Zebra Technologies 600, 400 User Manual
®
For the Zebra 400™ and 600™ Printers
SS
Customer order # 44885L
Manufacturer part # 44885LB Rev. 2
User’s
Guide
Proprietary Statement
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 parties for any other purpose without the expressed written
permission of Zebra Technologies Corporation.
Product Improvements
Continuous improvement of products is a policy of Zebra Technologies Corporation. All
specifications and signs are subject to change without notice.
FCC Compliance Statement
NOTE:
This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B
digital device, pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide
reasonable protection against harmful interference in a residential installation. This
equipment generates, uses, and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and
used in accordance with the instructions, may cause harmful interference to radio
communications. However, there is no guarantee that the interference will not occur in a
particular installation. If this equipment does cause harmful interference to radio or
television reception, which can be determined by turning the equipment off and on, the
user is encouraged to try to correct the interference by one or more of the following
measures:
n
Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna.
n
Increase the separation between the equipment and the receiver.
n
Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit different than that to which the receiver is
connected.
n
Consult the dealer or an experienced Radio/TV technician for help.
NOTE:
This unit was tested with shielded cables on the peripheral devices. Shielded
cables must be used with the unit to insure compliance.
The user is cautioned that any changes or modifications not expressly approved by Zebra
Technologies Corporation could void the user s authority to operate the equipment.
Canadian DOC Compliance Statement
This digital apparatus does not exceed the Class A limits for radio noise emissions from
digital apparatus as set out in the radio interference regulations of the Canadian
Department of Communications.
Liability Disclaimer
Zebra Technologies Corporation takes steps to assure that its published Engineering
specifications and Manuals are correct; however, errors do occur. Zebra Technologies
Corporation reserves the right to correct any such errors 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 software) 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 or limitation of liability for consequential
or incidental damages, the above limitation may not apply to you.
Copyrights
This copyrighted manual and the label printer described herein are owned by Zebra
Technologies Corporation. All rights are reserved. Unauthorized reproduction of this
manual or the software in the label printer 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.
All products and brand names are trademarks of their respective companies. All rights
reserved.
© 1998 Zebra Technologies Corporation
I have determined that the Zebra printers identified as the
Stripe Series
400 and 600SS
manufactured by:
Zebra Technologies Corporation
333 Corporate Woods Parkway
Vernon Hills, Illinois 60061-3109 U.S.A.
have been shown to comply with the applicable technical standards of the FCC
for Home, Office, Commercial, and Industrial use
if no unauthorized change is made in the equipment,
and if the equipment is properly maintained and operated.
S400 & S600 User’s Guide i
Contents
Introduction
Unpacking ..................................1
Reporting Damage..............................1
Site Requirements ..............................2
Introduction to Printers ...........................2
Tear-Off Mode ..............................2
Peel-Off Mode ..............................3
Cutter Mode ................................3
Printer Overview ..............................4
Getting Ready to Print
AC Power Cable...............................5
Loading the Media .............................7
Tear-Off Mode ..............................7
Roll Media ...............................7
Fanfold Media .............................8
Peel-Off Mode ..............................9
Removing the Label Backing Material ................10
Cutter Mode ...............................11
Loading the Ribbon ............................12
Ribbon Supply Spindle: Normal Position ................12
Ribbon Supply Spindle: Low-Tension Position .............12
Ribbon Loading Instructions ......................13
Ribbon Removal ..............................14
Adjusting the Media Sensor ........................15
Non-Continuous Media .........................15
Continuous Media ............................15
Auto Calibration ..............................16
Operator Controls .............................16
Front Panel Buttons ...........................16
Front Panel LEDs ............................17
AC Power ON/OFF Switch ........................18
ii S400 & S600 User’s Guide
Printing a Test Label ............................18
Connecting the Printer and Computer ...................18
RS-232 Interface Requirements .....................18
Parallel Interface Requirements .....................19
Serial and Parallel Cabling Requirements ................19
Communicating with the Printer ......................19
Via the Parallel Port ...........................19
Via the Serial Port ............................19
Defaulting the Printer ..........................19
Autobaud.................................20
