® Monarch 9450 RASCAL Printer ® For supplies, service, or assistance call: TOLL FREE: 1-800-543-6650 (In the U.S.A.) 1-800-263-4650 (In Canada) www.monarch.com Operator’s Handbook Published by the Technical Communications Department. Printed in the U.S.A. TC9450OH Rev. DA 8/99 ©1994 Monarch Marking Systems, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Each product and program carries a respective written warranty, the only warranty on which the customer can rely. Monarch reserves the right to make changes in the product, the programs, and their availability at any time and without notice. Although Monarch has made every effort to provide complete and accurate information in this manual, Monarch shall not be liable for any omissions or inaccuracies. Any update will be incorporated in a later edition of this manual.
Preface This Operator’s Handbook describes how to F charge the battery. F load supplies. F set up communications. F send a print job. F care for and maintain the printer. F solve any problems that may occur. It also contains product specification and accessories information. Audience ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– This manual has a dual-purpose audience. It is intended primarily for Operator of the printer.
9450 Operator’s Handbook Terms to Know ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– The following terms are used in this manual. ii Communications Parameters Settings that define how the printer and host communicate with each other. The parameters (baud rate, flow control, data bits, and stop bits) must match on both devices. Continuous Mode Default print mode in which the printer feeds one or more supplies without operator intervention. Format The design of a printed label.
Preface Print Job A command or commands sent from the host to the printer that results in one or more labels being printed. Sleep Mode Operation mode in which the printer conserves energy while retaining the print job. Supplies The media (paper or synthetic) the printer prints on. Top-of-form Position where the supply stops before printing the next label. You may adjust the top of the form to compensate for supply variations and the peel mode used.
9450 Operator’s Handbook iv
Table of Contents Chapter 1. Getting Started . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-1 Using the Buttons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Charging the Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Removing and Loading the Battery. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Removing the Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Loading the Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . About Sleep Mode . . . . . . . . .
9450 Operator’s Handbook Chapter 5. Care and Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-1 Clearing Jams . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Inserting the Supply Guide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Cleaning the Printhead . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Cleaning the Platen Roller and Peel Blade . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-1 5-3 5-4 5-5 Chapter 6. Troubleshooting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Chapter 1. Getting Started The 9450 RASCAL ® printer is a portable, thermal-direct printer. This chapter tells you how F to use the buttons on top of the printer. F to charge and use the battery. F sleep mode works. F to attach the belt.
9450 Operator’s Handbook Using the Buttons –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– On the top of the printer, there are two buttons and an LED indicator, as shown. [Feed] 1-2 Use to F feed or advance the supply for printing. See Chapter 4, "Printing," for information about the different print modes. F pause the printer during printing. F set the communication parameters in the printer to match your host. See "Setting Communications Parameters" in Chapter 3. F clear most error conditions.
Chapter 1. Getting Started [On/Off] LED Indicator Use to F turn the printer on and off. F wake the printer from sleep mode. See "About Sleep Mode," later in this chapter. F reset the printer to normal operation mode after printing a test label. See Chapter 6, "Troubleshooting," for information. Indicates certain printer conditions or communication problems. The LED indicator can be amber, green, or alternate between these colors. It can also blink or be a solid color.
9450 Operator’s Handbook If the battery loses power in the middle of a printing session, replace or recharge the battery. The printer remembers the print job. When you use or store your charger, do not: F wrap the cord around the charger. F pull or put unusual stress on the cord. w Before using the charger, inspect the cord for bare wires. Do Not use a charger with bare wires. Only use a charger approved for use with this printer. To charge the battery: 1.
Chapter 1. Getting Started 4. When charging is complete, unplug the charger from the battery. 5. Load the battery, as discribed in "Loading the Battery." 6. Press [On/Off] to resume printing. For more information, see your Fast Charger Addendum. Removing and Loading the Battery–––––––––––––––––––––––––––– You don’t need to turn off the printer before removing or loading a battery. Removing the Battery The battery side tabs are stiff and require more force to press when new.
9450 Operator’s Handbook 2. Squeeze the side tabs on the battery and pull the battery away from the printer. Loading the Battery To load the battery: 1. Insert the bottom tabs on the battery into the slots at the bottom of the battery well. 2. Push the top of the battery onto the prongs until the battery snaps into place. About Sleep Mode –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– When the printer is inactive for a certain period, it goes into sleep mode to conserve battery power.
