Xerox QLS-8100XE User Manual

digital color label printer

Operation & Setup Guide

Manufacturing and Perfecting Thermal Transfer Printers Since 1971

Digital Color Label Printer

Operation & Setup Guide

Part Number 22834-505

Version 1.5

12/04

Firmware V 1.2

Specifications are subject to change without notice

___________________________________________

QuickLabel Systems

an Astro-Med, Inc. Product Group

600 East Greenwich Avenue

West Warwick, RI 02893

Toll-Free: 1.877.757.7978 (USA & Canada only)

Tel: [phone]
Fax:[phone]

[e-mail]

www.quicklabelsystems.com

___________________________________________

Technical Support 1.877.757.7978

[e-mail]

www.quicklabelsystems.com/support/

Copyright © 2003 - 2004 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.
Color 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 from the date of purchase for a
period of 90 days or for 1 million inches of thermal transfer ribbon,
whichever comes first, based upon the use of QuickLabel Systems thermal
transfer ribbon. QuickLabel Systems printheads are calibrated for use with
QuickLabel Systems thermal transfer ribbon and perform correctly 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 877.757.7978. QuickLabel
Systems, An Astro-Med Inc. Product Group, is not responsible for products
lost or damaged in transit.

Contact Information

QuickLabel Systems
An Astro-Med Inc. Product Group
Astro-Med Industrial Park
600 East Greenwich Avenue
West Warwick, RI 02893

Toll-Free: 1.877.757.7978 (USA & Canada only)
Tel: [phone]
Fax: [phone]

Web: www.quicklabelsystems.com
Email: [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: ____________________

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: 8100 Xe Printer

conforms to the following product specifications:

Safety: EN 60950-1

EMC: EN 55022, Class A
EN 55024

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

Steven Holbrook / Quality Assurance Manager

10/23/2003

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. [phone]
Fax: [phone] Email: [e-mail])

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-8100 Xe..................................................................................... 2-4

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

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

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

Installing the Water Cooling System.......................................................................2-8

Power Connection ...................................................................................................2-11

Computer Connections ...........................................................................................2-12

Centronics Parallel Port......................................................................................2-12

RS-232 Serial Port................................................................................................ 2-13

Ethernet Port and TCP/IP Communication..................................................... 2-14

Print Servers......................................................................................................... 2-15

Utility Port Connection........................................................................................... 2-16

Compressed Air Connection.................................................................................. 2-17

Preparing the Air Regulator.............................................................................. 2-17

Connecting the Air Supply ................................................................................ 2-17

Cover Switch ............................................................................................................2-18

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

QLS-8100 Xe i

Ready State & Adjust Menu .....................................................................................4-8

Print Intensity ........................................................................................................4-8

Print Speed........................................................................................................... 4-10

Print Line Adjustment........................................................................................ 4-11

Cross Web Adjustment.......................................................................................4-13

Vertical Offset...................................................................................................... 4-15

Horizontal Offset.................................................................................................4-16

Display Counter ..................................................................................................4-18

Cut Offset .............................................................................................................4-19

Label Reprint .......................................................................................................4-20

Cal & Setup Menu.................................................................................................... 4-21

Calibrate ...............................................................................................................4-21

Test Print ..............................................................................................................4-22

Vertical Baseline .................................................................................................. 4-23

Horizontal Baseline............................................................................................. 4-24

Printer Settings ....................................................................................................4-25

Operation Menu.......................................................................................................4-27

Pull Back...............................................................................................................4-27

Label Reprint .......................................................................................................4-29

Synchronize Labels .............................................................................................4-30

Ribbon Menu ............................................................................................................4-32

Ribbon Type......................................................................................................... 4-32

Drop/Lift Adjust..................................................................................................4-33

Ribbon Sensor...................................................................................................... 4-35

Communications Menu...........................................................................................4-36

Data Port...............................................................................................................4-36

Parallel Mode....................................................................................................... 4-37

RS232 Baud Rate..................................................................................................4-38

RS232 Handshaking............................................................................................ 4-39

TCP/IP: IP Address .............................................................................................4-40

TCP/IP Subnet Mask...........................................................................................4-41

TCP/IP Gateway.................................................................................................. 4-42

System Menu ............................................................................................................4-43

Display Counter ..................................................................................................4-43

Memory Card - Write Protection ......................................................................4-44

Front Panel Lock/Unlock....................................................................................4-45

Memory Card - Formatting ...............................................................................4-48

