Brady 200M, 260M Operation

Operation

Operating Your Brady M-Series Printer

Now that your printer is ready for operation, how does it work? The Brady M-Series Printer is designed to receive instructions from a host computer, such as an IBM-compatible PC. To create a label, you will either need to use label design software or write a format in ZPL II® , which is a programming language for creating label formats. If you are using label design software, refer to the instructions provided with your software package to determine how to proceed.

If you are using, or plan to use, ZPL II, make sure you have a copy of the ZPL II Programming Guide. This free guide was available at the time you ordered your printer, but if you do not have a copy then submit the mail- or fax-in card in the front of this book to get a copy.

Printer Operating Modes

The M-Series Printer can be configured for several different modes of operation by sending the proper commands from the host computer. For 260M printers, operating modes may also be configured via a bank of DIP switches at the rear of the printer. (See Chapter 4 for more information about DIP switches.)

Media Sensing Modes

There are two basic modes by which the printer can sense the position of the media: Transmissive Sensing Mode and

Black-Mark Sensing Mode. The 260M comes standard with both Transmissive Sensing Mode and Black-Mark Sensing Mode capabilities. The 200M comes standard with Transmissive Sensing Mode capability, but you may field-retrofit it for Black-Mark Sensing by replacing the Transmissive Sensor with a Black Mark Sensor.

Transmissive Sensing Mode

In Transmissive Sensing Mode, a sensor detects a light shining through a web, notch, or hole in non-continuous media. In this way, the printer determines the position of the label/tag.

3-1

Contents

Page BradyprinterTM THT Model 200M and 260M Thermal Transfer Printer USER'S GUIDE Proprietary Statement Product Improvements FCC Compliance Statement Canadian DOC Compliance Statement Liability Disclaimer Bradyprinter™ THT Models 200M and 260M WARRANTY INFORMATION 1. Printer Warranty 2. Supplies Warranty 3. Warranty Exclusions and Conditions Table of Contents Introduction Installation Operation Configuration and Calibration Interconnections Preventive Maintenance Troubleshooting Options Appendix A - 240 VAC Power Cord Appendix B - ASCII Code Chart Appendix C - Adjusting Bar Code Darkness Introduction Page Additional System Requirements Media and Ribbon Requirements run tests for your applications Warnings and Precautions CAUTION: CAUTION: Refer to the Interconnections Section Page Printer Specifications Printing Considerations Print Speeds Programmable constant printing speeds of 2″ (51 mm) 3″ (76 mm), 4″ (104 mm), 5“ (127 mm), and 6″ (152 mm) per second Media Ribbon Zebra Programming Language II (ZPL II®) Bar Codes Options Section Page Page Page Installation remove any ribbon and paper roll Power Connection Make sure the fuse you use is correct for the voltage source Appendix A Site Requirements Ribbon Loading Do not 2.Place the Ribbon Roll on the Ribbon Supply Spindle 3.Open the printhead by moving the handle to the OPEN posi- tion Important one: 6.Remove the Hook from the Ribbon Take-UpSpindle Page Media Loading Page Page Page Removing Used Ribbon Initial Printer Power Up Page Operation Page Page Page CANCEL Notes: Page Page Page Whenever the printer is reset to factory defaults, a Media Calibration procedure must be performedimmediately Label Format Qty Speed Page Configuration and Calibration Interconnections Page Configuration Mode IMPORTANT: Page Page Interconnections RS-232Serial Data Port Hardware Control Signal Descriptions RS-232Cabling Requirements To minimize electrical noise pickup in the cable: 1.Keep data cables as short as possible 2.Do not bundle the data cables tightly with power cords Page Data Signal Voltage Level Signal Descriptions Preventive Maintenance Page Page Page Toggle Positioning Printhead Pressure Adjustment Black-MarkMedia Sensor Position Adjustment Transmissive Media Sensor Position Adjustment Page Page 260M only: Page Media and Ribbon Sensor Sensitivity Adjustment Page Troubleshooting Page Page Page ^CC, ^CT, and ^CD Page Options Examples of these Optional Fonts can be found in Appendix D 220-240VAC Factory Setup Memory Options 6-Dot/mmPrinthead (200M Only) Page Page Appendix B - ASCII Code Chart Page Appendix C - Adjusting Bar Code Darkness Too Dark Slightly Dark Slightly Light Too Light In-Spec” Page Page Appendix D - Optional Printer Fonts Page Page Page Appendix E - Support Services Before you call Be prepared W.H. BRADY CO Customer Service Form Complete this form before requesting technical assistance Model # (Be specific: include ALL letters and numbers)