Dover Markem-Imaje 1050 User manual

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1Safety Instructions..................................................................... 1
2Introduction ............................................................................... 1
2.1 Key Features ..........................................................................................1
2.2 Dynamic Data .........................................................................................2
2.3 Barcodes ................................................................................................2
2.4 InfiniteDPI ...............................................................................................2
2.5 User Security and Reporting...................................................................2
2.6 Advanced Text Options ..........................................................................3
2.6.1 Flexible Text Formatting ............................................................................ 3
2.6.2 International Character Support ................................................................ 3
3Overview of Menus ................................................................... 4
3.1 Home Screen..........................................................................................4
3.2 Job Selection Screen..............................................................................5
3.3 Tools Menu.............................................................................................6
3.4 Entering Text ..........................................................................................7
4Layout Designer/Editor.............................................................. 8
4.1 Dynamic Fields in a Layout.....................................................................9
4.2 Creating a New Layout .........................................................................10
4.3 Layout Designer Menus........................................................................12
4.4 Creating Clocks, Timestamps, Shift Codes and User Inserts ...............13
4.4.1 Clocks...................................................................................................... 13
4.4.2 Timestamps ............................................................................................. 14
4.4.3 Shift Codes .............................................................................................. 16
4.4.4 User Inserts ............................................................................................. 17
4.4.5 Counters .................................................................................................. 17
4.5 Adding and Editing Objects in a Layout................................................18
4.5.1 General Editing........................................................................................ 18
4.5.2 Text Objects ............................................................................................ 19
4.5.3 Barcodes ................................................................................................. 22
4.5.4 Bitmaps.................................................................................................... 28
4.5.5 Conditional Bitmaps................................................................................. 29
4.6 Previewing a Layout .............................................................................30
5Data Workflow......................................................................... 31
5.1 Job Source Selection............................................................................31
5.2 Data Source Selection ..........................................................................32
5.3 Remote Control ....................................................................................33
5.4 Language..............................................................................................33
6Profile Management ................................................................ 34
6.1 Configuring Role-based Security ..........................................................35
6.2 Roles ....................................................................................................35
7Configure I/O........................................................................... 36
8Windows Functions ................................................................. 37
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9Printing .................................................................................... 38
9.1 Selecting a Job .....................................................................................38
9.2 Loading and Viewing External Data......................................................38
9.3 Start/Pause Printing..............................................................................41
9.4 Ink Levels .............................................................................................42
10 Printer Configuration ............................................................... 43
10.1 Print Head Properties ...........................................................................43
10.1.1 Distance from Sensor .............................................................................. 43
10.1.2 Print Direction .......................................................................................... 43
10.1.3 Stitching................................................................................................... 44
10.2 Encoder and Edges ..............................................................................44
10.2.1 External Encoder ..................................................................................... 44
10.2.2 Encoder Usage and InfiniteDPI ............................................................... 45
10.3 Upgrades ..............................................................................................46
10.3.1 Firmware Upgrade................................................................................... 46
10.3.2 Replace Head.......................................................................................... 46
10.4 Advanced Properties ............................................................................47
10.5 Images and Data ..................................................................................48
10.6 Spitting..................................................................................................49
11 Print History............................................................................. 50
12 Setting up a Printer ................................................................. 51
12.1 Printer Components..............................................................................51
12.2 Encoder Speed Scaling ........................................................................51
13 Resolution and Barcodes ........................................................ 52
14 Backing Up and Restoring Data.............................................. 53
15 Troubleshooting the Printer..................................................... 54
16 Floor Space Plan..................................................................... 57
16.1 Controller ..............................................................................................57
16.2 Print Head.............................................................................................58
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1 Safety Instructions
WARNING: before using the printer, please
carefully read the information concerning
safety and installation in the instructions and
the Safety Data Sheet (SDS) for the
consumables used.
2 Introduction
The Markem-Imaje 1050 printer includes several high performance components
that together create a flexible, accurate, high value platform for using HP® inkjet print
technologies. With Markem-Imaje's complete print solutions, the highest quality printing
can be achieved in all of our solutions.
