AstroNova QuickLabel QL-240 User manual

USER GUIDE
www.quicklabel.com

QL-240 User Guide
Part Number 22834680-EN-E
Revision 1.0 DRAFT 1
6/2017
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/

© 2017 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 QuickLabel.
Trademarks
QL-240® is a 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® 7, Windows® 8, and Windows® 10 are registered trademarks of
Microsoft Corporation.
QL-240 Limited Warranty
QuickLabel, An AstroNova Division, warrants all components of this product,except wear parts
andconsumables, against defectsin materialsor workmanship fora period ofone (1)yearfrom
the date of original purchase. Wear parts include the transport unit, maintenance roller,
maintenance cartridge, cutter blades and the like. Consumables include ink cartridges and
labels, which are covered under a separate warranty. If the customer discovers a defect, this
defect must be reported promptly to QuickLabel or an authorized QuickLabel dealer.
QuickLabel will, at its option, repair the printer or repair or replace its defective component(s)
at no additional charge. Repair parts and replacement parts will be furnished on an exchange
basis and will be either reconditioned or new. The customer is responsible for freight to return
the printer or component to our factory or authorized service center. We will ship the repaired
or replaced printer or component back to you via standard ground freight service. All replaced
parts become the property of QuickLabel. Travel, freight and other expenses related to
warranty repairs are not covered.
In the first year of product ownership, you may be covered by a separate Customer Support
Agreement purchased from or issued by QuickLabel or an authorized QuickLabel dealer. In
such a case, you would be entitled to an on-site installation and/or training visit. Otherwise,
Customer Support Agreements and renewals are available for purchase and provide on-site
support.
This warranty is void if the product has been damaged by accident, abuse, neglect or
misapplication or by the use of incompatible consumables or parts, or if the product has been
improperly installed, or if the product has been modified without the express written permission
of QuickLabel. QuickLabel is not responsible for products lost or damaged in transit.
QuickLabel makes no warranty, either express or implied, with respect to this product's
merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose. In no event shall QuickLabel be held liable
for any direct, indirect, special, incidental, or consequential damages, whether based on a
contract, tort, or any other legal theory and whether advised of the possibility of such damages.

Ink Limited Warranty
This warranty covers QuickLabel QL-240 ink cartridge sold by QuickLabel.
Each QL-240 ink cartridge is warranted to be free from defects in materials and workmanship
for up to 24 months from the date of manufacture if in original unopened packaging, or up to 3
months after installation, whichever occurs first. This warranty applies only to the ink cartridges
as used in the QuickLabel QL-240 printing system.
If the customer suspects a defect in a QL-240 ink cartridge, the customer must notify
QuickLabel or an authorized QuickLabel dealer within the warranty period. Upon return of the
ink cartridge and QuickLabel's verification of the defect, QuickLabel will, at its option, either:
1. Replace the defective ink cartridge; or,
2. If the customer has used the ink, pro-rate the price of a new ink based upon the estimated
life remaining for the ink, as reported by the QL-240 system. The QL-240 provides the
estimated life remaining,and QuickLabel may obtain this information from the system remotely
or request the customer to furnish this information.
This warranty does not cover QL-240 ink cartridges that have been emptied, refilled,
remanufactured, modified, refurbished, misused, or tampered with, or that have expired, or
when used to print on label or tag media that is not compatible with the QL-240.
This warranty is void if the QL-240 ink cartridge has been damaged by accident, abuse, neglect
or misapplication, if the product has been improperly installed or maintained, if the product has
been used outside of its environmental specifications, or if the product has been modified
without the express written permission of QuickLabel.
QuickLabel makes no warranty, either express or implied, with respect to this product's
merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose. In no event shall QuickLabel be held liable
for any direct, indirect, special, incidental, or consequential damages, whether based on a
contract, tort, or any other legal theory and whether advised of the possibility of such damages.
Printhead Limited Warranty
QuickLabel warrants the printhead from the date of purchase for a period of 90 days or for
250,000 inches of printing, whichever comes first, contingent upon the use of QuickLabel ink
and labels. The QL-240 printhead is calibrated for use with QuickLabel ink and labels and
performs optimally only when used with these materials. This specific printhead warranty does
not apply to printheads damaged by accident, abuse, neglect, misapplication or the like. This
warranty isvoid ifthe product hasbeen damaged byaccident,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.
Obtaining Service
To obtain warranted service, please contact QuickLabel Technical Support through one of the
Factory Sales and Service Centers.

