ASTRO-MED QLS-3000XE SERIES User manual

Digital Color Label Printer
Operation & Setup Guide
Part Number 22834-527
Version 1.0
05/05
Firmware V 1.0
Specifications are subject to change without notice
___________________________________________
QuickLabel Systems®
an Astro-Med, Inc. Product Group
600 East Greenwich Ave., West Warwick, RI 02893
Tel: [phone] • Fax: [phone]
E-mail: [e-mail]
www.QuickLabel.com
___________________________________________
Technical Support
Tel: [phone]
[email protected]
www.QuickLabel.com/support/

Copyright © 2005 Astro-Med, Inc.
This manual is copyrighted with all rights reserved. No part of this manual
may be reproduced, transmitted, transcribed, stored in a retrieval system, or
translated into any language in any form by any means without written
permission of QuickLabel Systems.
Trademarks
Windows™ is a trademark of Microsoft Corporation
TrueType™ is a trademark of Apple Computer, Inc.
AS/400™ is a trademark of International Business Machines Corporation.
QuickLabel® is a registered trademark of Astro-Med, Inc.
Custom QuickLabel™ and MicroCell™ are trademarks of Astro-Med, Inc.
Limited Warranty
QuickLabel Systems, An Astro-Med Inc. Product Group, warrants this
product against defects in materials or workmanship for a period of one year
from the date of original purchase. This warranty excludes printhead and
print platen, which are separately warranted. If the customer discovers a
defect, this defect must be reported promptly to QuickLabel Systems.
QuickLabel Systems will, at its option, repair or replace the defective
component at no additional charge. Repair parts and replacement parts will
be furnished on an exchange basis and will be either reconditioned or new.
All replaced parts become the property of QuickLabel Systems. Travel,
freight and other expenses related to warranty repairs are not covered.
Service Agreements are available for purchase and may provide on-site
service and/or loaner equipment.
QuickLabel Systems warrants the printhead from the date of purchase for a
period of 90 days or for 1 million inches of thermal transfer ribbon,
whichever comes first, based upon the use of QuickLabel Systems thermal
transfer ribbon. QuickLabel Systems printheads are calibrated for use with
QuickLabel Systems thermal transfer ribbon and perform correctly only
when used with this ribbon. This specific printhead warranty does not apply
to printheads damaged by accident, abuse, neglect, misapplication or the
like.

This warranty is void if the product has been damaged by accident, abuse,
neglect or misapplication, or if the product has been improperly installed, or
if the product has been modified without the express written permission of
QuickLabel Systems.
QuickLabel Systems makes no warranty, either express or implied, with
respect to this product’s fitness for a particular purpose.
Obtaining Service
To obtain warranty service, call QuickLabel Systems Technical Support at
401-828-4000 or Toll-Free in the USA and Canada at 877-757-7978.
QuickLabel Systems, An Astro-Med Inc. Product Group, is not responsible
for products lost or damaged in transit.
Ownership Information
Congratulations and thank you for your business. Your purchase of a quality
QuickLabel Systems product is an investment in the finest of state-of-the-art
printing and labeling technology. Please use the spaces below to list the
model name/number and serial number of your product.
Model Name/Number: ____________________
Serial Number: ____________________

DECLARATION OF CONFORMITY
Manufacturer’s Name: Astro-Med, Inc.
Manufacturer’s Address: Astro-Med, Inc.
600 East Greenwich Avenue
West Warwick, RI 02893 USA
declares that the product
Product Name: QLS-2000 Xe QLS-2001 Xe
QLS-3000 Xe QLS-3001 Xe
conforms to the following product specifications:
Safety: EN 60950-1:2001
CAN/CSA C22.2 No. 60950-1-03
EMC: EN 55022:1998, Class A
EN 55024:1998
EN 61000-3-2:2000
EN 61000-3-3:1995
Relevant Directives are 89/336/EEC and 73/23/EEC
Steven Holbrook / Quality Assurance Manager
05/02/2005
European Contact: Your local Astro-Med, Inc. Sales and Service Office.
FRANCE – Astro-Med SNC, Parc dʹActivities de Pissaloup, 1, rue Edouard Branly,
78190 Trappes (Tel. [phone] Fax: [phone]
Email:[e-mail])
GERMANY – Astro-Med GmbH, Senefelderstrasse 1/T6, D-63110 Rodgau (Tel. 49-
6106-75033 Fax: [phone]
Email: AstroMedDeut[email protected])
UNITED KINGDOM – Astro-Med, Inc., Astro-Med House, 11 Whittle Parkway,
Slough, SL1 6DQ. (Tel. [phone] Fax: [phone]
Email: [email protected]om)
ITALY –Astro-Med S.R.L, Via Plezzo 8, 20132 Milano. (Tel. [phone] Fax: 39-02-
26412828 Email: [email protected])

