: >= 40 % D: >= 20 % F: < 20 %

Defects <= Defects Threshold

Grading Scale:

A: <= 15 % B: <= 20 % C: <= 25 % D: <= 30 % F: > 30 %

Percent Decode >= Perc en t Decode

Threshold

Min. Edge Contrast (worst pair) >=

Min. Edge Contrast Th reshold

Modulation >= Modu lation Threshold

Grading Scale:

A: >= 70 % B: >= 60 % C: >= 50 % D: >= 40 %

F: < 40 %

Decodeability >= Decodeability

Threshold

Grading Scale:

A: >= 62 % B: >= 50 % C: >= 37 % D: >= 25 % F: < 25 %

Overall Grade >= Overall Grade

Threshold

Grading Scale:

A: 3.5 to 4.0

B: 2.5 to 3.4 C: 1.5 to 2.4 D: 0.5 to 1.4

F: 0.0 to 0.4

Figure 19. Barcode Analysis Flowchart

Chapter 2 Operation

Operation

There are a number of factors which contribute to successful bar code validation, including printer speed, on-demand print settings, calibration, and ambient light. The following sections describe how to ensure your bar code validator is scanning and reporting properly.

Print Speed Limit s

Two factors in the validation process affect the printer’s speed limit: minimum code height (bar code height) and minimum code gap. The printer automatically examines the Min. Code Height and Min. Code Gap values and sets the defined maximum slew (vertical paper movement) and print speeds to insure proper operation. If the current Print Speed and/or Slew Speed values in the MEDIA CONTROL menu are higher than the newly defined maximum, the values are changed to equal the maximum. If the current values are lower than the newly defined maximum, no change in speed occurs.

Min. Code Height (Bar Code Height)

The validator cannot function at the highest speed possible by the printer. It requires a minimum number of scans per bar code to make a reliable assessment, so the speed of the printer is limited by the height of the bar code. If the bar code is very short, printing needs to be slowed down to allow sufficient scans to occur. If the print speed exceeds this limit, the message Speed Exceeds Validator Limit will display. Print speed will be lowered automatically if required, but will not automatically reset to a higher speed.

The printer cannot predict how high all the bar codes in a given job will be, so it cannot automatically limit or adju st the pr int sp eed to insure the code height/speed requirement is being met. When the bar code is too short for the selected speed, the printer produces a missing bar code error condition. Therefore, printer speed must be set manually to compensate for bar code height.

Print Speed Limits

Use this formula to determine printer speed in relation to bar code height:

Bar Code Height In Inches

0.030

Maximum Printer Speed In

Inches Per Second

By changing the Min. Code Height, the printer and slew speeds will be changed automatica ll y.

To change the Min. Code Height:

1. Press to take the printer offline and place the printer in

Menu mode.

2. If necessary, press ↓ and

↵ at the same time to unlock the

↵ key.

3. If necessary, press until VALIDATOR displays.

4. Press ↓ until Min. Code Height displays.

5. Press + or – to scroll through the choices: 0.13 to 1.00 inches in

0.01 inch increments. The default is 0.30 inches.

6. Press

7. Press ↓ and

↵ to select the desired value. The printing and slew

speeds will be changed after

↵ is pressed.

↵ at the same time to lock the ↵ key, then press

PAUSE to take the printer offline.

8. Press PAUSE again to put the printer online.

To set the printer speed manually:

1. Press to take the printer offline and place the printer in

Menu mode.

2. If necessary, press ↓ and

↵ at the same time to unlock the

↵ key.

3. Press until MEDIA CONTROL displays.

4. Press ↓ until Print Speed displays.

5. Press + or – to scroll through the choices.

6. Press

7. Press ↓ and

↵ to select the desired value.

↵ at the same time to lock the ↵ key, then press

PAUSE to take the printer offline.

8. Press PAUSE again to put the printer online.

Chapter 2 Operation

Min. Code Gap

bottom of a bar code to the

top of the next bar code

Minimum Code Gap represents the distance between the closest bar codes within a print job. The distance is measured from the bottom of one bar code to the top of the next bar code. The closest bar codes can be located on two separate labels or on the same label.

