Printronix SMARTLINE SL4M User manual

Quick Setup Guide
SL4M and T4M
RFID Smart Label and Thermal Printers
™
™

This Quick Setup Guide contains a
CD-ROM, located in a plastic pocket in
the back cover, with the following
material:
• Printer Setup Wizard
• Windows Drivers
• Label Design Software
• Network and RFID Solutions
• Manuals
• Contact Us
Save this guide. If you move your
printer to a different location in the
future, you may need these instructions
again.
NOTICE

3
Introduction
Thank you for your purchase of the SL4M RFID Smart Label printer
or T4M thermal printer.
This
Quick Setup Guide describes how to set up the printer, load
ribbon and media, and print a test page.
NOTE: This
Quick Setup Guide covers both the SL4M and T4M
printers.
The SL4M is a smart label printer. It is equipped with an
RFID encoder and has the “RFID SMART” logo near the
control panel.
The T4M printer does not come equipped with an RFID
encoder, but can be upgraded in the field.

Printer Setup
4
Printer Setup
1. Place the printer on a flat level surface that allows easy access
to all sides of the printer.
CAUTION Never operate the printer on its side or upside down.
2. At the front of the printer, set the power switch to O (Off).
Power Switch
Front View

5
3. At the rear of the printer, connect the desired interface cable to
the appropriate connector and the host computer.
WARNING Failure to properly ground the printer may result in electric
shock to the operator.
In compliance with international safety standards, this printer
has been equipped with a three-pronged power cord. Do not
use adapter plugs or remove the grounding prong from the
cable plug. If an extension cord is required, ensure that a
three-wire cable with a properly grounded plug is used.
4. Plug the AC power cord into the AC power receptacle.
5. Plug the AC power cord to a grounded (three prong) electrical
outlet of the proper voltage. (Do not turn on the printer yet.)
AC Power
Receptacle
IEEE1284 Parallel
Interface
RS-232 Serial
Interface
Ethernet Interface
(optional)
USB Connection
Rear View

Loading Ribbon And Roll Media
6
Loading Ribbon And Roll Media
IMPORTANT For best results, use only genuine Printronix supplies. See
“Printronix Supplies Department” on page 18.
CAUTION DO NOT TOUCH the printhead or the electronic components
under the printhead assembly.
CAUTION Do not close the pivoting deck without label stock installed
between the printhead and the platen, because debris on the
platen may damage the printhead.
CAUTION Avoid touching the electrical connectors while setting up the
printer to prevent electrostatic discharge damage. The
discharge of accumulated electrostatic energy can damage or
destroy the printhead or electronic components used in this
printer.

Load Ribbon
7
Load Ribbon
For direct thermal media (no ribbon required), go to page 10.
IMPORTANT Clean the printhead, platen roller, and media sensors every
time you change the ribbon. Refer to the
User’s Manual .
1. Raise the media cover.
2. Install the ribbon take-up core on the ribbon take-up spindle.
NOTE: The first ribbon take-up core comes with the printer.
Thereafter, move the empty core from the ribbon supply
spindle to the take-up spindle after the ribbon is used up.
3. Slide the ribbon roll onto the ribbon supply spindle until it is
flush with the flange.
4. Open the pivoting deck by rotating the deck lock lever fully
counterclockwise until the deck swings upward.
Ribbon
Roll
Ribbon
Supply Spindle
Deck Lock
Lever
Pivoting
Deck
Ribbon
Take-Up Core
Ribbon
Take-Up Spindle
Media Cover Flange

Loading Ribbon And Roll Media
8
5. Thread the end of the ribbon under the ribbon guide rollers,
between the platen (rubber drive roller) and the printhead, and
between the ribbon take-up and supply spindles.
NOTE: Make sure to thread the ribbon behind the ribbon take-up
spindle.
NOTE: The alternate ribbon path is for ribbons that are inked on
the inside.
Printhead
Ribbon Guide
Roller (2)
Ribbon
Ribbon
Supply Spindle
Ribbon
Take-Up Spindle
Ribbon Take-Up
Core
Alternate
Ribbon Path
Platen
(not shown)

Load Ribbon
9
IMPORTANT Never attach the ribbon to the ribbon take-up spindle without a
ribbon take-up core installed.
6. Attach the ribbon to the ribbon take-up core on the ribbon
take-up spindle with tape.
7. Manually rotate the ribbon take-up spindle counterclockwise
until the ribbon leader has passed the printhead.
Ribbon
Take-up Spindle
Ribbon
Take-up Core
Ribbon Leader
Printhead

