AstroNova QuickLabel Kiaro! QL-120 User manual

USER GUIDE

QL-120 User Guide
Part Number 22834682-EN-E
Revision 1.5
10/2019
QuickLabel, An AstroNova®Division
World Headquarters
600 East Greenwich Ave., West Warwick, RI 02893
Tel: [phone] Fax: [phone]
E-mail: [email protected]
www.QuickLabel.com
Technical Support
Tel: [phone]
E-mail: [e-mail]
www.QuickLabel.com/support/

© 2019 AstroNova, Inc. All Rights Reserved
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 AstroNova.
Trademarks
QL-120® and Custom QuickLabel Omni® are registered trademarks of AstroNova, Inc.
Adobe®, Photoshop®, and Illustrator® are registered trademarks of Adobe Systems, Inc.
Corel® is a registered trademark of Corel Corporation.
Microsoft® Windows® Vista®, and Windows® are registered trademarks of Microsoft
Corporation.
ICC Profile
ICC Profile Powered by X-Rite Incorporated

Obtaining Service
To obtain warranted service, please contact QuickLabel Technical Support through one of the
Factory Sales and Service Centers.
Contact Information
World Headquarters
600 East Greenwich Ave.
West Warwick, RI 02893 USA
Toll-Free: 877-757-7978 | Tel: [phone]
quicklabel.com
European Headquarters
Waldstrasse 70
63128 Dietzenbach | Germany
Tel: [phone]
quicklabel.de
Canada
3505 Rue Isabelle
Suite O
Brossard, QC J4Y 2R2
Tel: [phone]
quicklabel.ca
Latin America
Av Insurgentes Sur No 1602, 4º Piso
Suite 467
Col. Credito Constructor
Ciudad de Mexico CDMX 03940
Mexico
Tel: [phone]
quicklabel.com/es
Denmark
Marielundvej 46A, 2.
2730 Herlev
Tel: [phone]
trojanlabel.com
France
Parc Euclide
ZA la Clef de St Pierre
10A Rue Blaise Pascal
78990 Elancourt
Tel: [phone]
quicklabel.fr
United Kingdom
A5 Westacott Business Centre
Westacott Way, Maidenhead
Berkshire, SL6 3RT
Tel: [phone]
quicklabel.co.uk

China
1F, Bldg2#,
458 North Fu Te Road,
Shanghai Waigaoqiao F.T.Z., 200131
Tel: [phone]
quicklabel.cn
Ownership Information
Congratulations and thank you for your business. Your purchase of a QuickLabel digital label
printer is an investment in production flexibility and packaging efficiency. Please record the
model number and serial number of your product.
FCC Part 15 Compliance
NOTE: This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B digital
device, pursuant to part 15 of the FCC rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable
protectionagainstinterferenceinaresidentialinstallation.Thisequipmentgenerates,uses,and
can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with the
instruction manual, may cause interference to radio communications. However, there is no
guarantee that interference will not occur in a particular installation.
If this equipment does cause interference to radio or television reception, which can be
determined by turning the equipment off and on, the user is encouraged to try to correct the
interference by one or more of the following measures:
• Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna.
• Increase the separation between the equipment and receiver.
• Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit different from that to which the receiver
is connected.
• Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician for help.
CAUTION: Changes or modifications to this equipment not expressly approved by the party
responsible for compliance could void the user's authority to operate the equipment.
RoHS2 Compliance
The QL-120 Label Printer does not contain the substances specified within ANNEX II of
"Directive 2011/65/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 8 June 2011 on the
restriction of the use of certain hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment
(RoHS)", that is, lead, mercury, cadmium, hexavalent chromium, polybrominated biphenyls
(PBB) and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE) exceeding their specified maximum
concentration values tolerated by weight in homogeneous materials, except for the exemptions
set in ANNEX Ill of the Directive and its amendments.
This information is offered in good faith to the best of our knowledge, but is subject to revision
as new information becomes available.