^SC Command..............................20
Setting Up the Software ..........................20
Routine Care and Adjustments
Cleaning ..................................21
Cleaning the Exterior ..........................23
Cleaning the Interior ...........................23
Cleaning the Printhead and Platen Roller ................23
Cleaning the Cutter Module .......................24
Lubrication .................................30
AC Power Fuse Replacement .......................30
Mechanical Adjustments ..........................31
Print Quality Adjustments ........................31
Toggle Pressure Adjustment.......................31
Media Rest Position Adjustment ....................33
Top of the Label Position Adjustment..................33
Media Sensor Position Adjustment ...................33
Ribbon Supply Spindle Adjustment ...................33
Backing Rewind Power Roller Adjustment ...............34
Troubleshooting
Troubleshooting Table ...........................37
Printer Status Sensors ...........................43
Manual Calibration.............................45
Resetting Printer Parameters ........................46
S400 & S600 User’s Guide iii
Resetting Factory Defaults .......................46
Resetting Communications Parameters .................46
Resetting Ribbon Parameters ......................46
Printer Diagnostics .............................47
Power-On Self Test ...........................47
Additional Printer Self Tests ......................47
CANCEL Key Self Test........................48
PAUSE Key Self Test .........................49
FEED Key Self Test..........................50
MODE Key Self Test .........................51
Specifications
General Specifications ...........................53
Printing Specifications ...........................54
Ribbon Specifications ...........................54
Media Specifications ............................55
Media Handling ..............................55
Options ...................................56
Zebra Programming Language (ZPL II
Bar Codes .................................57
Standard Printer Fonts ...........................57
Optional Printer Fonts ...........................57
®
).................56
Appendix
RS-232 Connector Technical Information .................59
Interconnecting to DTE Devices ....................59
Interconnecting to DCE Devices ....................59
Parallel Interface Technical Information..................61
Storage and Reshipping ..........................62
Glossary
Index
iv S400 & S600 User’s Guide
S400 & S600 User’s Guide 1
Introduction
Congratulations! You have just purchased a high-quality thermal label
printer manufactured by the industry leader in quality, service, and value.
For over 25 years, Zebra Technologies Corporation has provided customers
with the highest caliber of products and support.
n
This user's guide provides all the information you will need to operate
the printer on a daily basis.
n
ZPL II®is Zebra Technologies Corporation’s Zebra Programming
Language II label design language. ZPL II lets you create a wide variety
of labels from the simple to the very complex, including text, bar codes,
and graphics. To create and print label formats, refer to the ZPL II
Programming Guide (part #46469L). If one was not ordered with your
printer, simply call your distributor or Zebra Technologies Corporation.
n
In addition, label preparation software is available. Contact your
distributor or Zebra Technologies Corporation for further information.
Or, visit our web site for a free demo copy.
n
The S400/S600 Maintenance Manual (part #44895L) contains all the
information you will need to maintain your printer. To order, contact
your distributor or Zebra Technologies Corporation.
Unpacking
Save the carton and all packing materials in case reshipping is required.
Inspect the printer for possible shipping damage.
n
Check all exterior surfaces for damage.
n
Raise the media access cover (refer to Figure 4) and inspect the media
compartment for damage.
Reporting Damage
If you discover shipping damage:
n
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.
n
Keep the carton and all packing material for inspection.
n
Notify your authorized Zebra distributor.
For storage and reshipping information, refer to the Appendix.
2 S400 & S600 User’s Guide
Site Requirements
CAUTION: To insure that the printer has proper ventilation and cooling,
do not place any padding or cushioning material under the unit, because
this restricts air flow.
This printer may be installed on any solid, level surface of sufficient size
and strength to accommodate the physical dimensions and weight of the
unit. The area enclosure in which the printer will operate must meet the
environmental conditions specified. Electrical power must be available and in
close proximity to the printer.
Since this printer was designed and is fabricated as an industrial-type unit, it
will function satisfactorily in areas such as warehouses, factory floors, and
office environments that conform to specified environmental and electrical
conditions.
Introduction to Printers
The first thing you want to do is identify your printer. This makes certain
tasks -- such as media loading -- much easier to do!
If your printer
looks like this
(Figure 1), it is
set up for
Tear-Off mode.
Tear-Off allows
you to tear away
each label, or a
strip of labels,
after it is
printed.
To load media,
refer to
“Loading the
Media -Tear-Off Mode”
in Getting Ready
to Print.
