Zebra® ZT400 Series™ User Guide P1066582-002 Rev.
© 2014 ZIH Corp. The copyrights in this manual and the software and/or firmware in the printer described therein are owned by ZIH Corp. and Zebra’s licensors. Unauthorized reproduction of this manual or the software and/or firmware in the printer may result in imprisonment of up to one year and fines of up to $10,000 (17 U.S.C.506). Copyright violators may be subject to civil liability.
Declaration of Conformity Declaration of Conformity We have determined that the Zebra printers identified as the ZT410™ and ZT420™ manufactured by: Zebra Technologies Corporation 475 Half Day Road, Suite 500 Lincolnshire, Illinois 60069 U.S.A. Have been shown to comply with the applicable technical standards of the FCC For Home, Office, Commercial, and Industrial use If no unauthorized change is made in the equipment, and if the equipment is properly maintained and operated.
Declaration of Conformity Compliance Information Compliance Information FCC Compliance Statement This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the following two conditions: 1. This device may not cause harmful interference, and 2. This device must accept any interference received, including interference that may cause undesired operation.
Contents Declaration of Conformity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Compliance Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 About This Document . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Who Should Use This Document . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Contents Load the Media . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Final Steps for Tear-Off Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Final Steps for Peel-Off Mode (with or without Liner Take-Up) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Final Steps for Rewind Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Contents 5 • Troubleshooting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145 Meaning of Indicator Lights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Printing Issues . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ribbon Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Contents Notes • ___________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________
About This Document This section provides you with contact information, document structure and organization, and additional reference documents. Contents Who Should Use This Document . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 How This Document Is Organized . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
About This Document Who Should Use This Document Who Should Use This Document This User Guide is intended for use by any person who needs to perform routine maintenance, upgrade, or troubleshoot problems with the printer. How This Document Is Organized The User Guide is set up as follows: P1066582-002 Section Description Introduction on page 11 This section provides a high-level overview of the printer and its components.
1 Introduction This section provides a high-level overview of the printer and its components. Contents Printer Components . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Control Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Types of Media. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ribbon Overview . . . .
Introduction Printer Options Printer Options The available printer options are shown in Figure 1. For information about the print modes that can be used with the printer options, see Select a Print Mode on page 30.
Introduction Printer Components Printer Components Note • The components inside your printer are color-coded. • • The touch points that you will need to handle are colored gold inside the printers and are highlighted in gold in the illustrations in this manual. The components associated with the ribbon system are made of black plastic, while the components associated with media are made of gray plastic.
Introduction Control Panel Control Panel The control panel indicates the printer’s current status and allows the user to control basic printer operation. Figure 3 • Control Panel 1 2 3 4 5 1 STATUS light 2 4 PAUSE light DATA light SUPPLIES light 5 NETWORK light 3 6 6 7 8 7 9 8 10 9 11 10 12 11 13 12 13 14 15 16 14 P1066582-002 15 These indicator lights show the current status of the printer. For more information, see Table 1 on page 146.
Introduction Near Field Communication (NFC) Near Field Communication (NFC) The Zebra Print Touch™ feature allows you to touch an Android™-based, NFC-enabled smartphone or tablet to the Zebra Print Touch logo (Figure 4) to pair the device to the printer. Your device then launches an app that displays a menu of choices that are specific to your Zebra printer.
Printer Setup and Operation Types of Media Types of Media Important • Zebra strongly recommends the use of Zebra-brand supplies for continuous high-quality printing. A wide range of paper, polypropylene, polyester, and vinyl stock has been specifically engineered to enhance the printing capabilities of the printer and to prevent premature printhead wear. To purchase supplies, go to http://www.zebra.com/howtobuy.
Printer Setup and Operation Types of Media Table 1 • Roll and Fanfold Media Media Type Non-Continuous Roll Media How It Looks Description Roll media is wound on a core that can be 1 in. to 3 in. (25 to 76 mm) in diameter. Individual labels or tags are separated by one or more of the following methods: • Web media separates labels by gaps, holes, or notches. • Black mark media uses pre-printed black marks on the back side of the media to indicate label separations.
Printer Setup and Operation Ribbon Overview Ribbon Overview Ribbon is a thin film that is coated on one side with wax, resin, or wax resin, which is transferred to the media during the thermal transfer process. The media determines whether you need to use ribbon and how wide the ribbon must be. When ribbon is used, it must be as wide as or wider than the media being used. If the ribbon is narrower than the media, areas of the printhead are unprotected and subject to premature wear.
Printer Setup and Operation Ribbon Overview Adhesive Test If you have labels available, perform the adhesive test to determine which side of a ribbon is coated. This method works well for ribbon that is already installed. To perform an adhesive test, complete these steps: 1. Peel a label from its liner. 2. Press a corner of the sticky side of the label to the outer surface of the roll of ribbon. 3. Peel the label off of the ribbon. 4. Observe the results.
Printer Setup and Operation Ribbon Overview Notes • ___________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________ ___________
2 Printer Setup and Operation This section assists the technician with initial setup and operation of the printer. Contents Handling the Printer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Unpack and Inspect the Printer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Store the Printer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ship the Printer .
Printer Setup and Operation Handling the Printer Handling the Printer This section describes how to handle your printer. Unpack and Inspect the Printer When you receive the printer, immediately unpack it and inspect for shipping damage. • Save all packing materials. • Check all exterior surfaces for damage. • Raise the media door, and inspect the media compartment for damage to components.
Printer Setup and Operation Select a Location for the Printer Select a Location for the Printer Select a location for the printer that meets these conditions: • Surface: The surface where the printer will be located must be solid, level, and of sufficient size and strength to hold the printer. • Space: The area where the printer will be located must include enough space for ventilation and for accessing the printer components and connectors.
Printer Setup and Operation Select a Communication Interface Select a Communication Interface You may connect your printer to a computer using one or more of the available connections. The standard connections are shown in Figure 1. A ZebraNet wired or wireless print server option or a parallel port may also be present on your printer.
Printer Setup and Operation Select a Communication Interface Table 2 • Communication Interfaces Interface Standard or Option Bluetooth® Standard Description Limitations and Requirements Many mobile devices can communicate with the printer within a 10-foot radius of the printer. Connections and Configuration Refer to the Zebra Bluetooth User Guide for specific instructions for configuring your printer to use a Bluetooth interface. A copy of this manual is available at http://www.zebra.com/manuals.
Printer Setup and Operation Select a Communication Interface Table 2 • Communication Interfaces (Continued) Standard or Option Interface 8-bit Parallel data interface Option Description Limitations and Requirements • Maximum cable length of 10 ft (3 m). • Recommended cable length of 6 ft (1.83 m). • No printer parameter changes required to match the host computer. • A wired or wireless print server (if installed) takes up this port on the printer.
Printer Setup and Operation Connect the Printer to a Power Source Connect the Printer to a Power Source The AC power cord must have a three-prong female connector on one end that plugs into the mating AC power connector at the rear of the printer. If a power cable was not included with your printer, refer to Power Cord Specifications on page 28. Caution • For personnel and equipment safety, always use an approved three-conductor power cord specific to the region or country intended for installation.
Printer Setup and Operation Connect the Printer to a Power Source 3. Turn on (I) the printer. The printer boots up and performs a self-test. The printer reports its status through the indicator lights on the control panel (see Table 1 on page 146 for the meaning of the light colors and combinations). Power Cord Specifications Caution • For personnel and equipment safety, always use an approved three-conductor power cord specific to the region or country intended for installation.
Printer Setup and Operation Connect the Printer to a Power Source Figure 2 • Power Cord Specifications 2 3 1 4 1 2 3 4 AC power plug for your country—This should bear the certification mark of at least one of the known international safety organizations (Figure 3). 3-conductor HAR cable or other cable approved for your country. IEC 320 connector—This should bear the certification mark of at least one of the known international safety organizations (Figure 3). Length ≤ 9.8 ft. (3 m).
Printer Setup and Operation Select a Print Mode Select a Print Mode Use a print mode that matches the media being used and the printer options available (Table 3). The media path is the same for roll and fanfold media. Table 3 • Print Modes and Printer Options Print Mode When to Use/Printer Options Required Printer Actions Tear-Off (default setting) Use for most applications. This mode can be used with any printer options and most media types. The printer prints label formats as it receives them.
Printer Setup and Operation Select a Print Mode Table 3 • Print Modes and Printer Options Print Mode When to Use/Printer Options Required Printer Actions Cutter Use if the printer has a cutter option when you want the labels to be cut apart. The printer prints a label and then cuts it free. Cutter mode Peel-Off Use if the printer has the Peel-Off option, the Liner Take-Up option, or the Rewind option.
