TSC Alpha-30L Series User manual

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Alpha-30L/40L
Moblie Barcode Printers
User Manual
Series Lists:
Alpha-30L / Alpha-40L
Direct Thermal

I
Copyright information
© 2021 TSC Auto ID Technology Co., Ltd.
The copyright in this manual, the software and firmware in the printer described are owned by TSC Auto ID Technology Co., Ltd.
All rights reserved.
CG Triumvirate is a trademark of Agfa Corporation. CG Triumvirate Bold Condensed font is under license from the Monotype
Corporation. Windows is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation.
All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Information in this document is subject to change without
notice and does not represent a commitment on the part of TSC Auto ID Technology Co. No part of this manual may be
reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, for any purpose other than the purchaser’s personal use, without the
expressed written permission of TSC Auto ID Technology Co.

II
Table of Contents
1. Introduction .......................................................................................................................................................................................................1
1.1 Product Specification...................................................................................................................................................................................2
1.2 Battery Information.......................................................................................................................................................................................4
2. Operation Overview...........................................................................................................................................................................................5
2.1 Unpacking and Inspection............................................................................................................................................................................5
2.2 Printer Overview ..........................................................................................................................................................................................6
2.2.1 Front View.............................................................................................................................................................................................6
2.2.2 Interior View ..........................................................................................................................................................................................7
2.2.3 Rear View..............................................................................................................................................................................................8
2.3 Controls and Indicators................................................................................................................................................................................9
2.3.1 Keys / LCD control panel icon indication..............................................................................................................................................10
3. Setup...............................................................................................................................................................................................................12
3.1 Setting up the Printer.................................................................................................................................................................................12
3.2 Charging the Smart Battery........................................................................................................................................................................13
3.2.1 Charging the Battery............................................................................................................................................................................14
3.2.2 Charging the Battery by 1-bay/4-bay Battery Charger (Optional).........................................................................................................15
3.2.3 Charging the Battery by 1-bay Printer Charger (Optional)....................................................................................................................16
3.2.4 Charging the Battery by 4-bay Printer Charger (Optional)....................................................................................................................17
3.3 Loading the Media .....................................................................................................................................................................................18

III
3.4 Loading the Media in Peel-off Mode...........................................................................................................................................................20
3.5 Loading the External Media .......................................................................................................................................................................20
3.6 Installing the Belt Clip ................................................................................................................................................................................23
3.7 Installing the IP54-rated environmental case with shoulder strap (Optional)...............................................................................................24
3.8 Connecting to the Printer ...........................................................................................................................................................................25
3.8.1 Cable Communication.........................................................................................................................................................................25
3.8.2 Wireless Communication with Bluetooth..............................................................................................................................................25
3.8.3 Wireless Communication with Wi-Fi ....................................................................................................................................................25
4. LCD Menu Function.........................................................................................................................................................................................26
4.1 How to Use the LCD to Set the Printer.......................................................................................................................................................26
4.2 Main Menu Overview.................................................................................................................................................................................27
4.3 TSPL..........................................................................................................................................................................................................28
4.4 ZPL2..........................................................................................................................................................................................................30
4.5 Sensor.......................................................................................................................................................................................................33
4.6 Interface.....................................................................................................................................................................................................34
4.7 File Manager..............................................................................................................................................................................................35
4.8 Diagnostic..................................................................................................................................................................................................36
4.9 Advanced...................................................................................................................................................................................................37
5. TSC Console...................................................................................................................................................................................................39
5.1 Start TSC Console.....................................................................................................................................................................................39

IV
5.2 Set WiFi and Add to TSC Console Interface ..............................................................................................................................................41
5.3 Initialize the Printer WiFi Setting ................................................................................................................................................................44
5.4 TPH Care...................................................................................................................................................................................................45
5.5 Printer Function .........................................................................................................................................................................................46
5.6 Setting Post-Print Action............................................................................................................................................................................47
7. TroubleShooting..............................................................................................................................................................................................48
8. Maintenance....................................................................................................................................................................................................50
9. Angency Compliance and Approvals...............................................................................................................................................................52
10. Revise History...............................................................................................................................................................................................60

1
1. Introduction
Thank you very much for purchasing TSC bar code printer.
TSC’s new mobile barcode label printers, the Alpha-30L and Alpha-40L are user-friendly, heavy-duty and drop-resistant. The new
mobile printers propel you into the next generation of smart, enhanced technology solutions for industrial-grade label printing ting
applications.
With the Apple-certified MFi Bluetooth® 5.0 connection and 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac Wi-Fi fast roaming features, the Alpha-30L andAlpha-
40L not only provide reliable and seamless communication with users’ devices, they also securely print labels wherever they are
needed.
This document provides an easy reference for operating this printer. TSC printers include the Windows labeling software for
creating your label template. For system integration, the TSPL/TSPL2 printer programming manual or SDKs can be found on TSC
website at: https://www.tscprinters.com.

