Wincor Nixdorf TH420 User manual

TH420
Thermal Printer
User Guide

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Dokumentation RD PD1
Wernerwerkdamm 16
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D-13629 Berlin
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TH420
Thermal Printer
User Guide
Edition February 2005

Copyright © Wincor Nixdorf International GmbH, 2005
The reproduction, transmission or use of this document or its contents is not permit-
ted without express authority.
Offenders will be liable for damages. All rights, including rights created by patent
grant or registration of a utility model or design, are reserved.
Delivery subject to availability; technical modifications possible.
Microsoft and Windows NT are registered Trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the
U.S.A. and/or other countries
BEETLE® is a registered trademark of the Wincor Nixdorf International GmbH, Germany

Contents
Manufacturer’s Declaration and Approval .............................1
General Authorization .................................................................................1
FCC-Class A Declaration............................................................................1
User Information .........................................................................................1
Safety Information.......................................................................................2
Instructions for Maintenance .......................................................................3
Warranty .....................................................................................................3
Recycling ....................................................................................................3
Voluntary Control Council for Interference (VCCI)
Radio Frequency Interference Statement ...................................................4
About This Guide...................................................................5
What is in this guide....................................................................................5
About the Printer....................................................................7
About the Universal Serial Bus ...................................................................8
Advantages of USB connections ...........................................................8
User Controls ............................................................................................10
Available printer configurations .................................................................11
Printer configuration identification .......................................................11
Communication interfaces ...................................................................11
Standard features .....................................................................................11
Advanced interface design ..................................................................11
Electronics and firmware .....................................................................11
Thermal receipt printer ........................................................................12
Impact slip printer ................................................................................13
Exceptions...........................................................................................13
Options .....................................................................................................14
Connectivity.........................................................................................14
Setting up the Printer...........................................................15
Check the packing list ...............................................................................15
Remove the packing restraints..................................................................15
Load or change the receipt paper .............................................................17
Installing or replacing the ribbon cassette .................................................19
Replacing a used ribbon cassette .......................................................20
Installing a new ribbon cassette ..........................................................20
Choose a location .....................................................................................21
Connect the cables ...................................................................................22
Cash drawer cables.............................................................................23

Communication cables ........................................................................23
Power supply cable .............................................................................25
Cable routing.......................................................................................25
Test the printer ....................................................................................26
Using the Printer..................................................................29
Printing on forms or checks ......................................................................29
To print on a form or check .................................................................30
Clearing check flip paper jams ..................................................................31
To clear a paper jam from the optional check flip assembly................31
Printer configurations ................................................................................32
Configuring the printer ..............................................................................34
Communication interface ..........................................................................36
RS-232C serial interface settings ........................................................36
Diagnostic modes................................................................................37
Enable or disable data scope mode ....................................................38
Enable or disable receipt test mode ....................................................39
Enable or disable slip test mode..........................................................39
Enable or disable check flip test mode ................................................40
Printer settings and functions....................................................................41
Select the hardware options sub-menu to set .....................................42
Preventing overheating of the printhead ...................................................44
Troubleshooting the printer .......................................................................45
Printer beeps.......................................................................................46
Printer will not print..............................................................................47
On-line, paper status, error light flashes..............................................47
Slip-in LED does not light (rectangular green LED on slip table) .........48
Poor forms print quality .......................................................................49
Poor receipt print quality......................................................................49
Slip station and flip problems ..............................................................51
The knife does not operate..................................................................51
Other conditions ..................................................................................51
Paper and Supplies .............................................................53
Forms specifications .................................................................................53
Slip forms - recommendations ..................................................................53
Check specifications .................................................................................55
Technical Data.....................................................................56

Manufacturer’s Declaration and Approval
General Authorization
This device fulfills the requirements of the EEC stan-
dard 89/336/EWG “Electromagnetic Compatibility”.
Therefore, you will find the CE mark on the device or
packaging.
FCC-Class A Declaration
This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a
Class A digital device, pursuant to part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits
are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference
when the equipment is operated in a commercial environment. This
equipment generates, uses, and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if
not installed and used in accordance with the instruction manual, may cause
harmful interference to radio communications.
Operation of this equipment in a residential area is likely to cause harmful
interference in which case the user will be required to correct the
interference at his own expense.
Modifications not authorized by the manufacturer may void users authority
to operate this device.
This class A digital apparatus complies with Canadian ICES-003. Cet
appareil numerique de la classe A est conforme à la norme NMB-003 du
Canada.
Additionally, the TH420 has received the cUL and UL
approval.
User Information
Wincor Nixdorf does not accept responsibility for radio and TV interference
and faults that are caused by unauthorized changes that have been made to
the devices. Furthermore, cables or other devices that have not been
1
FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION (FCC)

