Metapace L-3
Contents
1. Chapter 4 Troubleshooting sssccccccsssssccsssssseeeesssscees 25 Error Indications un ae einen beein 25 Miscellaneous ae a een E 26 Others estar dala Leida RL eb bergen 27 Appendix A Interface Specifications ssscccssssseees 28 Appendix B ASCH Table 31 iii METAPACE Preface Thank you for purchasing the METAPACE L 3 label printer The METAPACE L 3 Industrial Grade barcode label printers feature innovative state of the art technology and superior quality workmanship Their all metal frame and unique core construction form a sturdy and durable stationary printer platform A powerful control system can easily handle the most complicated printing requirements at high speed printing Advanced thermal transfer direct thermal technology offers optimum printout clarity This manual explains how to set up and begin using your METAPACE L 3 printer It also provides detailed information on configuring your printer basic operations care and troubleshooting Please read this manual carefully before using the METAPACE L 3 printer Important Notice Read Me First Thermal printhead can be easily damaged due to its precision construction A printhead damaged by misuse is not covered under the terms of the warranty To ensure longevity of the printhead please note the following 1 DONOT scrape or use tools that might damage the printhead surface 2 To protect from corroding the printhead2. DO NOT touch the printhead with bare hands 3 DO NOT use thermal paper or thermal transfer ribbon which contains Na K or Cl Keep printhead from any form of liquid or dampness 5 Use a Cotton Swab dipped in anhydrous isopropyl alcohol to clean the printhead only 6 Always use high quality consumables 1 When the printhead module is closed pressure is placed directly onto the printhead dirt such as paper scraps sand dust and glue can scrape or damage the printhead 2 The TPH is also easily damaged by Static Electricity which may be generated by poor quality ribbons Always inspect consumables for quality before purchasing Chapter 1 Introduction Specifications Model Printing method METAPACE L 3 200dpi Direct thermal amp Thermal transfer METAPACE L 3 300dpi METAPACE METAPACE L 3 600dpi Printi luti 203 dpi 300 dpi 600 dpi nung resoiuuon dots mm 11 8 dots mm 23 6dots mm Da 8 ips 8 ips 4 ips Max printing speed 203 2 mm s _ 203 2 mm s 101 6 mm s Ma 4 09 4 16 4 16 EN mei 105 7 mm 105 6 mm 157 79 39 Max printing length 4000 mm 2000mm 1000 mm 32 bit ARM Processor PEN 4 MB FLASH ROM 8 MB SDRAM Width 4 56 116 mm max 0 79 20 mm min Total thickness including liner if any Media 0 0024 0 06 mm 0 012 0 305 mm Supply roll OD8 203 2 mm max ID 1 5 38 mm min Max width 4 65 118 mm Max leng
3. Cable 1 pes 6 Power Cord 1 pes Printer Sample Media cui N Aa u O Br Cable ru N 1 N Power Cord x i G _ ea ic CD Rom va Chapter 2 Getting Started Setting up Before setting up the printer you should consider the following 1 Make sure there is adequate space around the printer for loading consumables and proper ventilation 2 Make sure the printer is close to the host so the interface cable is easily accessible at either end METAPACE Main Parts and Features Figure 2 1 MENU Button 2 CANCEL Button 4 PAUSE Button 5 Media Calibration 7 MEDIA Indicator 8 RIBBON Indicator 10 Right Cover 11 Media Outlet 3 FEED Button 6 READY Indicator 9 LCD 12 Cover Handle 1 Platen Roller 4 Ribbon Take up Spindle 7 External Media Loading Opening 10 Lever Figure 3 2 Printhead Module 5 Bolt 8 Media Spindle 11 Media Sensor Cover Plate 3 Ribbon Supply Spindle 6 Positioning Arm Media Roll 9 ESD Brush METAPACE Figure 4 1 Centronics Port 2 PS 2 Port 3 USB Port Type B 4 RS232 Serial Port 5 Power Switch 6 AC In Port 7 Ethern