Contact Information for Factory Sales and Service
QuickLabel USA and World Headquarters
600 East Greenwich Avenue
West Warwick, RI 02893 USA
Toll Free: [phone]
Toll-Free Sales: [phone]
Toll Free Technical Support: [phone]
Tel: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
Web Site: www.QuickLabel.com
Sales E-mail: [email protected]
Technical Support E-mail: suppor[email protected]
QuickLabel Canada
#111 - 3555 Isabelle, Borssard, QC J4Y 2R2 Canada
Tel: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
Web Site: www.QuickLabel.ca
Sales E-mail: [email protected]
Technical Support E-mail: suppor[email protected]
QuickLabel Deutschland
Senefelderstraße 1/ T6 D-63110 Rodgau
Tel. [phone]
Fax: [phone]
Web Site: www.QuickLabel.de
Sales E-mail: [email protected]
Technical Support E-mail: suppor[email protected]
QuickLabel France
Parc Euclide
ZA la Clef de St Pierre
10A Rue Blaise Pascal
78990 ELANCOURT
Tel: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
Web Site: www.QuickLabel.fr
Sales E-mail: [email protected]
Technical Support E-mail:[e-mail]
QuickLabel United Kingdom
Westacott Way, Maidenhead
Berkshire, SL6 3RT
Tel: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
Web Site: www.QuickLabel.co.uk
Sales E-mail: [email protected]
Technical Support E-mail:[e-mail]
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.

QL-240 User Guide 7
Contents
Chapter 1: Getting Started . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
System Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Unpacking the Printer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Installing the QL-240 Touchscreen Control (Optional) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Powering On the QL-240 Printer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14
Installing Ink Cartridges . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Installing the Printhead . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16
Installing the Printer Driver . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Setting up the Unwinder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Loading Media . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21
Chapter 2: QL-240 Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Printer Parts and their Functions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
QL-240 Printer and Accessories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Configuration Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Driver Features and Functions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Full Bleed Printing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Turning the Printer On/Off . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Turning the Touchscreen Control On/Off . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Connecting QL-240 Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Network Schematic for QL-240 Printer with Touchscreen Control . . . . . . . 34
Connections on QL-240 Printer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Connections on the Touchscreen Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Connecting QL-240 Control Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Network Schematic for QL-240 Printers on the Local Area Network in
Standalone Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Connections on QL-240 Printer in Standalone Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Connecting to QL-240 Printer through QL-240 Control Light (Ethernet
Connection) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .36
Connecting to Printer through QL-240 Control Light (Direct USB
Connection) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .36

Contents
8QL-240 User Guide
Installing the QL-240 Driver over Ethernet without the Touchscreen Control . . . . . . 37
Chapter 3: QL-240 Control Features and Functions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
QL-240 Control Interface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
HOME - General Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
Printer Handling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
Job Library . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
Print Queue . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
Diagnostics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
Media Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
QL-240 Control Light Interface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
User Interface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
Ink Usage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
Network Config . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
Diagnostics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
Media Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
Chapter 4: Status LED on QL-240 Printer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
Chapter 5: Updating QL-240 Control Software and Firmware . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
Automatic Updater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
Firmware Upgrade . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .62
Manual Offline Updater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
Chapter 6: Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65
Standard Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .65
Cleaning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
Printhead . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
Paper Path Area . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
Regular Checks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68
Consumable Change . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68
Prepare the Printer for Transportation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69
Short Distance Transportation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69
Long Distance Transportation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70
Chapter 7: Troubleshooting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71
Maintenance Module Troubleshooting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71
Printhead Troubleshooting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72
Ink Cartridge Troubleshooting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
Error Handling in QL-240 Control Interface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74
End of Roll Error . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74
Paper Jam Error . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76
Ink Out Error . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79
Data Path Underrun Error . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79
Chapter 8: Volume Unwinder / Rewinder (Optional) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81
Connecting Volume Winders to the QL-240 Printer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82
Connections on Volume Winders (same for both Unwinder and
Rewinder) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82
Status LED states on Volume Winders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82
Connecting Volume Winders to the QL-240 Printer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82

Contents
QL-240 User Guide 9
Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83