Printer Setup and Operation Select a Print Mode Table 3 • Print Modes and Printer Options Print Mode When to Use/Printer Options Required Printer Actions Peel-Off (with Liner Take-Up) Use if the printer has the Liner Take-Up option or the Rewind option. The printer peels the label from the liner during printing and then pauses until the label is removed. The liner winds onto the liner take-up spindle or the rewind spindle.
Printer Setup and Operation Select a Print Mode Table 3 • Print Modes and Printer Options Print Mode When to Use/Printer Options Required Printer Actions Rewind Use if the printer has the Rewind option. The printer winds the labels and liner onto the rewind spindle without peeling the labels from the liner.
Printer Setup and Operation Load the Media Load the Media Use the instructions in this section for loading roll or fanfold media in any print mode. Caution • While performing any tasks near an open printhead, remove all rings, watches, hanging necklaces, identification badges, or other metallic objects that could touch the printhead. You are not required to turn off the printer power when working near an open printhead, but Zebra recommends it as a precaution.
Printer Setup and Operation Load the Media 2. Caution • The printhead may be hot and could cause severe burns. Allow the printhead to cool. Open the printhead assembly by rotating the printhead-open lever. 3. Insert media into the printer. Follow the instructions for roll or fanfold media, as appropriate. Roll Media 3-a. 4/8/14 Remove and discard any tags or labels that are dirty or that are held by adhesives or tape.
Printer Setup and Operation Load the Media Roll Media (Continued) 3-b. Pull out the media supply guide as far as it goes. Fanfold Media (Continued) Feed the media through the rear or bottom access slot. Rear Feed Bottom Feed 3-c. P1066582-002 Place the roll of media on the media supply hanger. Push the roll back as far as it will go. ZT400 Series™ User Guide Drape the media over the media supply hanger.
Printer Setup and Operation Load the Media Roll Media (Continued) Fanfold Media (Continued) 3-d. Slide in the media supply guide, until it touches the edge of the roll. Slide in the media supply guide, until it touches the edge of the media. 3-e. Continue with step 4. Continue with step 4 and the remaining steps as shown for roll media. 4. Slide the media guide all the way out.
Printer Setup and Operation Load the Media 5. From the media hanger (1), feed the media under the dancer assembly (2), through the media sensor (3), and under the printhead assembly (4). Slide the media back until it touches the inside back wall of the media sensor.
Printer Setup and Operation Load the Media 6. In which print mode will your printer be operating? (For more information on print modes, see Select a Print Mode on page 30.) 4/8/14 If using… Then… Tear-Off mode Continue with Final Steps for Tear-Off Mode on page 40. Peel-Off mode (with or without Liner Take-Up) Continue with Final Steps for Peel-Off Mode (with or without Liner Take-Up) on page 42. Rewind mode Continue with Final Steps for Rewind Mode on page 51.
Printer Setup and Operation Load the Media—Tear-Off Mode Final Steps for Tear-Off Mode 1. Slide in the media guide until it just touches the edge of the media. 2. Rotate the printhead-open lever (1) downward until it locks the printhead in place. 1 3. Does the media that you are using require ribbon for printing? If you are not sure, see When to Use Ribbon on page 18. If using… Then… Direct Thermal media (no ribbon needed) Continue with step 4. Thermal Transfer media (ribbon needed) a.
Printer Setup and Operation Load the Media—Tear-Off Mode 4. Close the media door. 5. Set the printer to Tear-Off mode (for more information, see Print Mode on page 69). 6. Press PAUSE to exit pause mode and enable printing. The printer may perform a label calibration or feed a label, depending on your settings. 7. If desired, perform the CANCEL Self Test on page 163 to verify that your printer is able to print. Media loading in Tear-Off mode is complete.
Printer Setup and Operation Load the Media—Peel-Off Mode (with our without Liner Take-Up) Final Steps for Peel-Off Mode (with or without Liner Take-Up) 1. Push down the peel-off mechanism release lever to open the peel assembly.
Printer Setup and Operation Load the Media—Peel-Off Mode (with our without Liner Take-Up) 2. Extend the media approximately 18 in. (500 mm) out of the printer. 3. Remove the exposed labels so that only the liner remains.
Printer Setup and Operation Load the Media—Peel-Off Mode (with our without Liner Take-Up) 4. Feed the liner behind the peel assembly. Make sure that the end of the liner falls outside of the printer.
Printer Setup and Operation Load the Media—Peel-Off Mode (with our without Liner Take-Up) 5. Complete this step only if you want to use Peel-Off mode with Liner Take-Up. Your printer must have the Liner Take-Up option or the Rewind option installed. Follow the instructions for your printer option. If you are not using Liner Take-Up, continue with step 6. 5-a. 5-b. Thread the liner into the slot below the peel assembly.
Printer Setup and Operation Load the Media—Peel-Off Mode (with our without Liner Take-Up) Rewind Option (Continued) Liner Take-Up Option (Continued) 5-c. Loosen the thumbscrew on the rewind media guide. Push the liner back until it touches the back plate of the liner take-up spindle assembly. 5-d. Slide the rewind media guide all the way out, and then fold it down. Wrap the liner around the liner take-up spindle and turn the spindle counterclockwise to tighten the liner.
Printer Setup and Operation Load the Media—Peel-Off Mode (with our without Liner Take-Up) Rewind Option (Continued) 4/8/14 5-e. Slide an empty core onto the rewind spindle. 5-f. Wrap the liner around the core as shown, and then turn the rewind spindle to tighten the media. Ensure that the edge of the media is flush against the backplate of the rewind spindle.
Printer Setup and Operation Load the Media—Peel-Off Mode (with our without Liner Take-Up) Rewind Option (Continued) P1066582-002 5-g. Fold up the rewind media guide, and then slide it in until it touches the liner. 5-h. Tighten the thumbscrew on the rewind media guide. 5-i. Loading of the liner is complete. Continue with step 6.
Printer Setup and Operation Load the Media—Peel-Off Mode (with our without Liner Take-Up) 6. Caution • Use the peel release lever and your right hand to close the peel assembly. Do not use your left hand to assist in closing. The top edge of the peel roller/assembly could pinch your fingers. Close the peel assembly using the peel-off mechanism release lever. 7. Slide in the media guide until it just touches the edge of the media. 8.
Printer Setup and Operation Load the Media—Peel-Off Mode (with our without Liner Take-Up) 9. Does the media that you are using require ribbon for printing? If you are not sure, see When to Use Ribbon on page 18. If using… Then… Direct Thermal media (no ribbon needed) Continue with step 10. Thermal Transfer media (ribbon needed) a. If you have not already done so, load ribbon in the printer. See Load the Ribbon on page 60. b. Continue with step 10. 10. Close the media door. 11.
Printer Setup and Operation Load the Media—Rewind Mode Final Steps for Rewind Mode 1. Extend the media approximately 18 in. (500 mm) out of the printer. 2. Feed the media over the peel assembly.
Printer Setup and Operation Load the Media—Rewind Mode 3. Thread the media into the slot below the peel assembly. 4. Feed the media under the media alignment roller. 5. Loosen the thumbscrew on the rewind media guide.
Printer Setup and Operation Load the Media—Rewind Mode 6. Slide the rewind media guide all the way out, and then fold it down. 7. Slide an empty core onto the rewind spindle. 8. Wrap the media around the core as shown and turn the rewind spindle to tighten the media. Ensure that the edge of the media is flush against the backplate of the rewind spindle.
Printer Setup and Operation Load the Media—Rewind Mode 9. Fold up the rewind media guide, and then slide it in until it touches the media. 10. Tighten the thumbscrew on the rewind media guide. 11. Slide in the outer media guide until it just touches the edge of the media.
Printer Setup and Operation Load the Media—Rewind Mode 12. Rotate the printhead-open lever (1) downward until it locks the printhead in place. 1 13. Does the media that you are using require ribbon for printing? If you are not sure, see When to Use Ribbon on page 18. If using… Then… Direct Thermal media (no ribbon needed) Continue with step 14. Thermal Transfer media (ribbon needed) a. If you have not already done so, load ribbon in the printer. See Load the Ribbon on page 60. b.
Printer Setup and Operation Load the Media—Rewind Mode 16. Press PAUSE to exit pause mode and enable printing. The printer may perform a label calibration or feed a label, depending on your settings. 17. If desired, perform the CANCEL Self Test on page 163 to verify that your printer is able to print. Media loading in Cutter mode is complete.
Printer Setup and Operation Load the Media—Cutter Mode Final Steps for Cutter Mode 1. Caution • The cutter blade is sharp. Do not touch or rub the blade with your fingers. Feed the media through the cutter.