This distance is important because it affects how fast the Print Speed can be set. If the bottom-most bar code on one label is very close to the top-most bar code on the next label, the printer could have trouble distinguishing which bar code correlates with which label. To avoid the risk of miscorrelation, the printer automatically set its Print Speed.

The default is 0.30 inches. The range is 0.15 to 1.00 inches in 0.01 inch increments.

Bar code

Min. Code Gap

Distance from the

Next bar c o de

Use this formula to determine printer speed in relation to minimum code gap:

Min. Code Gap In Inches

0.050

Maximum Printer Speed In

Inches Per Second

To change the Min. Code Gap:

1. Press to take the printer offline and place the printer in

Menu mode.

2. If necessary, press ↓ and

↵ at the same time to unlock the

↵ key.

3. If necessary, press until VALIDATOR displays.

4. Press ↓ until Min. Code Gap displays.

5. Press + or – to scroll through the choices: 0.15 to 1.00 inches in

0.01 inch increments. The default is 0.30 inches.

6. Press

↵ to select the desired value.

On-Demand Printing

7. Press ↓ and ↵ at the same time to lock the ↵ key, then press PAUSE to take the printer offline.

8. Press PAUSE again to put the printer online.

NOTE: To avoid the risk of miscorr elat ion, the pri nter au toma tical ly

sets its Print Speed based on the information that has been selected to ensure validation results are accurate.

On-Demand Printing

In order for each bar code to be successfully validated, the entire bar code must pass completely under the scanning beam, even when the printer is set up for on-demand printing. In cases where the bar code is close to the bottom of a label and the printer is in an on-demand printing mode, the printer automatically pushes the label past the scanning beam. Once the bar code is validated, the printer retracts the label back to be cut or torn off.

Because the printer has to push out and then retract labels in on-demand printing modes, the extra movements slow the printing process. You can avoid this by adjusting the form so that the bar code appears early enough on the form so that it will pass completely under the scanning beam during normal printing. This may involve rotating the form or moving the bar code to a different position on the form.

Chapter 2 Bar Code Failures

Bar Code Failures

The validator tells the printer to announce a fault condition in two situations:

• if the validator detects a bad bar code

• if the validator detects no bar code where it expects to find one.

How the printer reacts to these faults is determined by the printer’s configuration settings, as described below.

Bad Bar Code Error Detection

The validator examines every bar code that passes under the scanning beam and sends an analysis report to the printer. If a bar code is reported to have failed to meet any of the acceptance criteria, an error condition is reported. How the printer then reacts is described in “Error Action” on page 79.

Missing Bar Code Error De tec tion

A bar code may print so poorly that the validator cannot detect it, and the printer does not receive an analysis report for the code. To catch this problem, the printer tracks the position of the last label printed and knows when it should have completely passed the scanning beam. It can then compare the number of bar code analysis reports it expected to the number it received. If the printer does not receive enough bar code reports, it enters an error condition. How the printer then reacts is described in “Error Action” on page 79.

The number of bar codes expected is determined one of two ways:

• If Auto is selected for the Number of Codes parameter, and you are using LinePrinter Plus IPDS™ graphics software, the print er compares the number of bar code commands it receives from the software to the number of analysis reports it receives from the validator.

• You can set the number of bar codes generated by a bitmapped image that the printer should expect per form by selecting a value in the Number of Codes parameter.

, IGP®/PGL®, IGP Code V™, or

Error Action

For more information on choosing a value for the Number of Codes parameter, see “Setting Number Of Bar Codes On A Form” on page 50.

Error Action

The printer response is the same whether the error stems from a bad or missing bar code. It is determined by the Validator Action setting in the VALIDATOR menu:

1. Press to take the printer offline and place the printer in Menu mode.

2. If necessary, press ↓ and

↵ at the same time to unlock the

↵ key.

3. If necessary, press until VALIDATOR displays.

4. Press ↓ until Validator Action displays.

5. Press + or – to scroll through the choices:

• Retry Form (default)

• Stop & Retry

• Grade&Report

• Rescan Form

• Rescan&Retry

• Rescan&Stop

• Stop

• Overstrike

These options are described in detail below.

6. Press

7. Press ↓ and

8. Press PAUSE again to put the printer online.

↵ to select the desired value.

↵ at the same time to lock the ↵ key, then press

PAUSE to take the printer offline.

