Zebra QH2-AUNAEM00-00 User Manual

P1028026-002 Rev. A
April, 2011

Zebra

QLn

Series

Mobile Printers

Table of Contents

Proprietary Statements ............................................................................................4

Document Conventions ...........................................................................................6

Introduction to the QLn™ Series Printers ...........................................................7

Unpacking and Inspection ............................................................... 7

Reporting Damage ........................................................................... 7

QLn Series Technology .............................................................................................8

Smart Battery .................................................................................................8

Printing Technology ......................................................................................9

Direct Thermal ...............................................................................................9

QLn Series Overview .............................................................................................10

Getting Ready to Print ........................................................................................... 12

Battery ............................................................................................. 12

Installing the Battery ...................................................................................12

Battery Safety ..............................................................................................13

Charger Safety .............................................................................................13

Smart Charger-2 (SC2) Single Battery Charger ............................ 14

Model UCLI72-4 Quad Charger ...................................................................16

Ethernet and Charging Cradles .....................................................19

Printer Operation with Cradle .....................................................................21

AC Power Adapter (included in kit p/n P1031365-024) ..............................23

Loading the Media in the QLn Series Printers ..........................24

Loading Media in Peel-off Mode .................................................................26

Operator Controls .......................................................................... 27

Standard Control Panel ...............................................................................27

LCD Control Panel .......................................................................................29

Status Bar Icons ..........................................................................................30

31

Main Menu Screen ......................................................................................32

Programmable LCD Settings ......................................................................33

Verify the Printer Is Working .........................................................34

Printing a Configuration Label ....................................................................34

Connecting the Printer ...................................................................34

Cable Communication .................................................................................35

RS-232C Communications ..........................................................................35

USB Communications ................................................................................35

Providing Strain Relief for Communications Cable ...................................36

Wireless Communications with Bluetooth™ ..............................................38

Bluetooth Networking Overview ................................................................38

WLAN Overview .............................................................................39

Setting Up the Software ................................................................39

Using the Accessories.............................................................................................40

Swivel Belt Clip ............................................................................................40

Soft Case......................................................................................................40

Adjustable Shoulder Strap ..........................................................................41

Hand Strap ...................................................................................................42

Preventive Maintenance ....................................................................................... 43

Extending Battery Life ...................................................................43

General Cleaning Instructions .......................................................43

QLn Series Cleaning .................................................................................44

Troubleshooting ......................................................................................................46

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QLn Series User Guide

Front Control Panel ........................................................................46

LCD Control Panel Indicators ........................................................ 47

Troubleshooting Tests ...................................................................50

Printing a Configuration Label ....................................................................50

Communications Diagnostics .....................................................................50

Contacting Technical Support .....................................................................51

Specications ............................................................................................................ 55

Printing Specifications ...............................................................................55

Memory and Communications Specifications for QLn Series ..................55

Label Specifications ....................................................................................56

CPCL Font and Bar Code Specifications and Commands .........................57

ZPL Font and Bar Code Specifications and Commands ............................58

Communications Ports ................................................................................59

Physical, Environmental and Electrical Specifications ..............................60

QLn Series Accessories .............................................................................63

Appendix A ................................................................................................................64

Interface Cables ...........................................................................................64

RS232 Cables ...............................................................................................64

USB Cable ....................................................................................................65

More Interface Cables .................................................................................65

Appendix B................................................................................................................. 66

Media Supplies ............................................................................................66

Appendix C ................................................................................................................66

Maintenance Supplies .................................................................................66

Appendix D ................................................................................................................ 67

Product Support ..........................................................................................67

Appendix E ................................................................................................................. 69

Battery Disposal ..........................................................................................69

Product Disposal .........................................................................................69

Appendix F ................................................................................................................. 70

Using zebra.com..........................................................................................70

Appendix G ................................................................................................................72

Alert Messages ............................................................................................72

Index ............................................................................................................................. 73

Patent Numbers ....................................................................................................... 74

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QLn Series User Guide

Proprietary Statements

This manual contains proprietary information of Zebra Technologies Corporation. It is
intended solely for the information and use of parties operating and maintaining the equip­ment described herein. Such proprietary information may not be used, reproduced, or dis­closed to any other par ties for any other purpose without the expressed written permission
of Zebra Technologies Corporation.

Product Improvements

Since continuous product improvement is a policy of Zebra Technologies Corporation, all
specifications and signs are subject to change without notice.

Agency Approvals and Regulatory Information

• Design certified by TUV • FCC par t 15 Class B

• Canadian STD RSS-210 • EN55024:2003 European Immunity Standard

• EN60950: 2006 Safet y Standard • NOM/ETL (Mexico)

• C-Tick (Australia) • EN55022:2006 Class B European
Electromagnetic Radiation St andard

Liability Disclaimer

Inasmuch as every effor t has been made to supply accurate information in this manual,
Zebra Technologies Corporation is not liable for any erroneous information or omissions.
Zebra Technologies Corporation reserves the right to correc t any such error s and disclaims

liability resulting therefrom.

No Liability for Consequential Damage

In no event shall Zebra Technologies Corporation or anyone else involved in the creation,
production, or delivery of the accompanying product (including hardware and sof tware)
be liable for any damages whatsoever (including, without limitation, damages for loss of
business profits, business interruption, loss of business information, or other pecuniary
loss) arising out of the use of or the results of use of or inability to use such product, even
if Zebra Technologies Corporation has been advised of the possibility of such damages.
Because some states do not allow the exclusion of liability for consequential or incidental
damages, the above limitation may not apply to you.

Copyrights

The copyrights in this manual and the label print engine described therein are owned by
Zebra Technologies Corporation. Unauthorized reproduction of this manual or the soft ware
in the label print engine may result in imprisonment of up to one year and fines of up to
$10,000 (17 U.S.C.506). Copyright violators may be subject to civil liability.
This product may contain ZPL®, ZPL II®, and ZebraLinktm programs; Element Energy Equal­izer® Circuit; E3®; and AGFA fonts. Soft ware © ZIH Corp. All rights reserved worldwide.
ZebraLink and all product names and number s are trademarks, and Zebra, the Zebra logo,
ZPL, ZPL II, Element Energy Equalizer Circuit, and E3 Circuit are registered trademarks of
ZIH Corp. All rights reser ved worldwide.

Monot ype®, Intellifont® and UFST® are trademarks of Monotype Imaging, Inc. registered in
the United States Patent and Trademark Of fice and may be registered in certain jurisdic­tions.
AndyTM , CG PalacioTM, CG Century SchoolbookTM, CG TriumvirateTM, CG TimesTM, Monot ype
KaiTM, Monot ype MinchoTM and Monotype SungTM are trademarks of Monotype Imaging,
Inc. and may be registered in some jurisdictions.
HY Gothic HangulTM is a trademark of Hanyang Systems, Inc.
AngsanaTM is a trademark of Unity Progress Company (UPC) Limited.
Andale®, Arial®, Book Antiqua®, Corsiva®, Gill Sans®, Sorts® and Times New Roman® are
trademarks of The Monotype Corporation registered in the United States Patent and Trade­mark Office and may be registered in certain jurisdictions.
Century Gothic™, Bookman Old StyleTM and Century SchoolbookTM are trademarks of The
Monot ype Corporation and may be regis tered in certain jurisdictions.
HGPGothicB is a trademark of the Ricoh company, Ltd. and may be registered in some ju­risdictions.
UniversTM is a trademark of Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG, which may be registered in
certain jurisdictions, exclusively licensed through Linotype Library GmbH, a wholly owned

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QLn Series User Guide

subsidiary of Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG.
Futura® is a trademark of Bauer Types SA registered in the United States Patent and Trade­mark Office and may be registered in some jurisdictions.
TrueType® is a trademark of Apple Computer, Inc. registered in the United St ates Patent and
Trademark Office and may be registered in certain jurisdictions.
All other product names are the propert y of their respective owners.

© 1996 –2009, QNX Software Systems GmbH & Co. KG. All rights reserved. Published un­der license by QNX Sof tware Systems Co.

All other brand names, product names, or trademarks belong to their respective holders.

©

2011 ZIH Corp.

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QLn Series User Guide

Document Conventions

The following conventions are used throughout this docu-

ment to convey certain information:

Cautions, Important, and Note

Caution • Warns you of the potential for electrostatic discharge.

Caution • Warns you of a potential electric shock situation.

Caution • Warns you of a situation where excessive heat could cause

a burn

Caution • Advises you that failure to take or avoid a specic action

could result in physical harm to you.

Caution • Advises you that failure to take or avoid a specic action

could result in physical harm to the hardware.

Important • Advises you of information that is essential to complete a

task.

Note • Indicates neutral or positive information that emphasizes or

supplements important points of the main text.

6

QLn Series User Guide

Introduction to the QLn™ Series Printers

Thank you for choosing our Zebra® QLn™ Series Mobile
Printers. You will find these rugged printers will become a pro­ductive and efficient addition to your workplace thanks to their
innovative design. Zebra Technologies is the leader in indus­trial printers with world-class support for all of your bar code
printers, software, and supplies.

