APS EPM208 Series Use and care manual

Advanced Printing Systems
Front page
EPM208-LV
EPM208-HS
Technical Reference
EPM208 - Technical reference - Rev. A Page 1

Advanced Printing Systems
Preface
• This manual provides a complete technical information about EPM208 series,
thermal line printer mechanisms.
• If not specified, the data of the present specification are valid for all the types of
printers, when the specification of the printer is different, according to the type, its
specification is described with annotation.
• For customized printers, A.P.S. supplies documentation in addition to the present
specification.
• The present specification is valid also for customized types, where the different
condition has not effects for common data (eg. different length of elec. cables).
• More information is available upon request such as high speed printing
applications and reliability figures.
• A.P.S. reserves the right to make changes to the product, without notice, to
improve reliability, functions or design.
• A.P.S. does not assume any liability arising out of the application or use of the
product or circuits described within.
• The warranty terms of the product are described in a separate document, ask
A.P.S. to obtain this document.
Revision history
Rev.
Index
Date Page/Sec. Description Author
A 23-Oct-03 - Issue MR
- - - - -
EPM208 - Technical reference - Rev. A Page 2

Advanced Printing Systems
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Sec. Page
1. INTRODUCTION ......................................................................................................................... 4
1.1. EPM208 FEATURES .................................................................................................................. 5
2. GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS .................................................................................................. 6
3. THERMAL HEAD AND PRINTING CONFIGURATION .................................................................. 7
3.1. OUTLINES ................................................................................................................................. 7
3.2. THERMAL HEAD ELECTRICAL CHARACTERISTICS .............................................................................. 7
3.3. TIMING CHART ........................................................................................................................... 8
3.4. MAXIMUM CONDITIONS AT 25°C ................................................................................................... 9
3.5. TYPICAL PRINTING CONDITIONS .................................................................................................... 9
3.6. HEATING TIME CALCULATION ...................................................................................................... 10
3.7. THERMISTOR ........................................................................................................................... 10
3.8. PRINT POSITION OF THE DATA .................................................................................................... 11
3.9. OPERATING PRECAUTIONS......................................................................................................... 12
4. STEPPER MOTOR .................................................................................................................... 13
4.1. STEPPER MOTOR TIMING ........................................................................................................... 13
4.2. PAPER FEED SPEED VERSUS VOLTAGE ........................................................................................ 14
5. HOW TO OPTIMIZE SPEED, CONSUMPTION AND MAX. PEAK CURRENT............................... 15
6. SENSORS................................................................................................................................. 16
6.1. DOOR OPEN ............................................................................................................................ 16
6.2. END OF PAPER SENSOR............................................................................................................. 16
7. PIN OUT ASSIGNMENT ............................................................................................................ 17
8. MECHANICAL & HOUSING....................................................................................................... 18
8.1. OVERALL DIMENSIONS, OUTWARD APPEARANCE AND FIXING POINTS ................................................ 18
8.2. MOUNTING PRECAUTIONS .......................................................................................................... 20
9. HANDLING THE EPM................................................................................................................23
9.1. HOW TO OPEN THE COVER GROUP .............................................................................................. 23
9.2. HOW TO LOAD PAPER ROLLS ...................................................................................................... 24
9.3. HOW TO CLOSE THE COVER GROUP CORRECTLY .......................................................................... 25
9.4. HOW TO CUT THE PAPER ........................................................................................................... 26
10. ORDERING CODE..................................................................................................................... 27
EPM208 - Technical reference - Rev. A Page 3