Figure 1
Figure 2
S400 & S600 User’s Guide 3
Backing
Rewind Spindle
This printer
(Figure 2)
operates in
Peel-Off mode.
In Peel-Off,
backing material
is peeled away
from the label as
it is printed.
After this label is
removed from the
printer, the next
one is printed.
To load media,
refer to “Loading
the Media -Peel-Off Mode”
in Getting Ready
to Print.
Cutter
Module
Printers like this
(Figure 3) are
equipped for
Cutter mode.
When in cutter
mode, the printer
automatically
cuts the label
after it is printed.
Then, the cutter
catch tray
“catches” the
label.
To load the
media, refer to
“Loading the
Media -- Cutter
Mode” in Getting
Ready to Print.
Figure 3
4 S400 & S600 User’s Guide
18
14
13
1
17
11
16
2
3
12
7
1
Media Access Cover
Ribbon Take-up Spindle
2
Ribbon Supply Spindle
3
Media Supply Hanger
4
Media Supply Guide
5
Media Guide
6
Front Cover
7
Tear Plate
8
Printhead
9
10
15
9
8
6
10
Control Panel
Platen Roller
11
AC Power Cable Connection
12
Parallel Interface
13
Serial Interface
14
Fuse
15
Power On/Off Switch
16
Head Open Lever
17
Pressure Toggles
18
4
5
Figure 4
S400 & S600 User’s Guide 5
Getting Ready to Print
AC Power Cable
The AC power cable has a three-prong female connector on one end (see
Figure 5). This connector must be plugged into the mating connector on the
left side of the printer. See Figure 6.
The connector at the other end of the AC power cable will be one of the
following:
n
US Standard 110 VAC three-prong plug
n
Great Britain Standard 230 VAC three-prong plug
n
European Standard 230 VAC three-prong plug
n
Australian Standard 230 VAC three-prong plug
WARNING!!! For personnel and equipment safety, always use a
three-prong plug with an earth ground connection.
Insure that the AC power on/off switch is in the “off” position before
connecting the AC power cable to a nearby electrical outlet.
AC
POWER
CONNECTOR
3 CONDUCTOR
CABLE
NEUTRAL LIVE
EARTH
Figure 5
6 S400 & S600 User’s Guide
RS-232
(Serial)
Interface
Parallel
Interface
Power
On/Off
Switch
Figure 6
Fuse
AC Power Cable
Connection
S400 & S600 User’s Guide 7
Loading the Media
Media widths and thicknesses vary between applications. To maintain print
quality from one application to another, refer to “Print Quality
Adjustments” in Routine Care and Adjustments.
NOTE: Zebra recommends using media that is outside wound (you can see
the labels on the outside of the roll).
Tear-Off Mode
1. Refer to Figure 7. Move the head open lever (a) counterclockwise to the
open position to raise the printhead (b).
2. Slide the media guide (c) and the media supply guide (d) as far out from
the printer frame as possible.
If you are loading roll media in Tear-Off mode, follow steps 3-5. For
loading fanfold media in Tear-Off mode, skip to step 6.
3. Place the media roll on the media supply hanger (e), and thread the me-
dia through the printhead assembly as shown.
b
a
d
e
c
Figure 7
8 S400 & S600 User’s Guide
4. Adjust the media supply guide and the media guide against the outer
edge of the media. These guides must not cause pressure or excessive
drag on the media.
5. Close the head open lever, and see “Adjusting the Media Sensor” later in
this chapter to adjust the media sensor position.
For loading fanfold media:
6. Refer to Figure 8. Make sure the fanfold media feeds through either the
bottom (e) or rear (f) access slot.
NOTE: When utilizing the bottom access slot, be sure to thread media over
the media supply hanger.
7. Thread the media through the printhead as shown in Figure 8.
8. Adjust the media supply guide and the media guide against the outer
edge of the media. These guides must not cause pressure or excessive
drag on the media.
9. Close the head open lever, and see “Adjusting the Media Sensor” later in
this chapter to adjust the media sensor position.
Figure 8
f
e
S400 & S600 User’s Guide 9
Peel-Off Mode (Optional)
Refer to Figure 9 and follow the procedure below.
1. Slide the media supply guide (a), media guide (b), and the outer edge
guides on both the platen guide rod (c) and the lower guide rod (d) as far
out from the printer frame as possible.
