SATO M84PRO User Manual

M-84PRO

Thermal Transfer Printer

OPERATOR MANUAL

PN 9001105 Rev. A

SATO America, Inc.

10350A Nations Ford Road

Charlotte, NC 28273

Main Phone: [phone]

Tech Support Hotline: [phone] Tech Support Fax: [phone] E-Mail: [e-mail] www.satoamerica.com

© Copyright 2003

SATO America, Inc.

All rights reserved. No part of this document may be reproduced or issued to third parties in any form whatsoever without the express permission of SATO America, Inc. The materials in this document is provided for general information and is subject to change without notice. SATO America, Inc. assumes no responsibilities for any errors that may appear.

Preliminary 02/01/03

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Section 1. Printer Overview

Introduction..................................................................................................	1-1
Specifications...............................................................................................	1-2
Section 2. Installation
Introduction..................................................................................................	2-1
Unpacking and Parts Identification..............................................................	2-2
Setting Up the Printer ..................................................................................	2-3
Loading Labels and Tags.............................................................................	2-5
Loading the Ribbon .....................................................................................	2-8
Operators Panel............................................................................................	2-10
Rear Panel ....................................................................................................	2-12
Sensors .........................................................................................................	2-13
Section 3. CONFIGURATION
Printer Dip Switch Configuration ................................................................	3-1
Default Settings............................................................................................	3-7
Potentiometer Adjustments..........................................................................	3-8
LCD Panel Printer Configuration ................................................................	3-10
Section 4. CLEANING AND MAINTENANCE
Introduction..................................................................................................	4-1
Adjusting the Print Quality ..........................................................................	4-1
Cleaning the Print Head, Platen and Rollers................................................	4-2
Cleaning the Label Edge Sensors ................................................................	4-3
Replacing the Print Head .............................................................................	4-4
Section 5. Troubleshooting
Initial Checklist............................................................................................	5-1
Using the IEEE1284 Parallel Interface........................................................	5-1
Using the RS232C Serial Interface..............................................................	5-2
Using The Universal Serial Bus (USB) Interface........................................	5-3
Using the Lan Ethernet Interface .................................................................	5-3
Error Signals ................................................................................................	5-6

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Table of Contents

Section 6. Interface Specifications

Introduction..................................................................................................	6-1
Interface Types ............................................................................................	6-1
The Receive Buffer......................................................................................	6-2
IEEE1284 Parallel Interface ........................................................................	6-3
RS232 Serial Interface .................................................................................	6-5
Universal Serial Bus (USB) Interface..........................................................	6-8
Local Area Network (LAN) Optional Interface...........................................	6-8
BiDirectonal Communications ....................................................................	6-8
Section 7. Optional Accessories
PCMCIA Memory Cards .............................................................................	7-1
Plug-in Interface Modules ...........................................................................	7-2
Cutter ...........................................................................................................	7-3
Label Dispenser ...........................................................................................	7-4
Label Rewinder............................................................................................	7-5
Real Time Clock ..........................................................................................	7-6
Flash Memory Expansion ............................................................................	7-6

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PN 9001105 Rev. A

SATO M-84PRO

SECTION 1.

PRINTER OVERVIEW

INTRODUCTION

The SATO M-84PRO Thermal Transfer Printers are complete, high-performance on-site labeling systems. All printer parameters are user programmable using the front panel controls and the DIP switches. All popular bar codes and 14 human-readable fonts, including a vector font and two raster fonts, are resident in memory providing literally thousands of type styles and sizes.

The Operator’s Manual will help you understand the basic operations of the printer such as setup, installation, configuration, cleaning and maintenance.

The M-84PRO can print labels up to four inches wide and is available in three resolurions; 203 dpi, 305 dpi and 609 dpi. The resolution is determined by the print head that is installed in the printer and can be changed in the field simply by installing the desired print head. The printer autmatically detects the resolution of the print head and loads the appropriate controlling firmware.

