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Primera RX500 User Manual

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032719-511441
User's Manual
© 2019 All rights reserved

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Summary of Contents for Primera RX500

  • Page 1 032719-511441 User's Manual © 2019 All rights reserved...
  • Page 2 Notices : The information in this document is subject to change without notice. NO WARRANTY OF ANY KIND IS MADE WITH REGARD TO THIS MATERIAL, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.
  • Page 3 Interactive Feature in this PDF Document There are interactive features that allow you to jump to different locations within the document. Each listing in the Table of Contents is interactive. Place the cursor on either the words or the page number. A small hand with a pointing finger icon appears.

  • Page 4: Table Of Contents

    C. Using Fan-fold Label Stock .............10 D. Installing the Ink Cartridge ............. 10 E. Aligning the Ink Cartridge .............. 13 Section 3: Primera PrintHub ................14 A. Monitoring Ink Levels ..............15 B. Using the Cost Estimator ..............16 C. Set the Stock Sensor Mode ..............17 D.
  • Page 5 E. Printing from Belight Labels and Addresses ........ 48 Create a Custom Label Size/Print from other Programs ... 55 G. Creating a Full Bleed Print ..............56 H. Printer Driver Settings ..............57 Section 7: Troubleshooting ................60 A. Solving Offset/Alignment Problems ..........60 B.

  • Page 6: Section 1: Getting Started

    The LX500c adds an integrated cutter to cut between each label. The RX500 adds the ability to encode to label stock with integrated RFID chips. It has has a built in cutter.

  • Page 7: Unpacking And Inspection

    INDEX B. UNPACKING AND INSPECTION While unpacking your printer, inspect the carton to ensure that no damage has occurred during shipping. Make sure that all supplied accessories are included with your unit. The following items should be included: • Printer •...

  • Page 8: Identifying The Parts

    LED indicator lights. Label Stock TOF Power LED Sensor Bar Ink Low LED RFID encoder (RX500 Only) Top Cover Ink Button Label Tear Bar Load/Feed Button Unload Button The Ink Low LED will illuminate when a cartridge has 10% or less of its ink remaining.
  • Page 9 INDEX This illustration shows the input ports and power switch found on the rear panel of the printer. Fan-fold Label Slot Power Switch USB Port Power Input Port 4 Getting Started...

  • Page 10: Section 2: Hardware And Software Setup

    As long as the label stock is paper and can receive ink jet printing and is within the allotted size, it will work in the printer. Primera carries a large variety of paper label stock that has been converted and ready for use with your printer.
  • Page 11 INDEX 4. Place the label stock between the stock guide rollers and release the spring loaded stock guide to hold the label stock. The stock guide rollers allow the label stock roll to move freely. 5. Place the leading edge of the label stock between the throat guide and the side of the printer.

  • Page 12: Adjusting The Stock Gap Sensor Position

    INDEX Tip! To ensure that the label stock is fed straight be sure to push the label stock into the printer quickly until the entire front edge of the stock is touching the feed roller. For wider stock use both hands to feed the stock to maintain even forward pressure while you are pushing the stock into the printer.
  • Page 13 INDEX If you are using label stock other than standard square / rectangular die cut labels such as circular die-cut labels or through-hole stock use the instructions below to adjust the label stock TOF sensor. 12.7 25.4 38.1 50.8 Gap Sensor Slide Bar Circular Labels If you are using Circular Labels you must adjust the Stock Gap sensor to correspond with the very top of the label where the...
  • Page 14 INDEX 1/2” 1 1/8” Center of Hole Center of Circle Circular Labels Through-Hole Labels Through Hole Labels If you are using card stock or label stock that has a hole punch or a notch to identify a transition from backing to label, you can adjust the Sensor Bar to position it over the identifying mark.

  • Page 15: Using Fan-Fold Label Stock

    INDEX C. USING FAN-FOLD LABEL STOCK It is possible to use fan-fold label stock by feeding it through the fan-fold slot in the the back of the printer. Before feeding the fan-fold stock through the back of the printer, lock the stock guide in the out position so the stock guide rollers will Unlocked Locked...
  • Page 16 INDEX 1. Open the Top Cover of the printer. 2. Press the Ink Button on the printer. Power Load/Feed Unload 3. The Cartridge Carrier will align itself to the center of the print area. 4. Press the Cartridge Cover Release to open the Cartridge Holder.
  • Page 17 INDEX 7. Push cartridge cover downward until it snaps in place. Note: Ink Cartridge Levels are estimates based on analysis of the printed images by the driver during spooling. This analysis estimates the number of ink droplets(spits) required to print the image and subtracts that amount from the total amount in the cartridge.

