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Zebra GC420d

1. 5 23 2012 GC420d User Guide P1052685 001 80 External GK Printer Dimensions P1052685 001 GC420d User Guide 5 23 2012 Appendix ZPL Configuration This section provides a basic overview of managing printer configuration the Configuring Status Printout and Printer Memory Printouts Contents Managing Printer Configuration with ZPL Programming 82 ZPL Configuration Status to Command Cross referenCe 83 Printer Memory Management and Related Status Reports 86 5 23 2012 GC420d User Guide P1052685 001 Managing Printer Configuration with ZPL Programming Managing Printer Configuration with ZPL Programming The printer is designed to allow you to change printer settings dynamically for fast first label out printing Printer parameters that are persistent will be retained for following formats to use Those settings will remain in effect until they are changed by subsequent commands the printer is reset power is cycled or when you restore a parameter that has a factory default by using the Feed Button Mode four 4 flash routine The ZPL Configuration Update command JU saves and restores printer configurations to initialize or re initialize the printer with pre configured settings To keep settings after a power cycle or printer reset a JUS can be sent to the
2. Non Continuous Fan Fold media is folded in a zigzag pattern Fanfold media can Fanfold Media have the same label separations as non continuous roll media The separations would fall on or near the folds Continuous Roll media is wound on a core that can be 0 5 to 1 5 in 12 7 to Roll Media 38 1 mm in diameter Continuous roll media does not have gaps holes notches or black marks to indicate label separations This allows the image to be printed anywhere on the label A cutter can be used to cut apart individual labels With continuous media use the transmissive gap sensor so the printer can detect when the media runs out P1052685 001 GC420d User Guide 5 23 2012 29 Replacing Supplies Determining Thermal Media Types Thermal transfer media requires ribbon for printing while direct thermal media does not To determine if ribbon must be used with a particular media perform a media scratch test To perform a media scratch test complete these steps 1 Scratch the print surface of the media with a finger nail or pen cap Press firmly and quickly while dragging it across the media surface Direct thermal media is chemically treated to print expose when heat is applied This test method uses friction heat to expose the media 2 Did a black mark appear on the media If a black mark Then the media is Does not appear on the media Thermal transfer A ribbon is required Your p
3. 13 SELECT AUTOFD 147 14 AUTOFD ERROR 15 15 n c N A 16 16 SIG GND N A 17 17 CHAS GND N A 18 18 lt 5V SIG GN 19 19 SIG GND SIG GN 20 20 SIG GND SIG 21 21 SIG GND SIC 22 22 SIG GND SIG 23 23 SIG GND SIG 24 24 SIG GND SIC 25 25 SIG GND 26 SIG GND 27 SIG GND 28 SIG D 29 SIG D 30 SIG D 31 32 33 34 35 36 SELECTIN DB 25 to Centronics Cable 5 23 2012 GC420d User Guide P1052685 001 76 Serial Port Interface Serial Port Interface Pin Description 5 V a 0 75 A fused TXD transmit data output from the printer RXD receive data input to the printer DSR data set ready input to the printer Chassis ground DTR data terminal ready output from the printer controls when the host may send data CTS clear to send Not used by the printer RTS request to send output from the printer always in the ACTIVE condition when the printer is turned on Not used Connecting the Printer to a DCE Device DB 25S Connector to DCE Device 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 20 22 DB 9P DB 9S Connector Connector to Printer to DCE Device The maximum current available through the serial and or parallel port is not to exceed a total of 0 75 Amps When XON XOFF handshaking is selected data flow is controlled by the ASCII control codes DC1 XON and DC3 XOFF The DTR control lead will have no Interconnecting to DCE Devices When the printer is con
4. Feed Button Modes Feed Button Modes Power Off Modes With the printer power off press and hold the Feed button while you turn on the power Flash Sequence Action Firmware Download Mode The printer starts rapidly flashing red to denote entry into the Firmware Download mode Releasing the Feed button here will start initializing the printer for download The printer is ready to start downloading firmware when the status Amber Red light begins to slowly flash between red and green Flashing See Sending Files to the Printer on page 38 for more information on using the Firmware and File Download utility available for use with this printer Firmware updates for your printer if available are posted on the Zebra on our web site at www zebra com Normal Operations Mode The printer continues into a normal printer initialization Amber Releasing the Feed button here will allow the printer to start normally without firmware download or operating in communications diagnostics mode Communications Diagnostic Dump Mode Release the Feed button immediately after the printer status light turns green The printer will print Now in DUMP at the top of the label and then advance to the next label After printing the first label the printer will automatically enter into diagnostic mode in which the printer prints out a literal Green representation of all data subsequently received To exit the diagnostic mode and
5. GC420d User Guide 5 23 2012 19 Connecting your Printer to a Computer USB Interface Requirements Universal Serial Bus version 2 0 compliant provides a fast interface that is compatible with your existing PC hardware USB s plug and play design makes installation easy Multiple printers can share a single USB port hub When using a USB cable not supplied with your printer verify that the cable or cable packaging bears the Certified USB mark see below to guarantee USB 2 0 compliance CERTIFIED USB 2 5 23 2012 GC420d User Guide P1052685 001 20 Connecting your Printer to a Computer Serial Communications The GK888 has a DCE serial communication port for hardware compatibility with legacy 888 printers The required cable must have a nine pin D type DB 9P male connector on one end which plugs into the mating DB 9S serial port located on the back of the printer The other end of this signal interface cable connects to a serial port on the host computer The cable is a Null Modem cross over signal connections cable For pinout information refer to Appendix A The serial port communication settings between the printer and host typically a PC must match for reliable communication The Bits per second or Baud rate and Flow control are the most common settings that get changed The host typically a Windows PC needs to have the data Flow control changed to match the printer s default
6. The printed image does not look right The printhead is dirty Clean the printhead The printhead is under temperature Adjust the print darkness and or print speed Use the PR speed and SD darkness commands referenced in the ZPL Programming Guide Use the D darkness density and S speed commands in the EPL Programmer s Guide Manually adjust print darkness with the six flash sequence of Feed Button Modes on page 70 The Windows printer driver or application software may change these settings and may require a change to optimize print quality The media being used is incompatible with the printer Be sure to use the recommended media for your application and always use Zebra approved labels and tags The printhead has worn out The printhead is a consumable item and will wear out due to friction between the media and printhead Using unapproved media may shorten life or damage your printhead Replace the printhead The platen may need cleaning or replacement The platen driver roller maybe losing traction due to Foreign objects attached to its surface The rubbery smooth surface has become polished and slippery or There is damage to the normally smooth and flat print surface such as box knife cuts 5 23 2012 GC420d User Guide P1052685 001 64 Print Quality Problems There are long tracks of missing print blank vertical lines on several labels The printhead is dirty Cl
7. Return the printer to an authorized reseller 9 The printhead or motor has had a critical failure Return the printer to an authorized reseller 10 The printer is defragmenting memory Caution Do NOT turn off the printer power during defragmentation Doing so can damage the printer Defragmentation is a normal operation of the printer necessary to manage the memory space for optimal use The printer will defragment its memory both after a factory default and when the printer detects that a defragment is required When the printer is in this condition allow it to finish defragmenting If this warning occurs frequently check the label formats Formats that frequently and repeatedly write to and erase from memory my cause the printer to defragment often Using formats that avoid frequent and repeated memory write erase event will minimize the need for defragmentation If this warning condition does not go away contact Technical Support The printer requires service P1052685 001 GC420d User Guide 5 23 2012 63 Print Quality Problems Print Quality Problems No print on the label The media may not be direct thermal media See the test procedure Determining Thermal Media Types on page 29 s the media loaded correctly Follow the instructions for Loading Roll Media on page 11 in the Getting Started section For printing using transfer ribbon see Printing a Test Printer Configuration Label on page 15
8. Zebra GC420d Desktop Thermal Printer User Guide W P1052685 001 GC420d User Guide 5 23 2012 2012 ZIH Corp GC420 GC420d ZBI ZBI 2 0 ZBI Developer Uni Ribbon ZebraDesigner ZebraNet EPL EPL2 ZPL ZPL H OpenACCESS and all product names and numbers are Zebra trademarks and Zebra the Zebra head graphic ZPL ZPL II Element Energy Equalizer circuit E3 Circuitand and ZebraNet are registered trademarks of ZIH Corp All rights reserved All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners This product may contain ZPL ZPL II amp and ZebraLink programs Element Energy Equalizer Circuit EX amp and Monotype Imaging fonts Software ZIH corp All rights reserved worldwide All rights reserved worldwide Monotype Intellifont and UFST are trademarks of Monotype Imaging Inc registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office and may be registered in certain jurisdictions CG Triumvirate is a trademark of Monotype Imaging Inc and may be registered in some jurisdictions TrueType is a trademark of Apple Computer Inc registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office and may be registered in certancertain jurisdictions Proprietary Statement This manual contains proprietary information of Zebra Technologies Corporation and its subsidiaries Zebra Technologies It is intended solely for the information and use of parties operating and maintaini
9. Zebra KDU Printer Accessory The KDU keyboard display unit is a small terminal unit that interfaces with the printer for accessing EPL label forms stored in the printer The KDU is strictly a terminal and does not have the capability to store data or set up parameters The KDU is used for the following functions List label forms stored in printer Retrieve label forms stored in printer Input variable data Printing labels 5 23 2012 GC420d User Guide P1052685 001 KDU Plus Printer Accessory KDU Plus Printer Accessory AN The KDU Plus is a terminal device with memory for storing files and maintaining one or more remote printers The KDU Plus has a larger laptop style keyboard than the Zebra s original KDU design The KDU Plus is designed for the following functions e List label forms stored in printer Retrieve label forms stored in printer Input variable data Printing labels File storage and transfer The KDU Plus is designed to work with ZPL and EPL printers by dynamically detecting and switching the printer s communications configuration DTE or DCE to match your Zebra printer By default the KDU Plus will start up forms mode This is compatible with the operation of Zebra s original KDU The KDU Plus is configurable to work in ZPL or terminal modes too The KDU Plus has file transfer and storage capabilities This is great for maintaining remote and stand alone printe
10. Recalibrate the printer if it starts to display unusual symptoms such as skipping labels Refer to the two flash sequence in Feed Button Modes on page 70 in this section 5 23 2012 GC420d User Guide P1052685 001 67 68 Resetting the Factory Default Values Resetting the Factory Default Values Sometimes resetting the printer to the factory defaults may solve some problems Refer to the four flash sequence in Feed Button Modes on page 70 in this section Communications Diagnostics If there is a problem transferring data between the computer and printer try putting the printer in the communications diagnostics mode The printer will print the ASCII characters and their respective hexadecimal values a sample is shown below for any data received from the host computer To find out how There are multiple ways to enter hex data dump mode The JD ZPL command The dump EPL command On power up with the Feed button pressed Refer to the power off mode procedure in Feed Button Modes on page 70 in this section The printer will print Now in DUMP see below and advance to the top of the next label Now in DUMP Press Feed to exit or send JE UM eT Spa soa 2 PT P1052685 001 GC420d User Guide 5 23 2012 69 Communications Diagnostics The following example of a communications DUMP mode printed out The printout displays hexadecimal data 00h FFh 0 255 decimal with a unique character for each
