Qls 2000, 3000 Operation & Setup Manual

QLS™ 2000/3000 Series

Digital Color Printers

Operation & Setup Guide

Part No. 22834-451

03/05
Firmware V 1.3

Specifications are subject to change without notice.
____________________________________________________

QuickLabel® Systems
an Astro-Med, Inc. product group
600 East Greenwich Avenue

West Warwick, RI 02893

Tel [phone]
Fax [phone]

www.quicklabelsystems.com
____________________________________________________

Technical Support 1.800.343.4039

Copyright © 2000 - 2005

This manual is copyrighted with all rights reserved. No part of this manual may be
reproduced, transmitted, transcribed, stored in a retrieval system, or translated into any
language in any form by any means without written permission of QuickLabel® Systems.
LRU, CQL, QLS, QuickLabel, Range Boss, and Top Hand are trademarks of QuickLabel
Systems. MicroCell and RibbonRation are trademarks of Astro-Med, Inc. All other
trademarks are the property of their respective holders.

Limited Warranty

QuickLabel Systems, an Astro-Med, Inc. product group, warrants all non-wear components
of this product against defects in materials or workmanship for a period of one (1) year from
the date of original purchase. If the customer discovers a defect, this defect must be
reported promptly to QuickLabel Systems. QuickLabel Systems will, at its option, repair or
replace the defective component or product at no additional charge except as set forth
below.

Repair parts and replacement parts will be furnished on an exchange basis and will be
either reconditioned or new. All replaced parts become the property of QuickLabel
Systems. Travel, freight, and other expenses related to warranty repairs are not covered.
Service Agreements are available for purchase and provide on-site service and/or loaner
equipment. This warranty is void if the product has been damaged by accident, abuse,
neglect or misapplication, or if the product has been improperly installed, or if the product
has been modified without the express written permission of QuickLabel Systems.

With respect to printers and print and apply systems, QuickLabel Systems warrants the
printhead for a period of 90 days from the date of purchase, or one million linear inches,
whichever occurs first, contingent upon the use of QuickLabel Systems thermal transfer
ribbon. This specific printhead warranty does not apply to printheads damaged by
accident, abuse, neglect, misapplication, or the like.

QuickLabel Systems makes no warranty, either express or implied, with respect to this
product's fitness for a particular purpose. QuickLabel Systems is not responsible for your
product if it is lost or damaged in transit.

Canadian Emissions Requirements
This digital apparatus does not exceed the Class A limits for radio noise emissions from

digital apparatus set out in the Radio Interference Regulations of the Canadian Department
of Communications.

Le present appareil numérique n’emet pas de bruits radioelectriques depassant les limites
applicables aux appareils numériques de la class A prescrites dans le Règlement sur le

brouillage radioelectrique edicte par le ministere des Communications du Canada.

FCC Compliance Statement

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. Shielded cables must be used with this unit to ensure compliance
with the Class A FCC limits.

WARNING
Changes or modifications to this unit not expressly approved by the party responsible for

compliance could void the user’s authority to operate the equipment.

NOTE

This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class A digital
device, pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC rules. These limits are designed to provide
reasonable protection against harmful interference when the equipment is operated in

a commercial environment. This equipment generates, uses, and can radiate radio
frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with the operation guide,
may cause harmful interference to radio communications. Operation of this equipment

in a residential area is likely to cause harmful interference, in which case the user will be
required to correct the interference at his own expense.

Ownership Information

Use the spaces below to record the model and serial number of your product.

Model ____________________________________ Serial No. _____________________

Contact QuickLabel Systems

Contact QuickLabel Systems to pass along your comments about any QLS product, Astro­Med, Inc. Data Acquisition Instrument, Grass Instruments, or related software products. To
contact the QuickLabel® Systems Development Group, call 401-828-4000 or e-mail us at
[e-mail].

DECLARATION OF CONFORMITY

Manufacturer’s Name: Astro-Med, Inc.

Manufacturer’s Address: Astro-Med, Inc.

600 East Greenwich Avenue
West Warwick, RI 02893 USA

declares that the product

Product Name: QLS-2000 QLS-2001
QLS-3000 QLS-3001

conforms to the following product specifications:

Safety: EN 60950-1:2001
CAN/CSA C22.2 No. 60950-1-03

EMC: EN 55022:2000, Class A
EN 55024:1998
EN 61000-3-2:2000
EN 61000-3-3:1995

Relevant Directives are 89/336/EEC and 73/23/EEC

Steven Holbrook / Quality Assurance Manager

03/03/2005

European Contact: Your local Astro-Med, Inc. Sales and Service Office.

FRANCE – Astro-Med SNC, Parc dʹActivities de Pissaloup, 1, rue
Edouard Branly, 78190 Trappes (Tel. [phone] Fax: [phone]
Email:[e-mail])

GERMANY – Astro-Med GmbH, Senefelderstrasse 1/T6, D-63110
Rodgau (Tel. [phone] Fax: [phone]
Email: [e-mail])

UNITED KINGDOM – Astro-Med, Inc., Astro-Med House, 11 Whittle
Parkway, Slough, SL1 6DQ. (Tel. [phone] Fax: [phone]
Email: [e-mail])

ITALY –Astro-Med S.R.L, Via Plezzo 8, 20132 Milano. (Tel. 39-02­26411909 Fax: [phone] Email: [e-mail])

QLS 2000/3000 Digital Color Printers

Table of Contents

Chapter 1

Before You Get Started...................................................................................................................................... 1

Overview..................................................................................................................................................... 1

User Interface .............................................................................................................................................. 5

Chapter 2

Printer Setup.......................................................................................................................................................7

Assembly..................................................................................................................................................... 7

Communications..........................................................................................................................................7

Media......................................................................................................................................................... 11

Calibration................................................................................................................................................. 16

Chapter 3

Printing .............................................................................................................................................................19

2000/3000 Digital Color Printer Specifications ......................................................................... 1

Comm Ports............................................................................................................................... 3

Internal Components.................................................................................................................. 4

Keypad & Indicator Lights.........................................................................................................5

QLS 2000/3000 Series Printers .................................................................................................. 7

Cutter, Cutter-Stacker, or External Rewinder............................................................................. 7

Printer Drivers............................................................................................................................ 7

Platforms Supported................................................................................................................... 7

Comm Protocol.......................................................................................................................... 8

Comm Port................................................................................................................................. 9

Baud Rate / Handshaking.........................................................................................................10

Loading Thermal Transfer Ribbon (TTR) Media..................................................................... 11

Loading Label Media............................................................................................................... 13

Specify Media Type................................................................................................................. 16

Current Media.......................................................................................................................... 16

Label Length............................................................................................................................ 18

Printer Status ............................................................................................................................................. 19

Operation................................................................................................................................................... 20

Print Quality.............................................................................................................................................. 21

Table of Contents i

Initialization............................................................................................................................. 19

Current Settings .......................................................................................................................19

CQL 99™ and Third-Party Design Software........................................................................... 20

Print/Pause............................................................................................................................... 20