Printer Setup and Operation Load the Media—Cutter Mode 2. Slide in the outer media guide until it just touches the edge of the media. 3. Rotate the printhead-open lever (1) downward until it locks the printhead in place. 1 4. Does the media that you are using require ribbon for printing? If you are not sure, see When to Use Ribbon on page 18. If using… Then… Direct Thermal media (no ribbon needed) Continue with step 5. Thermal Transfer media (ribbon needed) a.
Printer Setup and Operation Load the Media—Cutter Mode 5. Close the media door. 6. Set the printer to Cutter mode (for more information, see Print Mode on page 69). 7. Press PAUSE to exit pause mode and enable printing. The printer may perform a label calibration or feed a label, depending on your settings. 8. If desired, perform the CANCEL Self Test on page 163 to verify that your printer is able to print. Media loading in Cutter mode is complete.
Printer Setup Load the Ribbon Load the Ribbon Note • This section applies only to printers that have the Thermal Transfer option installed. Ribbon is used only with thermal transfer labels. For direct thermal labels, do not load ribbon in the printer. To determine if ribbon must be used with a particular media, see When to Use Ribbon on page 18.
Printer Setup Load the Ribbon 2. Caution • The printhead may be hot and could cause severe burns. Allow the printhead to cool. Open the printhead assembly by rotating the printhead-open lever. 3. Place the roll of ribbon on the ribbon supply spindle with the loose end of the ribbon unrolling as shown. Push the roll back as far as it will go.
Printer Setup Load the Ribbon 4. Bring the ribbon under the printhead assembly, and then wrap it several turns around the ribbon take-up spindle.
Printer Setup Load the Ribbon 5. Is media already loaded in the printer? If... Then... No Continue with step 3 on page 35 to load media in the printer. Yes a. Rotate the printhead-open lever (1) downward until it locks the printhead in place. 1 b. Close the media door. c. If necessary, press PAUSE to enable printing.
Printer Setup Load the Ribbon Notes • ___________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________ _________________________
3 Printer Configuration and Adjustment This section assists you with configuration of and adjustments to the printer. Contents Adjust Printer Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66 Print Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67 Calibration and Diagnostic Tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Printer Configuration and Adjustment Adjust Printer Settings Adjust Printer Settings This section presents the printer settings that you can change and identifies the tools for changing them. These tools include the following: • ZPL and Set/Get/Do (SGD) commands (See the Zebra® Programming Guide for more information.) • The printer’s user menus (See User Menus on page 90 for more information.
Printer Configuration and Adjustment Adjust Printer Settings Print Settings Table 1 • Print Settings Print Darkness Print Speed Media Type 4/8/14 Set the darkness to the lowest setting that provides good print quality. If you set the darkness too high, the label image may print unclearly, bar codes may not scan correctly, the ribbon may burn through, or the printhead may wear prematurely. If desired, use the FEED Self Test on page 165 to determine the best darkness setting. Accepted values: 0.0 – 30.
Printer Configuration and Adjustment Adjust Printer Settings Table 1 • Print Settings (Continued) Print Method Tear-Off Position Specify if the printer is to use Direct Thermal mode (no ribbon) or Thermal Transfer mode (using thermal transfer media and ribbon). THERMAL TRANS DIRECT THERMAL Accepted values: • • Related ZPL command(s): ^MT SGD command used: ezpl.
Printer Configuration and Adjustment Adjust Printer Settings Table 1 • Print Settings (Continued) Print Width Print Mode Label Left Position 4/8/14 Specify the width of the labels being used. The default value is the maximum width for the printer, based on the printhead’s DPI value. Note • Setting the width too narrow can result in portions of a label format not being printed on the media.
Printer Configuration and Adjustment Adjust Printer Settings Table 1 • Print Settings (Continued) Reprint Mode Maximum Label Length When reprint mode is enabled, you can reprint the last label printed by pressing and holding PAUSE + CANCEL on the printer’s control panel. ON OFF Accepted values: • • Related ZPL command(s): ^JZ SGD command used: ezpl.reprint_mode User menu item: REPRINT MODE on page 95 Printer web page: N/A Set the maximum label length to a value that is at least 1.0 in.
Printer Configuration and Adjustment Adjust Printer Settings Calibration and Diagnostic Tools Table 2 • Calibration and Diagnostic Tools Print Information Print the specified information on one or more labels. • Accepted values: • • • • • • • 4/8/14 SETTINGS—prints the printer configuration label. NETWORK—prints the settings for any print server that is installed. FORMATS—prints the available formats stored in the printer’s RAM, Flash memory, or optional memory card.
Printer Configuration and Adjustment Adjust Printer Settings Table 2 • Calibration and Diagnostic Tools (Continued) LCD Contrast Idle Display Power-Up Action P1066582-002 Change the contrast on the printer’s display. Accepted values: 3 to 15 Related ZPL command(s): none SGD command used: display.contrast User menu item: LCD CONTRAST on page 97 Printer web page: N/A Select the information shown on the printer’s display when the printer is idle.
Printer Configuration and Adjustment Adjust Printer Settings Table 2 • Calibration and Diagnostic Tools (Continued) Head-Close Action Head-Open Light Cover-Open Light 4/8/14 Set the action for the printer to take when you close the printhead. • CALIBRATE adjusts sensor levels and thresholds, determines the label length, and feeds the media to the next web. • FEED—feeds the labels to the first registration point.
Printer Configuration and Adjustment Adjust Printer Settings Table 2 • Calibration and Diagnostic Tools (Continued) Load Defaults P1066582-002 Restore specific printer, print server, and network settings back to the factory defaults. Use care when loading defaults because you will need to reload all settings that you changed manually. • FACTORY—Restores all printer settings other than the network settings back to the factory defaults.
Printer Configuration and Adjustment Adjust Printer Settings Table 2 • Calibration and Diagnostic Tools (Continued) Media and Ribbon Sensor Calibration Calibrate the printer to adjust the sensitivity of the media and ribbon sensors. For complete instructions on how to perform a calibration procedure, see Calibrate the Ribbon and Media Sensors on page 119. Accepted values: N/A Related ZPL command(s): ~JC SGD command used: ezpl.
Printer Configuration and Adjustment Adjust Printer Settings Table 2 • Calibration and Diagnostic Tools (Continued) Enable ZBI Run a ZBI Program Stop a ZBI Program P1066582-002 Zebra Basic Interpreter (ZBI 2.0™) is a programming option that may be purchased for your printer. If you would like to purchase this option, contact your Zebra reseller for more information. Accepted values: N/A Related ZPL command(s): none SGD command used: zbi.key (identifies if the ZBI 2.
Printer Configuration and Adjustment Adjust Printer Settings Network Settings Table 3 • Network Settings IP Address Subnet Mask Gateway 4/8/14 View and, if necessary, change the printer’s IP address. Changes to this setting are saved only if IP PROTOCOL is set to PERMANENT. To allow any saved changes to take effect, reset the print server (see Reset Network on page 79). Accepted values: 000 to 255 for each field Related ZPL command(s): ^ND SGD command used: Wired: internal_wired.ip.
Printer Configuration and Adjustment Adjust Printer Settings Table 3 • Network Settings (Continued) IP Protocol MAC Address ESSID P1066582-002 This parameter tells if the user (permanent) or the server (dynamic) selects the IP address. When a dynamic option is chosen, this parameter tells the method(s) by which the wired or wireless print server receives the IP address from the server.
Printer Configuration and Adjustment Adjust Printer Settings Table 3 • Network Settings (Continued) Channel Signal Reset Network 4/8/14 View the wireless channel being used when the wireless network is active and authenticated. Accepted values: N/A Related ZPL command(s): none SGD command used: wlan.
Printer Configuration and Adjustment Adjust Printer Settings RFID Settings Table 4 • RFID Settings RFID Status Read RFID Data Display the status of the RFID subsystem of the printer. Accepted values: N/A Related ZPL command(s): ^HL or ~HL SGD command used: rfid.error.response User menu item: RFID STATUS on page 108 Printer web page: N/A Read and return the specified tag data from the RFID tag located over the RFID antenna. No printer movement occurs while tag data is being read.
Printer Configuration and Adjustment Adjust Printer Settings Table 4 • RFID Settings (Continued) Programming Position If the desired programming position (read/write position) is not achieved through RFID tag calibration, a value may be specified. See the RFID Programming Guide 3 for more information. F0 to Fxxx (where xxx is the label length in millimeters or 999, whichever is less) The printer feeds the label forward for the specified distance and then begins programming.