This user’s guide gives you the information you will need
to operate the QLn320 and QLn220 printers. These printers
use CPCL and ZPL programming languages. To create and
print labels using the CPCL and ZPL languages, refer to the
Mobile Printing Systems CPCL Programming Manual and ZPL
Programming Guide (available at

www.zebra.com/manuals

)

QLn Series Software Utilities:

• Zebra Net Bridge™ : printer configuration, fleet management

• Zebra Setup Utility: single printer configuration, quick setup

• Zebra Designer Pro: label design

• Zebra Designer Drivers: Windows® driver

• OPOS Driver: Windows driver

• Multiplatform SDK

(These utilities can be found at www.zebra.com and on the
product CD that comes with the printer.)

Unpacking and Inspection

Inspect the printer for possible shipping damage:

• Check all exterior surfaces for damage.

• Open the media cover (refer to “Loading the Media” in
the Getting Ready to Print section) and inspect the media
compartment for damage.

In case shipping is required, save the carton and all packing mate-

rial.

Reporting Damage

If you discover shipping damage:

• Immediately notify and file a damage report with the ship­ping company. Zebra Technologies Corporation is not re­sponsible for any damage incurred during shipment of
the printer and will not cover the repair of this damage
under its warranty policy.

• Keep the carton and all packing material for inspection.

• Notify your authorized Zebra re-seller.

7

QLn Series User Guide

QLn Series Technology

The QLn320 and QLn220 use several technologies made

popular in other Zebra Mobile Printer product lines.

Smart Battery

The QLn Series battery pack is a high capacity, smart
Lithium Ion battery that contains electronics which allow the
printer to monitor its operating parameters. Among these are
the number of charge cycles it has undergone and its date of
manufacture. Using these parameters, the printer’s software
can monitor the battery’s condition and alert the user when to
recharge or remove the battery from service.

Operating Temperature Charging Temperature Storage Temperature

-200C to +500C 00C to +400C -250C to +650C

The QLn Series printers will only function properly with genuine

Zebra smart battery packs.

The smart battery’s health has three states: GOOD, REPLACE, and
POOR. The battery health factor determines whether or not the print­er can operate and what is communicated to the user via the display.

# of Charge Cycles Health Power-up Message

<300 GOOD None

<550 but >300

>550 but <600

>600

REPLACE

REPLACE

POOR

“Bat tery Diminished

Consider Replacing” *

“Warning-Battery

is Past its Useful Life” **

“Replace Battery

Shutting Down” ***

* Warning accompanied by three beeps in rapid succession.

** Warning accompanied by a series of three double beeps in rapid
succession.

*** Warning will ash on and o and be accompanied by beeping at
a rate of once per second. After 30 seconds the printer will shut down.

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QLn Series User Guide

Printing Technology

The QLn320 and QLn220 use the Direct Thermal method to
print human readible text, graphics and barcodes. It incorpo­rates a sophisticated print engine for optimal printing under all
operational conditions.

Direct Thermal

Direct thermal printing uses heat to cause a chemical reaction on
specially treated media. This reaction creates a dark mark wherever
a heated element on the printhead comes in contact with the media.
Since the printing elements are arranged very densely at 203 d.p.i.
(dots per inch) horizontal and 200 d.p.i. vertical, highly legible char­acters and graphic elements may be created a row at a time as the
media is advanced past the printhead. This technology has the ad­vantage of simplicity, as there is no requirement for consumable sup­plies such as ink or toner. However, since the media is sensitive to
heat, it will gradually loose legibility over long periods of time, espe­cially if exposed to environments with relatively high temperatures.

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QLn Series User Guide

QLn Series Overview

Figure 1: QLn320 Shown

13

11

1

2

14

4

12

9

3

5

6

7

8

10

1 Platen Roller

2. Bar Sensor

3. Media Support Disks

4. Tear Bar

5. Label Presence Sensor

6. Peeler Lever

7. Peeler Bail

8. Latch Release Lever

9. Key Pad

10. Strap Post

11. Status Screen

12. Printhead

13. Media Cover

14. Gap Sensor

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QLn Series User Guide

15. Belt Clip

16. Bat tery

17. USB/ RS-232 Comm Ports

18. MAC Address Label

19. Docking Contacts

20. DC Input

17

15

16

18

19

20

11

QLn Series User Guide

Getting Ready to Print

Battery

Installing the Battery

Important • Batteries are shipped partially charged. Remove

protective shrink-wrap and labels from new battery packs prior to use.

1. Locate the battery compartment on the bottom of the printer.

2. Insert the battery into the printer as shown in Figure 2. (It is not
possible to insert the pack in an incorrect orientation.)

3. Rock the battery into the compartment as shown until it locks in
place.

When the battery is first installed, the control panel indica­tors may briefly turn on and then go off which indicates the
battery is not fully charged (see “Charging the Battery” below
and “Operator Controls”).

You must charge the batteries fully before using them for
the first time. To ensure maximum battery capacity, new bat­teries should go through two or three complete charge/dis­charge cycles when first put into service.

Figure 2: Installing the Battery

Belt Clip

Battery

12

QLn Series User Guide

Battery Safety

Caution • Avoid accidental short circuiting of any battery. Allowing

battery terminals to contact conductive material will create a short
circuit which could cause burns and other injuries or could start a re.

Important • Always refer to the Important Safety Information data

sheet shipped with each printer and the Technical Bulletin shipped
with each battery pack. These documents detail procedures to
ensure maximum reliability and safety while using this printer.

Important • Always dispose of used batteries properly. Refer to

Appendix E for more battery recycling information.

Caution • Use of any charger not approved specically by Zebra for

use with its batteries could cause damage to the battery pack or the
printer and will void the warranty.

Caution • Do not incinerate, disassemble, short circuit, or expose to

temperatures higher than 60oC (140oF).

Charger Safety

Do not place any charger in locations where liquids or metallic

objects may be dropped into the charging bays.

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QLn Series User Guide

Smart Charger-2 (SC2) Single Battery Charger

The Smart Charger-2 (SC2) is a charging system for use with
the 2-cell lithium-ion smart batteries used in the QLn Series
printers. The goal of the SC2 is to fully charge a QLn battery in
an average time of three (3) hours.

Charging Status Indicators

The SC2 uses a LED indicator to indicate the charge state in either
Green, Yellow, or Amber as detailed below.

DC Power Input Indicator Battery Status

Present Green

Present Green Fully charged

Present Yellow Charging

Present Amber Fault

Present Off Present and Battery

There will also be a battery charging graphic to indicate that
this LED is the charging status indicator .

Battery not present

Health = POOR

Battery Health Indicator

The SC2 features a tri-color (Yellow/Green/Amber) LED to indicate
the health of the battery pack. An evaluation of the battery health be­gins upon insertion of the battery in the charger and results in the ap­propriate LED being illuminated as shown below. The LED will remain
illuminated as long as input power is applied.

Battery Indicator

None or non-smart Off

Smart battery present Green

Smart battery present Yellow

Smart battery present Flashing yellow

Smart battery present Amber

Health Status

GOOD

CAPACITY DIMINISHED

PAST USEFUL LIFE

UNUSABLE- REPL ACE

(discard per Instructions in

Appendix E

14

QLn Series User Guide

Figure 3: Single Charger (SC2)

Smart Battery

Health Status LED
Indicator

Charge Status LED
Indicator

Figure 4: SC2 Dimensions

Height Width Length

65,1 mm (2.56 in.) 101,5 mm (4 in.) 120,9 mm (4.75 in.)

15

QLn Series User Guide

Model UCLI72-4 Quad Charger

The UCLI72-4 Quad Charger is designed to charge up to
four QLn battery packs simultaneously. Batteries must be re­moved from the printer to be charged in the Quad Charger.

1. Ensure that the charger has been installed properly per
the Quad Charger instruction manual. Ensure that the
power indicator on the front panel is on.

2. Remove any protective shrink-wrap and labels from all
battery packs prior to use. Plug a battery pack into any one
of the four charging bays as shown in Figure 5, noting the
orientation of the battery pack. Slide the battery pack into
the charging bay until it stops and then rock the battery
pack back until it snaps into place. The amber indicator di­rectly under the battery being charged will turn on if the
battery is properly inserted.

The indicators under the battery will allow you to monitor

the charging process per the table below:

Amber Green Battery Status

On Off Charging

On Flashing

Off On

Flashing Off Fault

80% charged (O.K.
to use)

Completely
Charged

Important • A fault condition is caused by a problem with the battery.

The charger may indicate a fault because the battery is too hot or cold
to charge reliably. Try to charge the battery again when it returns to
the room’s ambient temperature. If the amber indicator starts ashing
on the second attempt, the battery should be discarded. Always
dispose of batteries in a proper manner as described in Appendix E.

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QLn Series User Guide

Quad Charger Cycle Times :

Battery Status QLn320

Battery 80% Charged 1.5 Hrs.

Battery Fully Charged 3 Hrs.

Note • These times are for completely discharged batteries.

Battery packs which are only partially discharged will take
less time to reach their charged state. Batteries which have
reached 80% of their charge capacity may be used, however,
it is recommended that you allow the batteries to reach a full
charge to maintain maximum battery life.

The UCLI72-4 Quad Charger has a safety feature which stops charging

a battery after six hours regardless of its charge state. If not fully
charged, it might be indicative of a battery that needs to be replaced.

Use care when installing the UCLI72-4 Quad Charger so that you
do not block the ventilating slots on the top and bottom covers.
Ensure that the charger is plugged into a power source which will not
accidently be turned o if you will be charging batteries overnight.