Chapter 1. Getting Started Attaching the Belt ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Your printer comes with a belt for portable printing. To attach the belt: 1. Lift one of the clips and slip the belt under it. 2. Release the clip. 3. Repeat these steps for the other clip. n Make sure the belt is completely under the clips.
9450 Operator’s Handbook 1-8
Chapter 2. Loading Supplies The printer accepts labels, tags, and thermal paper. Labels can be indexed or non-indexed. They also can have a core or be coreless. Use synthetic (non-paper) labels to print serial or high-density bar codes. You can load supplies two ways: n F Peel mode peels the label from the backing paper while it feeds through the printer. This mode requires indexed labels. The printer must be in On-demand mode. A solid green LED indicator implies On-demand mode.
9450 Operator’s Handbook Loading for Peel Mode––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– In Peel mode, use die-cut labels only. Use supplies up to a maximum of 2.05 inches. Contact Monarch at the number at the back of this manual if you have special label requirements. n It doesn’t matter if the printer is off or on while you are loading supplies. To load supplies for Peel mode: 1. Remove the supply holder from the supply well as shown. Supply Well Supply Holder Support Frame Tabs Printhead Lever 2.
Chapter 2. Loading Supplies 3. Squeeze the tabs on both sides of the support frame and pull it open. Support Frame Tabs 4. Insert the leading edge of the supply into the supply guide while dropping the supply roll into the supply well. Push the supply against the back of the well. Use your finger to push the supply through the supply chute.
9450 Operator’s Handbook 5. Place the supply holder against the supply roll in the supply well. Make sure the supply turns freely in the well. 6. Feed the supply through the printer, as follows. F Push the printhead lever down to close the printhead. If the printer is off, turn the knob clockwise to manually feed the supply through the supply chute. F Push the printhead lever down to close the printhead. If the printer is on, the printer feeds the supply automatically. 7.
Chapter 2. Loading Supplies 9. Snap the support frame back into place. Gently pull on the backing paper to make sure it is tight.
9450 Operator’s Handbook Loading for Non-Peel Mode –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– In non-peel mode, supplies can be either die-cut or butt cut with a maximum size of 2.2 inches. n If you have special label requirements, contact Monarch at the number listed in the back of the handbook. To load supplies for non-peel mode: 1. Remove the supply holder and any supply that remains. Supply Holder 2. Turn printer on. 3. Tilt the top of printer slightly back.
Chapter 2. Loading Supplies 4. Drop the new supply roll into the supply well until it rests on the back wall. 5. With thumb and forefinger, insert the leading edge of the supply into the supply guide until the printer begins to feed the supply. Make sure the supply roll is flush against the back wall when you begin to insert the leading edge. Supply Guide Knob Leading Edge of Supply Supply Well 6. Replace the supply holder.
9450 Operator’s Handbook Removing Supplies ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– To remove supplies: 1. Remove the supply holder as shown. Supply Guide Supply Holder Supply Chute Knob Printhead Lever 2. Cut or tear the supplies as close to the supply guide as possible, and remove the supply roll. 3. Push the printhead lever up to open the printhead. c 2-8 Do Not back the labels through the printhead or a supply jam may occur. 4. Turn the knob clockwise to feed the supply out the supply chute.
Chapter 3. Printer Communications System Administrators Only. Before the printer can receive a print job from the host, you must: 1. Set the communications parameters. 2. Attach the communications cable. 3. Turn the printer on. Setting Communications Parameters –––––––––––––––––––––––––– Before sending a print job from the host, set the communications parameters (flow control, baud rate, data bits, and stop bits) in the printer to match the parameters set at the host.
9450 Operator’s Handbook 3. Press [Feed] once. The LED indicator blinks once. Press [Feed] ... To set the baud rate to ... Once 38,400 Twice 19,200 Three times 9600 Four times 4800 Five times 2400 Six times 1200 The printer verifies your selection by flashing the LED indicator once for each time you pressed [Feed]. 4. Press [Feed] twice. The LED indicator blinks twice. Press [Feed] ... To set ...