  • Page 18: Aligning The Ink Cartridge

    INDEX E. ALIGNING THE INK CARTRIDGE Cartridge alignment will align the Color Cartridge for bidirectional printing and calibrate the printer to each individual cartridge. You will automatically be prompted to perform this alignment each time you install a new cartridge. You may also manually align the cartridge via the status monitor.

  • Page 19: Section 3: Primera Printhub

    PrintHub accesses most of the information it uses from the printer itself so the printer must be turned on and communicating for the program to be useful. 2. Go to Start - Programs - Primera Technology - Primera PrintHub. A. Adjust alignment, sensor mode, output mode, RFID settings and advanced settings.

  • Page 20: Monitoring Ink Levels

    Ink levels can be monitored at any time by using the PrintHub. Immediately after printing starts the PrintHub will display the ink levels in the upper right corner of the application. Ink is displayed in 10% increments. Example 100% to 90% to 80%. Primera PrintHub...

  • Page 21: Using The Cost Estimator

    A report will display the information. You can print or save the report from this screen. You can also change the currency using the drop down, change the job name or adjust the cost from this screen. Primera PrintHub...

  • Page 22: Set The Stock Sensor Mode

    2. Go to Start - Programs - Primera Technology - Primera PrintHub. 3. Click on the Label Feed (3rd tab from left).

  • Page 23: Set The Present Or Cut Mode (Cutter Models Only)

    2. Go to Start - Programs - Primera Technology - Primera PrintHub. 3. Click on the Label Feed Tab.
  • Page 24 You can use this feature to cut at the end of multi-copy job, multi-page job or multiple individual jobs in the queue. Cut every label. This setting will cut after every label. Primera PrintHub...
  • Page 25 Present Timer. (Works only with Present after no activity option) Set the time delay from the end of the job to when the label is presented. Increasing this value can resolve issues with unnecessary present actions between jobs. Primera PrintHub...

  • Page 26: Adjusting Print Alignment

    They also prohibit printing to the edge of the sheet. This is to avoid any need for alignment. The LX500/RX500 senses the beginning of the label with an optical sensor and is capable of printing to top, bottom, left and right edge.

  • Page 27: Settings

    There are two areas with Settings in PrintHub. General application settings that apply to the software and all printers can be found by clicking the blue “Settings” button in the lower left. Printer specific settings can be found on the “Printer Settings” Tab. Primera PrintHub...
  • Page 28 Send this to tech support so they can help solve any printing problems. Advanced. Check the “Generate Printer Status XML” box to create an XML at "C:\ProgramData\PTI\PrintHub\PrinterStatus.xml". Software developers can use this file to display status information such as error messages and ink levels in 3rd party applications. Primera PrintHub...
  • Page 29 INDEX Printer Settings Information. This section displays all current driver, software and firmware versions. Cartridge Maintenance. Here you can adjust the frequency of certain maintenance operations. Increasing the value of “Seconds between Maintenance Spits” will decrease ink usage but could also cause poor quality printing. Increasing or Pages between Maintenance Wipes will speed up printing but could also cause poor quality printing.
  • Page 30 INDEX Advanced Multiple Printer Support. You can install multiple printers to the same computer and use them simultaneously. To do so you will need to change the USB serial number identifier of one of the two printers, two of three printers, three of four printers etc.

  • Page 31: Section 4: Using Rfid (Pc Only)

    RFID Tags are detected before then you can check on the RFID tab within Primera PrintHub. To test the RFID stock, click the Start Read/Write button. The RX500 will write and read the chip until you press the “Stop Test” button. Using RFID...

  • Page 32: Printing And Encoding

    INDEX If successful, you will see the Success entry for each attempt. If the stock fails the test for any reason, stop the test and try pressing the Auto-Calibrate button. If the stock is still not writing/reading refer to the RFID tag specifications at the end of this section to make sure your stock is compatible.

  • Page 33: Tag Specifications

    867 Mhz (UHF) for Europe (Requires European version of RX500) RX500 encodes only to EPC memory which can store from 96 bits to 480 bits depending on the tag that is chosen. The chip (ICs) for Gen 2 tags contain four types of memory: •...
  • Page 34 It cannot store information besides the two codes. EPC Memory (RX500 Only Encodes this Memory): This memory bank stores the EPC code, or the Electronic Product Code. It has a minimum of 96 bits of writable memory.