17

QLn Series User Guide

Figure 5: Quad Charger

1. Slide Battery Pack into
Charger bay.

Fast Charge

Full Charge

Fault

Ready

Amber
Indicator

Green
Indicator

2. Rock Battery Pack into place.

Fast Charge

Full Charge

Fault

Ready

Fast Charge

Full Charge

Fault

Ready

Fast Charge

Fault

Charger Bay

Power Indicator

Power Supply

Full Charge

Ready

Power

18

QLn Series User Guide

continued

Ethernet and Charging Cradles

The cradle is an expansion base intended for use with the
QLn320 printer, as well as the QLn220 printer. There is a
four bay cradle (QLn-EC4) or a single bay option (QLn-EC) as
shown on pages 19 and 20.

It provides charging power to the docked printer as well as provid­ing a standard 10/100Mb/S Ethernet port for communication to the
printer. The EC also supplies battery charging power to the docked
printer and acts as a supplementary power source for a functioning
QLn printer.

The EC features two green LED’s to indicate the status of the
cradle: Solid green to indicate when power is provided to
the input of the EC; and blinking green to indicate Ethernet ac­tivity .

The cradle allows the user to dock the printer easily and remove
it with the push of a button. The printer shall remain operable while
docked, i.e. display is viewable, charge LED status is viewable, and
printer controls and data entry are available. The printer will still print
while docked and the user shall be able to replace the media as well.

Note • Remove the “Docking Cradle Access” label on the bottom of

the printer before docking the printer in the cradle.

DOCKING CRADLE ACCESS

Note • Clean the docking contacts with the cleaning pen provided

with the printer to remove any residue from the label.

LED Status Indication

Solid Green Power On

Blinking Green Ethernet Activity

19

QLn Series User Guide

Figure 6: Ethernet Cradle (Four Bay)

Docking Bay

Release Button

Ethernet Status
Indicator

Power Status Indicator

Figure 7: QLn-EC4 Dimensions

Height Width Length

66,7 mm (2.62 in.) 579,9 mm (22.83 in.) 150,57 mm (5.93 in.)

20

QLn Series User Guide

Figure 8: Ethernet Cradler (Single Bay)

Power Status
Indicator

Release Button

Figure 9: QLn-EC Dimensions

Ethernet Status
Indicator

Height Width Length

66,7 mm (2.62 in.) 171,28 mm (6.74 in.) 150,57 mm (5.93 in.)

Printer Operation with Cradle

• All QLn Series printers will charge in the cradles

• Only QLn Series printers that have the Ethernet option in­stalled will connect to an Ethernet network. Check the
PCC code on the back of the printer (see Appendix D
for location). Codes of the form QNX-XXXXX0XX-XX
do not support Ethernet, and codes of the form QNX­XXXXXEXX-XX do support Ethernet (where “X” means
don’t care). You can also check the “Communications”
sub-menu on the LCD (see Main Menu Screen on page

17). After selecting this sub-menu, any communication
options not installed will be so indicated.

21

QLn Series User Guide

• When power is applied to the cradle and the printer is
docked, the printer charge LED indicates the charge sta­tus of the printer (see Figure 14).

• Docking the printer in the cradle will automatically turn
the printer on to ensure it is available to be managed re­motely.

• When the printer detects input power from the cradle, and
the presence of a live Ethernet link, it will automatically
reboot and connect to the Ethernet network.

• For printers with an 802.11 radio, this interface will be
turned off when the Ethernet link is active. It will turn
back on if the Ethernet link is no longer active.

• For printers with a Bluetooth radio, this interface will re­main active while the printer is in the cradle.

• The serial and USB ports will remain active while the print­er is in the cradle.

• When connected to Ethernet, if either the cradle DC pow­er or the Ethernet link is removed for more than 10 sec­onds, the printer will reboot.

• The DC input barrel jack connector (see Figure 10) cannot
be used while the printer is in the cradle.

22

QLn Series User Guide

AC Power Adapter (included in kit p/n P1031365-024)

Figure 10: Charging the Battery Pack with the AC Power Adapter)

Qln Series
AC Adapter

AC Power Cord
(varies with
geographic

DC Input

location)

• Open the protective cover on the QLn Series printer to
expose the DC input charger jack.

• Connect the appropriate AC power cord for your location to the

adapter and then plug the power cord into an AC receptacle.

• Plug the barrel plug from the P1029871 AC adapter into the
charger jack on the printer.

• The printer will power up and begin charging. The printer can
be left on or turned off at this point. Charging will continue in ei­ther state.

Batteries are shipped uncharged. Remove protective shrink-wrap and

labels from new battery packs and allow them to charge completely
prior to initial use.

While it’s possible to charge the battery when using the printer,

charge times will increase under this condition.

23

QLn Series User Guide

Loading the Media in the QLn Series Printers

You can operate QLn Series printers in one of two different
modes: Tear-Off or Peel-Off. Tear-Off mode allows you to tear
off each label (or a strip of labels) after it is printed. In Peel-Off
mode, the backing material is peeled away from the label as it
is printed. After you remove this label, the next one is printed.

1. Open the printer.

• Press down on the latch release lever on the side of the print­er as shown at “1” in Figure 11 below. The Media Cover will
open automatically as shown at “2” below, exposing the Media
Compartment and the adjustable Media Supports.

Figure 11: Opening the QLn Series Printer

Media Cover

Media Compartment

Media Support
(opposite support
not visible)

Latch Release
Lever

24

QLn Series User Guide

2. Load the media:

4

• Grasp the media supports where shown in Figure 12 and pull
them apart. Insert the roll of media between them, and let the
media supports close. Ensure that the media pulls off the core in
the direction shown below. The supports will adjust themselves
to the width of the media, and the media should be able to spin
freely on the supports.

Figure 12: Loading Media

Media Roll

Note direction media
pulls o the roll.

Grasp Media Sup­ports where shown
and pull apart.

3. Close the Media Cover.

• If you plan to use the printer in the tear-off mode, close the me­dia cover as shown below.

Pull Media out of
Printer.

25

QLn Series User Guide

Close Media
Cover.

continued

Loading Media in Peel-o Mode

• If you plan to use the printer in the peel-off mode, peel a few la­bels off of the media and load the media as previously described.

• Push the peeler lever forward to release the peeler bail into the

“up” position as shown at “3” and “4” in Figure 13.

• Close the media cover to lock the peeler bail in place. The media

will feed between the peeler bail and platen.

Figure 13: Activating Peeler Bar

Peeler Bail

Pull up and ip down if
using media in the peel­o mode.

4

Peeler Lever

Latch Release
Lever

• Turn on the printer or press the Feed button on the front of the
printer if the printer is already on.

The printer will advance the media to the next label, if printing

labels. If you are printing on journal media, the printer will ad­vance a short strip of media.

To disengage the peeler bail, first open the media cover as previ-

ously described. The peeler bail will automatically return to the
Up position.

Press straight down on the peeler bail to lock it in place in its origi-

nal home position.

26

QLn Series User Guide

Operator Controls

The QLn Series printers come equipped with a keypad con­trol panel and LCD graphical user interface. The standard con­trol panel is illustrated in Figure 14 and 15 on pages 26 and 27.
The LCD interface allows easy display and selection of many
printer functions as detailed on following pages.

Standard Control Panel

The standard control panel has multiple control buttons and two
multipurpose indicators.

• The Power Button turns the printer on and off.

• The Media Feed Button advances a length of media which is de-
termined by the type of media being used. Label media will be
advanced to the next gap or bar sense marker. Journal (plain)
media will be advanced by a length determined by the printer’s
software.

• The LED Charge Indicator shows solid Yellow when charg­ing, solid Green when fully charged, and is turned off
when there’s a fault condition and the printer is plugged
in.

• Four Way Navigation Buttons allow the user to scroll between

functions on the LCD user space. (The Navigation Buttons do
not apply to the Status Bar and Navigation Bar.)

• Enter Button allows the user to select the desired function high-

lighted on the LCD interface and is indicated by the word “OK”.

• Two software defined function keys allow the user to select a

function listed on the navigation bar.

27

QLn Series User Guide

continued

Figure 14: Standard Control Panel for QLn Series

LED Charge Indicator

Solid Yellow: Charging
Solid Green: Fully charged

Off: No DC Power Applied
Off: With DC Power Applied: Charge Fault

Power Button

Press to turn unit

on. Press again to

turn unit o.

Feed Button

Press to advance the media
one blank label or a software
determined length of journal
media.

28

QLn Series User Guide

LCD Control Panel

The 240x128 pixel LCD control panel allows the user to view
the status of the QLn Series printer and have access to various
printer alerts and messages. It also has multi-directional keys
which allow navigation and selection of menu options affect­ing printer functions. These keys allow scrolling through the
various options and settings. The “OK” button allows selection
of the option or function displayed on the screen.

The top of the screen has a row of status icons, or a Status
Bar, which indicate the state of various printer functions. The
Status Bar is located above the Status Screen shown be­low along with a Navigation Bar. The Status Screen is the de­fault display and is shown at power up. When navigating the
menus, the printer will automatically return to this screen
when the user is done navigating after an appropriate delay.

Figure 15: LCD Control Panel

Status Screen

Default screen the printer
will display when the user
is not navigating the menu
screen.

Printer Status Bar**

Indicates the status of
several printer functions.

Soft Keys

Press to select a func­tion on the Navigation
Bar.