11. cseurope zebra com les T 65 6858 0722 F 65 6885 0836 E China order csri All other areas csasiapacific zebra com zebra com Key T Telephone F Facsimile E E mail 5 23 2012 GC420d User Guide P1052685 001 viii Document Conventions Document Conventions gt gt gt icm The following conventions are used throughout this document to convey certain information Alternate Color online only Cross references contain hot links to other sections in this guide If you are viewing this guide online in pdf format you can click the cross reference blue text to jump directly to its location Command Line Examples Command line examples appear in Courier New font For example type ZTools to get to the Post Install scripts in the bin directory Files and Directories File names and directories appear in Courier New font For example the Zebra lt version number gt tar file and the root directory Icons Used Caution Warns you of the potential for electrostatic discharge Caution Warns you of a potential electric shock situation Caution Warns you of a situation where excessive heat could cause a burn Caution Advises you that failure to take or avoid a specific action could result in physical harm to you Caution No icon Advises you that failure to take or avoid a specific action could result in physical harm to the hardware Important Advises you of information that is
12. vii Contacts Technical Support via the Internet is available 24 hours per day 365 days per year Web Site www zebra com E mail Back Technical Library Self Service Knowledge Base www zebra com knowledgebase E mail address emb zebra com Subject line Emaillist Online Case Registration www zebra com techrequest Which Department Do You Need Regional Headquarters The Americas Zebra Technologies Corporation 475 Half Day Road Suite 500 Lincolnshire IL 60069 USA T 1 847 634 6700 Toll free 1 866 230 9494 F 1 847 913 8766 Europe Middle East and Africa Zebra Technologies Europe Limited Dukes Meadow Millboard Road Bourne End Buckinghamshire SL8 SXF United Kingdom T 44 0 1628 556000 F 44 0 1628 556001 Asia Pacific and India Zebra Technologies Asia Pacific Pte Ltd 120 Robinson Road 06 01 Parakou Building Singapore 068913 T 65 6858 0722 F 65 6885 0838 Technical Support For questions on the operation of Zebra equipment and software please call your distributor For additional assistance contact us Please have your model and serial numbers available T 1 877 ASK ZEBRA 275 9327 F 1 847 913 2578 Hardware ts zebra com Software ts3 zebra com Kiosk printers T 1 866 322 5202 E kiosksupport zebra com T 44 0 1628 556039 F 44 0 1628 556003 E Tseurope zebra com T 65 6858 0722 F 65 6885 0838 E China tschina zebra
13. Mode programming and data With the default ZPL and EPL EPL2 Page Mode active Line Mode programming will be processed as ZPL and or EPL programming and data Verify printer programming modes by printing out a printer configuration P1052685 001 GC420d User Guide 5 23 2012 Printer Options This section covers the common printer options and accessories with brief descriptions and how to get you started using or configuring your printer option or accessory Contents Label Dispenser Option I YI c cect eh 40 Zebra KDU Printer Accessory 0 0000 eee Y es 43 KDU Plus Printer Accessory 0000 teeta 44 ZBI 2 0 Zebra Basic Interpreter FFF I FFF Y 45 5 23 2012 GC420d User Guide P1052685 001 40 Label Dispenser Option Label Dispenser Option The factory installed label dispenser option allows you to print a label with backing liner web being removed from the label as it prints ready for application When printing multiple labels removing the dispensed peeled label notifies the printer to print and dispense the next label To use dispenser mode correctly use your printer driver to activate the label taken sensor along with these typical label settings which include but are not limited to length non continuous gap and web liner Otherwise you must send the ZPL or EPL programming commands to the printer When programming in ZP
14. PARITY Default NONE sCc e HOST HANDSHAKE Default DTR amp XON XOFF SC PROTOCOL Default NONE SER COMM MODE Default AUTO CUTTER TYPE Option Present LINER TAG FULL cut cT CT CONTROL CHAR Default lt gt TEH cc cc COMMAND CHAR Default 5EH cp CD DELIM CHAR Default lt gt 2CH SZ ZPL MODE Default ZPL II MFa MEDIA POWER UP Default NO MOTION MF b HEAD CLOSE Default FEED JS BACKFEED Default DEFAULT LT LABEL TOP Default 000 LS LEFT POSITION Default 0000 JD JE HEXDUMP Default NO JE From this point in the Configuration Receipt listing the printout has sensor settings and values are displayed to troubleshoot sensor and media operations These are typically used by Zebra Tech Support to diagnose printer problems P1052685 001 GC420d User Guide 5 23 2012 85 ZPL Configuration Status to Command Cross reference The configuration settings listed here resume after the TAKE LABEL sensor value These listings contain printer features seldom changed from default or provide status information e g Firmware Version Table 3 ZPL Commands and Configuration Receipt Callout Cross Reference Command Listing Name Description MP MODES ENABLED Default CWF See MP Command CWFM for wireless printers with display MODES DISABLED Default nothing set JM RESOLUTION Default 832 8 mm FULL 2
15. appropriate power cord with a three 3 prong plug and an P1052685 001 GC420d User Guide 5 23 2012 11 Loading Roll Media Loading Roll Media When you load media you must place the roll onto the media hangers You must use the correct media for the type of printing you require Preparing Media Whether your roll media is inside or outside wound you load it into the printer the same way Remove the outside length of media During shipment handling or storage the roll may become dirty or dusty Removing the outside length of media avoids dragging adhesive or dirty media between the printhead and platen 5 23 2012 GC420d User Guide P1052685 001 12 Loading Roll Media Placing the Roll in the Media Compartment 1 Open the printer Remember that you need to pull the release latch levers toward the front of the printer 2 Open the media guides by turning the media guide adjustment knob toward the rear of the printer P1052685 001 GC420d User Guide 5 23 2012 13 Loading Roll Media 3 Pull the media roll holders open with your free hand and place the media roll on the roll holders and release Orient the media roll so that its printing surface will face up as it passes over the platen drive roller 5 23 2012 GC420d User Guide P1052685 001 14 Loading Roll Media 4 Pull the media so that it extends out of the front of the printer Thread the media under the
16. cannot get this label to print refer to Getting Started on page 9 PRINTER CONFIGURATION Zebra Technologies ZTC GC420d 2BR35 3998 DARKNESS LABEL LENGTH MAXIMUM LENGTH USB_COMM PROTOCOL CUTTER TYPE CONTROL CHAR COMMAND CHAR DELIM CHAR ZPL MODE MEDIA POWER UP MED S MEDIA GAIN MEDIA S MEDIA GAIN TAKE LABEL MODES ENABLED MODES DISABLED RESOLUTION FIRMWARE XML SCHEMA HARDWARE ID CONF ene ONBOARD FLASH FORMAT CONVERT ZBI ZBI VERSION LAST CLEANED HEAD USAGE TOTAL USAGE RESET CNTR1 RESET CNTR2 SERIAL NUMBER IN EARLY M 2010 age O 17 32 33 TIME STAM FIRMWARE IN THIS PRINTER IS COPYRIGHTED 5 23 2012 GC420d User Guide P1052685 001 15 16 Pre install Windows Printer Drivers Pre install Windows Printer Drivers Zebra is changing the way you install and use your printer with your Windows based PC systems We recommend that at minimum the ZebraDesigner Windows driver be pre installed to take advantage of the advancements in ease of use and simplicity of the Windows operating systems since the release of Windows XP SP2 Zebra provides the Zebra Setup Utilities ZSU a suite of Zebra printer drivers utilities and communications and installation tools for use with most Windows PC operating systems Zebra Setup Utilities and Zebra Windows printer drivers are available on the user s CD and
17. communication method Hardware and is noted by the Host Handshake setting DTR Xon Xof This combined hardware DTR and software Xon Xoff mode may need to change depending upon use with non Zebra application software or the serial cable variation in use Serial communications between the printer and the host computer can be set by e Autobaud synchronization ZPL programming SC command EPL programming Y command Resetting the printer to its default printer configuration Autobaud Autobaud synchronization allows the printer to automatically match the communication parameters of the host computer To autobaud 1 Press and hold the feed button until the green status LED flashes once twice and then three times 2 While the status LED flashes send the XA XZ command sequence to the printer 3 When the printer and host are synchronized the LED changes to solid green No labels will print during autobaud synchronization ZPL SC Command Use the Set Communications SC command to change the communications settings on the printer 1 With the host computer set at the same communications settings as the printer send the SC command to change the printer to the desired settings 2 Change the host computer settings to match the new printer settings Refer to the ZPL Programming Guide for more information about this command P1052685 001 GC420d User Guide 5 23 2012 21 Connecting your Printer to a Compute
18. dry swab to brush away dust If adhesives or other contaminates remain use an alcohol moistened swab to break it up 2 Use a dry swab to remove any residue that may be left from the first cleaning 3 Repeat steps 1 and 2 as required until all residue and streaks are removed from the sensor Gap Sensor Black Line Sensor Label Taken Sensor 5 23 2012 GC420d User Guide P1052685 001 52 Cleaning Platen Cleaning and Replacement The standard platen drive roller normally does not require cleaning Paper and liner dust can accumulate without effecting print operations Contaminates on the platen roller can damage the printhead or cause the media to slip or stick when printing Adhesive dirt general dust oils and other contaminates should be cleaned immediately off the platen Clean the platen and media path whenever the printer has significantly poorer performance print quality or media handling The platen is the print surface and drive roller for your media If sticking or jamming continues even after cleaning you must replace the platen The platen can be cleaned with a fiber free swab such as a Texpad swab or a lint free clean damp cloth very lightly moistened with medical grade alcohol 90 pure or better 1 Open the cover and dispenser door Remove media from platen area 2 Using a pointed stylus such as tweezers small slot head screwdriver or razor knife unhook the tabs on the right and lef
19. occurred First make sure that the correct communications port on the computer is selected Refer to Connecting your Printer to a Computer on page 16 in the Getting Started section Verify the correct Format and Control Prefix on the printer match what you are using in your ZPL programmed label format The default Format COMMAND CHAR is Caret character and the Control CONTROL CHAR is a Tilde character Verify the characters with the Configuration Status label printout Refer to the one flash sequence of Feed Button Modes on page 70 to print this label P1052685 001 GC420d User Guide 5 23 2012 65 Print Quality Problems A EPL label format was sent to but not recognized by the printer Is the printer in pause mode If so press the Feed button If the printer has label dispensing enabled the printer may be waiting for the label to be removed The liner web must be properly threaded through the label dispenser mechanism peeler to correctly operate in label dispense mode refer to Label Dispenser Option on page 40 If the status LED is on or flashing refer to What the Status Light is Telling You on page 60 Make sure the data cable is correctly installed A communications problem has occurred First make sure that the correct communications port USB on the computer is selected Refer to Connecting your Printer to a Computer on page 18 in the Getting Started section 5 23 2012 GC420d User Guide P1052
20. retrieve information to be used on printed labels ZBI 2 0 can be activated by ordering a ZBI 2 0 Key Kit or activated by purchasing a key from the ZBI 2 0 store at www zebrasoftware com Use the ZDownloader utility to apply the key Zdownloader is available on the users CD or at the Zebra Web site www zebra com An intuitive ZBI Developer programming utility is used to create test and distribute ZBI 2 0 applications is available on the users CD or at the Zebra Web site www zebra com 5 23 2012 GC420d User Guide P1052685 001 46 ZBI 2 0 Zebra Basic Interpreter P1052685 001 GC420d User Guide 5 23 2012 Maintenance This section provides routine cleaning and maintenance procedures Contents Gleanings MEME annie ana ED FN dk CE Reade 48 Cleaning the Printhead 20002022 eee 49 Media Path Considerations 0 000 FY Y FR eens 50 Platen Cleaning and Replacement 00000 cee ee eee eee 52 Other Printer Maintenance YY FY eee 53 Replacing the Printhead YFFFY eee Ya 54 5 23 2012 GC420d User Guide P1052685 001 48 Cleaning Cleaning When you clean the printer use one of the following supplies that best suits your needs i Order Cleaning Supplies Quantity Intended Purpose Cleaning pens 105950 035 Set of 12 Clean printhead Cleaning swabs 105909 057 Set of 25 Clean media path guides an