2. Open the head open lever (e) to raise the printhead (f).
3. Remove the hold down hook (g).
4. Thread the media through the printhead as shown in Figure 9.
5. From the front of the printer, pull the media through the printhead until
approximately 24" of media extends out from the printer. Remove the
labels from the backing of the 24" of media that extends from the front
of the printer.
6. Align the inside edge of the media with the edge guide mark (h) near the
left side of the tear-off/peel-off plate, then close the head open lever.
(See Figure 25 for a detailed illustration.)
7. Thread the label backing behind the lower label available sensor (i),
through the slot under the rewind power roller (j), and below the lower
guide rod (k) to the backing rewind spindle (l). Then, wind the backing
material around the backing rewind spindle three or four times in a
counterclockwise direction. To insure proper winding, press the edge of
the backing material against the round plate at the far end of the spindle.
h
f
e
c
b
d
k
Figure 9
i
j
a
g
l
10 S400 & S600 User’s Guide
8. To hold the media against the spindle, place the hold down hook over
the backing and insert both ends into the small slots in the round plate at
the far end of the spindle. Again, rotate the backing rewind spindle
counterclockwise to remove any slack in the backing material.
9. Adjust all of the guides:
n
Push the media supply guide inward until it is just touching the outer
side of the media supply roll, then lock the guide in place with its
locking screw. The guide must not cause pressure or excessive drag on
the media supply roll.
n
Adjust the outer edge guides on both the lower guide rod and the platen
guide rod until they just touch the outer edge of the media and backing
without causing the material to buckle.
n
Adjust the media guide until it just touches the outer edge of the media
without causing the material to buckle.
10.See “Adjusting the Media Sensor” later in this chapter to adjust the me-
dia sensor.
NOTE: In the Peel-Off mode, proper media tracking is critical. Refer to
the “Backing Rewind Power Roller Adjustment” in Routine Care and
Adjustments to make sure that the media tracks properly through the
printer.
Removing the Label Backing Material
quired)
(Peel-Off Option Re-
When the amount of backing wound on the backing rewind spindle reaches
full capacity, the backing rewind spindle full sensor activates, the
paper/ribbon light flashes, and printing pauses.
To remove the backing material, follow these steps (you don’t need to
power off the printer for this procedure):
1. Unwind about 24" of backing from the backing rewind spindle and cut it
off at the spindle.
2. Pull out the hold down hook and slide the backing material off of the
spindle and discard.
3. Feed the new starting edge of the backing through the mechanism and
attach it to the backing rewind spindle as described in the loading procedure.
NOTE: While holding the media in position against the tear-off/peel-off
plate, open and close the printhead without disturbing the media position.
The printer is now ready to print more labels.
S400 & S600 User’s Guide 11
Cutter Mode (Optional)
To insure proper media loading, follow the directions for the Tear-Off
Mode with the exception that the end of the media must be positioned on
top of the platen roller. See Figure 10.
With the end of the media positioned directly on top of the platen roller (a),
close the head open lever. The printer will automatically calibrate, feed out,
and cut the label when the printer is powered on or the printhead is opened
and closed.
NOTES: The cutter only cuts if the printer is in cutter mode. Refer to the
ZPL II Programming Guide or the label preparation software user’s guide
for instructions.
The cutter will cycle once at power up or reset (even when NOT in cutter
mode).
a
Figure 10
12 S400 & S600 User’s Guide
Loading the Ribbon
Before you load the ribbon, make sure the ribbon supply spindle is adjusted
properly.
Ribbon Supply Spindle: Normal Position
In the normal position, the “dual-tension” ribbon supply spindle provides
the desired amount of ribbon back tension for different ribbon widths.
To place the spindle in the normal position, firmly pull the spindle end cap
(a) until it clicks into place, as shown in Figure 11.
Ribbon Supply Spindle: Low-Tension Position
Low-tension position is used in limited applications to provide lower ribbon
back tension. Low-tension position is only recommended when normal
tension hampers the ribbon movement (for example, you will see scuffing
or image breakup on the label).
To put the spindle in the low-tension position, firmly push the spindle end
cap (a) until it clicks into place, as shown in Figure 11.