Chapter 2 Bar Code Failures

Forms Printed After an Error Detection

Because of physical differences between the location of the printhead and the scanning beam, one or more forms may print after a bad form (a form with a bar code error that the validator detected).

The number of forms printed after a bad form depends on the Label Length, Print Speed, and Slew Speed settings in the MEDIA CONTROL menu. Shorter forms and faster speeds tend to increase the number of forms printed before the validator has a chance to detect an error. Also, the validator may not detect an error on forms that have bar codes near the bottom of the form until the next form has already started printing.

Forms that print after a bad form are treated differently, depending upon the error action mode selected (see Table 5). Modes that require a reprint operation may need to reprint more than just the bad form.

Table 5. Actions Done to Forms That Print After A Bad Form

Error Action

Mode

Stop Tagged as failed, even though it was never

scanned. Overstrike Overstruck (default). Retry Form Overstruck and reprinted. Stop & Retry Reprinted. Grade&Report Not applicable (all forms are scanned once). Rescan Form Scanned. If error persists, it will be rescanned

and overstruck. Rescan&Retry Scanned. If error persists, it will be overstruck

and reprinted. Rescan&Stop Scanned. If error persists, it will be tagged as

failed, even though it was never scanned.

Action

Error Action

Stop

If the validator detects a bar code failure, the print job stops, the printer status indicator lamp flashes, the alarm sounds, and the appropriate error message displays.

The printer remains in a fault condition until you press the PAUSE key. This clears the error message and takes the printer offline. You must correct any condition that may have caused the fault. When ready, the printer can be put back online and it will resume printing with the form immediately following the bad form and any other forms printed prior to the physical stop (see “Forms Printed After an Error Detection” on page 80).

Overstrike

Use Overstrike mode when you want bad labels to be marked, but not reprinted (i.e., when using pre-numbered labels).

If the system detects a bar code failure, the print job stops, the printer status indicator lamp flashes, the alarm sounds, and the appropriate error message displays.

Without pausing, the printer then automatically reverses to the top of the bad form. It then prints an obliterating pattern over the bad form and any other forms printed prior to the physical stop (see “Forms Printed After an Error Detection” on page 80). By default, the obliterating pattern is a grid of fine lines which clearly marks the label as bad but allows you to read what was originally printed.

IMPORTANT

In the VALIDATOR menu, the Overstrike Style options are: Grid, Grey, Checkerboard, or Error Type Msg.

NOTE: Select Error Type Message to see the error message

printed on the bad form as the Overstrike Style.

After the overstrike printing, the printer clears the error message and stops the alarm, then resumes normal printing at the point the job was stopped.

Chapter 2 Bar Code Failures

If more than one form is overstruck, only the first overstruck form is lost (the one with the missing or bad bar code), and a separate print command is required to resend it from the host, if needed. The rest of the overstruck forms are automatically resent.

Retry Form

This mode is similar to the Overstrike mode, however, instead of resuming printing where the printer had left off, the printer will attempt to reprint the bad form.

NOTE: The number of times the printer will attempt to reprint the

bad form is determined by the Num Retry setting. See “Num Retry” on page 54.

The printer will stop, indicate an error, and overstrike as described on page 81. Then it will skip a number of blank labels, depending on the setting for Skip Labels (see “Setting For Skip Labels” on page 52). It will then slew to the next top of a blank form and reprint the bad form and any other overstruck forms (see “Forms Printed After an Error Detection” on page 80).

Once the Num Retry counter has been exhausted, the print job stops completely. After you clear the error message, the printer will print the same label or the next label, depending on the setting for Max Retry Action (see “Max Retry Action” on page 54).

Stop & Retry

This mode is similar to the Stop mode: the printer will stop printing and display the error message. After you clear the error message, it will then skip a number of blank labels, depending on the setting for Skip Labels (see “Setting For Skip Labels” on page 52). Then it will slew to the next top of a blank form and reprint the bad form and any other forms printed prior to the physical stop (see “Forms Printed After an Error Detection” on page 80).

NOTE: The number of times the printer will attempt to reprint the

bad form is determined by the Num Retry setting. See “Num Retry” on page 54.