Loading Ribbon And Roll Media
10
Load Roll Media
IMPORTANT If you are using direct thermal mode, clean the printhead,
platen roller, and upper and lower media sensors every time
you change the media. Refer to the
User’s Manual .
1. Slide the media hanger guide outward to the end of the media
hanger (as shown).
Media Hanger
Media Hanger
Guide
Media Cover

Load Roll Media
11
2. Place the media roll onto the media hanger and slide the media
roll until it is flush with the printer’s side wall.
NOTE: For information regarding smart labels, refer to the
RFID
Labeling Reference Manual
.
3. Slide the media hanger guide against the media roll to prevent
horizontal travel.
Media Roll
Media Hanger
Guide
Media Hanger
Side Wall

Loading Ribbon And Roll Media
12
4. Thread the media under the media damper, through the media
sensor assembly, and then between the platen and the
printhead.
NOTE: If you have a standard peel, label or liner rewinder, refer to
the
User’s Manual for proper threading instructions.
NOTE: The alternate media path is for inside wound label media.
CAUTION If the media width guide locking knob is too loose or is
removed, the media width guide will fall off the printer.
5. Turn the media width guide locking knob counterclockwise just
enough to slide the media width guide, and no more.
6. Position the media width guide lightly against the outside edge
of the installed media and tighten the locking knob by turning it
clockwise.
Media
Printhead
Platen
(not shown)
Media Damper
Media
Width Guide
Media Sensor
Assembly
Locking
Knob Alternate
Media Path

Position The Media Sensor Assembly
13
Position The Media Sensor Assembly
Your printer is equipped with a media sensor assembly that detects
the top-of-form position on media with label length indicators (gaps,
notches, holes, or black marks). See page 14.
The media sensor should not be placed in the path of media
features that could cause false gap detection or paper out faults.
Such features are dark pre-printing, rounded die-cut label corners,
vertical gaps associated with side-by-side labels, and extraneous
cut-outs, as shown below.
Vertical Gap and
Rounded Die-cut
Label Corners
Extraneous
Cut-out
Dark Pre-printing
Position the Gap
Sensor Indicator in
either of the grey
shaded areas.

Loading Ribbon And Roll Media
14
1. Align the left (inside) edge of the media with the inside media
edge guide.
2. If the label has no special label length indicators, leave the
media sensor assembly in the factory position.
Otherwise, use the media sensor handle to horizontally position
the media sensor assembly so that the sensor indicators
embossed on both of its sides are aligned with the label length
indicators on the media.
Use the Mark Sensor Indicator for media with black marks and
the Gap Sensor Indicator for media with gaps, notches, or
holes.
Media Sensor
Handle
Media Sensor
Assembly
Media
Mark Sensor
Indicator
(both sides) Gap Sensor
Indicator
(both sides)
Inside Media
Edge Guide
Media
(left edge)

Position The Media Sensor Assembly
15
3. Rotate the deck lock lever fully clockwise to close the pivoting
deck.
4. If you have an RFID encoder, you may need to adjust the
coupler. (Refer to the
RFID Labeling Reference Manual .)
5. Lower the media cover.
Deck Lock
Lever
Pivoting
Deck

Controls And Indicators
16
Controls And Indicators
Power Switch
The power switch is located on the bottom front panel of the printer.
To apply power, place the switch in the |(On) position. When you
first power on the printer, a series of initialization messages
appears on the LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) on the control panel.
To remove power, place the power switch in the O (Off) position.
Control Panel
The control panel is located on the front of the printer and includes
an LCD, indicators, and control keys (buttons).
Online Indicator Fault Indicator
LCD (Liquid
Crystal Display)
Left Key
Up Key
Down Key
Enter Key
Pause Key
Menu Key
Right Key
Feed Key
NOTE: Press the Down
and ↵(Enter) keys at
the same time to lock
or unlock the ↵key.
Cancel Key

