SATO M10e Series User manual

M10e Printer
Operation Manual

Warning: This equipment complies with the requirements in Part 15 of FCC rules for a Class A
computing device. Operation of this equipment in a residential area may cause unacceptable
interference to radio and television reception requiring the operator to take whatever steps
necessary to correct the interference.
All rights reserved. This document, nor any part of it, may be reproduced or issued to third
parties in any form without the express permission of SATO Europe. The material in this
document is provided for general information only and is subject to change without notice.
SATO Europe does not assume responsibility for any errors or omissions.
SATO Group of Companies
www.satoworldwide.com
SATO INTERNATIONAL PTE LTD
438A Alexandra Road #05-01/ 02,
Alexandra Technopark,
Singapore 119967
Tel: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
Email: [e-mail]
SATO EUROPE NV
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1932 Sint-Stevens-Woluwe, Brussels,
Belgium
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Fax: [phone]
Email: [email protected]
SATO UK LTD
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Co12 4RR, United Kingdom
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Email: enqui[email protected]om
SATO DEUTSCHLAND GMBH
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Bad Homburg, Germany
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SATO POLSKA SP Z O.O.
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SATO AMERICA INC.
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SATO M10e iii
Warning
It is essential that the safety and operating procedures contained within this manual be
brought to the attention of, and are used by, all personnel likely to operate this printer/prod-
uct.
This printer/product must only be used for the purpose for which it was designed.
This is a Class A product. In a domestic environment this product may cause radio inter-
ference in which case the user may be required to take adequate measures.
Electrostatic discharges on the connector pins and on the memory card may damage the
printer.
In the case of fire, water must not be used on the product to extinguish the fire, and the
appropriate type of fire extinguisher should be readily available.
No modifications, either mechanical or electrical, should be made to this printer/product or
accessory without the written consent of SATO Europe NV. Any modifications made without
this consent may invalidate guarantee claims.
Other manuals relating to this printer include additional information relating to other aspects
of the safe operation of the printer, and are available from your SATO supplier.
All consumable waste, such as the label backing paper and used carbon ribbon must be
disposed of carefully, and in a manner that will cause the minimum of environmental pollu-
tion.
Should you have any doubts regarding the setting, operating or any safety aspects of this
printer/product, please contact your SATO supplier.
SATO Europe NV makes no guarantee that all the features described in this manual are
available in all models, and, due to SATO’s policy of continuous development and improve-
ment, specifications are liable to change, without notice.

SATO M10e iv
Consumables
Always use SATO carbon ribbons or equivalent. The use of incorrect materials may cause
malfunctions of the printer and void the warranty.
Conventions
Text that appears bold italic and all in capitals such as LABEL refers to a key or an LED on
the operation panel.
Text that appears enclosed in brackets such as <ESC> refers to an Escape sequence of a
data string.
Text that appears bold italic such as On-Line refers to a function or to a result.
Text that appears in bold such as VR1 refers to electrical components like pins, resistors
connectors and so on.
Warranty and Copyright
SATO Europe NV makes no guarantee of any kind with regard to this material, including,
but not limited to, the implied guaranties of merchantability and fitness for a particular pur-
pose.
SATO Europe NV shall not be liable for errors contained herein or for any incidental conse-
quential damages in connection with the furnishing, performance, or use of this material.
This document contains proprietary information which is protected by copyright.
All rights are reserved.
No part of this document may be reproduced or issued to third parties in any form whatso-
ever without the express permission of SATO Europe NV.
The information in this document is subject to change without notice.
© Copyright 2003 SATO Europe NV.