Printer Configuration and Adjustment Adjust Printer Settings Table 4 • RFID Settings (Continued) RFID Read Power RFID Write Power RFID Valid Counter RFID Void Counter RFID Tag Calibration P1066582-002 If the desired read power is not achieved through RFID tag calibration, a value may be specified. Accepted values: 0 to 30 Related ZPL command(s): ^RW SGD command used: rfid.reader_1.power.
Printer Configuration and Adjustment Adjust Printer Settings Language Settings Table 5 • Language Settings Language If necessary, change the language that the printer displays. This change affects the words shown on the following: • the Home menu • the user menus • error messages • the printer configuration label, the network configuration label, and other labels that you can select to print through the user menus Note • The selections for this parameter are displayed in their native languages.
Printer Configuration and Adjustment Adjust Printer Settings Table 5 • Language Settings (Continued) Command Character Control Character Delimiter Character P1066582-002 The format command prefix is a two-digit hex value used as a parameter place marker in ZPL/ZPL II format instructions. The printer looks for this hex character to indicate the start of a ZPL/ZPL II format instruction. Set the format command character to match what is used in your label formats.
Printer Configuration and Adjustment Adjust Printer Settings Table 5 • Language Settings (Continued) ZPL Mode 4/8/14 Select the mode that matches what is used in your label formats. This printer accepts label formats written in either ZPL or ZPL II, eliminating the need to rewrite any ZPL formats that already exist. The printer remains in the selected mode until it is changed in one of the ways listed here. ZPL II ZPL Accepted values: • • Related ZPL command(s): ^SZ SGD command used: zpl.
Printer Configuration and Adjustment Adjust Printer Settings Sensor Settings Table 6 • Sensor Settings Sensor Type Label Sensor Take Label P1066582-002 Select the media sensor that is appropriate for the media that you are using. The reflective sensor typically is used only for black mark media. The transmissive sensor typically is used for other media types. TRANSMISSIVE REFLECTIVE Accepted values: • • Related ZPL command(s): ^JS SGD command used: device.
Printer Configuration and Adjustment Adjust Printer Settings Port Settings Table 7 • Port Settings Baud Rate Data Bits Parity 4/8/14 Select the baud value that matches the one being used by the host computer. 115200 57600 38400 28800 19200 14400 9600 4800 Accepted values: • • • • • • • • Related ZPL command(s): ^SC SGD command used: comm.
Printer Configuration and Adjustment Adjust Printer Settings Table 7 • Port Settings (Continued) Host Handshake P1066582-002 Select the handshake protocol that matches the one being used by the host computer. XON/XOFF RTS/CTS DSR/DTR Accepted values: • • • Related ZPL command(s): ^SC SGD command used: comm.
Printer Configuration and Adjustment Adjust Printer Settings BlueTooth Settings Table 8 • BLUETOOTH Menu Bluetooth Address Mode Discovery Connected BT Spec Version Min. Security Mode 4/8/14 Displays the printer’s Bluetooth Device Address Accepted values: N/A SGD command used: bluetooth.address Displays the Bluetooth connection pair printer’s device type—Slave (typical) or Master. Accepted values: N/A SGD command used: N/A Select if the printer is “Discoverable” for Bluetooth device pairing.
Printer Configuration and Adjustment User Menus User Menus The printer’s control panel includes a display, where you can view the printer’s status or change its operating parameters. In this section, you will learn how to navigate through the printer’s menu system and change values for menu items. Navigating through Screens in the Display Idle Display After the printer completes the power-up sequence, it moves to the Idle Display (Figure 1).
Printer Configuration and Adjustment User Menus Home Menu The printer’s operating parameters are sorted into eight user menus, which you can access through the printer’s Home menu (Figure 2). For detailed information about changing the printer settings, see Adjust Printer Settings on page 66. Figure 2 • Home Menu HOME MENU SETTINGS See SETTINGS Menu on page 94. See LANGUAGE Menu on page 111. See TOOLS Menu on page 97. See SENSORS Menu on page 113.
Printer Configuration and Adjustment User Menus Navigation Table 9 shows the options available for navigating through the screens in the control panel display. Table 9 • Navigation Idle Display XXXXXXX XXXXXXX HOME MENU SETTINGS At the Idle Display (Figure 1 on page 90), press LEFT SELECT to go to the printer’s Home menu (Figure 2 on page 91). Home Menu To move from icon to icon in the Home menu, press any of the ARROW buttons. When an icon is selected, its colors are reversed to highlight it.
Printer Configuration and Adjustment User Menus Table 9 • Navigation (Continued) User Menus ▼ Press LEFT SELECT to return to the Home menu. The printer automatically returns to the Home menu after 15 seconds of inactivity in a user menu. XXXXXXX XXXXXXX ▲ ▼and ▲ indicate that a value can be changed. Any changes that you make are saved immediately. Press the UP ARROW or DOWN ARROW to scroll through accepted values. XXX To scroll through the items in a user menu, press the LEFT ARROW or RIGHT ARROW.
Printer Configuration and Adjustment User Menus—SETTINGS Menu SETTINGS Menu Items in this menu are shown in the order in which they appear when you press the RIGHT ARROW. For more information about these settings, see Print Settings on page 67. Adjust the Print Darkness DARKNESS ▼ 10.0 ▲ Set the darkness to the lowest setting that provides good print quality.
Printer Configuration and Adjustment User Menus—SETTINGS Menu Adjust the Tear-Off Position If necessary, adjust the position of the media over the tear-off bar after printing. TEAR OFF ▼ 0 ▲ See Tear-Off Position on page 68 for more information. Adjust the Print Width PRINT WIDTH ▼ 832 ▲ Specify the width of the labels being used. The default value is the maximum width for the printer, based on the printhead’s DPI value. See Print Width on page 69 for more information.
Printer Configuration and Adjustment User Menus—SETTINGS Menu Set the Maximum Label Length LABEL LENGTH MAX ▼ 39 ▲ Set the maximum label length to a value that is at least 1.0 in. (25.4 mm) greater than the actual label length plus the interlabel gap. If you set the value to one that is smaller than the label length, the printer assumes that continuous media is loaded, and the printer cannot calibrate. See Maximum Label Length on page 70 for more information.
Printer Configuration and Adjustment User Menus—TOOLS Menu TOOLS Menu Items in this menu are shown in the order in which they appear when you press the RIGHT ARROW. For more information about these settings, see Table 2, Calibration and Diagnostic Tools on page 71. List the Printer Information* Prints a printer configuration label. PRINT INFORMATION ▼ SETTINGS ▲ See Print Information on page 71 for more information. * Other options are available by scrolling.
Printer Configuration and Adjustment User Menus—TOOLS Menu Set the Head-Close Action Set the action for the printer to take when you close the printhead. HEAD CLOSE ACTION ▼ ▲ CALIBRATE See Head-Close Action on page 73 for more information. Set the Head-Open Light Action Set the brightness of the light that turns on when the printhead is open. HEAD OPEN LIGHT ▼ ▲ HIGH Set the Cover Open Light Action Set the brightness of the light that turns on when the media door is open.
Printer Configuration and Adjustment User Menus—TOOLS Menu Enable Communication Diagnostics Mode Use this diagnostics tool to cause the printer to output the hexadecimal values for all data received by the printer. DIAGNOSTIC MODE ▼ DISABLED ▲ See Communication Diagnostics Mode on page 75 for more information. Is ZBI Enabled? This menu item indicates if the Zebra Basic Interpreter (ZBI 2.0™) option is enabled on your printer.
Printer Configuration and Adjustment User Menus—TOOLS Menu Print a File from a USB Flash Drive* PRINT USB FILE ▼ ▲ SELECT ALL PRINT Use this menu item to select files to print from a USB Flash drive. 1. Use the UP ARROW or DOWN ARROW to select one file or all files from this menu. 2. Press RIGHT SELECT to select PRINT. * This menu item appears only if a USB Flash drive is inserted into the USB host port on the printer.
Printer Configuration and Adjustment User Menus—TOOLS Menu Network Menu Shortcut • To be taken to the next user menu, press OK or press RIGHT SELECT to select GO. NETWORK MENU GO GO NO PRINT SERVER INSTALLED IP ADDRESS 000.000.000.000 NEXT • To continue to navigate in the same user menu, press the LEFT ARROW or RIGHT ARROW.
Printer Configuration and Adjustment User Menus—NETWORK Menu NETWORK Menu Items in this menu are shown in the order in which they appear when you press the RIGHT ARROW. For more information about these settings, see Table 3, Network Settings on page 77. For more information about print servers and how they function, refer to the Wired and Wireless Print Server User Guide. A copy of this manual is available at http://www.zebra.com/manuals.