21. the Zebra web site www zebra com for latest versions ZebraDesigner Driver and Zebra Setup Utilities includes the driver Supports Windows 7 Windows Vista Windows XP Windows 2000 Windows Server 2008 and Windows Server 2003 operating systems The driver supports 32 bit and 64 bit Windows operating systems and is Microsoft Certified Zebra Setup Utilities and the ZebraDesigner driver support the following printer communication interfaces USB parallel serial Wired and Wireless Ethernet and Bluetooth using a Bluetooth virtual printer port Install the Zebra Setup Utilities before applying power to the printer connected to the PC running a Zebra driver supported Windows operating system The Zebra Setup Utility will prompt you to apply the printer power Continue to follow the instructions to complete your printer installation Plug N Play PnP Printer Detection and Windows operating systems More recent Windows operating systems automatically detect the printer when it is connected via the USB interface Depending on the hardware configuration and the Windows version your printer may be Plug and Play PnP detected when connecting to the USB parallel or serial port interfaces The printer drivers do not support serial port PnP installation at this time The printer s PC interface configuration for the parallel port must support and have bidirectional communications for PnP operations The operating system a
22. 012 GC420d User Guide P1052685 001 74 Universal Serial Bus USB Interface Universal Serial Bus USB Interface The figure below displays the cable wiring required to use the printer s USB interface The printer requires cable or cable packaging that bears the Certified USB mark to guarantee USB 2 0 compliance Pin Signal 1 Vbus N C 2 D 3 D 4 Ground Shell Shield Drain Wire For printer supported operating systems and drivers see the software and documentation CD or visit the Zebra Web site at http www zebra com For information on the USB interface go to the USB web site at http www usb org P1052685 001 GC420d User Guide 5 23 2012 75 Parallel Interface Parallel Interface The printer s parallel interface uses the IEEE 1284 A to 1284 B parallel interface cables the host connector has a DB 25 pin male connector The printer connector is a Centronics style connector DB 25 Centronics HOST Pin No Pin No PRINTER STROBE 1 1 STROBE DATA 0 2 gt 2 DATA 0 DATA 1 3 gt 3 DATA 1 DATA 2 4 gt 4 DATA 2 DATA 3 5 gt 5 DATA 3 DATA 4 6 95 6 DATA 4 DATA 5 7 gt 7 DATA 5 DATA 6 8 gt 8 DATA 6 DATA 7 9 gt 9 DATA 7 ACK 10 lt 10 gt ACK BUSY 11 11 BUSY PAPER ERR 12 12 gt PAPER ERR SELECT 134
23. 03 dpi 1280 8 mm FULL 300 dpi FIRMWARE Lists ZPL Firmware Version XML SCHEMA 13 HARDWARE ID Lists Firmware Boot block Version CONFIGURATION CUSTOMIZED after first use RAM 2104k R OPTION MEMORY 56532k B only displays this if installed ONBOARD FLASH 5632k E MU FORMAT CONVERT NONE JI JI ZBI DISABLED Requires key to enable ZBI VERSION 2 1 JH LAST CLEANED X XXX IN Ee HEAD USAGE X XXX IN TOTAL USAGE X XXX IN RESET CNTRI X XXX IN RESET CNTRI X XXX IN SERIAL NUMBER XXXXXXXXXXX JH EARLY WARNING MAINT OFF The printer has the ability to set a command or a group of commands once for all receipts or labels that follow Those settings will remain in effect until they are changed by subsequent commands the printer is reset or you restore factory defaults 5 23 2012 GC420d User Guide P1052685 001 86 Printer Memory Management and Related Status Reports Printer Memory Management and Related Status Reports To help you manage printer resources the printer supports a variety format commands to manage memory transfer objects between memory areas import and export object naming and provide various printer operating status reports They are very similar to the old DOS commands like DIR directory listing and DEL delete file The most common reports are also part of the Zebra Setup Utility and ZebraDesigner Windows driver Figure 3 Memory Man
24. 685 001 66 Manual Calibration Manual Calibration Manual calibration is recommended whenever you are using pre printed media or if the printer will not correctly auto calibrate 1 Make sure media is loaded 2 Turn on the printer power 3 Press and hold the Feed button until the green status light flashes once then twice and then continuing until the flash groups reach the group of seven flashes Release the Feed button 4 The printer will set the media sensor for the label backing being used After it is done making this adjustment the roll will automatically feed until a label is positioned at the printhead A profile of the media sensor settings similar to the example below will print Upon completion the printer will save the new settings in memory and the printer is ready for normal operation 5 Press the Feed button One entire blank label will feed If this does not happen try defaulting refer to the four flash sequence in Feed Button Modes later in this chapter and recalibrating the printer Note Performing a manual calibration disables the auto calibration function To return to auto calibration default the printer refer to the four flash sequence in Feed Button Modes on page 70 in this section DIA MEDIA MEDIA MEDUBUA MEDIA MEDIA MEDIA MEDIA MEDIA MEDIA MEDIA MEDIA MEDIA MEDIA MEDIA MEDIA P1052685 001 GC420d User Guide 5 23 2012 Troubleshooting Tests Troubleshooting Tests Printin
25. A ae GR 10 Loading Roll Media cuin aug Rum Re um eek Eden di Sma DR EHE UON She 11 Printing a Test Printer Configuration Label 2 15 Pre install Windows Printer Drivers llle 16 Connecting your Printer to a Computer YFY YF Y YG 18 After Your Printer is Connected 5 23 2012 GC420d User Guide P1052685 001 Attaching Power Attaching Power make certain the printer cannot carry electrical current you must separate the power cord Important Set up your printer so that you can handle the power cord easily if needed To from the power supply receptacle or AC electrical outlet Caution Never operate the printer and power supply in an area where they can get wet Serious personal injury could result 1 Make sure the printer s power switch is in the off position down 2 Insert the AC power cord into the power supply 3 Plug the other end of the cord into an appropriate AC electrical outlet Note The active power light will go on if power is on at the AC outlet 4 Insert the power supply s power connector into the printer s power receptacle Printer Plug Varies by Country Power Switch Active Power Light 1 Supply Power Receptacle Ne LN IEC 60320 C5 IEC 60320 C5 connector are used at all times These power cords must bear the relevant certification mark of the country in which the product is being used Note Ensure the
26. L you can use the following command sequences shown below and refer to your ZPL Programming Guide for more information on ZPL programming XA MMP XZ XA JUS XZ When programming in EPL send the Options O command with the P command parameter OP to enable the Label Taken sensor Other printer option parameters may also be included with the Options command string Refer to your EPL Programmer 5 Guide for more information on programming with EPL and the Options O command behaviors 1 Load your labels into the printer Close the printer and press the Feed button until a minimum of 4 inches or 100 millimeters of exposed labels exit the printer Remove the exposed labels from the liner GC420d User Guide 5 23 2012 41 Label Dispenser Option 2 Lift the liner over the top of the printer and open the dispenser door 5 23 2012 GC420d User Guide P1052685 001 42 Label Dispenser Option 4 Close the dispenser door 5 Press the Feed button to advance the media 6 During the print job the printer will peel off the backing and present a single label Take the label from the printer to allow the printer to print the next label Note If you did not activate the label taken sensor to detect the removal of the dispensed peeled label with software commands the printer will stack and eject peeled labels P1052685 001 GC420d User Guide 5 23 2012 43 Zebra KDU Printer Accessory
27. Prmt Operations a acr oi bose bebe 5404 58a CR ROR O Oi YW KERR 27 Determining Printer Configuration 020 28 5 23 2012 GC420d User Guide P1052685 001 Long Term Printer In activity or Storage liliis 28 Thermal Printlng se REPRE RE Ree RR OY X eG EX b en E RERO PX UR RR RR Y EU 28 Modes of Printing eiu huo pese coe bee eu Coded dad e p E RU ed ae ek s d 29 Print Media TypeS 0 0 ee rrr 29 Determining Thermal Media Types 00 31 Replacing SupplieS Y FFI RR FFY RF FF FF FN 31 Adjusting the Print Width cee ee 31 Adjusting the Print Quality 0 2 0 0 0 002 cece RII In 32 Media Sensing strt 5 2 k beaded ye yee i ete wu eh abd 33 Printing on Fan Fold Media LFFFF FFF FR WR RR uyg 34 Printing with Externally Mounted Roll Media RY yg 36 Fonts and Your Printer FFY RF FF ER FF FF Yu 37 Localizing the Printer with Code Pages Y FL FFY ug 37 Identifying Fonts in Your Printer FFF Y FF Y RR Y 38 Stand Alone Printing ee YRR UA GR PE YR RR UE ADUR RG OYN YF Od 39 Sending Files to the Printer FFF RF FF tees 40 Print Meter uei n Saeed Role oo SRI deed Li dod dyno n stadio didt de vias 40 EPL Line Mode 2 ee ERR S Dn ddad dw RR wd Up dd FD DO A 40 4 Printer 6455 GWE GYRRU A YNN GYG ANY EUR 41 Label Dispenser Option VVY FF I FFF RF Fu ug 42 Zebra amp KDU Printer Access
28. User Guide 5 23 2012 57 Replacing the Printhead 3 Slip the left end of the printhead spring into the left side of the latch bracket then slide the right end into the other side The angle of the V fits into the indent on the top of the printhead bracket 5 Replace the four screws that hold the latch bracket to the top case and use a 1 Phillips driver to tighten them 6 Clean the print head as described under Cleaning the Printhead on page 49 7 Reload media Plug in the power cord turn on the printer and print a status report to ensure proper function See Printing a Test Printer Configuration Label on page 15 5 23 2012 GC420d User Guide P1052685 001 58 Replacing the Printhead P1052685 001 GC420d User Guide 5 23 2012 Troubleshooting This section provides information about printer error reporting that you might need for printer troubleshooting Assorted diagnostic tests are included Contents Status gt 7 60 Status Light Error Resolutions YY FY FY Fu YG 61 Print Quality Problems YF YI Y uu 63 Manual Calibration Y YY YI nn 66 Troubleshooting Tests YFYYI e 67 Resetting the Factory Default ValU8S YF uu DG 68 Communications D
29. a length or the label to label gap distance has exceeded the acceptable variation range when starting a print job or feeding media The automatic media sensing in the printer works the same for printer operations that use EPL and ZPL label formats and programming If the printer does not detect labels or black marks or notches with blackline sensing after feeding the media the default maximum label length distance of 39 inches 1 meter then the printer will switch to continuous receipt media mode The printer will keep these settings until changed by software programming or a manual calibration with different media Optionally the printer can be set to do a short media calibration after printer power up or when closing the printer with power on The printer will then feed several labels while calibrating The printer s media settings can be verified by printing a Printer Configuration label See the Printing a Test Printer Configuration Label on page 15 for more details The maximum distance that the automatic media type detection and sensing will check can be reduced by using the ZPL Maximum Label Length command ML It is recommended that this distance be set to no less than two times the longest label being printed If the largest label being printed was a 4 by 6 inch label then the maximum label media length detection distance can be reduced from the default distance of 39 inches down to 12 inches If the printer has difficulty
30. agement Format Structure XA Start Format Command A Single Format Command is recommended for purposes of reuse XZ End Format Command It is recommended that a single command be processed within a this type of format form A single command is easily reused as a maintenance and development tool Many of the commands that transfer objects manage and report on memory are control commands They do not need the be within a format form They will be process immediately upon receipt by the printer whether in a format form or not Note To maximize available printer memory the printer includes an automatic memory defragmentation defrag Several factors can trigger a defrag operation Changing memory by deleting or adding objects to memory can cause a defrag The printer status light will begin flashing Red Amber and Green when a memory defrag is in process Do not turn off the printer s power while the status light 1s flashing This operation may take several minutes if memory use and file fragmentation are high ZPL Programming for Memory Management ZPL has various printer memory locations that are used to run the printer assemble the print image store formats forms graphics fonts and configuration settings ZPL treats Formats Forms Fonts and Graphics like files and memory locations like disk drives in the DOS operating system environment e Memory Object Naming Up to sixteen 16 alphanumeric characters fol
31. automatically detecting the media type and auto calibrating see Manual Calibration on page 66 to perform an extensive calibration It includes a printed graph of sensor operation for your media This method disables the printer s automatic media sensing capability until the printer s default parameters are reset to the factory defaults with the four flash Feed button mode See the Feed Button Modes on page 70 for more details The automatic media calibration can be modified turned on or turned off to meet your needs Sometimes print job conditions require that the printer use all the media on a roll The two automatic media conditions power up with media loaded and closing the printer with power on can be controlled individually with the ZPL Media Feed command MF The feed action discussed in the ZPL programmers guide for the MF command is primarily for automatic media sensing and calibration The automatic media calibration that controls the dynamic media label to label calibration is the XS command If multiple media types of different lengths material or detection methods web gap black mark notches or continuous are used you should not change these settings The media calibration and detection process can also be refined to match the media type loaded into the printer Use the ZPL Media Tracking command MN to set the media type Sometimes the printer can detect preprinted media as the gap between labels or the liner backing with pr