Contents
10 QL-240 User Guide

QL-240 User Guide 11
1
Getting Started
System Requirements
• Windows® 10/8/7 Server 2012/2008
• Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5 SP1
• 350 MB free hard drive space
• One available USB 2.0 port for driver installation (or Internet connection)
• One available USB 2.0 port for USB installation or network connectivity for network
installation
Unpacking the Printer
1Open the shipping carton.
2Remove the packing foam from the shipping carton.
3With help from another person, lift the printer out of the shipping carton.
Warning: The printer is heavy and moving it requires two people. Lift the printer by the
bottom metal frame near each corner. Keep the printer level while lifting it.
4Place the printer on a level, flat horizontal surface that can support the size and weight of
the printer and accessories. Approximate sizes and weights are provided below.
Caution: Do not plug in the printer until prompted later in this guide. Powering up the
printer before removing shipping inserts can result in printer damage.
5Open the top cover and front door on the printer.
Description Dimensions Weight
Printer 19 x 16 x 12 inches(480 x
395 x 301 mm) 80 lbs (36 kg)
Touchscreen Control 19 x 9 x 11 inches(479 x 230
x 269 mm) 18 lbs (8 kg)
Unwinder 20 x 20 x 17 inches(500 x
500 x 427 mm) 51 lbs (23 kg)
Rewinder 20 x 20 x 17 inches(500 x
500 427 mm) 51 lbs (23 kg)

Getting Started
12 QL-240 User Guide
6Remove the metal shipping inserts that secure the maintenance module. There is one
insert on each side. Lift the inserts off the three posts and remove them from the printer.
Save the shipping inserts for future shipping purposes.
7Open the transport module by pressing the latches and lifting the transport module.
8Remove the cardboard shipping insert from the printhead area.
9Close the transport module, front door, and top cover.
10 Remove the shipping insert bag and verify that all parts are included in the shipment.
• Power cable and 24VDC power supply
• USB cable (do not connect until prompted during driver installation)
• Two Ethernet cables
• Printhead
• USB flash drive with printer driver software and documentation

Getting Started
QL-240 User Guide 13
Installing the QL-240 Touchscreen Control (Optional)
1Unpack the QL-240 Touchscreen Control. Verify that all parts are included in the shipment.
• Touchscreen Control
• Power cable and power supply
• Mounting stand
• Screws
2With help from another person, fasten the bottom of the stand to the bracket on the bottom
of the printer with three screws. One person can slightly tilt the printer while the other
person tightens the screws.
3Insert the tab from thesupport bracket into the slot between the printer topcover and frame.
4With help from another person, fasten the Touchscreen Control to the stand with four
screws. One person can support the Touchscreen Control while the other person tightens
the screws.

Getting Started
14 QL-240 User Guide
5Connect the external power supply to the Touchscreen Control.
6Connect the LAN cable from the LAN2 port on the Touchscreen Control to the panel PC
port on the printer.
7Use the On/Off switch to power on the Touchscreen Control.
8In the QL-240 control software on the Touchscreen Control, choose Settings > Network.
Select the networking method for the Touchscreen Control.
• To use a static IP address, enter the IP address settings. Clear the DHCP check box.
Then choose Save.
• To use DHCP, check the DHCP check box. Then choose Save.
Powering On the QL-240 Printer
1Connect the external power supply to the printer.
2Turn the printer on by pressing the power button.
Installing Ink Cartridges
1Open the top cover and front door on the printer.

Getting Started
QL-240 User Guide 15
2Open the ink cartridge latches and install ink cartridges in the proper slots. The proper slot
for each color is labeled on the latches.
Warning: For safety, keep ink cartridges out of the reach of children. If ink is accidentally
ingested, contact a physician immediately.
Warning: There are sharp needles in the ink cartridge slot. Never put your fingers in this
area.
Each color (CMYK) can only be inserted in the proper slot. Black cartridges can be inserted
into both black (K) slots.
3Close the ink cartridge latches and make sure they are locked.
4Close the top cover and front door on the printer.

Getting Started
16 QL-240 User Guide
Installing the Printhead
Caution: The printhead is sensitive to electrostatic discharge (ESD). Use ESD protection
when handling the printhead.
Caution: Do not touch the printhead cartridge ink couplings, nozzle surface, or the electrical
contacts when installing the printhead cartridge. Hold the printhead cartridge ONLY by the
handles.
Caution: To avoid drying out the printhead, do not open the printhead packaging until you are
ready to use it.
Caution: Open the printhead packaging over an appropriate receptacle to safely capture any
excess shipping fluid.
1Ensure the printer is powered on and all five ink cartridges have been installed.
2Open the top cover and front door on the printer.
3Press the printhead release button [1] on the print engine to open the printhead latch [2].
Remove the two dock protector caps [3] (blue rubber caps).
4Fully open the printhead latch [2].
5Remove the printhead from the packaging.
Note: If the foil packing is damaged, report the issue to Technical Support or your reseller.
Caution: Do not place the unprotected printhead cartridge on any surface. Protect the
printhead cartridge at all times from contamination such as dust or fibers.
6Wipe any excess shipping fluid from the printhead cartridge with a clean, lint-free cloth.

