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QLS 2000/3000 Series Digital Color Printers

16

Printer Setup

Specify Media Type

1. Press the Menu pushbutton to display the Main menu.

2. Use the arrow buttons to move the on-display indicator to the Media

position, then press the Select button to display the Media menu.

3. From the Media menu, use the arrow buttons to position the on-display

indicator before Type.

4. Press the Select button to move to the next line.

5. Use the arrow buttons to specify whether the stock has any top-of-form

indicators, and if so, which type:

Continuous.............................Top-of-form sensor detects no indicators.

Gap ........................................Top-of-form sensor interprets a gap, slot, or hole as a

top-of-form indicator.

Inverted Gap ..........................Top-of-form sensor interprets a solid area as a top-of-

form Indicator.

Mark ......................................Top-of-form sensor interprets a dark reflective mark

as a top-of-form indicator.

Calibration

Current Media

Calibrating the printer for the media being used is essential.  Calibrate after
every change of label size or type.

During calibration, the printer senses any top-of-form indicator between labels
and allows the printer to position widely varying types of media automatically
and correctly.  The printer stores the last calibrated values and menu setups even
after shut down and restart.

When calibrating continuous media, media length cannot be calibrated.  Instead,
the printer is calibrated to detect the Media Out condition.

Summary of Contents for 2000 Series

Page 1: ...ct to change without notice ____________________________________________________ QuickLabel Systems an Astro Med Inc product group 600 East Greenwich Avenue West Warwick RI 02893 Tel 1 401 828 4000 Fa...

Page 2: ...has been improperly installed or if the product has been modified without the express written permission of QuickLabel Systems With respect to printers and print and apply systems QuickLabel Systems w...

Page 3: ...used in accordance with the operation guide may cause harmful interference to radio communications Operation of this equipment in a residential area is likely to cause harmful interference in which c...

Page 4: ...Quality Assurance Manager 03 03 2005 European Contact Your local Astro Med Inc Sales and Service Office FRANCE Astro Med SNC Parc d Activities de Pissaloup 1 rue Edouard Branly 78190 Trappes Tel 331 3...

Page 5: ...eries Printers 7 Cutter Cutter Stacker or External Rewinder 7 Communications 7 Printer Drivers 7 Platforms Supported 7 Comm Protocol 8 Comm Port 9 Baud Rate Handshaking 10 Media 11 Loading Thermal Tra...

Page 6: ...ent 27 Mirror Images 28 Image Area 29 Speed 29 Job Reprints 30 Chapter 4 Printer Maintenance 31 Routine Cleaning 31 Replacing Parts 33 Printheads 33 Platen Rollers 35 Drive Roller 37 Upgrade Firmware...

Page 7: ...QLS 3000 Model Prints three spot colors or full process color on one side of the media QLS 3001 Model Prints two colors on one side of the media and one color on the opposite side simultaneously 2000...

Page 8: ...string hole or punch out This sensor is marked by a sliding red handle and pointer that is to be positioned over the gap notch string hold or punch out Reflective Senses a black mark on the underside...

Page 9: ...nts 110 240V A C 50 60 Hz 400W Dimensions 20 x 17 x 22 Weight 84 lb Heat Intensity 1 coolest results in the lightest output to 32 hottest Other Options external cutter external cutter stacker external...

Page 10: ...e shown on the 3000 model illustrated Figure 2 Interior QLS 3000 Digital Color Printer 1 thermal transfer ribbon TTR rewind mandrel front print station 2 TTR tension switch 3 TTR unwind mandrel front...

Page 11: ...inthead 12 media index roller 13 media sensor reflective gap notch sensor inside 14 media guide roller 15 media unwind mandrel User Interface Keypad Indicator Lights When power is on indicator lights...

Page 12: ...ually advances the media when pressed and held 7 Calibrate Calibrates the appropriate top of form sensor to the currently loaded media 8 Data LED Blinks when data is received from an external source 9...

