Strata
Thermal Printers
User’s Manual
User’s Manual No. 980181-001
Rev. C
©1999 Zebra Technologies Corporation
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FOREWORD
This manual provides installation and operation information for the Eltron Strata LP (LP2684) and
Strata TLP (TLP2684) printers, manufactured by Zebra Technologies Corporation, Camarillo,
California.
COPYRIGHT NOTICE
This document contains information proprietary to Zebra Technologies Corporation. This docu-
ment and the information contained within is copyrighted by Zebra Technologies Corporation and
may not be duplicated in full or in part by any person without written approval from Zebra. While
every effort has been made to keep the information contained within current and accurate as of the
date of publication, no guarantee is given or implied that the document is error-free or that it is ac-
curate with regard to any specification. Zebra reserves the right to make changes, for the purpose of
product improvement, at any time.
TRADEMARKS
Strata, Strata LP , Strata TLP, LP2684 and TLP2684 are service marks and Eltron is a trademark of
Zebra Technologies Corporation. Windows and MS-DOS are registered trademarks of Microsoft
Corp. All other marks are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders.
FCC NOTICE:
This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits of a Class A digital device, pur-
suant 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 instructions, may cause harmful interference to radio communications. How-
ever, there is no guarantee that interference will not occur in a particular installation. 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.
INDUSTRY CANADA NOTICE:
This device complies with Industry Canada ICS-003 class A requirements.
Cet equipement est conforme a l’ICS-003 classe A de la norm Industrielle Canadian
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WARRANTY INFORMATION
We Need To Hear From You!
To Establish Your Warranty Period And Provide Access To Technical Support,
Send Us Your Product Registration Card Today!
Zebra warrants the mechanism, control electronics and power supply, under normal use and ser-
vice, to be free from defects in material and workmanship for a period of twelve (12) months from
the date of purchase by the end user. Zebra warrants the print head, under normal use and service,
to be free from defects in material and workmanship for a period of ninety (90) days or 30KM of
printing (whichever occurs first) from the date of purchase by the end user. Proof of purchase or
product registration is required. If proof of purchase or product registration cannot be established,
shipment date to the original buyer (dealer or distributor) will be used to establish the warranty pe-
riod.
Failure to exercise caution to protect the equipment from electrostatic discharge damage, adverse
temperature and humidity conditions or physical abuse may void the warranty. Failure to use only
Zebra approved media may void the warranty. Zebra will, at its option, repair or replace the equip-
ment or any parts which are determined to be defective within this warranty period, and which are
returned to Zebra F.O.B. factory of origin.
The warranty set forth above is exclusive and no other warranty, whether written or oral, is ex-
pressed or implied. Zebra specifically disclaims the implied warranties of merchantability and fit-
ness for a particular purpose.
RETURN MATERIALS AUTHORIZATION
Before returning any equipment to Zebra for in warranty or out of warranty repair, contact Repair
Administration for a Return Materials Authorization (RMA) number. Repack the equipment in the
original packing material and mark the RMA number clearly on the outside. Ship the equipment,
freight prepaid, to the address listed below:
Zebra Repair Administration, USA
1001 Flynn Road
Camarillo, CA. 93012
Phone: +1 (805) 579-1800
FAX: +1 (805) 579-1808
Label Printers:
Card Printers:
Zebra International, Europe
Eltron House
Zebra International, Europe
Zone Indutrielle, Rue d'Amsterdam
44370 Varades, France
Molly Millars Lane
Wokingham RG41 2QZ England
Phone: +44 (0) 1189 770 300
FAX: +44 (0) 1189 895 762
Phone: +33 (0) 240 097 070
FAX: +33 (0) 240 834 745
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Table of Contents
Installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Unpacking Your Printer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Your Printer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
The FEED Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
The STATUS Indicator. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Loading Labels
or Tags. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Loading Transfer Ribbons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Removing A Partially Used Transfer Ribbon . . . . . . . . . . 31
Top Of Form Sensing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Using AutoSense. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Cleaning Your Printer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Cleaning the Print Head . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Cleaning Under the Sensor Bracket . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
Using the Label Dispenser . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Troubleshooting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
Where to Start . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
Other Support Resources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
Serial Interface Communication Configuration. . . . . . . . . 45
Serial Interface Cable Wiring. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
Tag Media Sensing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
Printer Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
Supplies and Accessories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
Using the Media Cutter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
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General Cautions and Warnings
These pages describe general safety and maintenance warnings and cautions for the printer.
They are referenced throughout the manual. The manual may also include other warnings and
cautions not displayed here.
Warning - Shock Hazard
The printer should never be operated in a location where it can
get wet. Personal injury could result.
Warnung - Stromschlaggefahr - Der Drucker sollte nie an
feuchten Standorten in Betrieb genommen werden. Es besteht
erhöhte Verletzungs und Unfallgefahr.
