Operation Manual SX4M SX5M TXPSX4 TXPSX5 www.satolabeling.
Precautions The following precautions will help to ensure that this machine will continue to function correctly. 1. Try to • • • • • • avoid locations that have the following adverse conditions: Temperatures out of the specification Direct sunlight High humidity Shared power source Excessive vibration Dust/Gas 2. The cover should be cleaned by wiping with a dry cloth or a cloth slightly dampened with a mild detergent solution. NEVER USE THINNER OR ANY OTHER VOLATILE SOLVENT on the plastic covers. 3.
1. Product overview 1.1 Thank You Thank you for purchasing the SATO Labeling Solutions America, Inc. model SX Printer. This owner’s manual will cover the steps necessary to operate the machine. This owner’s manual should be read completely before operating the printer to help minimize failures of the machine. If you have any questions about the operation of the machine consult this manual.
2. Printer Setup 2.1 Guidelines To provide the best operating conditions and the safety of the operator follow these guidelines: • Make sure that the printer is set on a flat stable surface in an environment that is free of dust. • Make sure the work area is free of static. • Turn the printer off and unplug it before servicing the machine. • Store the ribbon and labels in a clean area. • Clean the print head and other parts in the printer every time you change labels.
2.4 Cable Connection The following cables will be needed for installation: • 1 serial cable if the printer only has a serial RS232 connector. • 1 parallel cable to connect to the computer’s printer port. • 1 RJ45 cable is needed if the optional LAN board is installed. • 1 USB cable is needed if using a USB port. • 1 power cord. 2.5 Connecting the power cord • • • 2.6 Make sure the printer is in the OFF position. Connect the power cord to the printer.
2.7 Loading the Media Warning! • Do not let any loose clothing or other objects fall in the printer when printing as they can become tangled up and cause injury or damage to the printer. • The print head can become very hot after use. Use caution when working with it or loading labels. • When engaging the print head be careful not to lock clothing or loose objects in it. Notes: • When the print head lever is set in the up position the print head is up.
2.9 Sensor Calibration and Alignment The feed gap sensor must be calibrated to the backing paper of the adhesive labels. The reflective black mark sensor must be calibrated to the darkest color of tag material on hand. The sensors must also be aligned according to the example below. The machine comes factory calibrated for both materials. Make sure that the correct sensor is being used.
To calibrate the feed gap or black mark sensor perform the following steps: 1. Turn the printer OFF. 2. Hold down FEED and PAUSE and turn the machine on. 3. The printer will read (1)DIAG. 4. Press the RESTART key until (5)SENSOR ADJ appears. 5. Press PAUSE and [H] and [A] will appear. 6. Press PAUSE and [S] will appear. 7. Press Pause and [REFLECT] will appear.
2.10 Test Printing A test print should be performed to ensure that the printer is operating correctly. 1. Use label stock for best results (test print may be performed on tags but may not be as clear). 2. Turn the printer off. 3. Hold down the FEED and PAUSE key and turn the machine on, (1)DIAG will appear. 4. Press the FEED key until (4)TEST PRINT appears. 5. Press the PAUSE key and PRINT CONDITION will appear. 6. Press PAUSE and ISSUE COUNT will appear. 7.
3. Online Mode This section describes the operation of the printer when it is online. 3.1 Operation panel The LCD display shows the status of the printer. There are also indicator lights under the display. The printer under normal conditions will read ONLINE. 1. When the printer has an error the ERROR light will light up. 2. When the error occurs there will also be a message on the LCD panel. 3.
4. Maintenance This section will describe some of the steps to perform basic maintenance and cleaning on the machine. Warning! 1. Disconnect the power cord from the back of the machine before servicing. 2. Do not pour water directly into the printer 3. Be careful while working inside the machine. The power supply could still contain an electrical charge. 4.1 Cleaning To ensure the proper operation and to help extend the life of the printer, the printer must be cleaned regularly. 1.
4.3 Care and handling of the ribbon and media • • • • Do not store the ribbon and media for longer than the manufacture’s recommendation. Store the media rolls on the flat side. Storing the media on the round side could cause the media to flatten and cause the machine to print erratically. Make sure to store the media in plastic bags. The media can be come statically charged and can attract dust and other debris. To prevent damage to the machine the media must be clean.
5. Troubleshooting If a problem cannot be solved by taking the steps listed in this section contact your service representative. Notes: If an error is not cleared by pressing the RESTART key then turn the machine off and back on again.
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5.3 Removing Jammed Media This section will describe how to remove jammed media from the machine. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. Turn off the printer. Open the cover of the printer. Raise the print head. Pull the arm back and swing it out of the way. Raise the print head block. Remove the media from the printer. Make sure there is nothing stuck in the machine, do not use sharp objects. Clean the print head and media surface to ensure all debris is gone.
GLOSSARY Bar code A code which represents alphanumeric characters by using a series of black and white stripes in different widths. Bar codes are used in various industrial fields: Manufacturing, Hospitals, Libraries, Retail, Transportation, Warehousing, etc. Reading bar codes is a fast and accurate means of capturing data while keyboard entry tends to be slow and inaccurate. Black mark A mark printed on the media so that the printer can maintain a constant print position by detecting this mark.
IPS Inch per second The unit used to express print speed. Label A type of media with adhesive backing. LCD Liquid Crystal Display Installed on the operation panel and displays operation modes, error message and so on. Media Material on which data is printed by the printer. Label, tag paper, fanfold paper, perforated paper, etc.
Ribbon An inked film used to transfer an image onto the media. In the thermal transfer printing, it is heated by the thermal print head, causing an image to be transferred onto the media Supply Media and ribbon Tag A type of media with no adhesive. Usually tags are made of cardboard or other durable material. Thermal direct printing A printing method using no ribbon, but thermal media which reacts to heat.
