Product” includes the Software resident in the printer and its documentation. The Software Product is licensed (not sold) to you, and Printronix, Inc. either owns or licenses from other vendors who own, all copyright, trade secret, patent and other proprietary rights in the Software Product.
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This License shall continue until terminated. This license may be terminated by agreement between you and Printronix, Inc. or by Printronix, Inc. if you fail to comply with the terms of this License and such failure is not corrected within thirty (30) days after notice. When this License is terminated, you shall return to the place you obtained them, the printer and all copies of the Software and documentation.
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Operating Frequency: 902 to 928 MHz Typical RF Power: 25 to 100 milliwatts (SL5x04 MP) or 25 to 205 milliwatts (SL5x04 C1) Maximum RF Power: 1 Watt under abnormal conditions Printronix SL5000 and T5000 Tested To Comply With FCC Standards...
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CE Notice (European Union) Marking by the CE symbol indicates compliance of this Printronix system to the EMC Directive and the Low Voltage Directive of the European Union. Such marking is indicative that this Printronix system meets the following technical standards: •...
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Printronix makes no representations or warranties of any kind regarding this material, including, but not limited to, implied warranties of merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose. Printronix shall not be held responsible for errors contained herein or any omissions from this material or for any damages, whether direct, indirect, incidental or consequential, in connection with the furnishing, distribution, performance or use of this material.
Prepare The Printer...15 Install The Ferrite ...16 Install The Brackets...22 Attach The Grounding Wire And Power/Data Cable ...24 Restore The Printer To Operation ...25 Enable The Validator ...26 Adjust The Scanning Beam ...27 Continuous, Tear-Off, and Tear-Off Strip...27 Peel-Off Media Handling Mode ...28 Cut Media Handling Mode...29...
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On-Demand Printing ...77 Bar Code Failures...78 Bad Bar Code Error Detection ...78 Missing Bar Code Error Detection...78 Error Action ...79 Error Messages...86 Troubleshooting...92 Maintenance ...94 A Contact Information ... 95 Printronix Customer Support Center ...95 Printronix Supplies Department ...96 Corporate Offices ...96...
After the entire bar code has passed under the scanning beam, the validator grades the bar code and sends a report to the printer. How the printer responds is determined by the validator settings, explained in “Configuring The Validator”...
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The validator can also evaluate PDF 417 bar codes. For PDF 417 Limited, the validator works best with security level 5 or higher, using the current default printer settings for Defects Percentage, Percent Decode, and Decodeability. For lower security levels, lower the Defects Percentage to 5% to enable checking for bar code damage.
Tools And Materials You Will Need • SL5000r/T5000r User’s Manual • Static wrist strap* • 2.5 mm hex key* Parts List • 3 mm hex key • Validator/Upper bracket • Lower bracket • Grounding wire • Overlays • Bar code calibration card •...
Safety Notices Safety Notices The validator is a Class 2 laser product. The following notices apply at all times when the printer is powered on and the validator is active: WARNING Class 2 laser light. Do not stare into the laser beam or a reflected image of the laser beam.
Failure to remove power could result in injury to you and damage the equipment. You will be instructed when to apply power. 2. Unplug the printer power cord from the printer or the AC power source. Factory Installation If your printer has a factory installed validator, the ferrite, cable, wire saddle, and grommet have already been installed.
(Figure 2.) 2. Tilt the frame side cover back from the top and lift it until the tabs along the lower edge disengage from the slots in the printer frame. Figure 2. Removing the Frame Side Cover Captive Screw (2)
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RJ-11 Connector (to validator) 20.0 ± 0.5 inches Figure 3. Wrapping the Power/Data Cable Around the Ferrite 3. Using the RJ-11 connector end of the power/data cable, insert the cable through the ferrite. (Figure 3.) 4. Wrap the power/data cable around the ferrite twice. 5.
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Chapter 1 Installation and Removal Frame Boss Wire Saddle Figure 4. Inserting the Wire Saddle Into the Frame Boss 6. Insert the wire saddle into the frame boss. (Figure 4.)
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Figure 5. Inserting the Power/Data Cable Through the Hole in the Frame Wall 7. Raise the media cover and remove the solid grommet from the frame opening. 8. On the electronics side of the printer, push the RJ-11 connector end of the power/data cable through the frame opening. (Figure 5.) 9.
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(approximately 17 inches exposed) Figure 6. Adding the Grommet to the Power/Data Cable 10. On the media side of the printer, slide the split grommet onto the power/data cable and insert it into the frame opening. (Figure 6.) 11. Inspect the power/data cable to ensure approximately 17 inches of cable is exposed from the grommet to connect it to the validator.
