QuickLabel QLS-4100 Xe User Manual

digital color label printer

Operation & Setup Guide

Digital Color Label Printer

Operation & Setup Guide

Part Number 22834486

Version 2.0

10/11

Firmware V 2.1

Specifications are subject to change without notice

___________________________________________

QuickLabel Systems®

an Astro-Med, Inc. Product Group

World Headquarters

600 East Greenwich Ave., West Warwick, RI 02893

Tel: [phone] Fax: [phone]

E-mail: [e-mail]

www.QuickLabel.com

___________________________________________

Technical Support

Tel: [phone]

[e-mail]

www.QuickLabel.com/support/

Copyright © 2011 Astro-Med, Inc.

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.

Trademarks

Microsoft Word™ and Windows™ are trademarks of Microsoft Corporation
PostScript™ and Adobe Illustrator™ are trademarks of Adobe Systems, Inc.
CorelDRAW!™ is a trademark of Corel Corporation
PCL™ is a trademark of Hewlett-Packard Corporation
Ethernet™ is a trademark of Xerox Corporation
QuickLabel® is a registered trademark of Astro-Med, Inc.
Custom QuickLabel™ and RibbonRation™ are trademarks of Astro-Med,
Inc.

Limited Warranty

QuickLabel Systems, An Astro-Med Inc. Product Group, warrants this
product against defects in materials or workmanship for a period of one year
from the date of original purchase. This warranty excludes printhead and
print platen, which are separately warranted. 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 at no additional charge. 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 may provide on-site
service and/or loaner equipment.

QuickLabel Systems warrants the printhead and the platen from the date of
purchase for a period of 90 days or for 1 million inches of thermal transfer
ribbon, whichever comes first, contingent upon the use of QuickLabel
Systems thermal transfer ribbon. QuickLabel Systems printheads are
calibrated for use with QuickLabel Systems thermal transfer ribbon and
perform optimally only when used with this ribbon. This specific printhead
warranty does not apply to printheads damaged by accident, abuse, neglect,
misapplication or the like.

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.

QuickLabel Systems makes no warranty, either express or implied, with
respect to this product’s fitness for a particular purpose.

Obtaining Service

To obtain warranty service, call QuickLabel Systems Technical Support at
401-828-4000 or Toll-Free in the USA and Canada at 877-757-7310.
QuickLabel Systems, An Astro-Med Inc. Product Group, is not responsible
for products lost or damaged in transit.

Contact Information for Factory Sales and Service Centers

QuickLabel USA and World Headquarters
600 East Greenwich Avenue
West Warwick, RI 02893 USA
Toll Free: [phone]
Tel: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
Web Site: www.QuickLabel.com
Sales e-mail: [e-mail]
Technical Support e-mail: [e-mail]

QuickLabel Canada

#111 – 3555 Isabelle, Brossard, QC J4Y 2R2 Canada
Tel: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
Web Site: www.QuickLabel.ca
Sales e-mail: [e-mail]
Technical Support e-mail: [e-mail]

QuickLabel Deutschland

Astro-Med GmbH, Senefelderstraße 1/ T6 D-63110 Rodgau
Tel. [phone]
Fax: [phone]
Web Site: www.QuickLabel.de
Sales e-mail: [e-mail]
Technical Support e-mail: [e-mail]

QuickLabel France

Astro-Med SNC, Parc d'Activités de Pissaloup, 1 rue Edouard
Branly, 78190 Trappes
Tel: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
Web Site: www.QuickLabel.fr
Sales e-mail: [e-mail]
Technical Support e-mail:[e-mail]

QuickLabel United Kingdom

Astro-Med House, 11 Whittle Parkway
Slough, Berkshire SL1 6DQ
Tel: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
Web Site: www.QuickLabel.co.uk
Sales e-mail: [e-mail]
Technical Support e-mail:[e-mail]

Ownership Information

Congratulations and thank you for your business. Your purchase of a quality
QuickLabel Systems product is an investment in the finest of state-of-the-art
printing and labeling technology. Please use the spaces below to list the
model name/number and serial number of your product.

