Zebra Technologies TTP 8000 manual Aligning Preprint and Thermal Print

Page Setup

Aligning Preprint and Thermal Print

Aligning Preprint and Thermal Print

The printer can synchronize the cutting of the printout with black-marks printed on the back of the paper. You use this function when you have preprint on the media and you don't want a cut in the middle of that preprint, or text printed on top of the preprint.

The sensor used to detect the black-marks is the same sensor as used for paper end detection. The sensor sits 45 mm behind the cutter (as seen from the presenter [output] side of the printer). It is adjustable sideways and can be positioned 22-42 mm from the left edge of the paper entry. The sensor accuracy is about ±0.5 mm so avoid designing printouts with too high demands for synchronization.

Figure 20 • Recommended Black Mark Size and Position

89

Paper viewed from inner side (opposite

to thermal-coating side)

≥ 93 mm

Preprinting not recommended within this zone

Cut line

45 mm

Cut line 45 mm

Paper

feed

direction

22-42 mm, adjustable

Black mark size 5 x 10 mm

or

Punched hole ∅5 mm

SW01010

The sensor triggers on the black-to-white transition of the black-mark, which is when the black print ends (trailing edge).

Since the same sensor is used for both paper end and black-mark detection, the printer must know the length of the black-mark to avoid signaling end-of-paper when it detects a black- mark. The default setting accepts black-marks in the range 5 –10 mm, and works perfectly with the recommended black-mark length of 5 mm. Marks shorter than 3 mm are interpreted as dirt, and marks longer than 10 mm as out-of-paper. You can change both these values with a printer command, or by changing the printer default settings in the flash PROM.

Black mark mode is selected by setting parameter 36 to 2, and storing the parameters.

Important • It is essential that you set up the parameters in the printer for black mark synchronization even if you enable black marks in the Windows driver. This is because Windows is not used at paper loading, and feeding with the Feed button on the printer.

10/19/2009 TTP 8000 Technical Manual P1003638-003