The M-84PRO uses the standard SATO RISC printer command codes. The only differences between it and other RISC printers are the allowable values representing the print positions on the label. These values are specified in “dots” and will vary depending upon the resolution of the printer and the amount of memory available for imaging the label. The allowable range for the various M-84PRO models is specified in a table in the “e” and PRO Printer Programming Reference.

This commonality makes it very easy to convert labels from one RISC printer to another without having to create an entirely different command stream. There are some caveats that must be observed though to compensate for the different resolution print heads. The effect of the different printer resolutions are best illustrated by taking a label designed for a 203 dpi printer and sending the command stream to the its 305 dpi counterpart. The label printed will be an exact two-thirds scale, including the fonts, bar code dimensions and line lengths/widths. The only exception is the PostNet bar code which has only one legal size and the printer resolution is automatically compensated for by the printer. Conversely, a label designed for a 305 dpi printer and sent to its 203 dpi cousin will be one-third larger. It probably will be “truncated” if the resulting label size is larger than the maximum allowable for the printer.

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Section 1: Overview

GENERAL PRINTER SPECIFICATIONS

	SPECIFICATION	M-84PRO-2		M-84PRO-3		M-84PRO-6
	PRINT
	Method		Direct or Thermal Transfer
	Speed (User Selectable)	2 to 10 ips		2 to 8 ips		2 to 6 ips
		50 to 250 mm/s		50 to 200 mm/s		50 to 150 mm/s
	Print Module (Dot Size)	.0049 in.		.0033 in.		0017 in.
		.125 mm		.083 mm		.081 mm
	Resolution	203 dpi		305 dpi		609 dpi
		8 d/mm		12 d/mm		24 d/mm
	Maximum Print Width			4.1 in.
				104 mm
	Maximum Print Length	49.2 in.		32.8 in.		14.0 in.
		1249 mm		835 mm		356 mm
	MEDIA
	Minimum Width			.87 in.
				22 mm
	Minimum Length			0.24 in. (6 mm)
	Continuous
	Tear-Off			0.63 in. (16 mm)
	Cutter			1.18 in. (30 mm)
	Dispense			1.18 in. (30 mm)
	Maximum Width			5.0 in.
				125 mm
	Type		Roll or Fan-Fold Die Cut Labels
				Thermally Sensitive
	Maximum Caliper			0.008 in.
				0.21 mm
	Roll OD (max) Face-In			8.6 in.
				220 mm
	Core ID (min)			3 in
				76.2 mm
	SENSING
	See-Thru			Movable
	Reflective Eye-Mark			Movable
	Continuous Form			Sensor Not Used
	RIBBON
	Maximum Width			4.4 in. (111 mm)
	Length (max)			1475 ft. (450 m)
	Thickness		4.5 micron, Wound Face-In

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Section 1: Overview

SPECIFICATION		M-84PRO All Models
CONTROLS AND INDICATORS
Power		Green LED
On-Line		Green LED
Label		Red LED
Ribbon		Red LED
Error		Red LED
LCD Panel		2 Line x 16 Character
Label Feed		Front Panel
Power On/Off Switch		Front Panel
POTENTIOMETER ADJUSTMENTS
Print Darkness		Front Panel
Offset		Front Panel
Pitch		Front Panel
Display		Front Panel
INTERFACE CONNECTIONS (1)
Parallel		IEEE1284 Standard
Serial		RS232C (9600 to 57600 bps) Standard
		RS422/485 (9600 to 57600 bps) Optional
		Ready/Busy or X-On/X-Off Flow Control
		Bi-directional Status
Universal Serial Bus		USB Ver. 1.1 Standard
Ethernet		10/100BaseT
PROCESSING
CPU		32 Bit RISC
Flash ROM		2 MB
SDRAM		16 MB
Receive Buffer		2.95 MB
Memory Expansion		See Options and Accessories

(1) Only one interface module can be installed in a printer at a time.