Model Name/Number: ____________________

Serial Number: ____________________

FCC Compliance Statement

This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits of 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 residential environment. This equipment
generates, uses, and radiates radio frequency energy, and if not installed and
used in accordance with the instructions, may cause harmful interference.
However, there is no guarantee that interference will not occur. If this
equipment does cause interference to radio or television reception, which can
be determined by turning the equipment off and on, the user is encouraged
to correct the interference by one of the following measures:

• Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna.

• Increase separation between the equipment and receiver.

• Connect the equipment to an outlet on a circuit different from which the

receiver is connected.

• Consult QuickLabel Technical Support.

Warning: Modifications not expressly approved by Quick Label Systems
could void user authority to operate the equipment.

Canadian Compliance Statement

This Digital apparatus meets all the requirements of the Canadian
Interference-Causing Equipment Regulations.

Cet appareil numerique respecte les exigences du Reglement sur le material
broilleur du Canada.

ETL Certification

This product has met the United States of America and Canada electrical
product safety requirements and has earned the ETL Listed Mark.

RoHS Compliance

We declare that the QLS-4100 Xe complies with The European RoHS
Directive 2002/95/EC (Restriction of the Use of Certain Hazardous
Substances in Electrical and Electronic Equipment), as of 6/6/2007.

This declaration is based on information provided by suppliers based on
reasonable inquiry. This declaration is rendered invalid if the product is
altered by someone other than Astro-Med, Inc.

Declaration of Conformity

Declaration de Conformité
Ubereinstimmungserklärung
Dichiarazione di Conformità

ID DoC-22834486

Manufacturer’s name and address
Nom et adresse du fabricant
Hersteller
Nome del costruttore

Model No.
Modele No.
Model Nr.
Modello No.

Standards to which conformity is declared
Standards auquel la conformité appartient
Normen für welche Übereinstimmung erklärt wird
Norme per le quali si dichiara la conformità

Application of Council Directives
Application des Decisions du Conseil
Anwendbar fur die Richtlinien
Applicazione delle Direttive del Comitato

I, the undersigned, hereby declare that the equipment specified above conforms to the above Directive
and Standard.

Je, Soussigné, déclare que l’équipment spécifié ci-dessus est en conformité avec la directive et le standard
ci-dessus.

Ich, der unterzeichnende erkläre hiermit, daß das oben beschriebene Gerät den vorgenannten Richtlinien
und Normen entspricht.

Il sottoscritto dichiara che l’apparecchio sopra specificato è conforme alle Direttive e Norme sopra
specificate.

Astro-Med, Inc.
600 East Greenwich Avenue
West Warwick, RI 02893 USA

QLS-4100 Xe

Safety: EN 60950-1

EMC: EN 55022, Class A

2004/108/EC
2006/95/EC

Steven Holbrook
Quality Assurance Manager
Astro-Med, Inc.

European Contact: Your local Astro-Med, Inc. Sales and Service Office.
FRANCE - Astro-Med SNC, Parc d'Activities de Pissaloup, 1, rue Edouard Branly, 78190 Trappes (Tel.

331-3482-0900 Fax: [phone] Email:As [e-mail])
GERMANY - Astro-Med GmbH, Senefelderstrasse 1/T6, D-63110 Rod g au (Tel. [phone] Fax: 49-

6106-771121 Email: AstroMedDeutschland@ astromed.com)
UNITED KINGDOM - Astro-Med, Inc., Astro-Med House, 11 Whittle Parkway, Slough, SL1 6DQ. (Tel. 44-

1628-668836 Fax: [phone] Email: [e-mail])

Date of issue: 12/21/2009
Place of issue: West Warwick, RI

Table of Contents

Chapter 1: Quick Start ........................................................................... 1-1

QuickLabel Systems media ...................................................................................... 1-2

Quick Start Guide ...................................................................................................... 1-3

Chapter 2: Physical Setup ..................................................................... 2-1

Unpacking the Printer ............................................................................................... 2-2

Printer Orientation ..................................................................................................... 2-3

