Description Of Components And Operation - Hengstler XPM 80 Operating Manual

XPM 80™ Thermal Printer Family

3.3. Description of Components and Operation

There are several key components or modules to the XPM 80™ family of thermal printers.
(Please refer to Fig. 1, which shows an XPM 80™ with dual-feed unit, and Fig. 2, which
shows the same printer with the print mechanism open.)
The thermal printhead is positioned above the platen. With the print mechanism closed, the
platen acts as a roller to advance the paper at the same time as it acts as a surface against
which the spring-loaded printhead presses the paper to insure good thermal conductivity.
The interface, motor used to turn the platen, sensors, printhead, dual-feed motors and paper
cutter are all connected to the controller, located in the shallow, metal housing under the
printer, which sends commands and causes these components to function at the proper time.
The cutter separates the paper from the paper supply when instructed to do so. Several
sensors monitor progress as the printed document is created. All these items are mounted to
electrically-conductive mounts
shielding.
When paper is inserted into the dual-feed unit, the entrance sensor detects its presence and
signals the controller. The controller causes the appropriate dual-feed paper advance motor
to turn its roller to draw paper into the dual-feed unit (DFU) and advance it to the printer. The
paper will stop in the printer park position as defined by the XPM Configuration Tool. The
printer is now ready to print. The XPM 80™ will automatically select the last paper inserted
as the paper to be printed. As a result, when one paper path is already loaded and paper is
inserted into the empty paper path, the loaded paper path will reverse the paper and remove
it from the printer, stopping it inside the DFU at the DFU park position. The paper being
loaded will advance to printer park position.
The paper to be printed is selected either by software command or via the Dual-Feed Control
pushbuttons. When the paper path to be printed is selected, the paper presently in the printer
park position is retracted into the dual-feed unit, and the newly selected paper advances into
the printer.
When data is sent to the printer and printing begins, the paper is advanced by the printer
platen as the individual heating elements of the thermal printhead heat as necessary to form
the printout. The selected paper path's DFU motor advances at the same rate to provide a
smooth, continuous feed. The paper continues to advance and enters the paper cutter area,
where it passes over the fixed cutting blade and out the front. Once printing is completed, the
paper is advanced and a command sent to the cutter to cut off the paper. The paper can then
be retracted to a park position to avoid wasting the paper between the printhead and cutter.
When the printer runs out of paper, the printer entrance sensor detects the fact. How the
printer reacts next depends upon the printer's settings. One common selection is for the
printout to be invalidated (printed over to make it illegible) as it is retracted out the back of the
printer. Depending upon how the printer has been programmed, it may then switch to the
alternate paper roll (either automatically, via software command, or by use of the Dual-Feed
Control), allowing printing to continue. A replacement paper roll may then be loaded into the
unoccupied paper path of the dual-feed unit.
Part No. D 690 019
to discharge any static and to provide electrical noise
Mod. No. 4 051015 Eli1
HENGSTLER
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