Star Micronics NP-215 User manual

Spec. No D-F0301
Specifications for
Kiosk module printer
NP-215
NP-225
NP-325
NP-415W
Revision 1.00 2000.08.01 1 edition
Revision 2.00 2001.04.18 2 edition
Revision 2.10 2001.06.13 3 edition
Revision 2.20 2002.01.29 4 edition
Revision 2.30 2002.02.15 5 edition
Revision 2.40 2002.03.26 6 edition
Revision 2.50 2002.04.12 7 edition
Revision 2.60 2002.07.09 8 edition
Revision 2.70 2003.01.31 9 edition
《Notice》･All features and specifications described are subject to change without notice.

Read carefully Before Using the Printer
Wrong handling of the printer may cause its performance declined and the product damaged. Please
read the notes below before handling.
1. Static discharge prevention must be made for installation and removal of the printer to protect IC
and other electrical parts. Connect it to the earth ground. It is also requested to remove the static
from body of the person before handling, especially, the input terminal.
2. Avoid excessive force to the input terminal for handling.
3. When any type of paper, other than specified in this manual, is used, it may cause deterioration
of the print quality and thermal head reliability.
Examples of troubles
1) Print quality deterioration by using low sensitivity paper.
2) Thermal head wears due to roughness of paper surface.
3) Sticking between heat receipt layer and thermal head, and vibration noise during printing.
4) Print ink disappears on low print durability paper.
5) Electrolyte corrosion on thermal head due to low quality of heat receipt layer.
4. Avoid printing with no paper loaded. It damages platen and thermal head.
5. Do not scrabble thermal head with sharp edge or something hard, or give impact. The heat
element may be damaged.
6. Set the power of printer off before connecting or removing connecters.
7. When printing in high speed under low temperature of high humidity environment, the paper may
be stained by moisture that appears from paper, or the printer may have condensation. Avoid
dew from dropping down to the thermal head that may cause electrolyte corrosion. Turn the
power off until any dew is removed.
8. The printer is not protected from water or dew formed. Do not water the printer or handle it with a
wet hand, which may cause damage to the printer due to short circuit, or heat or fire.
9. The printer is not protected from dust or dirt. If it is used at dusty place, the thermal head may be
damaged or paper feed is not operated properly.
10. When cleaning the printer with a vacuum cleaner, avoid the printer’s paper outlet from locating
cleaner’s air inlet.
11. The printer’s main structure parts use plated steel. However, rust may be caused to the cut
section.
12. Reflection type of infrared ray sensors are used at some locations in the printer. Direct sun light
may cause mal-function of printer. Avoid from such a location for installation.
13. This printer does not support any operations caused by the commands or control commands not
specified in this manual.

Table of Contents
1. Overview
1.1 Overview 1
1.2 Features 1
1.3 Configuration 2
2. Specifications
2.1 Basic specifications 2
2.2 Printing area and cutter position 4
2.3 Power supply specifications 5
2.4 Reliability 5
2.5 Dimensions
1) NP-215 dimensional drawing 6
2) NP-225 dimensional drawing 7
3) NP-325 dimensional drawing 8
4) NP-415W dimensional drawing 9
3. Interface specifications
3.1 Parallel interface (Centronics) 10
3.2 Serial interface (RS-232C) 11
3.3 Connector connections 12
3.4 Connector signal details 12
4. Functions
4.1 Function setting 16
4.2 Processing error 17
4.3 Buffer full print 17
4.4 Automatic paper cut 18
4.5 Winder drive 18
4.6 Partition drive 18
5. Control commands
5.1 Control command table 19
5.2 Printer driver 20
5.3 Control command details 20
6. Character code table
6.1 Domestic code table 39
6.2 Overseas character code table 40
6.3 International character code table 41
7. Cable
7.1 B501 power cable 42