Features of the QLS-4100 Xe ..................................................................................... 2-4

Side view ................................................................................................................ 2-5

Rear Panel View .................................................................................................... 2-6

Installing the Media Unwind Mandrel ................................................................... 2-7

Power Connection ..................................................................................................... 2-8

Computer Connections ............................................................................................. 2-9

Centronics Parallel Port ........................................................................................ 2-9

RS-232 Serial Port ................................................................................................ 2-10

Ethernet Port and TCP/IP Communication ..................................................... 2-11

Print Servers ......................................................................................................... 2-12

Utility Port Connection ........................................................................................... 2-13

Compressed Air Connection .................................................................................. 2-14

Preparing the Air Regulator .............................................................................. 2-14

Connecting the Air Supply ................................................................................ 2-14

Chapter 3: Loading Media and Calibration ......................................... 3-1

Loading Thermal Transfer Ribbon .......................................................................... 3-2

Loading Label or Tag Media .................................................................................... 3-4

Adjusting the Media Sensor ..................................................................................... 3-7

Calibrating for Media Types .................................................................................... 3-8

Calibrating Gap Media ......................................................................................... 3-8

Calibrating Reflective Media ............................................................................. 3-11

Calibrating Continuous Media .......................................................................... 3-13

Calibrating Inverted Gap Media ....................................................................... 3-13

Chapter 4: Keypad Controls and Menus ............................................. 4-1

Keypad Layout and Functions ................................................................................. 4-2

Print/Pause ............................................................................................................. 4-3

Form Feed/Advance ............................................................................................. 4-3

Cancel ..................................................................................................................... 4-3

Menu Overview ......................................................................................................... 4-4

Ready State & Adjust Menu ..................................................................................... 4-9

Print Intensity ........................................................................................................ 4-9

QLS-4100 Xe i

Print Speed ........................................................................................................... 4-11

Print Line Adjustment ........................................................................................ 4-12

Cross Web Adjustment ....................................................................................... 4-14

Vertical Offset ...................................................................................................... 4-16

Horizontal Offset ................................................................................................. 4-17

Display Counter .................................................................................................. 4-19

Cut Offset ............................................................................................................. 4-20

Label Reprint ....................................................................................................... 4-21

Form Stop Adjust ................................................................................................ 4-21

Peel Delay ............................................................................................................. 4-22

Cal & Setup Menu .................................................................................................... 4-23

Calibrate ............................................................................................................... 4-23

Test Print .............................................................................................................. 4-24

Vertical Baseline .................................................................................................. 4-25

Horizontal Baseline ............................................................................................. 4-26

Printer Settings .................................................................................................... 4-27

Variable Maximum Gap ..................................................................................... 4-29

Cutter Baseline ..................................................................................................... 4-30

Operation Menu ....................................................................................................... 4-31

Pull Back ............................................................................................................... 4-31

Label Reprint ....................................................................................................... 4-34

Synchronize Labels ............................................................................................. 4-35

Ribbon Menu ............................................................................................................ 4-37

Ribbon Type ......................................................................................................... 4-37

Drop/Lift Adjust .................................................................................................. 4-38

Ribbon Sensor ...................................................................................................... 4-40

Communications Menu ........................................................................................... 4-41

Data Port ............................................................................................................... 4-41

Parallel Mode ....................................................................................................... 4-42

RS232 Baud Rate .................................................................................................. 4-43

RS232 Handshaking ............................................................................................ 4-44

TCP/IP: IP Address ............................................................................................. 4-45

TCP/IP Subnet Mask ........................................................................................... 4-46

TCP/IP Gateway .................................................................................................. 4-47

TCP/IP Connections ............................................................................................ 4-48

System Menu ............................................................................................................ 4-49

Display Counter .................................................................................................. 4-49

Memory Card - Write Protection ...................................................................... 4-50

Front Panel Lock/Unlock .................................................................................... 4-51

Memory Card - Formatting ............................................................................... 4-54

Time ...................................................................................................................... 4-55

ii QLS-4100 Xe

Date ....................................................................................................................... 4-56