SATO M10e v
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Section 1. Printer Overview
Introduction ................................................................................................1-1
Specifications.............................................................................................1-2
Section 2. Installation
Introduction ................................................................................................2-1
Installation ..................................................................................................2-1
Dimensions.................................................................................................2-2
Components...............................................................................................2-3
Media Loading ...........................................................................................2-5
Label Sensing.............................................................................................2-8
Operation Panel .........................................................................................2-9
Dip Switch Panel ........................................................................................2-10
Section 3. CONFIGURATION
Printer Dip Switch Configuration................................................................3-1
Default Settings..........................................................................................3-7
Potentiometer Adjustments........................................................................3-8
LCD Panel Printer Configuration................................................................3-10
Section 4. CLEANING
Cleaning the Print Head, Platen and Rollers..............................................4-1
Cleaning the Label Edge and Paper End Sensors .....................................4-2
Cleaning the Auto Load Sensor .................................................................4-4
Section 5. Troubleshooting
Introduction ................................................................................................5-1
Troubleshooting Tables..............................................................................5-1
Print Quality Problems ...............................................................................5-1
Error Signals...............................................................................................5-4
Section 6. Interface Specifications
Introduction ................................................................................................6-1
IEEE1284 Parallel Interface ........................................................................6-1
RS232 Serial Interface................................................................................6-3
Universal Serial Bus (USB) Interface ..........................................................6-5
Local Area Network (LAN) Optional Interface ............................................6-6
Section 7. Appendix A
Appendix A................................................................................................ A-1

Operation Manual Section 1: Overview
SATO M10e Page 1-1
SECTION 1.
PRINTER OVERVIEW
INTRODUCTION
The SATO M10e printer is a wide carriage thermal printer designed specifically to address need
for large high resolution labels. It can print labels as large as 10.5” x 16.5” with a resolution of
305 dpi (dots per inch) at speeds up to 5 inches per second, making it ideal for large compliance
label applications.All printer parameters are user programmable using the front panel controls
and DIP switches. All popular bar codes and 14 human readable fonts, including vector and two
raster fonts, are resident in memory providing literally thousands of type styles and sizes.
The M10e is available in two versions. The M10eDT is a direct thermal only version and must
use thermally sensitive paper to print. The M10eTT is a thermal transfer model and has provi-
sions for using a thermal transfer ribbon. It can also print in a direct thermal mode if the ribbon is
not used.
This manual will help you understand the basic operations of the printer such as setup, installa-
tion, configuration, cleaning and maintenance.
The M10e uses the standard SATO Printing Language command codes. The only differences
between it and other SATO printers are the allowable values representing the print positions on
the label. These values are specified in “dots” and vary depending upon the resolution of the
printer and the amount of memory available for imaging the label. The allowable ranges for the
M10e are specified in the SATO “e” Printer Programming Reference. This commonality makes it
easy to convert labels from one SATO printer without having to create an entirely different com-
mand stream. There are some caveats that must be observed though to compensate for the dif-
ferent resolution print heads. The effects of the different print resolutions are best illustrated by
taking a label designed for a 305 dpi printer and sending the command stream to a 609 dpi
printer. The label printed will be an exact one half scale, including the fonts, bar code dimen-
sions and line length/widths. The only exceptions are the Postnet bar code and OCR-A and
OCR-B fonts that have only one legal size and the printer resolution is automatically compen-
sated for by the various printers. Conversely, a label designed for a 609 dpi printer and sent to
its 305 dpi cousin will be twice as large. It probably will be “truncated” if the resulting size is
larger that the maximum allowable for the printer.

Section 1: Overview Operation Manual
Page 1-2 SATO M10e
GENERAL PRINTER SPECIFICATIONS
SPECIFICATION M10e
PRINT
Method Direct or Thermal Transfer
Speed (User Selectable) 2 to 10 ips
50 to 125 mm/s
Print Module (Dot Size) ..0033 in.
.083 mm
Resolution 309 dpi
12 d/mm
Maximum Print Width 10.5 in.
266 mm
Maximum Print Length 16.5 in.
420 mm
MEDIA
Minimum Width 5.16 in.
131 mm
Minimum Length 1.7 in.
43 mm
Maximum Width 11.8 in.
300 mm
Type Roll or Fan-Fold Die Cut Labels
Thermally Sensitive for M10eDT
Maximum Caliper 0.008 in.
0.21 mm
Roll OD (max) Face-In 7.8 in.
200 mm
Core ID (min) 3 in
76.2 mm
SENSING
See-Thru Fixed, 0.9 in. (22.5 mm) left of center
Reflective Eye-Mark Fixed, 0.2 in. (5 mm) from left label edge
Continuous Form Not Used
RIBBON
Widths 6.5 in. (165 mm), 8.7 in. (220 mm), 10.7 in.(273 mm)
Length (max) 984 ft. (300 m)
Thickness 4.5 micron, Wound Face-In