Navigation Bar

Displays user-selectable
options.

Four Way Navigation But tons

Scroll through menu choices on
Status Screen.

** Not every icon will be displayed on the Status

Bar, only those applicable to the printer’s congu­ration.

29

QLn Series User Guide

Select Button

Press to select a
menu choice on the
Status Screen.

continued

Status Bar Icons

Indicates Bluetooth connection status. The icon will

blink to show that the printer is receiving label data via
Bluetooth, and is solid when link is established. This icon
appears only on printers with the Bluetooth wireless op­tion installed.

Indicates that the printer is connected to a

radio network via 802.11 protocols. The antenna icon will
blink with no parentheses when looking for an access
point. One set of solid parentheses with blinking antenna
indicates WLAN is associated and attempting authentica­tion. Two sets of solid parentheses and solid antenna in­dicate the printer is successfully connected to the WLAN.
The icon and two parentheses will blink to show the print­er is receiving printer data via WLAN. The four (4)
bars indicate the strength of the WLAN connec­tion to the access point. These icons appear only with the

802.11 radio installed.

The Ethernet icon will blink when the printer is receiv-

ing label data via the Ethernet connection. It will not be
displayed on the status bar when the Ethernet is inactive.
This icon appears only when the Ethernet option is in­stalled and the printer is docked in Ethernet cradle.

The Data icon indicates data being sent to the printer,

i.e. the icon will blink when there is a label data transmis­sion via the serial or USB ports.

The Media Out icon will blink when there is no media

in the printer and will not blink when there is media in the
printer.

The Head Latch icon indicates if the media cover is

closed or not properly latched. It will appear unlocked and
blinking if open and will not appear if the cover is closed.

30

QLn Series User Guide

The Error icon will be displayed and blink if an error

condition exists. The icon will not be displayed if no print­er error exists. Since there are separate icons for Media
Out and Head Latch Open, these two alerts do not apply
to the Error icon.

The Battery Charge Level icon indicates the report­ed state of charge from the battery pack. In a non-charg­ing state, four (4) bars indicates the battery level is great­er than 80%. Three (3) bars indicates if the battery level is
less than or equal to 80% but greater than 60%. Two (2)
bars indicates if the level is less than or equal to 60% but
greater than 40%. One (1) bar indicates if the battery level
is less than or equal to 40% but greater than 20%. And
zero (0) bars indicates if the level is less than or equal to
20%.

While the battery is charging, a lightning bolt will appear in the

battery icon to indicate that charging is taking place.

When the battery is charging and fully charged, four bars will be

displayed. When the battery is charging and the level is greater
than 80%, the battery icon will alternate between four bars and
three bars. When the battery is charging and the level is less than
or equal to 80% but greater than 60%, the icon will alternate be­tween three bars and two bars. When the battery is charging and
the level is less than or equal to 60% but greater than 40%, the
icon will alternate between two bars and one bar. When the bat­tery is charging and the level is less than or equal to 40% the icon
will alternate between one bar and zero bars.

31

QLn Series User Guide

Main Menu Screen

The user can select options on the Main Menu screen by
pressing the soft key located beneath the Menu option on the
navigation bar (see Fig. 16). The Main Menu screen displays
graphical options including Communication, Display, Media,
Battery, and Help.

Figure 16: Main Menu Screen

Info (Help)

Icon

The user can scroll between icons using the four-way arrow
buttons. When an icon is highlighted, its text description will
be displayed in the middle of the navigation bar, and can be
selected by pressing the “OK” button. This will take the user to
the screen with status information specific to that option. The
Info (or Help) menu provides useful information on a variety of
topics. Please explore this menu to become more familiar with
your printer and how it operates.

The QLn Series printers will also display various alerts, such
as “Media Out”, “Media Cover Open”, or “Battery Low”. The
user can respond to questions by pressing one of the soft
keys to indicate that an action has been taken to address the
alert in question. Once the condition causing the alert has
been addressed (i.e. loading media), the alert message will be
cleared. (See Appendix G for a complete list of alerts for the
QLn Series printers.)

32

QLn Series User Guide

Soft Keys

Programmable LCD Settings

In addition to the status icons, the LCD control panel can dis­play other printer settings and functions as text. Applications
can be written to allow the user to view and /or modify these
settings using the scroll and select keys on the display. The
menu that comes with the printer provides access to the most
commonly used parameters. Refer to the CPCL Programming
Manual for a complete list of the parameters, and for details
on how to change the front panel display (p/n P1036975-001 at
www.zebra.com/manuals).

The LCD backlighting option allows viewing of the screen
in a dark environment, or provides better contrast in a very
bright environment. The QLn320 and QLn220 can be pro­grammed to enter a low power mode (Backlight Off) during
periods of front panel inactivity. While in low power mode, the
screen is populated with menus and status icons, data which
may or may not be readable depending on ambient light con­ditions. The QLn Series printers provide a configurable time
delay from the time the backlight is turned on to when it turns
off. The time range for this delay is 5 to 1200 seconds with
a default time of 10 seconds. The backlight can be activated
within one second after any of the cursor, select, or soft keys
is pressed. (The feed button does not activate the backlight.)
The status bar icons, the user space content, and the navi­gation bar will remain on the screen with the backlight off.
Extensive use of the display backlight will decrease the time
the printer can run between charges. Refer to the section
“Extending Battery Life” for more information.

33

QLn Series User Guide

Verify the Printer Is Working

Before you connect the printer to your computer or portable data
terminal, make sure that the printer is in proper working order. You
can do this by printing a configuration label using the “two key” meth­od. If you can’t get this label to print, refer to “Troubleshooting”.

Printing a Conguration Label

1. Turn the printer off. Load the media compartment with
journal media (media with no black bars printed on the
back)

2. Press and hold the Feed Button.

3. Press and release the Power button and keep the Feed
button pressed. When printing starts, release the Feed
button.

The unit will print a line of interlocking “x” characters to
ensure all elements of the print head are working, print out the
version of software loaded in the printer and then print the re­port. Note that the report can also be printed from the Info
(Help) menu on the LCD.

The report indicates model, serial number, baud rate, and more
detailed information on the printer’s configuration and parameter set­tings. (See the Troubleshooting Section for sample printouts and a fur­ther discussion on how to use the configuration label as a diagnostic
tool.)

Connecting the Printer

The printer must establish communications with a host ter­minal which sends the data to be printed. Communications
occur in four basic ways:

• QLn Series printers can communicate by cable via either
RS-232C or USB 2.0 protocols. USB drivers are included
in the Zebra Designer Driver which can be downloaded

www.zebra.com/drivers

from

• By means of a Bluetooth™ short range radio frequency link.
(Optional)

• By means of a wireless LAN (Local Area Network) per 802.11 spec­ifications. (Optional)

• By means of the Ethernet when docked on the Ethernet cradle.

(Optional)

QLn Series User Guide

.

34

Cable Communication

Caution • The printer should be turned o before connecting or
disconnecting a communications cable.

The QLn320 and QLn220 printers can communicate by ca­ble; the specific cable supplied with your printer will vary with
the host terminal and your model printer.

RS-232C Communications

The 14-pin serial connector on your communications cable
plugs into the serial communications port on the side of the
printer. QLn Series printers also have a USB port.

USB Communications

The small 5-pin connector on the USB cable plugs into the
printer. The connectors are keyed to assure correct align­ment; do not try to force the cable if it does not plug in.

Figure 17: Cable Communications

Communications

Port

Figure 18: Communications with a P.C.

Communications Cable to Terminal

Part numbers vary. Refer to Appendix A.

QLn Series User Guide

RS-232C or USB Communications
Cable to Computer

Refer to Appendix A for part numbers.

35

The other end of the cable must be plugged into the host ter­minal as shown in Figure 18, or to a serial or USB port on a
computer (Figure 18). The QLn Series is configured with the
USB Open HCI interface driver allowing it to communicate
with Windows® based devices.

USB drivers are included in the Zebra Designer Driver which can be
downloaded from the Zebra Web site. Other terminals or communica­tions devices may require the installation of special drivers to use the
USB connection. Consult the factory for further details.

Providing Strain Relief for Communications Cable

If you are connecting either a USB or RS-232 communications cable
to the printer permanently, access the communications port on the
side of the printer next to the latch release lever. Plug the connector
into the appropriate port and align the plastic locking cap with the cut
outs shown below. Rotate the locking cap clockwise to lock the cable
in place. (Turn counterclockwise to unlock the cable.) Once locked in
place, this provides strain relief for the cable and will prevent the cable
from disconnecting from the printer.

Note • Only one cable can be present in the USB/RS-232

communications port at a time for strain relief purposes.

Figure 19: Communications Port

Align locking
connector
with these
cut-outs.

USB Port

QLn Series User Guide

RS-232 Port

36

Figure 20: Communications Port Strain Relief

Rotate locking cap in a
clockwise direction to lock
cable in place.

37

QLn Series User Guide

Wireless Communications with Bluetooth™

Bluetooth is a worldwide standard for the exchange of data
between two devices via radio frequencies. Bluetooth radios
are relatively low powered to help prevent interference with
other devices running at similar radio frequencies. This limits
the range of a Bluetooth device to about 10 meters (32 feet).
Both the printer and the device it communicates with must fol­low the Bluetooth standard. Other than conditions specified
elsewhere in this manual, only one of the radio options can be
installed in the printer at one time and the antenna used for
these transmitters must not be co-located or must not operate
in conjunction with any other antenna.