WEEE Directive
European Union (and EEA) only.
These symbols indicate that this product is not to be disposed of with your household waste,
according to the WEEE Directive (2002/96/EC), the Battery Directive (2006/66/EC) and/or your
national laws implementing those Directives.
If a chemical symbol is printed beneath the symbol shown above, in accordance with the
Battery Directive, this indicates that a heavy metal (Hg = Mercury, Cd = Cadmium, Pb = Lead)
is present in this battery or accumulator at a concentration above an applicable threshold
specified in the Battery Directive.
This product should be handed over to a designated collection point, e.g., on an authorized
one-for-one basis when you buy a new similar product or to an authorized collection site for
recycling waste electrical and electronic equipment (EEE) and batteries and accumulators.
Improper handling of this type of waste could have a possible impact on the environment and
human health due to potentially hazardous substances that are generally associated with EEE.
Your cooperation in the correct disposal of this product will contribute to the effective usage of
natural resources.
For more information about the recycling of this product, please contact your local city office,
waste authority, approved scheme or your household waste disposal service.
(EEA: Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein)
WEEE Compliance - India only
This product is not to be disposed of with your household waste, according to the e-waste
(Management and Handling) Rules, 2011. This product should be handed over to a designated
collection point,e.g., toan authorized collection site for recycling wasteelectrical andelectronic
equipment (EEE). Improper handling of this type of waste could have a possible negative
impact on the environment and human health due to potentially hazardous substances that are
generally associated with EEE. At the same time, your cooperation in the correct disposal of
this product will contribute to the effective usage of natural resources. For more information
regarding return and recycling of WEEE products, please contact QuickLabel.
Also, this product complies with the "India E-waste Rule 2011" and prohibits use of lead,
mercury, hexavalent chromium, polybrominated biphenyls or polybrominated diphenyl ethers
in concentrations exceeding 0.1 % by weight and 0.01 % by weight for Cadmium, except for the
exemptions set in Schedule ll of the Rule.

Battery - For CA, USA only
Included battery contains Perchlorate Material ---- special handling may apply.
See http://www.dtsc.ca.gov/hazardouswaste/perchlorate for detail.
European Union (and EEA) only
Contains a preservative to control microbial deterioration.
Contains 1,2-benzisothiazol-3(2H)-one.
May produce an allergic reaction.
Contains less than 30% of components with unknown hazards to the aquatic environment.
Safety data sheet available on request.

Declaration of Conformity
Declaration de Conformité
Ubereinstimmungserklärung
Dichiarazione di Conformità
ID DoC-22834682
Manufacturer’s name and address
Nom et adresse du fabricant
Hersteller
Nome del costruttore
AstroNova, Inc.
600 East Greenwich Avenue
West Warwick, RI 02893 USA
Brand Name(s)
Nom(s) de marque(s)
Markenname(n)
Nome/i dei marchi
QuickLabel ®
Model No.
Modele No.
Model Nr.
Modello No.
QL-120
Description of Products
Description des produits
Produktbeschreibungen
Descrizione dei Prodotti
Color Label Printer
Standards to which conformity is declared
Standards auquel la conformité appartient
Normen für welche Übereinstimmung erklärt wird
Norme per le quali si dichiara la conformità
UL 60950-1 2nd Edition
CAN/CSA-C22.2 No.60950-1-07 2nd Edition
IEC 60950-1(ed.2)
IEC 60950-1(ed.2);am1
IEC 60950-1(ed.2);am2
EN 60950-1:2006 /A11:2009/A1:2010/A12:2011/A2:2013
EN 55032:2012 Class B
EN 61000-3-2:2014 Class A
EN 61000-3-3:2013
EN 55024:2010
EN 50564:2011
(Commission Regulation (EC) No 1275/2008)
FCC Part 15B Class B
ICES-003 Issue 6 Class B
Application of Council Directives
Application des Decisions du Conseil
Anwendbar fur die Richtlinien
Applicazione delle Direttive del Comitato
2011/65/EU
2014/30/EU
2014/35/EU
I, the undersigned, hereby declare that the equipment specified above conforms to the above Directive and Standard.
Je, Soussigné, déclare que l’équipment spécifié ci-dessus est en conformité avec la directive et le standard ci-dessus.
Ich, der unterzeichnende erkläre hiermit, daß das oben beschriebene Gerät den vorgenannten Richtlinien und Normen entspricht.
Il sottoscritto dichiara che l’apparecchio sopra specificato è conforme alle Direttive e Norme sopra specificate.
Steven Holbrook
Quality Assurance Manager
AstroNova, Inc.
CE Label First Affixed Date: 18 Date of issue: 7/9/2019
Place of issue: West Warwick, RI
European Contact: Your local AstroNova, Inc. Sales and Service Office.
FRANCE - Parc Euclide, ZA la Clef de St Pierre, 10A Rue Blaise Pascal 78990 Elancourt
Tel: [phone], Fax: [phone]
GERMANY - Waldstraße 70, D-63128 Dietzenbach
Tel. [phone], Fax: [phone]
UNITED KINGDOM - Westacott Way, Maidenhead Berkshire, SL6 3RT
Tel: [phone], Fax: [phone]