4. 5 nn 5 GND pin 4 pin 4 pin 5 pin 6 Z pin 6 pin 7 pin 20 pin 8 Baud rate 9600 19200 38400 57600 Data format always 8 data bits 1 start bit and 1 stop bit Parity always non parity Flow control RTS CTS Hardware flow control If you are using software or drivers under the Windows environment the flow control must be set to hardware 29 Parallel Centronics The parallel port is a standard 36 pin Centronics interface Its pin assignments are as follows E fn four fa e Bin o2 fie looma fin Duma ir Ground sin ma fis Ne 6 fa Dans hozo Jorma 7 fa fosse fi me e m foutar pz fou rau o fn Dene pass Ne 10 fou face _ li jou fuos ie jow fee _ Any communications port can transmit data from the host Centronics RS232 Ethernet and USB Preliminary communications settings are not required since the printer will automatically detect which port is active Note Never send data from 2 ports at the same time Data cannot be sent to more than one port simultaneously or data corruption and print errors may occur 30 METAPACE Appendix B ASCII Table 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 0 NUL 0 P p 1 SOH XON 1 A Q a q 2 SIX i 2 B R b r 3 XOFF 3 C S c 4 4 D T d t 5 NAK 5 E U e u 6 ACK amp 6 F f 7 BEL i 7 G W g w 8 IBS 8 H X h x 9 9 I Y i y A LF J Z j 7 B ESC K k C FF A lt L l D CR
5. Designer Software The printer driver supports Windows Vista 2003 XP 2000 NT ME 98 95 operating systems Each METAPACE L 3 printer comes with powerful bar code label design software Metapace Label Designer and operating 22 METAPACE instructions Both the Windows driver and Metapace Label Designer are available on the Printer Accessory CD also available for download from www matapace com Note Ifyou need to update the driver please remove any old versions of the driver before continuing Chapter 3 Maintenance Warning 1 Make sure the printer is turned OFF before performing any maintenance operations 2 The printhead becomes hot while printing be careful when performing maintenance on the printhead 3 Use only the cleaning agents indicated Metapace will not be responsible for damage caused by any other cleaning materials used on the printer 4 Anhydrous isopropyl alcohol is a solvent containing no more than one percent water Isopropyl alcohol is a flammable solvent always take the proper precautions when using this solvent Cleaning the Printhead The printhead is easily damaged due to its precision construction A printhead damaged by misuse is not covered under the terms of the warranty To ensure longevity of the printhead please note the following 1 Always use proper cleaning materials and techniques to clean the 23 printhead Never use hard materials for scraping the printhead Always use
6. M m E SO RS gt N N n F SI US 2 O 0 DEL Remark The sign is included in the embedded table at DEC128 or HEX 31 Part 15 of the FCC Rules Operation is subject to cond ions 1 this device may not cause harmful interfe s device must accept any interference received including pperation e and or radiate radio frequency energy n full accordance with this instruction manual in ations may occur This equipment complies formation Technology Equipment pursu which are designed to provide reasona ence when operated in a commercial ent in a residential area may also cau ill be required at his own expense to nics tc 1 es Micro 0 f Metapace 4 u en gico Corporation Computer Corporation Corporation 1 opyright laws this ma it the prior written permission N to the use of the E viewed for accuracy The instruc curate for the Metapace L 3 Label i ectly from errors omissions this manual 0 Gane 5 many issues which could pos anufacturer and warrant against unpredictable con he printing process For problems such as the printer not clear print content etc the manufacturer and resellers r correcting these issues according to Metapace Prin 5 In no event all the manufacturer or the resellers for any damages whatsoever including without limita es for loss o HE profits business interr