Advance Media........................................................................................................................ 21

QLS 2000/3000 Digital Color Printers

Test Print Quality..................................................................................................................... 21

Heat Intensity .......................................................................................................................... 23

Printhead Pressure ................................................................................................................... 24

TTR Media Tension................................................................................................................. 26

Print Position............................................................................................................................................. 26

Speed......................................................................................................................................................... 29

Job Reprints .............................................................................................................................................. 30

Chapter 4

Printer Maintenance ........................................................................................................................................ 31

Routine Cleaning....................................................................................................................................... 31

Replacing Parts ......................................................................................................................................... 33

Upgrade Firmware..................................................................................................................................... 39

Chapter 5

Troubleshooting ............................................................................................................................................... 43

Print and Cut Offset................................................................................................................. 26

Web Alignment ....................................................................................................................... 27

Mirror Images.......................................................................................................................... 28

Image Area.............................................................................................................................. 29

Printheads................................................................................................................................ 33

Platen Rollers........................................................................................................................... 35

Drive Roller............................................................................................................................. 37

Parallel Upgrade...................................................................................................................... 40

Serial (RS-232) Upgrade .........................................................................................................41

Enable/Disable TTR Sensors................................................................................................... 42

Solutions to Common Problems ................................................................................................................ 43

Index ................................................................................................................................................................. 45

ii Table of Contents

Mechanical Problems............................................................................................................... 43

Poor Print Quality.................................................................................................................... 43

Chapter 1
Before You Get Started

Overview

All QLS 2000/3000 series thermal transfer printers print in vibrant spot color.
In addition, the 3000 model prints full process color.

QLS 2000 Model .......................... Prints two spot colors on one side of the media.

QLS 2001 Model .......................... Prints one spot color on each side of the media

simultaneously.

QLS 3000 Model .......................... Prints three spot colors or full process color on one

side of the media.

QLS 3001 Model .......................... Prints two colors on one side of the media and one

color on the opposite side simultaneously.

QLS 2000/3000 Series Digital Color Printers

2000/3000 Digital Color Printer Specifications

Print Method................................. thermal transfer

Print Speed.................................... up to 5 ips

Resolution..................................... 304 dpi

RAM ............................................. 1 MB Flash optional for download and storage of

bitmaps or fonts. Dynamic sizing of RAM occurs
automatically when maximum label length is changed
to accommodate download of bitmaps or fonts.

Drivers .......................................... Windows or Macintosh

Communications........................... RS232, RS422, Centronics® Parallel

Before You Get Started 1

QLS 2000/3000 Series Digital Color Printers

Pin table for the serial interface is:

1 ........................................not used

2 ........................................TXD (transmit data)

3 ........................................RXD (receive data)

4 ........................................DTR (data terminal ready)

5 ........................................ground

6 ........................................DSR (data set ready)

7 ........................................internally connected

8 ........................................internally connected

9 ........................................not used

Media Travel Sensors....................

Transmissive .....................Senses the gap, inverted gap, notch,

string hole, or punch out. This sensor is
marked by a sliding red handle and
pointer that is to be positioned over the
gap, notch, string hold, or punch out.

Reflective ..........................Senses a black mark on the underside of

a label or tag. This is a fixed sensor and
is not adjustable.

TTR Media Roll Length ................300 meters

TTR Media Widths........................1.75, 2, 2.75, 3.25, 3.75 inches

Label Media...................................die cut or continuous; paper, plastic, or synthetics;

card or care tag

Min/Max Label Media Size ...........1” to 4.625” W x 0.2” to 22” L

Max Label Thickness.....................12 pt

Min/Max Print Width ....................5 mm to 4.4 inches

2 Before You Get Started

Label Print Software..................... optional

Label Design Software.................. optional

Standard Bar Codes ...................... all standard, plus Agfa® True Type™ scalable fonts

Power Requirements..................... 110/240V A/C, 50/60 Hz, 400W

Dimensions................................... 20” x 17” x 22”

Weight .......................................... 84 lb

Heat Intensity................................ 1 (coolest, results in the lightest output) to 32 (hottest).

Other Options ............................... external cutter, external cutter-stacker, external

Comm Ports

Ports for external connection to the printer are provided on the rear of the unit.

QLS 2000/3000 Series Digital Color Printers

rewinder

1 parallel port

2 serial port

3 reserved for future use

4 utility I/O port

Figure 1, QLS 2000/3000 Comm Ports

Before You Get Started 3

QLS 2000/3000 Series Digital Color Printers

Internal Components

All models contain mechanisms similar to those shown on the 3000 model
illustrated.

Figure 2, Interior - QLS 3000 Digital Color Printer

1 thermal transfer ribbon (TTR) rewind mandrel (front print station)

2 TTR tension switch

3 TTR unwind mandrel (front print station)

4 silver clip holding the cam

5 drive roller pressure cam lever (closed position)

6 drive roller pressure support assembly

4 Before You Get Started

7 drive roller

8 platen roller

9 guide roller

10 print station cam lever (open position)

11 printhead

12 media index roller

13 media sensor (reflective/gap-notch sensor inside)

14 media guide roller

15 media unwind mandrel

User Interface

Keypad & Indicator Lights

When power is on, indicator lights provide a visual indication of the printer’s
current status. The buttons on the front panel provide access to menus:

QLS 2000/3000 Series Digital Color Printers

Figure 3, QLS 2000/3000 Keypad & Indicator Lights

Before You Get Started 5

QLS 2000/3000 Series Digital Color Printers

1 Print/Pause LED

Illuminates when pressed, when the printer is paused, when an error occurs, and
when TTR or label media runs out.

2 LCD Display

3 Up Arrow

Cycles through settings within a menu; cycles through submenus.

4 Menu

Displays current status, protocol, media type, printing progress, and speed. Press to
toggle from current status to a selection of submenus.

5 Print/Pause

Toggles the printer from print to halt printing.

6 Form Feed/Advance

Advances the media by one full label length (to the next registration mark) when
pressed and released; continually advances the media when pressed and held.

7 Calibrate

Calibrates the appropriate top-of-form sensor to the currently loaded media.

8 Data LED

Blinks when data is received from an external source.

9 Error LED

Illuminates when an error condition occurs.

10 Power LED

Illuminates when the printer is in a Ready state.

11 Left Arrow

Cycles the display through menu choices displays current settings for active menus.
To navigate submenus and select menu options, use the arrow buttons.

12 Select

Accepts the displayed setting.

13 Down Arrow

Cycles through settings within a menu; cycles through submenus.

14 Right Arrow

Cycles the display through menu choices, displays current settings for active menus.
To navigate submenus and select menu options, use the arrow buttons.

15 Cancel

Cancels the current label(s) or test pattern.

6 Before You Get Started

QLS 2000/3000 Series Digital Color Printers

Chapter 2
Printer Setup

Assembly

QLS 2000/3000 Series Printers

Printers are shipped partially disassembled to prevent damage during shipment.
Locate the printer cover and five #6 screws shipped with the equipment.

Attach the cover to the printer.

