AFINIA LABEL Afinia 502 User manual

Afinia 502
Label Printer
User Manual
Version 1.0.2

Afinia Label
Copyright © 2019 Afinia Label. All rights reserved.
No part of this document may be photocopied, reproduced, or translated to another language without the prior written
permission of Afinia.
Trademarks
Firefox is a trademark of the Mozilla Foundation.
Intel and Intel Core are trademarks of Intel Corporation in the U.S. and/or other countries.
Java and Oracle are registered trademarks of Oracle and/or its affiliates.
Microsoft, Windows, Windows Vista, and Windows Server are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the U.S.A.
and/or other countries.
Edition
502 Printer User Guide Edition 1.0.0. August 2019.
FCC
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.

502 Label Printer
3
Table of Contents
Setting up the Printer.................................................................................................................................... 5
In the Box .................................................................................................................................................. 5
Parts of the Printer.................................................................................................................................... 6
The Control Panel...................................................................................................................................... 7
Unpacking, Setup, and Installation ........................................................................................................... 8
Remove Tape and Foam ....................................................................................................................... 8
Connect Power...................................................................................................................................... 8
Set Date, Time, and Language .............................................................................................................. 8
Install Printer Driver.............................................................................................................................. 9
USB Connection ..................................................................................................................................10
Network Connection........................................................................................................................... 10
Install Ink Cartridges ........................................................................................................................... 11
Align the Printheads............................................................................................................................13
Using the Printer ......................................................................................................................................... 14
Choosing Label Media............................................................................................................................. 14
Loading the Printer ................................................................................................................................. 16
Unloading Media.................................................................................................................................16
Bypassing the Unwinder .....................................................................................................................17
Using the Control Panel .......................................................................................................................... 18
Help Screen......................................................................................................................................... 18
Home Screen....................................................................................................................................... 18
Setup ................................................................................................................................................... 18
Cartridge Information ......................................................................................................................... 19
Network ..............................................................................................................................................20
Printing Labels......................................................................................................................................... 22
Printer Preferences............................................................................................................................. 22
Adjusting Alignment for Printing ........................................................................................................ 24
Selecting Media Size ........................................................................................................................... 25
Creating Custom Media Sizes ............................................................................................................. 26
Selecting Media Type.......................................................................................................................... 26
Change Default Settings in Printer Driver...........................................................................................26
Canceling a Print .....................................................................................................................................27
Out of Paper............................................................................................................................................27
Wrong Media .......................................................................................................................................... 28
End of Roll ............................................................................................................................................... 28
Shutting Down the Printer ......................................................................................................................28
Software Tools ........................................................................................................................................ 29
Afinia 502 Toolbox .............................................................................................................................. 29
Afinia 502 Printer Utility ..................................................................................................................... 31
Ink Cost Calculator ...........................................................................................................................31
Printer Utilities ................................................................................................................................. 33
Printer Firmware Update ................................................................................................................. 34
Controller Utilities............................................................................................................................ 35
Advanced..........................................................................................................................................36
Add Afinia 502 Network Printer Utility............................................................................................... 37

4| Setting up the Printer
Printer Maintenance................................................................................................................................... 38
Replacing an Ink Cartridge ......................................................................................................................38
Dye or Pigment Ink Cartridges ............................................................................................................38
Changing Printheads ............................................................................................................................... 39
Purchasing Printheads.............................................................................................................................39
Guidelines for Preventative Maintenance ..............................................................................................40
General dust and debris removal ....................................................................................................... 40
Cutter Maintenance............................................................................................................................ 40
Print Path Maintenance...................................................................................................................... 41
Print Carriage Sensor Maintenance.................................................................................................... 41
Pinch Roller Maintenance................................................................................................................... 42
Unwinder Maintenance ......................................................................................................................42
Ink Tray Maintenance ......................................................................................................................... 43
Troubleshooting.......................................................................................................................................... 44
Control Panel LED.................................................................................................................................... 44
Poor Print Quality or Incorrect Printout ................................................................................................. 45
Clearing a Media Jam ..............................................................................................................................47
502 Label Printer Control Panel Menu....................................................................................................48
Technical Support ...................................................................................................................................50

Afinia Label
5
Chapter 1
The Afinia Label 502 Label Printer Series includes the L502, which uses label stock on a 3” diameter core,
and the F502, which uses fanfold label stock.
This manual applies to both the L502 and the F502. Any differences in operation between the two
models will be detailed in the applicable sections.
Setting up the Printer
In the Box
Power Supply and Cord
Tri-Color and Black
Ink Cartridges
Afinia L502 Label Printer
4 Ink Cartridges
(1 each)
Will be either Dye-based
or Pigment-based,
depending on which type
was purchased
Quick Setup Guide
4 aerosol
absorbing pads
USB Cables
(1 Type B, 1 Type C)

