Afinia L801

Label Printer

User Manual

Version 1.1
 Copyright © 2013 Afinia. All rights reserved.
No part of this document may be photocopied, reproduced, or translated to another language without the
prior written permission of Afinia.
Trademarks
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Intel and Intel Core are trademarks of Intel Corporation in the U.S. and/or other countries.
Java and Oracle are registered trademarks of Oracle and/or its affiliates.
Microsoft, Windows, Windows Vista, and Windows Server are registered trademarks of Microsoft
Corporation in the U.S.A. and/or other countries.
Edition
L801 Printer User Guide Edition 1. March 2013.

2
Safety Precautions
Electrical Shock Hazard
Do not disassemble any part of your printer. There are no user-repairable parts inside
the printer. Disassembly of any part of the printer will void all warranties.
Fire Hazard
Keep the printer well away from all heat sources and flammable substances.
Switch your printer off immediately and unplug the power cord from the wall socket if
you notice any of the following:
• Smoke rising from the printer.
• An acrid smell coming from the printer.
• Sparks being emitted from printer.
Contact your supplier as soon as possible.

Installation
• Install the printer on a flat, level surface.
The printer must remain level at all times. Tilting the printer may cause undue
leakage of ink and may damage the printer.
• Avoid wide temperature variations.
Install the printer in a protected location away from direct sunlight, open windows
or any other places subject to temperature extremes.

Power Supply
• Always use the Power button on the control panel to turn the printer off. Removing
power to the printer in any other manner may damage the printer.
• Use only the supplied power adapter and cord.
Use of any other power supplies or cords may damage the printer and void your
warranty.

3
 Printer Usage
• Ensure adequate ventilation to the printer.
Blocking ventilation openings around the printer may cause it to overheat and
become damaged.
• Keep liquids and heavy objects away from the printer.
Heavy objects may warp the outer shell, damaging the printer. Liquids may discolor
or damage the skin and, if they penetrate it, may damage the printer beyond repair.
• Use only authorized consumables.
Use of any printhead other than authorized Afinia technology printheads will
damage the printer and void your warranty. Use of unauthorized inks or ink
cartridges may damage the printer and will void your warranty.
• Clear media jams promptly.
To avoid further problems, promptly attend to all media jams, as well as any other
cause of printer failure.
• If you are moving the printer, allow sufficient time after installation for the
temperature and humidity of the internals of the printer to arrive at equilibrium
with the surroundings.

4
Contents
Safety Precautions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3
Setting Up the Printer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Start . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8
Parts of the Printer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9
The Control Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10
Unpacking, Setup, and Installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13
Remove tape and packing materials . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13
Connect power. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14
Install ink cartridges. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15
Install printhead. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15
Load sample media . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17
Print test label . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18
Install printer driver. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18
Troubleshooting Printer Setup. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20
Change Security Passwords (Administrator). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21
Using the Printer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Choosing Label Media. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24
Printing Labels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27
Selecting the Media Type . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29
Adjusting Alignment for Printing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30
Printing Borderless (Full-Bleed) Labels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .32
Turning Off the Printer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .35
Software Tools. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .36
Embedded Web Server (EWS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .36
EWS Printer Status . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .38
EWS Security Setup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .38
EWS Network Setup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .40
EWS Diagnostics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .40
EWS Advanced Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .40
Support Tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .41
Printer Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
Guidelines for Preventive Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .44
Replacing an Ink Cartridge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .45
Cleaning the Printhead . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .46
Replacing the Printhead . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .47
Opening/Closing the Clamshell . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .50
Cleaning Debris from the Cutting Zone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .51
Cleaning the Sensors. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .52
Cleaning the Media Guide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .54
Replacing the Service Station . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .55
Replacing the Aerosol Fan Filter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .58
Replacing the Waste Ink Absorber. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .59

5
 Troubleshooting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
If Error Messages Appear . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .62
Poor Print Quality or Incorrect Printout . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .64
Other Printing Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .66
Clearing a Media Jam . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .67
Clearing Clogged Ink Nozzles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .67
Color Mixing Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .69
Adjusting Sensor Sensitivity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .70
Appendix . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71
System Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .72
Config Options on the Control Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .73
Printer Interface (GPIO) Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .77
Regulatory Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .79
FCC Statement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .79
CE Conformity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .79
Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .80