Cutter, Cutter-Stacker, or External Rewinder

Peripherals are documented separately. Refer to the documentation for the
appropriate option. The connection from the cutter or cutter-stacker to the
printer will be through the printer’s utility I/O port.

Communications

Printer Drivers

Refer to the printer driver documentation for software installation instructions.
QLS 2000/3000 series printers can be addressed by a Windows™ driver, by
QuickLabel Systems CQL 99™ software, and by third-party software.

Platforms Supported

IBM-compatible PCs and Macintosh workstations are supported.

Printer Setup 7

QLS 2000/3000 Series Digital Color Printers

QLS 2000 and 3000 Series printers can receive data through either a serial or
parallel connection. Bidirectional communication (send and receive) is
supported serially.

TO CONNECT THE PRINTER TO A WORKSTATION:

1. Be sure power is Off.

2. Connect (parallel or serial) communications cables and power cables
between the rear of the printer and power and comm sources.

Comm Protocol

Protocol can be set by the printer driver, by CQL 99, or by third-party software.

TO SET THE COMMUNICATIONS PROTOCOL AND SELECT A HOST
COMMAND PREFIX:

1. Press the Menu button to display the main menu.

2. Use the arrow keys to move the on-display indicator to Comm, then press
Select. The Communications menu will be displayed.

3. With the on-display indicator positioned at Ptcl press Select.

4. Use the arrow keys to select the printer name (required for use with CQL 99
label creation software) or to select Graphics (for other Windows
applications).

5. You will be prompted to confirm. To confirm and save the new parameters,
move the cursor before Yes, then press Select.

6. Use the arrow keys to position the on-display indicator before Pref and
press Select.

7. Use the arrow keys to select a command prefix and a format prefix for host
protocol commands to be received by the printer. Defaults are <SOH> for
the command prefix and <STX> for the format prefix. If you are using
CQL 99 label creation software, use the default command prefixes.

8 Printer Setup

8. You will be prompted to confirm that you want to permanently change the
communications parameters. To save communications parameters, move
the cursor before Yes, then press Select.

9. With the on-display indicator positioned before Delim press Select.

10. Use the arrow keys to select a command delimiter for commands to be
received by the printer. The default delimiter is <CR><LF>. If you are
using CQL 99 label creation software, use the default command delimiter.

11. You will be prompted to confirm. To confirm and save communications
parameters, move the cursor before Yes, then press Select.

Comm Port

The comm port in use (parallel, RS-232, or RS-422) must be selected to enable
communications. If either RS-232 or RS-422 are being used, baud rate can also
be selected. The default comm port is parallel.

NOTE SERIAL COMMUNICATIONS ARE REQUIRED TO ENABLE

QLS 2000/3000 Series Digital Color Printers

STATUS MESSAGES TO BE RECEIVED FROM THE PRINTER
OR TO ENABLE USE OF CQL™ 99 LABEL CREATION
SOFTWARE (BIDIRECTIONAL COMMUNICATIONS).

If using both parallel and RS-232 serial communications, select and set up RS­232 first, then select and set up parallel communications.

TO SELECT COMM PORTS:

1. Press the Menu button to display the main menu.

2. Use the arrow keys to move the on-display indicator to Comm, then press
Select. The Communications menu will be displayed.

3. With the on-display indicator positioned before Port, press Select.

4. Use the arrow keys to specify which port is being used and press Select to
confirm.

Printer Setup 9

QLS 2000/3000 Series Digital Color Printers

Baud Rate / Handshaking

If the Comm Port setting is RS-232 or RS-422, set Baud Rate and Handshaking
to match host workstation settings. The default baud rate is 19,200.

TO SET BAUD RATE AND HANDSHAKING METHOD:

1. Press the Menu button to display the main menu.

2. Use the arrow keys to move the on-display indicator to Comm, then press
Select. The Communications menu will be displayed.

3. Press the right arrow to move to the Baud Rate field. The default rate is
19,200. To change the default, press the up/down arrow to select a new
rate, then press Select.

4. You will be prompted to confirm the change. Press the up/down arrow to
indicate Yes, then press Select.

5. Press the right arrow to move to the Hshk field, then press Select.

6. Press the up/down arrow to select XON/XOFF or Hardware, then press
Select.

7. You will be prompted to confirm that you want to permanently change the
communications parameters. To save communications parameters, move
the cursor before Yes, then press Select.

10 Printer Setup

QLS 2000/3000 Series Digital Color Printers

Media

Loading Thermal Transfer Ribbon (TTR) Media

If your printer is a QLS 3000 model and you are setting up for process color
printing, load ribbon in the following sequence:

Front Printhead ............................. Cyan TTR

Center Printhead ........................... Magenta TTR

Rear Printhead .............................. Yellow TTR

If you are setting up for spot color printing on any model, ribbon can be loaded
in any sequence.

Figure 4, TTR Media Path on Standard Printstation, or on Inverted Printstation

Printer Setup 11

QLS 2000/3000 Series Digital Color Printers

TO LOAD TTR:

1. Be sure power is Off. Raise the printer cover.

2. Fully seat TTR roll on the TTR unwind mandrel. Ensure that the ribbon
unwinds to the left of and beneath the roll.

3. Fully seat a cardboard take-up core on the associated TTR rewind mandrel.

4. Open the printhead (flip printhead cam lever counterclockwise on standard
printstations, clockwise on inverted printstations).

5. Advance the TTR around the outside of each station’s TTR guide roller(s).

6. Advance the TTR between the printhead and the platen roller.

7. On standard printstations, advance the TTR over the TTR guide spindle.
On inverted printstations, advance the TTR around the outside of the
station’s two guide spindles.

8. On standard printstations, advance the TTR beneath and around the
cardboard take-up core on the rewind mandrel. On inverted printstations,
advance the TTR above and around the take-up core.

9. Tape the TTR to the core.

10. Close the printhead.

11. Repeat procedure for remaining printstations.

Adjustment of the ribbon tension may be required after loading TTR. If the
TTR is wrinkling or smudging, adjust the tension to alleviate these conditions.

12 Printer Setup

Loading Label Media

The Media menu allows you to tell the printer what type of media is loaded on
the printer: sensors, image dimensions, label dimensions, and any offsets.

QLS 2000/3000 Series Digital Color Printers

Figure 5, Label Media Path, 2000/3000 Series Printers

Printer Setup 13

QLS 2000/3000 Series Digital Color Printers

TO LOAD LABELS:

1. Be sure power is Off. Raise the printer cover.

2. To open each printhead, flip the cam lever on each (counterclockwise on
standard printheads, clockwise on inverted printheads).

Figure 6, Standard Printhead Open Figure 7, Standard Printhead Closed

Figure 8, Inverted Printhead Open Figure 9, Inverted Printhead Closed

14 Printer Setup

QLS 2000/3000 Series Digital Color Printers

3. Open the drive roller by flipping the drive roller pressure cam lever open.

Figure 10, Drive Roll Cam Open Figure 11, Drive Roll Cam Closed

4. Remove the media retainer from the media unwind mandrel.

5. Install a roll of media on the mandrel. Ensure that the roll is fully seated on
the mandrel and reinstall the retainer to secure it.

