Instruction manual

Adjusting the Print Quality
Many factors affect print quality: type of supplies, print speed, print contrast, and the type of
printer’s application. This printer supports both thermal transfer and thermal direct supplies.
The type of supply should match the printer’s application.
¨ If you want to print at high speeds, you should use premium supplies. Using premium
supplies reduces smudged images, hard to read labels, and faded print. Supply type, print
speed, and print contrast work together to improve the print quality of labels. Contact your
Sales Representative for more information.
¨ Select the print speed based on desired throughput and print quality. If print quality is more
important, reduce the print speed, because a lower print speed increases the print quality of
labels. If throughput is more important, increase the print speed to give you the needed print
performance. See “Increasing Throughput” for more information.
¨ If the print quality is too light or too dark, adjust the print contrast. The correct contrast
setting is important because it effects how well your bar codes scan and how long the
printhead lasts.
Be sure to check the print quality of bar codes with a bar code verifier or scanner. If you do
not have a verifier or scanner, check the bar code visually. A bar code that is IN SPEC has
complete bars and clear spaces. Small alphanumeric characters look complete. A bar code
that is IN SPEC may not look as good as one that is too dark, but it does have the highest
scan rate.
Note: For highest scan rates, make sure there is adequate white space before and after the
bar code. Also, a darker bar code does not mean it will scan better.
Reducing Imaging Time
Imaging time is the time it takes the printer to image the data for the first label after the printer
receives the format and batch packet. There are several ways to reduce the imaging time:
send formats and configurations once, use a batch quantity of zero, or update batch fields.
¨ If the formats use the same check digit scheme, you only need to send the check digit
scheme once.
¨ Send formats once and use the batch update field to change information on the label. Using
a batch update field reduces the imaging time, because only the fields that change are
imaged. All other fields remain the same as the last queued batch.
¨ Use the batch quantity zero method when your application requires operator intervention to
enter data. While the operator is entering data, the previous field is sent with a batch
quantity of zero. The printer images the field, but does not print it. After the operator enters
the data for the last field, the batch quantity can be specified. The last remaining field is
imaged, and the label prints almost immediately.
9-2 PRINTER OPTIMIZATION
Dark
IN SPEC
Light