Printer Configuration and Adjustment User Menus—NETWORK Menu Set the Default Gateway View and, if necessary, change the default gateway. WIRED GATEWAY ▼ ▲ 000.000.000.000 NEXT Changes are saved only if WIRED IP PROTOCOL on page 103 is set to PERMANENT. To allow any saved changes to take effect, use RESET NETWORK on page 106 to reset the print server. See Gateway on page 77 for more information.
Printer Configuration and Adjustment User Menus—NETWORK Menu Set the Printer’s IP Address* View and, if necessary, change the printer’s IP address. WLAN IP ADDRESS ▼ 000.000.000.000 ▲ NEXT Changes are saved only if WIRED IP PROTOCOL on page 103 is set to PERMANENT. To allow any saved changes to take effect, use RESET NETWORK on page 106 to reset the print server. See IP Address on page 77 for more information. * This menu item appears only if a wireless print server is installed in your printer.
Printer Configuration and Adjustment User Menus—NETWORK Menu View the MAC Address* WLAN MAC ADDRESS 00:05:9A:3C:78:00 View the Media Access Control (MAC) address of the print server that is installed in the printer (wired or wireless). See MAC Address on page 78 for more information. * This menu item, which cannot be modified from the control panel, appears only if a wireless print server is installed in your printer.
Printer Configuration and Adjustment User Menus—NETWORK Menu Print the Network Settings* This option prints a network configuration label, which lists the settings for any print server that is installed. PRINT INFORMATION ▼ NETWORK ▲ PRINT See Print Information on page 71 for more information. * Other options are available by scrolling. Reset the Network Settings* This option resets the wired or wireless print server.
Printer Configuration and Adjustment User Menus—NETWORK Menu RFID Menu Shortcut • To be taken to the next user menu, press OK or press RIGHT SELECT to select GO. RFID MENU GO GO ▼ LANGUAGE ENGLISH ▲ • To continue to navigate in the same user menu, press the LEFT ARROW or RIGHT ARROW.
Printer Configuration and Adjustment User Menus—RFID Menu RFID Menu Items in this menu are shown in the order in which they appear when you press the RIGHT ARROW. For more information about these settings, see Table 4, RFID Settings on page 80. Select the RFID Country Code Select the RFID country code (if applicable).
Printer Configuration and Adjustment User Menus—RFID Menu Perform an RFID Test During the RFID test, the printer attempts to read and write to a transponder. No printer movement occurs with this test. RFID TEST READ OK WRITE OK START If you wish to test an RFID label: 1. Position the RFID label with its transponder over the RFID antenna array. 2. Press RIGHT SELECT to select START. The results of the test are shown on the display. See RFID Test on page 80 for more information.
Printer Configuration and Adjustment User Menus—RFID Menu Display or Reset the RFID Valid Counter Displays the RFID valid label count or resets the counter to zero. RFID VALID COUNT See RFID Valid Counter on page 82 for more information. 0 RESET Display or Reset the RFID Void Counter Displays the RFID void label count or resets the counter to zero. RFID VOID COUNT See RFID Void Counter on page 82 for more information.
Printer Configuration and Adjustment User Menus—LANGUAGE Menu LANGUAGE Menu Items in this menu are shown in the order in which they appear when you press the RIGHT ARROW. For more information about these settings, see Table 5, Language Settings on page 83. Select the Display Language If necessary, change the language that the printer displays. LANGUAGE ▼ ENGLISH ▲ See Language on page 83 for more information.
Printer Configuration and Adjustment User Menus—LANGUAGE Menu Set the Delimiter Character Value Set the delimiter character to match what is used in your label formats. DELIMITER CHAR ▼ , (2C) ▲ See Delimiter Character on page 84 for more information. Set the ZPL Mode Select the mode that matches what is used in your label formats. ZPL MODE ▼ ZPL II ▲ See ZPL Mode on page 85 for more information.
Printer Configuration and Adjustment User Menus—SENSORS Menu SENSORS Menu Items in this menu are shown in the order in which they appear when you press the RIGHT ARROW. For more information about these settings, see Table 6, Sensor Settings on page 86. Select the Media Sensor SENSOR TYPE ▼ ▲ TRANSMISSIVE Select the media sensor that is appropriate for the media that you are using. The reflective sensor typically is used only for black mark media.
Printer Configuration and Adjustment User Menus—SENSORS Menu Set the Intensity of the Take Label LED TAKE LABEL ▼ 50 Important • This value is set during sensor calibration. Do not change this setting unless you are told to do so by Zebra Technical Support or by an authorized service technician. ▲ See Take Label on page 86 for more information. Ports Menu Shortcut • To be taken to the next user menu, press OK or press RIGHT SELECT to select GO.
Printer Configuration and Adjustment User Menus—PORTS Menu PORTS Menu Items in this menu are shown in the order in which they appear when you press the RIGHT ARROW. For more information about these settings, see Table 7, Port Settings on page 87. Set the Baud Rate Select the baud value that matches the one being used by the host computer. BAUD RATE ▼ 9600 ▲ See Baud Rate on page 87 for more information.
Printer Configuration and Adjustment User Menus—PORTS Menu View the Wireless Markup Language (WML) Version This value cannot be changed. ZEBRA TECHNOLOGIES WML S1.09 © zebra.com/support BlueTooth Menu Shortcut • To be taken to the next user menu, press OK or press RIGHT SELECT to select GO. BLUETOOTH MENU GO GO ▼ DARKNESS 10 ▲ START • To continue to navigate in the same user menu, press the LEFT ARROW or RIGHT ARROW.
Printer Configuration and Adjustment User Menus—BLUETOOTH Menu BLUETOOTH Menu Items in this menu are shown in the order in which they appear when you press the RIGHT ARROW. For more information about these settings, see BlueTooth Settings on page 89. View the BlueTooth Address BLUETOOTH ADDRESS Displays the printer’s Bluetooth Device Address See MAC Address on page 78 for more information.
Printer Configuration and Adjustment User Menus—BLUETOOTH Menu View the Printer’s BlueTooth Mode Displays the Bluetooth operational specification level. BT SPEC VERSION See Baud Rate on page 87 for more information. 2.1 View the Printer’s BlueTooth Mode Displays the printer’s Bluetooth minimum level of applied security. MIN SECURITY MODE 1 See Baud Rate on page 87 for more information. Settings Menu Shortcut • To be taken to the next user menu, press OK or press RIGHT SELECT to select GO.
Printer Configuration and Adjustment Calibrate the Ribbon and Media Sensors Calibrate the Ribbon and Media Sensors Use the procedure in this section to calibrate the printer, which adjusts the sensitivity of the media and ribbon sensors. • For issues that may be resolved by sensor calibration, see Printing Issues on page 148. • For a summary of the options for initiating calibration, see Media and Ribbon Sensor Calibration on page 75. Important • Follow the calibration procedure exactly as presented.
Printer Configuration and Adjustment Calibrate the Ribbon and Media Sensors 2. Caution • The printhead may be hot and could cause severe burns. Allow the printhead to cool. Open the printhead assembly by rotating the printhead-open lever. 3. Extend the media approximately 8 in. (203 mm) out of the printer. 4. Remove the exposed labels so that only the liner remains.
Printer Configuration and Adjustment Calibrate the Ribbon and Media Sensors 5. Pull the media into the printer so that only the backing is between the media sensors. 6. Remove the ribbon (if used). 7. Rotate the printhead-open lever (1) downward until it locks the printhead in place. 1 8. Press PAUSE to begin the media calibration process. • The PAUSE light turns off. • The SUPPLIES light flashes.
Printer Configuration and Adjustment Calibrate the Ribbon and Media Sensors When the process is complete: • The SUPPLIES light stops flashing. • The PAUSE light flashes yellow. • The control panel displays: MEDIA/RIBBON CAL RELOAD ALL CONTINUE 9. Open the printhead assembly by rotating the printhead-open lever.
Printer Configuration and Adjustment Calibrate the Ribbon and Media Sensors 10. Pull the media forward until a label is positioned under the media sensors. 11. Reload the ribbon (if used). 12. Close the printhead. 13. Close the media door. 14. Press PAUSE to enable printing.
Printer Configuration and Adjustment Adjust the Printhead Pressure Adjust the Printhead Pressure You may need to adjust printhead pressure if printing is too light on one side, if you use thick media, or if the media drifts from side to side during printing. Use the lowest printhead pressure necessary to produce good print quality. See Figure 3. The printhead pressure adjustment dials have setting marks from 1 to 4.
Printer Configuration and Adjustment Adjust the Printhead Pressure If necessary, adjust the printhead pressure adjustment dials as follows: 4/8/14 If the media... Then... Requires higher pressure to print well Increase both dials one position. Prints too lightly on the left side of the label. Increase the inside dial setting one position. Prints too lightly on the right side of the label. Increase the outside dial setting one position.