The printer will stop after the specified Num Retry attempts. After you clear the error message, the printer will print the same label or the next label, depending on the setting for Max Retry Action (see “Max Retry Action” on page 54).

Error Action

Grade&Report

In this mode, the entire print job will print uninterrupted. If one or more errors is detected, the printer status indicator lamp flashes, the alarm sounds, and the error message “Bar code fails / Job has errors” displays.

IMPORTANT

The error message lets you know that at least one bad form printed. To determine which form(s) are bad, you must manually scan all of them.

The printer remains in a fault condition until you press the PAUSE key. This clears the error message and takes the printer offline. Correct any condition that may have caused the fault, then press PAUSE to place the printer back online.

Rescan Form

This mode is similar to the Retry Form mode, however, instead of backing up and overstriking the form, the printer will back up and rescan the bad form and any other forms that have already printed (see “Forms Printed After an Error Detection” on page 80).

NOTE: The number of times the printer will attempt to rescan the

form and following forms is determined by the Num Rescan setting. See “Num Rescan” on page 54.

If the printer scans these forms correctly on any of the rescans, it will continue printing with the next form.

If the printer fails to scan these forms correctly on all of the rescans, it will overstrike the forms, stop, and indicate an error similar to Stop mode. After you clear the error message, the printer will skip a number of blank labels, depending on the setting for Skip Labels (see “Setting For Skip Labels” on page 52).

It will then slew to the next top of a blank form and reprint the same form or go the next form, depending on the setting for Max Retry Action (see “Max Retry Action” on page 54).

NOTE: The only difference between Rescan Form and

Rescan&Stop is that when a form still fails after all the rescans, Rescan Form will overstrike the bad form, whereas Rescan&Stop will not.

Chapter 2 Bar Code Failures

Rescan&Retry

This mode is similar to Rescan Form with one exception: after the printer has rescanned the form and overstruck it if there was still a fault, it will reprint and rescan the same form again.

NOTE: The number of times the printer will attempt to

form is determined by the Num Rescan setting. See “Num Rescan” on page 54.

The number of times the printer will attempt to bad form is determined by the Num Retry setting. See “Num Retry” on page 54.

If the printer scans these forms correctly on any of the rescans or reprints, it will continue printing with the next form.

If the printer fails to scan these forms correctly on all of the rescans and reprints, it will overstrike the forms, stop, and indicate an error similar to Stop mode. After you clear the error message, the printer will skip a number of blank labels, depending on the setting for Skip Labels (see “Setting For Skip Labels” on page 52).

It will then slew to the next top of a blank form and reprint the same form or go the next form, depending on the setting for Max Retry Action (see “Max Retry Action” on page 54).

rescan

reprint

the

Rescan&Stop

NOTE: The number of times the printer will attempt to rescan the

form and following forms is determined by the Num Rescan setting. See “Num Rescan” on page 54.

If the printer scans these forms correctly on any of the rescans, it will continue printing with the next form.

If the printer fails to scan these forms correctly on all of the rescans, it will stop and indicate an error similar to Stop mode. After you clear the error message, the printer will skip a number of blank labels, depending on the setting for Skip Labels (see “Setting For Skip Labels” on page 52).

Error Action

It will then slew to the next top of a blank form and reprint the same form or go the next form, depending on the setting for Max Retry Action (see “Max Retry Action” on page 54).

NOTE: The only difference between Rescan Form and

Rescan&Stop is that when a form still fails after all the rescans, Rescan Form will overstrike the bad form, whereas Rescan&Stop will not.

Chapter 2 Bar Code Failures

Error Messages

The validator can detect a number of errors. When one of these errors occurs, the validator alerts the printer to perform the currently selected error action (see “Error Action” on page 79) and show the appropriate error message on the printer display. Validator error messages are explained in Table 6.

Table 6. Message List

Message Explanation Solution

Bar code fails Job has errors

Bar Code Improper Data Format

This message appears when at least one label in a batch of labels has a data validation error.

NOTE:

This message appears only when Validator Action is set to Grade&Report.

Data validation error: the bar code is not properly encoded. For example, a check sum is incorrect, a required number of characters is not met, or the required terminator characters are not included. This problem is almost always caused by incorrect form or host application design.

1. Press PAUSE to clear the message.

2. Manually scan all the bar codes in the label batch, then reprint the bad labels.

Fix the application so it sends data in the correct bar code format.