Factory Reset ........................................................................................................ 4-57

Options Menu........................................................................................................... 4-59

Mirror Mode ........................................................................................................ 4-59

Cutter .................................................................................................................... 4-60

Cut Flag ................................................................................................................ 4-61

Pull Back - Enable/Disable ................................................................................. 4-63

Applicator ............................................................................................................ 4-65

Image Normalization .......................................................................................... 4-66

“No Air” Warning............................................................................................... 4-67

Ignore Host Commands ..................................................................................... 4-68

System Configuration ......................................................................................... 4-69

Print & Peel .......................................................................................................... 4-70

Chapter 5: Operation .............................................................................. 5-1

Printing with the QLS-4100 Xe ................................................................................. 5-2

Powering the Printer On ...................................................................................... 5-2

Operating Without Compressed Air .................................................................. 5-3

Memory Card Detection....................................................................................... 5-3

Printer Indicators ....................................................................................................... 5-4

Error Messages ........................................................................................................... 5-5

Color Alignment ........................................................................................................ 5-9

Common Adjustments and Tasks ......................................................................... 5-11

Test Patterns ........................................................................................................ 5-11

Print Line Adjustment ........................................................................................ 5-11

Cross Web Adjustment ...................................................................................... 5-11

Advancing the Media ......................................................................................... 5-11

Print Speed ........................................................................................................... 5-11

Evaluating Print Quality ......................................................................................... 5- 12

Enabling and Disabling RibbonRation™ .............................................................. 5-14

Printing Labels ......................................................................................................... 5-15

Chapter 6: Advanced Adjustments ....................................................... 6-1

Printhead Tangency Alignment ............................................................................... 6-2

Printhead Angularity Adjustment .......................................................................... 6-3

Ribbon Wrinkling Adjustments ............................................................................... 6-4

Printhead & Drive Station Lift ................................................................................. 6-6

Vertical Baseline ......................................................................................................... 6-7

Horizontal Baseline ................................................................................................... 6-8

Chapter 7: Maintenance and Repair .................................................... 7-1

Recommended Tool List ........................................................................................... 7-2

Routine Cleaning ....................................................................................................... 7-3

QLS-4100 Xe iii

Printhead Replacement ............................................................................................. 7-5

Platen Replacement ................................................................................................... 7-7

Drive and Pinch Roller Replacement ...................................................................... 7-9

Drive roll replacement .......................................................................................... 7-9

Pinch Roller Replacement .................................................................................. 7-10

Changing the Fuse or Line Voltage ....................................................................... 7-11

Firmware Upgrades ................................................................................................. 7-12

Upgrading additional printers with the CompactFlash card ........................ 7-15

Chapter 8: Print & Peel .......................................................................... 8-1

Print & Peel System Overview ................................................................................. 8-2

Compatibility Notes .............................................................................................. 8-2

Compatible Media ................................................................................................. 8-3

Important Safety Features .................................................................................... 8-4

Print & Peel Installation ............................................................................................ 8-5

Refitting an Existing QLS-4100 Xe ...................................................................... 8-6

Installing the Print & Peel System ...................................................................... 8-8

Print & Peel Setup .................................................................................................... 8-11

Enabling/Disabling Print & Peel ............................................................................ 8-13

Printing and Peeling Labels .................................................................................... 8-15

Adjusting the Liner Guide ...................................................................................... 8-16

Liner Guide Adjustment Notes ......................................................................... 8-17

Print & Peel Adjustment Options .......................................................................... 8-19

Form Stop Adjust ................................................................................................ 8-19

Peel Delay ............................................................................................................. 8-20

Appendix A: Physical Data ................................................................... A-1

Appendix B: Specifications .................................................................. B-1

Appendix C: Replacement Parts .......................................................... C-1

®

Appendix D: Custom QuickLabel

setup ............................................ D-1

Appendix E: Windows Printer Driver Setup ........................................ E-1

Appendix F: Format error codes .......................................................... F-1

Appendix G: Menu Structure ............................................................... G-1

iv QLS-4100 Xe

Chapter 1:
Quick Start

Congratulations ! You have purchased QuickLabel System’s best digital color
label printer - ever. The QLS-4100 Xe represents years of careful research and
development to perfect digital color label printing technology.