  • Page 35: Section 5: Printing Using A Pc

    INDEX Section 5: Printing Using a PC A. USING BARTENDER® Primera Special Edition BarTender UltraLite is included with the printer. Other programs can be used to print. If printing from other programs please follow the guidelines in Section When you open BarTender you will be given the choice to select an existing label or create a new one using a wizard.
  • Page 36 INDEX 2. Select "Blank Template". Click "Next". 3. Select "Color Label 500". Click "Next". 4. Select "Specify Custom Settings". Click "Next". Printing Using a PC...
  • Page 37 INDEX 5. Set the page size, width and height to match labels installed in the printer. Click "Next". 6. Check the "Picture" box to add a background photo or graphic to your label. Click "Next". If you click "Finish", the remaining default wizard options will be set and no picture will be added.
  • Page 38 INDEX 7. Select "Embedded Picture". Click the "File" Button to browse to the location of your photo/graphic file. Set the Size Method to "Stretch". Note the preview to the right. Click "Next" if you are satisfied with the layout of the photo or graphic.

  • Page 39: Add Text, Barcodes And Graphics To Bartender Label

    INDEX B. ADD TEXT, BARCODES AND GRAPHICS TO A BARTENDER LABEL Once you have created your label size you will need to add text, a barcode and/or graphics. This can be done using one of the buttons on the button bar at the top of the screen. Add Text.

  • Page 40: Printing From Bartender

    INDEX C. PRINTING FROM BARTENDER 1. To print, click the Print button or go to the File Menu and select "Print". The Print Dialog window will appear. 2. Select the Color Label 500. 3. Set the number of copies. 4. Click "Document Properties" to adjust print quality settings. These settings are explained in the next section.

  • Page 41: Printer Driver Settings (Pc)

    INDEX D. PRINTER DRIVER SETTINGS (PC) Settings changed via the method below will apply to all new designs created in BarTender or other programs after the prefer- ences were changed. Existing labels saved in BarTender will not be affected since the preferences are saved with the label. To change these preferences you will have to change printer preferences through BarTender before printing by clicking the "Document Properties"...
  • Page 42 INDEX NOTE on PC Settings: Most applications allow you to change these same printer driver options from their "Print" screens. Some applications such as BarTender save your settings with the label, others use settings only for the current print job just sent to the printer. Paper Size If you are using BarTender, this setting is adjusted during the label setup wizard.
  • Page 43 INDEX Print Quality There are 4 levels of print quality in the driver. The lower the Quality, the faster the print. Quality 1 provides the fastest print available while Quality 4 provides the best quality. It is recommended that you experiment with the different levels when designing your label to find a good balance between print quality and print speed.

  • Page 44: Printing From Other Programs

    INDEX Launch Status Monitor Click here to open the LX500 Status Monitor. See section 3 for more details. Details/Print Counter Clicking on the Details button will allow you to view information about printer settings stored on the printer. There is also a print counter in the details window to help you count the number of labels printed since the last time it was reset.
  • Page 45 INDEX 2. Check the image or document size. The image size or document size should correspond to the Page/Label Size set in the driver. If you have set your page size n the driver to 4" x 4" but your image is actually 5" x 3" the printer driver will automatically shrink your image to fit inside the 4"...

  • Page 46: Section 6: Printing From A Mac

    INDEX Section 6: Printing from a Mac A. PRINTER UTILITY SETTINGS (COLOR LABEL 500 UTILITY) The Color Label 500 Utility is used to interact with the printer for gathering ink levels, maintenance, alignment, and several other functions. To Find Color Label 500 Utility: Color Label 500 Utility automatically installs with your printer driver and can be accessed through the Printer &...
  • Page 47 INDEX Status Tab (First Tab). Displays ink levels, print counter and any error messages. Cartridge Tab (Second Tab). Use for aligning the cartridge, cleaning the cartridge, and changing cartridge. Alignment Tab (Third Tab). Adjusts vertical and horizontal print alignment. Changes the Stock Sensor Mode and toggles the Output/Cut Mode.