approved by Wincor Nixdorf may not be connected to the device. The user
is responsible for any faults and interference that are caused as a result.
Repair work on the devices should only be carried out by authorized and
specially trained personnel. Improper repairs will lead to the loss of any
guarantee and liability claims.
Extension boards with electrostatically endangered components can be
identified with this label.
Safety Information
This device conforms to the corresponding safety regulations for information
technology devices, including electronic office machines for use in the office
environment. Connect only WN approved power supplies.
nIf the device is moved from a cold environment to a warmer room where it
is to be operated, condensation could occur. The device must be
completely dry before being put into operation. Therefore an
acclimatization time of at least two hours should be accounted for.
nLay all cables and supply lines so that nobody can tread on them or trip
over them.
nData cables should neither be connected nor removed during electrical
storms.
nProtect the device from vibrations, dust, moisture and heat, and only
transport the device in its original packaging (to protect it against impact
and blows).
nTake care to ensure that no foreign objects (e.g. paper clips) or
liquids can get into the inside of the device, as this could cause
electrical shocks or short circuits.
nIn case of emergencies (e.g. damaged housing, liquid or foreign objects
getting into the device), the device should be switched off immediately.
nGenerally you should connect IT-devices only to power supply systems
with separately guided protective earth conductor (PE), known as TN-S
networks. Do not use PEN conductors! Please also observe the
recommendations of the norm DIN VDE 0100, part 540, Appendix C2, as
well as EN50174-2, §5.4.3.
SAFETY INFORMATION
2

Instructions for Maintenance
Clean your TH420 regularly with an appropriate surface cleaning product.
Make sure that the device is switched off, connector cables are unplugged
and that no moisture is allowed to get into the inside of the device.
Warranty
Wincor Nixdorf guarantees generally a warranty engagement for 12 months
beginning with the date of delivery. This warranty engagement covers all
those damages which occur despite a normal use of the product.
Damages because of
nimproper or insufficient maintenance,
nimproper use of the product or unauthorized modifications of the product,
ninadequate location or surroundings
will not be covered by the warranty.
For further information of the stipulation look at your contract.
All parts of the product which are subject to wear and tear are not included
in the warranty engagement.
Please order spare parts at the Wincor Nixdorf customer service.
Recycling
Environmental protection does not begin when the
time has come to dispose of the TH420; it begins with
the manufacturer. This product was designed accor-
ding to our internal norm “Environmental conscious
product design and development”.
The TH420 is manufactured without the use of CFCs und CCHS and is
produced mainly from reusable components and materials. The processed
plastics can, for the most part, be recycled. Even the precious metals can
be recovered, thus saving energy und costly raw materials.
3
INSTRUCTIONS FOR MAINTENANCE

Please do not stick labels onto plastic case parts. This would help us to
re-use components and material. You can protect our environment by only
switching on your equipment when it is actually needed. If possible, even
avoid the stand-by-mode as this wastes energy, too. Also switch your
equipment off when you take a longer break or finish your work.
Currently at present, there are still some parts that are not reusable.
Wincor Nixdorf guarantees the environmentally safe disposal of these parts
in a Recycling Center, which is certified pursuant to ISO 9001.
So don’t simply throw your TH420 on the scrap heap when it has served its
time, but take advantage of the environmentally smart up-to-date recycling
methods!
Please contact your competent branch for information on how to return and
re-use devices and disposible materials.
Voluntary Control Council for Interference (VCCI)
Radio Frequency Interference Statement
This is a Class A product based on the standard of the Voluntary Control
Council for Interference by Information Technology Equipment (VCCI). If
this equipment is used in a domestic environment, radio disturbance may
arise. When such trouble occurs, the user may be required to take
corrective actions.
RECYCLING
4

