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Eltron Strata Thermal Printers User Manual

Zebra technologies strata thermal printers user's manual
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Strata

Thermal Printers

User's Manual
User's Manual No. 980181-001
Rev. C
©1999 Zebra Technologies Corporation

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  Summary of Contents for Eltron Strata Thermal Printers

  • Page 1: Thermal Printers

    Strata Thermal Printers User’s Manual User’s Manual No. 980181-001 Rev. C ©1999 Zebra Technologies Corporation...
  • Page 3: Copyright Notice

    This document contains information proprietary to Zebra Technologies Corporation. This docu- ment and the information contained within is copyrighted by Zebra Technologies Corporation and may not be duplicated in full or in part by any person without written approval from Zebra. While...
  • Page 4: Warranty Information

    WARRANTY INFORMATION We Need To Hear From You! To Establish Your Warranty Period And Provide Access To Technical Support, Send Us Your Product Registration Card Today! Zebra warrants the mechanism, control electronics and power supply, under normal use and ser- vice, to be free from defects in material and workmanship for a period of twelve (12) months from the date of purchase by the end user.
  • Page 5: Table Of Contents

    Installation ......1 Introduction ......1 Unpacking Your Printer .
  • Page 6 General Cautions and Warnings These pages describe general safety and maintenance warnings and cautions for the printer. They are referenced throughout the manual. The manual may also include other warnings and cautions not displayed here. Warning - Shock Hazard The printer should never be operated in a location where it can get wet.
  • Page 7 Media Cautions & Tips 1) Always use high quality Eltron approved labels and tags. Eltron approved supplies can be ordered from your ELTRON dealer. For the name of a dealer in your area, call Eltron Customer Service at one of the numbers listed on the back page of this manual.
  • Page 8 viii 980181-001 Rev.C...
  • Page 9: Installation

    Installation Installation This section provides information on the installation of the printer and software. Introduction The Strata printer models are low cost, manu- facturing oriented, thermal desktop printers. The Strata LP is a direct thermal printer. The Strata TLP is a thermal transfer and direct ther- mal printer.
  • Page 10: Unpacking Your Printer

    Installation Unpacking Your Open the shipping carton and remove the Printer printer and its accessories. Check List Printer Power Cord Media Holder and Retainers Cleaning Pen (for print head) Sample Label Roll Sample Transfer Ribbon Roll (TLP only) Ribbon Core (TLP only) Software and Documentation CD 980181-001 Rev.C...
  • Page 11: Installation

    Installation Installation The following steps will guide you through the installation of the printer and software. Step Attach Power Check Voltage O = Off See Warnings - Page vi 980181-001 Rev.C...
  • Page 12 Installation Step Attach Interface Cable Parallel Interface Serial Interface For additional information on serial cable wir- ing, refer to Appendix A. 980181-001 Rev.C...
  • Page 13 Installation Step Apply Power I = On If the indicator fails to light, refer to Appendix A - Troubleshooting. 980181-001 Rev.C...
  • Page 14 Installation Step Install Start your computer. Follow the installation Software instructions on the disk label to install the software. Refer to Section 2 - Operation, for information on loading labels and using your printer. 980181-001 Rev.C...
  • Page 15: Operation

    Operation This section provides information on the opera- tion of the printers. All user control (and adjustment) printer features are identified by green parts. 980181-001 Rev.C...
  • Page 16: Your Printer

    Operation Your Printer Cover Release Buttons Feed Button Status Indicator Media Roll Holder Media Roll Retainers Lower Media Stand (Printing Position) Upper Media Stand (Loading Position) Carriage Lock/Release Lever Media Guide Adjustment Gear Transmissive (Gap) Sensor Adjustment Gear Transmissive (Gap) Sensor Position Indicator Reflective (Black Mark) Sensor Platen Roller...
  • Page 17 Batch/Dispense Select Switch Serial Interface Parallel Interface Power Cord Receptacle On/Off Switch Fan-Fold Media Entry Ribbon Take-up Spindle 980181-001 Rev.C Operation Ribbon Supply Spindle Ribbon Sensor Label-Taken Sensor Dispenser Bar Label Liner Exit Release for Transmissive (Gap) Sensor Guide Bar Bracket...
  • Page 18: The Feed Control

    Operation The FEED Control The FEED button controls specific printer functions: feeding media (labels, tags or continuous media), loading media, pausing printing, and initiating AutoSense (Dump Mode). Use the FEED control button in normal opera- tion by tapping or holding the button. Tapping the FEED Button with labels loaded will cause the paper to advance to the top of the next label.
  • Page 19 Always run the AutoSense procedure when loading new batch or type of media. Media from the same manufacturing lot and having identical dimensions do not need to have the AutoSense procedure run every time new media is loaded. The Form Feed length is set by printer p ro gra mm i ng (Q) com m and in EPL 2 programming language or the AutoSense feature, an automatic label and gap length...
  • Page 20: The Status Indicator