Printer Configuration and Adjustment Adjust the Printhead Pressure If the media... Then... Shifts left while printing Increase the outside dial setting one position. OR Decrease the inside dial setting one position.
Printer Configuration and Adjustment Adjust the Printhead Pressure If the media... Then... Shifts right while printing Increase the inside dial setting one position. OR Decrease the outside dial setting one position.
Printer Configuration and Adjustment Remove Used Ribbon Remove Used Ribbon Remove used ribbon from the ribbon take-up spindle each time you change the roll of ribbon. To remove used ribbon, complete these steps: 1. Has the ribbon run out? If the ribbon... Then Ran out Continue with the next step. Did not run out Cut or break the ribbon before the ribbon take-up spindle. Caution • Do not cut the ribbon directly on the ribbon take-up spindle. Doing so may damage the spindle. 2.
Routine Maintenance This section provides routine cleaning and maintenance procedures. Contents Cleaning Schedule and Procedures. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Clean the Exterior, the Media Compartment, and the Sensors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Clean the Printhead and Platen Roller. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Clean the Peel Assembly. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Routine Maintenance Cleaning Schedule and Procedures Cleaning Schedule and Procedures Routine preventive maintenance is a crucial part of normal printer operation. By taking good care of your printer, you can minimize the potential problems that you might have with it and help to achieve and to maintain your standards for print quality.
Routine Maintenance Cleaning Schedule and Procedures Clean the Exterior, the Media Compartment, and the Sensors Over time, dust, grime, and other debris may build up on the outside and inside of your printer, particularly in a harsh operating environment. Printer Exterior You may clean the exterior surfaces of the printer with a lint-free cloth and a small amount of a mild detergent, if necessary. Do not use harsh or abrasive cleaning agents or solvents.
Routine Maintenance Cleaning Schedule and Procedures Clean the Printhead and Platen Roller Inconsistent print quality, such as voids in the bar code or graphics, may indicate a dirty printhead. For the recommended cleaning schedule, see Table 1 on page 130. Caution • While performing any tasks near an open printhead, remove all rings, watches, hanging necklaces, identification badges, or other metallic objects that could touch the printhead.
Routine Maintenance Cleaning Schedule and Procedures 2. Caution • The printhead may be hot and could cause severe burns. Allow the printhead to cool. Open the printhead assembly by rotating the printhead-open lever. 3. Remove the ribbon (if used) and the media. 4. Using the swab from a Zebra Preventive Maintenance Kit, wipe along the brown strip on the printhead assembly from end to end.
Routine Maintenance Cleaning Schedule and Procedures 5. While manually rotating the platen roller, clean it thoroughly with the swab. Allow the solvent to evaporate. 6. Reload the ribbon (if used) and the media. For instructions, see Load the Ribbon on page 60 or Load the Media on page 34. 7. Rotate the printhead-open lever (1) downward until it locks the printhead in place.
Routine Maintenance Cleaning Schedule and Procedures 8. Close the media door. The printer is ready to operate. 9. Press PAUSE to exit pause mode and enable printing. The printer may perform a label calibration or feed a label, depending on your settings. Note • If performing this procedure does not improve print quality, try cleaning the printhead with Save-A-Printhead cleaning film. This specially coated material removes contamination buildup without damaging the printhead.
Routine Maintenance Cleaning Schedule and Procedures Clean the Peel Assembly The peel assembly, which is part of the Peel-Off and Liner Take-Up options, consists of several spring-loaded rollers to ensure the proper roller pressure. Clean the pinch roller and tear-off/peel-off bar if adhesive buildup begins to affect peel performance. Caution • Do not use your left hand to assist in closing the Peel assembly. The top edge of the Peel roller/assembly could pinch your fingers.
Routine Maintenance Cleaning Schedule and Procedures 3. Push down the peel-off mechanism release lever to open the peel assembly. 4. Remove any media liner to expose the pinch roller. 5. While manually rotating the pinch roller, clean it thoroughly with the swab from the Preventive Maintenance Kit (part number 47362). In place of the Preventive Maintenance Kit, you may use a clean swab dipped in a solution of isopropyl alcohol (minimum 90%) and deionized water (maximum 10%).
Routine Maintenance Cleaning Schedule and Procedures 8. Caution • Use the peel release lever and your right hand to close the peel assembly. Do not use your left hand to assist in closing. The top edge of the peel roller/assembly could pinch your fingers. Close the peel assembly using the peel-off mechanism release lever. 9. Rotate the printhead-open lever (1) downward until it locks the printhead in place.
Routine Maintenance Cleaning Schedule and Procedures 10. Close the media door. The printer is ready to operate. 11. Press PAUSE to exit pause mode and enable printing. The printer may perform a label calibration or feed a label, depending on your settings.
Routine Maintenance Cleaning Schedule and Procedures Clean the Cutter Module If the cutter is not cutting the labels cleanly or if it jams with labels, clean the cutter. Caution • For personnel safety, always power off and unplug the printer before performing this procedure. To clean the cutter module, complete these steps: 1. Turn the printer off (O), and unplug the printer from its power source. 2. Raise the media door. 3. Remove media that is loaded through the cutter module. 4.
Routine Maintenance Cleaning Schedule and Procedures 5. Caution • The cutter blade is sharp. Do not touch or rub the blade with your fingers. Remove the cutter shield. 6. If necessary, rotate the cutter motor thumbscrew to fully expose the V-shaped cutter blade (1).
Routine Maintenance Cleaning Schedule and Procedures 7. Using the swab from the Preventive Maintenance Kit (part number 47362), wipe along the upper cutting surface (1) and the cutter blade (2). In place of the Preventive Maintenance Kit, you may use a clean swab dipped in a solution of isopropyl alcohol (minimum 90%) and deionized water (maximum 10%). Allow the solvent to evaporate. 1 8. 2 Caution • The cutter blade is sharp. For operator safety, replace the cutter shield.
Routine Maintenance Cleaning Schedule and Procedures 9. Close the media door. 10. Plug the printer into its power source, and then turn on (I) the printer. The cutter blade returns to its operating position. 11. If the cutter continues to perform unsatisfactorily, contact an authorized service technician.
Routine Maintenance Replacing Printer Components Replacing Printer Components Some printer components, such as the printhead and platen roller, may wear out over time and can be replaced easily. Regular cleaning may extend the life of some of these components. See Table 1 on page 130 for the recommended cleaning intervals.
5 Troubleshooting This section provides information about errors that you might need to troubleshoot. Assorted diagnostic tests are included. Contents Meaning of Indicator Lights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Printing Issues . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ribbon Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Troubleshooting Meaning of Indicator Lights Meaning of Indicator Lights The indicator lights on the control panel show the current status of the printer (Table 1). Table 1 • Status of Printer As Shown by Indicator Lights STATUS light steady green (other lights steady yellow for 2 seconds during printer power-up) The printer is ready. PAUSE light steady yellow. The printer is paused. STATUS light steady red SUPPLIES light steady red The media supply is out.
Troubleshooting Meaning of Indicator Lights Table 1 • Status of Printer As Shown by Indicator Lights (Continued) STATUS light flashing red The printer is unable to read the dpi setting of the printhead. Printers with a ZebraNet wired Ethernet option NETWORK light off No Ethernet link is available. NETWORK light steady green A 100 Base link was found. NETWORK light steady yellow A 10 Base link was found. NETWORK light steady red An Ethernet error condition exists.
Troubleshooting Printing Issues Printing Issues Table 2 identifies possible issues with printing or print quality, the possible causes, and the recommended solutions. Table 2 • Printing Issues Issue Possible Cause Recommended Solution General print quality issues The printer is set at the incorrect print speed. For optimal print quality, set the print speed to the lowest possible setting for your application via control panel, the driver, or the software.
Troubleshooting Printing Issues Table 2 • Printing Issues (Continued) Issue Possible Cause Recommended Solution Fine, angular gray lines on blank labels Wrinkled ribbon. See wrinkled ribbon causes and solutions in Ribbon Problems on page 151. Printing too light or too dark over the entire label The media or ribbon is not designed for high-speed operation. Replace supplies with those recommended for high-speed operation.
Troubleshooting Printing Issues Table 2 • Printing Issues (Continued) Issue Possible Cause Vertical image or label drift The printer is using Set the printer for the correct media type non-continuous labels but is (gap/notch, continuous, or mark—see Media configured in continuous mode. Type on page 67) and calibrate the printer, if necessary (see Calibrate the Ribbon and Media Sensors on page 119). The bar code printed on a label does not scan.