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Power/Data Cable Figure 7. Position the Ferrite 12. On the electronics side of the printer, position the ferrite on top of the upper DC motor. (Figure 7.) 13. Route the power/data cable through the wire saddle as shown in Figure 7.
Chapter 1 Installation and Removal Install The Brackets Lower Bracket Figure 8. Installing the Lower Bracket 1. Using three of the four M4x10mm screws, install the lower bracket as shown in Figure 8. NOTE: You will use the fourth screw later in this procedure. M4x10mm Screw (3)
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Adjustment Screw Figure 9. Installing the Validator/Upper Bracket Unit onto the Lower Bracket 2. Face the front of the printer while installing the validator/upper bracket unit. 3. Loosen the outside adjustment screw and remove the inside adjustment screw on the bottom of the validator.
Chapter 1 Installation and Removal Attach The Grounding Wire And Power/Data Cable Power/Data Cable (Long Connector) Grounding Validator Wire (Front View) Figure 10. Attaching the Grounding Wire and Power/Data Cable 1. Attach one end of the grounding wire to the validator using the inside adjustment screw as shown in Figure 10.
3. Rotate the cover into position. 4. Tighten the two captive screws. (Figure 2.) 5. Plug the AC power cord into the printer and the power source. 6. Set the printer power switch to | (On).
See “Auto Save Configuration” in the Quick Setup Guide . Software can automatically detect an installed validator when the printer is powered up. If the printer is powered up with Power-Up Config. set to Factory, the VALIDATOR menu will be available and Validator Funct.
Adjust The Scanning Beam NOTE: Make sure the printer is on and the scanning beam is on. If the beam is off, press the RESET button for less than 2 seconds to turn on the beam. Continuous, Tear-Off, and Tear-Off Strip...
Adjust The Scanning Beam Peel-Off Media Handling Mode If your printer is configured for Peel-Off Media Handling mode (use of optional internal rewinder), you may need to align the beam further behind the notches (0.20 to 0.30 inches [5.08 mm to 7.62 mm] from the front edge of the tear bar) so that the peeled...
Cut Media Handling Mode Cut Media Handling Mode If your printer has a cutter installed and is configured for Cut Media Handling Mode, align the beam with the notches at each side of the opening on the hinged upper lid, as shown in Detail A of Figure 13.
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Figure 14 shows the screws used to adjust the parallelism and position of the scanning beam. The positions of the screws assume that you are in front of the validator unit and facing the printer. The following instructions and illustrations show how to adjust the validator according to how the beam appears.
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Cut Media Handling Mode Correct alignment of the scanning beam. The beam lines up with the end notches and is parallel to the long edge of the tear bar. Tighten the top left screw to move the scanning beam downward. If the screw is already tight, loosen both bottom screws to lower the beam.
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Loosen top left screw bottom screws NOTE: If the printer does not have a tear bar with notches at the ends, adjust the scanning beam so that the center of the beam is approximately 0.06 inches (1.52 mm) from the lower edge as shown in Figure 15.
The value range is from –99 to 99. The default is 0. Lower values will move the beam to the left. NOTE: You must set Admin User to Enable in the PRINTER CONTROL menu to access the Beam Shift option.
Calibration warning. A special calibration bar code card is included with the validator package. 1. Make sure the printer is on and the scanning beam is on. If the beam is off, press the RESET button for less than 2 seconds to turn on the beam.
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CALIBRATION Light Calibration Bar Code Card Figure 16. Calibrating the Validator 7. The scanning beam should turn off for a few seconds then back on, and the CALIBRATION light should turn off. This indicates a successful calibration. NOTE: If the scanning beam does not turn back on and/or the calibration light is still on or flashing, the calibration has failed.
5. In the CALIBRATE CTRL menu, run Auto Calibrate for proper gap sensing. 6. The printer must be offline. If the printer is in Menu mode, press the PAUSE key to take the printer offline. 7. Press the TEST PRINT key to enter the Test Print menu.
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Bar Code Validation Demo Page 9. The printer will print one demo page containing two good bar codes. NOTE: In the QUICK SETUP or MEDIA CONTROL menu, if Label Length is set between 0.5 and 1.0 inches, only one good bar code will print.
Operation Basic Validator Setup Unit Positioning The validator must be positioned so that the scanning beam covers the entire area containing the bar codes, including the area required for quiet zones. The validator can be moved along the lower bracket and aligned with any of the inscribed hash marks, depending on the size of the labels printed and the positioning of the bar codes on those labels.