Error Messages

Table 6. Message List

Message Explanation Solution

Bar code quiet zone too small

Calibration warning

Data validation error: the blank zone(s) left or right of the bar code is not big enough to meet the minimum requirement.

Typically, this occu rs in form s where bar codes are placed too close to other elements, the bar code is too close to an edge of the media, or the media’s position is shifting.

The minimum quiet zone on each end of the bar code should be ten times the minimum element width or 1/4 inch, whichever is greater. In addition, between bar codes, the validator requires a minimum distance of 20 times the minimum element width or 1/2 inch, whichever is greater.

The validator has detected that it needs calibration. This message is a reminder and does not halt printing.

1. Fix the application.

2. Disable Quiet Zone in the VALIDATOR menu.

Press PAUSE to clear the message. Calibrate the validator. See “Calibration” on page 34.

Checksum Failure The bar code data fails the

checksum check or is missing the checksum digit.

Verify that the checksum digit exists in the bar code and that it is the correct value.

Chapter 2 Bar Code Failures

Table 6. Message List

Message Explanation Solution

Contrast too low Check media

Overall Grade Fail

Poor scanning Check heat&head

Data validation error: the contrast between bars and spaces is not sufficient. This can be caused by too little heat in the thermal transfer or by use of colored media or ribbons.

Overall data validation failure: decodeability, percent decode, defects, modulation, EC Min, Rmin, and/or symbol contrast.

Data validation failure: decodeability. The difference between wide and narrow elements is too close for the validator to reliably discern. This usual l y indicates an improperly set heat/speed/ pressure combination or the loss of a printhead element.

Increase Print Intensity or reduce Print Speed in the QUICK SETUP menu or via host software, change media, or set Symbol Contras t = 0% ( t o dis abl e i t) in the VALIDATOR menu.

1. Press PAUSE to clear the message.

2. Adjust the para me ter that is causing the failure. To see which parameter is failing, run a Scan Report (page 63).

3. Lower the Overall Grade to a point where the worst parameter grade will be above the Overall Grade threshold.

1. Adjust Pr in t Intens ity and Print Speed in the QUICK SETUP menu or via host software.

2. Adjust the printh ead pressure. (Refer to the

Quick Setup Guide User’s Manual

Error Messages

Table 6. Message List

Message Explanation Solution

Poor scanning Check media

Poor scanning Inspect head

Speed Exceeds Validator Limit

Data validation failure: percent decode. The validator detected gross inconsistencies within the height of the bar code. These types of failures are likely attributed to large blemishes within the bar code, caused by ribbon wrinkle or debris on media.

Data validation failure: hardware defect. The validator detected unexpected dark spots in spaces or light spots in bars. This usually indicates a poor ribbon/media combination, a dirty printhead, or a burned pixel.

Print Speed is set above the maximum allowed for bar code printing by the validator as the Power-Up configuration with the validator option installed.

An attempt was made to set Print Speed above the maximum allowed in the QUICK SETUP menu or via host software.

1. Check for a wrinkled ribbon or debris on media. Roll wrinkled area onto take-up spindle.

2. Adjust the printhead pressure blocks. (Refer to the

Quick Setup

Guide

User’s

Manual

1. Check that paper and ribbon are clean, unwrinkled, and installed correc tl y.

2. Clean the printhead .

3. If message reappears, replace the printhead.

This message only appears briefly, and the speed is automatically reduced.

Make sure Min. Code Height (page 74) and Min. Code Gap (p age 76) are set correctly.

Maximum speed depends on Min. Code Height and Min. Code Gap.

Chapter 2 Bar Code Failures

Table 6. Message List

Message Explanation Solution

Unscannable code check media

Data validation error: missing bar code. An expected bar code is missing or was printed so poorly that the validator cannot detect it.

1. Check that paper and ribbon are clean, unwrinkled, and installed corr ec tl y.

2. Run a print job and check that the validator beam is not obstructed; remove obstructions as necessary.

3. Run a print job and check that the READ LED flashes as bar codes exit the printer. If the READ LED does not flash, cycle power and run the job again. If the READ LED does not flash, inspect the cables and the cable connections. If the cables are undamaged and the connections are good, replace the validator.