6
Chapter 1

Setting Up the Printer

Start 8
In the Box 8
Parts of the Printer 9
The Control Panel 10
Using the Control Panel 11
Selecting the Security Level 12
Unpacking, Setup, and Installation 13
Remove tape and packing materials 13
Connect power 14
Install ink cartridges 15
Install printhead 15
Load sample media 17
Print test label 18
Install printer driver 18
Troubleshooting Printer Setup 20
Change Security Passwords (Administrator) 21

Setting Up the Printer 7

Afinia

Start
Set up the printer on a flat, level surface away from direct sunlight (see Safety
Precautions on page 3). Ensure that there is:
• A power outlet nearby.
• Sufficient space to work with the printer. The media cover and top cover open
upwards, and media loading is from the left side of the printer.

In the Box

Afinia L801 Label Printer

Ink Cartridges

Printhead

USB Cable

Sample Label Roll

Power Cable
Installation Disc

8 Setting Up the Printer

 L801 Label Printer

Parts of the Printer

Media Cover

Top Cover

Output Slot
Control Panel
Front Cover

GPIO Port
USB Port

Ethernet Port

Power Socket

Power Switch

Setting Up the Printer 9

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The Control Panel

The printer is ready to print when the control panel displays Printer Online. The Data and
Status LEDs together with messages indicate the printer status and any potential
problems (Table 1).
The control panel also shows the estimated levels of the ink cartridges. In the example
below, the yellow ink cartridge level is between 25 to 50%.
The icons above the printer buttons indicate their functions, which change depending
on the current operation (see Table 2).

Printer Online Power LED

Data LED
Power Button
Status LED
Ink Status
Printer Buttons

Table 1 Printer LEDs

LED Description
Data LED
Blinking Printer is receiving data from the computer.
On There are print jobs in the printer memory.
Status LED
Blinking • Printhead is being serviced, or
• Attention needed; a message will be displayed. (See If Error
Messages Appear on page 62.)
On • An error has occurred; a message will be displayed. (See If
Error Messages Appear on page 62.)

10 Setting Up the Printer

 L801 Label Printer

Using the Control Panel

The icons above the printer buttons indicate their functions (Table 2).
• When the printer is online, press (Config) to access the configuration menus. The
options are described in Config Options on the Control Panel on page 73.
• Press and to scroll through the menus.
• Press (Select) to select an option or setting.
• Press (Return) to return to the previous menu.

Printer Online

CONFIGURATION
1. Setup

Table 2 Printer Buttons

Function Description
Config Access the Configuration menus.
Up, Down Move through the menu options.
Select Select a menu option or confirm a setting.
Return Return to previous menu.
Unload Media Unload the labels.
Pause, Resume Pause or resume printing.
If printing roll to roll, the printer pauses for 10 seconds,
then prints the next page and pauses again. It will
continue to print and pause.
Cancel Cancel printing.

Setting Up the Printer 11

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Selecting the Security Level

By default, the printer powers up in security Level 0 (operator), which does not allow changes to
some printer settings. For the initial Printer Setup, it is recommended that you change the
Security Level to 2 (Administrator) before changing those settings.
NOTE: During initial Setup, Security may already be preset to Level 2. The display will
immediately go to the Language setting if it is.

1. On the control panel, select (Config) > Setup > Security > Level 2.
2. Enter the 3-digit password (default is 123).

Printer Online

(Config)

CONFIGURATION
1. SETUP
(Select)

SETUP
2. SECURITY

SECURITY
2. Level 2
Enter the first password digit using
the + or - button, then press
ENTER PASSWORD Select. Repeat for next two digits.
 Authenticated message will
appear with the right password

3. Press to return to the main menu.

Table 3 Security Restrictions

Security Level Restricted Settings

Operator (Level 0) Language, Reset, LCD Contrast, LCD Brightness,
Date/Time, Unit, Service Station, Sensor, Ext Signal
Print, Adjust Offset, DHCP Setting, IP Settings
Supervisor (Level 1) Reset, Day/Time, DHCP Setting, IP Settings
Administrator (Level 2) No restrictions
Items in bold indicate no access to an entire menu; others are specific functions.