Warning - Static Discharge
The discharge of electrostatic energy that accumulates on the
surface of the human body or other surfaces can damage or
destroy the print head or electronic components used in this
device. DO NOT TOUCH the print head or the electronic
components under the print head assembly.
Caution - Printer Setup & Handling
1)When installing or modifying the printer setup or
configuration, ALWAYS TURN POWER OFF Before:
A) Connecting any cables.
B) Performing any cleaning or maintenance operations.
C) Moving the printer.
2) Damage to the printer interface connector, accessories or
enclosure may result from placing the printer on it’s front bezel
or backside during unpacking or handling.
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Media Cautions & Tips
1) Always use high quality Eltron approved labels and tags.
Eltron approved supplies can be ordered from your ELTRON
dealer. For the name of a dealer in your area, call Eltron
Customer Service at one of the numbers listed on the back page
of this manual.
2) If poor quality, adhesive backed labels are used, that DO
NOT lay flat on the backing liner, the exposed edges may stick
to the label guides and rollers inside the printer, causing the
label to peel off from the liner and jam the printer.
3) DO NOT use non-Eltron transfer ribbon. Permanent damage
to the print head may result if a non-Eltron ribbon is used.
Non-Eltron ribbons maybe wound incorrectly for the printer or
contain chemicals that may damage the print head.
4) IMPORTANT - If a transfer ribbon is installed incorrectly by
the operator, damage to the print head may result.
5) DO NOT use a ribbon when printing with direct thermal
media.
Media Reload Tip
If you should run out of labels or ribbon while printing, DO NOT
turn the power switch OFF (0) while reloading or data loss may
occur. The printer will automatically resume printing when a
new label or ribbon roll is loaded.
Print Mode Control (TLP2684)
The printer is reconfigured for direct thermal (or thermal
transfer) printing with the “O” command for the Strata TLP
thermal transfer printer. See the EPL2 programmer's manual
for details.
Print Quality Tip
Print density (darkness) is affected by the heat energy (density
setting) applied and by the print speed. Changing both Print
Speed and Density may be required to achieve the desired
results.
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Installation
1
Installation
This section provides information on the
installation of the printer and software.
Introduction The Strata printer models are low cost, manu-
facturing oriented, thermal desktop printers.
The Strata LP is a direct thermal printer. The
Strata TLP is a thermal transfer and direct ther-
mal printer. The printers have been specifically
designed for printing large labels, hazardous
material labels, small signs, fan-fold media, and
shipping and receiving labels while operating in
office to industrial environments.
The printer features sturdy construction, a small
footprint, a heavy-duty motor, and sharp, reli-
able printing up to 8.5 inches (216 mm) wide.
The print head resolution of a Strata printer is
203 dpi (8 dots/mm).
The printer can print letter (8.5”x 11”) and A4
(210mm x 297mm) sizes. Print forms up to 8.5
inches (216 mm) wide and 22 inches (558.8
mm) long or two times A4 (210mm x 594mm)
size with optional memory added.
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Installation
Unpacking Your Open the shipping carton and remove the
printer and its accessories.
Printer
Check List
Printer
Power Cord
Media Holder and Retainers
Cleaning Pen (for print head)
Sample Label Roll
Sample Transfer Ribbon Roll (TLP only)
Ribbon Core (TLP only)
Software and Documentation CD
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
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Installation
Installation The following steps will guide you through the
installation of the printer and software.
Step ➊
Attach Power
Check Voltage
O
O
O = Off
See Warnings - Page vi
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Installation
Step ➋ Attach
Interface Cable
Parallel Interface
Serial Interface
For additional information on serial cable wir-
ing, refer to Appendix A.
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Installation
Step ➌ Apply
Power
O
O
I = On
On
If the indicator fails to light, refer to
Appendix A - Troubleshooting.
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Installation
Step ➍Install Start your computer. Follow the installation
instructions on the disk label to install the
software.
Software
Refer to Section 2 - Operation, for information
on loading labels and using your printer.
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2
Operation
This section provides information on the opera-
tion of the printers.
All user control (and adjustment) printer
features are identified by green parts.
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Operation
Your Printer
Cover Release Buttons
Feed Button
3 Status Indicator
4 Media Roll Holder
5 Media Roll Retainers
6 Lower Media Stand
(Printing Position)
8 Carriage Lock/Release Lever
1
2
Media Guide Adjustment Gear
9
: Transmissive (Gap) Sensor
Adjustment Gear
; Transmissive (Gap) Sensor
Position Indicator
< Reflective (Black Mark) Sensor
7 Upper Media Stand
= Platen Roller
(Loading Position)
> Media Guides
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Operation
1 Batch/Dispense Select Switch
2 Serial Interface
8 Ribbon Supply Spindle
9 Ribbon Sensor
3 Parallel Interface
: Label-Taken Sensor
; Dispenser Bar
4 Power Cord Receptacle
5 On/Off Switch
< Label Liner Exit
6 Fan-Fold Media Entry
7 Ribbon Take-up Spindle
= Release for Transmissive (Gap)
Sensor Guide Bar Bracket
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Operation
The FEED Control The FEED button controls specific printer
functions: feeding media (labels, tags or
continuous media), loading media, pausing
printing, and initiating AutoSense (Dump
Mode).