7. METAPACE Thermal Printers W 6 Mii ae 1 U A E a es a Mei a 4 T Important Safety Instructions Only qualified and trained service technicians should attempt to repair the printer Do not place the printer on or near a heat source Be sure that the output of the power adapter is 24VDC and your power source matches the rating listed on the power adapter Be certain your power source is grounded To avoid getting an electric shock do not use a worn or damaged power cord If the power cord becomes damaged or frayed replace it immediately Do not insert anything into the ventilation slots or openings on the printer The printer and power adapter should never be operated in a location where either one can get wet Personal injury may result The printhead becomes hot while printing To protect from damaging the printhead and risk of personal injury avoid touching the printhead To get increased printhead longevity and higher quality printouts always use approved labels tags and thermal transfer ribbons Approved supplies can be ordered from your dealer Static electricity that accumulates on the surface of the human body or other surfaces can damage or destroy the printhead or electronic components in this device DO NOT touch the printhead or the electronic components with bare hands Place the printer on a flat firm solid surface Possible Corrective Ac
8. PTION Direct Thermal Thermal Transfer Default Thermal Transfer Tear Ol Options Enable Disable ome Default Disable Manual Peel Off Common Settings Media Sensor Options Reflective Transmissive Default Reflective Options 9600 19200 38400 57600 Baud Rate Default 9600 Darkness When set at 0 the printer will accept the default setting or command setting if not the printer will not accept the Speed default setting or command setting Return Return to main menu Tear off Offset The increment for the METAPACE Positioning Offset L 32 is 0 125mm METAPACE L 33 Offset settings Cutting Offset 0 085 mm METAPACE L 36 is 0 0423 Peeling Offset mm Return Return to main menu IP Address The range of XXX is 0 255 press PAUSE to decrease CANCEL P Port to increase FEED G2 to move to Network Configuration Subnet Mask next XXX Upon completion pressing FEED G2 will proceed to the Gateway Save Abort screen Return Return to main menu Chinese Return Return to main menu Settings Clears only those settings accomplished through the front panel Clear Graphics To View or Del All or Del 1 by 1 Return Return to main menu Execute Execute stored forms Stand Alone Delete All Delete all stored forms Printing Delete 1 by 1 Delete selected stored form Return Return to main m
9. and slide the media sensor to the appropriate position refer to Figure 7 3 Figure 7 4 and Figure 7 5 5 Replace the media sensor cover Operation Basics 15 Power Switch The power switch is on the back panel ofthe printer The symbols on the switch are defined as follows ON O OFF The Front Panel The Front Panel of the printer consists of Three Indicator Lamps MEDIA READY and RIBBON Three multi function buttons PAUSE FEED and CANCEL Indicator Lamps The three lamps indicate the status of the printer please refer to Chapter 4 for error indications Solid Indicates the printer is in the normal state Blinking Indicates the printer is in the PAUSE state Solid Indicates the printer is in the normal state Blinking simultaneously with READY Running out of media Solid Indicates thermal transfer printing RIBBON ae De i Off Direct thermal printing no ribbon installed Blinking simultaneously with READY Running out of ribbon READY 16 METAPACE Buttons There are five buttons on the front panel The normal functions of the five buttons are listed in the following table Mode Function FEED Feed one label PAUSE Press once to pause current print job Press a second time to resume printing CANCEL Cancel current batch of labels Forces the printer to continue working after an error has been corrected MEDIA Performing m
10. by the status of the three indicator lamps are listed bellow READY and MEDIA Lamps blink simultaneously Possible Cause Recommend Solutions Remarks Cannot detect the media gap or black line a Check the media path b Check the position of the media sensor c Perform media sensor calibration If you are using continuous media be sure you have the correct settings in your software Media run out Load a roll of media against the media Media jam Clear the jam The Media Roll Adjust the Media Roll Guides are not Guides to firmly press firmly positioned against the media Media sensor error Service media sensor 25 READY and RIBBON Lamps blink simultaneously Possible Cause Recommend Solutions Remarks Run out of ribbon Load a roll ribbon Ribbon jam Clear the jam Ribbon Sensor Service Ribbon Sensor To be serviced only error by qualified personnel Only READY Lamp blinks Possible Cause Recommend Solutions Remarks Serial I O error Check Baud Rate settings in Setup Menu Memory overflow Restart the printer Perform Reset Miscellaneous Vertical blank lines Continuous vertical blank lines in printout indicate a dirty or faulty printhead as shown below If the problem cannot be solved by cleaning the printhead replace the printhead The host shows Printer Timeout 1 Check if the interface cable