Troubleshooting Ribbon Problems Ribbon Problems Table 3 identifies problems that may occur with ribbon, the possible causes, and the recommended solutions. Table 3 • Ribbon Problems Problem Possible Cause Recommended Solution Broken or melted ribbon Darkness setting too high. 1. The ribbon is coated on the wrong side and cannot be used in this printer. Replace the ribbon with one coated on the correct side. For more information, see Coated Side of Ribbon on page 18. Ribbon was loaded incorrectly.
Troubleshooting RFID Problems RFID Problems Table 4 identifies problems that may occur with RFID printers, the possible causes, and the recommended solutions. For more information about RFID, refer to the RFID Programming Guide 3. A copy of the manual is available at http://www.zebra.com/manuals or on the user CD that came with your printer. Table 4 • RFID Problems Problem Possible Cause Recommended Solution The RFID-enabled printer voids every label.
Troubleshooting RFID Problems Table 4 • RFID Problems (Continued) Problem Possible Cause Recommended Solution Low yields. Too many RFID tags per roll are voided. The RFID labels are not within specifications for the printer, which means that the transponder is not in an area that can be programmed consistently. Make sure that the labels meet transponder placement specifications for your printer. See http://www.zebra.com/transponders for transponder placement information.
Troubleshooting RFID Problems Table 4 • RFID Problems (Continued) Problem Possible Cause Recommended Solution RFID parameters do not appear in Setup mode, and RFID information does not appear on the printer configuration label. The printer was powered off (O) and then back on (I) too quickly for the RFID reader to initialize properly. Wait at least 10 seconds after turning the printer power off before turning it back on. 1. Turn off (O) the printer. 2. Wait 10 seconds. 3. Turn on (I) the printer.
Troubleshooting Error Messages Error Messages The control panel displays messages when there is an error. See Table 5 for errors, the possible causes, and the recommended solutions. QuickHelp Pages Most error messages will include the option to view a QuickHelp page. The lower right-hand corner of the message displays “QR.” To access a QuickHelp page from an error message, do the following: 1. Press RIGHT SELECT to select QR. The printer displays a QuickHelp page specific to that error message.
Troubleshooting Error Messages Table 5 • Error Messages (Continued) Display/ Indicator Lights ALERT RIBBON OUT STATUS light steady yellow SUPPLIES light flashing yellow Possible Cause Recommended Solution 1. Load ribbon correctly. See In thermal transfer mode: Load the Ribbon • ribbon is not loaded on page 60. • ribbon is loaded incorrectly 2. Calibrate the printer. See • the ribbon sensor is not Media and Ribbon Sensor detecting ribbon Calibration on page 75.
Troubleshooting Error Messages Table 5 • Error Messages (Continued) Display/ Indicator Lights PRINT HEAD OVERTEMP PRINTING HALTED STATUS light steady yellow HEAD COLD PRINTING HALTED THERMISTOR REPLACE PRINTHEAD STATUS light steady yellow The printer shows one of these messages or cycles between them. HEAD COLD PRINTING HALTED STATUS light flashing yellow 4/8/14 Possible Cause Recommended Solution Caution • The printhead may be hot enough to cause severe burns. Allow the printhead to cool.
Troubleshooting Error Messages Table 5 • Error Messages (Continued) Display/ Indicator Lights CUT ERROR STATUS light steady red PAUSE light steady yellow OUT OF MEMORY STORING GRAPHIC Possible Cause Caution • The cutter blade is sharp. Do not touch or rub the blade with your fingers. The cutter blade is in the media path. Turn off the printer power and unplug the printer.
Troubleshooting Communications Problems Communications Problems Table 6 identifies problems with communications, the possible causes, and the recommended solutions. Table 6 • Communications Problems Problem Possible Cause Recommended Solution A label format was sent to the printer but was not recognized. The DATA light does not flash. The communication parameters are incorrect. Check the printer driver or software communications settings (if applicable).
Troubleshooting Miscellaneous Issues Miscellaneous Issues Table 7 identifies miscellaneous issues with the printer, the possible causes, and the recommended solutions. Table 7 • Miscellaneous Printer Problems Problem Possible Cause Recommended Solution The control panel display shows a language that I cannot read The language parameter was changed through the control panel or a firmware command. 1. The display is missing characters or parts of characters The display may need replacing.
Troubleshooting Miscellaneous Issues Table 7 • Miscellaneous Printer Problems (Continued) Problem Possible Cause Recommended Solution The printer is not acknowledging a USB device or is not reading the files on a USB device that is plugged into the USB host port. The printer currently supports USB drives only up to 1 TB in size. Use a USB drive that is 1 TB or smaller. The USB drive may require its own external power.
Troubleshooting Printer Diagnostics Printer Diagnostics Self tests and other diagnostics provide specific information about the condition of the printer. The self tests produce sample printouts and provide specific information that helps determine the operating conditions for the printer. Important • Use full-width media when performing self tests. If your media is not wide enough, the test labels may print on the platen roller.
Troubleshooting Printer Diagnostics CANCEL Self Test The CANCEL self test prints a printer configuration label and a network configuration label. For other ways to print these labels, see Print Information on page 71. To perform the CANCEL Self Test, complete these steps: 1. Turn off (O) the printer. 2. Press and hold CANCEL while turning on (I) the printer. Hold CANCEL until the first control panel light turns off.
Troubleshooting Printer Diagnostics PAUSE Self Test This self test can be used to provide the test labels required when making adjustments to the printer’s mechanical assemblies or to determine if any printhead elements are not working. Figure 3 shows a sample printout. To perform a PAUSE self test, complete these steps: 1. Turn off (O) the printer. 2. Press and hold PAUSE while turning on (I) the printer. Hold PAUSE until the first control panel light turns off.
Troubleshooting Printer Diagnostics FEED Self Test Different types of media may require different darkness settings. This section contains a simple but effective method for determining the ideal darkness for printing bar codes that are within specifications. During the FEED self test, labels are printed at different darkness settings at two different print speeds. The relative darkness and the print speed are printed on each label. The bar codes on these labels may be ANSI-graded to check print quality.
Troubleshooting Printer Diagnostics Figure 5 • Bar Code Darkness Comparison Table 8 • Judging Bar Code Quality P1066582-002 Print Quality Description Too dark Labels that are too dark are fairly obvious. They may be readable but not “in-spec.” • The normal bar code bars increase in size. • The openings in small alphanumeric characters may fill in with ink. • Rotated bar code bars and spaces run together. Slightly dark Slightly dark labels are not as obvious.
Troubleshooting Printer Diagnostics Table 8 • Judging Bar Code Quality (Continued) Print Quality Description “In-spec” The “in-spec” bar code can only be confirmed by a verifier, but it should exhibit some visible characteristics. • The normal bar code will have complete, even bars and clear, distinct spaces. • The rotated bar code will have complete, even bars and clear, distinct spaces. Although it may not look as good as a slightly dark bar code, the bar code will be “in-spec.
Troubleshooting Printer Diagnostics FEED + PAUSE Self Test Performing this self test resets the printer configuration to the factory default values. Perform a sensor calibration after this self test. (See Calibrate the Ribbon and Media Sensors on page 119.) To perform a FEED and PAUSE self test, complete these steps: 1. Turn off (O) the printer. 2. Press and hold FEED + PAUSE while turning on (I) the printer. 3. Hold FEED + PAUSE until the first control panel light turns off.
Troubleshooting Printer Diagnostics Communication Diagnostics Test The communication diagnostics test is a troubleshooting tool for checking the interconnection between the printer and the host computer. When the printer is in diagnostics mode, it prints all data received from the host computer as straight ASCII characters with the hex values below the ASCII text. The printer prints all characters received, including control codes such as CR (carriage return).
Troubleshooting Printer Diagnostics Sensor Profile Use the sensor profile image (which will extend across several actual labels or tags) to troubleshoot the following situations: • The printer experiences difficulty in determining gaps (web) between labels. • The printer incorrectly identifies preprinted areas on a label as gaps (web). • The printer cannot detect ribbon. With the printer in the Ready state, print a sensor profile in one of these ways: a. Turn off (O) the printer.
Troubleshooting Printer Diagnostics Ribbon Sensor Profile (Figure 7) The line labeled RIBBON (1) on the sensor profile indicates the ribbon sensor readings. The ribbon sensor threshold setting is indicated by OUT (2). If the ribbon readings are below the threshold value, the printer does not acknowledge that ribbon is loaded. Figure 7 • Sensor Profile (Ribbon Section) 1 2 Media Sensor Profile (Figure 8) The line labeled MEDIA (1) on the sensor profile indicates the media sensor readings.