1
1. Overview
1.1 Overview
The printer is categorized as following.
NP - * * 5 * *
1 2 3 4
1: Paper width, 2 = 2 inches, 3 = 3 inches
2: Paper setting, 1= Paper holder type, 2 = Drop-in type
3: Interface, P = Parallel, R = Serial, D = Parallel/Serial compatible
4: OEM number
* D type is parallel and serial compatible. Interface connector is not incorporated.
NP - 4 1 5 W * *
1 2 3
1: Windows driver available
2: Interface, P = Parallel, R = Serial, D = Parallel/Serial compatible
3: OEM number
* D type is parallel and serial compatible. Interface connector is not incorporated.
1.2 Features
This module printer is designed on the basis of our long experience as a printer manufacturer.
Individual unit such as printer mechanism, controller board and auto-cutter is assembled in
compact with our reliable design concept.
Simple integration to the system requiring only power and data supplies, that contributes to the
short development time and improvement of product reliability.
1) Important areas such as paper entrance and auto-cutter guide are designed professionally on
the basis of our long experience as a printer manufacturer.
2) Small, compact and light weight. Easy to integrate into various kinds of system.
3) Short development time.
4) High speed and quality of printing
5) Both parallel and serial interfaces are available as a standard.
6) Various barcode symbols, 1-D and 2-D (QR code) are available.
7) Various kinds of application are available.
8) Possible to control paper presenter (paper transfer and present device).
9) User-friendly drop-in type of roll paper holder with paper end sensor. * 1
10) Windows drivers (Windows95/98/NT4.0/2000) are available.
11) Easy to write/rewrite F/W by using flash memory. Also, 3 patterns of registration are
available with NV bit image.
*1 Drop-in type of paper holder is for NP-225, NP-325 and NP-415W. NP-215 is paper holder
type.

2
1.3 Configuration
The printer consists of the following components.
Product Name
Description Specification Part No. Q’ty
NP-215 NP-225 NP-325 NP-415W
NP-215 1 X
NP-225 1 X
NP-325 1 X
Printer
NP-415W 1 X
60xØ48mm 24-X117 1 X X
80xØ48mm 24-X121 1 X
Thermal paper
112xØ48mm 24-X116 1 X
80R 35-029Q 1 X
Paper holder 80L 35-030Q 1 X
Screws tight 21-U196 2 X
B501power
cable
D-P44507 30-439A 1 X X X X
*B501 power cable : D type only
2. Specifications
2.1 Basic specifications
No. Specifications NP-215/225 NP-325 NP-415W
1. Print method Line thermal dot ÅÅ
2. Total dots / line 432 dots 576 dots 832 dots
3. Dot density 8 dots / mm ÅÅ
4. Print width 54 mm 72 mm 104 mm
5. Print speed (Max.)
*It can be changed by the
condition.
85 mm / s
1 partition drive
(ASCII print)
70 mm / s
1 partition drive
(ASCII print)
70 mm / s
Automatic partition
drive (ASCII 38 print)
6. Print digits
Font A (12×24)
Font B (9×17)
36 digits (Font A)
48 digits (Font B)
48 digits (Font A)
64 digits (Font B)
69 digits (Font A)
92 digits (Font B)
1 Print specs.
7. Line feed pitch 0.125 mm ÅÅ
1. Character size
Font A (12×24)
Font B (9×17)
1.50×3.00 mm
1.13×2.13 mm
Å
Å
Å
Å
2. Character types
ASCII 224 ÅÅ
Block graphics 80×2 ÅÅ
International 32 ÅÅ
2 Character
specs.
3. Character modification Double width ÅÅ
Vertical double ÅÅ
Quadruple ÅÅ
Bold ÅÅ
Double strike ÅÅ
Inverted ÅÅ
90°clockwise rotation
Black/white reverse
Underline
Å
Å
Å
Å
Å
Å
4. Line spacing (Default) 4.25 mm (1/6 inch) ÅÅ
ANK mode ÅÅ
Bit image mode ÅÅ
3 Print mode
Barcode mode ÅÅ
1-D symbology UPC-A
UPC-E
Å
Å
Å
Å
EAN-13 (JAN-13) ÅÅ
EAN-8 (JAN-8) ÅÅ
CODE39 ÅÅ
4 Barcode
specs
ITF
ÅÅ

3
CODABAR (NW-7) ÅÅ
CODE128 ÅÅ
2-D symology QR code ÅÅ
Parallel Centronics ÅÅ5 Interface
Serial RS-232C
ÅÅ
6 Auto-cutter 1. Cut method Guillotine type ÅÅ
2. Applicable paper Thermal 65 - 125
(micro)
ÅÅ
3. Cut cycle 30 cuts / minute ÅÅ
4. Cut mode (by command
setting)
Total cut
Partial cut (a 2mm tab
left at the center)
ÅÅ
5. Life time 300,000 cuts ÅÅ
1. Paper width 60 mm 80 mm 112mm
2. Max. diameter Ø80 mm / Ø83 mm Ø83 mm Ø83 mm
3. Core diameter Inner Ø12mm
Outer Ø18mm ←←
7 Paper
specs.
4. Papers recommended TF50KS-E2D (Nihon Seishi)
PD160R-N (Shin Oji Seishi)
AFP235 (Mitsubishi Seishi)
TL69KS-R2 (Nihon Seishi)
TL69KS-HW74 (Nihon Seishi)
TC98KS-T1 (Nihon Seishi)
8 Receiving
buffer
Approx. 10K bytes ←←
9 Operation
SW
ALMLED OUT
Line feed SW input
←
←
←
←
10 Weight Net weight approx. 550g / 650g approx. 750g approx. 1,250g
11 Low sensor Approx. 22.5 Ø (approx.2.5m+-1m. When inner
of paper core is Ø 12 and outer is Ø 18)
Reflection sensor.
Approx. 3m +- 1.5m
(When inner of paper
core is Ø 12 and outer
is Ø 18.) Changeable
reflection sensor