4. If using bitmapped bar codes, set Number of Codes (page 50) to the number of codes per form (not Auto).

5. Adjust Pr in t Intens ity and Print Speed in the QUICK SETUP menu or via host software.

Error Messages

Table 6. Message List

Message Explanation Solution

Unscannable code check media (continued)

Validator not communicating

1. The Validator Funct. = Enable in the VALIDATOR menu, but when the printer was first powered up it could not communicate with it.

2. The validator was connected to the printer and then later removed.

6. Press PAUSE to clear the message.

7. In the VALIDATOR menu, press ↓ until Clear Data displays, then press

1. Check that the validator signal cable is securely connected to the validator unit.

2. Select Validator Funct. = Disable in the VALIDATOR menu. Save this setting in the Power-Up configuration in the CONFIG CTRL menu and reboot the printer.

↵.

Chapter 2 Troubleshooting

T rou bleshooting

If you are having problems with the validator, consult Table 7 for a list of symptoms and possible solutions.

Table 7. Troubleshooting the Validator

Symptom Solution

The scanning beam does not come on.

The scanning beam does not cover the entire width of the labels being printed.

The printer pauses after scanning each label.

1. Make sure the power/data cable is plugged into the validator and the controller board on the printer. See “Installation and Removal” on page 15.

2. Make sure the validator has not been disabled in the VALIDATOR menu. See “Enabling And Disabling The Validator” on page 44.

3. Print a bar code validation demo page (page 36).

4. Call your service representative if the problem persists.

1. Adjust the validator along the length of the lower bracket so that the scanning beam covers the complete width of labels printed. See “Installation and Removal” on page 15.

2. Use Beam Shift to move the beam horizontally to cover the entire width of the labels. See “Shifting The Scanning Beam” on page 33.

If you have an RFID encoder but are not encoding RFID tags, make sure RFID Reader is set to Disable (in the RFID CONTROL menu).

Printing 3 mil or 5 mil x-dimension width bar codes constantly causes error messages.

The validator does not recognize x-dimensions as small as 3 mil or 5 mil. If you have to print bar codes this size, disable the validator to prevent error reports. See “Enabling And Disabling The Validator” on page 44.

Table 7. Troubleshooting the Validator

Symptom Solution

Error Messages

The printed labels look clean, but the validator is still reporting an error message.

The printed bar codes are causing error conditions.

The validator glass may be dirty, distorting the report results. Power down the printer and clean the glass using a household glass cleaner and a dry, lint-free cloth.

There are a number of factors which could be causing validation errors:

• The scanning beam is not properly aligned with the two notches on the tear bar of the printer. See “Adjust The Scanning Beam” on page 27.

• Make sure the entire bar code passes completely under the scanning beam.

• The validator and printer are not properly communicating. Test the validator operation without using a host. See “Bar Code Validation Demo Page” on page 36.

• Bar code width. The validator can recognize x-dimensions as narrow as 6.6 mil for 300 dpi printers, and 10 mil for 203 dpi printers. The validator cannot recognize x-dimensions smaller than 6.6 mil or larger than 40 mil.

• Bar co de size. A mi nimu m height of 1/8 i nch is required for validation. If problems persist, increase the bar code height.

• Bar code type. The validator only recognizes the following linear, picket fence bar codes: Codabar, Code 39, Code 93, Code 128, Interleaved 2 of 5, and UPC/EAN. Stacked, 2D, and vertical (ladder) bar codes are not supported.

Chapter 2 Maintenance

Table 7. Troubleshooting the Validator

Symptom Solution

The printed bar codes are causing error conditions. (continued)

Maintenance

WARNING

Class 2 laser light. Do not stare into the laser beam or a reflected image of the laser beam.

• Bar code spacing.The validator requires a minimum distance of 1/2 inch or 20 times the minimum element width, whichever is greater, between bar codes.

• Printer speed. See “Print Speed Limits” on page 74. If problems persist, decrease the Print Speed in the MEDIA CONTROL menu.

• Be sure the bar code is not printing on the extreme edges of the label.

• Clean the printhead. See “Cleaning” in the

Quick Setup Guide

• Check that paper and ribbon are clean, unwrinkled, and installed correctly.