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Less than 2 seconds More than 4 but less than 6 seconds More than 6 seconds CAUTION Do not lift the printer by the validator unit or by the lower bracket. CAUTION The validator contains sensitive electronic equipment. Do not jar or drop the unit.
Enable 1 to 10 seconds Notes: * = Default Italicized items appear only when Admin User is set to Enable (in the PRINTER CONTROL menu). Display item only Network Port Full Report Validation Mode 1 to 99 Stop & Retry Grade&Report...
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30% to 90% 0% to 99% Notes: * = Default 0% to 100% Italicized items appear only when Admin User is set to Enable (in the 0.0 to 4.0 PRINTER CONTROL menu). 0% to 100% Display item only. 0% to 100%...
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* = Default Italicized items appear only when Admin User is set to Enable (in the PRINTER CONTROL menu). Depends on the printer model: 4, 6, and 8 inch printers respectively. xx, yy, zz = file revision numbers. Appears only if feature files have been downloaded to the printer. Up to seven files can appear.
Enabling And Disabling The Validator Software can automatically detect an installed validator when the printer is powered up. If the printer is powered up with Power-Up Config. set to Factory, the VALIDATOR menu will be available and Validator Funct. is set to Enable in the QUICK SETUP and VALIDATOR menus.
47). Requesting A Validator Report This procedure prints a summarized validator report. (This report also includes RFID data if the printer has an RFID encoder.) 1. Press the PAUSE key to take the printer offline. ↵ 2. If necessary, press ↓ and at the same time to unlock the ↵...
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Setting Auto Report Time This function allows you to set, in seconds, the timeout for the Auto Report. If the printer is idle for the set number of seconds, an Auto Report will be generated if Auto Report is set to Enable (see “Setting Auto Report”...
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To reset Validator Data: 1. Press to take the printer offline and place the printer in Menu mode. ↵ 2. If necessary, press ↓ and at the same time to unlock the ↵...
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↵ to activate it. All future ↵ ↵ at the same time to lock the to take the printer offline and place the printer in ↵ at the same time to unlock the until VALIDATOR displays. ↵ to activate it.
↵ key. 3. If necessary, press until VALIDATOR displays. 4. Press ↓ to scroll through the following statistics on the printer display: • Good Barcodes: The number of bar code reports sent from the validator since the last Clear Data command.
If the printer does not have as many reports as it expects, it assumes a gross bar code failure.
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When set to Enable (the default), then the bar code quiet zone is included as part of the pass/fail criteria. 1. Press to take the printer offline and place the printer in Menu mode. ↵ 2. If necessary, press ↓ and at the same time to unlock the ↵...
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1. Press Menu mode. 2. If necessary, press ↓ and ↵ key. 3. If necessary, press to take the printer offline and place the printer in ↵ at the same time to unlock the until VALIDATOR displays. ↵ ↵ at the same time to lock the to take the printer offline and place the printer in ↵...
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Checksum Failure error will display. The default is Disable. 1. Press to take the printer offline and place the printer in Menu mode. ↵ 2. If necessary, press ↓ and at the same time to unlock the ↵...
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This option allows you to set the number of times a form will be reprinted before the printer stops. After you clear the error message, the printer will print the same form or the next form, depending on the setting for Max Retry Action (see “Max Retry Action”...
Advanced Validator Options The following items are considered advanced items and are only visible if Admin User is set to Enable (in the PRINTER CONTROL menu). Refer to the configuration section of your User’s Manual for more information. Decodeability NOTE: This parameter factors into the Overall Grade (page 57).
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1. Press Menu mode. 2. If necessary, press ↓ and ↵ key. 3. If necessary, press to take the printer offline and place the printer in ↵ at the same time to unlock the until VALIDATOR displays. ↵ ↵ at the same time to lock the to take the printer offline and place the printer in ↵...
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0.0 to 0.4 Any bar code with a grade below this threshold value will cause the printer to display the Overall Grade Fail error message (see “Error Messages” on page 86) and take the appropriate error action. Higher values create a stricter pass criterion.
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Chapter 2 Configuring The Validator Overall Grade Calculations The validator follows the specified algorithm defined in the ANSI X3.182 specification for determining the Overall Grade based on an average. Although it is not defined, the validator truncates the result of all analysis parameters averages for a slightly stricter grading. A side effect of the ANSI specified algorithm is that the Overall Grade may be lower than any of the averaged analysis parameters.
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You can set the Modulation parameter to a percentage value from 0% to 100%. The default is 50%. 1. Press to take the printer offline and place the printer in Menu mode. ↵ 2. If necessary, press ↓ and at the same time to unlock the ↵...