Chapter 3. Printer Communications 7. Remove the battery. Press [On/Off] while you re-connect the battery to return to normal print operations. Connecting the Communications Cable –––––––––––––––––––––––– To attach the communications cable: 1. Grasp the cable holder and position the connector to match the frame around the printer port. Printer Port Cable Holder 2. Insert the connector into the printer port until the connector locks into place. You may hear a click as the latch snaps into place. 3.
9450 Operator’s Handbook Removing the Communications Cable ––––––––––––––––––––––––– To remove the cable: 1. Hold the printer steady with one hand. Cable Holder Release Slide Latch 2. Grasp the cable holder with your other hand and push it in to unlock the latch. 3. Release the cable holder and grasp the release slide. 4. Pull the release slide gently to remove the cable. n 3-4 Do Not yank the cable from the printer.
Chapter 4. Printing This chapter describes how to n F print in On-demand mode. F remove backing paper. F print in Continuous mode. F clear a print job from the printer’s memory. F pause the printer while it prints. See your System Administrator for a print job. Printing in On-demand Mode––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– In On-demand mode, the printer prints one label at a time (when a label is ready to dispense, the LED indicator blinks).
9450 Operator’s Handbook Removing Backing Paper –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– To remove excess backing paper: 1. Tear the backing paper a few inches away from the support frame. n Do Not tear it against the support frame. 2. Gently pull the backing paper in the printer to make sure it is tight. Printing in Continuous Mode –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– In Continuous mode (the default), the printer prints a strip of supply. Supplies may be strips of labels, tags, or thermal paper.
Chapter 5. Care and Maintenance This chapter explains how to: F clear jams. F clean the printhead. F clean the peel blade and platen roller. Clearing Jams –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– If the supplies jam during printing, the LED indicator blinks rapidly, alternating between amber and green. c Do Not feed supplies with exposed adhesive through the printer. Adhesive becomes exposed when you tear the supplies, causing a jam.
9450 Operator’s Handbook 2. If your printer has a removable supply guide, grab the printer firmly with one hand. With the other hand, slide out the supply guide as shown. Jammed Label in Supply Chute n Supply Guide Do Not pull the supply guide completely out of the printer. 3. Use your fingers (no sharp objects) to remove any jammed labels from the supply guide and supply chute. 4. Slide the supply guide back into the printer. 5. Use the cleaning card to clean the printhead and supply chute.
Chapter 5. Care and Maintenance Inserting the Supply Guide If the supply guide does come out of the printer: 1. Tilt the supply guide in a downward slant, and insert the catch into the top of the track. Track Catch Supply Guide 2. Tilt the supply guide so it lines up with the track, and then gently slide it along the track, and into the printer.
9450 Operator’s Handbook Cleaning the Printhead –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Clean the printhead daily when using the printer in excessively dirty, hot, or humid environments. Also clean it after every five rolls of supplies, or when you see voids in the print as shown. Voids Correct Print To clean the printhead, use the cleaning card provided. 1. Remove the supplies as shown in Chapter 2. c Do Not back labels through the printhead or a jam may occur. 2.
Chapter 5. Care and Maintenance Cleaning the Platen Roller and Peel Blade –––––––––––––––––––––– To clean the platen roller and peel blade: 1. Turn the printer off. 2. Remove the supplies, if you haven’t already. See "Removing Supplies" in Chapter 2 for more information. c Do Not back labels through the printhead or jamming may occur. See "Removing Supplies" in Chapter 2 for more information. Supply Holder Support Frame 3. Open the support frame to better expose the platen roller and peel blade. 4.
9450 Operator’s Handbook 5. Rub the cotton swab back and forth across the platen roller and peel blade to remove any buildup. Peel Blade Platen Roller 6. Let the printer dry briefly. Then, reload your supplies.
Chapter 6. Troubleshooting This chapter explains how to F print a test label. F read the LED indicator. F clear errors. F solve any problems that may occur. Printing a Test Label –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– To print a test label, press [Feed] while you connect the battery. Continue to press [Feed] until the LED indicator turns amber. The LED indicator goes out. A test label prints automatically and the printer goes into sleep mode.
9450 Operator’s Handbook If the LED indicator does not come on when you print a test label, press [On/Off] and [Feed] at the same time and reattach the battery. Release [On/Off] and wait for the LED indicator to turn amber before releasing [Feed]. The test label prints automatically. n For resident Font IDs, the first number is the Font ID number, and the second is the Monarch internal font number used for internal use only. For example, 1:1000 indicates Font ID 1, and Monarch internal font 1000.