Bluetooth Networking Overview

Each Bluetooth enabled QLn320 and QLn220 printer is iden­tified by a unique Bluetooth Device Address (BDA). In order to
exchange data, two Bluetooth enabled devices must establish
a connection.

Bluetooth software is always running in the background,
ready to respond to connection requests. One device (known
as the master or the client) must request a connection with an­other. The second device (the slave or the server) then accepts
or rejects the connection. A Bluetooth enabled QLn Series
printer will normally act as a slave creating a miniature net­work with the terminal sometimes referred to as a “piconet”.

For the most part, communications using the Bluetooth pro­tocol are initiated and processed without any operator inter­vention.

38

QLn Series User Guide

continued

WLAN Overview

QLn320 and QLn220 printers can be equipped with a radio
using the industry standard 802.11 protocols. They will have
the FCC ID number on the serial number label on the back of
the unit.

• QLn Series Wireless Network Printers with the Zebra

802.11 WLAN radio module can be identified by the text
“Wireless Network Printer” on the serial number label on
the back of the printer.

• These printers allow communication as a node within a
wireless local area network (WLAN). Methods of estab­lishing communications to the printer will vary with each
application.

General information on establishing WLAN communica­tions can be found in the ”CPCL Programming Manual” which
is available on-line. More information and LAN configuration
utilities are included in Zebra’s Net Bridge™ program (ver­sion 2.8 and later). Net Bridge may be downloaded from the
Zebra Web site.

Setting Up the Software

QLn Series printers use Zebra’s CPCL and ZPL Programming
languages which were designed for mobile printing ap­plications. CPCL and ZPL are fully described in the ”CPCL
Programming Manual” and the “ZPL Programming Guide”
available on-line at

You can also use Designer Pro, Zebra’s Windows® based la­bel creation program which uses a graphical interface to cre­ate and edit labels in either language.

Refer to Appendix F for tips on downloading the Designer Pro appli­cation from Zebra’s Web site.

www.zebra.com/manuals

.

39

QLn Series User Guide

Using the Accessories

Swivel Belt Clip

Refer to Figure 21. Most QLn320 and QLn220 printers have a
belt clip installed as a standard feature. To use: hook the clip
over your belt, and ensure that the clip is securely attached
to the belt. The belt clip will pivot to allow you to move freely
while wearing the printer.

In order to install or remove the Belt Clip you will need to remove
the battery pack.

Figure 21: Using the Belt Clip

Clip printer to
belt

Belt

Printer can
pivot freely

Soft Case

Both the QLn220 and QLn320 have soft case options that
also allow you to carry the printer from your belt. The QLn320
soft case can be ordered through accessory kit number
P1031365-029 while the QLn220 accessory kit is yet to be de­termined.

40

QLn Series User Guide

Adjustable Shoulder Strap

Refer to Figure 22 if your printer is equipped with the shoul­der strap option (p/n P1031365-026). Insert each end of the
shoulder strap into the cut-outs in each top corner of the print­er and secure the looped end over the button on the end of
the strap to fasten.

Hold the buckle and pull the strap as shown below until you
achieve the desired length.

Figure 22: Using the Optional Shoulder Strap

Pull Strap here
to lengthen.

Hold Buckle.

Pull

Strap
here to
shorten.

Insert loop into
cut-outs on
printer.

41

QLn Series User Guide

End of
strap

Button

Loop

continued

Hand Strap

The QLn Series hand strap accessory (p/n P1031365-027) at­taches to the printer’s cut-outs as does the shoulder strap to
provide the user with a convenient and secure method of car­rying the printer. To attach the hand strap to the printer:

• Insert the end of the strap through the cut out on the front of the
printer as shown.

• Loop the end of the strap back around the cut out and secure it
over the button.

• Repeat this process for the opposite end of the strap.

Figure 23: Detachable Hand Strap

Loop strap into
cut-outs on
printer.

The QLn320 and QLn220 printers also features two mount­ing holes on the base of the printer to accommodate future
mounting options.

42

QLn Series User Guide

Preventive Maintenance

Extending Battery Life

• Never expose the battery to direct sunlight or tempera­tures over 104° F (40° C).

• Always use a Zebra charger designed specifically for Lithium-Ion
batteries. Use of any other kind of charger may damage the bat­tery.

• Use the correct media for your printing requirements. An
authorized Zebra re-seller can help you determine the op­timum media for your application.

• If you print the same text or graphic on every label, con­sider using a pre-printed label.

• Choose the correct print darkness, and print speed for
your media.

• Use software handshaking (XON/XOFF) whenever possi­ble.

• Remove the battery if the printer won’t be used for a day or more
and you’re not performing a maintenance charge.

• Consider purchasing an extra battery.

• Remember that any rechargeable battery will lose its
ability to maintain a charge over time. It can only be re­charged a finite number of times before it must be re­placed. Always dispose of batteries properly. Refer to
Appendix E for more information on battery disposal.

General Cleaning Instructions

Caution • Avoid possible personal injury or damage to the printer: never

insert any pointed or sharp objects into the printer.

Always turn the printer o before performing any cleaning

procedures.

Use care when working near the tear bar. The edges are very sharp.

Caution • The printhead can be very hot after prolonged printing.

Allow it to cool o before attempting any cleaning procedures.

Only use the cleaning pen supplied with the printer or a cotton swab

saturated with alcohol for cleaning the printhead.

Caution • Use only cleaning agents specied in the following tables.

Zebra Technologies Corporation will not be responsible for damage
caused by any other cleaning materials used on this printer.

43

QLn Series User Guide

QLn Series Cleaning

Area Method Interval

Printhead (Figure 24)

Platen Roller (Figure 24)

Platen Roller (Figure 25)

Peel bar (Figure 24)

Tear bar (Figure 24)

Use the supplied cleaning pen or 70%
Isopropyl alcohol on a cotton swab to
clean the print elements from end to
end (the print elements are located in
the thin gray line on the printhead).

Rotate the platen roller and clean it
thoroughly with the cleaning pen or
70% Isopropyl alcohol and a cotton
swab.

Units with linerless platens: Rotate
platen & clean bearing points only.

Avoid use of alcohol on the surface
of linerless platens

Clean thoroughly with the cleaning pen
or 70% Isopropyl alcohol and a cotton
swab.

After every five rolls of
media (or more often, if
needed),
Linerless media requires
more frequent cleaning

As needed

As needed

Exterior

Interior (Figure 24)

Interior (Figure 25)

Water-dampened cloth or 70%
Isopropyl alcohol wipe.

Brush/air blow. Ensure the Bar
Sensor, Gap Sensor and Label
Present Sensor windows are free
of dust.

Units with linerless platens: Clean inside
surfaces of edge guides & media rollers
with the supplied cleaning pen or 70%
Isopropyl alcohol on a cotton swab.

As needed

After every five rolls of
media (or more often, if
needed)

44

QLn Series User Guide

Figure 24: Cleaning the QLn Series Printers

Platen surface

Peeler Bar

Bar Sensor

Printhead

Elements

Peeler
Bar

Label
Presence
Sensor

Figure 25: Cleaning the Linerless QLn Series Printers

Gap
Sensor

Tear Bar

Bearing Points

Linerless Platens only

Scraper

Platen surface

Avoid using alcohol
on linerless platen
surface.

Media Support
Disks, Inner
surfaces on
both sides.

Linerless units only.

45

QLn Series User Guide

Troubleshooting

Figure 26 QLn Series Control Panel

Front Control Panel

LCD Control Panel

Green/Yellow
LED

Status icons

Front Control Panel

If the printer is not functioning properly, refer to the chart
below to find the state of the LED charge indicator on the
Front Control Panel. Then refer to the Troubleshooting top­ic referenced in the chart to resolve the problem. Please note
that the charge LED is only on when DC power is applied to
the printer. If no DC power is applied the LED is off, which
does not apply to the table below.

Green Yellow Indication

Solid

Off

Off

Off

Solid Charging n/a

Off

46

QLn Series User Guide

Fully charged

Fault

Ref. to
Topic

n/a

1

LCD Control Panel Indicators

The top of the display shows several icons which indicate
the status of various printer functions. Check the indicator sta­tus, then refer to the Troubleshooting topic referenced in the
chart to resolve the problem.

Icon Status Indication

On Bluetooth Link estab-

Not Present Bluetooth Link inactive

Blinking

Antenna Blinking Looking for AP

Antenna Blinking/1 Parenthe-

sis Solid

Antenna and 2 Parentheses

Solid

Antenna and 2 Parentheses

Blinking

Not Present

4 Bars >80% Charged

3 Bars 60%-80% Charged

2 Bars 40%-60% Charged

1 Bar 20%-40% Charged

0 Bars Low Bat ter y

4 Blinking w/ Lightning Bolt Charging >80% Capacity

3 Blinking w/ Lightning Bolt

2 Blinking w/ Lightning Bolt

1 Blinking w/ Lightning Bolt

0 Bars w/ Lightning Bolt Charging <20% Capacity

lished

Connecting or Trans­mitting Labels

WLAN Associated & At­tempting Authentication

WLAN Associated and
Authenticated

Receiving Data

No Radio Present

Charging 60 -80% Ca­pacity

Charging 40 -60% Ca­pacity

Charging 20-40% Ca­pacity

Blinking Media cover open

Blinking Receiving data

Solid Ethernet Connected

Not Present No Ethernet Connection

47

QLn Series User Guide

continued

Blinking

Steady No data being processed

Blinking Out of Media

Steady Media present

Blinking

Not Present No error exists

4 Bars

3 Bars

2 Bars

1 Bar

0 Bars No Signal Strength

Data processing in
progress

Error exists (excluding
Media Out and Head
Latch Open)

802.11 signal strength
> 75%

802.11 signal strength
</= 75%

802.11 signal strength </=
50% but >25%

802.11 signal strength
</= 25%

Troubleshooting Topics

1. No power

• Check that battery is installed properly.