Getting Started
QL-240 User Guide 17
7Remove the orange protective plastic cover from the printhead cartridge, holding the
printhead by the handle.
• Remove the flaps covering the ink ports.
• Remove the clip holding the cover near the center of the printhead cartridge.
• Carefully remove the protective cover. Do not touch any of the ink ports or nozzle plate
after the orange cover is removed.
8Hold the printhead cartridge by the handle with one hand. Carefully remove the protective
plastic strips with the other hand.
• Grasp the pull tab and slowly peel back the plastic strip covering the electrical contacts.
• Grasp the pull tab and slowly peel back the plastic strip covering the printhead nozzles.
Maintain an angle of no less than 45 degrees with the printhead surface when pulling
on the strip.
Caution: Dispose of the removed strips immediately and do not allow the removed strips
to touch the electrical contacts or printhead nozzles.
9Carefully put the printhead into the cradle.

Getting Started
18 QL-240 User Guide
10 Allow the printhead to slide fully downward into the cradle.
11 Pull the printhead backwards until you feel it snap into the proper position standing upright.
12 Close the printhead latch.
Ink delivery system priming (filling up the system and printhead with ink) will begin
automatically. This process may take several minutes.
When the printer is ready for printing, the system status in QL-240 control software will
change to Online and the printhead status will be Primed.
13 Close the top cover and front door on the printer.

Getting Started
QL-240 User Guide 19
Installing the Printer Driver
1Ensure the QL-240 is powered on. If you are using the optional Touchscreen Control,
ensure it is also powered on. Make the appropriate data connections based on your
configuration.
• If you are setting up the printer with a USB connection, ensure the printer is not
connected to your PC with a USB cable. You will make this connection when prompted
later in this procedure.
• If you are setting up the printer with a network connection, ensure the printer is
connected to your network with a LAN cable. Connect the LAN cable from the panel
PC port on the printer to your router.
• If you are setting up the printer and Touchscreen Control with a network connection,
ensure a LAN cable is connected from the LAN2 port on the Touchscreen Control to
the panel PC port on the printer. Also connect a LAN cable from the LAN1 port on the
Touchscreen Control to your router.
2Power on your PC and insert the QL-240 USB flash drive in a USB port. Launch the
“winsetup.exe” file on the drive. The installer program will open.
Note: You also can obtain the software from www.QuickLabel.com/downloads.
3Choose Install Printer Software. The software installation will start.
Note: If the Windows logo testing or publisher verification warning messages appear
during installation, choose to continue the installation.
4To set up a USB connection, select Configure to print using USB when prompted for the
connection method. Then choose Next.
When prompted, connect the QL-240 to your PC with a USB cable. The installation will
continue once the USB connection is made.
5To set up a network connection, select Configure to print over the network when
prompted for the connection method. Then choose Next.
The installer will scan the network and display a list of IP addresses.
• If you are not using the Touchscreen Control, the installer will find the IP address of the
QL-240 printer. By default, the printer is configured to obtain an IP address with DHCP.
Select the IP address of the printer you want to install. Then choose Next.
• If you are using the Touchscreen Control, the installer will find the IP address of the
Touchscreen Control. The Touchscreen Control creates an internal network for the
connected printers.
Select the IP address of the Touchscreen Control. Then choose Next.
6When prompted, select whether the QL-240 will be set as the default printer.
7Choose Finish.

Getting Started
20 QL-240 User Guide
Setting up the Unwinder
1Unpack the unwinder. Verify that all parts are included in the shipment.
• Unwinder and connected base plate
• Power cable and power supply
• Printer base plate
• Entrance guide
•Thumbscrews
2Assemble the printer base plate. Fasten the unwinder base plate to the printer base plate
with the thumbscrews. Do not fully tighten the thumbscrews at this time.
Put the plates where the printer and unwinder will be permanently located.
3Fasten the entrance guide to the base plates with the thumbscrews.