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VALIDATOR displays. ↵ ↵ at the same time to lock the to take the printer offline and place the printer in ↵ at the same time to unlock the until VALIDATOR displays. ↵...
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You can set the Symbol Contrast parameter to a percentage value from 0% to 100%. The default is 30%. NOTE: To disable this parameter, set Symbol Contrast to 0%. 1. Press to take the printer offline and place the printer in Menu mode. ↵ 2. If necessary, press ↓ and at the same time to unlock the ↵...
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2. If necessary, press ↓ and ↵ key. 3. If necessary, press 4. Press ↑ until SN Threshold displays. to take the printer offline and place the printer in ↵ at the same time to unlock the until VALIDATOR displays.
The report printed is based on the last Full Report received from the validator. This allows you to send a bar code print job to the printer, have the bar code scanned by the validator, and view a report of the parameters as seen by the validator.
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Chapter 2 Configuring The Validator validator when printing at the set Print Speed (in the QUICK SETUP and MEDIA CONTROL menus). This is because the on-demand printing portion is done at a fixed print speed which may be higher or lower than the set Print Speed. For example, a bar code printed at 7 ips may yield eight Total Scans, but if printed in an on-demand printing mode it may yield 18 Total Scans.
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NOTE: You will need a minimum installed label width of 2 inches to support the Scan Profile printout. 1. Press to take the printer offline and place the printer in Menu mode. ↵ 2. If necessary, press ↓ and at the same time to unlock the ↵...
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9. Press ↓ and PAUSE to take the printer offline. 10. Press PAUSE again to put the printer online. The length of the scan profile printed is proportional to the Beam Width setting (page 71) and depends on the Profile H Mag setting (page 67).
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You can set the Profile H Mag parameter to a value from 1 to 4. The default is 1. 1. Press to take the printer offline and place the printer in Menu mode. ↵ 2. If necessary, press ↓ and at the same time to unlock the ↵...
Chapter 2 Configuring The Validator Print Settings This is an executable menu item that reads and prints the settings used by the validator. The response received from the validator after sending the ~DV (retrieves version), ~HT (retrieves hardware settings), and ~PT8 (retrieves parameter settings) commands are printed.
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[ ~ H U # # # # ] f r e q = 4 0 0 [ ~ H V # # # ] G T L A _ l e n = 1 9 9 [ ~ H Y # # # ] s n o i s e = 0 7 0 [ ~ H X # # # ] d i s t = 0 8 4...
This option has two purposes: Allows the validator to upload an optimized setting for a • particular printer size at power up. This will use the full scanner beam width and improve the performance and efficiency of the validator. •...
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VALIDATOR displays. 4. Press ↑ until Beam Width displays. 5. Press + or – to scroll through the values: 250 to 3100. The default is 1800, 2550, or 3100 (4, 6, or 8 inch printer). ↵ 6. Press to accept the desired value.
0.13 inches (3.3 mm) from the left edge of the tear bar. 6. Save the configuration for future use. to take the printer offline and place the printer in ↵ at the same time to unlock the until VALIDATOR displays.
General Process For Barcode Analysis General Process For Barcode Analysis The following flow chart is an overview of how the validator performs the barcode analysis. Edge Determination Reflectance Minimum <= Threshold percentage of Reflectance Maximum Symbol Contrast >= Symbol Contrast Threshold Grading Scale: A: >= 70 %...
Validator Limit will display. Print speed will be lowered automatically if required, but will not automatically reset to a higher speed. The printer cannot predict how high all the bar codes in a given job will be, so it cannot automatically limit or adjust the print speed to insure the code height/speed requirement is being met.
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Use this formula to determine printer speed in relation to bar code height: Bar Code Height In Inches 0.030 By changing the Min. Code Height, the printer and slew speeds will be changed automatically. To change the Min. Code Height: 1.
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This distance is important because it affects how fast the Print Speed can be set. If the bottom-most bar code on one label is very close to the top-most bar code on the next label, the printer could have trouble distinguishing which bar code correlates with which label.
In cases where the bar code is close to the bottom of a label and the printer is in an on-demand printing mode, the printer automatically pushes the label past the scanning beam.
Bad Bar Code Error Detection The validator examines every bar code that passes under the scanning beam and sends an analysis report to the printer. If a bar code is reported to have failed to meet any of the acceptance criteria, an error condition is reported.
“Setting Number Of Bar Codes On A Form” on page 50. Error Action The printer response is the same whether the error stems from a bad or missing bar code. It is determined by the Validator Action setting in the VALIDATOR menu: 1.