6. Thread the media around the media guide roller and through the media
travel sensor housing.

7. On QLS 2001 models, thread media under the media index roller. On all
other models thread media over the media index roller.

8. On models with standard print stations, thread the media over the platen
rollers and under the guide rollers (if present). On models with inverted
print stations, thread the media beneath the platen roller.

9. After threading the media over the platen roller on the last print station,
thread the media over the drive roller and out of the printer.

10. Slide the media against the plastic guide block on the vertical plate. Be sure
not to buckle the carrier against this block.

11. Close the printheads and the drive roller.

Printer Setup 15

QLS 2000/3000 Series Digital Color Printers

Specify Media Type

1. Press the Menu pushbutton to display the Main menu.

2. Use the arrow buttons to move the on-display indicator to the Media
position, then press the Select button to display the Media menu.

3. From the Media menu, use the arrow buttons to position the on-display
indicator before Type.

4. Press the Select button to move to the next line.

5. Use the arrow buttons to specify whether the stock has any top-of-form
indicators, and if so, which type:

Continuous.............................Top-of-form sensor detects no indicators.

Gap ........................................Top-of-form sensor interprets a gap, slot, or hole as a

Inverted Gap ..........................Top-of-form sensor interprets a solid area as a top-of-

Mark ......................................Top-of-form sensor interprets a dark reflective mark

top-of-form indicator.

form Indicator.

as a top-of-form indicator.

Calibration

Current Media

Calibrating the printer for the media being used is essential. Calibrate after
every change of label size or type.

During calibration, the printer senses any top-of-form indicator between labels
and allows the printer to position widely varying types of media automatically
and correctly. The printer stores the last calibrated values and menu setups even
after shut down and restart.

When calibrating continuous media, media length cannot be calibrated. Instead,
the printer is calibrated to detect the Media Out condition.

16 Printer Setup

QLS 2000/3000 Series Digital Color Printers

The printer’s internal label queue is reset during calibration. Any labels pending
in the queue are terminated.

TO CALIBRATE THE PRINTER:

1. Press the Pause/Print button to pause the printer.

2. Press and hold the Form Feed/Advance pushbutton until the gap, notch, or
index mark separating labels on the media roll is positioned within two
inches of the media travel sensor housing.

Figure 12, Media Travel Sensor

3. Confirm that the gap, notch, string hole, or punchout is aligned with the
pointer on top of the media gap sensor: If the media has a gap between
labels, the pointer must be positioned within the width of the label. To
adjust the pointer, slide it into alignment.

1 Pointer

2 Red slider

Figure 13, Media Sensor Assembly

Printer Setup 17

QLS 2000/3000 Series Digital Color Printers

4. Confirm that the correct type of media (gap, continuous, inverted gap, or
mark) is specified.

5. Press Calibrate. Confirm that the correct type of media appears on the
display. If the media type displayed is not the actual type loaded, select No
and return to step 4.

6. Press the arrow keys to move the on-display indicator to Yes, then press
Select. The printer will perform an automatic calibration. When calibration
is complete, a message will be displayed that shows the relative reflectivity
or transmissiveness between the label and top-of-form mark or gap.

Label Length

Set label length for the longest label you will be printing to ensure memory is
not wasted on label area that is not used.

Maximum gap length in millimeters can also be specified. Default is 3 mm.

TO SPECIFY MAXIMUM LABEL MEDIA LENGTH:

1. Press the Menu pushbutton to display the Main menu.

2. Use the arrow buttons to move the on-display indicator to Media, then press
Select. The Media menu will be displayed.

3. From the Media menu, use the arrow buttons to position the on-display
indicator before Label.

4. Press the Select button to move to the next line.

5. Use the arrow keys to specify label length in millimeters.

18 Printer Setup

Chapter 3
Printing

Printer Status

Initialization

When the printer is turned on, it will power up with a test pattern loaded. Press
Pause/Print to start printing the test pattern.

Before printing a new label or test pattern, press Cancel to clear the current
batch (in this case, the test pattern). An error message will inform you if you
fail to do so.

CAUTION WHENEVER THE PRINTER IS NOT IN USE, LEAVE

PRINTHEAD CAMS AND THE DRIVER ROLLER CAM IN THE
OPEN POSITION. THIS WILL PREVENT FLAT AREAS FROM
DEVELOPING ON THE PLATEN AND DRIVE ROLLERS.

QLS 2000/3000 Series Digital Color Printers

Current Settings

TO VIEW STATUS INFORMATION DURING PRINTING:

1. Press the Menu button to toggle between the Setup menu and the Operation
menu. The Operation menu provides:

current printer status ..................... Ready, Printing, Paused, Feeding, or Advancing

current protocol............................. QLS-3000, QLS-3001, QLS-2000, or QLS-2001

(standard, for use with Color QuickLabel¨ for
Windows) or Graphics (for other Windows
applications)

current media type.........................gap, inverted gap, continuous, or mark

number of labels printed ............... XcurrentX of Xbatch totalX

Printing 19

QLS 2000/3000 Series Digital Color Printers

TO PRINT A REPORT OF CURRENT PRINTER SETTINGS OR OF THE LAST
500 BYTES OF DATA RECEIVED BY THE PRINTER (DATA RXD):

1. Use the arrow buttons to select Recall from the Print menu.

2. Press the Select button. Use the arrow buttons to specify options, then press
Select again.

Operation

CQL 99™ and Third-Party Design Software

To print, labels must be sent to the printer from a label creation or graphics
application.

CQL 99 is a a label creation and printing program suite available from
QuickLabel Systems for use with QLS printers.

Printing from CQL 99 or from any Windows compatible third-party application
is supported by the printer if the Windows printer driver from QLS is installed.
Refer to the CQL 99 documentation or the doumentation for third party products
for instructions. When printing from CQL 99 or from third-party software,
printing begins as soon as the label is downloaded, unless the printer is paused
or off.

Most functions can be set from the printer’s keypad, from CQL 99 software, or
from third-party software.

Print/Pause

At any point, printing can be paused. Toggle the printer On/Off by pressing the
Pause/Print button.

If the printer is paused while printing a batch, the batch must be cancelled before
another label or test pattern is printed.

20 Printing

Advance Media

Press the Form Feed/Advance button once and release to advance the media by
one label length. Press and hold the pushbutton to continually advance the
media.

If the printer has not been calibrated, the media will not advance and a menu
will be displayed prompting you to perform a printer calibration.

Print Quality

Test Print Quality

The printer can print four types of test patterns:

Line

Line test patterns can be used for evaluating the alignment of the printheads;
evaluating printhead intensity settings; or checking the printheads for worn
areas.

QLS 2000/3000 Series Digital Color Printers

Text

The text test pattern allows you to examine the quality of text printing. In
particular, while printing process color on the QLS-3000, the text test pattern
allows you to ensure the fine color registration required for text. If the black
text appears fuzzy or with color shadows, you will want to fine tune web
alignment.