  • Page 48: Adjusting Print Alignment/Label Offsets

    The LX500 comes from the factory calibrated to print exactly to the edge of Primera label stock. However, due to variability it may be necessary to fine tune these settings at the beginning of each roll.
  • Page 49 INDEX Three items can be adjusted here: Tear off Position. This value adjusts the position of the last label printed after it has been presented for tear off. This only applies if the output mode is set to “Present.” Add to the current value to move the tear point closer to the printer.

  • Page 50: Set The Stock Sensor Mode

    INDEX C. SET THE STOCK SENSOR MODE The stock sensor mode refers to the method the printer will use to detect the print starting position for each label. To access the Stock Sensor Mode, click on the Alignment button, then select Stock Sensor Mode.

  • Page 51: Set The Output Mode

    INDEX Continuous. (Sensor off.) If you have continuous stock with no die-cut, reflective mark or holes, set the Sensor Type to Continuous. This will turn off the stock sensor. In this mode there is no way to set the print starting position. The printer will simply start printing the first label and print each subsequent label immediately after the previous.
  • Page 52 INDEX Cut after label count. This option will cut after the number of labels specified in the toggle box that appears when this option is selected. This is useful if you have front/back labels or sets of labels. Present Options (Uncheck Cutter Enabled) Do not present.

  • Page 53: Printing From Belight Labels And Addresses

    INDEX E. PRINTING FROM BELIGHT LABELS AND ADDRESSES You can print to the printer from any program. However, Belight’s Labels and Addresses is an affordable program that we recommend. It saves time by eliminating the need to setup a custom page size for each label. You may download a trial version at their website: www.belightsoft.com To setup a label and print follow these instructions.
  • Page 54 INDEX 2. If your size is not on the list, select ANY label and click Choose. You will have to setup a new label before it will appear on the Custom tab. Click on the information icon to display label size information. Click on Change Layout… 3.
  • Page 55 INDEX 4. The setup will contain a default name and setup. All of this information needs to be changed. First change the name to match your label size. Printing from a Mac...
  • Page 56 INDEX 5. Change the Label Size and Layout. Use this information as a guide. In this example we will setup a 2.5” wide x 2” high label. • Label Width and Height should match Page Width and Height • A standard corner radius (rounded corner) is .125 •...
  • Page 57 INDEX 6. Click OK when the label is setup. Now select the label you setup from the Custom Tab. Click OK. 7. Add images, barcodes or text using the buttons across the top ribbon. For more information on how to setup a label and use the software, contact Belight or visit the Help menu.
  • Page 58 INDEX 8. Choose the Color Label 500 as the printer and click Next. 9. You may print at this point. However, if you wish to adjust print settings, click on the Show Details button. Printing from a Mac...
  • Page 59 INDEX 10. Next click on the Layout menu to reveal additional menu options. Choose Saturation/Ink/Quality. 11. Set your Saturation, Ink and Quality settings according to the guide in section 5F. Click Print. Printing from a Mac...

  • Page 60: Create A Custom Label Size/Print From Other Programs

    INDEX F. CREATE A CUSTOM LABEL SIZE /PRINTING FROM OTHER PROGRAMS In many programs such as Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop or Acrobat Reader you will need to choose your label/page size before you print. If the label size you need to use is not already on the list of available pages sizes you will need to create a new custom size.

  • Page 61: Creating A Full Bleed Print

    INDEX G. CREATING A FULL BLEED PRINT 1. If you are having trouble making the image cover the entire label, first make sure the image is printing at least as big as the label size you have selected. Increase the selected page size by .03 inches on the width and .03 inches on the height to create an over bleed.

  • Page 62: Printer Driver Settings

    INDEX H. PRINTER DRIVER SETTINGS Printer driver settings are accessible on the print window of any application right before you click print. Printing from Preview: Click on the Layout dropdown menu and choose Printer Features. Printing from a Mac...
  • Page 63 INDEX Printing from Adobe Reader: First click on Printer... to access settings. Click on the Layout dropdown menu and choose Printer Features. Printing from a Mac...
  • Page 64 INDEX Print Quality There are 4 levels of print quality in the driver. The lower the Quality, the faster the print. Quality 1 provides the fastest print available while Quality 4 provides the best quality. It is recommended that you experiment with the different levels when designing your label to find a good balance between print quality and print speed.

