UMAN-RW4-003 Rev.
Contents Proprietary Statement ....................................... 5 Introduction to the RW 420 ............................... 7 Unpacking and Inspection ................................................... 7 Reporting Damage ............................................................... 7 Getting Ready to Print ....................................... 9 Battery .................................................................................. 9 Battery Safety..........................................
Troubleshooting Techniques ............................................. 42 Printing a Configuration Label .................................................. 42 Performing a Forced Shutdown................................................ 42 Communications Diagnostics ................................................... 42 Calling Technical Support ......................................................... 43 Specifications .................................................. 47 Printing Specifications ...........
Proprietary Statement This manual contains proprietary information of Zebra Technologies Corporation. It is intended solely for the information and use of parties operating and maintaining the equipment described herein. Such proprietary information may not be used, reproduced, or disclosed to any other parties for any other purpose without the expressed written permission of Zebra Technologies Corporation.
Figure 1: RW 420 Overview 1 2 13 12 3 11 4 10 5 6 8 7 9 8 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18.
Introduction to the RW 420 Thank you for choosing our Zebra RW 420 Mobile Printer. It is one of a series of rugged printers that are sure to become productive and efficient additions to your workplace thanks to their innovative design. Because the RW 420 is made by Zebra Technologies, you’re assured of world-class support for all of your bar code printers, software, and supplies. • This User’s Guide gives you the information you’ll need to operate and maintain your RW 420 printer.
Figure 2: Installing the Battery Rotate Belt Clip out of the way. Insert this end of the Battery Pack into the printer Rock the Battery Pack into the Printer until the latch clicks into place. Figure 3: Single Charger LI72 Charger Charger Jack 8 RW 420 User Guide For best results, remove the Battery Pack while charging.
Getting Ready to Print Battery Battery Safety The Battery Packs used on Zebra Mobile Printers contain a great deal of energy and can cause personal injury or start a fire if used improperly or carelessly. Please observe the following safety practices: Avoid accidental short circuiting of any battery. Allowing battery terminals to contact conductive material will create a short circuit which could cause burns and other injuries or could start a fire.
mode. The battery is ready for use. • A rapidly blinking light indicates a problem with the battery. The battery may have an internal short, or its charge monitoring circuitry may be malfunctioning. The battery should not be used any further. NOTE: While the LI 72 Charger allows Battery Packs to be charged when installed in the printer, best results are obtained with the battery removed. Do not attempt to print while charging batteries with the LI 72 charger.
Note: A fault condition is caused by a problem with the battery. The charger may indicate a fault because the battery is too hot or cold to charge reliably. Try to charge the battery again when it returns to the room’s ambient temperature. If the Amber indicator starts flashing on the second attempt, the battery should be discarded. Quad Charger Cycle Times for RW 420 Battery Status Battery 80% Charged Battery Fully Charged Time 2.5 Hrs 5 Hrs. NOTE: These times are for completely discharged batteries.
Loading the Media The RW 420 printer is designed to print either continuous (journal) media or label stock. Loading Media in the RW 420 Printer 1. Open the printer: Refer to Figure 5. • Press the latch release button on the side of the printer as shown at “1” below. The media cover will open automatically • Rotate the Media Cover back completely as shown at “2”, exposing the media compartment and the adjustable media supports.
Loading Media From An Internal Supply • Refer to Figure 6. Pull the media supports apart, insert the roll of media between them, and let the media supports close. Ensure that the media pulls off the core in the direction shown in Figure 6. The supports will adjust themselves to the width of the media, and the roll of media should be able to spin freely on the supports. Figure 6: Loading Media from an Internal Supply Media Roll Note direction media pulls off the roll. Pull Media Supports apart.
Loading Media From An External Supply Refer to Figure 7. The RW 420 configured with the External Media option has a loading slot in the rear of the media compartment allowing you to use standard 4 in. (101.6 mm) wide fanfold media from an external supply. The external supply must be designed such that it does not exert excessive drag as media is fed through the printer, which could result in distorted printing.
4. Close the Media Cover: Refer to Figure 8. • Pull the media out of the printer as shown at “1.” • Close the media cover as shown at “2”, ensuring that it latches securely into place. • Turn the printer on or press the Feed button if the printer is already on. The printer will advance a short strip of media and will then be ready for printing. Figure 8: Closing the Media Cover Press Media Cover firmly when closing to ensure it latches in place.
Operator Controls Control Panel The control panel has buttons for the power on/off and media feed functions and a display for providing information regarding printer functions. Two keys provide easy navigation and selection of menu options affecting many printer functions. The “Scroll” button allows scrolling through the various options and settings. The “Select” button allows selection of the option or function displayed on the screen.