Time ......................................................................................................................4-49

Date .......................................................................................................................4-50

Factory Reset........................................................................................................ 4-51

Options Menu...........................................................................................................4-53

ii QLS-8100 Xe

Mirror Mode ........................................................................................................4-53

Cutter.................................................................................................................... 4-54

Cut Flag ................................................................................................................4-55

Pull Back - Enable/Disable................................................................................. 4-57

Applicator ............................................................................................................ 4-58

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

Printing with the QLS-8100 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 ...................................................................................................... 5-10

Common Adjustments and Tasks ......................................................................... 5-12

Test Patterns ........................................................................................................5-12

Print Line Adjustment........................................................................................ 5-12

Cross Web Adjustment ......................................................................................5-12

Advancing the Media......................................................................................... 5-12

Print Speed........................................................................................................... 5-12

Evaluating Print Quality......................................................................................... 5-13

Enabling and Disabling RibbonRation™..............................................................5-15

Printing Labels ......................................................................................................... 5-16

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

Refilling the Cooling System.................................................................................... 7-5

Uninstalling the Cooling System............................................................................. 7-6

Printhead Replacement............................................................................................. 7-9

Platen Replacement .................................................................................................7-12

Drive and Pinch Roller Replacement.................................................................... 7-14

Drive roller replacement .................................................................................... 7-14

Pinch Roller Replacement.................................................................................. 7-15

Changing the Fuse or Line Voltage....................................................................... 7-16

QLS-8100 Xe iii

Firmware Upgrades.................................................................................................7-17

Upgrading additional printers with the CompactFlash card........................7-20

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

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

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

Appendix D: Color QuickLabel 99® Pro 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-8100 Xe

Chapter 1:

Quick Start

Congratulations ! You have purchased QuickLabel System’s best digital color

label printer - ever. The QLS-8100 Xe represents years of careful research and

development to perfect digital color label printing technology.

The QLS-8100 Xe represents . . .

QuickLabel Systems’ Best Image Quality - Ever The all-new print station

design maintains a high degree of color registration - down to ± 1 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 industrial-grade, all-

metal 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 information you will need

to operate and maintain the QLS-8100 Xe. This Quick Start chapter provides

a step-by-step guide for experienced or trained users to quickly get up and

running.

QLS-8100 Xe 1-1

QuickLabel Systems media

Your QLS-8100 Xe will provide correct print quality only when used with
Genuine QuickLabel Systems Labels, Tags and Thermal Transfer Ribbon.
QuickLabel Systems Thermal Transfer Ribbon is designed to function as an
integral part of the QLS-8100 Xe printing system and 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 discounted 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.

Discounted Printhead Replacement - As an added incentive, QuickLabel Systems
guarantees you discounted 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 water cooling system

Page 2-11 Connect the AC power cord

Page 2-12 Connect the host computer interface

Page 2-17 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 Color QuickLabel 99 Pro

Appendix E Printing from a Windows application with the QuickLabel

Systems Windows Printer Driver

QLS-8100 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-8100 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 the water cooling system to the printer

• Instructions for connecting power and communication cables to the

printer

• Instructions for connecting compressed air to the printer

QLS-8100 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 Diskette

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

later time.

2-2 Physical setup

Water Cooling System Kit

Printer Orientation

The illustration below is provided to orient you to the QLS-8100 Xe printer.

The keypad and display is the printer’s user interface.

QLS-8100 Xe 2-3

Features of the QLS-8100 Xe

Facing the left side of the QLS-8100 Xe with its cover lifted, you can view the
media unwind, print stations, and related mechanical parts.

The items below identify the QLS-8100 Xe components as shown in the side­view illustration on the following page:

1 Media Retainer
2 Media Supply Mandrel
3 TTR Rewind - print station # 4
4 TTR Supply - print station # 4
5 TTR Rewind - print station # 3
6 TTR Supply - print station # 3
7 TTR Rewind - print station # 2
8 TTR Supply - print station # 2
9 TTR Rewind - print station # 1
10 TTR 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 Cover Switch
20 Media Speed Roller
21 Media Sensor Assembly - Gap and Reflective
22 Lower Media Guide Roller
23 Media Dancer Arm
24 Upper Media Guide Roller

2-4 Physical setup

Side view

QLS-8100 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-8100 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-8100 Xe 2-7

Installing the Water Cooling System

The cooling system circulates cool water through the printhead mounting
blocks to aid in maintaining optimum printhead temperature.