Flood

The flood test pattern prints a thick bar of each color, so that you can assess
color saturation. If areas of white appear in a bar, adjust heat intensity for that
printhead. You may also need to adjust printhead pressure.

Block

The block test pattern is most useful to assess registration by ensuring the colors
are aligned with each other.

Printing 21

QLS 2000/3000 Series Digital Color Printers

TO SELECT AND PRINT A LINE, TEXT, OR FLOOD TEST PATTERN:

1. Press Menu.

2. Select the Print submenu, then select Test.

3. Select a test pattern.

4. To specify the number of test patterns that you wish to print, use the arrow
buttons to move the cursor to the quantity field. Use the up or down arrow
pushbutton to set a quantity. Select the Infinity symbol to continuously run
the pattern. Then press the Select button.

5. Select Yes when prompted to overwrite memory with the test pattern and
perform the test. This will cause anything else in memory to be erased.

6. Press Pause to print the test pattern. The printer will immediately print the
number of patterns specified. If infinity was selected as a quantity, Pause
the printer and press Cancel to cancel the batch and clear memory.

To evaluate whether web alignment should be adjusted, print a Block Test.

TO PRINT A BLOCK TEST PATTERN:

1. Press the Menu button. Use the arrow keys to select Align. Before
beginning web alignment for new stock, all alignment values must be set to
zero (0).

2. Select Down-Web and set all the web alignment values to 0 before
performing web alignment for new stock.

3. Select Cross-Web and set all the web alignment values to 0 before
performing web alignment for new stock.

4. Return to the Main Menu. Select Print. Select Test.

5. Select the Blocks pattern.

22 Printing

QLS 2000/3000 Series Digital Color Printers

6. You will be prompted to load memory with the test pattern. This will cause
anything else in memory to be erased. To align, select Yes. Select No to
cancel without applying modifications.

7. Specify Quantity using the up/down arrow buttons. If Infinity is selected,
the printer will continuously print until it is paused or until the print job is
cancelled.

8. Press Pause to resume printing. The printer will immediately begin to print
labels showing the block test pattern.

9. Press Pause again to halt the printer.

Examine alignment of the blocks within the test pattern. If registration is off on
block edges or the pattern is not square, realign print stations.

On the QLS-3000, the process black block should appear black without any
other color along an edge. If cyan, magenta, or yellow appears along an edge,
realign that print station.

Figure 14, Block Test Pattern

Heat Intensity

The degree of heat applied to the stock by the printhead determines the darkness
or intensity of the print. Heat intensity is determined by the length of time
power is applied to the printhead.

The appropriate heat setting will vary according to the type of stock being used.
In general, lower-quality stock that requires more heat to produce a satisfactory
image is less advantageous than higher-quality stock to which images are
quickly and easily applied at lower temperatures.

In general, to prolong the life of the printhead, set the intensity to the lowest
setting that produces a quality image. Applying more heat than necessary can
also reduce image quality.

Printing 23

QLS 2000/3000 Series Digital Color Printers

TO SET HEAT INTENSITY:

1. Press the Menu button. Use the arrow buttons to select Intensity. Press the
Select button.

2. On the Intensity menu, use the arrow buttons to select a setting from 1
(coldest) to 32 (hottest) for each printhead:

3. Press the up/down arrows to increase/decrease heat intensity for each
individual printhead. Different colors of film may require differing levels
of heat to produce the highest quality images.

Printhead Pressure

If switching between very wide label media and very narrow label media, it may
be necessary to adjust the downward pressure on either side of the printheads.

Similarly, if switching between relatively thick media (such as card stock) and
thin media, printhead pressure adjustments may be necessary.

Downward pressure on each printhead is controlled by two printhead pressure
thumbwheels.

1 Silver retaining clip

2 Outer thumbwheel

3 Cam lever

Figure 15, Printhead Cam

The inner thumbwheel increases or decreases pressure on the inner half of the
printhead. The outer thumbwheel increases or decreases pressure on the outer
half of the printhead.

Examine printed labels to determine necessary adjustments.

24 Printing

QLS 2000/3000 Series Digital Color Printers

TO ADJUST PRESSURE ON INDIVIDUAL PRINTHEADS:

1. For standard printheads, flip each printhead cam lever counterclockwise to
relieve pressure on and open the printheads, (flip levers clockwise on
inverted printheads). Do not lock printheads into the up position.

2. To make adjustment easy, press down the silver clip holding the printhead
cam and pull the cam completely out.

3. With the cam in hand, adjust printhead pressure by turning the thumbwheels
as required to maximize the clarity and detail of the label. Turn
thumbwheels counterclockwise to raise them, decrease pressure on the
printhead, and lighten the image. Turn thumbwheels clockwise to lower
them, increase pressure on the selected printhead, and darken the image.

4. Slide the cam back in place. Make sure the silver clip is securely seated.

5. Flip the printhead cam closed to restore pressure to the printhead.

NOTE TO PREVENT PRINTHEAD DAMAGE OR STALLING WHEN

USING NARROW MEDIA, REDUCE OR ELIMINATE THE
PRESSURE EXERTED BY THE PRINTER’S OUTER
THUMBSCREW.

If after adjusting printhead pressure, if print quality is not improved, check other
settings that affect print quality, such as heat intensity and TTR stock type.

Printing 25

QLS 2000/3000 Series Digital Color Printers

TTR Media Tension

Normally, this adjustment should not be required during the life of a film roll.
However, if you notice film wrinkling or one of the colors smudging, you can
adjust the tension to alleviate these conditions.

If using TTR less than two inches wide, tension may be excessive when the
tension switch is in the High position. If ribbons break, flip the TTR tension
switch to Low. Ribbon tension can also be adjusted on each individual
printstation by turning the knob on the ribbon unwind mandrel.

1 TTR Tension Adjust Knob

2 TTR Unwind Mandrel

Figure 16, TTR Unwind Mandrel

Print Position

Print and Cut Offset

Use print offset to modify print registration in fine increments or to move the
entire printed image up to 1200 pixels forward or back with respect to sensor
marks.

By default, when printing on media with sensor marks (gaps, reflective marks,
etc.) the printer will place the label image area between the marks.

26 Printing

QLS 2000/3000 Series Digital Color Printers

Adjusting print offset affects all print stations simultaneously. Adjust Web
Alignment to modify registration at each print station individually.

TO SPECIFY OFFSET:

1. Press the Menu pushbutton to display the Main menu.

2. Use the arrow buttons to move the on-display indicator to Media, then press
Select. The Media menu will be displayed.

3. From the Media menu, use the arrow buttons to position the on-display
indicator before Offset.

4. Press the Select button to move to the next line. Use the arrow keys to set
the print and cut offsets. The print offset will affect the cut offset. As a
rule, the print offset should be set first:

PRINT OFFSET: Adjust the location of the printed image relative to

the top-of-form sensor mark. Press the up arrow to move the image up the
label (to the right) one pixel at a time; press the down arrow to move the
image down the label (to the left).