• Recharge or replace battery as necessary.

Always dispose of batteries properly. Refer to Appendix E for more

information on proper battery disposal.

2. Media does not feed:

• Be sure print head is closed and latched.

• Check spindle holding media for any binding.

• Ensure most recently printed label is removed (only in peel mode).

• Also ensure label sensor is not blocked.

3. Poor or faded print:

• Clean print head.

• Check quality of media.

4. Partial or missing print:

• Check media alignment

• Clean print head.

• Ensure printhead is properly closed and latched.

5. Garbled print:

• Check baud rate.

48

QLn Series User Guide

6. No print:

• Check baud rate.

• Replace battery.

• Check cable to terminal.

• Establish RF Link (Wireless units only) and/or restore LAN
associativity (Printers with WLAN radios only).

• Invalid label format or command structure. Place printer in
Communications Diagnostic (Hex Dump) Mode to diagnose
problem.

7. Reduced battery charge life

• Check battery date code — if battery is older than 1 year old, short
charge life may be due to normal aging.

• Check battery health.

• Replace battery.

8. ashing:

• Flashing indicator is normal while data is being received.

9. or ashing:

• Check that media is loaded and that the media cover is closed and
securely latched.

10. Skips labels:

• Check media for top of form sense mark or label gap.

• Check that the maximum print field has not been exceeded
on label.

• Ensure bar or gap sensor is not blocked or malfunctioning

11. Communication error:

• Check baud rate.

• Replace cable to terminal.

12. Label jam:

• Open head release latch and media cover.

• Remove and reinstall media.

13. Blank LCD screen

• Make sure printer is turned on.

• No application loaded or application corrupted: reload

program.

49

QLn Series User Guide

Troubleshooting Tests

Printing a Conguration Label

To print out a listing of the printer’s current configuration fol-

low these steps:

1. Turn the printer off. Load the media compartment with
journal media (media with no black bars printed on the
back).

2. Press and hold the Feed Button.

3. Press and release the Power button and keep the Feed
button pressed. When printing starts, release the Feed
button.

Note • The conguration report can also be printed from the Info

(Help) menu on the LCD.

Refer to Figures 27a, b, and c for sample configuration print-

outs.

Communications Diagnostics

If there is a problem transferring data between the computer
and the printer, try putting the printer in the Communications
Diagnostics Mode (also referred to as the “DUMP” mode). The
printer will print the ASCII characters and their text represen­tation (or the period ‘.’, if not a printable character) for any data

received from the host computer.

To enter Communications Diagnostics Mode:

1. Print a configuration label as described above.

2. At the end of the diagnostics report, the printer will print: “Press
FEED key to enter DUMP mode”.

3. Press the FEED key. The printer will print: “Entering
DUMP mode”.

Note • If the FEED key is not pressed within 3 seconds, the printer will

print “DUMP mode not entered” and will resume normal operation.

4. At this point, the printer is in DUMP mode and will print
the ASCII hex codes of any data sent to it, and their text
representation (or “.” if not a printable character).

Additionally, a file with a “.dmp” extension containing the

50

QLn Series User Guide

ASCII information will be created and stored in the printer’s
memory. It can be viewed, “cloned” or deleted using the Net
Bridge application. (Refer the Net Bridge documentation for
more information.)

To terminate the Communications Diagnostics Mode and re-

turn the printer to normal operations:

1. Turn the printer OFF.

2. Wait 5 seconds.

3. Turn the printer ON.

Contacting Technical Support

If the printer fails to print the configuration label, or you en­counter problems not covered in the Troubleshooting Guide,
contact Zebra Technical Support. Technical Support ad­dresses and phone numbers for your area can be found in
Appendix D of this manual. You will need to supply the fol­lowing information:

• Model number and type (e.g. QLn320)

• Unit serial number (Found on the large label on the back of the
printer, also found in the configuration label printout.

• Product Configuration Code (PCC) (15 digit number found on the
label on the back of the unit)

51

QLn Series User Guide

Figure 27a: QLn Series Conguration Label Example (QLn320 Shown)

Identifies
Printer as a
QLn320 series

Unit Serial
Number

Report appears
only on units
with wireless
options in­stalled.

Units with no
wireless options
will print an
empty line and
resume.

Application
Number

This unit has a

802.11b/g radio
option installed.
This section
details the
radio’s network
settings.

Note • Wireless conguration settings may not print correctly when us-

ing the Power and Feed key method of printing as the radio takes time to initial­ize before these settings are valid. To get the correct setting, turn the printer on,
wait 60 seconds, and then print the report from the Info (Help) menu.

52

QLn Series User Guide

Figure 27b: Conguration Label Example (continued)

Peripherals
installed: In
this example
the 802.11
option is
installed.

Flash
and RAM
Memory
Installed

Maximum
Label Size

Resident
Human
Readable
fonts
installed.

53

QLn Series User Guide

continued

Figure 27c: Conguration Label Example (continued)

Files Loaded
in Printer
Memory
(will include
Pre-scaled
or Scalable
Fonts).

54

QLn Series User Guide

Specifications

Note • Printer specications are subject to change without notice.

Printing Specications

Parameter QLn320 QLn220

Print Width Up to 2.91 in. (74 mm) Up to 1.89 in. (48 mm)

4 in./second (101,6 mm/second)

Print Speed

Printhead Burn
Line to Tear
Edge Distance

Print Head Life,
calculated

Print Density 203 dots/in. Same

2 in./second (50,8 mm/second) with

without peeler

peeler

0.20 in. (5,08 mm) 0.17 in. (4,31 mm)

1 million inches of paper fed Same

Memory and Communications Specications for QLn Series

Flash Memory 256 MB Flash

RAM Memory 128 MB RAM

RS-232 serial port (14 Pin serial connector)
Configurable Baud rate (from 9600 to 115.2 Kbps),

Standard
Communications

parity and data bits.
Software (X-ON/X-OFF) or hardware (DTR/
STR) communication handshake protocols.

USB 2.0 Full Speed Inter face (12 Mbps)

Optional Wireless
Communications

Bluetooth v2.1 compatible 2.4 GHz SRRF link

Optional wireless LAN capabilities comply
with802.11b/g protocols

Time and date under application control. Refer to

Real Time Clock (RTC)

CPCL and ZPL Programming Manuals, available at
www.zebra.com/manuals for RTC commands.

Ethernet

10 or 100 mps Ethernet auto detect when docked in
cradle.

1

1

Same

Same

1. Memory configuration on your printer may be ascertained by printing a configuration
label as detailed on pages 48.

55

QLn Series User Guide

Label Specications

Parameter QLn320 QLn220

Media Width

1.0 in. to 3.125 in. (38,1 to
78,4 mm)

.63 in to 2.18 in. (16 mm to

55,37 mm)

Max/Min Label
Length

Black Bar
Sensor to
Printhead Burn
Line Distance.

Label Thickness

Tag Thickness

Max. Label Roll
dia.

Label Inner
Core**

Black Mark
Location

Black Mark
Dimensions

0.5 in. minimum to 32 in.

maximum

0.56 in. (14,22 mm) 0.53 in. (13,46 mm)

0.0023 in to 0.0065 in

(0.058 mm to 0.165 mm)

0.0055 in. (0.152 mm)
maximum

2.6 in. (66,8 mm) O.D. 2.2 in. max (55,8 nn) O.D.

0.75 in. (19 mm) or 1.38 in

(35,05 mm) minimum dia. for

linered

1.38 in. (35,05 mm) minimum
dia. for linerless media

The reflective media black
marks should be centered on
the media roll.

Minimum mark width: 0.5
in. (12,7 mm) perpendicular
to inside edge of media,
centered within the width of
the roll.
Mark length: 0.12 in. to 0.43
in. (3-11 mm) parallel to
inside edge of media

0.0023 in. to 0.0055 in.

(0.058mm to 0.140 mm)

Same

Same

Same

Same

Same

Same

Use Zebra brand direct thermal media that is outside wound. Media

may be reective (black mark) sensing, or transmissive (gap) sensing,
die-cut, continuous, or linerless.

For die-cut labels, use only full auto dies.

** QLn Series printers support coreless media which is 0.75 in. (19 mm) in

inner diameter.

56

QLn Series User Guide

CPCL Font and Bar Code Specications and Commands

25 bit-mapped fonts; 1 scalable font (CG Trimvirate Bold

Standard Fonts

Available Optional Fonts

Linear Bar Codes Available

2-D Bar Codes Available

Rotation Angles 0°, 90°, 180°, and 270°

Condensed*) *Contains UFST from Agfa Monotype Corporation

Downloadable optional bit-mapped & scalable fonts via Net
Bridge software.