The LCD has a backlighting option which allows viewing of the screen in a dark environment, or provides better contrast in a very bright environment. Use of the display backlight will decrease the time the printer will run between charges. Refer to the section “Extending Battery Life” for more information. Figure 10: LCD Control Panel Feed Button Scroll Button Press to advance the media one blank label or a software determined length of journal media.
Function Extended LCD Functions Default setting Sensor Type Bar Baud Rate 19200 Data Bits 8 Parity N (none) LCD Contrast 8 No-activity Timeout1 120 sec. Flip Screen OFF Audio Volume 3 Media Type Journal LCD Backlight1 Momentary On Factory Reset (Resets all to factory set values) No Scroll & Select Options • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 18 RW 420 User Guide Bar Gap 9600 19200 32400 57600 115200 7 8 E (Even) N (None) O (Odd) Increase (15max.) Increase (15 max.
Display Functions Not Accessible from the Keypad4 Function Default setting WLAN ID2 Factory Set Value 00 Tear-off Position (Top of Form) Scroll & Select Options N/A • Increase (max. = +10) • Decrease (min. = -120 • All protocols ON • Protocols ON or OFF individually Network & RF Settings Bridge Mode off • OFF • ON DTR/VBUS-Power Off OFF • ON • OFF Present-at 000 • Increase (max.= +120) • Decrease (min. = 000 Bluetooth parameters n/a Displays current Bluetooth operating parameters 802.
Verify the Printer Is Working Before you connect the printer to your computer or portable data terminal, make sure that the printer is in proper working order. You can do this by printing a configuration label using the “two key reset” method. If you can’t get this label to print, refer to “Troubleshooting.” Printing a Configuration Label 1. Turn the printer off. Load the media compartment with journal media (media with no black bars printed on the back) 2. Press and hold the Feed Button. 3.
Connecting the Printer The printer must establish communications with a host terminal which sends the data to be printed. Communications occur in three basic ways: • By a cable between the printer and its host terminal using either RS232C or USB protocols. • By means of a Bluetooth short-range radio frequency link. • By means of a wireless LAN (Local Area Network) per 802.11b specifications. While the RW 420 can be equipped with both a Bluetooth radio and a 802.11b radio they cannot be operated concurrently.
terminal as shown in Figure 12, or to a serial port on a computer as shown in Figure 13. Communications between the terminal and the printer are controlled by the applications running on the terminal and the printer. USB RW 420 Printers also can communicate by cable via the USB protocol. The USB port is a USB Mini-AB type connector located directly above the 10- pin modular connector used for RS232C communications.
vices. (USB drivers are included in the Zebra Universal Driver which can be downloaded from www.zebra.com/drivers.) Other terminals or communications devices may require the installation of special drivers to use the USB connection. Consult the factory for further details. Wireless Communications Wireless Communications with Bluetooth® The following section only applies when the ZBR3 Bluetooth Radio (FCC ID: I28MD-BTC2TY2) is installed in a RW 420.
against the body and the front of the printer (where paper exits) away from the body, then the 2.5 cm distance between the antenna and the users body will be met. Do not use the printer in an unauthorized manner. The internal Bluetooth radio operates within guidelines found in radio frequency safety standards and recommendations. The level of energy emitted is far less than the electromagnetic energy emitted by other wireless devices such as mobile phones.
Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) Module Using CF Radio The following section only applies when the CF (Compact Flash) WLAN module (With FCC ID: I28MD-RW4137) is installed in a RW 420 printer (note that only one of the radio options can be installed in the printer at one time). The FCC ID number is on the serial number label on the back of the printer and can be read with the module installed.
Europe – EU Declaration of Conformity This device complies with the essential requirements of the R&TTE Directive 1999/5/ EC. The following test methods have been applied in order to prove presumption of compliance with the R&TTE Directive 1999/5/EC: • EN 60950: 2000 Safety of Information Technology Equipment • EN 300 328-2 V1.2.1 (2001-12) Technical requirements for spread-spectrum radio equipment • EN 301 489-17 V1.2.1 (2002-08) EMC requirements for spread-spectrum radio equipment. This device is a 2.
Wireless Local Area Network Overview RW 420 printers can be equipped with several radio options which use the industry standard 802.11b protocol. • RW 420 printers with a Compact Flash (CF) radio module can be identified by the FCC ID number “I28MD-RW4137” and other regulatory information on the serial number label on the back of the unit.
