TSC Alpha-2R Series User manual

i
SERVICE
MANUAL
Alpha-2R
Direct Thermal Portable Printer

ii
Contents
1. FUNDAMENTAL OF THE SYSTEM................................2
1.1 Overview.........................................................................................................2
2. ELECTRONICS ..............................................4
2.1 Summary of Board Connectors .....................................................................4
3. MECHANISM ...............................................11
3.1 Replacing the Platen Roller Assembly ........................................................11
3.2 Replacing the Linerless Platen Roller Assembly ........................................12
3.3 Replacing the 1" / 2"paper core adapter .....................................................13
3.4 Replacing the NFC module ..........................................................................15
3.5 Replacing the LED & Keys Panel Board......................................................17
3.6 Replacing the Gear Assembly & Stepping Motor........................................20
3.7 Replacing the Wi-Fi/Bluetooth Module ........................................................21
3.8 Replacing the Main Board Assembly...........................................................22
3.9 Replacing the Print Head Assemble ............................................................24
3.10Replacing the Hand Open Sensor Assemble ..............................................26
3.11Replacing the Black Mark Sensor Assembly ..............................................27
4. TROUBLESHOOTING ........................................28
4.1 Common Problems.......................................................................................28
5. MAINTENANCE .............................................30
Revise History................................................31

2
1. FUNDAMENTAL OF THE SYSTEM
1.1 Overview
Front View
1. Media cover
2. Platen roller
3. LED indicator
4. Feed/Pause button
5. Power on/off button
6. Interface cover
7. Media cover release button
8. Tear bar
9. Black mark sensor
10. Print head
11. USB interface
12. Power jack
9
2
1
3
P
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w
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r
L
E
D
i
n
d
i
c
a
t
o
r
4
6
8
Lab
el
roll
gua
rd
7
Pr
in
t
he
ad
5
10
11
12

3
Rear View
1. Li-ion battery
2. Battery open clasp
3. Printer serial number label
4. Belt chip
1
3
2
4
US
B
int
erf
ac
e

4
2. ELECTRONICS
2.1Summary of Board Connectors
Main board top
Connector
Description
DCIN1
DC Jack
Pin
Description
1
12V
2
GND
3
GND
4
12V
CON1
CON5
CON6
CON12
CON11
CON9
CON3
CON2
DCIN1

5
Connector
Description
CON1
Firmware download
Pin
Description
1
3.3V
2
Data0
3
Data1
4
Data2
5
Data3
6
Clock
7
Command
8
NC
9
GND
CON2
USB&RS-232
Pin
Description
1
NC
2
VBUS
3
TX
4
D-
5
RX
6
D+
7
RTS
8
NC
9
CTS
10
GND

6
Connector
Description
CON3
Wi-Fi module:
Pin
Description
1
3.3V
2
3.3V
3
3.3V
4
Reset
5
SPI (MISO)
6
SPI (RTS)
7
SPI (MOSI)
8
SPI (CTS)
9
Interrupt
10
SPI (Clock)
11
Mode:
High : BT/Low : Wi-Fi
12
GND
13
GND
14
GND
Bluetooth module:
Pin
Description
1
3.3V
2
3.3V
3
3.3V
4
Reset
5
UART (RX)
6
UART (RTS)
7
UART (TX)
8
UART (CTS)
9
Configurable Functional
GPIO
10
Bluetooth link status
indication
11
Boot mode selection
12
GND
13
GND
14
GND

7
Connector
Description
CON5
Head open sensor
Pin
Description
1
Head open sensor receiver
2
GND
CON6
Black mark sensor
Pin
Description
1
3.3V
2
Black mark sensor emitter
3
Black mark sensor receiver
4
3.3V
CON9
LED Board
Pin
Description
1
VDDBU_3.3V
2
LED Wi-Fi (Green)
3
LED Bluetooth (Blue)
4
LED Wi-Fi/Bluetooth (White)
5
LED Charge status (Red)
6
LED Battery capacity (Green)
7
LED Battery capacity (Green)
8
LED Battery capacity (Green)
9
LED Error (Red)
10
LED System status (Green)
11
3.3V
12
Feed key
13
Power key
14
GND

8
Connector
Description
CON12
Print head
Pin
Description
1
VH
2
VH
3
VH
4
Data output
5
/Latch
6
Clock
7
TPH 3.3V
8
Strobe1
9
Strobe2
10
Strobe3
11
TM
12
GND
13
GND
14
GND
15
GND
16
GND
17
GND
18
GND
19
/AEO1
20
/AEO2
21
Strobe4
22
Strobe5
23
Strobe6
24
NC
25
Data input
26
VH
27
VH
28
VH
29
GND
30
GND

9
Connector
Description
CON11
Stepping motor
Pin
Description
1
A
2
/A
3
/B
4
B
Main board bottom
CON14
CON13
CON8

10
Connector
Description
CON13
CON14
Battery
CON13:
Pin
Description
1
NTC
2
NTC
3
Battery positive
4
Battery positive
CON14:
Pin
Description
1
Battery negative
2
Battery negative
3
NC
4
NC
CON8
NFC Module
Pin
Description
1
3.3V
2
GND
3
NC
4
NC
5
Interrupt
6
GND
7
I2C (Data)
8
I2C (Clock)
9
GND
10
Reset
11
Firmware download control
12
NC
13
3.3V
14
3.3V
15
GND

11
3. MECHANISM
3.1 Replacing the Platen Roller Assembly
1. Open the printer cover by pressing the media release button.
2. Use a Phillips screwdriver to remove two screws on platen roller assembly.
3. Replace the platen roller assembly.
4. Reassemble the parts in the reverse procedures.

12
3.2 Replacing the Linerless Platen Roller Assembly
1. Open the printer cover by pressing the media release button.
2. Use a Phillips screwdriver to remove two screws on platen roller assembly.
3. Replace the linerless platen roller assembly.
4. Reassemble the parts in the reverse procedures.

13
3.3 Replacing the 1" / 2"paper core adapter
1. Use hex wrench (#9) to remove four screws on lower cover.
2. Remove the right and left side covers by rotating the covers as shown below.
3. Replace the adapters on both sides of paper core. (Please note the direction shown as
below)

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4. Fix the screws on the adapters with both sides as indicated.
5. Complete the installation of 1"/ 2"paper core adapter.
6. Reassemble the parts in the reverse procedures.
1"/ 2"paper core with spindle installed

15
3.4 Replacing the NFC module
1. Use hex wrench (#9) to remove two screws on lower cover.
2. Remove the left side cover by rotating the cover as shown below.
3. Unplug the flat cable on the slot as indicated.
NFC module cable slot

16
4. Replace the NFC module. (Please place the NFC module on the edge of rib as
indicated.)
5. Reassemble the parts in the reverse procedures.
The rib

17
3.5 Replacing the LED & Keys Panel Board
1. Use hex wrench (#9) to remove four screws on lower cover.
2. Remove the right and left side covers by rotating the covers as shown below.
3. Open the printer cover by pressing the media release bar as shown.

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4. Remove the two screws on both side of the printer.
5. Peel off the waterproof labels on two sides of printer.
6. Disconnect the flat cable on the main board. Remove the top cover assembly.
Waterproof label
Waterproof label

19
7. Remove two screws on top cover assembly to replace the LED & keys panel board.
8. Reassemble the parts in the reverse procedures.
LED & keys panel
board