Page 13: ...Rewinder Peripherals are documented separately Refer to the documentation for the appropriate option The connection from the cutter or cutter stacker to the printer will be through the printer s utili...

Page 14: ...u 2 Use the arrow keys to move the on display indicator to Comm then press Select The Communications menu will be displayed 3 With the on display indicator positioned at Ptcl press Select 4 Use the ar...

Page 15: ...The comm port in use parallel RS 232 or RS 422 must be selected to enable communications If either RS 232 or RS 422 are being used baud rate can also be selected The default comm port is parallel NOTE...

Page 16: ...enu will be displayed 3 Press the right arrow to move to the Baud Rate field The default rate is 19 200 To change the default press the up down arrow to select a new rate then press Select 4 You will...

Page 17: ...l and you are setting up for process color printing load ribbon in the following sequence Front Printhead Cyan TTR Center Printhead Magenta TTR Rear Printhead Yellow TTR If you are setting up for spot...

Page 18: ...s TTR guide roller s 6 Advance the TTR between the printhead and the platen roller 7 On standard printstations advance the TTR over the TTR guide spindle On inverted printstations advance the TTR arou...

Page 19: ...ers Printer Setup 13 Loading Label Media The Media menu allows you to tell the printer what type of media is loaded on the printer sensors image dimensions label dimensions and any offsets Figure 5 La...

Page 20: ...is Off Raise the printer cover 2 To open each printhead flip the cam lever on each counterclockwise on standard printheads clockwise on inverted printheads Figure 6 Standard Printhead Open Figure 7 St...

Page 21: ...a travel sensor housing 7 On QLS 2001 models thread media under the media index roller On all other models thread media over the media index roller 8 On models with standard print stations thread the...

Page 22: ...form sensor interprets a gap slot or hole as a top of form indicator Inverted Gap Top of form sensor interprets a solid area as a top of form Indicator Mark Top of form sensor interprets a dark reflec...

Page 23: ...ushbutton until the gap notch or index mark separating labels on the media roll is positioned within two inches of the media travel sensor housing Figure 12 Media Travel Sensor 3 Confirm that the gap...

Page 24: ...ows the relative reflectivity or transmissiveness between the label and top of form mark or gap Label Length Set label length for the longest label you will be printing to ensure memory is not wasted...

Page 25: ...USE LEAVE PRINTHEAD CAMS AND THE DRIVER ROLLER CAM IN THE OPEN POSITION THIS WILL PREVENT FLAT AREAS FROM DEVELOPING ON THE PLATEN AND DRIVE ROLLERS Current Settings TO VIEW STATUS INFORMATION DURING...

Page 26: ...use with QLS printers Printing from CQL 99 or from any Windows compatible third party application is supported by the printer if the Windows printer driver from QLS is installed Refer to the CQL 99 d...

Page 27: ...ating printhead intensity settings or checking the printheads for worn areas Text The text test pattern allows you to examine the quality of text printing In particular while printing process color on...

Page 28: ...n memory to be erased 6 Press Pause to print the test pattern The printer will immediately print the number of patterns specified If infinity was selected as a quantity Pause the printer and press Can...

Page 29: ...print stations On the QLS 3000 the process black block should appear black without any other color along an edge If cyan magenta or yellow appears along an edge realign that print station Figure 14 B...

Page 30: ...If switching between very wide label media and very narrow label media it may be necessary to adjust the downward pressure on either side of the printheads Similarly if switching between relatively t...

Page 31: ...to maximize the clarity and detail of the label Turn thumbwheels counterclockwise to raise them decrease pressure on the printhead and lighten the image Turn thumbwheels clockwise to lower them incre...

Page 32: ...n If ribbons break flip the TTR tension switch to Low Ribbon tension can also be adjusted on each individual printstation by turning the knob on the ribbon unwind mandrel Figure 16 TTR Unwind Mandrel...

Page 33: ...ld be set first PRINT OFFSET Adjust the location of the printed image relative to the top of form sensor mark Press the up arrow to move the image up the label to the right one pixel at a time press t...