Use the FEED control button in normal opera-
tion by tapping or holding the button.
• Tapping the FEED Button with labels
loaded will cause the paper to advance to the
top of the next label. This action is referred to
as a “Form Feed”.
• While Printing, Tappingthe FEED Button
will pause batch printing (at the next label
gap) with indicator green flashing red. Press-
ing the FEED Button again will resume print-
ing with the next label in the batch process.
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Operation
• Holding the FEED button down will cause
the printer to continuously Form Feed until
the button is released. The printer will feed
the media until the next top of form is
reached.
• Holding the FEED button without media
loaded will cause the printer to continuously
(line) feed until the button is released or me-
dia is detected. This is useful when reloading
media in the printer and is also known as
“Power Media Loading”.
• Holding the FEED button down while pow-
ering up the printer with media loaded will
cause the printer to enter the AutoSense
mode. See AutoSense on page 33 for impor-
tant details.
Always run the AutoSense procedure when
loading new batch or type of media. Media from
the same manufacturing lot and having
identical dimensions do not need to have the
AutoSense procedure run every time new
media is loaded.
The Form Feed length is set by printer
programming (Q) command in EPL2
programming language or the AutoSense
feature, an automatic label and gap length
sensing operation. See AutoSense, page 33.
Continuous media with no label gaps,
containing black marks or notch holes, require
programming to set the form length and feed
distance.
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Operation
The STATUS The STATUS indicator is a power and status in-
dicator. When the printer power is first switched
ON (1), the STATUS indicator will glow
GREEN, indicating that the printer is ready for
operation.
Indicator
Indicator Color
GREEN
Meaning
1) Power ON, ready for use.
2) Printing, operation normal.
GREEN Blinking
Interface Activity
GREEN with RED
Blinking Twice
Printer PAUSED
(during a batch printoperation)
1) Command Error condition
2) Command Syntax Error
AMBER
1) Media Out (printing)
2) Ribbon Out (printing)
3) Power-up failure
RED
RED
Flashing
Print Carriage Open
DARK
Power OFF.
Refer to Appendix A for additional information
on troubleshooting error conditions.
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Operation
Loading Labels Your printer can print on adhesive backed la-
bels, non-adhesive tags or continuous media
(typically paper). The printer is capable of using
media on a roll or fan fold media.
or Tags
Step 1 Open the printer. Press the two green release
buttons on the sides of the printer to open the
cover.
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Operation
Step 2 Place the roll of media on the media holder
tube. The media holder tube is directional and
will not work properly if installed incorrectly.
The media holder is keyed with a hex to be
mounted on the right side of the printer when
installed.
CORRECT
INCORRECT
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Operation
Step 3 Center the media roll on the holder. If the media
roll is narrow, then the media roll holders can be
added to prevent loose (uneven) pack of the
media on the roll.
Media Retainers (optional)
90°
90°
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Operation
Step 4 Set the media and roll holder on the upper me-
dia stand for loading.
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Operation
Step 5 Turn the media guide adjustment wheel to-
wards the rear of the printer to open the media
guides.
Open the media guides until they are wider than
the media.
Media
Guides
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Operation
Step 6 Open the print head carriage with the release
lever. Pull forward and then up.
Release Lever
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Operation
Step 7 Insert the loose end of the media roll between
the media guides and under the guide bar
bracketthatholdsthetransmissive(gap)sensor.
Continue feeding the media under the print
head carriage until it exits out the front of the
printer.
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Operation
Step 8 Turn the green media guide adjustment wheel
towards the front of the printer until the label
guides match the width of the media.
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Operation
Step 9 Move the media roll to the lower media stand
for printing.
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Operation
Step 10 When using the transmissive (gap) sensor for
top of form (label) sensing, verify that the sen-
sor is positioned at minimum label gap point or
Sensor
Position
centered over a tag hole. See Top of Form
Sensing, page 32, for more details on sensor
operation.
Adjustment
Wheel
Sensor
Position
Marker
Turn the sensor’s adjustment wheel towards the
rear of the printer to move it into the middle.
Turn it towards the front of the printer to move it
out to the media edge. Do not position the sen-
sor at the edge of media.
Center the transmissive (gap) sensor for most
labels and always center it for continuous
media.
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Operation
Step 11 Close and lock the print head carriage. Push the
print head carriage down to close and then push
the lever back to lock.
Turn on the printer power. Tap the FEED con-
troluntiltheSTATUSindicatorglowsGREEN.
