ASTRO-MED QuickLabel Systems QLS 4000 User manual

Part No. 22834-456
12/99
A DIVISION OF ASTRO-MED®
QUICK
L
ABEL SYSTEMS
®
Operation & Setup Guide
™
4000/4001
Digital Color Printers
address 600 East Greenwich Ave., West Warwick, RI 02893
telephone [phone]
fax [phone]
tech support 800.343.4039
toll free 877.757.7978
Printed in the United States of America

Copyright © 1999
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, a division of Astro-Med, Inc.
Trademarks
Microsoft Windows™is a trademark of Microsoft Corporation.
QuickLabel®is a registered trademark of Astro-Med, Inc.
Limited Warranty
QuickLabel Systems, Division of Astro-Med, Inc. warrants all non-wear components of this
product against defects in materials or workmanship for a period of one (1) year from the date of
original purchase. If the customer discovers a defect, this defect must be reported promptly to
QuickLabel Systems. QuickLabel Sytstems will, at its option, repair or replace the defective
component or product at no additional charge except as set forth below. 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 provide on-site service and/or loaner equipment.
This warranty is void if the product has been damaged by accident, abuse, neglect or misapplica-
tion, or if the product has been improperly installed, or if the product has been modified without
the express written permission of QuickLabel Systems.
With repect to printers and print and apply systems, QuickLabel Systems warrants the printhead
for a period of 90 days from the date of purchase, or one million linear inches, whichever occurs
first, contingent upon the use of QuickLabel Systems thermal transfer ribbon. This specific
printhead warranty does not apply to printheads damaged by accident, abuse, neglect, misappli-
cation, or the like.
QuickLabel Systems makes no warranty, either express or implied, with respect to this product’s
fitness for a particular purpose.
QuickLabel Systems, Division of Astro-Med, Inc. is not responsible for your product if it is 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 state-of-the-art printing and labeling technology.
Please use the spaces below to list the model number and serial number of your product.
Model _________________ Serial No. _______________________

table of contents i
1
2
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000/4001
Table of Contents
CHAPTER 1: PHYSICAL SETUP
Unpacking the printer 1-2
printer orientation 1-3
Features of the QLS-4000 Color Printer 1-4
Port and power connections 1-6
Dip switch settings 1-7
Loading label media 1-9
Loading thermal transfer ribbon 1-13
Adjusting ribbon tension 1-15
CHAPTER 2: SOFTWARE SETUP
SETUP MENUS AND KEYPAD CONTROLS 2-2
Form feed / advance media 2-4
Enabling/disabling the TTR sensor 2-5
Calibrating the printer for the media 2-6
Selecting a print speed 2-10
Adjusting printhead heat intensity 2-11
Adjusting the print offset setting 2-13
Counter 2-14
Windows Print 2-16
Mirror Mode 2-16
Enable Cutter 2-18
Cut Offset 2-20

table of contents
ii
3
4
PERFECTING COLOR ALIGNMENT 2-21
Making print line adjustments 2-23
Cross-web adjustment 2-26
Evaluating print quality 2-28
SYSTEM MAINTENANCE 2-29
Performing a factory reset 2-29
System Upgrade 2-29
QLS-4000/4001 Settings 2-30
System Baseline 2-31
CHAPTER 3: OPERATION
PRINTING WITH THE QLS-4000/4001 3-2
Advancing the media 3-3
Setting the printer speed 3-4
Printing labels or test patterns 3-5
The Printer’s Indicators 3-6
Using test patterns to evaluate print quality 3-7
CHAPTER 4: MAINTENANCE
Routine cleaning of printer parts 4-2
Adjusting printhead pressure 4-5
Replacing the printheads 4-9
Adjusting ribbon tension 4-12
Replacing the drive roller or pressure roller 4-13
Replacing the platen rollers 4-18

1-1QLS-4000/4001 Physical Setup
The physical setup of the QLS-4000 or QLS-4001 Printer entails the
proper loading of the transfer media (ribbon) and label stock. This
chapter provides the following information:
◗instructions on unpacking the printer and making proper
connections
◗an overview of the components and features of the
printer
◗instructions on loading media and stock
Before you load the media, it is important to know the type of color
you will be using on your labels. If you will be printing process color,
the film must be loaded on the printheads in the following sequence:
Print Station 1 — Cyan
Print Station 2 — Magenta
Print Station 3 — Yellow
Print Station 4 — Black (or spot color)
If you will be printing spot color, you can load any color film you wish
on the printheads in any sequence.
Chapter 1: Physical Setu
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1-2 QLS-4000/4001 Physical Setup
Unpacking the printer
1Remove the printer from the packing carton.
2In the packing carton, locate and remove the follow-
ing items shipped with the printer:
◗power cord
◗Centronics®parallel cable
◗serial cable
◗media retainer
◗Windows®driver disk
3Ensure that the printer is in good condition and has
suffered no visible damage during shipment.