Advanced Printing Systems
1. INTRODUCTION
The EPM208 is a 2 inch, from 3.0V to 9.5V, Easy Loading Printing Module with an integrated paper roll
housing.
The EPM module consists of a set of mechanical and electrical parts, these parts have been designed to have
an high grade of integration between Printer and Housing.
The sections that form the EPM module are described in the following image.
1. Printer mechanism, easy loading type
2. Paper roll housing
3. Cover
4. Lever, for easy opening
5. Roller
6. Tear bar, for paper cutting
7. FPC for electrical connection
5
6
4
7
3
2 1
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Advanced Printing Systems
1.1. EPM208 features
• Patented Easy loading and Easy Door Opening System
• Ultra compact design
• Up to 80 mm/s printing speed
• Ultra light (95g)
• Starting operating voltage (logic and dots) from 3.0V
• High resolution printing (8 dots/mm)
• Life of 100 million pulses, 50 km
• Low consumption
• Low noise due to its technology (thermal)
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Advanced Printing Systems
2. GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS
Item Specification
Printing method Thermal dot line printing
Number of dots/line 384
Dots density (dot/mm) 8
Printing width (mm) 48 (centred on paper)
Paper width (mm) 58 +0/-1
Paper roll size (mm) Max. Ø49.5 (outside diameter)
Paper feed pitch (mm) 0.0625 (every 1 step of the motor drive signal)
Printing pitch (mm) 0.125 ( every 2 steps of the motor drive signal)
Paper feed tension (gf) 50 or more
Paper hold tension (gf) 80 or more
Dimensions W x D x H (mm) 79.1 x 77.8 x 60
Weight (g) Approx. 95
Head temperature detection Thermistor
Head-up detection Photo-interrupter
(gathered with the paper end sensor)
Paper end detection Photo-interrupter
Operating voltage range (V) EPM208-LV Dots : 3-6.6 / Logic: 3-5.25
EPM208-HS Dots : 5.5-9.5 / Logic: 3-5.25
1.7 A (Head dots)
0.5 A (Motor)
At printing (5V):
(64 dots ON)
50 mA (Head Logic)
0.5 A (Motor)
Current consumption
At paper feeding (5V):
<100 µA (Head Logic)
Recommended Paper JUJO-AF50KS-E (standard grade)
JUJO-AF50KS-E3 (high sensitivity)
Equivalent types can be used
Operating temperature range (°C) 0/+50
Operating humidity (RH%) 20-85 (no condensation)
Storage temperature range (°C) -25/+70
Storage humidity (RH%) 10-90 (no condensation)
Mechanism life
Durability Basic conditions Maximum variations
Thermal head
pulse resistance
100 million
pulses
Abrasion/wear
resistance
50 km of paper
Max. 15% in resistance
value () of any dot, from
its initial value
Cover Group,
Opening/closing
cycle
2000 operations
or more
- Room temp.: 20 ÷ 25 °C
- Head temp.: 65 °C max.
- Rated energy
-
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Advanced Printing Systems
3. THERMAL HEAD AND PRINTING CONFIGURATION
3.1. Outlines
Heat element structure: 2 heaters/dot
Number of heat elements: 384 dots
Heat element pitch: 0.125 mm
Average resistance: LV - 116 ±10%
HS - 165 ±10%
3.2. Thermal head electrical characteristics
Item Symbol Min. Typ. Max. Unit
Print voltage HS
LV
VH 5.5
3.0
7.2
5.0
9.5
6.6
V
Logic voltage Vdd 3.0 5.00 5.25 V
Logic current I d d - - 55 mA
Input voltage (High) VIH 0.8 Vdd - Vdd V
Input voltage (Low) VIL 0 - 0.2 Vdd V
Data input current (DI) High I IH D I - - 1.0 µA
Data input current (DI) Low I IL D I - - -1.0 µA
STB input current (High) I IH S TB - - 24
(1) µA
STB input current (Low) I IL STB - - -438
(1) µA
Clock input current (High) I IH CLK - - 1.0 µA
Clock input current (Low) I IL CLK - - -1.0 µA
Latch input current (High) IIH L A T - - 1.0 µA
Latch input current (Low) I IL L A T - - -1.0 µA
Data out output voltage (High) V HDO 4.45 - - V
Data out output voltage (Low) VLDO - - 0.05 V
Driver output voltage (Low) VOL - - 2.0 V
Driver output leakage current I OH - - 10 µA/DOT
Clock frequency (Duty 50±5%) f CLK - - 8 MHz
Data setup time t setup DI 70 - - ns
Data hold time t hold D I 30 - - ns
Latch width t w L A T 200 - - ns
Latch setup time t setup L AT 300 - - ns
STB setup time t setup S TB 1500 - - ns
Data out delay time t d D O - - 240 ns
Driver out delay time t do - - 3000 ns
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Advanced Printing Systems
3.3. Timing chart
The following chart gives the timing for driving the print-head:
f CL
K
tdo
tdo
tsetup STB
tw LAT
tsetup LAT
thold DI
tsetup DI
Driver Out
Strobe
\Latch
Data In
Cloc
k
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Advanced Printing Systems
3.4. Maximum conditions at 25°C
Maximum conditionsItem
LV HS
Unit
Supply energy 0.416 0.367 mJ/dot
Print cycle 3.6 3.1 ms/line
Print head voltage 6.2 8.5 V
Logic voltage 6.5 V
Head temperature 65 °C
Number of dots to be energized
simultaneously1
64 dots
Notes:
• If energy applied to one dot, exceed the maximum value indicated on the above table, the print quality of
this dot may be definitively affected (usually makes a “light” print-out).
• If print cycle is less than 2.5 ms/line (above 50 mm/s) then maximum supply energy value is decreased.
For these applications, please contact A.P.S. for more information.
• When using double-ply paper or special low energy paper, please contact A.P.S. for more information.
3.5. Typical printing conditions
Electrical conditions
Item Symbol
LV HS
Unit
Supply voltage VH 3.6 7.2 V 64 dots fired
Power consumption Po 0.094 0.26 W/dot at the same time
Print cycle S.L.T. 5.0 2.5 2.5 1.7 ms/lin
Energy consumption Eo 0.27 0.14 0.26 0.21 mJ/dot
ON Time Ton 2.91 1.46 1.0 0.80 ms 25 °C
Supply current Io 1.8 2.5 A
The print optical density is then 1.0 minimum with a maximum variation of 0.3. This measurement is done at
the full black pattern by Macbeth densitometer RD-914. Full black pattern is defined as all dots printing
pattern (100% black area) printed under correct paper speed.
1This condition satisfies the print density as defined in section 3.5
EPM208 - Technical reference - Rev. A Page 9

Advanced Printing Systems
3.6. Heating time calculation
The following formula allows to calculate the heating time Ton depending on driving voltage VH:
on
0
0
0
2
comavicl
2
Hav
T=E
P=E*(N * R+R+R+R)
V*R
Where:
E
0is the nominal energy
V
His the driving voltage
R
av is the average resistance
Nis the number of dots energized simultaneously
R
com is the common resistance (0.05 )
R
ic is the driver saturated resistance (10 )
R
lis the lead resistance (10 )
3.7. Thermistor
When performing continuous printing, it is recommended that the supply energy be reduced so that the
substrate temperature monitored through the thermistor will remain below 65°C.
The thermistor specification is the following:
- R25, resistance at 25°C: 30 K±5%
- B value: 3950 K±2%
- Operating temperature: -20°C to +80°C
- Time constant: Max. 30 s (in the air)
Then the resistance value, R, versus temperature, T(in °C), is given by the formula:
R ( T ) = R 25 * eB*( 1
T + 273 -1
25 + 273 )
The dot activation compensation time (1% per degree) is defined as follows:
)
100
25
(1(*
)25(
−
−= °T TT Conon
)25( Con
T°is given in section 3.5.
EPM208 - Technical reference - Rev. A Page 10