QLS-3000/2000 Xe Series i
Table of Contents
Chapter 1: Before You Get Started .......................................................1-1
QuickLabel Systems Media ......................................................................................1-2
Quick Start Guide ...................................................................................................... 1-3
Chapter 2: Printer Setup ........................................................................2-1
Unpacking the Printer...............................................................................................2-2
Assembly..................................................................................................................... 2-3
Printers ...................................................................................................................2-3
Cutter, Cutter-Stacker, or External Rewinder................................................... 2-3
QLS-3000/2000 Xe Series Features ...........................................................................2-4
Front View .............................................................................................................2-4
Side Panel View..................................................................................................... 2-5
Power Connection .....................................................................................................2-6
Computer Connections ............................................................................................. 2-7
Parallel Port............................................................................................................2-7
RS-232 Serial Port..................................................................................................2-7
Communications........................................................................................................2-8
Printer Drivers.......................................................................................................2-8
Comm Protocol...................................................................................................... 2-8
Comm Port........................................................................................................... 2-10
Baud Rate / Handshaking .................................................................................. 2-11
Utility Port Connection ........................................................................................... 2-13
Media......................................................................................................................... 2-14
Loading Thermal Transfer Ribbon ................................................................... 2-14
Loading Label Media.......................................................................................... 2-16
Specify Media Type ............................................................................................ 2-19
Calibration ................................................................................................................ 2-20
New Media........................................................................................................... 2-20
Label Length ........................................................................................................ 2-22
Chapter 3: Keypad Controls and Menus ..............................................3-1
Keypad Layout and Functions................................................................................. 3-2
Menu Overview .........................................................................................................3-3
Intensity Menu ...........................................................................................................3-7
Printhead Intensity ............................................................................................... 3-7
Print Menu.................................................................................................................. 3-9
Previous.................................................................................................................. 3-9
Recall..................................................................................................................... 3-10
Test........................................................................................................................ 3-11

ii QLS-3000/2000 Xe Series
Speed.....................................................................................................................3-13
Memory Menu..........................................................................................................3-14
Total ......................................................................................................................3-14
Available...............................................................................................................3-15
Mode Menu...............................................................................................................3-16
Cutter ....................................................................................................................3-16
Mirror....................................................................................................................3-17
TTR Sensor ...........................................................................................................3-18
Align Menu...............................................................................................................3-19
Down-Web ...........................................................................................................3-19
Cross-Web ............................................................................................................3-20
Media Menu..............................................................................................................3-21
Type ......................................................................................................................3-21
Image ....................................................................................................................3-22
Label......................................................................................................................3-23
Offset.....................................................................................................................3-24
Comm Menu.............................................................................................................3-25
Port........................................................................................................................3-25
Handshaking .......................................................................................................3-26
Protocol.................................................................................................................3-28
Prefix.....................................................................................................................3-29
Delimiter...............................................................................................................3-30
System Menu ............................................................................................................3-31
System Baseline ...................................................................................................3-31
Upgrade................................................................................................................3-33
Language..............................................................................................................3-34
Chapter 4: Printing................................................................................. 4-1
Printer Status ..............................................................................................................4-2
Initialization...........................................................................................................4-2
Current Settings.....................................................................................................4-2
Operation ....................................................................................................................4-4
Start Printing..........................................................................................................4-4
Printing Multiple Batches ....................................................................................4-4
Print/Pause.............................................................................................................4-4
Advance Media .....................................................................................................4-4
Print Quality ...............................................................................................................4-5
Test Print Quality..................................................................................................4-5
Heat Intensity ........................................................................................................4-8
Printhead Pressure................................................................................................4-9
Thermal Transfer Ribbon Tension ....................................................................4-11