    Operation The STATUS The STATUS indicator is a power and status in- Indicator dicator. When the printer power is first switched ON (1), the STATUS indicator will glow GREEN, indicating that the printer is ready for operation. Refer to Appendix A for additional information on troubleshooting error conditions.
  • Page 21: Loading Labels Or Tags

    Operation Loading Labels Your printer can print on adhesive backed la- or Tags bels, non-adhesive tags or continuous media (typically paper). The printer is capable of using media on a roll or fan fold media. Step 1 Open the printer. Press the two green release buttons on the sides of the printer to open the cover.
  • Page 22 Operation Step 2 Place the roll of media on the media holder tube. The media holder tube is directional and will not work properly if installed incorrectly. The media holder is keyed with a hex to be mounted on the right side of the printer when installed.
  • Page 23 Operation Step 3 Center the media roll on the holder. If the media roll is narrow, then the media roll holders can be added to prevent loose (uneven) pack of the media on the roll. Media Retainers (optional) 90° 90° 980181-001 Rev.C...
  • Page 24 Operation Step 4 Set the media and roll holder on the upper me- dia stand for loading. 980181-001 Rev.C...
  • Page 25 Operation Step 5 Turn the media guide adjustment wheel to- wards the rear of the printer to open the media guides. Open the media guides until they are wider than the media. Media Guides 980181-001 Rev.C...
  • Page 26 Operation Step 6 Open the print head carriage with the release lever. Pull forward and then up. Release Lever 980181-001 Rev.C...
  • Page 27 Operation Step 7 Insert the loose end of the media roll between the media guides and under the guide bar bracket that holds the transmissive (gap) sensor. Continue feeding the media under the print head carriage until it exits out the front of the printer.
  • Page 28 Operation Step 8 Turn the green media guide adjustment wheel towards the front of the printer until the label guides match the width of the media. 980181-001 Rev.C...
  • Page 29 Operation Step 9 Move the media roll to the lower media stand for printing. 980181-001 Rev.C...
  • Page 30 Operation Step 10 When using the transmissive (gap) sensor for top of form (label) sensing, verify that the sen- sor is positioned at minimum label gap point or Sensor centered over a tag hole. See Top of Form Position Sensing, page 32, for more details on sensor operation.
  • Page 31 Operation Step 11 Close and lock the print head carriage. Push the print head carriage down to close and then push the lever back to lock. Turn on the printer power. Tap the FEED con- trol until the STATUS indicator glows GREEN. 980181-001 Rev.C...
  • Page 32: Windows Users

    Operation Step 12 Set label detection parameters for media: Windows Users! Use Settings / Printers on the Start Menu of Windows 95 or Windows NT versions 3.51 & 4.0 to select the label size that matches the labels loaded in the printer. Use the AutoSense procedure for first time use of new media to set the transmissive (gap) sensor.
  • Page 33: Loading Transfer Ribbons

    Loading Transfer Transfer ribbons are used when printing on Ribbons thermal transfer media such as adhesive labels or non-adhesive tags. Thermal transfer ribbons are available in general purpose wax (blue leader), general purpose wax-resin (silver leader) and polyester resin (gold leader). Take-Up Spindles The print head carriage in a thermal transfer...
  • Page 34 Operation Step Install an empty ribbon core onto the front rib- bon (take-up) spindle pair. Push the core onto the left side ribbon (take up) spindle. Rotate the core on the spindle until the notches on the right side of the core match-up with the long spokes on the right side ribbon (take-up) spindle.
  • Page 35 Operation Step Loosen the ribbon leader that secures the lead- ing end of the transfer ribbon roll. Fold the rib- bon leader over and attach it to the under side of the ribbon leader. Notch 980181-001 Rev.C...
  • Page 36 Operation Step Install the ribbon roll onto the rear ribbon (supply) spindle pair so that the ribbon feeds from the top of the roll toward the back of the printer. The ribbon roll installs the same as the ribbon (take-up) core. Wrap the ribbon around the print carriage, aound the ribbon tracking bar and above the media guide bracket.
  • Page 37 Operation Step Hold open the print carriage to pull the ribbon through towards the front of the print carriage and up to the empty take-up core. Center the ribbon on ribbon core. Attach the ribbon to the core with the adhesive strip on the leader or with tape.
  • Page 38 Operation Step Rotate the ribbon take-up core a minimum one full revolution (from the top to the back of the printer) to remove most of the slack from the rib- bon. Verify that the ribbon is wrapping straight on the ribbon core. After the media is loaded, hold the ribbon snug and close the print head.
  • Page 39: Removing A Partially Used Transfer Ribbon