Chapter 6. Troubleshooting Problems and Solutions–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Some common printer problems and their solutions are listed below. Problem Solution Battery won’t charge. Make sure the battery is connected correctly. Make sure the charger is plugged into a live outlet. Always charge the battery when the LED indicator is off or slowly blinks green. Label is jammed. Remove jammed supplies. Clean the printhead. Labels do not peel. Make sure the backing paper is tight.
9450 Operator’s Handbook Problem Solution Print has voids or is too light. Make sure the supplies are loaded correctly. Check the supplies for damage or defects. Reload supplies if necessary. Check the peel roller for jammed supplies. Check the supply type (i.e., indexed or non-indexed). Have the System Administrator set the supply type. Turn the printer off and switch to a fully charged battery. Clean the printhead. Printer does not feed. Turn the printer off and switch to a charged battery.
Chapter 6. Troubleshooting Problem Solution Printer does not print. Charge the battery. Make sure the print job was correct. Make sure the supplies are loaded correctly. Make sure the printhead is closed. Printer does not start. Make sure the battery is charged and plugged into the printer. Make sure the printhead is closed. Slow or sluggish feeding. Make sure the supplies are loaded correctly. Make sure no foreign matter is in the supply spool. Make sure the supply turns freely in the supply well.
9450 Operator’s Handbook 6-6
Chapter 7. Specifications This chapter includes information about: F printer specifications F supply sizes F accessories F cable pin definitions. Printer Specifications–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Height: 4.3 inches (108 mm) Width: 3.3 inches (84 mm) Depth: 5.4 inches (137 mm) Weight: (without supplies) 27 oz.
9450 Operator’s Handbook Supply Sizes ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– F Tag Widths: 1.0" to 1.4" (25 mm to 36 mm) F Label Widths: Non-peel mode - 1.0" to 2.2" (25 mm to 56 mm) Peel mode - 1.0" to 2.05" (25 mm to 55 mm) F Tag and Label Lengths: .55" to 5.
Chapter 7. Specifications Communications Cable Pin Definitions –––––––––––––––––––––––– The printer has an 8 pin mini-DIN RS-232C locking connector with the following pin definitions.
9450 Operator’s Handbook 7-4
Index A ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Accessories 7-2 Attaching the belt 1-7 B ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Backing paper, removing 4-2 Battery charging 1-3, 6-3 loading 1-6 removing 1-5 BAttery power 7-1 Baud rate 3-2 Belt, attaching 1-7 Buttons 1-2 - 1-3 C ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Cable, communications 3-3 - 3-4 Card, cleaning 5-4 Charger, trickle 1-4 Charging batteries 6-3 Charging the battery 1-3 Cleaning peel blade 5-5 platen roller 5-5 printhead 5-3 Cleaning card 5-4 Clearing a print job 4-3 C
M––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Memory of printer 7-1 Modes continuous 4-2 non-peel 2-1, 2-6 on-demand 4-1 peel 2-2 sleep 1-6 N ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Non-peel mode 2-1, 2-6 O ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– On-demand mode, printing in 4-1 Operating limits 7-1 P ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Parameters, communications 3-1 - 3-2 Pausing the printer 4-3 Peel blade, cleaning 5-5 Peel mode 2-1 - 2-2 Peeling labels 6-3 Pin definitions of the communications cable 7-3 Platen roller, cleaning 5-5 Power, of b
U ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Using the buttons 1-2 W––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Weight of printer 7-1 Width of printer 7-1
® Monarch 9450 RASCAL Printer ® For supplies, service, or assistance call: TOLL FREE: 1-800-543-6650 (In the U.S.A.) 1-800-263-4650 (In Canada) www.monarch.com Operator’s Handbook Published by the Technical Communications Department. Printed in the U.S.A. TC9450OH Rev. DA 8/99 ©1994 Monarch Marking Systems, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Each product and program carries a respective written warranty, the only warranty on which the customer can rely. Monarch reserves the right to make changes in the product, the programs, and their availability at any time and without notice. Although Monarch has made every effort to provide complete and accurate information in this manual, Monarch shall not be liable for any omissions or inaccuracies. Any update will be incorporated in a later edition of this manual.