32. cedures that describe how to open and close the printer and report any problems Getting Started on page 9 This section describes how to set up your printer for the first time and use the most common operating procedures for loading media Print Operations on page 25 This section provides media and print handling font and language support and the set up of less common printer configurations Printer Options on page 39 This section covers the common printer options and accessories with brief descriptions and how to get you started using or configuring your printer option or accessory Maintenance on page 47 This section provides routine cleaning and maintenance procedures Troubleshooting on page 59 This section provides information about printer error reporting that you might need for printer troubleshooting Assorted diagnostic tests are included Appendix Interface Wiring on page 73 This section provides additional interface information and wiring diagrams to assist with printer to host system integration typically a PC Appendix Dimensions on page 77 This section provides external printer dimensions for the standard printer and printer with options Appendix ZPL Configuration on page 81 This section briefly covers printer configuration and includes a cross reference to ZPL printer configuration commands P1052685 001 GC420d User Guide 5 23 2012 Contacts
33. com All other areas tsasiapacific zebra com Repair Service Department For back to base service and repair T 1 877 ASK ZEBRA 275 9327 F 1 847 821 1797 E repair zebra com To request a repair in the U S go to www zebra com repair T 44 0 1772 693069 F 44 0 1772 693046 New requests ukrma zebra com Status updates repairupdate zebra com T 65 6858 0722 F 65 6885 0838 E China tschina zebra com All other areas tsasiapacific zebra com Technical Training Department For Zebra product training courses T 1 847 793 6868 T 1 847 793 6864 F 1 847 913 2578 E ttamerica zebra com T 44 0 1628 556000 F 44 0 1628 556001 E Eurtraining zebra com T 65 6858 0722 F 65 6885 0838 E China tschina zebra com All other areas tsasiapacific zebra com Inquiry Department For product literature and distributor and dealer information T 1 877 ASK ZEBRA 275 9327 E inquiry4 zebra com 4 44 0 1628 556037 44 0 1628 556005 E mseurope zebra com les E China GCmarketing zebra com All other areas APACChannelmarketing zebra c om Customer Service Department US Internal Sales Department UK For printers parts media and ribbon please call your distributor or contact us T 1 877 ASK ZEBRA 275 9327 E clientcare zebra com T 44 0 1628 556032 44 0 1628 556001 E
34. ct thermal media similar to FAX paper and is used for receipt or ticket style printing Tag stock Tags are usually made from a heavy paper up to 0 00751n 0 19mm thick Tag stock does not have adhesive or a liner and it 1s typically perforated between tags For more information on basic media types see Table 1 The printer typically uses roll media but you can use fan fold or other continuous media too Use the correct media for the type of printing you require You must use direct thermal media 5 23 2012 GC420d User Guide P1052685 001 28 Print Media Types Media Type Non Continuous Roll Media Table 1 Types of Media Roll and Fanfold Media How It Looks CT Q Description Roll media is wound on a core that can be 0 5 to 1 5 in 12 7 to 38 1 mm in diameter Labels have adhesive backing that sticks them to a liner and they are separated by gaps holes notches or black marks Tags are separated by perforations Individual labels are separated by one or more of the following methods Web media separates labels by gaps holes or notches f L Wr Black mark media uses pre printed black marks on the back side of the media to indicate label separations NENNEN Perforated media has perforations that allow the labels or tags to be separated from each other easily The media may also have black marks or other separations between labels or tags
35. d sensors You can obtain cleaning supplies at www zipzebra com The cleaning process takes just a couple of minutes using the steps outlined below Printer Part Method Interval Printhead Let the printhead to cool for a minute then usea After every roll of new cleaning pen to swab the dark line on the media printhead cleaning from the center to the outside edges of the printhead See Cleaning the Printhead on page 49 Platen roller Remove the platen roller to clean Clean the As needed roller thoroughly with 90 medical grade alcohol and a cleaning swab or lint free cloth See Platen Cleaning and Replacement on page 52 Peel bar Clean it thoroughly with 90 medical grade Media path alcohol and a fiber free cleaning swab Let alcohol dissipate and the printer dry completely Exterior Water dampened cloth Interior Gently brush out printer Caution Adhesives and media material can over time transfer onto the printer components along the media path including the platen and printhead This build up can accumulate dust and debris Failure to clean the printhead media path and platen roller could result in inadvertent loss of labels label jams and possible damage to the printer Important Using too much alcohol can result in contamination of the electronic components requiring a much longer drying time before the printer will function properly P1052685 001 GC420d User Guide 5 23 2012 49 Cleani
36. e NA N aUa ad T MEDIA S MEDIA GAIN LABEL Sensor Settings used for Service Purposes MODES ENABLED FD TT MODES DISABLED 832 87MM FULL RESOLUTION 17 102P10 lt FIRMWARE d a m Ria eines e aa XML SCHEMA eo OO Ol HARDWARE ID CONF IGURAT ION aw ad a ua ae RAM T E ONBOARD FLASH ONE 5 FORMAT CONVERT MAINT OFF E 2010 09 207 17 32 33 TIME STA FIRMWARE IN THIS PRINTER IS COPYRIGHTED 5 23 2012 GC420d User Guide P1052685 001 83 84 ZPL Configuration Status to Command Cross reference Table 2 ZPL Commands and Configuration Receipt Callout Cross Reference Command Listing Name Description SD DARKNESS Default 10 0 PR PRINT SPEED Default 4 IPS 101 6 mm s max TA TEAR OFF Default 000 MM PRINT MODE Default TEAR OFF MN MEDIA TYPE Default GAP NOTCH SENSOR TYPE Default WEB SENSOR SELECT Default AUTO MNA Auto Detect PW PRINT WIDTH Default 832 dots LL LABEL LENGTH Default 1225 dots the value constantly re calibrates with automatic Web Gap detection for label media ML MAXIMUM LENGTH Default 39 0IN 989MM USB COMM Connection Status Connected Not Connected PARALLEL COMM Connection Available BIDIRECTIONAL sCa BAUD Default 9600 sc b DATA BITS Default 8 BITS sc c
37. e custom printer operations that can automate processes use peripherals i e scanners scales keyboards Zebra KDU or KDU Plus etc all without being attached to a PC or network This user s guide provides all the information you need to operate your printer on a daily basis To create label formats refer to your programming guides or label design applications such as ZebraDesigner M Your printer when connected to a host computer functions as a complete system for printing labels and tags Note Many printer settings may also be controlled by your printer s driver or label design software Refer to the driver or software documentation for more information P1052685 001 GC420d User Guide 5 23 2012 What s in the Box What s in the Box Save the carton and all packing materials in case you need to ship or store the printer later After unpacking make sure you have all parts Follow the procedures for inspecting the printer to familiarize yourself with printer parts so you can follow the instructions in this book Printer P Documentation and Software Power Cord varies by locale or region Unpack and Inspect the Printer When you receive the printer immediately unpack it and inspect for shipping damage Save all packing materials e Check all exterior surfaces for damage Open the printer and inspect the media compartment for damage to components If you discover shipping damag
38. e for most applications 5 23 2012 GC420d User Guide P1052685 001 22 Connecting your Printer to a Computer Parallel Port The required cable must have a 25 pin D type DB 25P male connector host on one end and a Centronics printer on the other end IEEE 1284 A B parallel interface specification Parallel Cable P1052685 001 GC420d User Guide 5 23 2012 23 After Your Printer is Connected After Your Printer is Connected Now that you have basic communication to your printer you may want to test printer communications and then install other printer related applications drivers or utilities Testing Communications by Printing Verifying the print system s operation is a relatively simple process For Windows operating systems the Zebra Setup Utility or the Windows Printers and Faxes Control Panel to access and print a test label For non Windows operation systems copying a basic ASCII text file with a single command WC to the printer will print a configuration status label Test Printing with Zebra Setup Utility 1 Open the Zebra Setup Utility 2 Click on the newly installed printer s icon to select the printer and activate the printer configuration buttons below it in the window 3 Click the Open Printer Tools button 4 In the Print tab window click on the Print configuration label line and click on the Send button The printer should print a configura
39. e upon inspection Immediately notify the shipping company and file a damage report Zebra Technologies Corporation is not responsible for any damage to the printer incurred during shipment and will not cover the repair of this damage under its warranty policy Keep all packaging material for shipping company inspection e Notify your authorized Zebra reseller 5 23 2012 GC420d User Guide P1052685 001 What s in the Box Your Printer Status Feed Fan Fold Media Entry Slot Light Button Release Latches P Power oE Switch MERC Release Lathes DC Power Interface Receptacle Connectors Opening the printer To access the media compartment you must open the printer Pull the release latches towards you and lift the cover Check the media compartment for loose or damaged components Caution The discharge of electrostatic energy that accumulates on the surface of the human body or other surfaces can damage or destroy the printhead or electronic components used in this device You must observe static safe procedures when working with the printhead or the electronic components under the top cover P1052685 001 GC420d User Guide 5 23 2012 What s in the Box Printer Features Sensor Roll Holder and Media Guides ead Up Sensor inside Media Guide Adjustment Dispenser Door open Label Taken Pinch Roller Peel Bar Sensor 5 23 2012 GC420d U
40. ean the printhead The printhead elements are damaged The printing does not start at the top of the label or misprinting of one to three labels The media may not be threaded correctly Follow the instructions for Loading Roll Media on page 11 in the Getting Started section The printer needs to be calibrated Refer to the two flash sequence of Feed Button Modes on page 70 in this section ZPL Label Formats The correct media sensor may not be activated Manual calibration selects the media sensing method for the labels being used refer to the MN command in the ZPL Programming Guide ZPL Label Formats Verify that the Label Top L T command is correctly set for your application consult the ZPL Programming Guide EPL Label Formats The correct media sensor may not be activated for label dispensing blackline or notch sensing or for Gap Web sensing Manual calibration selects the media sensing method for the labels being used refer to the O and Q commands in the EPL Programmer s Guide EPL Label Formats Verify that the Set Label Length Q command is correctly set for your application consult the EPL Programmer s Guide A ZPL label format was sent to but not recognized by the printer Is the printer in pause mode If so press the Feed button Ifthe status LED is on or flashing refer to What the Status Light is Telling You on page 60 Make sure the data cable is correctly installed A communications problem has
41. ee Printing a Test Printer Configuration Label on page 15 to print this label See Appendix ZPL Configuration on page 81 for details on printer configuration and the ZPL commands that control the printer settings listed on the Printer Configuration Status Label To get an EPL style printer configuration status label send the printer the EPL U command See the EPL programmer s guide for more information on the various EPL U commands and interpreting the settings displayed on these labels Long Term Printer In activity or Storage Overtime the printhead may stick to the platen drive roller To prevent this always store the printer with a piece of media a label or paper between the printhead and platen roller Do not ship the printer with a roll of media installed or damage to the printer or media may result Thermal Printing A LN Caution The printhead becomes hot while printing To protect from damaging the printhead and risk of personal injury avoid touching the printhead Only use the cleaning pen to perform printhead maintenance Caution The discharge of electrostatic energy that accumulates on the surface of the human body or other surfaces can damage or destroy the printhead or electronic components used in this device You must observe static safe procedures when working with the printhead or the electronic components under the top cover P1052685 001 GC420d User Guide 5 23 2012 27 Modes of Printing Modes
