Intermec EasyCoder 501XP User manual

Intermec EasyCoder 501 XP Thermal Printhead– Installation Instructions Ed. 2 1
Why does the printhead
wear out?
The EasyCoder 501 XP is fitted with a 12 dots/mm high-perform-
ance thermal printhead. While the receiving face material (e.g.
labels, tickets, or continuous strip) is fed past the printhead, small
resistor elements (dots) on the printhead are electrically charged
and thereby heated. The heat from the dots is transferred to the
thermaltransferribbonordirectthermalpapersoastoformthedot
pattern which makes up the text, images or bar codes.
Printhead wear-out is an inevitable process which applies to all
thermalprintersregardlessofbrand.Duringprinting,thedotsmust
be heated and cooled off very rapidly, which in combination with
mechanical abrasion sooner or later will wear out the printhead,
making the printout gradually weaker. Some dots may even cease
to produce any imprint.
Some measures can be taken to prevent premature wear-out:
• Cleanthe printheadregularly, asdescribed inthe Installation&
Operation manual. Not only will a dirty printhead produce an
inferiorprintout,butanyresidue onthe dotswillpreventheatto
dissipate through the transfer ribbon and paper.
• UseoriginalIntermectransferribbonsonly.Theseareoptimized
specifically for your printer. Inferior back coating on a non-
approved transfer ribbon may cause residue which can com-
pletely destroy the printhead.
• FollowtherecommendationsregardingPaperTypesetupinthe
Installation&Operationmanual.Toomuchenergytotheprint-
head will wear it out rapidly.
• Do not use higher Print Speed setting than necessary.
• Do not use a higher Contrast setting than necessary, especially
not in combination with the highest Paper Type Constant
settings.
• Do not use a higher printhead pressure than necessary.
• Neverprintoutsidethepaperwidth.Dotsnotincontactwiththe
paper will not be cooled properly.
• In case of thermal transfer printing, use a ribbon wider than the
paper (if available).
• Whenusingapaperwithlessthanfullwidth,becarefultoadjust
theprintheadliftarmsothereisanevenpressureacrossthepaper
web. Not only will an uneven pressure impair the printout
quality, but it may also prevent the dots from being properly
cooled.Moreover,asharpouterpaperedgeindirectcontactwith
the printhead may cause excessive mechanical wear on some
dots, which may be visible when printing on wider paper later.
• Whenusingpreprintedlabelsorlabelswithsometypeofvarnish
or non-standard top coating for direct thermal printing, use
originalIntermeclabelsorinksrecommendedbyleadingmanu-
facturer's of direct thermal paper. The labels should not contain
any aggressive substances such as chloride or grinding sub-
stances such as titanium dioxide.
EasyCoder 501 XP
Thermal Printhead
Installation Instructions
Edition 2, September 1998
Part No. 1-960448-01
Simple precautions
Printhead Replacement

Intermec EasyCoder 501 XP Thermal Printhead– Installation Instructions Ed. 2 2
Printhead Replacement
Step-by-step instructions
1 2
34
Turn off the power.
Remove any paper or transfer ribbon. Using your fingers, pull the printhead bracket away from the magnet in the lift arm. Do not use any tools.
Disconnect the hooked printhead bracket fingers from
shaft. Carefully pull out the printhead as far as the cables
allow.
Disconnect the two cables from the printhead. Note the
snap-lock on the white connector. Pull at the connectors
– not at the cables!
5 6
Connect the cables to the replacement printhead.
Blue connector to the left, white connector to the right.
Fit the hooks of the printhead bracket fingers onto the
headlift shaft. Close the printhead so the magnet engages
the printhead bracket. Turn on the power.
Blue
White