The QLS-4100 Xe represents . . .
QuickLabel Systems’ Best Image Quality - Ever The all-new print station

design maintains a high degree of color registration - down to ± 1/2 dot
throughout an entire print run.

QuickLabel Systems’ Enhanced RibbonRation™ system which further
economizes the use of ribbons making it even more cost-effective for long
and short label runs.

QuickLabel Systems’ Easiest Printer to Use featuring a virtually adjustment
free platform that ensures consistent, smooth operation and repeatable print
quality, day after day.

QuickLabel Systems’ Most Reliable Printer featuring indust rial-grade, all­metal construction, large rollers, long-life bearings, and highly accurate
media sensing just to name a few enhancements resulting in trouble-free
operation.

This Operation and Setup Guide provides all the info rmat ion you wil l need
to operate and maintain the QLS-4100 Xe. This Quick Start chapter provides
a step-by-step guide for experienced or trained users to quickly get up and
running.

QLS-4100 Xe 1-1

QuickLabel Systems media

Your QLS-4100 Xe has been designed to provide optimal print quality only
when used with Genuine QuickLabel Systems Labels, Tags and Thermal
Transfer Ribbon. QuickLabel Systems Thermal Transfer Ribbon is
formulated to provide the most vibrant and durable image while helping to
maintain long printhead life.

QuickLabel Systems offers a unique media purchase program called a Media
Requirements Contract (MRC). With an MRC, your media costs will be
tailored to annual usage, not individually-purchased quantity. The benefit to
you is fixed low pricing for the products you plan to purchase anyway. The
benefit to us is the ability to plan our production more efficiently. You will
also receive free printhead replacement for the duration of the contract.

Some benefits of an MRC include:
Flexible Ordering - Order what you need, when you need it. An MRC never

locks you into purchasing media you don’t want. There is no minimum
spending requirement, no frequency requirement, no advance payment, and
you may add new items at any time.

Freeze Your Costs - Your one-year commitment to purchase your ribbons
and labels commits us to sell you media only at the contracted price. And,
with an MRC your costs will remain fixed, so you can safely budget expenses
as far as a year in advance.

Free Printhead Replacement - As an added incentive, QuickLabel Systems
guarantees you free and unlimited replacement of all printheads worn by
normal use during the life of your contract. You can be confident that your
printhead wear will be “normal” because you will be using only the ribbons
and labels for which your printer was designed.

Fast Delivery - Your MRC is designed to let you place your label and ribbon
orders as you need them, anywhere from a week to a year in advance of
shipping. You decide the products you need and leave the rest to us. Your
ribbon and labels will arrive on schedule so you never experience production
downtime.

Contact your QuickLabel Systems Media Sales Specialist for more
information or to enroll in the MRC program.

1-2 Quick start

Quick Start Guide

If you are an experienced user of a QuickLabel Systems Digital Color Printer
or you have attended QuickLabel Systems College training, use this Quick
Start Guide as a reference to begin producing beautiful color labels
immediately.

In general, these operations should be performed in the sequence listed
below, skipping over any items that may have been previously completed.

Page 2-2 Unpack the printer
Page 2-7 Install the media unwind mandrel
Page 2-8 Connect the AC power cord
Page 2-9 Connect the host computer interface
Page 2-14 Connect the compressed air source
Page 3-2 Load thermal transfer ribbon
Page 3-4 Load label or tag media
Page 3-7 Adjust the media sensor
Page 3-8 Calibrate the printer to the appropriate media type
Setup software parameters
Appendix D Printing from Custom QuickLabel
Appendix E Printing from a Windows application with the QuickLabel

Systems Windows Printer Driver

QLS-4100 Xe 1-3

1-4 Quick start

Chapter 2:
Physical Setup

This chapter will help you to familiarize yourself with the orientation and
components of the QLS-4100 Xe. This chapter also covers the various
connections that need to be made to the printer before it can be operated.