Afinia Label
6| Setting up the Printer
Parts of the Printer
Ink Cartridge
Access Door
Control Panel
Label
Output
Front view
Label Guide
USB
Connection
Rear view
Label Input
Power
Connection
Network
Connection
Unwinder
(L502 model only)
USB-C
Connection

502 Label Printer
Setting up the Printer | 7
The Control Panel
The control panel includes nine buttons to help you navigate through the menu to the
various controls and functions. For example:
Press Help on the Control Panel.
Press the OK button with Printer Information selected to view the printer
name, model, serial number, and firmware version.
Press to go back
one level, or
Press to return to the
Home screen.
Full list of control panel
functions on page 18
Up Button
OK/Accept Right
Option Button
Down Button
Home Button
Back Button
Accept Left
Option Button
Power Button
Unload Media
Help Button

Afinia Label
8| Setting up the Printer
Unpacking, Setup, and Installation
Remove Tape and Foam
Lift top foam from the box
Remove the Accessory box
from the box
Lift printer from box
Remove the packaging
tape from the printer
cover (x2) and Ink waste
tray (right)
Connect Power
Set Date, Time, and Language
Use the Up/Down buttons to set the Date, Time, and Language. Press the OK button
when the element shown is correct. Press Done when complete.
This will only need to be done the first time the printer is turned on.
Press Power button on Control Panel
Connect the Power Supply to
the Printer
Rear of Printer,
right side

502 Label Printer
Setting up the Printer | 9
Install Printer Driver
Before connecting the printer to a PC, download and run the installer from
http://afinialabel.com/502info.
If an installation for Microsoft .NET
Framework 4.6.1 Web launches,
click Install. This is necessary for
the additional software that comes
with the 502 Printer. Depending on
your Operating System version, you
may need to re-run the 502
Installer once the .NET installation
is complete.
Follow the instructions in each window
of the installer as they appear.
During installation, as many as five
windows may appear asking for
confirmation before installing drivers.
Click Install on each.
You can avoid multiple windows by
checking the option to Always trust
software from Microboards
Technology LLC in the first window.
The Afinia Label 502 Label Printer can be
connected directly to a PC by USB or can
be set up as a network printer.
If connecting directly to the PC, click the
USB button.
If connecting to a 502 already connected
to your network, click the Network
button.
Follow the connection instructions on
the next page that match the connection
type.

Afinia Label
10 | Setting up the Printer
USB Connection
Click Finish to close the installer.
Network Connection
The 502 Label Printer must already be connected to the network and have an IP
Address before you can connect your computer to it.
When the 502 Label Printer is idle, the top line of the display will alternate between
showing the date and time and the IP address. For more information on network
settings, please see page 20.
At the end of the installation, click the Network button to launch the Add Afinia 502
Network Printer utility.
Connect the USB to the Printer
and computer
Rear of Printer
(right side)
Install the Print Drivers and Toolbox BEFORE
connecting to the computer
Install the Print Drivers and Toolbox on your computer
BEFORE connecting to the network printer

502 Label Printer
Setting up the Printer | 11
Enter the IP (v4) Address of the printer in the 4 fields provided. You can enter up to 3
digits in each field, but can enter fewer. Do not enter periods.
Click the Add IP port and printer button.
You will be told if the printer was added successfully or not.
If it was not added successfully, verify the IP address of the printer and that it is
connected and on before trying again.
Close the Network Printer Utility once the printer has been added, then click Finish to
close the installer.
For more information on using the Add Afinia 502 Network Printer utility, please see
page 37.
Install Ink Cartridges
Open the Ink Cartridge Access Door
oCarriage will move to the center to expose the cartridges
Insert the Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, and Black ink cartridges into the print
carriage, in that order from left to right.
oPush each cartridge in until it clicks into place and release
Close the Ink Cartridge Access Door
1
2
3
4

Afinia Label
12 | Setting up the Printer
Dye or Pigment Ink Cartridges
The Afinia 502 can use either the supported Dye-based or Pigment-based ink cartridges.
The Afinia Label 502 Label Printer comes with a set of Dye- or Pigment-based cartridges.
Each type must be used in separate printheads. To use a different type of ink, you will
need to install a second printhead (see Changing Printheads on page 39).
Ink Cartridge Color and Part Numbers, by ink type
Ink Type
Ink color
Reorder Number
Dye
Cyan
30636
Magenta
30643
Yellow
30650
Black
30657
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pigment
Cyan
30664
Magenta
30671
Yellow
30678
Black
30685
If you will be using both ink types, you will need a second printhead. It is strongly
recommended that you label each printhead accordingly.
Each new printhead comes with a full set of the specified ink cartridges
Installing a new Printhead requires a new set of ink
cartridges for priming!
Once a printhead has been primed with one type of
cartridge, that printhead will not recognize the other type
of cartridge!