Optional International character sets: Chinese 16 x 16
(trad), 16 x 16 (simplified),24 x 24 (simplified); Japanese
16 x 16, 24 x 24

Barcode (CPCL Command)

Aztec (AZTEC)

Codabar (CODABAR, CODABAR 16)

UCC/EAN 128 (UCCEAN128)

Code 39 (39, 39C, F39, F39C)

Code 93 (93)

Code 128 (128)

EAN 8, 13, 2 and 5 digit extensions (EAN8, EAN82, EAN85, EAN13,
EAN132, and EAN135)

EAN-8 Composite (EAN8)

EAN-13 Composite (EAN13)

Plessey (PLESSEY)

lnterleaved 2 of 5 (I2OF5)

MSI (MSI, MSI10, MSI1110)

FIM/POSTNET (FIM)

TLC39 (TLC39)

UCC Composite A/ B/C (128(Auto))

UPCA, 2 and 5 digit extensions (UPCA2 and UPCA5)

UPCA Composite (UPCA)

UPCE, 2 and 5 digit extensions (UPCE2 and UPCE5)

UPCE Composite (UPCE)

MaxiCode (MAXICODE)

PDF 417 (PDF-417)

Datamatrix (using ZPL emulation) (DATAMATRIX)

QR Code (QR)

RSS-14 (RSS-Subtype 1)

RSS-14 Truncated (RSS-Subtype 2)

RSS-14 Stacked (RSS -Subtype 3)

RSS:

RSS-14 Stacked Omnidirectional (RSS-Subtype 4)

RSS Limited (RSS-Subtype 5)

RSS Expanded (RSS-Subt ype 6)

57

QLn Series User Guide

ZPL Font and Bar Code Specications and Commands

15 bit-mapped fonts; 1 scalable font (CG Trimvirate Bold

Standard Fonts

Available Optional Fonts

Linear Bar Codes Available

2-D Bar Codes Available

Rotation Angles 0°, 90°, 180°, and 270°

*Contains UFST from Agfa Monotype Corporation

Condensed*)

Downloadable optional bit-mapped & scalable fonts via
Net Bridge software.

Zebra offers font kits covering multiple languages including
Simplified and Traditional Chinese, Japanese, Korean,
Hebrew/Arabic, and others.

Barcode (ZPL Command)

Aztec (^B0)

Codabar (^BK)

Codablock (^BB)

Code 11 (^B1)

Code 39 (^B3)

Code 49 (B4)

Code 93 (^BA)

Code 128 (^BC)

DataMatrix (^BX)

EAN-8 (^B8)

EAN-13 (^BE)

GS1 DataBar Omnidirectional (^BR)

Industrial 2 of 5 (^BI)

lnterleaved 2 of 5 (^B2)

ISBT-128 (^BC)

LOGMARS (^BL)

Micro-PDF417 (^BF)

MSI (^BM)

PDF-417 (^B7)

Planet Code (^B5)

Plessey (^BP)

Postnet (^BZ)

Standard 2 of 5 (^BJ)

TLC39 (^BT)

UPC/EAN extensions (^BS)

UPC-A (^BU)

UPC-E (^B9)

Maxi Code (^BD)

QR Code (^BQ)

58

QLn Series User Guide

Communications Ports

RS-232C

Pin# Signal Name Type Description

1

2 TXD output Transmit Data

3

4

5 GND Ground

6

7

8

9 N/A Do Not Use

10 N/A Do Not Use

11 N/A Do Not Use

12 N/A Do Not Use

13 N/A Do Not Use

14 N/A Do Not Use

CTS

RXD

DSR input Data Set Ready: low to high transition

DTR output Data Terminal Ready: set high when

N/A Do Not Use

RTS

input

input

output

Clear To Send from host

Receive Data

turns printer on, high to low transition
turns printer off (if enabled)

printer is on.
Switched 5V (300mA max)

Request To Send set high when printer is
ready to accept a command or data

10

12

8

4

6

2

1

5

3

7

14

9

11

13

Figure 28: RS-232C Communications Port

59

QLn Series User Guide

USB

Pin

Pin # Signal Name Type Description

1 VBUS - USB Bus Power

2 USB - bi-directional I/O signals

3 USB + bi- directional I/O signals

4 USB_ID - Identifies A/B connector

5 Return Ground

5

1

Figure 29: USB Communications Port

Physical, Environmental and Electrical Specications

Parameter

Weight w/
battery,excluding
media & wireless
options.

Temperature

Relative Humidity

Battery

Intrusion
Protection (IP)
Rating

Operating : - 4° to 122° F (-20°

Storage: -13° to 149° F (-25° to

Charging: 32° to 104° F (0° to

Operating: 10% to 80% (non-

Storage: 10% to 90% (non-

QLn320 QLn220

1.60 lbs. (0.75 kg.)

to 50° C)

65° C) Range

40° C)

condensing)

condensing)

Lithium-Ion, 7.4 VDC

(nominal); 2.45 AHr min.

IP43 (without optional

environmental case)

IP54 (with case)

TBD (without optional

environmental case)

1.35 lbs. (0.61 kg.)

Same

Same

10% to 90% (non-

condensing)

Same

Same

IP54 (with case)

60

QLn Series User Guide

Figure 30: QLn320 Overall Dimensions

3.15 in.

(76,9 mm)

(117,9 mm)

Depth

6.85 in.

(173,7 mm)

4.65 in.

Width Height

61

QLn Series User Guide

Figure 31: QLn220 Overall Dimensions

2.85 in.

(72,4 mm)

Depth

6.73 in.

(170,9 mm)

3.5 in.

(91,4 mm)

Width

Height

62

QLn Series User Guide

QLn Series Accessories

Description

Adjustable shoulder strap: Kit p/n P1031365-026

Hand Strap: Kit p/n P1031365-027

Protective soft case: Kit p/n P1031365 -029 (QLn320); includes shoulder
strap; TBD (QLn220)

Extra bat ter y packs: Kit p/n P1031365- 025

Ethernet Cradle: p/n P1031365-033 (US line cord, see Sales for others)

Quad Ethernet Cradle: TBD (US line cord, see Sales for others)

SC2 Smart Single Bat ter y Charger: TBD (US line cord, see Sales for
others)

AC Power Adapter: p/n P1031365-024 (US line cord, see Sales for others)

Model UCLI72- 4 Quad Battery Charger
(100-240 VAC input): p/n AC18177-5 (US line cord, see Sales for others)

Refer to Appendix A for information on Data I/O Cables

For more accessory kit details and order numbers, contact the factory

or your authorized Zebra re-seller.

63

QLn Series User Guide

Appendix A

Interface Cables
RS232 Cables

Part Number P1031365-053; DB-9 to 14-Pin Serial

Part Number P1031365- 052; 8-Pin DIN to 14-Pin Serial Cable (QL Adapter Cable)

64

QLn Series User Guide

USB Cable

- GND

- D+

- D-

- VBUS

- VBUS

- D-

- D+

- NC

- GND

Part Number AT17010-1; USB A to USB Mini B Cable

Part Number P1031365-055; 4 Position USB Mini to 4-Pin USB (w/ Strain Relief)

More Interface Cables

Contact the Factory or your Zebra Sales Representative for more

information on interface cables to most major manufacturer’s data
terminals.

You may also vist the Zebra Web site at:

www.zebra.com/accessories

for all series of Zebra mobile printers

QLn Series User Guide

for a listing of interface cables

65

Appendix B

Media Supplies

To insure maximum printer life and consistent print qual­ity and performance for your individual application, it is rec­ommended that only media produced by Zebra be used.
Advantages include:

• Consistent quality and reliability of media products.

• Large range of stocked and standard formats.

• In-house custom format design service.

• Large production capacity which services the needs of
many large and small media consumers including major
retail chains world wide.

• Media products that meet or exceed industry standards.

For more information go the Zebra website (www.zebra.com) and

select the Products tab, or refer to the CD included with the printer.

Appendix C

Maintenance Supplies

In addition to using quality media provided by Zebra, it is
recommended that the printer be cleaned as prescribed in the
maintenance section. The following items are available for
this purpose:

• Cleaning Pen (10 pack), Reorder No. AN11209-1

66

QLn Series User Guide

Appendix D

Product Support

When calling with a specific problem regarding your printer,

please have the following information on hand:

• Model number/type (e.g. QLn320)

• Unit serial number (refer to figure on opposite page)

• Product Configuration Code (PCC) (refer to figure on fol­lowing page))

In the Americas contact

Regional Headquarters Technical Support Customer Service

Zebra Technologies Corporation
475 Half Day Road, Suite 500
Lincolnshire, Illinois 60069 U.S.A
T: [phone]
Toll-free [phone]
F: [phone]

In Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and India contact

T: [phone]
F: [phone]
Hardware:

[e-mail]

Software:

[e-mail]

Regional Headquarters Technical Support Internal Sales Dept.

Zebra Technologies Europe Limited
Dukes Meadow
Millboard Road
Bourne End
Buckinghamshire SL8 5XF, UK

T: [phone]
F: [phone]

T: [phone]
F: [phone]
E: Tseurope@z ebra.com

Dept.