You can also use Label Vista™, Zebra’s Windows™ based label creation program which uses a graphical interface to create and edit labels in the CPCL language. Label Vista is available on-line from Zebra’s Web site at: http://www.zebra.com/SD/product _ LabelVista.htm RW 420 printers also support an interpreter for ZPL II®, or EPL programming languages. To use ZPL II or EPL, refer to the appropriate Programming Guides available on-line from Zebra’s Web site.
Card Reader Options The RW 420 can be equipped with optional Magnetic Stripe and Smart Card readers. The magnetic stripe card reader allows the user to swipe magnetic stripe cards such as credit cards through a slot in the printer and then read and process the data contained in the card. In a similar manner the Smart Card reader can read the information written in the microchip embedded in Smart Cards, and process the information in the chip in a variety of ways depending on the printer’s application.
The MSR is used as follows: 1. When the reader is enabled, place the card into the reader slot as shown. The magnetic stripe (typically on the back of the card) must face the bottom of the printer, and be inserted into the bottom of the card reader slot as shown in Figure 15. 2. Slide the card through the slot. The card will be read if slid in either direction. Depending on the application software, the printer will sound one chime when a scan is successful . 3.
Smart Card Reader The optional Smart Card reader is used as follows: 1. The LCD will display “RDR” to indicate the Smart Card reader is active. (Some reader applications may flash the display backlight and/or chime three times to indicate the reader status is “ready.”) At this time, the Printer is acting only as a Smart Card reader connected to the host terminal; all other printer functions are suspended. 2. Insert the card into the reader slot as shown in Figure 16.
Using the Accessories Belt Clip Refer to Figure 17. All RW 420 printers are equipped with a belt clip as standard. To use: hook the clip over your belt, and ensure that the clip is securely attached to the belt. The belt clip will pivot to allow you to move freely while wearing the printer.
Adjustable Shoulder Strap Refer to Figure 18. If your printer is equipped for the shoulder strap option: snap each end of the shoulder strap into the “D” rings in the top of the printer. Slide the buckle away from or towards the printer until you achieve the desired length.
Cradle The RW 420 can be used in conjunction with a docking Cradle. When the printer is “docked” the Cradle will charge the printer’s battery and allow the printer to print, receive and transmit data as usual. The Cradle can provide power from a 12 VDC power supply either from a power take-off point in a vehicle or from an external power supply running off A.C. power. Refer to the documentation supplied with the Cradle for more information.
Figure 20: Installing the Printer into the Cradle Remove and retain the Docking Connector Cover Charge Indicator Power Indicator Always Green when power is on Place the Printer over the retaining pins in the Cradle. Rock the Printer into the Cradle to latch it in position.
mounted vertically. Refer to Figure 19. Removing the Printer from the Cradle Refer to Figure 21. • Turn the Printer off. • Push on the latch on the Cradle and rock the top of the printer away from the Cradle. • Lift the Printer out from the Cradle. Replace the Docking Connector Cover if you will be using the Printer for an extended period of time away from the Cradle. Figure 21: Removing the Printer from the Cradle Press the Latch button to release the Printer. Rotate the Printer out of the Cradle.
Preventive Maintenance Extending Battery Life • Avoid exposing the battery to direct sunlight or temperatures over 104° F (40° C). • Always use a Zebra charger designed specifically for Lithium-Ion batteries. Use of any other kind of charger may damage the battery. • Use the correct media for your printing requirements. An authorized Zebra re-seller can help you determine the optimum media for your application. • If you print the same text or graphic on every label, consider using a preprinted label.
RW 420 Cleaning Area Printhead (Figure 22) Method Interval Use the supplied cleaning pen or 70% isopropyl alcohol on a cotton swab to clean the print elements from end to end (the print elements are located in the thin gray line on the printhead). After every five rolls of media (or more often, if needed) Tear bar (Figure 22) Clean thoroughly with the cleaning pen or 70% isopropyl alcohol and a cotton swab.
Troubleshooting LCD Control Panel Indicators The top of the display shows several icons which indicate various printer functions. Check the indicator status, then refer to the Troubleshooting topic referenced in the chart to resolve the problem. Status Icon Blank Screen Condition Indication Ref. to Topic # Steady 802.11b RF Link established n/a Off No 802.
Troubleshooting Topics 1. No power • Check that battery is installed properly • Recharge or replace battery as necessary. (Always dispose of used batteries properly. Refer to Appendix D for more information on proper battery disposal.) 2. Media does not feed: • Ensure Media Cover is properly closed and latched. • Check media supports for any binding. 3. Poor or faded print or flashing icon: • Clean print head. • Check battery and recharge or replace as necessary. • Check quality of media. 4.