42. ements of four 4 using the ZPL darkness setting range values Press the Feed button once the pattern is clear and legible Do not continue to increase the darkness setting or bar code line widths may become distorted reducing readability Note that the printer driver and applications can override this setting kkk kkkk kkkkk kkkkkk kkkkkkk Manual Media Calibration The printer runs extensive tests to detect and set media type and media length and then it adjusts the media sensors for optimal performance with the installed media equivalent ZPL command JG Manual calibration is recommended whenever you are using pre printed media print on the liner or if the printer will not correctly auto calibrate A graphical profile of the media sensing will print See Manual Calibration on page 66 for more details and considerations If the Feed button remains pressed after 7th flash sequence cycle finishes the printer exits the configuration mode when the Feed button is released 5 23 2012 GC420d User Guide P1052685 001 72 Feed Button Modes P1052685 001 GC420d User Guide 5 23 2012 Appendix Interface Wiring This section provides printer interface connection information Contents Universal Serial Bus USB Interface YrFYY eee eee eee 74 Parallel Interface isse km Sides GE Shee Glee Seve Sido mens nde 75 Serial Port Interface 0 76 5 23 2
43. er Dimensions 0000 cece eee tees 88 Cw Appendix ZPL Configuration soos vse ei eden awed owe WeR se Re 91 Managing Printer Configuration with ZPL Programming Y 92 ZPL Configuration Status to Command Cross reference 5 93 Printer Memory Management and Related Status Reports 96 ZPL Programming for Memory Management FFY Y Y 96 5 23 2012 GC420d User Guide P1052685 001 xii Notes P1052685 001 GC420d User Guide 5 23 2012 Introduction This section describes what you get in your shipping box and provides an overview of printer features This includes procedures that describe how to open and close the printer and report any problems Contents GC420d Thermal Printers 0 2 Whats in the BOX o coca caca eee ee eee 3 Unpack and Inspect the 3 Your Printer 4 Printer Features 5 Operator Controls 00 0000 cece en 6 5 23 2012 GC420d User Guide P1052685 001 2 GC420d Thermal Printers GC420d Thermal Printers The Zebra GC420d model is the best value in a desktop thermal printer The GC420d printer provides direct thermal printing at speeds up to 4 ips inches per second at a 203 dpi dots per inch print density The GC420d supports both ZPL and EPL Zebra printer programming languages and a wide variety of interface and feature options The GC420 prin
44. essential to complete a task Note Indicates neutral or positive information that emphasizes or supplements important points of the main text Example Provides an example often a scenario to better clarify a section of text P1052685 001 GC420d User Guide 5 23 2012 Contents About This Document cc RG GIG AG GG DU OU Ga OR a v Who Should Use This Document anassa nananana vi How This Document Is Organized 000002 eee vi Contacts c MP vii Document Conventions 0000 rr viii ie EGO 2 2 000 000 cause UR hos Bre Scar ei riso ire iae us id ix UES iuo e o gt Y 22002 20 62 i DIT 1 GC420d Thermal PrinterS FY FFF re 2 Whatsin the BOX 3 Unpack and Inspect the Printer 3 Your Printer iss sa eG nad eee SAG Re age ee eed dag e RA RE a AUR ee eee 4 Printer Features 0 2 hr Rn 5 Operator Controls 0 0 0 00 teens 6 2 MEET 9 Attaching Power 10 Loading Roll Media ee DR RR bx eee gt d 11 Preparing Media eii ocn RIDERE I I eee hob aS haw heeds E a os 11 Placing the Roll in the Media Compartment IY cee eae 12 Printing a Test Printer Configuration Label 5 15 Pre install Windows Printer Drivers 00000 16 Connecting your Printer to a 18 Interface Cable Requirements 0000 cece eee eee 18 After Your Printer is Connected F Y I FF FFY RR uu 24 3
45. g Your printer can be configured to work without being attached to a computer The printer has the ability to automatically run a single label form One or more downloaded label forms can be accessed and run with a terminal or wedge device or a Zebra KDU keyboard display unit to call a label form These methods allow the developer to incorporate data input devices such as scanners or weight scales to the printer via the serial port Label formats can be developed and stored in the printer to support labels that have No data entry required and print when the Feed button is pressed No data entry required and print when a label is removed from the printer s optional label dispenser Oneor more data variables to be entered via the terminal or wedge device The label will print after the last variable data field has been input Oneor more label formats that are called by scanning bar codes containing programming to run a label form Label forms designed to work as a process chain with each label including a bar code containing the programming to run the next label in the process sequence Both printer programming languages support special label forms that will automatically run after a power cycle or reset The ZPL looks for a file named AUTOEXEC ZPL and EPL looks for a label form named AUTOFR If both files are loaded in the printer then only the AUTOEXEC ZPL will run The EPL AUTOFR form runs until it is disabled Both files
46. g a Configuration Label To print out a listing of the printer s current configuration refer to the one flash sequence in Feed Button Modes on page 70 in this section See Appendix ZPL Configuration on page 81 to interpret the label Recalibration PRINTER CONFIGURATION Zebra Technologies ZTC GC420d 29 E PERETE TEET DARKNESS 4 IPS eren PRINT SPEED 000 ee TERR OFF TERR OFF PRINT MODE GRP NOTCH MEDIA TYPE WE B e eo SENSOR TYPE fUTO SENSOR SELECT 7 I PRINT WIDTH 1236 1 LABEL LENGTH sarsa MAXIMUM LENGTH U OMM 21 CONTROL CHAR SEH COMMAND CHAR 6 233 777 DELIM CHAR ZPL II ZPL MODE NO MOTION MEDIA POWER UP FEED eeee HEAD CLOSE BACKFEED LABEL TOP LEFT POSITION MED S MEDIA GAIN CONT MEDIA S MEDIA GAIN TAKE LABEL MODES ENABLED MODES DISABLED 832 87MM FULL RESOLUTION MES 17 102P10 lt FIRMWARE XML SCHEMA v29 00 01 HARDWARE ID CONF IGURAT ION RAM E ONBOARD FLASH ONE CONVERT WWF nn SBI VERSION AE TOTAL USAGE 2824 IN RESET CNTR1 824 IN RESET CNTR2 gue wu n SERIAL NUMBER AINT OFF ERRL Y HORNENG 010 09 07 17 32 33 TIME STA IRMWARE IN THIS PRINTER IS COPYRIGHTED
47. ge Your work area must be static safe and include a properly grounded conductive cushioned mat to hold the printer and a conductive wrist strap for yourself Caution Turn the printer power off and unplug the power cord before replacing the printhead Before following the steps in this procedure open the printer by pulling the release latches forward then lifting the top cover Printhead Removal 1 Use a 1 Phillips driver to loosen the four screws that hold the latch frame to the top case n MD P1052685 001 GC420d User Guide 5 23 2012 Replacing the Printhead 2 Grasp the print head spring and pull it to the left then slide it free of the latch frame 3 Gently pull the wire bundles from the printhead 4 Use a 1 Phillips driver to loosen the two screws and washers and release the print head from the latch frame and bracket 5 23 2012 GC420d User Guide P1052685 001 56 Replacing the Printhead Printhead Installation 1 Route the print head cables under the latch shaft and plug the printhead cables into the receptacles on the printhead 2 Hold the printhead against the bracket while replacing the screws and washers Attach the ground wire using the right screw and washer Use a 1 Phillips driver to tighten the screws P1052685 001 GC420d
48. he printer has failed its power on self test POST If this error occurs right after you turn on the printer contact an authorized reseller for assistance When the printer is operating normally the printer status light will be amber for about 10 seconds before turning green solid or blinking There is a memory error If this error occurs after you have been printing turn the printer power off and on and then resume printing The printhead needs to cool down If this error continues turn the printer power off for five minutes or more and then turn on If the amber light persists then the printer requires service 4 The printer is receiving data As soon as all of the data has been received the status LED will turn green and the printer will automatically resume operation 5 The media is out Follow the instructions for Loading Roll Media on page 11 in the Getting Started section and then press the Feed button to resume printing The printhead is open Close the top cover and then press the Feed button to resume printing 5 23 2012 GC420d User Guide P1052685 001 62 Status Light Error Resolutions 6 The printer is paused Press the Feed button to resume printing 7 The printhead is over temperature Printing will stop until the printhead cools to an acceptable printing temperature When it does the printer will automatically resume operation 8 FLASH memory is not programmed
49. hexadecimal value displayed above the hexadecimal data 00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 OS OR OB OC 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 v 8 4 amp x 4 509 16 19 1A 18 16 1D 1E 1F 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 2A 2B 2C 2D 2E 2F lt f 3A 38 3C 30 3E 3F 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 x lt w N v 0 a bd o 2 gt o br 2 n a x 3 w 3 0 o m v m 2 50 43 UU ee D D n m uo o o c lt o c a m a x v 20 c 3 z tw R3 R4 R5 AB R7 26 85 86 87 88 BS BA BB BC BD BE BF LL 5 6 5 Gee 5 5 5551 co C1 C2 C3 C4 C5 C6 C7 68 C9 CA CB CC CD CF DO Di D2 D3 D4 05 D6 7 2 660 7060 126 I ra DS DA DB DC DD DE DF EO E1 E2 E3 E4 E5 E6 E7 E8 ES ER EB EC ED EE EF 8 FO F1 F2 F3 F4 F5 F6 F7 F8 F9 FA FB FC FD FE FF The blank lines between the lines of data are where serial port and Bluetooth data handling errors get logged The errors are e F Frame Error P Parity Error N Noise Error e Oz Data Overrun Error To exit the diagnostic mode and resume printing turn off and then turn on the printer An alternate method for exiting the diagnostic mode is to press the Feed button as many times as it takes to clear the printer s command buffer and print Out of DUMP on the label a AI E Out of DUMP 5 23 2012 GC420d User Guide P1052685 001
50. iagnostics LYYF FY eee eee 68 Feed Button Modes FFI eet ug 70 5 23 2012 GC420d User Guide P1052685 001 60 Status Light Descriptions Status Light Descriptions What the Status Light is Telling You LED Status and Color Printer Status For a Resolution Refer to Number off Off 1 Solid Green On 2 Solid Amber Stopped 3 Flashing Green Normal Operation 4 Flashing Red Stopped 5 Double Flashing Green Paused 6 Flashing Amber Paused 7 Alternately Flashing Green and Red Needs Service 8 Flashing Red Red and Green Needs Service 9 Flashing Red Amber Green Memory 10 Do NOT reset or turn off power Defragmentation P1052685 001 GC420d User Guide 5 23 2012 61 Status Light Error Resolutions Status Light Error Resolutions The following Status Error Light Resolution numbers correspond to the Status Light Description table on the previous page Each error number may have one or more resolution to correct that error listed 1 The printer is not receiving power Have you turned on the printer power Check power connections from the wall outlet to the power supply and from the power supply to the printer See Attaching Power on page 10 Disconnect the printer from the wall outlet for 30 seconds and then reconnect the printer to the wall outlet 2 The printer is on and in an idle state No action necessary 3 T
51. int as a black marks If the MN parameter for continuous media is set then the print does not preform the automatic calibration The MN command also includes an automatic calibration parameter MNA to return the printer to its default setting to automatically detect all media types 5 23 2012 GC420d User Guide P1052685 001 32 Printing on Fan Fold Media Printing on Fan Fold Media Printing on fan fold media requires you to adjust the media roll holders stop position 1 Open the top cover vu e a SN E 2 With a sample of your media adjust the media roll holders to the width of the media The hangers should just touch but not restrict the edges of the media Tighten the screw using a small Phillips driver 1 P1052685 001 GC420d User Guide 5 23 2012 Printing on Fan Fold Media 3 With a sample of your media adjust the guides to the width of the media The guides should just touch but not restrict the edges of the media 4 Run the media between the media guide and roll holders 5 Close the top cover After printing or feeding several labels If the media does not track down the center moves from side to side or the sides of the media liner tag paper etc are frayed or damaged when exiting the printer then the media guides or roll holders may need further adjustment 5 23 2012 GC420d User G