Control Panel
17
Run A Barcode Demo Test
Before you send an actual print job, run a bar code demo test:
1. Set the printer power switch to |(On).
2. When ONLINE or OFFLINE displays on the printer’s LCD,
press to enter Menu mode.
3. Press the Down and ↵keys at the same time until THE ↵KEY
IS UNLOCKED displays.
4. Press the Right key until DIAGNOSTICS displays.
5. Press ↵to enter the DIAGNOSTICS menu. The Printer
Tests submenu is selected.
6. Press the Right key until Barcode Demo displays.
7. Press ↵. The printer will go online, and the Barcode Demo test
pattern will start and print two bar codes.
8. If desired, you can run additional printer tests, such as Grey,
Grid, and Checkerboard. See step 2 above to start other tests.
9. If you encounter print quality problems, refer to “Printhead
Adjustments” in the
User’s Manual (located on the CD-ROM
included with this book).
Hidden Menus
By default, menu items for advanced users are hidden (they do not
appear in the menu structure). To display these hidden menus, set
Admin User to Enable (in the PRINTER SETUP menu).
Run The Printer Setup Wizard
Run the Printer Setup Wizard (located on the CD-ROM) to install
the printer drivers and to configure the printer.

Contact Information
18
Contact Information
Printronix Customer Support Center
IMPORTANT Please have the following information available prior to calling
the Printronix Customer Support Center:
•Model number
•Serial number (located on the back of the printer)
•Installed options (i.e., interface and host type if applicable to the
problem)
•Configuration printout (refer to the User’s Manual )
•Is the problem with a new install or an existing printer?
•Description of the problem (be specific)
•Good and bad samples that clearly show the problem (faxing of
these samples may be required)
Americas [phone]
Europe, Middle East, and Africa (31) 24 6489 311
Asia Pacific (65) 6548 4114
http://www.printronix.com/support.aspx
Printronix Supplies Department
For optimal print quality and printhead life, always use Genuine
Printronix Ribbons and Labels. Contact your local Printronix
supplies reseller or contact Printronix at:
Americas [phone]
Europe, Middle East, and Africa (33) 1 46 25 1900
Asia Pacific (65) 6548 4116
or (65) 6548 4182
http://www.printronix.com/supplies-parts.aspx

Corporate Offices
19
Corporate Offices
Printronix, Inc.
14600 Myford Road
P.O. Box 19559
Irvine, CA 92623-9559
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
Printronix, Inc.
Nederland BV
P.O. Box 163, Nieuweweg 283
NL-6600 Ad Wijchen
The Netherlands
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
Printronix Schweiz GmbH
42 Changi South Street 1
Changi South Industrial Estate
Singapore 486763
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
Visit the Printronix web site at www.printronix.com
For More Information
This Quick Setup Guide provides information for the setup of your
printer. Refer to the
User’s Manual (located on the CD-ROM
included with this book) for more detailed information including:
•Configuring the Printer
•Interfaces
•Diagnostics and Troubleshooting
•Printer Options
•Specifications
•Glossary of Terms

Communication Notices
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 protection against harmful
interference in a residential installation. This equipment generates, uses, and can radiate radio frequency
energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with the instructions, may cause harmful interference to
radio communications. However, there is no guarantee that interference will not occur in a particular
installation. If this equipment does cause harmful 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.
Unauthorized changes or modifications could void the user’s authority to operate the equipment.
This device complies with part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the following two conditions: (1)
this device may not cause harmful interference, and (2) this device must accept any interference received,
including interference that may cause undesired operation.
Any change or modification to this product voids the user’s authority to operate it per FCC Part 15 Subpart A
Section 15.21 regulations.
This product contains an intentional radiator with the following parameters:
Operating Frequency: 869.525 MHz (AWID 869), 910 to 914 MHz (AWID 910-914),
or 902 to 928 MHz (AWID 915)
Typical RF Power: 100 milliwatts
Maximum RF Power: 700 milliwatts
Canada
This Class B digital apparatus complies with Canadian ICES-003 and RSS 210.
Cet appareil numérique de la classe B est conforme à la norme NMB-003 du Canada.
Operation is subject to the following two conditions: (1) this device may not cause interference, and (2) this
device must accept any interference, including interference that may cause undesired operation of the device.
This device has been designed to operate with the antennas listed below, and having a maximum gain of
–12 dBi. Antennas not included in this list or having a gain greater than –12 dBi are strictly prohibited for use
with this device. The required antenna impedance is 50 ohms.
To reduce potential radio interference to other users, the antenna type and its gain should be so chosen that
the equivalent isotropically radiated power (e.i.r.p.) is not more than that permitted for successful
communication.
Tested To Comply
With FCC Standards
Printronix SL4M and T4M