1-3QLS-4000/4001 Physical Setup
printer orientation
The illustration below is provided to orient you to the QLS-4000 or
QLS-4001 Printer. The keypad with display is the printer’s user
interface.
printer keypad
(user interface)
front of printer
rear of
printer

1-4 QLS-4000/4001 Physical Setup
Features of the QLS-4000 Color Printer
Facing the front of the QLS-4000 with its cover lifted, you can view the
printheads and related mechanical parts. The QLS-4001 contains the
same parts, only with one inverted print station. The callouts below
identify the QLS-4000 parts shown in the illustration on the next page.
1media retainer
2media supply mandrel
3TTR supply mandrel (print station 4)
4TTR take-up mandrel (print station 4)
5TTR supply mandrel (print station 3)
6TTR take-up mandrel (print station 3)
7TTR supply mandrel (print station 2)
8TTR take-up mandrel (print station 2)
9TTR supply mandrel (print station 1)
10 TTR take-up mandrel (print station 1)
11 drive roller pressure cam
12 drive roller
13 drive roller pressure support assembly
14 print station 1
15 print station 2
16 print station 3
17 print station 4
18 media travel roller
19 media travel sensor housing
(reflective / gap-notch sensor inside)
20 media travel guide roller
21 media resistance mandrel

1-5QLS-4000/4001 Physical Setup
134211
21 20 19 18 17 16 15 14 13 12
5 6 7 8 9 10

1-6 QLS-4000/4001 Physical Setup
Port and power connections
On the back of the printer, the parallel and serial port connectors
and the power input are readily observable.
1Connect the proper cable(s) to the port or ports you
intend to use: parallel, serial, or both. Communica-
tions to the printer can be either serial or parallel;
communications from the printer must be serial.
2Plug the power cord into the printer. Do not apply
power until you have finished the printer setup
tasks described in this chapter.
Note
If you are using a cutter or cutter-stacker, refer to the unit’s setup
and operation manual for information on setting up the unit with
your printer. The cutter or cutter-stacker will be connected to the
printer via the printer’s utility D-shell.
I O
115V
parallel port
serial port
utility D-shell
on/off switch
power cord
connection
PCMCIA (RAM)
card slot
dip switches

1-7QLS-4000/4001 Physical Setup
Dip switch settings
Use the instructions below and the table on the next page to set the
dip switches to your printing requirements.
◗Set dip switch 4 off for serial communications; set dip
switch 4 on for parallel or dual (parallel into printer/serial
out) communications.
◗Set dip switches 1 and 2 to choose one of four communi-
cation baud rates: 4800, 9600, 19200,or 38400.
Typically, a baud rate of 19200 is used for host control
serial communication.
◗When set to serial communications, set dip switch 3 off
to select the DTR/DSR handshake method, or set dip
switch 3 on to select the XON/XOFF handshake method.
◗Dip switches 5 and 6 are factory set to “ off .”
◗Set dip switch 7 off if no cutter is being used. If a cutter
is being used with your printer, set dip switch 7 on to
enable the cutter.
◗Set dip switch 8 off to use the standard print mode; set
dip switch 8 on to select the Windows®print mode.
The printer examines dip switch settings only at power-up . If
changes are made to dip switch settings after power-up,
power must be cycled off/on in order for the changes to be
recognized.

1-8 QLS-4000/4001 Physical Setup
1
ON
2345678
1
ON
2345678
1 on
2 off
4800
1 off
2 on
9600
1
ON
2345678
1
ON
2345678
1 on
2 on
19200
1 off
2 off
38400
1
ON
2345678
1
ON
2345678
3 off
DTR/DSR
3 on
XON/XOFF
1
ON
2345678
6 off
factory
set to off
1
ON
2345678
1
ON
2345678
4 off
serial
4 on
parallel
1
ON
2345678
1
ON
2345678
7 off
cutter
disabled
7 on
cutter
enabled
1
ON
2345678
5 off
factory
set to off
1
ON
2345678
1
ON
2345678
8 off
standard
mode
8 on
Windows
mode
Baud Rate
Handshake Port
Cutter Status Mode

1-9QLS-4000/4001 Physical Setup
standard
printhead
open
inverted
printhead
open
Loading label media
If you will be printing spot color, you can load any color film you
wish on the printheads in any sequence.
If you will be printing process color, the film must be loaded on the
printheads in the following sequence:
Print Station 1 — Cyan
Print Station 2 — Magenta
Print Station 3 — Yellow
Print Station 4 — Black (or a spot color)
1Lift the printer’s cover.
Note
In the event that you need to turn off power while
the cover is lifted, the main power switch is easily
accessible at the rear of the printer.
2For the standard printheads, flip each printhead
cam lever clockwise to relieve pressure on (open)
the printheads; for an inverted printhead, flip the
cam lever counterclockwise to open the printhead.

