SATO M-8400RV manual Cleaning and Maintenance, Print Potentiometer

Section 3: Cleaning and Maintenance

Print Potentiometer

The fine adjustment for Print Darkness is the PRINT potentiometer on the operator panel. It provides a continuous range of adjustment, allowing you to make precise changes. Use a small cross-point screwdriver, turning clockwise for darker print and counterclockwise for lighter print.

NOTE: The PRINT potentiometer adjustment will affect the darkness in all of the command code speed ranges, i.e. if the PRINT potentiometer is adjusted for lighter print, the darkness will be lighter in all speed ranges selected by the command code.

Print Speed

The other method of controlling print quality is by controlling the speed at which the label is printed. This adjustment is made only on an individual label basis using either the Print Speed command code or the LCD display panel. For more details on this command, see Page 4-62 in Section 4: Programming. Changing the print speed allows the user to control the amount of time allowed for print element cooling before the media is stepped to the next print position. It is especially critical when printing “ladder” bar codes (bar codes printed with the bars parallel to the print line). When printing a “ladder” bar code, it is important to allow the head to cool sufficiently before stepping to the next position. If it does not have sufficient time to cool, the bar will be “smeared” on the trailing edge.

The Print Speed can be set to 2, 4, 6, 8 or 10 inches per second (with DSW2-8 Off)or 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6 inches per second(DSW2-8 On) using the LCD panel (see Page 2-22) or with the Print Speed command code (see Page 4-62). The software command will override the any setting entered using the LCD panel.

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