The water cooling system is shipped uninstalled to protect it during transit.
Use the following instructions to install the water cooling system.

Tools Needed:
Phillips Screwdriver

It may be helpful to refer to the following assembly diagram when installing
the water cooling system.

#6 Pan Head Phillips
Screw (3) &
#6 Flat Washer (3)

#6 Flat Head
Phillips Screw (1)

Mounting Screws
Furnished with
Cooling System Kit (4)

1 Fasten the water cooler mounting bracket to the printer using the three

#6 Pan Head Phillips screws and #6 Flat Washers.

Then use the #6 Flat Head Phillips screw to fasten the inside of the

mounting bracket to the printer. A screwdriver hole is present on the

outside of the mounting bracket.

2-8 Physical setup

2 Insert the water cooling drives into the mounting bracket. The wires and

water tubing must face toward the printer.

3 Connect the water tubes for each cooling drive to the printer. Then

connect the power cord for each cooling drive to the printer.

The top cooling drive water tubes connect to the top water connectors on
the printer. Likewise, the water tubes from the bottom drive connect to
the lower water connectors. Push firmly on the connectors to snap them
into place.

The top cooling drive power cord connects to the top power connector
on the printer. Likewise, the power cord from the bottom drive connects
to the lower power connector.

Top Water Cooling Drive
Water Tube Connectors

Bottom Water Cooling Drive
Water Tube Connectors

Top Water Cooling Drive
Power Connector

Bottom Water Cooling Drive
Power Connector

4 Use the Mounting Screws to fasten the water cooling drives into the

mounting bracket. Two screws are used for each drive.

QLS-8100 Xe 2-9

5 Remove the reservoir cap from each cooling drive, and then fill them

with the supplied distilled water. Ensure that the water level is between

the HIGH and LOW indicators. Then replace the reservoir caps.

IGH

H

OW

L

Warning: Only use non-conductive, distilled water. Other liquid can

cause oxidation or corrosive damage to the cooling mechanism.

Note: Once the remaining setup processes in this chapter are complete,

and the printer power is turned on, check the water level. The water

level may lower due to the liquid entering the printer. It may be

necessary to add more water to the reservoirs.

Note: During printer operation, the water level must stay between the

HIGH and LOW indicators. If the water level is below the LOW

indicator, the cooling system will become ineffective. It is recommended

that you check the water level periodically and add water if necessary.

Warning: If the printer will be shipped to another location, it is necessary

to uninstall the water cooling system and purge the remaining water

from the printer.

For more information about uninstalling the water cooling system, refer

to Chapter 7: Maintenance and Repair.

2-10 Physical setup

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 350

VA is required.

QLS-8100 Xe 2-11

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).

2-12 Physical setup

RS-232 Serial Port

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

5

1

9

6

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.

QLS-8100 Xe 2-13

Ethernet Port and TCP/IP Communication

The QLS-8100 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 (Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol) communication
provides a direct link to the QLS-8100 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-8100 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-8100 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.

2-14 Physical setup

Print Servers

The QLS-8100 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 PC-

based or midrange/mainframe-based host environments. Please contact

QuickLabel Systems for additional information.

QuickLabel Systems PS-ENET Print Server for Windows Networks.

QuickLabel Systems Print Server for AS/400 Networks.

QLS-8100 Xe 2-15

Utility Port Connection

On the rear panel of the printer, the Utility Port permits connection to
external devices such as the optional QuickLabel Systems Cutter and
Cutter/Stacker or a label applicator system. The assignment of pin functions
on the utility port depends on the mode of operation. For additional
information regarding applicator mode operation, please contact QuickLabel
Systems.

Standard Mode
Pin Signal Notes

1 N/C
2 Ground
3 Cutter On/Off Output (1=on 0=off)
4 5 VDC 1A max
5 Cutter Error Input (1=error 0=no error)
6 Cutter Pulse ~ 250 nsec pulse output
7 N/C
8 Pause Input
(1=print 0=pause)
9 Error

Applicator Mode
Pin Signal Notes

1 N/C
2 Ground
3 Printing Output (1=printing)
4 N/C
5 N/C
6 N/C
7 N/C
8 Go Input (1=initiate print)
9 Skip/Apply Output (1=apply 0=skip)

Note: If you are using a cutter or cutter/stacker, refer to the unit’s setup and
operation manual for information on setting up the unit with your printer.

5

1

9

6

Warning: Exceeding the limits of the utility port signals can result in damage
to the printer.

2-16 Physical setup