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Operation
Step 12 Set label detection parameters for media:
• Use the AutoSense procedure for first time
use of new media to set the transmissive
(gap) sensor.
• Use the AutoSense procedure for detection
of label and gap lengths.
• Use EPL2 programming (Q) command to
set form length (and gap) as well as media de-
tection and control method for sensing label
gap, black mark or continuous (unmarked)
media.
Windows Users!
Use Settings / Printers on the Start Menu of
Windows 95 or Windows NT versions 3.51 &
4.0 to select the label size that matches the labels
loaded in the printer.
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Operation
Loading Transfer Transfer ribbons are used when printing on
thermal transfer media such as adhesive labels
or non-adhesive tags. Thermal transfer ribbons
are available in general purpose wax (blue
leader), general purpose wax-resin (silver
leader) and polyester resin (gold leader).
Ribbons
Take-Up
Spindles
Supply
Spindles
Tracking
Bar
The print head carriage in a thermal transfer
printer includes these functional features:
• Ribbon Take-Up Spindles (forward pair)
Pulls ribbon over the print head.
• Ribbon Supply Spindles (back pair)
Provides back tension to stop wrinkles.
• Ribbon Tracking Bar (in back of print head
carriage). Automatically tracks ribbon ten-
sion (equalizes) across the ribbon’s width.
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Operation
Step ➊ Install an empty ribbon core onto the front rib-
bon (take-up) spindle pair. Push the core onto
the left side ribbon (take up) spindle. Rotate the
core on the spindle until the notches on the right
side of the core match-up with the long spokes
on the right side ribbon (take-up) spindle.
Notch
Long Spoke
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Operation
Step ➋ Loosen the ribbon leader that secures the lead-
ing end of the transfer ribbon roll. Fold the rib-
bon leader over and attach it to the under side
of the ribbon leader.
Notch
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Operation
Step ➌ Install the ribbon roll onto the rear ribbon
(supply) spindle pair so that the ribbon feeds
from the top of the roll toward the back of the
printer. The ribbon roll installs the same as the
ribbon (take-up) core.
Wrap the ribbon around the print carriage,
aound the ribbon tracking bar and above the
media guide bracket.
Caution:
The ribbon does not follow the same path as the
labels. The ribbon threads above the brackets
that hold the media guides and transmissive
(gap) sensor guide bar.
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Operation
Step ➍ Hold open the print carriage to pull the ribbon
through towards the front of the print carriage
and up to the empty take-up core. Center the
ribbon on ribbon core. Attach the ribbon to the
core with the adhesive strip on the leader or
with tape.
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Operation
Step ➎ Rotate the ribbon take-up core a minimum one
full revolution (from the top to the back of the
printer) to remove most of the slack from the rib-
bon. Verify that the ribbon is wrapping straight
on the ribbon core.
After the media is loaded, hold the ribbon snug
and close the print head. See label and tag (me-
dia) loading, page 13.
Press the FEED button (with the printer power
on) to condition the ribbon. This is to remove
the slack and wrinkles in the ribbon. Repeat un-
til the slack is removed. Verify that the ribbon is
wrapping straight on the ribbon core.
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Operation
Removing A A partially used transfer ribbon can be removed
by following the steps below.
Partially Used
Transfer Ribbon
The unused portion of partially used transfer
ribbons can be reloaded using the normal rib-
bon loading procedure.
Step ➊ Open the print carriage to release ribbon ten-
sion. Using scissors, cut the transfer ribbon just
below the take-up roll.
Step ➋ Remove the supply roll and tape the end to
prevent it from unwrapping.
Step ➌ Remove the take-up roll.
Discard used ribbon off the take-up core. Save
the empty take-up core for when you load
ribbon again.
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Operation
Top Of Form To accommodate different media and media
dimensions, your printer is equipped with sen-
sors capable of detecting the top of form for la-
bels or tags. Two methods are used by the
printer for top of form sensing: gap sensing and
black mark sensing.
Sensing
Gap Sensing The gap sensing feature depends on the ability
of the movable transmissive (gap) sensor to
“see through” the label liner between labels.
Label and label backing liner opacity vary due
to manufacturing differences in label stock. The
sensor may have difficulty distinguishing the
difference between labels and the liner and may
require the user to AutoSense the media. Gap
sensing is standard on all printers and the sensi-
tivity is set with the AutoSense feature.
Black Mark The black mark sensing feature depends on the
printer’s fixed position, reflective (black mark)
sensor. The sensor is in the middle of the media
path. The black mark sensor is used with special
labels that have a black mark printed on the back
of the label liner or tag between each label or tag.
Black mark sensing is standard on all printers.
Sensing
Continuous Media If the media is continuous (fax or plain paper)
with no marks notches or gaps, then the top of
form and form length must be set by program-
ming. The transmissive sensor senses media
out. For proper operation, the printer needs to
measure the length of the form.