52. lasse B est conforme a la norme NMB 003 du Canada 5 23 2012 GC420d User Guide P1052685 001 iv FCC Compliance Statement This device complies with Part 15 rules Operation is subject to the following two conditions 1 This device may not cause harmful interference and 2 This device must accept any interference received including interference that may cause undesired operation This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for Class B Digital Devices 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 residential environment This equipment generates uses and can radiate radio frequency energy and if not installed and used in accordance with the product manuals may cause harmful interference to radio communications However there is no guarantee that interference will not occur in a particular installation If this equipment does cause harmful interference to radio or television reception the user is encouraged to do one or more of the following measures Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna Increase the separation between the equipment and receiver Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit different from that to which the receiver is connected Consult the dealer or an experienced RF service technician for help The user is cautioned that any changes or modifications
53. lowed by a three 3 alphanumeric character file extension i e 123456789ABCDEF TTF Legacy ZPL printers with V60 13 firmware and earlier can only use the 8 3 file name format verses today s 16 3 file name format Allows moving objects between memory locations and deleting objects Supports DOS directory style file list reports as printouts or status to the host e Allows use of wild cards in file access P1052685 001 GC420d User Guide 5 23 2012 87 Printer Memory Management and Related Status Reports Table 4 Object Management and Status Report Commands Command Name Description WD Print Directory Label Prints a list of objects and resident bar codes and fonts in all addressable memory locations WC Print Configuration Prints a configuration Status Receipt Label Label Same as Feed Button mode one flash routine ID Object Delete Deletes objects from printer memory TO Transfer Object Used to copy an object or group of objects from one memory area to another cM Change Memory Letter Reassigns a letter designation to a printer Designation memory area JB Initialize Flash memory Similar to formatting a disk erases all objects from the specified memory locations B or E JB Reset Optional Memory Similar to formatting a disk erases all objects from the B memory factory option DY Download Objects Downloads and installs wide variety of printer usable
54. mation on the Print Meter To active the Print Meter Alerts send one of the following commands to the printer e EPL command oLY ZPLcommand JH E EPL Line Mode Your direct thermal printer supports Line Mode printing EPL Line Mode printing is designed to be command compatible with EPL1 programming language used in early model LP2022 and LP2042 printers The Zebra 2800 series direct thermal printers also included Line Mode printer language support The GC420 continues Zebra s support of Line Mode Line mode printing is ideal for basic retail point of sale POS shipping inventory work flow control and general labeling EPL printers with Line Mode are versatile and are capable of printing a wide range media and bar codes Line Mode printing only prints single lines the height of the largest element present in the line of text and data bar code text a logo or simple vertical lines Line mode has many limitations due to the single line of print no fine element placement no overlapping elements and no horizontal ladder bar codes Line Mode printer operation is entered by sending the printer the EPL OEPL1 command See the EPL Programmers Guide Page Mode or the EPL Line Mode Programmers Guide Line Mode printer operation is exited by sending the printer the escOEPL2 Line Mode command See the EPL Line Mode Programmers Guide With Line Mode active ZPL and EPL EPL2 Page Mode programming will be processed as Line
55. media guides Verify the roll turns freely The roll must not sit in the bottom of the media compartment Verify that the media s printing surface is facing up 5 Close the media guides by turning the guide adjuster knob to the front They should just touch but not restrict the edges of the media 6 Close the printer Press down until the cover snaps closed P1052685 001 GC420d User Guide 5 23 2012 Printing a Test Printer Configuration Label Printing a Test Printer Configuration Label Before you connect the printer to your computer make sure that the printer is in proper working order You can do this by printing a configuration status label 1 Make sure the media is properly loaded and the top cover of the printer is closed Then turn the printer power on if you have not already done so If the printer initializes with the status light blinking green pause mode press the Feed button once to set the printer in Ready to print mode See the Troubleshooting on page 59 if the printer s status light does not turn solid green Ready 2 Press the Feed button two to three times to allow the printer to calibrate the printer for the installed media The printer may feed several labels during this process 3 When the status light is solid green press and hold the Feed button until the status light flashes once 4 Release the Feed button A configuration label will print If you
56. must be deleted from the printer followed by a reset or a power cycle to completely remove the files Note The GC420 EPL AUTOFR command can only be disabled with NULL character 00 hex or ASCII 0 The printer will ignore the other character that normally disables the AUTOFFR form operation in most other EPL printers the XOFF character 13 hex or ASCII 19 The printer can source up to 750mA through a 5 volt line shared between the parallel and serial ports See Appendix A for more information on the printer s serial port interface 5 23 2012 GC420d User Guide P1052685 001 37 38 Sending Files to the Printer Sending Files to the Printer Graphics fonts and programming files can be sent to the printer from the Microsoft Windows operating systems by using the Zebra Setup Utilities and driver ZebraNet Bridge or Zebra ZDownloader found on the user s CD or at www zebra com These methods are common for both programming languages and the GC420 printers Print Meter The GC420 printer has the capability to report printhead maintenance alerts The printer can provide cleaning and early warning of end of calculated printhead life alerts If the RTC Real Time Clock is installed in the printer the printhead life and history reporting will also include the date By default print metering alerts are disabled Many of the print meter messages and reports are customize able See the ZPL or EPL Programming Guides for more infor
57. nd programming files to the printer Windows Notepad text editor can be used to create programing files Figure 1 Configuration Parameter Format Structure XA Start Format Command Format Commands are order sensitive a General Print and command settings b Media handling and behaviors C Media print size JUS command to save XZ End Format Command P1052685 001 GC420d User Guide 5 23 2012 ZPL Configuration Status to Command Cross reference ZPL Configuration Status to Command Cross reference Figure 2 Configuration Label Printout PRINTER CONFIGURATION Zebra Technologies ZTC GC420d 2009 DARKNESS o PRINT SPEED T000 seen TERR OFF TERR OFF PRINT MODE GRP NOTCH MEDIA TYPE WEB eere SENSOR TYPE RUTO ee SENSOR SELECT 155 I PRINT WIDTH 05 ss eiu n u LRBEL LENGTH al eain MAXIMUM LENGTH USB COMM NONE eese PROTOCOL LINER TAG FULL CUTTER TYPE 49 CONTROL CHAR ree er rer COMMAND CHAR YH aes MODE rs SNNT MEDIA POWER UP EL TOP Am ee a n n wine mein LEFT POSITION DUMP The Printer Configuration Label shown below provides a listing of a majority of the configurations settings that can be set by ZPL command Some printer options and variations will only be displayed if they are present in the printer Lasse een ae cess MED S PT ere MEDIA GAIN as D
58. nected via its RS 232 interface to data communication equipment DCE such as a modem a Null Modem RS 232 straight through interface cable must be used The figure below shows the connections required for this cable Connecting to the KDU Keyboard Display Unit The KDU was designed for DCE printer connections and does not require an adapter to communicate DB 9P Connector to Printer 60 00 41600 60 00 44 0 co oconBONMN P1052685 001 GC420d User Guide 5 23 2012 Appendix Dimensions This section provides external printer dimensions Contents External GK Printer Dimensions 78 Label Dispenser Option YY YI I FF eh 79 5 23 2012 GC420d User Guide P1052685 001 78 External GK Printer Dimensions External GK Printer Dimensions All dimensions are in inches 11 00 P1052685 001 GC420d User Guide 5 23 2012 79 External GK Printer Dimensions Label Dispenser Option
59. ng Cleaning the Printhead A Always use a new cleaning pen on the printhead an old pen carries contaminants from its previous uses that may damage the printhead Caution The printhead becomes hot while printing To protect from damaging the printhead and risk of personal injury avoid touching the printhead Use only the cleaning pen to perform maintenance When you load new media you can also clean the printhead 1 Rub the cleaning pen across the dark area of the printhead Clean from the middle to the outside This will move adhesive transferred from the edges of media to the printhead outside of media path 2 Wait one minute before closing the printer 5 23 2012 GC420d User Guide P1052685 001 50 Cleaning Media Path Considerations Use a cleaning swab to remove debris dust or crust that has built up on the holders guides and media path surfaces 1 Use the alcohol in the cleaning swab to soak the debris to break up the adhesive 2 Wipe the ridges to remove accumulated debris 3 Wipe the inside edges of both edge guides to remove any built up residue 4 Wait one minute before closing the printer Discard the cleaning swab after use Media Guides Platen Pinch Roller P1052685 001 GC420d User Guide 5 23 2012 51 Cleaning Sensor Cleaning Dust can accumulate on the media sensors 1 Gently brush away dust if necessary use a
60. ng the equipment described herein Such proprietary information may not be used reproduced or disclosed to any other parties for any other purpose without the express written permission of Zebra Technologies Product Improvements Continuous improvement of products is a policy of Zebra Technologies All specifications and designs are subject to change without notice Liability Disclaimer Zebra Technologies takes steps to ensure that its published Engineering specifications and manuals are correct however errors do occur Zebra Technologies reserves the right to correct any such errors and disclaims liability resulting therefrom Limitation of Liability In no event shall Zebra Technologies or anyone else involved in the creation production or delivery of the accompanying product including hardware and software be liable for any damages whatsoever including without limitation consequential damages including loss of business profits business interruption or loss of business information arising out of the use of the results of use of or inability to use such product even if Zebra Technologies has been advised of the possibility of such damages Some jurisdictions do not allow the exclusion or limitation of incidental or consequential damages so the above limitation or exclusion may not apply to you Canadian DOC Compliance Statement This Class B digital apparatus complies with Canadian ICES 003 Cet appareil num rique de la c
61. not expressly approved by Zebra Technologies could void the user s authority to operate the equipment To ensure compliance this printer must be used with fully shielded communication cables o 77 I B AAA DEA gt 2 AAA ABS QS O sho m AJAA 84 96 9 Environmental Management Do not dispose of this product in unsorted municipal waste This product is recyclable and should be recycled according to your local standards For more information please see our website at Web address www zebra com environment P1052685 001 GC420d User Guide 5 23 2012 About This Document This section provides you with contact information document structure and organization and additional reference documents Contents Who Should Use This Document LLILIrYYY cc ccc eee eee vi How This Document Is Organized lY FF RF Y Y y vi Contacts FT E AURU EAA A ROA KUAD EEEE a vii Document Conventions 0 viii 5 23 2012 GC420d User Guide P1052685 001 vi Who Should Use This Document Who Should Use This Document This User Guide is intended for use by any person who needs to operate or to troubleshoot problems with the printer How This Document Is Organized The User Guide is set up as follows Section Introduction on page 1 Description This section describes what you get in your shipping box and provides an overview of printer features This section also has pro
62. of Printing You can operate this printer in many different modes and media configurations Direct thermal printing which uses heat sensitive media to print Standard Tear Off mode allows you to tear off each label or batch print a strip of labels after it is printed Label Dispense Mode If an optional dispenser is installed the backing material can be peeled away from the label as it is printed After this label is removed the next one is printed Stand alone The printer can print without being connected to a computer using the printer s auto running label form feature programming based or by using a data input device connected to the printer s serial port This mode accommodates data input devices such as scanners weigh scales Zebra KDU Plus or Zebra KDU Keyboard Display Unit etc Print Media Types Important Zebra strongly recommends the use of Zebra brand supplies for continuous high quality printing A wide range of paper polypropylene polyester and vinyl stock has been specifically engineered to enhance the printing capabilities of the printer and to prevent premature printhead wear To purchase supplies go to http www zebra com howtobuy Your printer can use various types of media Standard media Most standard non continuous media uses an adhesive backing that sticks individual labels or a continuous length of labels to a liner Continuous roll media Most continuous roll media is dire