Page 34: ...Print a Test Pattern to check adjustments and continue making adjustments until the blocks in the test pattern are horizontally and vertically aligned Mirror Images When Mirror mode is used each print...

Page 35: ...the Media menu use the arrow buttons to position the on display indicator before Image 4 Press the Select button to move to the next line 5 Use the arrow keys to specify image width and length in mil...

Page 36: ...the printer can be reprinted TO REPRINT THE LAST JOB STORED IN MEMORY 1 Use the arrow buttons to select Previous from the Print menu 2 Press the Select button 3 Press the Up Down arrow buttons to sel...

Page 37: ...regularly Cleaning after using a full roll of TTR media is recommended TO CLEAN THE PRINTER 1 Remove the printhead cams and the drive roller cam by flipping each cam open to relieve pressure 2 Do not...

Page 38: ...ide rollers film guide shafts pressure rollers and drive rollers 7 Reinstall any label media and thermal transfer ribbon 8 Replace the printhead cams and drive roller cam and lock them closed NOTE NEV...

Page 39: ...bility the printhead cam on the print station to the right of the printhead you are replacing can also be removed 4 Remove thermal transfer ribbon currently loaded on the print station 5 Loosen the ce...

Page 40: ...sert and tighten the printhead s captive retaining screw Be sure the cable harness is not crimped or damaged when the printhead is attached to the printhead plate The wiring harness should fit through...

Page 41: ...nlock the printhead cam s but do not lock Press down the silver clip holding the printhead cam s and pull the cam s completely out 5 Lift and hold the printhead assembly or assemblies completely up to...

Page 42: ...e printer Off and lift the cover 2 Flip the printhead cam down and lock open Figure 20 Platen Roller Installation Removal Inverted Printhead 1 Platen roller 2 Platen support strut 3 Bolt securing plat...

Page 43: ...r the assembly and reinstall the printhead cam 13 Reinstall label media and TTR 14 Flip the printhead cam up and lock closed Drive Roller After prolonged use the drive roller and the rubber pressure r...

Page 44: ...neuver the printhead cam on the print station to the right of the drive roller can also be removed Figure 21 Drive Roller Installation Removal 1 Pressure roller 2 Allen screw 3 Drive roller 4 Drive ro...

Page 45: ...edge of the shaft coming in contact with the Allen screw 10 Replace the retaining plate lining up the flange and two small pins and ensuring they are fully inserted into the plate 11 Reinsert and tigh...

Page 46: ...n any printer currently assigned to the LPT port to be used If you have installed the QLS Windows printer driver the QLS printer should be set up in this manner 3 Select the Properties menu item then...

Page 47: ...e program type the word upgrade followed by the COM port that is being used and the baud rate The baud rate should be set to either 9600 or 19 2 k and the handshake method should be set to Hardware Us...

Page 48: ...42 Printer Maintenance Enable Disable TTR Sensors TO ENABLE OR DISABLE THE PRINTER S THERMAL TRANSFER RIBBON SENSORS 1 Press Pause to pause the printer 2 Press the Menu button select TTR Sensor Enabl...

Page 49: ...inter smoothly After prolonged use the drive roller may develop flat areas which will impede the smooth exit of label stock Roller may need to be replaced Poor Print Quality PROBLEM SOLUTION When incr...

Page 50: ...QLS 2000 3000 Series Digital Color Printers 44 Troubleshooting This page intentionally left blank...

Page 51: ...own Web 28 drive roller how to open close cam 15 location 5 32 38 replacement 37 drive roller pressure assembly location 4 drivers 1 7 DSR 2 Error light 6 external cutter 3 external rewinder 3 film wr...

Page 52: ...11 protocol 8 RAM 1 registration 26 adjusting on all print stations 27 adjusting web alignment 27 evaluate using a block test 22 report current printer settings 20 reprinting 30 resolution 1 ribbon Se...

Page 53: ...QLS 2000 3000 Digital Color Printers Index 47 This page intentionally left blank...

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