2
1.1 Product Specification
Item
Alpha-30L
Alpha-40L
Resolution
203 dpi, 8dots/mm
Printing method
Direct thermal
Max. print speed
5 ips
Max. print width
72 mm
104 mm
Max. print length
2,794 mm (110”)
Enclosure
Plastic with rubber over molded
Physical dimension (W x H x D)
117 mm x 173 mm x 79 mm
160 mm x 191mm x 79 mm
Weight
745g w/ battery, w/o media
985g w/ battery, w/o media
Drop specification
1.8 m (6 ft), 2.5 m (8.2 ft) with IP54-rated protective case
Label roll capacity
67 mm OD
Processor
32-bit RISC CPU
Memory
Standard: 128 MB SDRAM, 128 MB Flash, microSD card reader for Flash memory expansion,
up to 32 GB
Factory Option: 256 MB SDRAM, 512 MB Flash
Power
7.4V DC, 3,030 mAh Li-ion rechargeable smart
battery
7.4V DC, 6,200 mAh Li-ion rechargeable smart
battery
Interface
Either one selected
Type C USB 2.0 + MFi Bluetooth 5.0 + Passive NFC tag
Type C USB 2.0 + 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac Wi-Fi with Bluetooth 4.2 + Passive NFC tag
＊Type C is for communication only.
Operation button
7 buttons (Power, Feed/Enter, Menu, Navigation keys)
User interface
2 LED indicators (Battery charging status, Printer status)
2.3 ” Color LCD display, 320 x 240 pixels
Sensors
Black mark reflective sensor
Transmissive gap sensor
Peel sensor
Head open sensor
Real time clock
Standard
Internal font
8 alpha-numeric bitmap fonts
Monotype Imaging® true type font engine with one CG Triumvirate Bold Condensed scalable
font

3
Bar code
1D bar code:
Code128UCC, Code128 subsets A、B、C, EAN128, Interleaved 2 of 5, Interleaved 2 of 5 with
check digit, Standard 2 of 5, Industrial 2 of 5, Code39, Code39 with check digit, Code93,
EAN13, EAN8, UPCA, UPCE, EAN and UPC 2 (5) digits add-on, Codabar, Postnet, MSI, MSI
with check digit, PLESSEY, China post, ITF14, EAN14, Code11, TELEPEN, TELEPEN number,
PLANET, Code49, Deutsche Post Identcode, Deutsche Post Leitcode, LOGMARS
2D bar code:
CODABLOCK F mode, GS1 DataBar, GS1 DataMatrix, Maxicode, AZTEC, PDF417, QR Code,
Micro PDF417, TLC39
Printer language
TSPL-EZC (EPL2, ZPL2, CPCL), or ESC-POS
Media type
Die cut, black mark, receipt, fan-fold, linerless, continuous (outside wound)
Media thickness
0.06 ~ 0.16 mm
Media width
25.4 ~80 mm with liner
50.8~112mm with liner
Media core diameter
12.7 mm (0.5"), standard
19.1 mm (0.75"), with 0.75" ID adaptor
Label length
12.7 ~ 2,794 mm (0.5” ~ 110”)
25.4 ~ 152.4 mm (1” ~ 6”) for peeler mode
Environment condition
Operation: -20 ~ 50˚C (-4 ~ 122˚F), 10~90% non-condensing
Storage: -30 ~ 70˚C (-22 ~ 158˚F), 10~90% non-condensing
Charging: 0 ~40˚C (32~ 104˚F), 10~90% non-condensing
Factory option
Media sensor position (default center, right, or left side)
Linerless kit
User option
Type C USB 2.0 cable
Protective case with shoulder strap
Shoulder strap
Li-ion smart battery
1-slot docking cradle
4-slot docking cradle
1-slot battery charger
4-slot battery charger
12-24VDC vehicle power adaptor
12-60VDC vehicle power adaptor
12-48VDC power source with battery
eliminator
Vehicle mount adapter can be used with
RAM® MOUNTS

4
1.2 Battery Information
Model
Capacity
Cycle life
Warning conditions
Charging
hours
Working hours
Alpha-30L
3030 mAh
500 times
GOOD: Discharged count <= 550 or
absolute battery capacity >= 70%.
REPLACE: 550 < Discharged count
<= 600 or 67% =< absolute battery
capacity < 70%.
UNUSABLE: 600 < Discharged count
or absolute battery capacity < 67%.
3.5~5 hrs
23.5 hrs
- 12.5% printing ratio
- 1 label per two minutes
- Bluetooth
Alpha-40L
6200 mAh
500 times
4.5 ~ 6.5 hrs
45 hrs
- 12.5% printing ratio
- 1 label per two minutes
- Bluetooth

5
2. Operation Overview
2.1 Unpacking and Inspection
This printer has been specially packaged to withstand damage during shipping. Please carefully inspect the packaging and
printer upon receiving the bar code printer. Please retain the packaging materials in case you need to reship the printer.
Unpacking the printer, the following items are included in the carton.
One printer unit
One Li-ion battery
One quick installation guide
One auto-switching AC adapter
One belt clip
If any parts are missing, please contact the Customer Service Department of your purchased reseller or distributor.

