Copyright © 2003-2005 InfoSight Corporation All Rights Reserved
Page 18 of 39
PRINTER CONFIGURATION & LASER SETTINGS
The LabeLase® 1000 printer and LabeLase® Producer™ software are designed with a high degree of
flexibility and user-control, to enable the system to be used in a wide range of applications and on an ever-
increasing array of laser-markable materials.
Calibration and configuration settings are accessed in LabeLase® Producer™ under SETUP-PRINTER
CONFIGURATION. On-line help instructions will guide you through each of the available settings. The
most common parameters for fine-tuning the performance of the printer beyond the easy-to-use
LIGHTER/DARKER SLIDER BAR are LASER SPEED, LASER OFF TICKLE, and LASER ON DUTY
CYCLE, all of which are found under the LASER tab. Each of these parameters separately and together
can be adjusted to create the right balance of black/white contrast, fineness of detail and cycle time.
As laser speed is increased printing cycle time will be faster. In general, as laser speed increases, duty cycle
must also be increased to achieve the same relative blackness. Some materials with especially sensitive
surfaces, such as PermaLabel®, will print more consistently at lower duty cycles, and therefore
correspondingly lower laser speeds. Tickle controls the readiness of the laser to fire and helps maintain
consistency of marking across the tag surface. Some tag materials are more sensitive to power variation
than others, but in most cases this parameter can be left at its factory setting.
Typical Range of Settings (DRAFT mode OFF):
•
Laser Speed: 50-75 ips
•
Laser Off Tickle: 7-15 µs
•
Laser On Duty Cycle: 60-95%
Each printer is calibrated in our factory before shipping, and the
results are recorded on two tags as shown at the right. Save
these tags in the event you ever want to return the printer to its
original factory configuration.
Experience has shown the following settings to be a good
starting point for the most common types of tag material. Each
individual application may then be fine tuned to achieve the right
balance of cycle time, fineness of detail, and black/white
contrast.
Hot Tag™
Pic-Anneal®
PermaLabel®
X-Tag™
Laser
Speed
70
60
55
20
Tickle
15
15
15
15
Duty
Cycle
95%
95%
95%
95%
Calibration Tag
Factory Settings
Typical Laser Settings (DRAFT mode OFF)