• Check the number of bar codes being validated concurrentl y. The valida tor can track the performance of up to four bar codes at one time.

WARNING

Using controls, making adjustments, or performing procedures other than those specified herein may result in hazardous radiation exposure.

The validator is a self-contained unit that requires only periodic cleaning. Every so often, power down the printer and use a household glass cleaner and a dry, lint-free cloth to clean the glass.

If the problem with the printer is not fixed by one of these troubleshooting methods, call your authorized service representative or the Printronix Customer Support Center. See “Contact Information” on page 95.

A Contact Information

Printronix Customer Support Ce nter

IMPORTANT

Please have the following information available prior to calling the Printronix Customer Support Center:

• Model number

• Serial number (located on the back of the printer)

• Installed options (i.e., interface and host type if applicable to the

problem)

• Configuration printout (see “Printing A Configuration” in the

Quick Setup Guide

• Is the problem with a new install or an existing printer?

• Description of the problem (be specific)

• Good and bad samples that clearly show the problem (faxing of

these samples may be required) Americas (714) 368-2686 Europe, Middle East, and Africa (31) 24 6489 311 Asia Pacific (65) 6548 4114 http://www.printronix.com/support.aspx

)

Chapter

Printronix Supplies Dep artment

Contact the Printronix Supplies Department for genuine Printronix supplies.

Americas (800) 733-1900 Europe, Middle East, and Africa (33) 1 46 25 1900 Asia Pacific (65) 6548 4116

or (65) 6548 4182

http://www.printronix.com/supplies-parts.aspx

Corporate Offices

Printronix, Inc. 14600 Myford Road P.O. Box 19559 Irvine, CA 92623-9559 Phone: (714) 368-2300 Fax: (714) 368-2600

Printronix, Inc. Nederland BV P.O. Box 163, Nieuweweg 283 NL-6600 Ad Wijchen The Netherlands Phone: (31) 24 6489489 Fax: (31) 24 6489499

Printronix Schweiz GmbH 42 Changi South Street 1 Changi South Industrial Estate Singapore 486763 Phone: (65) 6542 0110 Fax: (65) 6546 1588

Visit the Printronix web site at www.printronix.com

Index

Adjusting the scanning beam, 27, 33 Auto detect bar codes, 50, 78 Auto Report, 45 Auto Report Time, 46 Average BWD, 49

Bad bar codes, 78 Bar Code Demo Page, 36 Bar code fails / Job has errors, 86 Bar code failure, 78 Bar code grading, 57 Bar Code Improper / Data Format, 86 Bar code quiet / zone too small, 87 Bar codes supported, 11 Bar width deviation, 49, 55 Beam adjustment, 27 Beam Shift, 72 Beam shifting, 33 Beam Width, 71 BWD, 49

Calibration / warning, 87 Calibration, setting, 34 Checksum Failure, 87 Clear Data, 47 Clear validator data, 47

Configuring, 44 Contact information, 95 Contrast too low / Check media, 88 Customer Support Center, 95

Decodeability, 55 Defects, 56 Demo Page, 36 Disabling validator, 44

EC Min, 59 Enabling the validator, 26 Enabling validator, 45 Error action, 79

Grade&Report, 83 Overstrike Mode, 81 Rescan Form, 83 Rescan&Retry, 84 Rescan&Stop, 84 Retry Form, 82 Stop Mode, 81 Stop & Retry, 82

Error messages, 86

Bar code fails / Job has errors, 86 Bar Code Improper / Data Format, 86 Bar code quiet / zone too small, 87 Calibration / warning, 87 Checksum Failure, 87

Index

Contrast too low / Check media, 88 Overall Grade / Fail, 88 Poor scanning / Check heat&head, 88 Poor scanning / Check media, 89 Poor scanning / Inspect head, 89 Speed Exceeds / Validator Limit, 89 Unscannable code / check media, 90 Validator not / communicating, 91