  • Page 65: Section 7: Troubleshooting

    INDEX Section 7: Troubleshooting A. SOLVING OFFSET/ALIGNMENT PROBLEMS Image is Vertically Offset (White space can be seen on the top or bottom of the label) The LX500 decides where to start printing by detecting the start of a die-cut label, detecting a black mark on the back or detecting a thru-hole that corresponds to the start of the label.
  • Page 66 INDEX 5. Portrait / Landscape. If the Portrait / Landscape setting does not correspond to the label stock installed this will also cause the printer to print over the gap and onto the next label. Make sure this is set correctly. 6.

  • Page 67: Creating A Full Bleed Print

    INDEX B. CREATING A FULL BLEED PRINT 1. If you are having trouble making the image cover the entire label, first make sure the image is printing at least as big as the label size you have selected. To accomplish this using BarTender, make the image a few millimeters larger than the label by dragging the image over the edge of the label on all sides.

  • Page 68: Clearing A Label Jam

    INDEX C. CLEARING A LABEL JAM If there is a label jam in the printer mechanism first attempt to remove the jam by opening the cover and removing the jam from the printer feed output area. If the jam can not be located, it is possible to remove a cover over the feed input area.
  • Page 69 INDEX Maintenance Station Cleaning/Wiper Replacement Check the Maintenance (Capping) Station for ink build up / Replace Wipers. The capping station is where the cartridges dock when not printing. The rubber cap just naturally builds up ink over time. There can also be ink residue on the wiper. Wipe off the capping station components occasionally with a damp cloth.

  • Page 70: Cleaning The Ink Cartridge

    INDEX E. POOR PRINT QUALITY - CLEANING THE CARTRIDGE It may be necessary to clean the ink cartridge nozzles if you notice reduced print quality, or if you suspect a cartridge nozzle has become slightly dried out or clogged. If the cartridge has been left out of the printer more than 30 minutes, the ink in the print head nozzles may have dried.
  • Page 71 INDEX 4. Prepare items needed for procedure. A Glass of Water Two Paper Towels folded four times each 5. Soak the paper towels in water for 5 seconds. Note: Do not squeeze water from paper towels after removing from water. Troubleshooting...
  • Page 72 INDEX 6. Place one paper towel on cartridge nozzles. Gently press the paper towel with your finger. Leave the paper towel on the nozzles for 30-40 seconds. Cartridge Nozzles Place one paper Gently press Leave paper towel on nozzles paper towel with towel on nozzles finger for 30-40 seconds...

  • Page 73: Technical Support

    F. TECHNICAL SUPPORT If you have difficulties operating your Printer, contact technical support using one of the methods listed below. Source Location Primera Knowledge Base www.primera.com/kb BarTender Software Help files Open the software. Click on the Help Menu - BarTender Help Email Support www.primera.com/contact_tech_support.cfm...

  • Page 74: Section 8: Label And Roll Specifications

    INDEX Section 8: Label and Roll Specifications Important! Test all custom made label stock with the intended printer before ordering large quantities! Primera will only assume responsibility for custom label stock ordered from Primera. Label Sensing Methods Label Width Liner Width...
  • Page 75 For these reasons the weight or thickness of the liner is a variable that can not easily be defined. Primera recommends and uses 40# liner with all label stock. Label and Roll Specifications...
  • Page 76 INDEX Roll Specifications Label Side Out Roll O.D. Label Stock 2” 5” Core I.D. Core O.D. Notes: 1. Label height <1.5” requires a 2.00” I.D. x 3.00” O.D. core. Label height >1.5” requires a 2.00” I.D. x 2.25” O.D. core. 2.

  • Page 77: Section 9: Technical Specifications

    INDEX Section 9: Technical Specifications Print Method: Inkjet Print Resolutions: 4800 x 1200 dpi, 1200 x 1200 dpi, 600 x 600 dpi Ink Cartridge: #53374 Color (CMY) Colors: 16.7 million Media Types: Roll-fed pressure-sensitive labels, roll-fed tags Media Sensing: Moveable see-through sensor for die-cut labels and reflective for tags with black stripe sensing Ink Level Warning:...

  • Page 78: Index

    INDEX Index Automatic Update ................23 Calibrate ..................13, 25 Cartridge Alignment ..............13 Cleaning Ink Cartridge ..............65 Cost Estimator ................. 16 Cut Mode ..................18 High Gloss Label Stock ..............2 Ink Low LED ..................3 Installing the Ink Cartridge ............10 Installing Label Stock ...............5 Label Size ...................28, 62 Label Tear Bar ..................
  • Page 79 Printed in the United States of America P/N 511441...

This manual is also suitable for:

Lx500cLx500

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