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Section 1: Overview

CHARACTER FONTS

	SPECIFICATION		M-84PRO-2	M-84PRO-3		M-84PRO-6
	MATRIX FONTS
	U Font			5 dots W x 9 dots H
	S Font			8 dots W x 15 dots H
	M Font			13 dots W x 20 dots H
	XU Font		5 dots H x 9 dots H (Helvetica)
	XS Font		17 dots H x 17 dots W (Univers Condensed Bold)
	XM Font		24 dots H x 24 dots W (Univers Condensed Bold)
	OA Font (OCR-A)		15 dots W x 22 dots H	22 dots W x 33 dots H		44 dots W x 66 dots H
	OB Font (OCR-B)		30 Dots W x 36 dots H	30 Dots W x 36 dots H		60 dots W x 72 dots H
	AUTO SMOOTHING FONTS
	WB			18 dots W x 30 dots H
	WL			28 dots H x 52 dots H
	XB		48 dots H x 48 dots W (Univers Condensed Bold)
	XL		48 dots W x 48 dots H (Sans Serif)
	VECTOR FONT
			Proportional or Fixed Spacing
			Font Size 50 x 50 dots to 999 x 999 dots
			Helvetica, 10 Font Variations
	AGFA® RASTER FONTS
	Font A			CG Times ®, 8 pt to 72 pt
	Font B		CG Triumvirate®, 8 pt to 72 pt
	DOWNLOADABLE FONTS
			Bit Mapped TrueType® Fonts with Utility Program
	CHARACTER CONTROL
			Expansion to 12X in either X or Y coordinates
				Character Pitch control
				Line Space control
				Journal Print facility
			0°, 90°, 180° and 270° Rotation

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		Section 1: Overview
BAR CODES
	BAR CODE	M-84PRO All Models
	SYMBOLOGIES
	Linear Bar Codes	Bookland (UPC/EAN Supplemental)
		EAN-8/EAN-13
		CODABAR
		CODE 39
		CODE 93
		CODE 128
		Interleaved 2 of 5 (I 2/5)
		Industrial 2 of 5
		Matrix 2 of 5
		MSI
		POSTNET
		UCC/EAN-128
		UPC-A/UPC-E
	Two Dimensional	Data Matrix
		Maxicode
		PDF417
		Micro PDF
		Truncated PDF
		QR Code
	Ratios	1:2, 1:3, 2:5, User Programmable
	Bar Height	4 to 999 dots, User Programmable
	Rotation	0°, 90°, 180° and 270° Rotation
	OTHER FEATURES
	Sequential Numbering	Sequential numbering of both numerics and bar codes
	Custom Characters	RAM storage for custom designed characters
	Graphics	Dot addressable, SATO Hex/Binary, BMP or PCX formats
	Forms Overlay	Overlay of predesigned forms in image buffer

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Section 1: Overview

PHYSICAL

	SPECIFICATION	M-84PRO All Models
	PHYSICAL
	Wide	10.4 in. (265 mm)
	Deep	17.1 in. (435 mm)
	High	13.4 in.(341 mm)
	Weight	39.7 lb. (18.0 Kg)
	POWER
	Input Voltage	115/220 VAC +/-10%, 50/60 Hz +/-1%
	Power Consumption	130W Operating, 24W Idle
	ENVIRONMENTAL
	Operating Temperature	41° to 104°F (5° to 40°C)
	Storage Temperature	23° to 140°F (-5° to 60°C)
	Storage Humidity	30 to 90% RH Non-Condensing
	Operating Humidity	30 to 80% RH Non-Condensing
	Electrostatic Discharge	8kV
	REGULATORY APPROVALS
	Safety	VCCI (Class B), UL, CUL, CE, FCC Class B
	RFI/EMI	FCC Class B