About This Guide
What is in this guide
The four chapters that follow are organized according to what you want to
learn about the printer, learn about the set up, operation, and routine testing
and servicing of the printer.
nChapter About the Printer
What the printer does
How it communicates
Operator controls
Standard features and Options
nChapter Setting up the Printer
Preparing for installation
What comes with the printer
Packaging
Connecting the printer to the system
Testing the printer
nChapter Using the Printer
Printing on forms or checks
Verifying and validating checks
Clearing paper jams
Printer configurations
Printer settings and functions
Troubleshooting the printer
nChapter Paper and Supplies
Form specifications
Slip forms
Check specifications
nChapter USB Driver Installation
Installing and Using the USB driver
Installing the RS-232C printer driver
Checking the installation
Troubleshooting
nChapter Technical Data
ABOUT THE PRINTER
5

Notes in the manual are marked by this symbol.
This symbol is used for warnings.
WHAT IS IN THIS GUIDE
6

About the Printer
The TH420 is a low-cost, high-efficiency, point-of-sale (POS) printer that
boasts the smallest footprint of any hybrid printer. It features fast
monochrome or two-color receipt printing plus a drop in validation print
station. The TH420 provides maximum flexibility, performance, and
reliability.
It consists of two specialized printers in one compact package: a two-color
thermal printer on top that prints receipts, and an impact slip printer to print
on forms and checks that you insert.
The TH420 fits easily in spaces where no other hybrid printer can and
connects to most host computers via the Dual 9-pin /USB interface or 25-pin
RS-232 interface or Powered USB.
7
ABOUT THE PRINTER
Receipt
Front cover
Slip of check
Receipt cover
Paper feed button
On-line, Paper
Status, Error light
(green)
Extended slip table Slip- in LED (green)

The printer’s standard command set allows it to work with software written
for Wincor Nixdorf or other compliant printers. A variety of sensors enables
the printer to communicate its status to the host computer. The printer also
has an electronic journal feature.
The easy-to-use thermal printer requires no ribbon or ink cartridge. Load
new paper by simply opening the clamshellTM receipt cover and dropping in
a new roll.
The impact printer provides the power and flexibility to print on checks or
multi-part forms up to four plies, in a wide variety of sizes and orientations.
This section describes the printer’s features and options in more detail.
About the Universal Serial Bus
The Universal Serial Bus (USB) is a peripheral bus for personal computers
that was first released in January 1996. Since that time, virtually all Intel
Architecture personal computers have the hardware to support USB, and a
large number of computers exist that have both the hardware and software
support required to interface with USB peripherals.
Advantages of USB connections
USB has a number of advantages over Application Compatible Escape
Commands connection schemes (e.g., serial RS-232C). These advantages
include:
nHigh Speed: up to 12 MB/second for high-speed devices.
nPlug and Play: Devices are automatically recognized and configured at
installation.
nHot plug: Bus supports installation and removal of devices with the power
applied.
ABOUT THE UNIVERSAL SERIAL BUS
8
Cash drawer
connector
Power supply
connector
USB connector
DIP Switches

nUp to 127 devices: One host can support up to 127 devices with the use
of hubs.
n“Free ports”: Wincor Nixdorf BEETLE systems and the most PC
architecture machines contain two USB ports in the base hardware.
These advantages have become attractive to the POS industry for a couple
of reasons.
Additional POS devices
Some POS systems are required to host more peripherals than can be
supported by four RS-232C ports typical in a BEETLE platform. With the
addition of one (or two) USB connectors, the BEETLE platform can now
support the additional devices that had previously required a serial port
expander card.
Higher bandwidths
New devices coming into use have bandwidth requirements that are higher
than the bandwidth that can be supported on Application Compatible
Escape Commands interfaces. These devices include image scanners and
printers. As the speed and capability of POS printers increases, the
performance of the printer in an application can become limited by the
speed of the communications interface.
USB provides ample bandwidth to support current and future POS printer
requirements.
9
ABOUT THE UNIVERSAL SERIAL BUS

User Controls
The printer has the following controls:
The paper feed button (1) advances the receipt paper and is used in
navigating configuration menus.
The On-line, Paper Status, Error LED (2) shows the printer status by shining
or flashing.
The slip-in LED (3) indicates that a form is inserted properly.
The reset button (4) clears the printer’s memory or begins a special mode.
USER CONTROLS
10
Front cover
Slip- in
LED (green)
Receipt cover
Reset button
Paper feed
button
On-line, Paper
Status, Error
light (green)
Receipt
Slip of check
Extended
slip table