This chapter provides the following information:

• Instructions on unpacking and orienting the printer

• An overview of the features and components of the printer

• Instructions for connecting power and communication cables to the

printer

• Instructions for connecting compressed air to the printer

QLS-4100 Xe 2-1

Unpacking the Printer

1 Remove the printer from the packing carton.
2 Ensure that the printer has suffered no visible signs of damage during

shipment.

3 Verify that the following items have been included in the packing carton:

AC Power Cord

Media Retainer

Warranty Registration Card

Centronics Parallel Cable

(IEEE-1284)

Memory Card

Operation & Setup Guide

Windows Printer Driver CD

Note: Retain all packaging should the printer need to be transported at a

later time.

2-2 Physical setup

Printer Orientation

The illustration below is provided to orient you to the QLS-4100 Xe printer.
The keypad and display is the printer’s user interface.

QLS-4100 Xe 2-3

Features of the QLS-4100 Xe

Facing the left side of the QLS-4100 Xe with its cover lifted, you can view the
media unwind, print stations, and related mechanical parts.

The items below identify the QLS-4100 Xe components as shown in the side­view illustration on the following page:

1 Media Retainer
2 Media Supply Mandrel
3 Thermal Transfer Ribbon Rewind - print station # 4
4 Thermal Transfer Ribbon Supply - print station # 4
5 Thermal Transfer Ribbon Rewind - print station # 3
6 Thermal Transfer Ribbon Supply - print station # 3
7 Thermal Transfer Ribbon Rewind - print station # 2
8 Thermal Transfer Ribbon Supply - print station # 2
9 Thermal Transfer Ribbon Rewind - print station # 1
10 Thermal Transfer Ribbon Supply - print station # 1
11 Print Station Lift Lever
12 Drive Roller Lift Lever
13 Drive Roller
14 Pinch Roller
15 Print Station # 1
16 Print Station # 2
17 Print Station # 3
18 Print Station # 4
19 Media Speed Roller
20 Media Sensor Assembly - Gap and Reflective
21 Lower Media Guide Roller
22 Media Dancer Arm
23 Upper Media Guide Roller

2-4 Physical setup

Side view

QLS-4100 Xe 2-5

Rear Panel View

Facing the rear panel of the printer, you will observe the air intake regulator,
power connection, and other interface connections as shown in the
illustration below.

2-6 Physical setup

Installing the Media Unwind Mandrel

Your QLS-4100 Xe was shipped with the media unwind mandrel uninstalled
to protect it from damage during transit. The mandrel is easily installed by
following the procedure outlined below.

Tools Needed:
1/8” Allen Wrench

1 Slide the media unwind mandrel onto the shaft until the back plate

flange is seated firmly against the collar located on the inside of the shaft.
The outside of the shaft should be flush with the surface of the mandrel.

2 Firmly tighten the supplied Allen set screw against the shaft.

QLS-4100 Xe 2-7

Power Connection

1 Locate the AC Power Input at the bottom of the rear panel.
2 Plug the power cord into the printer. Be sure to use only the AC Power

Cord supplied with the printer. Ensure that the power switch is in the
OFF position before proceeding to the next step.

3 Connect the opposite end of the AC Power Cord into an earth grounded

AC receptacle. Do not power the printer on until you have finished
making the remaining connections described in this chapter.

Warning: Do not use any type of receptacle adapter or AC Power Cord that
has not been supplied with the unit. Doing so can result in damage to the
printer.

Note: The printer has been set at the factory for the correct line voltage for
your country. The voltage setting can be viewed in a window at the top of
the AC Power Input. If this setting needs to be changed, refer to the
procedure in Chapter 7 of this manual.

Note: It is recommended that an AC line conditioner / surge suppressor is
used. Select a unit that is capable of handling the power requirements of the
printer and protecting from surges and spikes. A VA rating of at least 1350
VA is required.