QL-120 User Guide 9
Contents
Chapter 1: Getting Started . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
QL-120 Series Printers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Installation and Setup Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Before Installing the Printer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Unpacking the Printer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Installing the Printer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Loading Media . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Installing the Printer Driver (USB) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Installing the Printer Driver (Network) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
Advanced Installation Topics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
Chapter 2: Printer Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
Printer Part Names and Functions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
Switching the Printer On and Off . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
QL-120 Status Monitor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
QL-120 Maintenance Utility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
Chapter 3: Designing and Printing Labels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
Designing Labels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
Setting up the Label Design Software . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66
Printing Labels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .67
Managing Media Out with QL-120 Series Printers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68
Changing or Replacing Media . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68
Chapter 4: Printer Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79
Replacing Ink Cartridges . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79
Replacing the Maintenance Cartridge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81
Printhead and Purge Unit Cleaning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83
Chapter 5: Troubleshooting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88
Error Codes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .88
Removing a Paper Jam . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120

Contents
QL-120 User Guide 10
Printer Not Operating Correctly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122
Print Results are Unsatisfactory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124
Print Samples and Solutions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127
Manually Uninstalling the Printer Driver . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 142
Resolving Windows 7/8/10 USB Installation Issues . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147
Chapter 6: RW-5.1 Rewinder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 150
Before Installing the Rewinder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 150
Installing the Rewinder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 150
Rewinding Labels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153
Chapter 7: UW-5.1 Unwinder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155
Before Installing the Unwinder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155
Installing the Unwinder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155
Unwinding Labels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 158
Chapter 8: Safety Warnings and Precautions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 164
Chapter 9: Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 169
Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 172

QL-120 User Guide 11
1
Getting Started
QL-120 Series Printers
This user guide applies to the following QL-120 series printers.
•QL-120 - The QL-120 is a fast color label printer, featuring industry-leading print quality,
reliability, performance, and connectivity.
•QL-120X - The QL-120X is built on the QL-120platform and features new second-gener-
ation printhead technology and extended printhead life.
Installation and Setup Overview
Refer to the installation and setup summary for an outline of the required steps.
1. Before installing the printer, select an appropriate location, review the installation
precautions, and make sure that the system requirements are met.
•See “Choosing an Installation Location” on page 12.
•See “Installation Precautions” on page 13.
•See “System Requirements” on page 13.
2. Unpack the printer and make sure that all parts are included.
•See “Unpacking the Printer” on page 14.
•See “Checking the Included Parts” on page 17.
3. Install the printer. This process requires installing the printhead, installing ink cartridges,
and filling the system with ink.
•See “Installing the Printhead” on page 18.
•See “Loading Ink Cartridges” on page 26.
•See “Initial Ink Filling” on page 28.
4. Load the media that will be used for printing.
•See “Loading Media on the Roll Holder” on page 29.
•See “Setting the Media in the Printer” on page 31.
5. Install the printer driver. You can install the printer with a USB or network connection.
•See “Installing the Printer Driver (USB)” on page 36.
•See “Installing the Printer Driver (Network)” on page 40.