Normal Position
a
b
Low-Tension Position
a
Figure 11
S400 & S600 User’s Guide 13
Ribbon Loading Instructions
NOTES:
n
Zebra recommends the use of ribbon that is wider than the media. The
smooth backing of the ribbon protects the printhead from wear and
premature failure due to excessive abrasion. (For the direct thermal
print method, ribbon is not used and should not be loaded in the
printer.)
n
Zebra recommends the use of ribbon that is outside wound (the ink side
is on the outside of the roll).
To load ribbon, see Figure 12 and follow the procedure below.
1. Adjust the ribbon supply spindle position for normal or low tension.
2. Align the blades (b) on the two sections of the spindle as shown in
Figure 11. (You do not need to do this if your ribbon width is 2.4"
[60 mm] or less.)
3. Place the ribbon roll on the ribbon supply spindle (a). Make sure the roll
is pushed in to the stop at the end of the spindle.
4. Open the printhead by moving the head open lever (b) counterclockwise
to the open position.
5. Thread the ribbon as shown. Wind the ribbon onto the ribbon takeup
spindle (c) for several turns in a clockwise direction until wrinkles and
creases disappear.
6. Close the printhead by moving the lever clockwise to the closed posi-
tion.
14 S400 & S600 User’s Guide
Ribbon Removal
Refer to Figure 12.
When it’s time to change the ribbon, cut the ribbon where it is stretched
between the upper ribbon guide arm and the takeup spindle. To remove
ribbon from the takeup spindle, press the release button (d) and slide the
ribbon off the spindle.
c
b
d
Figure 12
a
S400 & S600 User’s Guide 15
Adjusting the Media Sensor
This adjustment aligns the position of the light sensor with the notch or
edge of the label, so the printer can determine the correct label size.
See Figure 13. With the printhead open, look through the side of the print
mechanism and locate the media sensor adjustment lever (a). Reposition
the sensor until the top of the adjustment lever is in line with the notch or
web in the media or the edge of the label. Close the printhead by moving
the head open lever to the closed position.
When continuous media (no notch or opening to sense) is used, position the
media sensor anywhere over the media so that an “out-of-media” condition
will still be sensed.
Non-Continuous Media
This type of media has some type of physical characteristic (web, notch,
perforation, etc.) that indicates the start/end of each label.
The media sensor must be properly positioned to sense these indicators.
See “Adjusting the Media Sensor” (above). Then, turn on the printer. If the
printer will not auto calibrate, press the MODE button three times, and then
the FEED button once, to manually calibrate (a label will print that shows
the sensor profile).
Continuous Media
Since continuous media does not contain label start/end indicators, you
must tell the printer via software how long each label is. If you are using
ZPL or ZPL II, include a Label Length (^LL) instruction in each label
format you send to the printer (refer to your ZPL II Programming Guide).
If you are using other software to operate your printer, refer to the
instructions provided with that software.
a
Figure 13
16 S400 & S600 User’s Guide
Auto Calibration
This procedure occurs whenever the printer is turned on or the printhead is
opened and closed. During this procedure, the printer automatically
determines the media type, label length, media and ribbon sensor settings,
and printing method (direct thermal or thermal transfer). This procedure is
set at the factory but may be changed via ZPL II command.
NOTE: If the printer fails to auto calibrate when you are using pre-printed
labels or pre-printed label backing, or if the printer will not auto calibrate,
see “Manual Calibration” in Troubleshooting.
1. Load the media and ribbon (if used).
2. Turn on the printer power.
3. Two or three blank labels will feed, completing auto calibration.
Operator Controls
Front Panel Buttons
Refer to Figure 14.
PAUSE Button
n
Starts and stops the printing process.
n
The first time the button is pressed, any partially printed label is
completed; then, the printing process is stopped.
n
If the printer is idle when the button is pressed, no new print requests are
printed until PAUSE is pressed again.
FEED Button (also referred to as the UP button)
n
Forces the printer to feed one blank label.
n
If the button is pressed when the printer is idle or paused, a blank label
immediately feeds.
n
When the button is pressed while the printer is printing, one blank label
feeds after the completion of the current batch of labels.
n
Once the blank label has been fed, pressing the button again will feed a
second label.
n
When in the configuration mode, functions as the UP button.
CANCEL Button (also referred to as the DOWN button)
n
This button only functions when the printer is paused.
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