    Removing A A partially used transfer ribbon can be removed Partially Used by following the steps below. Transfer Ribbon The unused portion of partially used transfer ribbons can be reloaded using the normal rib- bon loading procedure. Step Open the print carriage to release ribbon ten- sion.
  • Page 40: Top Of Form Sensing

    Operation Top Of Form To accommodate different media and media Sensing dimensions, your printer is equipped with sen- sors capable of detecting the top of form for la- bels or tags. Two methods are used by the printer for top of form sensing: gap sensing and black mark sensing.
  • Page 41: Using Autosense

    Using AutoSense The AutoSense feature sets sensitivity of the transmissive sensor and measures and stores the form (label) and gap lengths. To activate the AutoSense feature: Step 1 Set the power switch to the OFF (0) position. Step 2 Load labels into the printer (do not use the dis- penser).
  • Page 42 Operation Step 4 Tap the FEED Control once to switch the printer back to normal operation. If the indicator light turns AMBER or RED, refer to Appendix A for troubleshooting information. 980181-001 Rev.C...
  • Page 43: Cleaning Your Printer

    Operation Cleaning Your You have easy access to all of the printer’s me- Printer dia path areas to allow for cleaning and clearing of media jams. You can clean the sensor areas, print head, platen roller and areas adjacent to the media path surfaces.
  • Page 44: Cleaning The Print Head

    Operation Cleaning the As you use your printer, the print head may be- Print Head come contaminated resulting in poor print qual- ity. Whenever new labels are loaded into the printer, the print head should be cleaned with a cleaning pen. Step 1 Open the printer and the print head carriage.
  • Page 45: Cleaning Under The Sensor Bracket

    Cleaning Under The transmissive (gap) sensor guide bar bracket the Sensor Bracket can pivot up for easy cleaning. Step 1 Open the print head carriage. Step 2 Open the sensor bracket. Pull the slide lock to the left and lift the front of the bracket up. Transmissive (Gap) Sensor Bracket Step 3...
  • Page 46: Using The Label Dispenser

    Operation Using the Label Printers with the label dispenser function (indi- Dispenser cated by a T after the model number) can dis- pense a single label that is already peeled away from the liner. Before performing these steps, load a media roll (refer to page 12 if necessary). Step 1 Push the switch to the peel position.
  • Page 47 Step 3 Remove a few labels. Push a corner of the liner behind the gray roller and through the slot. Step 4 Remove slack by pulling the liner. 980181-001 Rev.C Operation...
  • Page 48 Operation Step 5 Close the dispenser bar and print head. Tighten the liner against the dispenser bar. Adjust the media guides (refer to page 19). Step 6 Send your print job. The printer dispenses one label and waits for you to take it before printing the next label.
  • Page 49: Troubleshooting

    Troubleshooting Appendix A Troubleshooting This section addresses the most common issues you may face with operation and configuration of the printer. Where to Start The first troubleshooting reference source is the Common Problems Troubleshooting table on the following page. 980181-001 Rev.C...
  • Page 50 Troubleshooting Common Printing Problems Troubleshooting Guide Problem Solution or Reason STATUS indicator does not light GREEN 1. Check power connections from the printer to when power switch is turned to the ON (1) position. With the STATUS 1. Verify that the labels are the correct type. indicator light GREEN, 2.
  • Page 51 Problem Solution or Reason 1. Check for Out-of-Media condition or missing 2. Check for Out-of-Ribbon condition or dam- 3. Check that the ribbon and label media are Status Indicator is RED 4. When direct thermal printing, verify that the 5. Transmissive sensor is dirty. Clean media 6.
  • Page 52: Other Support Resources

    The first troubleshooting reference source is the Resources table on the previous page. Next, contact the dealer where you purchased your printer. Zebra Technologies also provides a variety of information and user support services: Internet: Web Address: http://www.eltron.com ftp: //ftp.eltron.com e-mail: Label Printers: techsup@eltron.com...
  • Page 53: Serial Interface Communication Configuration

    Serial Interface The printer’s serial port is configured with the Communication Y command for the printer. See the EPL2 pro- grammer's manual for details. Configuration The printer’s serial port default configuration is: Serial Interface The figure below displays the cable wiring re- quired to use the printer’s serial interface Cable Wiring 980181-001 Rev.C...
  • Page 54: Tag Media Sensing

    Troubleshooting Tag Media Sensing The printer uses a moveable sensor to detect in- dex holes/notches in tag stock. The sensor can move from a center tag notch to a notch on the out side edge of tag stock as wide as 8.5 inches (216mm) wide.
  • Page 55: Printer Features