Troubleshooting Printer Diagnostics Notes • ___________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________ __________________
6 Specifications This section lists general printer specifications, printing specifications, ribbon specifications, and media specifications. Contents General Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Printing Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Media Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Specifications General Specifications General Specifications Model ZT410™ ZT420™ Height 12.8 in.(325 mm) 12.8 in. (325 mm) Width 10.7 in. (272 mm) 13.2 in. (335 mm) Depth 19.7 in. (500 mm) 19.7 in. (500 mm) Weight 36 lb (16 kg) 40 lb (18 kg) Electrical 90–265 VAC, 48-62 Hz 90–265 VAC, 48-62 Hz Power consumption Printing PAUSE test at slowest speed 118.7 W 220.0 W Power consumption Printer idle 12.0 W 12.
Specifications Printing Specifications Printing Specifications Model ZT410 Print resolution 203 dpi (dots/in.)/8 dots/mm 203 dpi (dots/in.)/8 dots/mm Dot size (nominal) (width x length) Maximum print width ZT420 300 dpi/12 dots/mm 300 dpi/12 dots/mm 600 dpi/24 dots/mm N/A 203 dpi 0.0049 in. x 0.0049 in. (0.125 mm x 0.125 mm) 0.0049 in. x 0.0049 in. (0.125 mm x 0.125 mm) 300 dpi 0.0033 in. x 0.0039 in. (0.084 mm x 0.099 mm) 0.0033 in. x 0.0039 in. (0.084 mm x 0.099 mm) 600 dpi 0.0016 in.
Specifications Media Specifications Media Specifications Model Label length Minimum Maximum Maximum continuous media print length Label width Minimum Maximum Total thickness (includes liner, if any) ZT410 ZT420 Tear-off 0.5 in. (12.7 mm) 0.5 in. (12.7 mm) Peel-off 0.5 in (12.7 mm) 0.5 in (12.7 mm) Rewind 0.5 in. (12.7 mm) 0.5 in. (12.7 mm) Cutter 1.0 in. (25.4 mm) 1.0 in. (25.4 mm) Non-RFID RFID Varies for each transponder type 200 or 300 dpi 39 in. (991 mm) 39 in.
Specifications Ribbon Specifications Ribbon Specifications Model Ribbon width* ZT410 Minimum 2 in.** (51 mm**) Maximum 4.33 in. (110 mm) Maximum ribbon length 1476 ft (450 m) Ribbon core inside diameter 1 in. (25 mm) ZT420 1476 ft (450 m) * Zebra recommends using ribbon that is at least as wide as the media to protect the printhead from wear. ** Depending on your application, you may be able to use ribbon narrower than 2 in. (51 mm), as long as the ribbon is wider than the media being used.
Specifications Ribbon Specifications Notes • ___________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________ _________________
Glossary alphanumeric Indicating letters, numerals, and characters such as punctuation marks. backfeed When the printer pulls the media and ribbon (if used) backward into the printer so that the beginning of the label to be printed is properly positioned behind the printhead. Backfeed occurs when operating the printer in Tear-Off and Applicator modes. bar code A code by which alphanumeric characters can be represented by a series of adjacent stripes of different widths.
Glossary die-cut media A type of label stock that has individual labels stuck to a media liner. The labels may be either lined up against each other or separated by a small distance. Typically the material surrounding the labels has been removed. (See non-continuous media.) direct thermal A printing method in which the printhead presses directly against the media. Heating the printhead elements causes a discoloration of the heat-sensitive coating on the media.
Glossary media sensor This sensor is located behind the printhead to detect the presence of media and, for non-continuous media, the position of the web, hole, or notch used to indicate the start of each label. media supply hanger The stationary arm that supports the media roll. non-continuous media Media that contains an indication of where one label/printed format ends and the next one begins. Examples are die-cut labels, notched tag-stock, and stock with black mark registration marks.
Glossary tear-off A mode of operation in which the user tears the label or tag stock away from the remaining media by hand. thermal transfer A printing method in which the printhead presses an ink or resin coated ribbon against the media. Heating the printhead elements causes the ink or resin to transfer onto the media. By selectively heating the printhead elements as the media and ribbon move past, an image is printed onto the media. Contrast this with direct thermal.
Index A C active print server user menu item, 102 adhesive test for ribbon coating, 19 adjustments display contrast LCD contrast user menu item, 97 ways to adjust, 72 label left position, 69 maximum label length, 70 print darkness, 67 print width, 69 printhead pressure, 124 tear-off position, 68 antenna element ways to set, 81 calibration Auto Calibrate failed, 150 how to set as head-close action, 73 how to set as power-up action, 72 media/ribbon cal user menu item SENSORS menu, 113 TOOLS menu, 98 proce
Index communication diagnostics mode how to initiate, 75 overview, 169 user menu item, 99 communication interfaces, 24 communications problems, 159 configuration label network printing using CANCEL self test, 163 user menu item, 106 ways to print, 71 printer printing from TOOLS menu, 97 printing using CANCEL self test, 163 ways to print, 71 conformity declaration, 3 connect printer to computer or network, 24 connect printer to power source, 27 continuous media described, 17 selecting media type, 67 se
Index F I fanfold media described, 17 loading, 35 FCC compliance, 4 FCC radiation exposure limits, 4 feed a label how to set as head-close action, 73 how to set as power-up action, 72 through the control panel, 14 FEED button FEED and PAUSE self test, 168 FEED self test, 165 location, 14 fonts label, 71 formats label, 71 idle display how to change what displays, 72 user menu item, 97 images distorted on labels, 159 images label, 71 indicator lights combined with error message, 155 location, 14 troublesh
Index Liner Take-Up mode description and media path, 31, 32 how to select, 69 select print mode through user menu, 95 load defaults how to load printer or print server defaults, 74 network user menu item, 106 ways to initiate, 74 user menu item, 98 location for printer, 23 lubrication, 144 media sensor calibration media/ribbon cal user menu item SENSORS menu, 113 TOOLS menu, 98 procedure, 119 ways to initiate, 75 media type how to select, 67 user menu item, 94 melted ribbon, 151 misregistration of la
Index P parallel port characteristics of parallel connection, 26 specifications, 174 parity user menu item, 115 ways to set, 87 PAUSE button FEED and PAUSE self test, 168 location, 14 PAUSE self test, 164 Peel-Off mode cleaning peel-off assembly, 136 description and media path, 31, 32 how to select, 69 select print mode through user menu, 95 perforated media, 17 PH NOT AUTHENTICATED message, 156 power connect to power source, 27 power cord specifications, 28 site selection, 23 Power-On Self Test (POST) how
Index printer settings darkness, 67 label left position, 69 maximum label length, 70 media type, 67 print method, 68 print mode, 69 print speed, 67 print width, 69 reprint mode, 70 settings not taking effect, 160 tear-off position, 68 printhead adjust printhead pressure, 124 HEAD COLD message, 157 how to clean, 132 PH NOT AUTHENTICATED message, 156 PRINT HEAD OVERTEMP message, 157 THERMISTOR PREPLACE PRINTHEAD message, 157 programming position view or set through user menu, 109 ways to set, 81 Q QR c
Index sensor type user menu item, 113 ways to select, 86 sensors interpreting sensor profile, 170 serial port characteristics of serial connection, 25 specifications, 174 SETTINGS menu, 94 setup unpack the printer, 22 shipping report damage, 22 reshipping the printer, 22 SHORT CAL how to set as power-up action, 72 how to set for head-close action, 73 signal user menu item, 105 ways to view, 79 site selection for printer, 23 “smart” labels, 16 smudge marks on labels, 149 spacing requirements, 23 specificati
Index V valid RFID label counter view or reset through user menu, 110 ways to reset, 82 ventilation requirements, 23 vertical drift top-of-form position, 149 void RFID label counter view or reset through user menu, 110 ways to reset, 82 W web media described, 17 wired print server characteristics, 25 specifications, 174 wireless print server channel user menu item, 105 ways to view, 79 characteristics, 26 ESSID user menu item, 105 ways to view, 78 signal user menu item, 105 ways to view, 79 specifica
Zebra Technologies Corporation Zebra Technologies Corporation 475 Half Day Road, Suite 500 Lincolnshire, IL 60069 USA T: +1 847 634 6700 Toll-free +1 866 230 9494 F: +1 847 913 8766 Zebra Technologies Europe Limited Dukes Meadow Millboard Road Bourne End Buckinghamshire, SL8 5XF, UK T: +44 (0)1628 556000 F: +44 (0)1628 556001 Zebra Technologies Asia Pacific, LLC 120 Robinson Road #06-01 Parakou Building Singapore 068913 T: +65 6858 0722 F: +65 6885 0838 http://www.zebra.com © 2014 ZIH Corp.