2.1 Key Features
▪Full-featured graphical interface software with easy to learn and use interface
▪Flexible workflow configuration to minimize necessary operator training and skills
▪Wide support for barcodes, including 1D, 2D, and postal formats
▪Print at any horizontal DPI and at both 300 and 600 DPI vertically
▪165 ft/min at 600 DPI to 660 ft/min at 150 DPI
▪International Character Support
▪TCP/IP remote control via second LAN interface
▪Multi-lingual interface
▪Unlimited variable data
▪Unlimited image width
▪User friendly printer configuration
▪Robust print control
▪Flexible print options
The 1050 printer consists of two primary components: the hardware based printer
and the software-based layout and print controller, called the user interface. The easy-to-
use user interface allows creation of print jobs with dynamic data, 1D, 2D, and postal
barcodes and bitmaps as well as complete control over all configuration and runtime
printing information.
Read the Instruction Manual
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2.2 Dynamic Data
Data can be loaded from flat files or external databases to allow printing of
dynamic data. The amount of data and the number of variable fields is limited only by
memory. Timestamps, Shift codes and counters are available as well with flexible
configurations to meet the most difficult requirements.
2.3 Barcodes
▪InfiniteDPI allows optimal barcode quality
▪A wide variety of barcode formats, including 1D, 2D and postal, are supported
▪300 DPI vertical print mode allows scannable barcodes to be printed in tough
print situations
2.4 InfiniteDPI
The 1050 printer uses InfiniteDPI to print at anywhere from 1 to 600 DPI in the
horizontal direction (the direction of travel of the target material). This has multiple
benefits for the commercial user:
▪Allows precise barcodes to be printed at any size (see Resolution and Barcodes)
▪Allows the DPI to be precisely tuned to minimize ink usage
▪Allows sub-optimal substrates to be used for high quality printing
▪Allows the print parameters to be tuned to increase printer speed
For example, typically print resolutions are set at 300 DPI to provide for sufficient
contrast for scannability. With InfiniteDPI, the resolution may, for example, be set to 270
DPI. This would allow substrates speeds 10% faster than solutions that allow only 300
DPI, use 10% less ink while providing similar readability.
In addition, if small barcodes need to be printed, the resolution can be tuned to
allow precise rasterization of barcode modules (see Resolution and Barcodes) without
purchasing additional hardware with associated cost and print defects.
2.5 User Security and Reporting
Role-based user security (profile management) with auditing and reporting is
available. Detailed print history is also maintained with ability to export to HTML format.
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2.6 Advanced Text Options
2.6.1 Flexible Text Formatting
Advanced text formatting allows you to create the labeling you need, in any
language. Key formatting features include:
▪Use any True Type Font for text and barcodes
▪Rotate text at any angle
▪Have multiple fonts and font styles in a single text box with a wide variety of
standard text formatting options, such as centering and word wrap.
2.6.2 International Character Support
All printable text supports any international characters available on the Windows®
platform. If a tool is installed for entry of Asian language characters, press CTRL-SPACE
to enter IME mode.
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3 Overview of Menus
3.1 Home Screen
▪Job name – displays the name of the job currently selected for printing.
▪Printing status - displays the current status of the printer on a background color
that varies with state.
▪Printer information – opens a window with information about printer operation.
▪Fault/Warning information – displays the information bar on a background color
that varies when faults or warnings are present.
▪Print preview – displays a preview of the selected job.
▪Start/Pause printing button – starts or pauses printing of the selected job.
▪Job button – opens the Job Selection screen for creating new jobs or printing,
editing, or deleting existing jobs.
▪Production information – displays the print count for the selected job.
▪Tools button – opens a menu with system tools for managing, monitoring, and
configuring the printer.
▪Data Source information – displays the source of data for the selected job.
▪Profile button – allows the selection of access level.
▪Shut down button – exits the Home screen and shuts down the software. The Shut
down button must be used before powering off the printer to protect system data.
Data Source
information
Profile
button
Shut down
button
Tools
button
Job
button
Print
preview
Production
information
Job
name
Printing
status
Printer
information
Fault/Warning
Information
Start/Pause
printing
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3.2 Job Selection Screen
Press
▪Job Name – displays the name of the job currently selected for printing.