Operation Manual Section 1: Overview
SATO M10e Page 1-3
SPECIFICATION M10e
CONTROLS AND INDICATORS
Power Green LED
On-Line Green LED
Error Red LED
LCD Panel 2 Line x 16 Character
Auto-Load (Rear Panel) Green LED
Power On/Off Switch Front Casework
On/Off-Line Key Front Panel
Feed Switch Key Front Panel
Cursor Control Keys Front Panel
Enter Key Front Panel
POTENTIOMETER ADJUSTMENTS
Print Darkness Top Panel
Offset Top Panel
Pitch Top Panel
Display Top Panel
INTERFACE CONNECTIONS (1)
Parallel IEEE1284 Standard
Centronics
Serial RS232C (2,400 to 19,200 bps)
RS232C (9600 to 57600 bps) Standard
RS422/485 (9600 to 57600 bps) Optional
Ready/Busy or X-On/X-Off Flow Control
Bi-directional Status
Universal Serial Bus USB Ver. 1.1 Standard
LAN 10/100BaseT
Wireless LAN 802.11b
PROCESSING
CPU 32 Bit RISC
Flash ROM 4 MB
SDRAM 16 MB
Receive Buffer 2.95 MB
Memory Expansion See Options and Accessories
(1) Only one interface module can be installed in a printer at a time.

Section 1: Overview Operation Manual
Page 1-4 SATO M10e
SPECIFICATION M10e
MATRIX FONTS
U Font 5 dots W x 9 dots H
S Font 8 dots W x 15 dots H
M Font 13 dots W x 20 dots H
XU Font 5 dots H x 9 dots H (Helvetica)
XS Font 17 dots H x 17 dots W (Univers Condensed Bold)
XM Font 24 dots H x 24 dots W (Univers Condensed Bold)
OA Font 22 dots W x 33 dots H (OCR-A)
OB Font 30 Dots W x 36 dots H (OCR-B)
AUTO SMOOTHING FONTS
WB 18 dots W x 30 dots H
WL 28 dots H x 52 dots H
XB 48 dots H x 48 dots W (Univers Condensed Bold)
XL 48 dots W x 48 dots H (Sans Serif)
VECTOR FONT
Proportional or Fixed Spacing
Font Size 50 x 50 dots to 999 x 999 dots
Helvetica, 10 Font Variations
AGFA® RASTER FONTS
Font A CG Times ®, 8 pt to 72 pt
Font B CG Trimvirate®, 8 pt to 72 pt
DOWNLOADABLE FONTS
Bit Mapped TrueType® Fonts with Utility Program
CHARACTER CONTROL
Expansion to 12X in either X or Y coordinates
Character Pitch control
Line Space control
Journal Print facility
0°, 90°, 180° and 270° Rotation

Operation Manual Section 1: Overview
SATO M10e Page 1-5
BAR CODE M10e
SYMBOLOGIES
Linear Bar Codes Bookland (UPC/EAN Supplemental)
EAN-8/EAN-13
CODABAR
CODE 39
CODE 93
CODE 128
Interleaved 2 of 5 (I 2/5)
Industrial 2 of 5
Matrix 2 of 5
MSI
POSTNET
UCC/EAN-128
UPC-A/UPC-E
Two Dimensional Data Matrix
Maxicode
PDF417
Micro PDF
Truncated PDF
QR Code
1:2, 1:3, 2:5, User Programmable
Bar Height 4 to 999 dots, User Programmable
Rotation 0°, 90°, 180° and 270° Rotation
OTHER FEATURES
Sequential Numbering Sequential numbering of both numerics and bar codes
Custom Characters RAM storage for custom designed characters
Graphics Dot addressable, SATO Hex/Binary, BMP or PCX formats
Forms Overlay Overlay of predesigned forms in image buffer