See the Q command in the EPL2 programming
manual for setting the form length of continuous
media with no label gaps, black line mark or
notch hole.
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Operation
Using AutoSense The AutoSense feature sets sensitivity of the
transmissive sensor and measures and stores
the form (label) and gap lengths. To activate the
AutoSense feature:
Step 1 Set the power switch to the OFF (0) position.
Step 2 Load labels into the printer (do not use the dis-
penser).
Step 3 Press and hold the FEED Control button while
placing the power switch in the ON (1) position.
The STATUS Indicator light will blink. Release
the FEED Control when the printer starts feed-
ing labels and the indicator turns solid green. Do
not hold the FEED Control button more than 5
seconds.
The printer will advance 3-4 labels while per-
forming the adjustment. When the adjustment
is complete, a status summary label will be
printed and the printer will be placed in Diag-
nostic Dump mode.
Dump Mode
Sample Printout
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Operation
Step 4 Tap the FEED Control once to switch the printer
back to normal operation.
If the indicator light turns AMBER or RED, refer
toAppendixAfortroubleshootinginformation.
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Operation
Cleaning Your You have easy access to all of the printer’s me-
dia path areas to allow for cleaning and clearing
of media jams. You can clean the sensor areas,
print head, platen roller and areas adjacent to
the media path surfaces.
Printer
Warning -Shock Hazard - See page vi.
Always turn the printer off before cleaning.
Warnung - Elektrische Gefahr - Zuerst
abschalten dur Drucker. Säubern Sie jetzt den
Drucker.
Use a brush or vacuum to clean the media path
(except the print head). If necessary, use a
lint-free cloth very lightly moistened with water
to clean the platen. Let the platen dry before
loading labels.
Warning - Static Discharge - See page vi.
Never touch the print head. Always clean the
print head with a cleaning pen (to protect the
print head from static discharge and fibers).
If a label has become jammed in the printer,
remove the label and any adhesive residue,
immediately. Adhesive may spread through out
the printer’s media path if not completely
removed. Many adhesives are permanent and
have short “set” times.
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Operation
Cleaning the As you use your printer, the print head may be-
come contaminated resulting in poor print qual-
ity. Whenever new labels are loaded into the
printer, the print head should be cleaned with a
cleaning pen.
Print Head
Step 1 Open the printer and the print head carriage.
Step 2 Gently rub the cleaning pen across the dark
area of the print head.
Clean Print Head
Allow the print head to dry for 1 minute before
loading labels.
Do not touch the cleaning pen to the platen
roller. If necessary, gently wipe the platen roller
with a dry, lint-free cloth.
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Operation
Cleaning Under The transmissive (gap) sensor guide bar bracket
can pivot up for easy cleaning.
the Sensor Bracket
Step 1 Open the print head carriage.
Step 2 Open the sensor bracket. Pull the slide lock to
the left and lift the front of the bracket up.
Transmissive (Gap)
Sensor Bracket
Slide Lock
Step 3 Clean the metal part of the bracket, only. The
sensor is recessed to protect it from labels and
adhesive.
Clean the clear sensor window below the sensor
bracket. Do not use abrasive cleaning materials.
Only use water on a lint free, clean, damp cloth
very lightly moistened. Let dry. Verify that the
window is clear of streaks and clouding.
Step 4 Swing the sensor bracket down to close. The
slide lock will automatically lock when in posi-
tion.
Close the print carriage.
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Operation
Using the Label Printers with the label dispenser function (indi-
cated by a T after the model number) can dis-
pense a single label that is already peeled away
from the liner. Before performing these steps,
loadamediaroll(refertopage12ifnecessary).
Dispenser
Step 1 Push the switch to the peel position.
Step 2 Open the print head and lift the dispenser bar.
38
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Operation
Step 3 Remove a few labels. Push a corner of the liner
behind the gray roller and through the slot.
Step 4 Remove slack by pulling the liner.
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Operation
Step 5 Close the dispenser bar and print head. Tighten
the liner against the dispenser bar.
Adjust the media guides (refer to page 19).
Step 6 Send your print job. The printer dispenses one
label and waits for you to take it before printing
the next label. You must remove each printed
label before the next label prints.
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Troubleshooting
Appendix A
Troubleshooting
This section addresses the most common issues
you may face with operation and configuration
of the printer.
Where to Start The first troubleshooting reference source is the
Common Problems Troubleshooting table on
the following page.
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Troubleshooting
Common Printing Problems
Troubleshooting Guide
Problem
Solution or Reason
STATUS indicator
does not light GREEN
when power switch is
turned to the ON (1)
position.
1. Check power connections from the printer to
the outlet.
With the STATUS
1. Verify that the labels are the correct type.
indicator light GREEN, 2. Check the roll and verify that the print surface
the printer appears to
be working, but
nothing is printed.
faces up for (direct thermal) printing.