▪Selected for printing – points to the job currently selected for printing.
▪Selected job – is highlighted for the next action or command.
▪Scroll arrows – used to scroll through the list to display names of jobs not
currently listed.
▪Print preview – displays a preview of the selected job.
▪Back button – returns to the Home screen.
▪Edit button – opens the Layout Editor for editing the selected job.
▪New Job button – opens a menu to design the pen configuration and layout
settings for a new job.
▪Delete button – deletes the selected job.
▪Select For Printing button – selects the selected job for printing.
Job
name
Scroll
arrows
Selected for
printing
Selected
job
New Job
button
Delete
button
Select For
Printing button
Edit
button
Back
button
Print
preview
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3.3 Tools Menu
Press
The Tools menu provides access to the following menus.
▪Ink Levels – provides information about the ink type and capacity.
▪Log – provides operating history information.
▪Print Report – provides production history by job and by user activity.
▪Windows Functions – allows for administrative access for Windows and system
software configuration, upgrades, and back up and restoring data.
▪Data Workflow – allows selection of job and data source, configuration for remote
control, and selection of the language of the user interface.
▪Printer Configuration – allows configuration of printer features such as print
direction, encoders and sensors, pen voltage time, and spitting settings.
▪Profile Management – allows configuration of access levels and passwords.
▪Configure I/O – allows specified events to control an alarm tower or signal a PLC
or other external equipment of printer status. Optional equipment might be required.
The “Change to Metric” button on many of the Tools menus allows the units for
values on the screen to be changed to centimeters. The button will change to
“Change to Inches” and selecting it again will change units back to inches.
Printer
Configuration
Profile
Management
Configure
I/O
Data
Workflow
Ink
Levels
Windows
Functions
Log Print
Report
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3.4 Entering Text
If a field requires text entry, press the field. The keyboard icon will appear.
Press the keyboard icon and a soft keyboard will appear.
Enter text.
To view text that is obscured by the soft keyboard, press on the title bar, hold down,
and drag the keyboard.
Press the close box to accept the text entered and close the soft keyboard.
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4 Layout Designer/Editor
For an existing job, press ►select desired job ►►layout editor
screen with job contents.
For a new job, press ►►configure pen layout settings ►new layout
editor screen. See Creating a New Layout.
If the job is new, the layout editor will have no project loaded and most edit menus
are disabled. A layout must be created or loaded to begin work. It is possible to create
layouts that require more pens than are available to the attached printer. These jobs can
be saved and viewed in print preview but will not print without the appropriate hardware
and licenses. A warning will appear if a layout requires more pens than are available in
the configured printer.
Icon functions:
- New layout
- Open layout
- Save layout
Toolbar
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- Open Text Properties screen to add and format text
- Add 1D, 2D, or postal barcode
- Add bitmap image
- Edit selected object settings
- Copy, Paste, Cut, and Delete selected objects
- Move all objects to visible area of layout
- Close screen; go back to previous screen
4.1 Dynamic Fields in a Layout
External source data fields, timestamps, shift codes, and user inserts are
discussed throughout this manual. Each field has a specific format. The format is a set of
brackets, [], enclosing a unique name for the field. Timestamps, shift codes, and user
inserts can have any unique name that does not match an existing field name. External
source data fields have the form [Field #], where # is the number of the field without
leading zeroes.
Dynamic fields are replaced with the appropriate data when a job is printed. Fields
can be placed multiple times on a layout. Every instance of a field will be replaced on each
print. For example, if [Field 1] is in two different text objects it will replace in both objects
on every print. The same rule applies to timestamps, shift codes and user inserts.
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4.2 Creating a New Layout
From the Home screen, press ►
Or from the layout editor screen, press or File ►New…
Any layout currently being edited should be saved or any edits will be lost.