Section 1: Overview Operation Manual
Page 1-6 SATO M10e
SPECIFICATION M10e
PHYSICAL
Wide 18.7 in. (475 mm)
Deep 12.3 in. (313.4 mm)
High 12.6 in.(319.2 mm)
Weight 50.7 lb. (23 kg)
POWER
InputVoltageAutoswiching 100-240VAC+/-10%,50/60Hz
Power Consumption 560W Operating, 40W Idle
ENVIRONMENTAL
Operating Temperature 41° to 104°F (5° to 40°C)
Storage Temperature (-5° to 60°C)
Storage Humidity 30 to 90% RH Non-Condensing
Operating Humidity 30 to 80% RH Non-Condensing
Electrostatic Discharge
REGULATORY APPROVALS
Safety UL, CSA, TUV
RFI/EMI FCC Class B

Operation Manual Section 1: Overview
SATO M10e Page 1-7
All specifications subject to change without notice.
ACCESSORIES AND OPTIONS
PCMCIA MEMORY
EXPANSION
One slot for PCMCIA Memory Card (up to 4 MB SRAM or 16 MB Flash
ROM). Can be used for graphic file storage, print buffer expansion, format
storage and downloaded fonts.
CALENDAR An internal Date/Time clock that can be used to date/time stamp labels at
the time of printing.
LABEL CUTTER An attachment allowing labels to be cut at specified intervals. Controlled
through programming.
COAX/TWINAX
INTERFACE
Coan/Twinax Plug-In Interface module. Coax interface emmulates an IBM
3287-2 printer with a stndard Type A BNC connector. Twinax interface
emulates IBM 5224, 5225, 5226 or 4214 printers with auto-terminate/
cable through capabilities.
PARALLEL INTERFACE IEEE1284 Bi-Directional Plug-In Interface Module
SERIAL INTERFACE High Speed RS232 Plug-In Interface Module
USB INTERFACE Universal Serial Bus Plug-In Interface Module
LAN 10/100 BaseT Plug-In Interface Module
WIRELESS LAN802.11b

Operation Manual Section 2. Installation
SATO M10e Page 2-1
SECTION 2.
INSTALLATION
INTRODUCTION
This section of the manual has been written to help you install the SATO M10e
printers and to get started as quickly as possible. It is recommend to read each
chapter in this manual before the installation or the use of the print modules.
INSTALLATION
Remove the M10e from its packing container. The Top Cover is shipped unattached
in a separate compartment. Check to mae sure you have the following accessory
items:
Careful consideration must be given when selecting the location of the printer,
especially to environmental considerations. To obtain optimum results from the
M10e, always try to avoid operation locations influenced by:
• Direct or bright sunlight, as this will make the label sensor less responsive and
may cause the label to be sensed incorrectly.
• Locations which have extremes of temperature, as this can create electrical
problems on the circuits within the printer.
• The installed location of the printer should ideally be in areas free from dust,
humidity and sudden vibrations.
CONSUMABLES
Always use SATO carbon ribbons or equivalent in the thermal transfer models. The
use of incorrect materials may cause malfunctions of the printer and void the
warranty.

Section 2. Installation Operation Manual
Page 2-2 SATO M10e
DIMENSIONS
.
Width: 18.7 inches 475 mm
Depth: 12.3 inches 313.4 mm
Height:, M10eTT: 12.6 inches 319.2 mm
Height, M10eDT 10.8 inches 274.2 mm

Operation Manual Section 2. Installation
SATO M10e Page 2-3
COMPONENTS
Paper ExitLCD Panel
Operator Panel
Power Switch
Top Cover
Left Ribbon
Left Ribbon
Take Up Spindle
Supply Spindle
Empty
Ribbon Core
Spring Loaded
Ribbon Supply
Spindle
Spring Loaded
RibbonTake Up
Spindle
Head Release
Lever

Section 2. Installation Operation Manual
Page 2-4 SATO M10e
Media Width Adjust Thumbscrews
PCMCIA Card Slot AC Input Connector
EXT Port
Connector
Interface
Card Slot
Configuration Panel
Media Loaded LED
PowerSwitch To turn power On or Off
Operator Panel To set up the various configurations and to display dispensing
quantity and the various alarms.
Configuration Panel Potentiometers and DIP switches to configure the printer and
make setup adjustments.
AC Input ConnectorToinput 115V/240V50 / 60 Hz. Usethe power cableprovided.
Interface Slot Slot for installation of Plug-In Interface Module.
EXT Connector This is an external signal connector external control of print
cycle.
PCMCIA Card Slot Connector for Optional PCMCIA Memory Card.