    Features The printer has many time saving, user friendly, design features. Some of these printer features are listed below: 980181-001 Rev.C Printer Features Anti-jam, straight through media path Sturdy, clam shell case with force balanced lid and locking latch for safer handling Internal label roll holder 5 printer resident fonts Over 20 bar codes, including 2 dimensional...
  • Page 56: Hardware Options

    Printer Features Firmware Options Hardware Options Accessories General Specifications Flash memory makes firmware updates easy and seamless Create-A-Label Tools for Windows Software Wi nd o ws D rive rs (Wi nd ows Windows® 95, and Windows 4.0) Snap’N’Lock front bezel for easy access Flash memory expandable to 1 megabyte.
  • Page 57 Printer Features Easy-to-load label and ribbon path Easy-to-use EPL2 command language Prints text, graphics and bar codes in four di- rections: 0°, 90°, 80° and 270° Graphics, line and box drawing features, PCX bit map supported Label back feed for maximum label usage printing Diagnostics and configuration print out and ASCII dump...
  • Page 58 Printer Features Standard Fonts Media Sensing Code 128 Autoselect CodaBar UCC/EAN-128 Interleaved 2 of 5 UPC-A, UPC-E, 2 & 5 digit add on EAN-8, EAN-13, 2 & 5 digit add on POSTNET MaxiCode PDF-417 German Postal Code Bar codes with or without human readable text Bar codes can be printed in four directions 0°, 90°, 180°...
  • Page 59 Printer Features Media Type: roll-fed, die-cut, continuous or fan- fold labels, tags or tickets Materials: thermal transfer or thermal sensi- tive papers Maximum media width: 8.75" (222.3mm) Minimum media width: 4" (102mm) Maximum media length: 11" (279mm) stan- dard, 22" (559mm) optional with maximum print width set.
  • Page 60 Printer Features Mechanical Electrical Environmental Width: 13.6" (344mm) Depth: 11.9" (305mm) Height: 8.1" (204mm) Weight: 21.0lbs. (9.5kg) Voltage: 115V/60 Hz, 230V/50 Hz Complies with FCC Class B and CE require- ments; Built to UL, CUL and TUV require- ments. Operating temperature: 40°F to 104°F (5°C to 40°C) Storage Temperature: -40°F to 140°F (-40°C to 60°C)
  • Page 61: Supplies And Accessories

    Accessories available for the Strata™ printer are listed below. Always refer to the ELTRON part number when placing an order. For the name of an Eltron brand dealer in your area, call: 1(800) 344-4003 or the nearest Zebra Technol- ogies office (located on the back of this manual).
  • Page 62 Supplies and Accessories Thermal Direct Transfer Thermal 980181-001 Rev.C...
  • Page 63 Supplies and Accessories Transfer Thermal 980181-001 Rev.C...
  • Page 64 Supplies and Accessories 980181-001 Rev.C...
  • Page 65: Using The Media Cutter

    Appendix D Using the Media Cutter Printers with the cutter option have a bezel with a motorized blade. Printers with cutters can dis- pense a single form that is automatically cut from the media roll. 980181-001 Rev.C...
  • Page 66 Using the Media Cutter Guidelines Use the cutter to cut through continuous paper from rolls and liner between labels. You can switch between cutting and feeding by using the OC command. You can set form length and gap distances by using the Q com- mand.
  • Page 67: The Printer

    Using the Media Cutter Clearing the If the media is crooked, a jam can occur. The only tool required to clear a jam is a pair of small Cutter tweezers. Step 1—Prepare Turn the printer off. the Printer Unplug the power cord and interface cable. 980181-001 Rev.C...
  • Page 68 Step 2—Clear Use tweezers to remove media from the internal blade areas. the Jam If the jam is inside the cutter, detach the cutter assembly from the printer. Press both bezel re- leases and pull the cutter up and forward. Lay the cutter flat.
  • Page 69 Step 3—Replace Align the left edges of the bezel and printer. Connect the bezel by snapping down into place. the Cutter Step 4—Check Connect the power cord and interface cable. Turn the printer on. Tap the Feed button. The the Cutter printer should feed one label then cut the liner.
  • Page 70 836 Arlington Heights Rd. #357 Elk Grove, IL 60007 Phone: +1 (847) 584 2714 FAX: +1 (847) 584 2725 e-mail: latinsales@eltron.com Zebra Technologies, Asia Pacific Headquarters 1 Sims Lane #06-11 Singapore 387355 Phone: +65 84 20 322 FAX: +65 84 20 366 e-mail: asiasales@eltron.com...

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