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1. Media cover
2. Peeler module
3. NFC touch point
4. MicroSD card socket
5. LCD screen
6. Media cover release button
7. Buttons / LED indicators
2.2 Printer Overview
2.2.1 Front View
2
1
5
6
3
4
7

7
2.2.2 Interior View
1. Power jack
2. Type C interface
3. Peeler sensor
4. Tear bar
5. Media holder
6. Media holder
7. Gap/Black mark sensors
8. Platen roller
4
5
2
3
6
8
7
1
7

8
2.2.3 Rear View
1. External label entrance chute
2. Charging position for docking cradle
3. Battery open clasp
4. Li-ion battery
5. Installation location for belt clip
4
5
2
3
1

9
2.3Controls and Indicators
Icons
Model Name &
Firmware Version
Status
Menu key / Left soft key
Status
LED
Battery
charging
LED
Navigational keys
Power key
FEED key / Right soft key
IP Address
Time & Date

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2.3.1 Keys / LCD control panel icon indication
Keys
Function
Menu key(Ready status)
Left soft key (Menu status)
Enter the LCD menu list.
The label on the left footer of the UI will explain the function for left soft key.
Check the label on the footer of the UI screen. The meaning of the select keys
will vary.
Feed key (Ready status)
Pause key (Printing status)
Right soft key (Menu status)
Feed one label.
Pause the print job.
The label on the right footer of the UI will explain the function for right soft key.
Check the label on the footer of the UI screen. The meaning of the select keys
will vary.
Power-on key
Press and hold for 2-3 seconds to turn on the printer.
Press and hold for 2-3 seconds to turn off the printer.
Navigational keys
Used to select items, menu selection, and navigation in the UI.
Icon
Indication
1/4 charging level: 0~25%
2/4 charging level: 25~50%
3/4 charging level: 50~75%
4/4 charging level: 75~100%
Wi-Fi device is ready
Bluetooth device is ready
Print head cleaning notice
icon
Function
Enter the menu list ( the Menu is
locked and a password is required.)
Feed button (advance one label)
Back button
Enter cursor (be marked in green)
located option
Scroll down / up button

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2.3.2 Status LED indication:
Color
Meaning
Off
Printer is ready to use
(Green)
Flash: System is downloading data or printer is paused.
(Amber)
System is clearing data.
(Red)
Solid: Printer head open, cutter error.
Flash: Printing error, such as paper empty, paper jam, ribbon empty, or memory error
etc.
2.3.3 Battery charging LED indication:
Color
Meaning
Off
Printer is ready to use
(Amber)
Solid: Printer head open, cutter error. Charging is in progress
Flash: Battery temperature is too hot or too cold; Battery overvoltage; Charge
timeout; Battery absent

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3.Setup
Alpha-30L and Alpha-40L operate in the same way, this manual uses Alpha-30L as an example.
3.1 Setting up the Printer
1. Open the printer’s top cover Insert the right side to
install the battery at the rear of the printer.
2. Push the left side of the battery.
Battery safety warning:
DO NOT throw the battery in fire.
DO NOT short circuit the contacts.
DO NOT disassemble the battery.
DO NOT throw the battery in municipal waste.
The symbol of the crossed out wheeled bin indicates
that the battery should not be placed in municipal
waste.
PUSH

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3.2 Charging the Smart Battery
Smart Battery Charging Mode and Operation Instructions
In order to battery storage safety and increase battery storage time, the battery will be in shutdown mode for storage and shipping.
The smart battery is charged for the first time, it needs to unlock this shutdown mode.
For charging via printer:
No steps are required.
For 1-bay or 4-bay battery charger charging:
The LED indicator on the charger will flash red when the battery is charged for the first time. Please remove the smart battery
and reinstall it to unlock this shutdown mode.
Charging Temperature
The battery normal working condition is from 0°C to 40°C (32 °F to 104 °F). The device or battery charger always perform
battery charging in a safe and optimummanner. At higher temperatures (e.g. approximately +40 °C (+104 °F) or charging when
turning on the printers), the printer or battery charger may stop charging for a period of time to keep the battery at acceptable
temperatures.

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3.2.1 Charging the Battery
1. Open the interface cover.
2. Plug the power cord to the power jack and
power outlet.
3. When charging, the battery status LED
indicator on the printer turns solid amber.
After fully charged, the printer LED
indicator turns off. It will stop charging
automatically after the battery is fully
charged.
Note:
Please switch OFF printer power prior to plug in the power cord to printer power jack.
When the battery is charging, please do not remove the battery from the printer, otherwise, please re-plug the power cord
into a power outlet.

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3.2.2 Charging the Battery by 1-bay/4-bay Battery Charger (Optional)
The battery for 3”printer:
The battery for 4” printer
1. Plug the power adapter of the charger into a properly
grounded outlet and plug the charger connector to a
battery charger DC socket.
2. Push the battery down and locked by the latch as shown
below.
1-bay battery charger
4-bay battery charger
3. Plug the power cord to the power jack and plug the
power cord into a properly power outlet.
4. When charging, the battery status LED indicator on the
printer turns solid amber. After fully charged, the printer
LED indicator turns off. It will stop charging
automatically after the battery is fully charged.
Socket for adapter
Battery status LED
Battery status LED
Power button