Operation Manual Section 2. Installation
SATO M10e Page 2-5
MEDIA LOADING
Ribbon Loading (not applicable for the M10eDT)
1. Open the Top Cover to expose the ribbon
mechanism..
2. Open the Print Head by pulling forward on
the purple Head Latch lever on the right
hand side of the ribbon mechanism.
3. Lift the Print Head by rotating it upward
and to the rear.
4. The right hand Ribbon Supply Spindle is
spring loaded. Press outward on the
spring loaded spindle and place the new
ribbon on the left hand spindle, making
sure the notches in the core line up with
the tangs on the spindle.
5. Place the ribbon on the right hand ribbon
Supply Spindle, again making sure the
notches in the core line up with the tangs
on the spindle. Release the spring loaded
spindle.
6. Route the ribbon around the Print Head
and up to the take up core as shown in
the ribbon loading diagram in the Top
Cover.
7. Place an empty ribbon core on the Ribbon
Take Up Spindle. The right hand spindle is
spring loaded. Press outward to provide
clearance to install the core.The ribbon
leader is attached to the ribbon by an
adhesive strip. Carefully pull the leader
free and pull about 18 inches of leader
from the new ribbon. The ribbon should come off the top of the roll, ink side (dull
side) down.
Load ribbon supply
TBA

Section 2. Installation Operation Manual
Page 2-6 SATO M10e
8. Route the ribbon as shown in the Ribbon
Routing Diagram on the inside of the Top
Cover.
9. Attach the leader to the take up core by
pressing the adhesive strip on the leader
firmly onto the core (if the adhesive strip
does not adhere, use a small piece of
tape).
10. Manually wind approximately three turns
of ribbon on the core.
11. Inspect the ribbon to make sure it is not
folded over or excessively wrinkled as it
passes over the print head.
12. Close the Print Head by rotating it forward
and down. Press firmly on each end of the ribbon mechansim at the points
labeled “PUSH” until the Print Head latches firmly in place.
Loading the Label Stock
The M10e has an automatic media loading feature, making it extremely easy to load.
1. Select the proper media sensing method
using the DIP switches on the
Configuration Panel. The printer comes
from the factory set up for label gap
detection (DS2-2 and DS3-3 both in the
Off position). If Eye-Mark labels are to be
used, DS2-2 should be placed in the On
position.
2. Apply power to the printer.
3. Release the Print Head by pulling
forward on the Head Latch Lever.
4. Check to make sure that nothing is in the
media path. Remove any media that may
have been left in the printer.
5. Adjust the Label Width Guides by
losening the thumbscrew and moving
the guides in or out to match the media
width. The guides are interlocked so that
adjusting one will automatically adjust
the other side to maintain a center
justified label path. Tighten the
thumbscrews.
6. Note that the Green Media Loaded LED
on the back panel is off.
Tape to core
TBA
Ribbon Take Up Core
Label Width Adjustment
Thumbscrews
Load Paper
TBA

Operation Manual Section 2. Installation
SATO M10e Page 2-7
7. Thread the media into the back of the printer between the label guides. When it is
correctly positioned, the Green Media Loaded LED will be on.
8. Close the Top Cover.
9. Place the printer Online by pressing the
LINE key.
10. The printer will automatically feed the
media into the printer until it is correctly
positioned for printing.
Media Loaded LED

Section 2. Installation Operation Manual
Page 2-8 SATO M10e
LABEL SENSING
The M10e can position labels using either a label gap (transmissive) or an Eye-Mark
(reflective) sensor. The sensor used is selected by DSW2-2. The sensor position are
fixed and cannot be adjusted. In addition, the signals from the sensors can be
adjusted using the LCD panel to compensate for different liner opacities and/or Eye-
Mark reflectance values.
Platen Roller
Cut Position Print Position
Auto Load Sensor
Feed Roller
Label Sensor
Eye Mark Sensor
Label Gap Sensor
Paper End Sensor
Auto Load Sensor
Label Feed Direction
All dimensions are in mm