11. d away from the backing liner manually In Cutting mode the printer automatically cuts the label after it is printed Standard Mode 1 Lift the Positioning Arm of the Media Roll insert the media roll onto the media spindle to the inside edge 2 Adjust the Positioning Arm push it down align it to the outside edge of the media roll and lock it in place 3 Turn the lever anticlockwise to release the Printhead Module 4 Refer to Figure 5 lead the media through and under the media guide lever in between the media sensor 5 Pull the media passed and under the printhead Figure 7 6 Move the media sensor to the appropriate position Figure 8 adjust the media sensor to ensure that the Sensor Position is aligned with the proper identifier gap black line perforation hole etc METAPACE Slide Handle Figure 8 7 Move the Media Guide Slide to the edge of the media making sure not to pinch the media 8 Turn the lever clockwise to close the Printhead Module 9 Close the cover and turn on the printer or press the FEED button if the printer is already on Cutting Mode The loading guide will be provided with the cutter kit Adjusting the Position of Media Sensor Note Only applies to the reflective sensor 1 Lift the top cover 2 Push the TPH release lever to release the Printhead Module 3 Lift the Printhead Module to expose the media sensor cover Figure 7 1 4 Remove the media sensor cover
12. edia sensor calibration CALIBRATION MENU Enter exit setup menu LCD Display A two line graphic LCD display is affixed to the front panel Data in the form of characters letters and numbers are shown on the LCD display Please see below LCD Panel Operation LCD Panel Operation LCD can display printer status printed label quantity error messages and can also assist in configuring the printer Examples of LCD display 5 Ready to print EADY 203DPT Total number of pages printed Total 00000888 Note when the printer is powered off the counter reverts to 0 In normal printing mode display only XXXXXXXX as total XXXXXXXX number of pages printed In copy printing mode display YYY XXXXXXXX YYYY number of pages not MEDIA ERROR printed YYYY XXXXXXX XXXXXXXX number of pages printed MAIN MENU Main Menu Common Settings gt TEAR OFFSI 26266 b Parameter Setting IP Address 199 009 100 001 Network Configuration 2 Button functions BUTTON FUNCTION DESCRIPTION MENU Enter exit Enter exit setup mode PAUSE 4 Parameter Descending Item Parameter selection Selection CANCEL gt Item Parameter gt Increasing Item Parameter selection Selection FEED ce Confirmation Confirm selection 3 Items to be set and operating guide 18 METAPACE MAIN MENU SUB MENU DESCRI
13. enu Font list hardware configuration and status label parameters Self Test 1 firmware version etc will be printed Reset Reset the printer to the factory default settings 19 Tear Off a Grab printed label Figure 9 1 Press MENU to enter setup menu Common Settings Tear Off select Enable 2 Follow the directions shown in Figure 9 to tear off the label 3 If the tear off position needs to be adjusted press MENU to enter setup menu Offset Settings Tear off Offset input suitable offset value 20 METAPACE Manual Peel Off all a Press the printed label downwards b Press the label to printer c Remove the label Figure 10 1 Press MENU to enter setup menu Common Settings Manual Peel Off select Enable 2 Follow the directions shown in Figure 10 to peel off the label 3 Press PAUSE to print next label If the peeling position needs to be adjusted press MENU to enter setup menu Offset Settings Peeling Offset input suitable offset value 21 Adjusting The Pressure Of Printhead 0 increase Decrease TPH Pressure Figure 11 As shown in Figure 11 there are two screws 1 and 2 Unscrew 2 first do not remove it then unscrew 1 Adjust the position of screw 1 towards Increase or Decrease as required Then first fasten screw 1 then the 2 Windows Driver and Metapace Label