9. Flashing or icon : • Check that media is loaded. • Ensure Media Cover is properly closed and latched. 10. Skips labels (only when using label stock): • Check media for top of form sense mark or label gap. • Check that the maximum print field has not been exceeded on label. • Ensure bar or gap sensor is not blocked or malfunctioning. 11. Communication Error: • Check media is loaded. • Ensure Media Cover is properly closed and latched and error indicators are off. • Check baud rate.
Troubleshooting Techniques Printing a Configuration Label To print out a listing of the printer’s current configuration follow these steps: 1. Turn the printer off. Load the media compartment with journal media (media with no black bars printed on the back) 2. Press and hold the Feed Button. 3. Press and release the Power button and keep the Feed button pressed. When printing starts, release the Feed button. Refer to Figures 23 through 23b for a sample configuration printout.
3. Press the FEED key. The printer will print: “Entering DUMP mode.” NOTE: If the FEED key is not pressed within 3 seconds, the printer will print “DUMP mode not entered” and will resume normal operation. 4. At this point, the printer is in DUMP mode and will print the ASCII hex codes of any data sent to it, and their text representation (or “.” if not a printable character). Additionally, a file with a “.dmp” extension containing the ASCII information will be created and stored in the printer’s memory.
Print Head Test End of First Report Unit Serial Number Software and Firmware installed Settings for RS232 and USB communications via cable Report appears only on units with wireless options installed. Units with no wireless options will print an empty line and resume printing This example has a Bluetooth module installed. (Refer to pages 23-24 for more details.) Information on TCP/IP and LAN addresses and settings.
Information on any installed 802.11b wireless devices In this example, an 802.11b WLAN card has been detected. List of peripherals installed. In this example the printer has the Mag Card and Smartcard reader option, and the wireless expansion module has an 802.11b and Bluetooth wireless module1. List of power mangement settings. Also includes a count of the number of times the unit has been powered on. 1. Dual radio units as illustrated above are not yet offered for sale.
Flash Memory Size RAM Size Maximum Label Size Resident Fonts Installed Resident Pre-scaled Font Pre-scaled fonts (.cpf) listed separately Files Loaded in Printer Memory (will include Pre-scaled or Scalable Fonts) (my 2010.CPF) (my 2020.CPF) myfont myfont2 myfont3 my_2010 my_2020 .FNT .FNT .FNT .CPF .
Specifications NOTE.- Printer specifications are subject to change without notice. Printing Specifications Print Width Up to 4.09 in. (103.8 mm) Print Speed 3 in. /second 76.2 mm/second) Distance from Print Element to Tear Edge .20 in. (5 mm) 41 dots Print Head Life, calculated 1,964,160 in.
Communications Ports USB Pin# Signal Name Type 1 VBUS - 2 USB - bi-directional I/O signals 3 USB + bi-directional I/O signals 4 USB_ID - Identifies A/B connector 5 Return - Ground Signal Name Type 1 2 NC NC no connect no connect 3 RXD input Receive Data 4 TXD output Transmit Data 5 DTR output 6 GND Data Terminal Ready set high when printer is on.
USB 1 5 10 1 RS232 Figure 24: Communication Ports 49 RW 420 User Guide
Media Specifications Media Width 2.0 in. to 4.1 in. (50.8 to 104.1 mm) Max. continuous receipt (w/std. memory) 143 in. (3620 mm) Inter-label Gap. 0.08 in. to 0.16 in. (0.12 in. preferred) (2 mm to 4 mm [3 mm preferred]) Label Thickness .0025” to .0065” (.064 mm to .165 mm) Max. Label Roll dia. 2.25 in. (57 mm) O.D. Label Inner Core .75 in. (19 mm) minimum dia; 1.38 in. (35 mm) optional setting Black Mark Dimensions The reflective media black marks should extend past the centerline of the roll.
Font/Bar Code Specifications Fonts Available Standard Fonts: 25 bit-mapped fonts; 1 scalable font (CG Trimvirate Bold Condensed*) Downloadable optional bit-mapped & scalable fonts via Label Vista software.
Physical/Environmental/Electrical Specifications Weight w/ battery, excluding media* 2.0 lbs. (.91 kg. ) Operating: -4° to 131° F (-20° to 55° C) Temperature Storage: -22° to 149° F (-30° to 65° C) Range Operating:10% to 90% (non-condensing) Relative Humidity Storage: 10% to 90% (non-condensing) Battery 7.4V Lithium-Ion 4 AHr.