The printer also indicates its status when it is first turned on, or after it has
been reset, by beeping. A single beep indicates the printer has successfully
completed its startup routine. If the printer beeps in a single, double, or triple
pattern at first power on, please call your service representative.
Available printer configurations
There are several configurations of the printer, depending on the
combination of desired options.
Printer configuration identification
See the sample below to determine the printer configuration. The printer
configuration identification (model ID) is located on the model label attached
to the back of the printer. This information is also shown on the installation
quality report card. The model ID description is shown below.
Communication interfaces
nRS-232C serial interface (25-pin)
nUniversal Serial Bus (USB)
nPowered USB
Standard features
Advanced interface design
nSensors detect whether any of the covers are open, the paper is low in
the receipt printer, or the paper is positioned properly in the slip printer.
nSoftware-controlled audible tone for various alerts.
nOnline configuration menu—the printer guides the user through its
configuration settings by printing instructions and a menu on receipt
paper.
Electronics and firmware
nIndustry-standard command set makes the printer compatible with
existing software, yet enables new features.
11
AVAILABLE PRINTER CONFIGURATIONS

nRemote diagnostics capability tracks important printer data.
n2 MB flash memory standard available memory for multiple logos,
graphics, user-defined character set, and user data storage.
n16-bit electronics architecture.
nCommunication rate up to 115,200 baud.
nFlash download mode lets the user upgrade the printer’s firmware.
Thermal receipt printer
nExtremely fast and quiet two-color thermal printhead.
nNo ribbon or ink cartridge to change.
nDrop-in paper loading. Paper type selection through command “Set paper
type” (1D 81 m n) or configuration menu.
nDouble high, double wide, bold, inverse, underlined, superscript and
subscript, italics, scalable and rotated print modes.
nResident character sets: Code Pages 437 (US), 850 (Multilingual), 737
(Greek), 852 (Slavic), 858 (with Euro symbol), 860 (Portuguese), 862
(Hebrew), 863 (French-Canadian), 865 (Nordic) 866 (Cyrillic), and 1252
(Windows Latin 1).
nPrints standard bar codes: Code 39, UPC-A, UPC-E, JAN8 (EAN), JAN13
(EAN), Interleaved 2 of 5, Codabar, Code 93, Code 128, EAN 128, and
PDF-417 two-dimensional code. Also prints “ladder” bar codes.
nHost-selectable 44 or 56 columns on 80 mm wide “POS grade”
monochrome or two-color thermal paper.
n8 dots/mm print resolution.
nUp to 53.3 lines-per-second (180 mm/second) throughput print speed
(monochrome); up to 29.3 line-per-second (100 mm/second) throughput
print speed (two-color).
nStandard receipt cutter.
STANDARD FEATURES
12

Impact slip printer
nBi-directional impact printhead designed for a very long life.
nSnap-on ribbon cassette.
nPrints on forms up to five plies.
nHorizontal flatbed extended slip table.
nForm insertion flexibility: insert forms in front or from the side.
nForm alignment sensors and LED indicator.
nResident character sets: Code Pages 437 (US), 850 (Multilingual), 737
(Greek), 852 (Slavic), 858 (with Euro symbol), 860 (Portuguese), 862
(Hebrew), 863 (French-Canadian), 865 (Nordic) 866 (Cyrillic), and 1252
(Windows Latin 1).
nDouble wide and rotated print modes; a double strike print mode improves
contrast.
nSoftware selectable pitch: either standard (13.9 characters per inch, 66
columns) or compressed (17.1 characters per inch, 80 columns).
n4.8 lines-per-second (16 mm/second) print speed.
nOptional check handling features (see “Impact slip printer options” on the
next page).
Exceptions
Print speed and throughput will decline when:
nTemperature is less than 25%C.
nEnergy setting is greater than 100%.
nDot coverage is greater than 25% or the format contains solid horizontal
lines.
nThe printer is waiting for data or on an Ethernet interface network traffic is
heavy.
nPower setting is equal to 48 Watts.
13
STANDARD FEATURES

Options
Connectivity
nThree standard plug-in printed circuit boards are available depending on
the communication interface required. Interfaces with 25-pin RS-232C
only, USB only can be provided.
nCommunication cables are available for all interfaces.
OPTIONS
14