63. ort Unicode support and font download The GC420 printer s font capabilities are programming language dependent The EPL programming language provides for basic bitmapped fonts and international code pages The ZPL programming language provides advanced font mapping and scaling technology to support outline fonts TrueType or OpenType and Unicode character mapping as well as basic bitmapped fonts and character code pages ZPL and EPL programming guides describe and document the fonts code pages character access listing fonts and limitations for their respective printer programming languages See the printer programming guides for information on Text Fonts and Character support The GC420 printer includes utilities and application software that support font download into the printer for both printer programming languages Localizing the Printer with Code Pages The GC420 printer supports two sets of language region and character sets for permanent fonts loaded into the printer for each printer programming language ZPL and EPL The printer supports localization with common international character map code pages For ZPL code page support including Unicode see the CI command in the ZPL programmer s guide For EPL code page support see the I command in the EPL programmer s guide 5 23 2012 GC420d User Guide P1052685 001 36 Fonts and Your Printer Identifying Fonts in Your Printer Fonts and memor
64. ory 00 es 51 KDU Plus Printer Accessory 0 0 000 eee 52 ZBI 2 0 Zebra Basic Interpreter 53 06 6 ee ee e ACRI TF O ee YF ree eee E R 55 Cleaning essence eee RR ae bee M A EN de dee ee ee e RR 56 Cleaning the Printhead 00000 ns 57 Media Path Considerations llle 58 Platen Cleaning and Replacement 002000 cece ete eee 60 Other Printer Maintenance llli 61 Replacing the Printhead YFFF FF FR ER FFR Yu 62 0 TIOUDIESNOOUNG L G RR EDR RR 0 67 Status Light Descriptions FFF RR RF eee 68 Status Light Error Resolutions YFF ce tee eee 69 Print Quality Problems VI FF RF FR FFF me 71 Manual Calibration FY eee 74 P1052685 001 GC420d User Guide 5 23 2012 Troubleshooting Tests lel 75 Printing a Configuration Label 75 Recalibratiori ss s eui dee kd Ree lUe dob bbe bead Re ee ds d dan 75 Resetting the Factory Default ValU8S YYFF EF RR ug 76 Communications Diagnostics FFF FY re 76 Feed Button Modes L LI IF A FFF FF FL Ru ug 78 A Appendix Interface Wiring 0 81 Universal Serial Bus USB Interface 0020 82 Parallel Interface sss EE ERR EE ERR no EN EE WE ERE 83 Ethernet Interface 0 0 ete eee 84 Serial Port Interface liliis 85 B Appendix Dimensions ccc GRUG prr n DUW GG dcr 87 External GK Print
65. plication Print quality can be set with the Zebra Setup Utility s Configure Print Quality routine Note Media manufactures may have specific recommendations for speed settings for your printer and the media Some media types have lower maximum speeds than your printer s maximum speed The relative darkness or density setting can be controlled by The six flash sequence in Feed Button Modes on page 70 This will overwrite any ZPL and EPL programmed darkness density settings The Set Darkness 4 SD ZPL command consult your ZPL Programming Guide The Density D EPL command consult your EPL Programmer s Guide If you find that the print speed needs to be adjusted use The Windows printer driver or application software such as ZebraDesigner The Print Rate PR command consult your ZPL Programming Guide The Speed Select S command consult your EPL Programmer s Guide P1052685 001 GC420d User Guide 5 23 2012 31 Media Sensing Media Sensing The printer has automatic media sensing capability The printer is designed to continuously check and adjust media length sensing for minor variations Once the printer is printing or feeding media the printer continually checks and adjusts the media sensing to accommodate for minor changes in media parameters from label to label on a roll and from roll to roll of media The printer will automatically initiate a media length calibration if the expected medi
66. port communication parameters except for Flow Control Press and release the Feed button while the LED rapidly flashes amber and green For autobaud synchronization Send the XA XZ command sequence to the printer while the LED rapidly flashes amber and green When the printer and host are synchronized the LED changes to solid green NOTE No labels will print during autobaud synchronization Factory Defaults Resets the printer to the factory default settings equivalent to ZPL command JUN See Appendix ZPL Configuration on page 81 for a description of the primary configuration settings and their associated ZPL commands Some configuration settings are not returned to their initial out of box settings Other settings are exclusively set viewed and controlled by programming are also reset The printer then performs a standard media calibration followed by a memory defragmentation routine Print Width Adjustment Prints a succession of boxes starting at the minimum print width and ending in the printer s maximum print width in 4mm increments Press the Feed button once when the printer has reached the desired maximum print width Note that the printer driver and applications can override this setting kkk kkkk kkkkk kkkkkk Print Darkness Density Adjustment Prints a succession of bar code simulation patterns starting at the minimum darkness print density heat and ending in the printer s maximum darkness in incr
67. printer to save all current persistent settings The values are recalled with a JUR command to restore the last saved values to you printer ZPL stores all parameters at once with a single command discussed above The legacy EPL programming language supported by this printer changes and saves individual commands immediately Most configuration and settings are shared between ZPL and EPL For example changing the speed setting with EPL will also change the speed set for ZPL operations The changed EPL setting will persist even after a power cycle or reset issued by either printer language To assist the developer the printer has a listing of the operating parameters a Printer Configuration Label It can be accessed by using the printer s Feed button and the Printing a Test Printer Configuration Label on page 15 The Zebra Setup Utility and the ZebraDesigner Windows driver also print this label and other printer status labels to help you manage your printer ZPL Printer Configuration Format Managing more than one printer can be done creating a printer configuration programming file to send to one or more printers or ZebraNet Bridge can be used to clone a printer s setup Figure 1 below shows the basic structure of a ZPL programming configuration file See the ZPL programmer s guide and the ZPL Configuration Status to Command Cross reference on page 83 to create a programming file The Zebra Setup Utility ZSU can be used to se
68. programming objects fonts OpenType and TrueType graphics and other object data types Recommendation Use ZebraNet Bridge for downloading graphics and fonts in the printer DG Download Graphic Downloads an ASCII Hex representation of a graphic image This is used by ZebraDesigner label creation application for graphics FL Font Linking Appends secondary TrueType font or fonts to the primary TrueType font to add glyphs characters LF List Font Links Prints a list of the linked fonts cw Font Identifier Assigns a single alphanumeric character as an alias to a font stored in memory Important Some factory installed ZPL fonts in your printer cannot be copied cloned or restored to your printer by reloading or updating firmware If these license restricted ZPL fonts are removed by an explicit ZPL object delete command they must be repurchased and reinstalled via a font activation and installation utility EPL fonts do not have this restriction 5 23 2012 GC420d User Guide P1052685 001 88 Printer Memory Management and Related Status Reports P1052685 001 GC420d User Guide 5 23 2012
69. r EPL Y Command Use the serial port setup Y command to change the communications settings on the printer 1 With the host computer set at the same communications settings as the printer send the Y command to change the printer to the desired settings Note the Y command does not support setting the data flow control use the Xon Xo setting 2 Change the host computer settings to match the new printer settings Refer to the EPL Page Mode Programming Guide for more information about this command Resetting the Default Serial Port Parameters Do the following to reset the communications parameters on the printer to the factory defaults serial communication settings are 9600 baud 8 bit word length NO parity 1 stop bit and DTR XON XOFF data flow control 1 Press and hold the feed button until the green status LED flashes once waits a moment and flashes twice and then waits again before flashing three times release immediately 2 While the status LED rapidly flashes amber and green press the feed button Serial communications between the printer and the host computer can be set by the ZPL sc command or the EPL Y command Note Early models of Zebra printers running the EPL programming language had 9600 baud NO parity 8 data bits 1 stop bit and a HARDWARE and SOFTWARE merged data control essentially DTR Xon Xoff as the default serial port settings The Windows operating system flow control setting was Hardwar
70. resume printing turn off and then turn on the printer An alternate method for exiting the diagnostic mode is to press the Feed button as many times as it takes to clear the printer s command buffer and print Out of DUMP on the label P1052685 001 GC420d User Guide 5 23 2012 71 Feed Button Modes Power On Modes With the printer power on and top cover closed press and hold the Feed button for several seconds The green status LED will flash a number of times in sequence The explanation at the right Action shows what happens when you release the key after the start specific number of flashes and before the next flash sequence starts Flash Sequence Action Configuration Status Prints a detailed printer configuration status label The label can be used to verify printing assist printer to computer communication configuration maintenance troubleshooting and help us with customer care communications Standard Auto Media Calibration The printer detects and sets media type and media length and it adjusts the media sensors for optimal performance with the installed media equivalent ZPL command JC The printer will feed one to four labels while calibrating Note Users familiar with the Zebra EPL desktop printer use this Feed mode to replace power up AutoSensing calibration equivalent EPL command XA Serial Port Configuration Applies only to printers with serial interface ports To reset the serial
71. rial and Parallel The Zebra Setup Utility is designed to assist you with installing these interfaces The cabling and unique parameters for each of these physical printer communication interfaces is discussed in the following pages to assist you with making configuration setup choices prior to and immediately following applying power The Zebra Setup Utilities configuration wizards will instruct you to turn the printer s power on at the appropriate time to complete the installation of your printer Caution Keep the power switch in the OFF position when attaching the interface cable The power cord must be inserted into the power supply and the power receptacle on the back of the printer before connecting or disconnecting the communications cables Interface Cable Requirements Data cables must be of fully shielded construction and fitted with metal or metallized connector shells Shielded cables and connectors are required to prevent radiation and reception of electrical noise To minimize electrical noise pickup in the cable Keep data cables as short as possible 6 foot 1 83 m recommended Do not tightly bundle the data cables with power cords Do not tie the data cables to power wire conduits Important This printer complies with FCC Rules and Regulations Part 15 for Class B Equipment using fully shielded data cables Use of un shielded cables may increase radiated emissions above the Class B limits P1052685 001
72. rinter does not support this media Appears on the media Direct thermal No ribbon is required Replacing Supplies If labels run out while printing leave the printer power on while reloading data loss results if you turn off the printer After you re load media press the Feed button to restart Always use high quality approved labels and tags If adhesive backed labels are used that don t 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 Adjusting the Print Width Print width must be set when You are using the printer for the first time There is a change in media width Print width may be set by The Windows printer driver or application software such as ZebraDesignerTM The five flash sequence in Feed Button Modes on page 70 Controlling printer operations with ZPL programming refer to the Print Width PW command consult your ZPL Programming Guide Controlling printer operations with EPL Page Mode programming refer to the Set Label Width q command consult your EPL Programmer 5 Guide 5 23 2012 GC420d User Guide P1052685 001 aM Adjusting the Print Ouality Adjusting the Print Ouality Print guality is influenced by the heat density setting of the printhead the print speed and the media in use Experiment with these settings to find the optimal mix for your ap