6.9” [175 mm] 6.3” [160 mm] 3.7” [94 mm] max. 1 3.1” [76 mm] max. 1 7.4” [188 mm] Notes: 1. Dimensions shown are for units with the MSR/Smart Card option installed. Subtract .08” [2 mm] from these dimensions for units without this option. .25” [6 mm] Figure 25: RW 420 Overall Dimensions 53 RW 420 User Guide 1.
RW 420 Accessories Description Order Number Adjustable shoulder strap BT11132-1 Carrying Strap BT16899-1 Protective Soft Case AK17463-001 Extra Battery Pack AK17463-005 RW 420 Vehicle Cradle/Charger 9-30 VDC input AK17463-004 RW 420 Vehicle Cradle/Charger w/ cigarette lighter adapter 9-30 VDC input AK17463-003 Model RCLI-DC Mobile Chargers DC-DC run/charge units CC16614-1 CC16614-2 CC16614-3 12VDC 9-30 VDC 30-60 VDC Model RCLI-AC Mobile Charger12 VDC input w/ cigarette lighter adapter CC16
Appendix A Interface Cables RS232 Download Cable Part Number BL17205-1; RW Mod Plug to 9-Pin DB PC Cable PIN 9 (TXD) 3 (RXD) 2 (DSR) 6 (GND) 5 (DTR) 4 (CTS) 8 PIN 1 (RTS) 7 SHIELD 10 PIN MOD Plug (Printer Signals) 3 (RXD) 4 (TXD) 5 (DTR) 6 (GND) 7 (DSR) 8 (RTS) 9 (CTS) SHIELD PIN 1 USB Cable Part Number AT17010-1; USB A to USB Mini B Cable 55 RW Series User Guide Appendices PIN 10
Apex II, III, IV DEX MISCELLANEOUS BL17204-1 CL17202-3 BL17216-1 BL17218-1 INTERMEC 700 CK30 COMPSEE CL17219-1 Cable Part Number SYMBOL 8000 Terminal 16”/ straight 8’ Coiled 8’ Coiled 8’ coiled 8’ /Coiled Cord Lgth/Type 1/4” phone jack/DEX MOD 10 26 pin JAE 16 pin Hirose Symbol 8000 Series proprietary Terminal Connector MOD 10/w twist lock MOD10/w twist lock MOD10/w twist lock MOD 10/w twist lock MOD 10/w twist lock Printer Connector Notes Appendix A MORE INTERFACE CABLES RW Se
Appendix B Media Supplies To insure maximum printer life and consistent print quality and performance for your individual application, it is recommended that only media produced by Zebra be used. Advantages include: • Consistent quality and reliability of media products. • Large range of stocked and standard formats. • In-house custom format design service. • Large production capacity which services the needs of many large and small media consumers including major retail chains world wide.
Appendix D Product Support When calling with a specific problem regarding your printer, please have the following information on hand: • Model number/type (e.g. RW 420) • Unit serial number • Product Configuration Code (PCC)-15 digit number starting with “RW4” Product Configuration Code Serial Number RW 420 For product support, contact Zebra Technologies at: www.zebra.com Zebra Technologies International, LLC 333 Corporate Woods Parkway Vernon Hills, Illinois 60061-3109 USA Phone: +1.847.793.2600 or +1.
Appendix D Battery Disposal The EPA certified RBRC® Battery Recycling Seal on the Lithium-Ion (Li-Ion) battery supplied with your printer indicates Zebra Technologies Corporation is voluntarily participating in an industry program to collect and recycle these batteries at the end of their useful life, when taken out of service in the United States or Canada.
Index Label, configuration, example 44 Label Vista 28 setting WLAN parameters with 27 A Accessories M Adjustable Shoulder Strap 33 Belt Clip 32 Docking Station installing the printer in 34 removing the printer from 36 list of 54 Media, loading 12 fan-fold media 14 media Spacer, use of 14 P Programming language CPCL 27 Manual 27 EPL 28 ZPL II 28 B Battery pack charging 9 while printing 10 disposal of 37,40 installing 9 life, tips for extending 37 R Regulatory Information 802.
Patent Numbers This product and/or its use may be covered by one or more of the following US patents and corresponding international patents worldwide D275,286 D347,021 5,029,183 5,047,617 5,364,133 5,367,151 5,543,610 5,545,889 6,034,708 6,036,383 D389,178 D430,199 5,103,461 5,113,445 5,372,439 5,373,148 5,552,592 5,570,123 6,057,870 6,068,415 D433,702 3,964,673 5,140,144 5,132,709 5,378,882 5,396,053 5,578,810 5,589,680 6,070,805 6,095,704 4,019,676 4,044,946 5,142,550 5,396,055 5,612,5