4
2.2 Printing area and cutter position
Cutter position (Cutting place)
A
TOP 0.0mm
Cutterposition 3.0mm
Unprintable area
Head position 17.5mm
Sensor position 28.5mm
1 2 D
0.125mm
B C B
9.1+-0.5mm
Black mark printing 5.3+-0.2mm min.
10.3+-0.2 mm min.
NP-215
NP-225 NP-325 NP-415W
A 60mm 80mm 112mm
B 3mm 4mm 4mm
C 54mm 72mm 104mm
D 432dot 576dot 832dot
1. Black mark printing is used
when preprint paper is formatted
and used.
2. Black mark printing is printed on
the backside with black ink.
3. Do not print around the black
mark printing area with dark ink.
…………

5
2.3 Power supply specifications
1) Power voltage : DC24V±5%
2) Current consumption *2, *3
NP-215/225 NP-325 NP415W
1 partition 2 partition 1 partition 2 partition 1 partition 2 partition
Standby Approx. 0.1A
ASCII printing
(Printing average of 16%)
Approx.
1.4A
Approx.
0.9A
Approx.
1.7A
Approx.
1.1A - Approx.
1.3A
Bit image printing
(Max 100%)
Approx.
6.0A
Approx.
3.2A
Approx.
7.8A
Approx.
4.1A - Approx.
5.7A
*2: A sufficient volume of power supply is required to maintain print quality due to high peak current
that may run according to printing.
*3: If power supply cable is excessively long, the operation may become unstable. Cable should be
made as short as possible. If not available, connect cables near the printer and place an electrolysis
condenser of 2200μbetween power supply and ground. Voltage resistance should be higher than
35V.
* For preventing from static electric discharge, make sure to connect FG wire.
2.4 Reliability
1) Head life : Average resistance change rate to head less than 15%, except
defects caused by dust or others
Pulse : More than 100 million pulses (with recommended paper)
Wear distance : More than 50 km (with recommended paper)
2) Operation environment : Temperature 0 – 45℃
Print guarantee 5 - 40℃, no condensation
3) Storage environment : Temperature -20 - 60℃
* When storing for a long time, paper must be kept loaded between head and platen.
4) Frame Ground (FG) wire
The FG wire (Green and Yellow) is coming from the printer body. Make sure to ground the wire
near the body frame when installing the printer. FG grounding is effective for minimizing the noise
level, preventing from SED and maintaining the FG safety for head, cutter, body frame, power
supply and Data connectors.
5) Safety regulation
CE marking
UL60950
6) EMC
EMI: EN55022
VCCI: Class A
FCC: Class A
EMS: EN55024

6
2.5 Dimensions
1) NP-215 dimensional drawing
frame ground
frame ground
frame ground wires L=(75)
frame ground
ＮＰ−２１５Ｄ
ＮＰ−２１５Ｒ
paper exit
181.4
59 73
10 10 765
99
49.4 10.9
60 (33)(33) paper width
φ3.4
φ5.4×3.4
118 27.8
111.3
17.7 148.4
D type
R type
(8)
27
(φ80)
(54)
)(12027
M3 screw holes to fix frame ground.
60.5
38.7
This drawing is for NP-215P.

7
2) NP-225 dimensional drawing
frame ground
frame ground wires L=(75)
frame ground
frame ground
ＮＰ−２２５Ｒ
ＮＰ−２２５Ｄ
)(12027
M3 screw holes to fix frame ground.
10765 10 749.4
192.9
79.3
(54)
17.7
118
60 (33)(33)
φ5.4×3.4
paper exit
paper width
120.8
60.5
124
38.7
φ3.4
This drawing is for NP-225P.