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Section 1: Overview

OPTIONAL ACCESSORIES

ACCESSORIES AND OPTIONS

PCMCIA MEMORY	One slot for PCMCIA Memory Card (up to 4 MB SRAM or 16 MB Flash
EXPANSION	ROM). Can be used for graphic file storage, print buffer expansion, format
	storage and downloaded fonts.
FLASH ROM	Internal 4MB Flash ROM PCB.
EXPANSION
REAL TIME CLOCK	An internal Date/Time clock that can be used to date/time stamp labels at
	the time of printing.
LABEL DISPENSER	Internally mounted attachment allowing labels to be peeled from backing
	for immediate (on demand) applications. Backing not rewound.
LABEL REWINDER	External Option that rewinds labels onto a roll after they are printed.
LABEL CUTTER	An attachment allowing labels to be cut at specified intervals. Controlled
	through programming.
COAX/TWINAX	Coan/Twinax Plug-In Interface module. Coax interface emmulates an IBM
INTERFACE	3287-2 printer with a stndard Type A BNC connector. Twinax interface
	emulates IBM 5224, 5225, 5226 or 4214 printers with auto-terminate/cable
	through capabilities.
PARALLEL INTERFACE	IEEE1284 Bi-Directional Plug-In Interface Module
SERIAL INTERFACE	High Speed RS232 Plug-In Interface Module
USB INTERFACE	Universal Serial Bus Plug-In Interface Module
ETHERNET INTERFACE	10/100 BaseT Plug-In Interface Module

All specifications subject to change without notice.

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Section 1: Overview

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SECTION 2.

INSTALLATION

INTRODUCTION

This section of the manual has been written to help you install the SATO M-84PRO printers and to get started as quickly as possible. It is recommend to read each chapter in this manual before the installation or the use of the printers.

The following information is provided in this section:

•Unpacking and Parts Identification

•Setting Up the Printer

•Loading Labels or Tags

•Loading the Ribbon

•Operator Panel

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Section 2. Installation

UNPACKING AND PARTS IDENTIFICATION

Consider the following when unpacking the printer:

•The box should stay right-side up.

•Lift the printer out of the box carefully.

•Remove the plastic covering from the printer.

•Remove the accessory items from their protective containers.

•If the printer has been stored in a cold environment, allow it to reach room temperature before powering it on.

•Set the printer on a solid, flat surface. Inspect the shipping container and printer for any signs of damage that may have occurred during shipping.

NOTE: The following illustrations are representative only. Your printer may not be packed exactly as shown here, but the unpacking steps are similar.

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Section 2. Installation

Verify that you have the following materials when unpacking:

•Printer

•Power Cord and Extra Ribbon Core

•Operator’s Manual

•CD-ROM

Power Cord

Printer

CD-ROM

Operator Manual

Ribbon Core

SETTING UP THE PRINTER

Consider the following when setting up the printer:

•Locate a solid flat surface with adequate room to set the printer. Make sure there is enough room at the top and right-hand (facing the printer) side to provide clearance for the label access door to swing open.

•The location should be near the host computer or terminal. The maximum distance for RS232 cables is 35 feet and six feet for IEEE1284 Parallel cables. Cables can be purchased locally, and their configuration will depend upon the host system being used. A IEEE1284 compliant cable must be used to realize the full throughput potential of the printers.

•For information on interfacing the printer to a host system, see Section 5: Interface Specifications.

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Section 2. Installation

Ribbon Rewind	Ribbon Supply
Spindle	Spindle
Top Access
Door	Side Access
	Door
LCD
Display
DIP Switch
Cover
Power Switch
	Label Hold Down
	Label Roll Retainer
	Label Supply Spindle
	Label Guide
	Print Head
	Head Latch
	Platen

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Section 2. Installation

LOADING LABELS AND TAGS

1.Open the Top Access Door by swinging it up and to the left. Open the Side Access Door by swinging it to the rear of the printer.

2.Open the Print Head Assembly by pushing the Head Latch toward the rear of the printer. The Print Head Assembly is spring-loaded and will automatically open as soon as the Head Latch is disengaged.