1-10 QLS-4000/4001 Physical Setup
3Flip the drive roller pressure cam lever counterclock-
wise to relieve pressure on (open) the drive roller.
4Remove the media retainer from the media supply
mandrel; install a roll of media on the mandrel.
Ensure that the roll is fully seated on the mandrel.
5Re-install the media retainer to secure media roll.
6Thread the media to the left and around the media
resistance mandrel and then above the media guide
roller.
drive roller
pressure
cam open
media travel
sensor housing
media
travel roller
media resistance
mandrel
media guide
roller

1-11QLS-4000/4001 Physical Setup
7Feed the media through the media travel sensor
housing and over the media travel roller.
8Thread the media through the print stations, over
the platen rollers (under the platen roller on an
inverted print station).
9After threading the media over the platen roller for
the front print station, thread the media over the
drive roller and out the right side of the printer.
10 Slide the media against the plastic guide blocks on
the vertical plate, making sure that you do not
buckle the carrier against these blocks.
platen
rollers
drive
roller
guide
blocks
QLS-4000
print
station 1
drive
roller

1-12 QLS-4000/4001 Physical Setup
11 For the standard printheads, flip each printhead
cam lever counterclockwise to apply pressure to
(close) the printheads; for an inverted printhead, flip
the cam lever clockwise to close the printhead.
12 Flip the drive roller pressure cam lever clockwise to
apply pressure to (close) the drive roller.
13 Close the printer’s plexiglass door, ensuring that the
media exits through the opening at the printer’s
right side.
drive roller
pressure cam
closed
standard
printhead
closed
inverted
printhead
closed

1-13QLS-4000/4001 Physical Setup
Loading thermal transfer ribbon
This procedure describes how to load thermal transfer ribbon at each
print station. As an aid, a diagram of the thermal transfer ribbon
(TTR) path for coated-side-in ribbon is screened onto the printer’s
main plate at each ribbon loading station.
To load TTR at a standard print station:
1Fully seat a roll of coated-side-in TTR on the
station’s supply mandrel. Ensure that the ribbon
unwinds to the left of and beneath the roll.
2Fully seat a cardboard take-up core on the associ-
ated TTR take-up mandrel.
3Flip the printhead cam lever clockwise
to relieve pressure on the printhead.
4Ensuring that the TTR unwinds from
beneath the roll, advance the TTR to
the left of the station’s two TTR guide
spindles.
5Advance the TTR beneath the printhead
and over the upper TTR guide spindle.
6Advance the TTR beneath and around
the cardboard take-up core on the take-
up mandrel. Tape the TTR to the core.
7When the printer has been loaded with
label media and TTR, re-apply pres-
sure to the printhead by rotating the
printhead cam lever counterclockwise.
8Repeat steps 1 though 7 for the re-
maining standard print stations.

1-14 QLS-4000/4001 Physical Setup
To load TTR at an inverted print station:
1Fully seat a roll of coated-side-in TTR on the TTR
supply (left-most) mandrel. Ensure that the ribbon
unwinds to the left of and above the roll.
2Fully seat a cardboard take-up core on the associ-
ated TTR take-up (right-most) mandrel.
3Flip the printhead cam lever counterclockwise to
open the printhead.
4Ensuring that the TTR unwinds above the roll,
advance the TTR to the left of the station’s two TTR
guide spindles and over the printhead.
5Wind the TTR around and to the left of the lower
media guide.
6Advance the TTR beneath and around the cardboard
take-up core on the take-up mandrel. Tape the TTR
to the core.
7When the printer has been loaded with label media
and TTR, re-apply pressure to the printhead by
rotating the printhead cam lever clockwise.

1-15QLS-4000/4001 Physical Setup
Adjusting ribbon tension
Once you have loaded the label stock and the film, you are ready to
begin printing. However, if while printing you notice one of the
following problems, it may be necessary to adjust the ribbon tension:
◗Ribbon on one or more of the take-up mandrels is wrinkling.
Increase the ribbon tension for the station(s).
◗One or more of the colors are smudging on the label media.
Decrease the ribbon tension for the station(s).
To adjust the ribbon tension on a particular print station:
Turn the knob on the ribbon supply mandrel clockwise to
increase the tension.
The wrinkling on the take-up mandrel will stop when the tension is
correct. Be sure not to over-tighten the mandrel or the ink will begin
to smudge. If this occurs:
Turn the knob on the ribbon supply mandrel counter-
clockwise to decrease the tension.
counterclockwise = decrease tension
clockwise = increase tension

2-1QLS-4000/4001 Software Setup
Prior to printing, you must perform the following functions:
Define the type of media loaded on the printer.
Specify the image dimensions, label dimensions, any offsets, and
whether top-of-form indicators are present.
Calibrate the printer for the type of media being used.
This step is essential and is the first procedure that must be performed
after every change of label size or type. The calibration process senses
any top-of-form indicator between labels, allowing the printer to
position widely varying types of media automatically and correctly.
Select the heat intensity.
The setting can be saved with each label, but can also be changed at
print time. You may want to establish the optimal setup before
creating label files.
As you print, you can make further adjustments to the image position
or color registration as necessary.
Chapter 2: Software Setup
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