3. Check that the transfer ribbon is correctly
routed and has the ink side out (TLP only).
1. Clean the print head with cleaning pen.
2. Adjust print speed/darkness in software or
with programming.
3. Check the roll and verify that the media print
surface is facing up.
Printing is faded or
poor quality.
4. Verify that the correct combination thermal
transfer ribbon and media are in use.
1. Possible problem sensing labels with transmis-
sive (gap) sensor. Perform AutoSense adjust-
ment. Align the transmissive (gap) sensor
position, see page 22.
2. Possible problem with label media.
a) Gap between the bottom of a label and the
top of the next label should be at least 1/16".
b) For tags, see Tag Media Sensing, page 46.
c) Use only Eltron approved labels and tags.
3. Possible label jam.
Printing stops and the
STATUS indicator
lights RED.
4. Check that the media is correctly routed.
5. Possible software/programming problem.
a) Check the printer memory configuration.
b) Refer to the EPL2 Programming manual
for the correct data syntax.
6. Transmissive sensor is dirty. Clean media
path.
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Troubleshooting
Problem
Solution or Reason
1. Check for Out-of-Media condition or missing
labels in the middle of a roll.
2. Check for Out-of-Ribbon condition or dam-
age or previous use of ribbon in middle of the
roll.
3. Check that the ribbon and label media are
correctly routed.
Status Indicator is RED 4. When direct thermal printing, verify that the
programmed mode (or printer driver) is set for
direct thermal printing. See the programmer’s
manual for details.
5. Transmissive sensor is dirty. Clean media
path.
6. Verify that the print head carriage is closed
and latched.
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Troubleshooting
Other Support The first troubleshooting reference source is the
table on the previous page. Next, contact the
dealer where you purchased your printer.
Resources
Zebra Technologies also provides a variety of
information and user support services:
• Internet:
Web Address: http://www.eltron.com
ftp: //ftp.eltron.com
e-mail:
Label Printers: [email protected]
Card Printers: [email protected]
Europe: [email protected]
Singapore: [email protected]
Latin America: [email protected]
• CompuServe e-mail: 102251,1164
• Customer Service: +1 (805) 579 1800
For the name of a dealer in your area.
• Technical Support FAX:
USA: +1 (805) 579 1808
Asia: +65 84 20 366
Northern Europe: +44 (0) 1189 895 762
Southern Europe: +33 (0) 240 097 070
Latin America: +1 (847) 584 2725
For your assistance and support with Eltron
printers and software.
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Troubleshooting
Serial Interface The printer’s serial port is configured with the
Y command for the printer. See the EPL2 pro-
grammer's manual for details.
Communication
Configuration
The printer’s serial port default configuration is:
9600 baud
8 bit data
1 stop bit
No parity
Serial Interface The figure below displays the cable wiring re-
quired to use the printer’s serial interface
Cable Wiring
DB-9
DB-9
Host
Printer
Pin #
Pin #
1
1
N/C
RxD
TxD
DTR
GND
DSR
RTS
CTS
RI
+5 Volts*
TxD
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
RxD
N/C
GND
RDY
N/C
RDY
N/C
Female DB-9 to Male DB-9
DB-25
DB-9
Host
Printer
Pin #
Pin #
8
1
+5 Volts*
TxD
N/C
RxD
TxD
DTR
GND
DSR
RTS
CTS
RI
3
2
20
7
6
4
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
RxD
N/C
GND
RDY
N/C
5
22
RDY
N/C
Female DB-25 to Male DB-9
*+5 volts at 150 mA for external device (e.g. KDU or scanner)
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Troubleshooting
Tag Media Sensing The printer uses a moveable sensor to detect in-
dex holes/notches in tag stock. The sensor can
move from a center tag notch to a notch on the
out side edge of tag stock as wide as 8.5 inches
(216mm) wide.
C
Print
Direction
D
B
A
Left Side
Edge of Tag
Stock Media
Tag
Tear-away
C
L
The dimensions show the position acceptable
position range of the “Notch” (hole) on tag
stock for the printer and the gap sensor’s adjust-
ment range.
Dimension
A
Min.
Max.
Nominal
.236”
(6mm)
.512”
(13mm)
—
.079”
(2mm)
.512”
(13mm)
.118”
(3mm)
B
C
D
Sensor Adjustment Range (Left Side):
FromCenterofMediato4.3”(109mm)
.250”
(6.35mm)
—
—
Maximum Media Width
With Roll Holders - 8.5” (216mm)
Without Roll Holders - 8.75” (222mm)
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Printer Features
Appendix B
Printer Features
Features The printer has many time saving, user friendly,
design features. Some of these printer features
are listed below:
• Anti-jam, straight through media path
• Sturdy, clam shell case with force balanced
lid and locking latch for safer handling
• Internal label roll holder
• 5 printer resident fonts
• Over 20 bar codes, including 2 dimensional
bar codes PDF-417 and MaxiCode
• Batch or on-demand printer operation
• Double buffered label formatting for “on-
the-fly” label printing
• Power media loading
• Flip-up print head carriage and label sensor
assemblies for fast, easy cleaning.