The Layout Settings window shown above will appear to allow the specification of
the print layout. In the center of the window is the pen properties box. This allows
specification of individual pen properties, including linking pens, their horizontal and
vertical DPI and the width of the image for each set of linked pens. The number of pens
displayed here is selected at top left with the box labeled “Number of Pens”. When the
number of pens is changed, the settings for each pen go back to default.
The number of data fields is also specified here. This allows automatic entry of
data fields in text and barcodes. The unit of measure can also be switched from English
to metric on this screen.
The layout shown above has 4 pens defined, with the first two pens and the last
two pens “linked” (as indicated by the icon). When two pens are linked, they
are rendered together and layout objects like text are allowed to cross over the pen
boundaries. It is assumed that the printer used to print these images has the linked pens
physically stitched so this will print correctly. In this example, each set of linked pens has
the same horizontal and vertical resolution and image width. The allowable vertical
resolutions are 300 DPI and 600 DPI. The horizontal resolution can be any whole value
from 1 to 600. Any width can be specified, limited only by the memory of the controller.
For more information on the effects of print resolution on printing, see the section entitled
Resolution and Barcodes.
To change to default values for the Layout Settings window, select the Default
button at the lower left of this screen. There you can set the default values for number of
pens, resolution, width and data objects that will be saved for future editing sessions.
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Release Note for Current Version
In general, odd numbers of linked pens on a single print head with different
horizontal resolutions is not supported. In this release, the second and third pens of any
head cannot be linked unless the first and fourth are the same resolution. Any other
combination is acceptable, for example four individual or two pairs (first and second and
third and fourth) or all linked. Rearranging the physical pens with regard to the pens
associated with the layout is a work around for this. For example, instead of linking the
second and third pens, move the pens so that the pair is the first and second or third and
fourth pens on the head.
The preceding image shows the layout as defined in the previous step. The first
two pens are 4 inches wide and linked. The blue dashed line in the top section indicates
the boundary between pens. This is only a visual marker and has no effect on layout.
Objects may be placed anywhere inside either white section. Objects may also be
moved off of the white area to allow printing as close to the edge as needed. Care must
be taken to ensure areas that are off the white areas of the layout print correctly as
nothing will be printed outside the white layout areas. The vertical ruler is only for easing
layout. The value on the ruler has no impact on how the layout prints. The second set of
pens is wider than can be displayed on the screen therefore the scroll bar at the bottom
must be used to display this section of the layout. At the bottom of the screen, the ruler
values are shown to aid in editing.
The pens that are used to print each .5 inch section of the layout are determined
using the Print Configuration screen, explained under the section Printer Configuration
later in this document.
The currently selected set of pens is shown with a solid border around it. Any
objects added to the layout will be added to the currently selected set of linked pens.
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4.3 Layout Designer Menus
This section gives an overview of the menu items available. Detailed instructions
follow in the appropriate sections.
The File Menu has the basic file operations available.
File ->New – creates a new layout and unloads any layout that is currently being edited.
File ->Open – opens an existing layout and unloads any layout that is currently being
edited.
File->Save – saves any changes to the current layout.
File->Save As – saves the layout under a new name.
File->Exit – exits the Layout Designer.
The Edit Menu contains items for editing the layout.
Edit ->Undo – This will undo only deleted object on a layout, not any other operations or
changes to the settings of the entire layout.
Edit ->Object Properties – Edit the properties of the object that was most recently selected.
Edit->Layout Settings – Edit the settings of the current layout
Edit->Delete – Delete all selected objects
Edit->Cut – Remove one or more selected objects and allow it to be pasted elsewhere.
Edit->Copy – Copy one or more selected objects for pasting.
Edit>Paste – Paste any objects previously cut or copied to the currently selected grid.
The Layout Menu contains items for adding objects to the layout, including text,
barcodes, and pictures.
Layout->Add Advanced Text – add a text object to the layout
Layout->Add Barcode – add 1D, 2D or postal barcodes to the layout
Layout->Add Bitmap – add a bitmap image to the layout
Layout->Clocks – add and edit clocks, used for timestamps and shift codes, for this layout
Layout->Time Stamps – add and edit text timestamps for this layout
Layout->Shift Codes – add and edit text shift codes for this layout
Layout->User Inserts – add a user insert for this layout
Layout->Counters – add a counter for this layout
Format Menu
Format-> Align – various sub-menus allow alignment of objects (only at design time,
does not affect print layout for dynamic objects)
Format-> Make Same Size – various sub-menus allow objects to be identically sized
(does not affect print layout for dynamic objects)
The button brings all objects onto the visible area of the selected layout. This
is useful if the location of the object is off the visible area.