2-8 Physical setup

Computer Connections

The parallel interface is normally the primary method of sending data from
the host computer to the printer. A high-speed parallel cable (IEEE-1284) is
supplied with the printer.

The RS-232 Serial Port is a secondary method of sending data to the printer,
if a parallel port is not available on the host. Data transmission via the serial
port is much slower and therefore, the parallel port is recommended.

An ethernet connection is also available to provide a high-speed,
bi-directional connection to the printer in networked environments.

Centronics Parallel Port

1 Using the parallel cable supplied with the printer, connect the larger

connector to the parallel port on the printer.

Note: Only the supplied parallel or high-speed IEEE-1284 parallel cable
should be used to ensure reliable performance. This cable should be
stamped with an “IEEE-1284” marking to indicate that it is a high-speed
parallel cable.

2 Lock the two metal rings on the parallel port into the connector to secure

it to the printer.

3 Connect the opposite end of the parallel cable to the host computer. Be

sure to note which port (LPT1, LPT2, etc.) you have connected the
printer to as this will later be needed for driver or software setup.

Note: The maximum recommended parallel cable length is 10 feet (3 m).

QLS-4100 Xe 2-9

RS-232 Serial Port

5

1

9

6

1 Using a standard (straight through connection) RS-232 serial cable,

connect the appropriate mating end of the cable into the printer.

2 Tighten the cable securing screws into the serial port to secure the cable

to the printer.

3 Connect the opposite end of the serial cable to the host computer. Be sure

to note which port (COM1, COM2, etc.) you have connected the printer
to as this will later be needed for software setup.

Pin Assignments
Pin Signal

1 N/C
2 TXD
3 RXD
4 DTR
5 GND
6 DSR
7 RTS
8 CTS
9 N/C

Note: The maximum RS-232 serial cable length is dependent on the
communication parameters being used. For best performance and reliability,
only serial cables supplied by QuickLabel Systems should be used.

2-10 Physical setup

Ethernet Port and TCP/IP Communication

The QLS-4100 Xe is a 10Base-T device that provides a 10Mbps ethernet
connection. Using hubs and routers, the printer can be connected directly
into a network using standard Category 5 (CAT5) cable or similar with a
RJ-45 connector.

TCP/IP (Transmissio n Control Protocol/Internet Protocol) communication
provides a direct link to the QLS-4100 Xe printer via the ethernet port. Using
standard twisted-pair wiring, the printer can be connected to your existing
network and shared by all network users.

This method of communication provides a fast, bi-directional, real-time link
to the printer. However, it does not provide print server functionality. If you
require print server functionality and protocols other than TCP/IP, refer to
the following section for print server information.

Every ethernet device on the network contains a unique ethernet address
known as the MAC address. This address is programmed at the factory and
cannot be modified. Additionally, each device contains a TCP/IP layer
identified by a configurable IP address. Every TCP/IP device on the network
contains a unique IP address.

Your network administrator must assign IP addresses for your QLS-4100 Xe
printers. This is a common task performed on computers, printers, fax
machines, etc. to identify the devices by their unique IP addresses. The
QLS-4100 Xe printer does not support Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol
(DHCP), which automatically assigns an IP address to each device on the
network.

For simple printer/computer networks, you can assign IP addresses and
subnet masks manually and ensure that all devices are identified by unique
addresses. The default gateway address can remain at the default factory
setting of 0.0.0.0.

For detailed information on the topic of networking, refer to documentation
applicable to your network environment and/or contact your network
administrator.

QLS-4100 Xe 2-11

Print Servers

The QLS-4100 Xe can be connected to a Local Area Network (LAN) using an
appropriate external print server.

The print server must be capable of passing ASCII data to the printer
without corrupting or modifying the data stream. Any printer language
emulations such as PostScript™ or PCL™ should be disabled.

QuickLabel Systems can supply a compatible print server to be used in PC­based or midrange/mainframe- ba sed host environments. Please contact
QuickLabel Systems for additional informat ion.

QuickLabel Systems PS-ENET Print Server for Windows Networks.

QuickLabel Systems Print Server for AS/400 Networks.

2-12 Physical setup