• Center aligned label printing and adjustment.
• RS232C serial and Centronics parallel ports
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Printer Features
• Flash memory makes firmware updates easy
and seamless
®
• Create-A-Label Tools for Windows
Software
®
• Windows Drivers (Windows 3.1X,
®
Windows® 95, and Windows NT 3.51 &
4.0)
• Snap’N’Lock front bezel for easy access
Firmware Options
• Flash memory expandable to 1 megabyte.
• SRAM memory expandable to 1 megabyte.
• Real Time and Date Clock
• Asian character sets
(Chinese, Japanese or Korean).
Hardware Options
Accessories
• Factory installed Dispenser with label presen-
tation sensor.
• Factory installed label and tag Cutter.
• Keyboard Display Unit (KDU) for a
stand alone printing solution.
• TwinAX Converter
• Create-A-Label 3 for Windows
General
Specifications
• 512KB Flash and 512KB SRAM standard
• Downloadable firmware capability
• Moveable see-through and center justified
blackmarksensorfordie-cut labelsandtags
• AutoSense automatic label sensor adjust-
ment
• Internal label roll holder
• Rear-feed slot for fan-fold or roll label stock
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Printer Features
• Easy-to-load label and ribbon path
• Easy-to-use EPL2 command language
• Prints text, graphics and bar codes in four di-
rections: 0°, 90°, 80° and 270°
• Graphics, line and box drawing features,
PCX bit map supported
• Label back feed for maximum label usage
printing
• Diagnostics and configuration print out and
ASCII dump
• Double buffering for faster throughput
Software and
Drivers
• Create-A-Label Tools for Windows™
• Drivers available for Windows 3.xx™, Win-
dows 95™, NT 3.51 and NT 4.0
Printing
• Direct thermal (LP) and thermal transfer
(TLP) printing
• Maximum print speed 4" (102mm) per
second
• 203 dpi (8 dots/mm) print resolution
• Maximum print width 8.5" (216mm)
• Maximum print length 11" (A4) standard, 22"
(2 x A4) optional
• Minimum print length .5" (12.7mm)
With optional cutter 1.25” (31.75mm)
Bar Codes
• Code 39
• Code 93
• Code 128 UCC (Serial Shipping Container
Code)
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Printer Features
• Code 128 Autoselect
• CodaBar
• UCC/EAN-128
• Interleaved 2 of 5
• UPC-A, UPC-E, 2 & 5 digit add on
• EAN-8, EAN-13, 2 & 5 digit add on
• POSTNET
• MaxiCode
• PDF-417
• German Postal Code
• Bar codes with or without human readable
text
• Bar codes can beprinted in four directions 0°,
90°, 180° and 270°
Standard Fonts
• International character sets standard
• Five alpha-numeric fonts from .049"
(1.25mm) to .23" (5.84mm) high
• All fonts expandable vertically and horizon-
tally up to 8x
• Fonts can be printed in four directions 0°,
90°, 180° and 270°
• Smooth soft fonts can be downloaded from
Create-A-Label Tools for Windows™ and
Create-A-Label 3 for Windows™
Media Sensing
• Moveable see-through sensor for die-cut la-
bels and tags
• Reflective sensor for use with black stripe
marks
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Printer Features
Media
• Type: roll-fed, die-cut, continuous or fan-
fold labels, tags or tickets
• Materials: thermal transfer or thermal sensi-
tive papers
• Maximum media width: 8.75" (222.3mm)
• Minimum media width: 4" (102mm)
• Maximum media length: 11" (279mm) stan-
dard, 22" (559mm) optional with maximum
print width set. Note: The actual print length
is dependent upon the programmed print
(image) width and the maximum length will
increase as the print area is narrowed.
• Minimum media length: .5" (12.7mm)
With optional cutter: 1.25” (31.75mm)
• Media thickness (w/ liner): .003" (.08mm) to
.0075" (.19mm)
• Internal supply roll capacity: 5" (127mm)
O.D.
Ribbons
• Wax, Wax/Resin and Resin
• Standard widths: 4.33" (110mm), 5"
(127mm), 6" (152mm), 6.5" (165mm), 7"
(178mm) and 8.66" (220mm)
• Standard length: 6.142" (156m), on a 1"
(25mm) I.D. Core
Communications
Interface
• RS232C
• Centronics parallel
• Xon/Xoff, hardware handshaking
• Programmable 7 or 8 bit data length, 1 or 2
stop bits, selectable parity
• 4,800 to 38,400 baud rates
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Printer Features
Mechanical
• Width: 13.6" (344mm)
• Depth: 11.9" (305mm)
• Height: 8.1" (204mm)
• Weight: 21.0lbs. (9.5kg)
Electrical
• Voltage: 115V/60 Hz, 230V/50 Hz
• Complies with FCC Class B and CE require-
ments; Built to UL, CUL and TUV require-
ments.