CUT OFFSET: Adjust the location of the cut line in relation to the

image position. Press the up arrow to move the cut line up the label, one
pixel at a time; press the down arrow to move the line down the label. The
cut offset is only valid when the external cutter unit is enabled.

Web Alignment

Alignment is particularly important for process color printing on the QLS-3000.

Adjust Web Alignment to modify registration at each print station individually.
Adjust Print Offset to modify the alignment of all print stations simultaneously.

To evaluate whether web alignment should be adjusted, print a Block Test.

Printing 27

QLS 2000/3000 Series Digital Color Printers

TO ADJUST WEB ALIGNMENT:

1. Press the Menu pushbutton to display the Main menu.

2. Use the arrow buttons to move the on-display indicator to Media, then press
Select. The Media menu will be displayed.

3. Select Align.

4. Select Down-Web to perform horizontal alignment, or select Cross-Web to
perform vertical alignment.

5. Select the print station to be aligned.

6. Use the up/down arrows to change the setting for the selected print station.
The arrow on the display will indicate the direction of movement.

7. Print a Test Pattern to check adjustments and continue making adjustments
until the blocks in the test pattern are horizontally and vertically aligned.

Mirror Images

When Mirror mode is used, each printed label will be printed as a mirror image,
oriented in a 180° rotation from standard print orientation.

This mode is typically used for creating a clear window sticker that will be
viewed from the other side of the glass (i.e., parking permit for an automobile
windshield).

TO PRINT IN MIRROR MODE:

1. Press the Menu pushbutton until the Mode menu appears.

2. Select Mirror On or Off and press the Select button.

Mirror mode must be enabled/disabled before labels are sent to the printer.
There must be no labels present in the queue to enable/disable Mirror Mode.

28 Printing

Image Area

If using CQL 99 or a third-party application to create labels, the width and
length of the image area are set within the application. The Image menu in this
case will report these parameters as set, and will not require input.

TO SPECIFY WIDTH AND LENGTH OF THE IMAGE AREA:

1. Press the Menu pushbutton to display the Main menu.

2. Use the arrow buttons to move the on-display indicator to Media, then press
Select. The Media menu will be displayed.

3. From the Media menu, use the arrow buttons to position the on-display
indicator before Image.

4. Press the Select button to move to the next line.

5. Use the arrow keys to specify image width and length in millimeters.

QLS 2000/3000 Series Digital Color Printers

Speed

The printer can print at speeds from 2 to 5 inches-per-second. When setting the
motor speed, consider the requirements of the media you are using and the heat
setting you are selecting. These three factors determine printer performance on
each job.

TO SET PRINTER SPEED:

1. Access the Print menu.

2. Use the arrow buttons to move the cursor to the Speed field, then press
Select.

3. Use the arrow pushbuttons to move the cursor to the number of inches per
second at which you wish to print, then press Select.

Printing 29

QLS 2000/3000 Series Digital Color Printers

Job Reprints

When printing from a Windows application, the last job sent to the printer can
be reprinted.

TO REPRINT THE LAST JOB STORED IN MEMORY:

1. Use the arrow buttons to select Previous from the Print menu.

2. Press the Select button.

3. Press the Up/Down arrow buttons to select a quantity. If Infinity is
selected, the printer will continuously print until it is paused or until the
print job is cancelled.

30 Printing

Chapter 4
Printer Maintenance

Routine Cleaning

Printer parts accumulate residue, especially those in direct contact with the film.
To maintain clear, crisp printing, clean the printer regularly.

Cleaning after using a full roll of TTR media is recommended.

TO CLEAN THE PRINTER:

1. Remove the printhead cams and the drive roller cam by flipping each cam
open to relieve pressure.

2. Do not lock open.

3. Press the silver clip holding each cam, pull the cam completely out, and set
aside.

QLS 2000/3000 Series Digital Color Printers

1 Silver retaining clip

2 Outer thumbwheel

3 Cam lever

Figure 17, Printhead Cam

4. Remove any label media and thermal transfer ribbon from the print path.

Printer Maintenance 31

QLS 2000/3000 Series Digital Color Printers

5. Use an Astro-Med cleaning pad, a cotton swab, or a soft lint-free cloth wet
with isopropyl alcohol and run it on underside of each printhead, especially
on the hairline rows of print elements and along the edge of the struts.

6. Also clean the platen rollers, guide rollers, film guide shafts, pressure
rollers, and drive rollers.

7. Reinstall any label media and thermal transfer ribbon.

8. Replace the printhead cams and drive roller cam and lock them closed.

NOTE NEVER USE A HARD OBJECT TO CLEAN THE PRINTHEADS.

DAMAGE WILL RESULT IF ACCUMULATED PRINTING
RESIDUE IS SCRAPED OR CHIPPED FROM THE PRINTHEAD.

Figure 18, Printer Parts that Accumulate the Most Residue

1 printhead strut

2 print line

3 pressure roller

4 drive roller

32 Printer Maintenance

5 TTR guide shaft

6 platen roller

7 TTR guide shaft

8 guide roller

Replacing Parts

Printheads

TO REMOVE AND REPLACE PRINTHEADS:

1. Turn the printer off and unplug it.

2. For standard printheads, flip the printhead cam lever counterclockwise to
relieve pressure on and open the printhead. For inverted printheads, flip the
cam lever clockwise to open the printhead. Do not lock printheads into the
up position.

3. Press down the silver clip holding the printhead cam and pull the cam
completely out. To provide more maneuverability, the printhead cam on the
print station to the right of the printhead you are replacing can also be
removed.

4. Remove thermal transfer ribbon currently loaded on the print station.

QLS 2000/3000 Series Digital Color Printers

5. Loosen the center captive retaining screw on the printhead by turning it
counterclockwise. Detach the printhead.

6. Be careful not to damage the cable harness that attaches to the printhead.
Unplug the printhead cable harness from the printhead. Set the detached
printhead aside.

7. Plug the printhead cable harness into the replacement printhead.

8. Position the replacement printhead against the printhead retaining plate for
attachment. Be sure that the two side screws are fitted through the
corresponding holes in the new printhead.

Printer Maintenance 33

QLS 2000/3000 Series Digital Color Printers

Figure 19, Printhead & Platen Roller Installation/Removal

9. Reinsert and tighten the printhead’s captive retaining screw. Be sure the
cable harness is not crimped or damaged when the printhead is attached to
the printhead plate. The wiring harness should fit through the opening
formed when the two pieces are joined.

1 Cable harness

2 Platen roller

3 E-ring/washers securing

platen roller

4 Platen support strut

5 Bolt securing platen

support strut

6 Printhead retaining plate

7 Center retaining screw

10. Reinstall label media and thermal transfer ribbon.

11. Reinsert the printhead cam(s) and close the printheads.

12. Plug the printer back in.

CAUTION PRINTHEADS CAN BE DAMAGED BY STATIC ELECTRICITY.

ALWAYS USE STANDARD ANTI-STATIC PROCEDURES WHEN
REPLACING PRINTHEADS.