14. et if required 2 Keep the communication cable separate from the power cords 11 Loading the Ribbon Caution This section is not applicable to direct thermal printing 1 Lift to open the cover 2 Turn the handle anticlockwise to release the Printhead Module 3 Check the ink side on the label of the ribbon roll then unwrap the ribbon roll pack and separate the ribbon roll and the core 4 Adjust the brackets figure 6 making sure that the ribbon roll is firmly in place on the ribbon spindle Ribbon Spindle Shrapnel Figure 6 5 Follow the Ribbon Path per Figure 5 slide the ribbon roll on the ribbon supply spindle to the inside edge 6 Refer to Figure 5 lead the ribbon through and under the Ribbon Guide and the printhead module The ink side of the ribbon should always be facing the media 7 Pull the ribbon pass under the printhead Figure7 METAPACE 8 Attach the edge of the ribbon to the core and wrap it on 9 Insert the core onto the ribbon take up spindle to the inside edge 10 Turn the take up spindle untill the ribbon is tightly wound 11 Turn the lever to the close position Loading the Media METAPACE L 3 printers can be operated in three different modes Standard mode Peel off mode or Cutting mode In Standard mode each printed label remains on the backing liner In Peel off mode each printed label is peele
15. et Port Note The above figure illustrates all possible interface ports on a METAPACE L 3 printer but some ports may not be available for your printer Please check your requirements when purchasing the printer 9 eo 5 lt a 6 7 Figure 5 1 Media Sensor Handle 2 Media Path 3 Platen Roller 4 Ribbon Path 5 Ribbon Guide 6 Media Guide Lever 7 Media Guide Slide Connecting the Printer Power Connection Caution Do not use the printer near liquids or corrosive chemicals 1 Make sure the printer is switched OFF 2 Connect the power cord to the AC Port on the back of the printer 3 Plug the power cord into a live wall outlet METAPACE Interface Connection Caution Make sure the printer is switched OFF before connecting the interface cable The interface between the printer and the host will use either a serial or USB or parallel cable Contact your reseller for Ethernet connection options The printer identifies the communication port automatically 2 The default values of printer port can be obtained from the self test report See Chapter 2 Operation Basics System Mode Self Test 3 Cable configurations for serial RS 232C and parallel Centronics interfaces are shown in Appendix A of this guide 4 Please take the following measures to reduce cable noise 1 Reduce the length of the interface cable keep the cable length under 1 83 meters 6 fe
16. high quality consumables When the TPH module is closed pressure is placed directly on the TPH dirt such as paper scraps sand dust and glue can scrape or damage the printhead The TPH is also easily damaged by static electricity which may be generated by poor quality ribbons After every roll of ribbon or every three rolls of media the printhead should be cleaned with anhydrous isopropyl alcohol a Turn off the printer and open the cover b Release and lift the Printhead Module c Remove the ribbon if applicable d Using a Cotton Swab dipped in anhydrous isopropyl alcohol rub the Swab along the printhead Cleaning the Platen Roller Debris or dirt accumulated on the platen roller should be cleaned after every three rolls of media a Turn off the printer and open the cover b Release and lift the Printhead Module c Rotate the platen roller and clean it thoroughly with anhydrous isopropyl alcohol and a cotton swab Cleaning the Printer Interior With a brush or a vacuum cleaner as needed 24 Chapter 4 Troubleshooting METAPACE Occasionally situations occur that require some troubleshooting Possible issues and potential solutions are listed in this section While not every situation is addressed you may find some of these tips useful Error Indications Typically when the printer is not functioning one or two of the three indicator lamps will begin blinking The possible situations addressed