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4.4 Creating Clocks, Timestamps, Shift Codes and User Inserts
4.4.1 Clocks
The Clocks dialog box is accessed via the Layout->Clocks menu item. Clocks are
used to determine the time in creating timestamps and shift codes. If no offset is created,
the clock represents the current time on the local system. A Default clock representing
the current time is created with every new layout. In the above example, a clock called
“6HrsBefore” has been created that includes a 6 hour offset before the current time. This
was created by selecting the New button and changing the Offset Direction to Before
and the Hours dropdown box to 6. If it is currently 7 A.M., the time for the 6HrsBefore
clock would be 1 A.M. The New button allows a new clock to be created. Any text with
the exception of [ and ] can be used in a clock description. Changes are saved by
selecting the OK button. The Cancel button will discard any changes made since the
dialog box was opened.
TIP: If an expiration code changes with the shift instead of at midnight, this
can be done using negative offsets. For example, if the expiration date is 365 days
after production date and it rolls over at the shift change at 6 AM the clock should
be “After”, “Days” should be 365, and “Hours” should be -6. This will roll over the
clock to the next day at 6 A.M. rather than midnight.
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4.4.2 Timestamps
Timestamps are added by selecting Layout->Timestamps.
In the above figure, a timestamp called CurrentDateAndTime was created to
display the Date and Time Appropriate for the current Locale (DTL). At the top of the
screen is the clock selection for the current timestamp. In this case, the Default clock
was chosen, which represents the current time. Start of Week allows the first day of the
week to be chosen. For example, if a Day of Week timestamp string is displayed, it
determines whether Sunday is Day 1 or Monday is Day 1. It also affects Week of Year
calculations.
In the above example, the Date and Time Appropriate for Locale (DTL) was
chosen from the Time Format Strings list in the center of the screen. The symbol for this
string (DTL) is shown below it to the left of the Insert button. After selection, the Insert
button is selected to insert this string into the displayed TimeStamp String box. The
TimeStamp String box shows that the DTL was inserted for this timestamp. To delete
strings from the TimeStamp String box, select the desired timestamp descriptor and
select the Delete button. To move a timestamp string within the TimeStamp String box,
select the desired string and select the left or right arrow.
The “Leading Zeroes” checkbox indicates whether numeric values (such as
numeric month or numeric day) should have leading zeroes prepended on to them.
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The above figure shows a new timestamp based on the 6HrsBefore clock created
earlier in the example. The Alpha weekday timestamp string has been added. This maps
the day of week (with Monday always being Day 1) to a string value that is printed. In
this case, the strings chosen are A-G. After editing the values, the Insert button was
selected and the Alpha weekday string was added. All Alpha timestamp strings and the
Text string (which allows any text) are edited by double tapping (or double clicking) on
the string in the TimeStamp String box. This will open a dialog box which will allow the
values mapped to be changed.
TIP: Free form text can be added by adding a [Text] object located at the
bottom of the list. This allows text to be entered for each [Text] object in a
timestamp.
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4.4.3 Shift Codes
Shift codes are created by selecting Layout->Shift Codes.
The figure above shows the Shift Codes dialog box. A Shift code called Group A
Shift was created by selecting the New button. Initially, the Shift Code column is blank.
The shifts called A, B, and C were added. The start times for each were also selected.
The Shift Code text for this shift code is printed when the time is greater than or equal to
the Start Hour and Start Minute and less than the Start Hour and Start Minute of the next
shift code. The clock used to compare to these times is selected at the top. In this case,
the default clock was selected so the current time on the computer will be used to
determine the shift code that is printed. After editing the values for a shift code the Apply
button must be selected to save any changes before selecting another shift code.
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