73. rmining Printer Configuration llle 26 Long Term Printer In activity or Storage illii 26 27 Print MediaNypes 3 3 RED Ge ORUG alee Rane oes 27 Replacing Supplies 2 2200220222 teens 29 Adjusting the Print Width 29 Adjusting the Print Quality llli tee Y a 30 Media Sensing 000 gt 31 Printing on Fan Fold Media 32 Printing with Externally Mounted Roll Media YFFY LL Y uy 34 Fonts and Your Printer a ia angen ERE E RR m RR a IR edhe EUR UR does 35 37 Sending Files to the Printer 38 Print Met r utc x actes os emn a KS eir uctus cease ui dus PEOR CR els oe Gate 38 EPL Line MOQG x krma ixl 7 38 5 23 2012 GC420d User Guide P1052685 001 26 Determining Printer Configuration Determining Printer Configuration The printer uses a ZPL printer configuration status label to report the printer s configuration status for both EPL and ZPL operations The ZPL style label provides a more intuitive and functionally descriptive naming conventions than the EPL style printer status label Operational status darkness speed media type etc installed printer options network interface settings cutter etc and printer description information serial number model name firmware version etc are all includes on the status label S
74. rs with label forms logos and smaller font sets The KDU Plus has two configurable serial port and a PS 2 port to connect to other data input devices such as scanners weigh scales etc The 5 volts from the printer s serial pin 9 provides power for the KDU Plus and any additional input devices attached to the KDU Plus Maximum total current draw for the GC420 printer s serial and parallel port 750mA The KDU Plus s current without external input devices attached is 50mA Not real values 50mA 45mA 120mA 25mA 50mA gt Max Current Caution The KDU Plus s input ports AUX1 AUX2 and PS 2 style are not fused Exceeding the total current draw available could damage an input device KDU Plus or the printer P1052685 001 GC420d User Guide 5 23 2012 ZBI 2 0 45 ZBI 2 0 Zebra Basic Interpreter Zebra Basic Interpreter Customize and enhance your printer with ZBI 2 0 optional programming language ZBI 2 0 allows Zebra printers to run applications and take input from scales scanners and other peripherals all without a PC or network connection ZBI 2 0 works with the ZPL printer command language so that printers can understand non ZPL data streams and convert them into labels That means the Zebra printer can create bar codes and text from input received non ZPL label formats sensors keyboards and peripherals Printers can also be programmed to interact with PC based database applications to
75. ser Guide P1052685 001 What s in the Box Operator Controls Power Switch Press up to turn ON or down to turn OFF the printer Caution The printer power should be turned off before connecting or disconnecting the communications and power cables Power Switch Power OFF Power ON Power Switch Feed Button Tap the Feed button once to force the printer to feed one blank label Press the Feed button to take the printer out of a pause condition The printer is put into pause by either a programming command or an error condition See What the Status Light is Telling You on page 60 in the Troubleshooting chapter Usethe Feed button for printer setup and status see Feed Button Modes on page 70 in the Troubleshooting chapter P1052685 001 GC420d User Guide 5 23 2012 What s in the Box Status Light Located on the top case next to the feed button the status light functions as a printer operational indicator see Status Light Descriptions on page 60 Feed Button Status Light 5 23 2012 GC420d User Guide P1052685 001 What s in the Box Closing the printer 1 Lower the top cover P1052685 001 GC420d User Guide 5 23 2012 Getting Started This section describes how to set up your printer for the first time and use the most common operating procedures for loading media Contents Attaching POWOF s scars a ade cee Seed Sade weed a EUR read dua ee eee SU
76. t sides Then rotate them forward y PS 27 3 Lift the platen out of the printer s bottom frame H zn 4 Clean the platen with the alcohol moistened swab Clean from the center out Repeat this process until the all of the roller surface has been cleaned If there has been heavy adhesive build up or label jam repeat with a new swab to remove residual contaminates Adhesives and oils for example may be thinned by the initial cleaning but not completely removed P1052685 001 GC420d User Guide 5 23 2012 53 Cleaning 5 Install the platen in the printer Discard the cleaning swabs after use do not reuse 6 Make sure the bearings and gear are on the shaft of the platen as shown rd 7 Align the platen with the gear to the left and lower it into the printer s bottom frame Allow the printer to dry for one minute before closing the dispenser door media cover or loading labels Other Printer Maintenance There are no user level maintenance procedures beyond those detailed in this section See the Troubleshooting on page 59 for more information on diagnosing printer and print problems GC420d User Guide P1052685 001 54 Replacing the Printhead Replacing the Printhead If you need to replace the printhead read the procedure and review the removal and installation steps before actually replacing the printhead Caution Prepare your work area by protecting against static dischar
77. ters feature Automatic printer language detection and switching between ZPL and EPL programming and label formats e OpenAccess design for simplified media loading Color coded operator controls and media guides Zebra M Global Printing Solution supports Microsoft Windows keyboard encoding and ANSI Unicode UTF 8 and UTF 16 Unicode Transformation Formats XML ASCII 7 and 8 bit used by legacy programs and systems basic single and double byte font encoding Hexadecimal encoding and custom character maps DAT table creation font linking and character remapping Improved printer performance faster print speeds and a 32 bit processor Acomplete suite of free software applications and drivers to configure printer settings design and print labels and receipts get printer status import graphics and fonts send programming commands update firmware and download files Clone printer settings and send graphics files fonts and firmware updates to one or more Zebra Ethernet and locally connected printers with ZebraNet Bridge Maintenance reporting enabled and customizable by the user The GC420 direct thermal printer models also include support for Line Mode printing to support EPL1 legacy programming based printing applications The GC420 printers offer these basic printer options Label Dispense Peel Off Zebra ZBI 2 0TM Zebra BASIC Interpreter programming language ZBI allows you to creat
78. tion status label Test Printing with Windows Printer and Faxes menu 1 Click on the Windows Start menu button to access the Printers and Faxes menu or Control Panel to access the Printers and Faxes menu Open the menu 2 Select the newly installed printer s icon to select the printer and right click the mouse to access the printer Properties menu 3 From the printer s General tab window click on the Print Test Page button The printer should print a Windows test print page Test Print with a Copied ZPL Command File for Non Windows Operating Systems 1 Create a text file with the following ASCII three characters WC 2 Save the file as TEST ZPL an arbitrary file name and extension name 3 Copy the file to the printer For DOS a file sent to a printer connected to the system s parallel port would be as simple as COPY TEST ZPL LPT1 Other interface connection types and operating systems will have different command strings See your operating system documentation for detailed instructions to copy to the appropriate printer interface for this test 5 23 2012 GC420d User Guide P1052685 001 After Your Printer is Connected P1052685 001 GC420d User Guide 5 23 2012 Print Operations This section provides media and print handling font and language support and the setup of less common printer configurations Contents Dete
79. uide P1052685 001 33 34 Printing with Externally Mounted Roll Media Printing with Externally Mounted Roll Media The GC420 printer accommodates externally mounted roll media similar to the printer s support of fan fold media The printer requires the media roll and stand combination to have a low initial inertia to pull the media off the roll Zebra at this time does not offer an external media option for the GC420 printer Externally Mounted Roll Media Considerations The media ideally should enter the printer directly behind the printer through the fan fold media slot in the rear of the printer See Printing on Fan Fold Media on page 32 for media loading Lower the print speed to decrease the chance of motor stalls The roll typically has the highest inertia when trying to start the roll moving Larger media roll diameters require the printer to have more torque applied to get the roll moving The media should move smoothly and freely The media should not slip skip jerk bind and then move etc when mounted on your media stand The printer should not touch the media roll The printer should not slip or lift up off the operating surface P1052685 001 GC420d User Guide 5 23 2012 35 Fonts and Your Printer Fonts and Your Printer The GC420 printer supports your language and font requirements with a variety of internal fonts on board font scaling international font sets and character code page supp
80. utomatically starts a Add new hardware wizard when connecting the printer for the first time to the PC If you have pre loaded the driver suite with the Zebra Setup Utility then the printer driver will automatically install Go to your Windows printer directory and right click and select Properties Click on the Print test page button to verify a successful installation The Windows operating system will detect and re link a previously installed printer if it is reconnected to the USB interface or if printer power is turned on after the PC has finished its restart of the operating system Ignore the new device detected warnings and close the Task bar prompts Wait several seconds for the operating system to match the printer to the driver software The warnings will quit and the printer now should be ready to begin printing P1052685 001 GC420d User Guide 5 23 2012 17 Pre install Windows Printer Drivers Universal Serial Bus USB Device Communications The printer is a terminal device not a host or hub when using a USB interface You can refer to the USB Specification for details regarding this interface Scanners scales or other data input terminal devices must use the serial port not the USB port to send data to the printer Serial Port and Windows operating systems The Windows operating system default settings for the serial port communication closely match the printer s defaults settings with one e
81. xception the data Flow Control settings The Windows default data Flow Control setting is NONE The printer requires data Flow Control set to Hardware Note The printer does not support Windows Serial Port Plug and Play PnP device detection at this time Ethernet This printer option has a variety of methods and utilities to assist with printer connection and configuration of networked Zebra printers on a LAN local area network or WAN wide area network The Zebra Setup Utility configuration wizards support creating a connection to the printer on a shared network with Windows based systems by using the printer s IP address The printer includes internal Web pages to provide easy access to printer and network configuration The web pages are accessible via the printers IP address using any web browser The free version of ZebraNet Bridge software allows you to centrally deploy manage and monitor your Zebra printers with automatic Zebra printer discovery up to 3 printers from a single PC screen anywhere on your global network ZebraNet Bridge Enterprise is available for purchase to manage larger numbers of Zebra printers 5 23 2012 GC420d User Guide P1052685 001 18 Connecting your Printer to a Computer Connecting your Printer to a Computer AN The printer support a variety of interface options and configurations These include Universal Serial Bus USB interface RS232 Serial and Parallel IEEE 1284 4 USB Se
82. y are shared by the programming languages in the printer Fonts can be loaded in many memory areas in the GC420 printer ZPL programming can recognize EPL and ZPL fonts EPL programming can only recognize EPL fonts See the respective programmer guides for more information on fonts and printer memory ZPL Fonts To manage and download fonts for ZPL print operation use the Zebra Setup utility or ZebraNet Bridge To display all of the fonts loaded in your printer send the printer the ZPL WD command See the ZPL Programmers Guide for details Bitmap fonts in the various printer memory areas are identified by the FNT file extension in ZPL Scalable fonts are identified with the TTF TTE or OTF file extensions in ZPL EPL does not support these fonts EPL Fonts To download fonts for EPL print operations use the Zebra Setup Utility or ZebraNet Bridge to send files to the printer To display Soft Fonts ext available to EPL send the printer the EPL command EI AIL EPL fonts displayed are bitmap fonts They do not include the FNT file extension or the horizontal H or vertical V designators that are displayed with the ZPL command WD as described above in ZPL Fonts To remove non Asian EPL fonts with EPL programming use the EK command To remove EPL Asian fonts from the printer use the ZPL ID command P1052685 001 GC420d User Guide 5 23 2012 Stand Alone Printing Stand Alone Printin

Zebra GC420d

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