17. is connected 2 Check if the printer is turned on If the situation remains unsolved please contact your reseller or our customer service engineer 26 METAPACE The data has been sent but not printing 1 Verify you have chosen the correct Windows printer 2 Reset the printer If the situation remains unsolved please contact your reseller or our customer service engineer Print quality problems 1 Adjust Print Darkness setting 2 Adjust Print Speed setting 3 Clean the printhead and platen roller 4 Make sure the correct media ribbon is loaded 5 Use only high quality Media replace if necessary Recovery After the corrective action is taken press the CANCEL button to clear the alarm the printer will get back to work automatically Others Contact a qualified Service Engineer from your reseller or Metapace for troubles that persist or are not covered in this section 27 Appendix A Interface Specifications RS232 Serial The RS232 connector on the printer is a DB9F Connection with host Host 25S Printer 9P 202 le 3 RX RES illa 2TX DSR6 8 DTR DTR20 ann 7 DSR RTS4 4CTS CTSS ainega 6 RTS GNDT7T nen 5 GND 28 Host 9S RX 2 TX3 DTR 4 DSR 6 RTS 7 CTS 8 GND 5 Printer 9P METAPACE Alternately you can just connect the 3 wires as follows Host 25S Printer 9P Host 9S Printer 9P TX2 Ra 3 RX 2 aeos 2TX RNS organo 2TX MD Cai 3 RX GNDT nn 5 GND GND
18. th 1968 600 m Ribbon Ink side both In and Out Ribbon roll OD3 3 84 mm max ID1 25 4 mm min Media sensor Reflective Transmissive Adjustable User downloadable Truetype Fonts Optional Fonts Five built in ASCII fonts 1D Barcode Code 39 Code 93 Code 128 subset A B C Codabar Interleave 2 of 5 UPC A E 2 Barcode types and 5 add on EAN 13 8 128 UCC 128 etc 2D Barcode MaxiCode PDF417 Data Matrix QR etc Interfaces RS 232 serial USB Centronics PS 2 LCD display 2 line graphic Power rating 110 220 VAC 10 50 60 Hz Weight 15 kgs Dimensions W11 3 286 mm x D17 6 448 mm x H11 0 280 mm Operation environment Temperature 32 F 104 F 0 C 40 C Relative humidity 5 85 non condensing Storage environment Temperature 40 F 140 F 40 C 60 C Relative humidity 5 85 non condensing Optional items Cutter kit Internal 100 10 M Ethernet Interface Card Unpacking and Inspection Inspect the shipping carton s for possible shipping damage if damage is discovered notify the shipping company to report the nature and extent of the damage Please check the items according to the Packing List If there are any items missing notify your authorized reseller METAPACE Packing List Figure 1 1 Printer 1 pes 2 Ribbon 1 pes 3 Sample Media 1 pes 4 CD Rom 1 pes 5 USB
19. tion Never operate in a high temperature environment Turn off the power when not in use for extended periods Follow all recommendations and setup instructions included in this manual METAPACE Contents liA canale lenire 1 Important Notice Read Me First ssssscssssssssssssseeees 2 Chapter 0 3 Specifications tiscali iui 3 Unpacking and Inspection 4 Chapter 2 Getting Started ccccccsssssssssccssssscsssssscsssesees 6 Setting U Sie cS EEN 6 Main Parts and Features aaa alal 7 Connecting the Printer AE A 10 Power Connections aaa 10 Interface Connection sheaf aes 11 Loading the Ribbler a i 12 Loading the Media i 14 Adjusting the Position of Media Sensor 15 Operation Basics arene ieh 15 POWER SWIG EES AE 16 The Front Panels ete 16 LCD Panel Operation aa a 17 Tear ORES SOROS 20 Manual Peel Off sssssssssssssssssssesssseseseeenns 21 Adjusting The Pressure Of Printhead 22 Windows Driver and Metapace Label Designer Software 22 Chapter 3 Maintenance urinare 23 Cleaning the Printhead ii 23 Cleaning the Platen Roller in e 24 Cleaning the Printer Interior i 24
20. uption loss of her pecuniary re arising from the use of the
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