Environmental
• Operating temperature: 40°F to 104°F (5°C
to 40°C)
• Storage Temperature: -40°F to 140°F (-40°C
to 60°C)
• Operating Humidity: 10% to 80% non-
condensing
• Storage Humidity: 10% to 90% non-
condensing
• Ventilation: Free air
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Supplies and Accessories
Appendix C
Supplies and Accessories
Accessories available for the Strata™ printer are
listed below. Always refer to the ELTRON part
number when placing an order. For the name
of an Eltron brand dealer in your area, call:
1(800) 344-4003 or the nearest Zebra Technol-
ogies office (located on the back of this
manual).
Description
Parallel Interface Cable, 6’
Part Number
300016-006
300016-010
300017-006
300017-010
300018-006
Parallel Interface Cable, 10’
Serial Interface Cable, 6’ (DB-9 to DB-9)
Serial Interface Cable, 10’ (DB-9 to DB-9)
Serial Interface Cable, 6’ (DB-25 to DB-9)
KDU (Keyboard Display Unit)
120180-001
Windows Printer Driver
Create-A-Label 3 for Windows
105501-003
105524-001
User’s Manual (this Manual)
Programmer’s Manual
980181-001
980009-001
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Supplies and Accessories
D i r e c t T h e r m a l r a n s f e r T h e r m a l T
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Supplies and Accessories
r a n s f e r T h e r m a l T
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Supplies and Accessories
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Appendix D
Using the Media Cutter
Printers with the cutter option have a bezel with
a motorized blade. Printers with cutters can dis-
pense a single form that is automatically cut
from the media roll.
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Using the Media Cutter
Guidelines Use the cutter to cut through continuous paper
from rolls and liner between labels.
You can switch between cutting and feeding by
using the OC command. You can set form
length and gap distances by using the Q com-
mand. Refer to the EPL2 programmer’s man-
ual for complete programming information.
Keep the cutter dry. Never use any solutions or
solvents to clean the blade. If there is a jam, fol-
low the steps for Clearing the Cutter.
Specifications Cutter warranty
90 days
Blade life
500,000 cuts
Media types
Direct thermal paper
Paper label liner
Tag stock
MaximumThickness 0.0075 in. (0.191mm)
Density
Width
150 g/m2
4.00 - 8.75 in.
(101.6 - 222.25 mm)
Minimum length
using cutter
1.25 in. (31.8 mm)
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Using the Media Cutter
Clearing the If the media is crooked, a jam can occur. The
only tool required to clear a jam is a pair of small
tweezers.
Cutter
Step 1—Prepare Turn the printer off.
the Printer
Unplug the power cord and interface cable.
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Step 2—Clear Use tweezers to remove media from the internal
blade areas.
the Jam
If the jam is inside the cutter, detach the cutter
assembly from the printer. Press both bezel re-
leases and pull the cutter up and forward.
Lay the cutter flat. Leave cables, retainers and
wires connected. Do not pull or strain any con-
nections.
If you cannot remove the jammed media, call
for service.
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Using the Media Cutter
Step 3—Replace Align the left edges of the bezel and printer.
Connectthebezelbysnappingdownintoplace.
the Cutter
Step 4—Check Connect the power cord and interface cable.
Turn the printer on. Tap the Feed button. The
printershouldfeedonelabelthencuttheliner.
the Cutter
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World Wide Offices:
Zebra Technologies Corporation
Eltron Products
1001 Flynn Road
Camarillo, CA 93012-8706 USA
Phone: +1 (805) 579 1800
FAX: +1 (805) 579 1808
e-mail: [email protected]
Zebra Technologies, Europe
Eltron House
Molly Millars Lane
Wokingham, RG41 2QZ England
Phone: +44 (0) 1189 770 300
FAX: +44 (0) 1189 895 762
e-mail: [email protected]
Zebra Technologies, France
50 rue Marcel Dassault
92100 Boulogne-Billancourt
France
Phone: +33 1 55 20 93 93
FAX: +33 1 55 20 93 99
e-mail: [email protected]
Zebra Technologies, Latin America
836 Arlington Heights Rd. #357
Elk Grove, IL 60007
Phone: +1 (847) 584 2714
FAX: +1 (847) 584 2725
e-mail: [email protected]
Zebra Technologies, Asia Pacific Headquarters
1 Sims Lane #06-11
Singapore 387355
Phone: +65 84 20 322
FAX: +65 84 20 366
e-mail: [email protected]
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