502 Label Printer
Setting up the Printer | 13
Align the Printheads
To ensure the best print quality, a Printhead Alignment is triggered the first time the
printer is turned on. The process is slightly different between the L502 and F502
models.
To perform the alignment:
L502- Start here
1. Loosen Unwinder knob
and remove end plate
2. Turn mandrel so one of
the flat surfaces faces
straight up
F502 –Start here
3. Move media guide to the
widest position
4. Slide an 8.5” x 11” sheet
of plain, matte paper into
the label input slot until
the printer pulls in the
sheet
a. The paper must
be matte for the
alignment to
complete
successfully
b. You can also use
continuous matte
label stock,
minimum 4” wide
5. Move media guide to side
of paper
6. Press the OK button on the Control Panel
7. A series of patterns will be printed and used to automatically align the
printheads
a. This will take about a minute
8. Once complete, the display should read Alignment Successful
a. If the display reads Alignment Failed or Alignment Finished, remove the
paper from the printer and repeat steps 4-7 with a new sheet of paper
9. Pull the paper out the front of the printer

502 Label Printer
14
Chapter 2
Using the Printer
Choosing Label Media
Ensure that the label media meets the requirements for the printer:
Table 1: Media Specifications
Media Type and Dimensions
Media type
Inkjet-printable coating required
Gloss, semi-gloss, and matte
Media Width
1.5” to 8.625” (38.1 mm to 219 mm)
Label width
1.0” to 8.625” (25.4 mm to 219 mm)
Label length
Minimum 0.75” (19.1 mm)
Maximum 48” (1.016 m)
Label thickness
Maximum 0.01” (0.3 mm, including liner)
Minimum 0.005” (0.13 mm)
Media Handling
L502
F502
Print mode
Roll to cut
Roll to roll
Cut labels
Continuous output
Roll Specifications (L502 model only)
Figure 1
Minimum
Maximum
I
Requires 3.0” (76.0 mm) cardboard core (L502
J
N/A
Maximum 8” (203.2 mm)
Figure 1: Media Roll
Coating on the
outside
J
I
J

502 Label Printer
Using the Printer | 15
Figure 2: Gap (Transmissive) Media
Figure 3: Black Mark (Reflective) Media
Minimum
Maximum
A
0.125” (3.0 mm)
0.3” (8.0 mm)
B
0.0
0.5” (12.7 mm)
C
0.0
N/A
D
1.5” (38.1 mm)
8.625” (219 mm)
E
0.75” (19.1 mm)
48.0” (1.219 m)
Minimum
Maximum
D
1.5” (44.5 mm)
8.625” (219 mm)
E
0.75” (19.1 mm)
48.0” (1.219 m)
H
1.25” (31.75 mm)
8.625” (219 mm)
G
0.125” (3 mm)
0.3” (8.0 mm)
Direction of travel through printer
as seen from above
A
E
B
C
D
Direction of travel through printer
as seen from below
E
G
H
D
E

Afinia Label
16 | Using the Printer
Loading the Printer
The Afinia Label L502 Label Printer requires a 3” ID core with the labels wound face out.
NOTE: Steps 2 through 7 apply to the L502 model only.
1. Cut a clean leading edge on media being loaded
a. No partially peeled labels
b. No folded edges
F502 –Skip to step 7
2. Loosen the knob on the Stock Mandrel and
remove the adjustable guide plate
3. Slide the roll onto the Mandrel
against the fixed guide
plate, label side up
4. Pull end of label stock
until the end of stock is
even with the front of the
cover
5. Slide the adjustable guide
plate back onto the Mandrel
against the stock
6. Retighten the Mandrel knob until the Mandrel
holds the core in place
7. Using the black handle, slide the label guide out to at least the width of the stock
8. With the printer on, feed the
stock into the input slot
a. Stock should be as far
towards the fixed core
holder side as possible
9. Feed until the printer advances the stock
10. When the stock starts loading, adjust the label guide
so it is against the edge of the stock
Unloading Media
Press the Unload button to roll media back to
the rear of the printer
Any printed labels in the printer will be cut
before unloading
Mandrel knob
Label Guide

502 Label Printer
Using the Printer | 17
Bypassing the Unwinder
(L502 Printer model only)
The integrated Unwinder can be bypassed if an external unwinder is used. Reasons for
using an external unwinder would include:
Using rolls with a diameter greater than 8”
Using highly reflective label stock, such as gold or silver
Using stock not on a 3” core
To bypass the integrated
unwinder:
1. Loosen Unwinder
knob and remove end
plate
2. Turn mandrel so one
flat surface faces
straight up
3. Load media from the
external unwinder
If the integrated unwinder turns or you get an unexpected Out of Paper message when
printing, reposition the mandrel.
To use the integrated unwinder again, unload the media on the external unwinder from
the printer and load a roll of media onto the mandrel.