Getting Started
QL-120 User Guide 12
Before Installing the Printer
Before installing the printer, select an appropriate location, review the installation precautions,
and make sure that the system requirements are met.
Choosing an Installation Location
The installation environment must be as described in this section.
• The printer power cord must be able to connect to an outlet (100V - 240V AC
+10%/-15%). This outlet must be easily accessible.
• Avoid installing the printer near a faucet, water heater, humidifier, or refrigerator.
• Ensure the environment temperature is within 59 to 86 degrees Fahrenheit (15 to 30
degrees Celsius).
• Ensure the environment humidity is within 10% to 80% relative humidity.
• Avoid placing the printer in areas exposed to high temperature and humidity, extremely
low temperature, severe temperature changes, or direct sunlight. Especially, avoid
placing the printer near fire, outdoors, in distribution warehouses,or in refrigerated areas.
• Avoid installing the printer in areas subject to dust.
• The room must be properly ventilated.
• No printer feet should float. The printer must be held level constantly.
• When placing the printer on a desk, table, or other similar surface, it must be sturdy and
stable enough to support the weight of the printer.
• The minimum space required for installation and maintenance is shown below.

Getting Started
QL-120 User Guide 13
Installation Precautions
When installing the printer, observe the following precautions.
• Imaging faults can result from dew condensation that occurs when the printer is moved
from a cold place to a warm place. Leave the unpacked printer as is for at least two hours
before installing it.
• The printer weighs about 53 pounds (24 kilograms). Two persons are required to lift the
printer. Two persons standing at the front and back of the printer respectively must lift the
printer by holding it with their hands under the bottom handles (two at the front, one at
the left, and one at the right). Attempting to lift the printer in an improper position can
result in the printer falling or injury.
System Requirements
Before installing the printer, make sure your PC meets the following requirements.
• 32-bit or 64-bit Microsoft® Windows® 7/8/10
• Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5 SP1
• 350 MB free hard drive space
• Internet access
• One available USB 2.0 port for USB installation ornetwork connectivity for network instal-
lation

Getting Started
QL-120 User Guide 14
Unpacking the Printer
The printer is secured using packing tape and cushioning materials to protect it against
vibrations and shock during transportation. Use the following procedure to unpack the printer.
Keep the packing materials for future transportation.
1. Remove the four grips from the packing carton, and then remove the outer casing.
2. Remove the accessory box, and then remove the upper pads.

Getting Started
QL-120 User Guide 15
3. Unwrap the plastic bag from top to bottom.
4. Holding the handles at the bottom of the printer, lift the printer to take it out from the
package base. Lift from the illustrated points. Do not hold the front side of the printer.
Note: The printer weighs about 53 pounds (24 kilograms). Two persons are required to
lift the printer. Two persons standing at the front and back of the printer respectively must
lift the printer by holding it with their hands under the bottom handles (two at the front,
one at the left, and one at the right). Attempting to lift the printer in an improper position
can result in the printer falling or injury.
5. Place the printer on a horizontal table. Then remove all pieces of packing tape and
cushioning materials visible on the exterior of the printer.

Getting Started
QL-120 User Guide 16
6. Open the roll cover.
7. Remove all pieces of tape securing the roll holder.
8. Push down the upper unit release lever, and then open the upper unit.
9. Remove all pieces of tape, cushioning material, and red tags from inside the printer.

Getting Started
QL-120 User Guide 17
10. Turn the pinch roller release lever, and then remove the protective sheet.
Checking the Included Parts
Check to make sure the following items are included with the printer.
• Printhead unit
• Starter ink cartridges (one for each color)
• AC power cables (North American and European)
• USB cable
• 4x5 inch media for test patterns
Caution: Several power cables come with printer. Use the appropriate power cord for the
power supply used at the installation site.

Getting Started
QL-120 User Guide 18
Installing the Printer
The printer installation process requires installing the printhead, installing ink cartridges, and
filling the system with ink.
Installing the Printhead
Use the following instructions to install the printhead.
Caution: The printhead is a sensitive electronic component. Use extreme caution when
installing it. Follow the provided instructions carefully to prevent damage to the printhead.
1. Open the roll cover.
2. Push down the upper unit release lever and then open the upper unit.

Getting Started
QL-120 User Guide 19
3. Remove the two thumbscrews to remove the main maintenance cover from the upper
unit.
4. Close the upper unit.

Getting Started
QL-120 User Guide 20
5. Remove the print module cover. Then open the upper printhead release lever and lower
printhead release lever.
Remove the blade cleaner.