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Chapter 2 Bar Code Failures Forms Printed After an Error Detection Because of physical differences between the location of the printhead and the scanning beam, one or more forms may print after a bad form (a form with a bar code error that the validator detected). The number of forms printed after a bad form depends on the Label Length, Print Speed, and Slew Speed settings in the MEDIA CONTROL menu.
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This clears the error message and takes the printer offline. You must correct any condition that may have caused the fault. When ready, the printer can be put back online and it will resume printing with the form immediately following the bad form and any other forms printed prior to the physical stop (see “Forms Printed After an...
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Max Retry Action (see “Max Retry Action” on page 54). Stop & Retry This mode is similar to the Stop mode: the printer will stop printing and display the error message. After you clear the error message, it will then skip a number of blank labels, depending on the setting for Skip Labels (see “Setting For Skip Labels”...
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If the printer scans these forms correctly on any of the rescans, it will continue printing with the next form. If the printer fails to scan these forms correctly on all of the rescans, it will overstrike the forms, stop, and indicate an error similar to Stop mode.
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If the printer scans these forms correctly on any of the rescans or reprints, it will continue printing with the next form. If the printer fails to scan these forms correctly on all of the rescans and reprints, it will overstrike the forms, stop, and indicate an error similar to Stop mode.
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It will then slew to the next top of a blank form and reprint the same form or go the next form, depending on the setting for Max Retry Action (see “Max Retry Action” on page 54). NOTE: The only difference between Rescan Form and Rescan&Stop is that when a form still fails after all the rescans, Rescan Form will overstrike the bad form, whereas Rescan&Stop will not.
Error Messages The validator can detect a number of errors. When one of these errors occurs, the validator alerts the printer to perform the currently selected error action (see “Error Action” on page 79) and show the appropriate error message on the printer display. Validator error messages are explained in Table 6.
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Table 6. Message List Message Explanation Bar code quiet Data validation error: the zone too small blank zone(s) left or right of the bar code is not big enough to meet the minimum requirement. Typically, this occurs in forms where bar codes are placed too close to other elements, the bar code is too close to an edge of the media, or the...
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Chapter 2 Bar Code Failures Table 6. Message List Message Contrast too low Data validation error: the Check media contrast between bars and spaces is not sufficient. This can be caused by too little heat in the thermal transfer or by use of colored media or ribbons.
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Table 6. Message List Message Explanation Poor scanning Data validation failure: Check media percent decode. The validator detected gross inconsistencies within the height of the bar code. These types of failures are likely attributed to large blemishes within the bar code, caused by ribbon wrinkle or debris on media.
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3. Run a print job and check that the READ LED flashes as bar codes exit the printer. If the READ LED does not flash, cycle power and run the job again. If the READ LED does not...
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(continued) Validator not 1. The Validator Funct. = communicating Enable in the VALIDATOR menu, but when the printer was first powered up it could not communicate with it. 2. The validator was connected to the printer and then later removed.
Solution 1. Make sure the power/data cable is plugged into the validator and the controller board on the printer. See “Installation and Removal” on page 15. 2. Make sure the validator has not been disabled in the VALIDATOR menu. See “Enabling And Disabling The Validator”...
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Error Messages Solution The validator glass may be dirty, distorting the report results. Power down the printer and clean the glass using a household glass cleaner and a dry, lint-free cloth. There are a number of factors which could be...
Every so often, power down the printer and use a household glass cleaner and a dry, lint-free cloth to clean the glass. If the problem with the printer is not fixed by one of these troubleshooting methods, call your authorized service representative or the Printronix Customer Support Center.
Configuration printout (see “Printing A Configuration” in the • Quick Setup Guide ) • Is the problem with a new install or an existing printer? • Description of the problem (be specific) Good and bad samples that clearly show the problem (faxing of •...
Chapter Printronix Supplies Department Contact the Printronix Supplies Department for genuine Printronix supplies. Americas Europe, Middle East, and Africa Asia Pacific http://www.printronix.com/supplies-parts.aspx Corporate Offices Printronix, Inc. 14600 Myford Road P.O. Box 19559 Irvine, CA 92623-9559 Phone: (714) 368-2300 Fax: (714) 368-2600 Printronix, Inc.
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Adjusting the scanning beam, 27, 33 Auto detect bar codes, 50, 78 Auto Report, 45 Auto Report Time, 46 Average BWD, 49 Bad bar codes, 78 Bar Code Demo Page, 36 Bar code fails / Job has errors, 86 Bar code failure, 78 Bar code grading, 57 Bar Code Improper / Data Format, 86 Bar code quiet / zone too small, 87...