QLS-3000/2000 Xe Series iii
Print Position............................................................................................................ 4-12
Print and Cut Offset............................................................................................ 4-12
Web Alignment ................................................................................................... 4-13
Mirror Images...................................................................................................... 4-14
Image Area........................................................................................................... 4-15
Speed ......................................................................................................................... 4-16
Job Reprints .............................................................................................................. 4-17
Chapter 5: Printer Maintenance ............................................................5-1
Recommended Maintenance Schedule...................................................................5-2
Routine Cleaning ....................................................................................................... 5-3
Replacing Parts........................................................................................................... 5-5
Printheads ..............................................................................................................5-5
Platen Rollers......................................................................................................... 5-7
Drive Roller............................................................................................................ 5-9
Index Roller.......................................................................................................... 5-11
Media Sensor Assembly..................................................................................... 5-13
Anti-Static Brushes.............................................................................................. 5-19
Keypad/Display................................................................................................... 5-21
Controller Board.................................................................................................. 5-23
Power Supply ...................................................................................................... 5-25
Stepper Motor...................................................................................................... 5-27
Drive Belt.............................................................................................................. 5-29
Ribbon Rewind Motors ...................................................................................... 5-30
Microswitches...................................................................................................... 5-31
Ribbon Sensor...................................................................................................... 5-32
Fan......................................................................................................................... 5-33
Boot PROM .......................................................................................................... 5-34
Wiring Harnesses................................................................................................ 5-34
Firmware Upgrades................................................................................................. 5-35
Upgrading additional printers with the CompactFlash card ....................... 5-38
Chapter 6: Troubleshooting ..................................................................6-1
Printing Problems...................................................................................................... 6-2
Missing print (No print or a clear vertical line in the label)............................ 6-2
Light or Broken Print (Color prints but doesnʹt fill-in completely) ...............6-4
Ribbon wrinkle (Angular or small curved lines in the label)..........................6-5
Ribbon Breakage ...................................................................................................6-7
Ribbon/Media drag (Faded print and smearing).............................................. 6-8
Color registration (Alignment of colors)............................................................ 6-9
Colors do not match (Color matching from monitor to printed label)........ 6-10
Logo, Image, or Text is not clear (Blurry, not sharp) ..................................... 6-10

iv QLS-3000/2000 Xe Series
Logo or Image does not print ............................................................................6-10
Fields do not print as they appear on the monitor (Not positioned correctly
on the label)..........................................................................................................6-11
Media not exiting printer smoothly / Media Hesitates / Media Slips .........6-12
Feeds Blank Labels..............................................................................................6-13
Print Station will not Print .................................................................................6-15
Skips Labels in a Batch .......................................................................................6-16
No Power..............................................................................................................6-16
No Communications...........................................................................................6-16
Error Messages .........................................................................................................6-17
MEDIA FAULT! - Out of labels or motor has stalled.....................................6-17
MEDIA FAULT! - Verify calibrated media type.............................................6-18
TTR OUT ON [Front, Bottom, Center, or Rear] PRINT STATION! - Reload
thermal transfer ribbon ......................................................................................6-18
[Front, Bottom, Center, or Rear] PRINTHEAD IS UP! - Do you wish to
disable it? NO/YES..............................................................................................6-18
DRIVE ROLL IS UP! - Close drive roll to resume printing ...........................6-19
CUTTER FAULT! - Cutter motor stall or stacker is full.................................6-19
DRAM Error.........................................................................................................6-21
Troubleshooting Procedures ..................................................................................6-22
Routine Cleaning.................................................................................................6-22
Loading Ribbon ...................................................................................................6-24
Loading Label/Tag Media..................................................................................6-26
Enabling/Disabling Printheads .........................................................................6-29
Replacing Printheads..........................................................................................6-30
Swapping Printhead Cables ..............................................................................6-32
Selecting a Printhead Intensity..........................................................................6-33
Adjusting Printhead Pressure ...........................................................................6-35
Adjusting Platen Rollers.....................................................................................6-37
Adjusting Ribbon Tension .................................................................................6-38
Adjusting the print speed ..................................................................................6-39
Replacing Platen Rollers.....................................................................................6-40
Setting Color Registration/Alignment..............................................................6-42
Adjusting Printhead Angularity .......................................................................6-43
Replacing the Drive Roller.................................................................................6-44
Positioning the TOF (Gap) Sensor ....................................................................6-46
Calibrating the Printer........................................................................................6-47
Adjusting the System Baseline ..........................................................................6-49
Cleaning the TOF (Gap) Sensor.........................................................................6-51
Adjusting Communication Settings .................................................................6-52
Changing the Fuse / Fuse Voltage ....................................................................6-54

QLS-3000/2000 Xe Series v
Appendix A: Physical Data................................................................... A-1
Appendix B: Specifications.................................................................. B-1
Appendix C: Replacement Parts.......................................................... C-1
Appendix D: Custom QuickLabel Setup ............................................. D-1
Appendix E: Windows Printer Driver Setup....................................... E-1
Appendix F: Format Error Codes..........................................................F-1

vi QLS-3000/2000 Xe Series