34 Printer Maintenance

Platen Rollers

Occasionally, you will need to replace the printhead platen rollers. After
prolonged use, one or more rollers may develop flat areas, which will affect
print quality.

TO REMOVE AND REPLACE THE PLATEN ROLLERS ON STANDARD
PRINTHEADS:

1. Turn the printer off and unplug it.

2. Flip the printhead cam up to open and lock them open.

3. Remove any label stock that may be positioned over the platen roller(s).

4. Release (unlock) the printhead cam(s) but do not lock. Press down the
silver clip holding the printhead cam(s) and pull the cam(s) completely out.

5. Lift and hold the printhead assembly or assemblies completely up to the
right. With the platen roller now easily accessible, lift it up and out.

6. Gently place the new roller in position. Do not force the roller. Difficult
removal or replacement can occur if the roller is held at an angle. To avoid
this, lift rollers straight out or drop straight in.

QLS 2000/3000 Series Digital Color Printers

7. Lower the printhead assembly or assemblies.

8. Reinsert the printhead cam and lock closed.

9. Reinstall label media and thermal transfer ribbon as required.

10. Close the printhead and turn the printer On again.

Printer Maintenance 35

QLS 2000/3000 Series Digital Color Printers

TO REPLACE THE PLATEN ROLLER ON INVERTED PRINTHEADS:

1. Turn the printer Off and lift the cover.

2. Flip the printhead cam down and lock open.

Figure 20, Platen Roller Installation/Removal (Inverted Printhead)

1 Platen roller

2 Platen support strut

3 Bolt securing platen support strut

4 E-ring/washers securing platen roller

3. Remove any label stock that may be positioned under the platen roller.

36 Printer Maintenance

4. Use a Philips head screwdriver to remove the bracket on the platen roller
assembly.

5. The platen roller on the inverted printhead is held in place by a bracket that
is screwed over the assembly. Use a Philips head screwdriver to remove the
two screws and washers that secure the bracket. Pull the assembly toward
you.

11. Remove the old platen roller.

12. Gently place the new roller in position. Replace the bracket over the
assembly and reinstall the printhead cam.

13. Reinstall label media and TTR.

14. Flip the printhead cam up and lock closed.

Drive Roller

After prolonged use, the drive roller and the rubber pressure roller above it may
wear. This will impede the smooth exit of label stock. When this occurs, the
roller requires replacement.

QLS 2000/3000 Series Digital Color Printers

TO REPLACE THE DRIVE ROLLER:

1. Turn the printer off and unplug it. Open the printer cover.

2. Remove any label stock that may be exiting over the drive roller.

3. Flip the drive roller cam up to relieve pressure on the roller and open it, but
do not lock into the open position.

4. Press down the silver clip holding the cam, pull the cam completely out, and
set it aside.

Printer Maintenance 37

QLS 2000/3000 Series Digital Color Printers

5. To provide more room to maneuver, the printhead cam on the print station
to the right of the drive roller can also be removed.

1 Pressure roller

2 Allen screw

3 Drive roller

4 Drive roller

retaining plate

Figure 21, Drive Roller Installation/Removal

6. To access the drive roller, lift the pressure roller off the drive roller.

38 Printer Maintenance

QLS 2000/3000 Series Digital Color Printers

7. On the outside of the drive roller, remove the retaining bracket by removing
the Phillips screw on the lower portion of the plate. Set the screw and the
plate aside.

8. Beside the drive roller, against the inside of the printer, locate the Allen
screw. With a 7/64 Allen wrench, loosen the Allen screw until the drive
roller easily pulls out.

9. Insert the fresh drive roller, making sure that the roller is fully inserted, with
the flat edge of the shaft coming in contact with the Allen screw.

10. Replace the retaining plate, lining up the flange and two small pins and
ensuring they are fully inserted into the plate.

11. Reinsert and tighten the Phillips screw.

12. Tighten the Allen screw until the new drive roller is held firmly in place.

13. Reposition the label stock and thread the stock until it exits over the drive
roller.

14. Flip the pressure roller back into contact with the drive roller.

15. Reinsert the drive roller cam and lock it into the down position to close the
cam.

Upgrade Firmware

Set up and enable communications before upgrading software.

NOTE PARALLEL COMMUNICATION PROVIDES CONSIDERABLY

FASTER DATA TRANSFER RATES.

Printer Maintenance 39

QLS 2000/3000 Series Digital Color Printers

Parallel Upgrade

1. Press Menu. Select System, then select Upgrade.

2. Use the arrow keys to choose Yes to begin upgrading the printer software,
or No to cancel. The printer will reset, and the display will read Waiting for
parallel data...

3. If you have not already done so, connect the Centronics connector end of
the parallel cable to the printer’s parallel port. Connect the male 25-pin end
of the cable to the desired LPT port on the host computer.

4. If you are not running Windows 95, skip this step. For Windows 95 users:

1. Select Start, Settings, Control Panel.

2. Double-click on the Printers icon. With the right mouse button,
click on any printer currently assigned to the LPT port to be used.
(If you have installed the QLS Windows printer driver, the QLS
printer should be set up in this manner.)

3. Select the Properties menu item, then click on the Details tab in the
Properties window.

4. Click on the Port Settings button. Confirm that the Spool MS­DOS print jobs box is not checked. Exit the dialog.

5. Insert the upgrade diskette into the disk drive. To run the upgrade program,
type the word upgrade followed by the LPT port that is being used. Use all
lowercase letters. For example, if LPT1 is used, type: upgrade lpt1

6. The computer will begin copying files to the printer, and the printer’s Data
LED will flash. The printer will display the file it is receiving and the
percentage received. When data transmission is finished, the printer will
erase, then re-program its flash memory, and reset itself. The printer is now
ready for use.

40 Printer Maintenance

Serial (RS-232) Upgrade

1. Press Menu. Select System, then select Upgrade.

2. Use the arrow keys to choose Yes to begin upgrading the printer software,
or No to cancel. The printer will reset, and the display will read Waiting for
serial data...

3. If you have not already done so, connect the male end of the serial cable to
the printer’s utility I/O port. Connect the female end of the cable to the
desired COM port on the host computer. The serial cable must be straight­through (no lines are swapped).

4. Insert the upgrade diskette into the disk drive. To run the upgrade program,
type the word upgrade followed by the COM port that is being used and the
baud rate. The baud rate should be set to either 9600 or 19.2 k, and the
handshake method should be set to Hardware. Use all lowercase letters to
run the upgrade program. For example, if COM1 is being used at 19200,
type: upgrade com1 19200

5. The computer will begin copying files to the printer, and the printer’s Data
LED will flash. The printer will display the file that it is receiving and the
percentage received. When data transmission is finished, the printer will
erase, then re-program its flash memory, and reset itself. The printer is now
ready for use.

QLS 2000/3000 Series Digital Color Printers

NOTE IF YOU ARE NOT RUNNING WINDOWS 95, A BAUD RATE OF

19.2K IS ONLY SUPPORTED IN VERSIONS OF DOS 6.2 AND
HIGHER. IF YOU ARE USING A LOWER VERSION OF DOS, A
BAUD RATE OF 9600 MUST BE USED.