For printers, parts, media,
and ribbon, please call your
distributor, or contact us.
T: [phone]
E: [e-mail]

For printers, parts, media,
and ribbon, please call
you r dis tr ib ut or, or
contact us.
T: [phone]
F: [phone]
E: cseuro [e-mail]

In the Asia Pacic region contact

Regional Headquarters Technical Support Customer Service

Zebra Technologies Asia Pacic
Pte. Ltd.
120 Robinson Road
#06- 01 Parakou Building
Singapore 068913
T: [phone]
F: [phone]

T: [phone]
F: [phone]
E: (China)

[e-mail] m

All other areas:

tsasiap aci[e-mail]

67

QLn Series User Guide

For printers, parts, media,
and ribbon, please call your
distributor, or contact us.
T: [phone]
F: [phone]
E: (China) [e-mail]
All other areas:

csasiap aci[e-mail]

continued

Appendix D (continued)

Serial and PCC Number Locations for QLn Series Printers

Serial Number

Barcode

XXX-XXXXXXXX-XXPCC:

PLACE BAR CODE HERE

XXXXSYYWWNNNNN

S/N:

PLACE BAR CODE HERE

中

This product is covered by one or more Zebra US patents.

Made In China

7,4V 15A

QLn320

QLn320 (Bottom View)

PCC
Barcode

68

QLn Series User Guide

Appendix E

Battery Disposal

The EPA certified RBRC® Battery Recycling
Seal on the Lithium-Ion (Li-Ion) battery supplied
with your printer indicates Zebra Technologies
Corporation is voluntarily participating in an in­dustry program to collect and recycle these
batteries at the end of their useful life, when

taken out of service in the United States or Canada. The RBRC
program provides a convenient alternative to placing used
Li-Ion batteries into the trash or the municipal waste stream,
which may be illegal in your area.

Important • When the battery is depleted, insulate the terminals with

tape before disposal

Please call 1-800-8-BATTERY for information on Li-Ion bat­tery recycling and disposal bans/restrictions in your area.
Zebra Technologies Corporation’s involvement in this program
is part of our commitment to preserving our environment and
conserving our natural resources.

Outside North America, please follow local battery recycling
guidelines.

Product Disposal

The majority of this printer’s components are

recyclable.

Do not dispose of any printer components in
unsorted municipal waste. Please dispose of
the battery according to your local regulations,
and recycle the other printer components ac­cording to your local standards.

For more information, please see our web

site at: http://www.zebra.com/environment

69

QLn Series User Guide

Appendix F

Using zebra.com

The following examples use the search functions on Zebra’s

Web site for finding specific documents .

Example1: Find the Mobile Printer WIreless Conguration Guide.

Go to www.zebra.com/manuals.
Select as a manual type “Networking Manual” then click on “Submit ”.

Select
manual
type

Click on
“SUBMIT”

At the resulting screen, select Wireless Mobile as the networking type. Then select
the desired language. (Best choices are “All” or “English”)

Select networking
type (Wireless
Mobile in this
example)

Select language

Click on
“SUBMIT”

At the resulting screen, select “Zebra Mobile Printers - Wireless Configuration Guide”
then click on “Download” to begin the download process.

70

QLn Series User Guide

Example 2: Find the Net Bridge Download page:

Go to www.zebra.com/software and access the screen below.

Select the
“ZebraNet
Bridge
Enterprise

At the resulting window select “Download Current Release“



71

QLn Series User Guide

Appendix G

Alert Messages

The following alert messages will be displayed to inform the
user of various fault conditions that may occur with the QLn
Series printer.

Line One (Status) Line Two (Action) Notes

MEDIA OUT LOAD MEDIA

MEDIA COVER OPEN CLOSE MEDIA COVER

MAINTENANCE NEEDED CLEAN PRINTHEAD

PAPER JAM REMOVE MEDIA

BATTERY DIMINISHED CONSIDER REPLACING

WARNING - BATTERY IS PAST USEFUL LIFE

REPLACE BATTERY SHUT TING DOWN

BATTERY FAILED REPLACE BATTERY

BATTERY LOW CHARGE BATTERY

CHARGING TEMP FAULT MUST BE 0- 40o C Battery Over Temp

CHARGING TEMP FAULT MUST BE 0- 40o C Battery Under Temp

CHARGING FAULT REPLACE BATTERY

DOWNLOADING FIRMWARE

FIRMWARE WRITING TO FL ASH

LOOKING FOR UPDATES PLE ASE WAIT. . . When searching for

RETRIEVING FIRMWARE DO NOT POWER OFF! When retrieving an

RETRIEVING NEW FILES PLEASE WAIT. . . When downloading files

SENDING FEEDBACK PLEASE WAIT. . . When sending feedback

LOSS OF SIGNAL MOVE IN R ANGE OF AP For 8 02.11

SIGNAL RESTORED N/A For 802.11

updates

application

models only

models only

Note • Highlighted rows indicate Mirror Alert Messages. The mirror

function is only available on units with either an 802.11 radio,
Ethernet, or both.

72

QLn Series User Guide

Index

A

Accessories

Belt clip 40
Carrying Strap 42
list of 63
Shoulder Strap 41
using 40

Alert Messages 72
Alerts 32,72

B

Battery, charging 16
Battery, disposal 69
Battery, installing 12
Battery life, tips for extending 43
Battery pack

Smart Battery, features 8

Battery, safety 13
Battery Safety Guidelines 17
Bluetooth™ Networking Overview

38

Bluetooth Device Address (BDA)

38

C

Cables, RS232 64
Cables, USB 65
Charger, battery

UCLI72-4 Quad Charger 16

charging times 16
front panel indicators 16

Charger Safety Guidelines 13
Cleaning

general instructions 43
QLn Series 4 4

Communications

cable

strain relief for 36
Ports 59
RS232

with a cable 35
USB

Connector signals 60

with a cable 35

Communications diagnostics 50
Configuration label, printing 50

D

Damage, shipping 7
Document Conventions 6

M

Main Menu Screen 32
Manual

CPCL Programming 39

Media, loading 24

peel-o mode 26
QLn Series 24
tear-o mode 25

Media, supplies 66

O

Operator Controls 27

Keypad 27
LCD Control Panel 27

P

Printer

QLn220 Dimensions 62
QLn320 Dimensions 61

Printing Method

Direct Thermal 9

Programming language

CPCL 7

R

Radio optionsSee Wireless com-

munications

Real Time Clock 55

S

Software 39
Specifications

Font/bar Code 56
Label 55
Memory/communications 55
Physical 60
printing 55

T

Troubleshooting

Communications Diagnostics Mode 50
Keypad control panel indicators 46
LCD control panel indicators 47

Troubleshooting tests 50

printing a conguration label 34,50

QLn Series conguration label 52

Troubleshooting Topics 48

W

Wireless communications

Bluetooth™ radio 38
WLAN Over view 39

73

QLn Series User Guide

he

s

Patent Numbers

This product and/or its use m ay be covered by one or m ore of t

follow ing U S patents and corresponding international patent

w orldw ide

D 275,286

D 347,021

D 389,178

D 430,199

D 433,702

D 549,768

3,964,673

4,019,676

4,044,946

4,360,798

4,369,361

4,387,297

4,460,120

4,496,831

4,593,186

4,607,156

4,673,805

4,736,095

4,758,717

4,816,660

4,845,350

4,896,026

4,897,532

4,923,281

4,933,538

4,992,717

5,015,833

5,017,765

5,021,641

5,029,183

5,047,617

5,103,461

5,113,445

5,140,144

5,132,709

5,142,550

5,149,950

5,157,687

5,168,148

5,168,149

5,180,904

5,229,591

5,230,088

5,235,167

5,243,655

5,247,162

5,250,791

5,250,792

5,262,627

5,267,800

5,280,163

5,280,164

5,280,498

5,304,786

5,304,788

5,321,246

5,335,170

5,364,133

5,367,151

5,372,439

5,373,148

5,378,882

5,396,053

5,396,055

5,399,846

5,408,081

5,410,139

5,410,140

5,412,198

5,415,482

5,418,812

5,420,411

5,436,440

5,444,231

5,449,891

5,449,893

5,468,949

5,479,000

5,479,002

5,479,441

5,486,057

5,503,483

5,504,322

5.519,381

5,528,621

5,532,469

5,543,610

5,545,889

5,552,592

5,570,123

5,578,810

5,589,680

5,612,531

5,642,666

5,657,066

5,680,459

5,726,630

5,768,991

5,790,162

5,791,796

5,806,993

5,813,343

5,816,718

5,820,279

5,848,848

5,860,753

5,872,585

5,874,980

5,

5,976,720

5,978,004

5,995,128

5,997,193

6,004,053

6,010,257

6,020,906

6,034,708

6,036,383

6,057,870

6,068,415

6,068,415

6,095,704

6,109,801

6,123,471

6,147,767

6,151,037

6,201,255 B1

6,231,253 B1

909,233

6,261,009

6,261,013

6,267,521

6,270,072 B1

6,285,845 B1

6,292,595

6,296,032

6,364,550

6,379,058 B1

6,409,401 B1

6,411,397 B1

6,428,227 B2

6,480,143

6,530,705

6,540,122

6,540,142

6,607,316

6,609,844

6,655,593

6,784,787

6,874,958

6,899,477

6,908,034

7,126,716

7,137,000

7,172,122

7,190,270

74

QLn Series User Guide

Zebra Technologies Corporation

475 Half Day Road, Suite 500
Lincolnshire, IL 60069
Phone: [phone]
Toll Free: +1 800.423.0442
Fax: [phone]

QLn Series User Guide

75