3.Loosen the Label Edge Guide and push it to the outside of the printer to give the maximum label width.

4.Remove the Label Roll Retainer

Top Access Door

Side Access

Door

Label Roll Retainer

Print Head

Head Latch

Label Hold Down

Sensor Assembly

Label

Guide

Label Edge Guide

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Section 2. Installation

5.If using roll labels (or tags), load the roll onto the Label Supply Spindle so that the printing side of the labels faces upwards as it unwinds from the roll. The labels should be wound face-in. Push the roll all the way to the inside of the printer and push the Label Roll Retainer snugly against the outside of the label roll.

6.If using fanfold labels (or tags) set them on a flat surface behind the printer. Pass the labels (printing side up) through the slot in the rear of the printer.

7.Make sure the labels are routed under the Label Guide and through the Sensor Assembly.

8.Open the Label Hold-Down by squeezing the green tab and the release tab together. The Label Hold Down is spring loaded and will open automatically when the latch is disengaged. Feed the labels under the Label Guide, under the Label Hold Down, through the Sensor Assembly and out the front of the printer.

9.Inspect the label routing and verify that the path matches that illustrated in the Label Loading diagram. Set the Adjustable Label Guide to keep the labels against the inside of the printer.

10.Close the Label Hold-Down by pushing downward on the green tab until it latches closed.

NOTE: If the Label Dispenser option has been purchased, see Appendix A, for proper

label routing instructions.

Print

Head

Label Roll

Label Roll Retainer

Label

Guide

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SATO M-84PRO

Inside Label Edge Guides	Label Hold Down

Sensor	Sensor
Assembly	Positioning

11.Adjust the outside Label Edge Guide until it touches the outside edge of the label and tighten the thumb screw. Make sure the labels are also touching the inside edge guides.

CAUTION: Using media narrower than the maximum print width may cause excess head wear due to the label edge. See page 2-9 for precautions.

12.If the ribbon is already loaded, close the Print Head by rotating the black Head Latch toward the front of the printer until it latches closed.

13.If the ribbon is not loaded, see the following description for loading instructions.

14.Close both the Access Doors.

Section 2. Installation

Route Labels

Under Guide

Head

Latch

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Section 2. Installation

LOADING THE RIBBON

Ribbon Rewind	Ribbon Path			Ribbon Roll
Spindle

Head Latch

Dispensed

Label

Label Backing	Sensor	Label Hold	Label Path
	Assembly	Down

1.Open the Top Access Door by swinging it up and to the left and the Side Access Door by swinging it toward the rear of the printer.

Top Access Door

Side Access Door

2.Open the Print Head by rotating the Head Latch toward the rear of the printer. The Print Head is spring-loaded and will automatically open as soon as the Head Latch is disengaged.

3.Locate the extra ribbon core supplied with the printer. Place the core on the Ribbon Rewind Spindle, pushing it all the way to the inside of the spindle. Note that the new empty core of each subsequent roll becomes the next rewind core.

4.Load the ribbon onto the Ribbon Supply Spindle, also pushing it all the way to the inside of the spindle. The dull side of the ribbon should be facing down as it travels through the Print Head Assembly.

5.Feed the leader portion of the ribbon through the Print Head Assembly and up to the Ribbon Rewind Spindle following the routing shown in the diagram.

6.Load the ribbon behind and over the top of the Ribbon Rewind Spindle and tape it to the Extra Ribbon Core. Make sure it matches the ribbon path shown in the diagram.

7.Manually turn the Rewind Spindle to wrap the ribbon onto the core one to two turns to secure it.

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8.If the labels or tags are already loaded, close the Print Head Assembly by pushing downward on the green tab until it latches closed.

9.Run a test print to ensure that the labels and ribbons were loaded correctly.