External device reporting, 47

Firmware revision, 51 Form parameters, 50 Full Report, 48 F/W Revision, 51

Gain, 61 Good Barcodes, 49 Good Forms, 49 Grade&Report, 83 Grading, bar code, 57

Installing the validator, 15 I2of5 Checksum, 53

Last BWD, 49

Maintenance, 94 Max Retry Action, 54 Min. Code Gap, 76

Min. Code Height, 74 Missing bar code, 78 Modulation, 59

Num Rescan, 54 Num Retry, 54 Number of Codes, 50 Number of codes on a form, 50

Offset, 62 On-demand printing, 77 Online Data Validator

See

Validator Overall Grade, 57 Overall Grade / Fail, 88 Overstrike Forms, 49 Overstrike Mode, 81 Overstrike Style, 52

Panel, 39 Parameters, 11 Percent Decode, 56 Poor scanning / Check heat&head, 88 Poor scanning / Check media, 89 Poor scanning / Inspect head, 89 Print Settings, 68 Print speed limits, 74 Printing reports, 45 Profile H Mag, 67

Index

Quiet zones, 50

Removing the validator, 15 Reports, 45

external device, 47 resetting data, 47

selecting type, 48 Requesting reports, 45 Rescan Form, 83 Rescan&Retry, 84 Rescan&Stop, 84 Resetting data, 47 Retry Form, 82 RFID encoder, 45, 92 Rmin, 60

Scan Profile, 65 Scan Report, 63 Scanner Settings, 70 Scanning beam adjustment, 27, 33 Setting Auto Report, 45 Setting Auto Report Time, 46 Setting calibration, 34 Shifting the scanning beam, 33 Short Re port, 48 Skip Labels, 52 SN Threshold, 62 Speed Exceeds / Validator Limit, 89 Speed limits, 74

Statistics

Average BWD, 49 Good Barcodes, 49 Good Forms, 49 Last BWD, 49

Overstrike Forms, 49 Stop Mode, 81 Stop & Retry, 82 Supplies Department, 96 Symbol Contrast, 61, 62, 65, 67

Telemetry Path, 47 Troubleshooting, 92

Unscannable code / check media, 90

Validation Mode, 48 Validator

Bar Code Demo Page, 36

bar code failure, 78

calibration, 34

configuration, 44

disabling, 44

enabling, 26, 45

error action, 79

installation, 15

maintenance, 94

options, 50, 55

panel, 39

parameters, 11

Index

removal, 15 reporting, 45

statistics, 49 Validator Funct., 26, 44 Validator not / communicating, 91 Validator Report, 45

100

Printronix T5000R User Manual

Specifications and Main Features

Frequently Asked Questions

User Manual

Table of Contents

Overview

Operational Parameters

Tools And Materials You W ill Need

Parts List

Safety Noti ces

Installa tion and Removal

Prepare The Printer

Factory Installation

Field Installation

Install The Ferrite

Install The Brackets

Attach The Grounding Wire And Power/Dat a Cable

Restore The Printer To Operation

Enable The V a lidator

Adjust The Scanning Beam

Continuous, Tear- Off, and Tear-Off Strip

Peel-Off Media Handling Mode

Cut Media Handling Mode

Shif ting The Scanning Beam

Calibration

Bar Code Validation Demo Page

2 Operation

Basic V alid ator Setup

Unit Positioning

V alidato r Front Pan el

VALIDATOR Menu

Configuring The Validator

Enabling And Disabling The V alidator

Validator Reporting

RFID Encoder

Requesting A Validator Report

Setting Auto Report

Setting Auto Report T ime

Resetting Validator Data

Defining The Data Output Destination (Telemetry Path)

Selecting The Type Of Report For the Data Output Destination (Telemetry Data)

Validator Statistics

Defining Validator Options

Setting Number Of Bar Codes On A Form

Checking Quiet Zones

Checking The Firmware Revision Number

Setting For Skip Labels

Setting Overstrike Style

Setting I2of5 Checksum

Num Retry

Num Rescan

Max Retry Action

Advanced Validator Options

Decodeability

Percent Decode

Defects

Overall Grade

Modulation

EC Min

Rmin

Symbol Contrast

Gain

Offset

SN Threshold

Scan Report

Scan Profile

Profile H Mag

Print Settings

Scanner Settings

Beam Width

Beam Shift

General Process For Barcode Analysis

Operation

Print Speed Limit s

Min. Code Height (Bar Code Height)

Min. Code Gap

On-Demand Printing

Bar Code Failures

Bad Bar Code Error Detection

Missing Bar Code Error De tec tion