Printer Maintenance 41

QLS 2000/3000 Series Digital Color Printers

Enable/Disable TTR Sensors

TO ENABLE OR DISABLE THE PRINTER’S THERMAL TRANSFER RIBBON
SENSORS:

1. Press Pause to pause the printer.

2. Press the Menu button, select TTR Sensor Enabled or Disabled and press
the Select button.

42 Printer Maintenance

QLS 2000/3000 Series Digital Color Printers

Chapter 5
Troubleshooting

Solutions to Common Problems

Mechanical Problems

PROBLEM SOLUTION

Ribbon on one or more of the
rewind mandrels is wrinkling.

One or more of the ribbons is
breaking.

Label stock is not exiting printer
smoothly.

Poor Print Quality

PROBLEM SOLUTION

When increasing heat, a point is
reached where the image turns
lighter.

One or more of the colors are
smudging on the label media.

Light or dark printing on the inner
edge of a label.

Light or dark printing on the outer
edge of a label.

Increase ribbon tension. Do not over­tighten the mandrel or the ink will begin
to smudge.

Can occur when ribbon used is two inches
wide or less. Decrease ribbon tension.

After prolonged use, the drive roller may
develop flat areas, which will impede the
smooth exit of label stock. Roller may
need to be replaced.

This is a result of overburning the ink.
Decrease the heat intensity to darken the
printed image.

Decrease ribbon tension.

Adjust pressure on the printhead’s inner
thumbscrew.

Adjust pressure on the printhead’s outer
thumbscrew.

Troubleshooting 43

QLS 2000/3000 Series Digital Color Printers

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44 Troubleshooting

Index

QLS 2000/3000 Digital Color Printers

alignment...........................................................27

assembling the printer..........................................7

bar codes supported............................................. 3

baud rate...................................................... 10, 41

bidirectional communication ...............................9

block test pattern ............................................... 21

cable harness ..................................................... 33

location.........................................................34

calibrate

how to...........................................................16

Calibrate

button .............................................................6

cam

drive roller, opening/closing......................... 15

silver clip location .......................................... 4

cam lever

how to operate.............................................. 14

location...........................................................5

Cancel button ......................................................6

Caution

prevent roller damage ...................................19

clear current batch ............................................. 19

color

smudging...................................................... 26

comm

port locations..................................................8

port setup........................................................9

protocol ..........................................................8

command delimiter.............................................. 9

CQL 99..........................................................9, 20

Cross-Web.........................................................28

current protocol.................................................19

cut offset

adjusting.......................................................27

cutter, cutter-stacker

assembly......................................................... 7

darken print ....................................................... 23

Data light.............................................................6

Delim command.................................................. 9

dimensions ..........................................................3

down arrow..........................................................6

Down-Web........................................................28

drive roller

how to open/close cam .................................15

location............................................... 5, 32, 38

replacement ..................................................37

drive roller pressure assembly

location...........................................................4

drivers .............................................................1, 7

DSR..................................................................... 2

Error light............................................................ 6

external cutter...................................................... 3

external rewinder................................................. 3

film wrinkling....................................................26

firmware

upgrade.........................................................39

flash memory

erasing and reprogramming (parallel)........... 40

erasing and reprogramming (serial).............. 41

flash RAM...........................................................1

flood test pattern................................................ 21

Form Feed ......................................................... 21

Form Feed/Advance button .................................6

front panel...........................................................5

handshaking ...................................................... 10

heat intensity ..................................................... 23

settings ...........................................................3

host command prefix........................................... 8

image

rotation ......................................................... 28

too light/dark or smudging ........................... 43

label

using wide or narrow media ......................... 24

label media

how to load...................................................13

max size/thickness.......................................... 2

specify image area........................................29

specify max length........................................ 18

specify type .................................................. 16

will not advance ...........................................21

left arrow............................................................. 6

lighten print....................................................... 23

line test pattern .................................................. 21

media guide roller................................................5

media index roller................................................5

Media Out condition

detecting....................................................... 16

media sensor......................................................17

location...........................................................5

pointer location.............................................17

types ............................................................... 2

media type

Index 45

QLS 2000/3000 Digital Color Printers

current.......................................................... 19

memory

purge current batch....................................... 19

reprinting from ............................................. 30

Menu button........................................................ 6

mirror image ..................................................... 28

number of labels printed.................................... 19

offset ........................................................... 26, 27

parallel

communication............................................. 39

port location................................................... 3

parallel cable

connecting...................................................... 8

pause printing.................................................... 20

pin table ..............................................................2

platen roller

location .........................................5, 32, 34, 36

replacement.................................................. 35

platen support strut

location .................................................. 34, 36

platforms supported..............................See drivers

Power light.......................................................... 6

power requirements ............................................. 3

Pref command..................................................... 8

pressure roller

location .................................................. 32, 38

replacement.................................................. 37

print offset......................................................... 26

print station......................................................... 5

print width maximum .......................................... 2

Print/Pause button ............................................... 6

Print/Pause light.................................................. 6

printer status.................................................. 5, 19

printhead strut................................................... 32

printheads

adjusting downward pressure....................... 25

how to clean................................................. 32

how to open/close......................................... 14

location ...................................................... 4, 5

replacing ......................................................33

process color ................................................. 1, 11

protocol............................................................... 8

RAM ................................................................... 1

registration........................................................ 26

adjusting on all print stations........................27

adjusting web alignment............................... 27

evaluate using a block test............................ 22

report

current printer settings.................................. 20

reprinting...........................................................30

resolution ............................................................ 1

ribbon...................................................... See TTR

right arrow...........................................................6

RS232/RS422 .....................................................1

RXD.................................................................... 2

Select button ....................................................... 6

sensor marks

aligning to.................................................... 26

serial

connecting cable to workstation ..................... 8

port location................................................... 3

serial interface..................................................... 2

silver cam clip

location ........................................................24

software

upgrade ........................................................39

SOH .................................................................... 8

speed

maximum....................................................... 1

set 29

spot color ...................................................... 1, 11

STX..................................................................... 8

test pattern......................................................... 22

auto printing................................................. 19

clear from memory....................................... 19

types............................................................. 21

text test pattern.................................................. 21

thermal transfer................................................... 1

thermal transfer ribbon............................ See TTR

thumbwheels

location ........................................................24

TTR

adjusting tension ..........................................26

guide shaft location...................................... 32

how to load...................................................11

max roll length/media width .......................... 2

tension switch ................................................ 4

unwind mandrel ............................................. 4

using wide or narrow media......................... 24

wrinkling or breaking ............................. 26, 43

TTR sensors

enable/disable............................................... 42

TXD.................................................................... 2

up arrow.............................................................. 6

upgrading software............................................ 39

utility I/O port................................................... 41

location ..........................................................3

web alignment............................................. 22, 27

weight ................................................................. 3

XON/XOFF ...................................................... 10

46 Index

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QLS 2000/3000 Digital Color Printers

Index 47