Afinia Label
18 | Using the Printer
Using the Control Panel
Navigate through the menu by using the Up and Down buttons to highlight your choice
and click OK.
Help Screen
Press the Help button
Printer Information: Displays
Printer Name, Product Number,
Serial Number, Service ID, and
Firmware Version
Home Screen
Go to Setup menu
Check Cartridge Information
Go to Network menu
Setup
Select Setup on the Home Screen
and press OK.
Printer Settings : Preferences
With Printer Settings selected, press
OK twice to open the Preferences
menu.
Date and Time
In the Date and Time menu are the
options to enter the Date, Time, select the Time Zone from a list, and turn the 24-Hour
format and Daylight Savings settings On or Off.
Language
Select the language from the available list.
Country/Region
Select the Country or Region from the available list
Brightness

502 Label Printer
Using the Printer | 19
Change the brightness of the display; options are Better, Normal, and Darker.
Continuable Events
Can be set to Press OK to Continue or Auto Continue.
Press OK to Continue is the recommended setting.
Tools
Highlight Tools and press OK.
Clean Printhead (requires minimum 4” wide continuous stock)
Select this function to clean the printheads and print the Print Quality Report when
complete. The report should show no gaps in the printed output.
Align Printheads
Alignment can be done using plain paper or continuous stock
Plain Paper (requires 1 sheet 8.5” x 11” plain paper)
Turn the stock mandrel so the flat surface is facing the rear of the printer, then load
the sheet of paper until the printer starts to feed
Continuous stock (requires minimum 4” wide matte continuous stock)
Matte paper stock must be used when aligning the printheads. Glossy media will
cause the alignment to fail. Load stock normally.
A series of patterns will be printed and scanned, with the alignment done automatically.
If the display reads Alignment Successful, remove the paper or stock.
If the display reads Alignment Finished or Alignment Failed, repeat the alignment. If
using plain paper, a new sheet will be needed.
Print Reports
Highlight Print Reports and press OK.
Print Quality Report (requires minimum 4” continuous stock)
Select this function to print a grid showing the pen health of each color.
If any lines are missing in any of the colors, Clean Printheads should be run.
Network Configuration Page (requires minimum 4” continuous stock)
Select this function to print the Ethernet settings for the printer.
Cartridge Information
Select Cartridge Information on
the Home Screen and press OK.
Estimated Levels
Press OK when selected to view an
estimate of the ink levels.
This shows the same levels as the
Afinia 502 Toolbox.

Afinia Label
20 | Using the Printer
Cartridge Low Alert
Use the Up and Down buttons to set Alert levels to either Automatic or Custom; press
OK when the correct option is selected. Alert levels can be set for each cartridge.
If set to Custom, use the Up and Down buttons to set the percentage remaining and
click OK when each percentage is set.
Cartridge Details
Select Cartridge Details and press OK.
Use the Up and Down buttons to select the correct cartridge and press OK. Information
on the cartridge will be displayed.
Network
Select Network on the Home Screen and press OK.These settings are only used if the
502 Label Printer is connected to your network using an Ethernet cable.
Ethernet Settings
Select View Ethernet Details to review or print the Ethernet settings.
Press the button to print the information. Printing requires minimum 4” wide
continuous stock.
Ethernet Settings : Advanced Settings
IP Settings
By default, the 502 Label Printer Advanced Ethernet Settings are Automatic. If your
network uses DHCP through a Domain Name Server, you do not need to change the
IP Settings.
After the printer has been connected to the network and is assigned an IP address,
the IP address can be displayed using the View Ethernet Details menu option above.
To assign a Static IP address to the printer, change the IP Settings to Manual. Enter
in the IP Address, Subnet Mask, Default Gateway, Preferred DNS Address, and
optionally enter an Alternate DNS Address.
If a Domain Name Server has assigned the printer an IP address, the IP address,
Subnet Mask, Default Gateway, and DNS Server addresses will already be entered.
To add or change an address, use
the Up and Down buttons to
select each digit of the address,
moving from left to right.
Press the button when the
current digit is correct to move
to the next digit.
Press the OK button when each
address is complete.