Ribbon

Core

Section 2. Installation

Tape

CAUTION: If your labels are less than the full width of the print head, the outside edge will eventually wear out a small portion of the print head, resulting in an area that will not print. Special care must be taken if you plan to use multiple widths of labels, since the damaged portion of the print head caused from edge wear on a more narrow label may affect the printing on a wider label. We suggest you plan your print formats carefully to avoid using the area of possible damage on the print head when using a wider label. The small area of damage will have no effect on printing with the undamaged part of the print head. Damage from a label edge is physical damage and is unavoidable. It is not covered by warranty. It is possible to delay such damage by always ensuring that the ribbon used is wider than the label stock. This will help to protect the print head from label edge damage.

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Section 2. Installation

OPERATOR PANEL

The M-84PRO Operator Panel consists of five LED indicators, two momentary contact switches, three DIP switches, four adjustment potentiometers and one LCD Display. All of these are accessible from the front of the printer. They are used to set the printer operating parameters and to indicate the status of the printer to the operator. After you power on the printer, familiarize yourself with the keys and indicators as it will help you understand the configuration process.

PRINT	Potentiometer to adjust print darkness (fine tuning)
OFFSET	Potentiometer to adjust amount of back/forward feed for dispenser/cutter/tear-
	off position (+/- 3.75 mm)
PITCH	Potentiometer to adjust home position of the label (+/- 3.75 mm). Affects stop
	position of label feed, print position and dispense position.
DISPLAY	Potentiometer to adjust the contrast of the LCD display.
POWER	LED, illuminated when the power is on.
LABEL	LED, illuminated when the label supply is not detected.
RIBBON	LED, illuminated when the ribbon motion sensor does not detect any ribbon
	motion (ribbout out condition).
ERROR	LED, illuminated when there is a system fault such as an open print head.

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Section 2. Installation

ON LINE	LED, illuminated when printer is ready to receive data. Toggled on/off with LINE
	key.

LINE	Momentary switch. Pressing this key toggles the printer between the on-
	line and off-line mode. When the printer is on-line, it is ready to receive data
	from the host. This key acts as a pause during a print job by taking the printer
	off-line. It can also be used as a Pause function key to stop the printer during
	the printing process.
FEED	Momentary switch. Pressing this key feeds one blank label when the printer is
	Off-Line. When the printer is On-Line, another copy of the last label will be
	printed (Reprint W/Feed must be enabled in the LCD panel Service Mode).
DSW	DIP switch array to set operational parameters of the printer.
LCD	2 Line x 16 Character LCD display. Used for setting operational parameters of
	the printer and displaying error conditions.

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Section 2. Installation

REAR PANEL

AC INPUT	Input 115VAC, 50/60 Hz connector. Use cable provided.
AC FUSE	Input power protection. 3A/250V rating.
INTERFACE SLOT	Connector for Plug-In Interface Module.
MEMORY CARD SLOT	Connector for optional PCMCIA Memory Card.
EXT	External signal connector, AMP 57-60140.

Plug-In Interface

Module

Fan-Fold

Access Panel EXT Port

Connector

PCMCIA

Card Cover

Fuse

AC Connector

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Section 2. Installation

SENSORS

The M-84PRO printers contain three sensing units; a Ribbon End motion sensor, a Head Open microswitch and a Label Indexing Sensor.

RIBBON END SENSOR Detect motion of the Ribbon Supply Spindle and signals the printer

	when it is turning.
HEAD OPEN SENSOR	A micro-switch that is activated when the head is unlatched.
LABEL INDEXING SENSOR	The sensing assembly contains two types of sensors, one for label gap
	and one for eye-mark sensing. The sensors are adjustable over a
	limited range.
			Label Gap Sensor
			Reflective Sensor

Eye-Mark on
bottom of
liner.	14 mm
	min

Reflective

7 mm to 54 mm

Maximum number of print head dots is dependent upon the model.

Label Gap

The range of sensor adjustment can be increased to allow the Gap sensor to be positioned as close as 3 mm from the inside label edge. Contact SATO for information on how to make this modification.

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