12 Setting Up the Printer

Unpacking, Setup, and Installation b Remove tapes and foam from inside
the printer.
1 Remove tape and packing materials

a Remove tapes.

Foam

Keep all foam

and cardboard
packing materials!

Foam

c Remove cardboard.

Pull tabs

Squeeze latches to
open clamshell

Lift out cardboard

Setting Up the Printer 13

2 Connect power
Choose display language (optional)
After connecting power for the first time, press
Config to set the display language for the control
panel if you want to change from the default
setting of English.
Missing Printhead

d Press the Config button

a b (Config)

a Plug power cable into printer and outlet

Press the Select button when the correct
e language is displayed
b Turn on power switch
LANGUAGE
1. English
c Press the Power button on the control panel

For other languages, (Select)

press ,

f Press the Return button

LANGUAGE
1. English

(Return)

14 Setting Up the Printer

3 Install ink cartridges 4 Install printhead
a Open Top Cover

a Open front of printer and release cartridge latch

b Press the Config button

Missing Printhead

CONFIGURATION

b Insert ink cartridge and close cartridge latch Press 3. PRINTHEAD

until display reads (Select)
Printhead, then press
Select PRINTHEAD
Press until display 2. REPLACE
reads Replace, then
(Select)
press Select
Wait for printhead latch to be released.
Do not open latch before it is released!

c Open printhead latch fully.

c Close front of printer

c
d

d Remove nozzle caps.

Do not discard the caps!
They should be replaced
if the printhead is removed
from the printer.

Setting Up the Printer 15

e Remove printhead from packaging. f Insert printhead
Do not touch the ink couplings,
electrical contacts, or nozzles.

Remove cover from ink couplings

ink couplings

g Close printhead latch

Do not discard the cover!
It should be replaced if the printhead is
removed from the printer.

Slowly remove tape from electrical contacts

electrical contacts

Check that ink is flowing through the tubes

on both sides of the printhead (circled above).
NOTE: If ink is not flowing, remove printhead
and wet nozzles with deionized/distilled water.

h Close printer cover

Slowly remove tape from nozzles

nozzles
No less than 45°

Initialization may take several minutes.

The control panel will display Printer Online
when initialization is complete.

16 Setting Up the Printer

5 Load sample media

e Tighten knob fully

a Open Media cover

b Loosen
tension knob

c Remove Media stop f Thread media around dancer and into printer

Insert media until it stops.

Slide label guide to edge of label.
d Install Media roll
Wait for printer to load media.

Push media roll

g Close Media cover
against inner guide

Flat side against media roll.

Setting Up the Printer 17

6 Print test label
Requires inter-label gap or continuous media. Sample PQ Plot 6x4

Printer Online

(Config) CONFIGURATION
Top Section:
Press until display 2. MAINTENANCE
• Lines are defined with no missing nozzles
reads Maintenance, (Select) • Lines are printed in order: Yellow, Black, Cyan, Black,
then press Select Magenta
MAINTENANCE • Vertical dashed lines are straight
Middle Section:
Press until display 1. PRINT TEST PAGE • All yellow, black, cyan, black, magenta lines are printed
reads Print Test Page, • No color mixing on the color bars
then press Select • Numbers 1, 3, 5 are visible
Bottom Section:
PRINT TEST PAGE • Lines are defined with no missing nozzles
Press until display
2. PQ PLOT • Lines are printed in order: Yellow, Black, Cyan, Black,
reads PQ Plot, then Magenta
press Select Overall:
• No streaking or smearing

7 Install printer driver

Before installing printer driver, ensure that computer
meets minimum system requirements (see System c Select Configure to print using USB
Requirements on page 72). and click Next

To connect printer to computer using USB

a Insert Installation disc into computer

b Select Install Driver from the Installation window

d Connect USB cable when prompted.
Printer Computer

USB

18 Setting Up the Printer

To connect printer to network
a Connect printer to network using Ethernet f Press until display reads Default
Gateway, then press Select two times.
Enter the Default Gateway using the same
Printer Network steps as when setting the Static IP address

Network
g Press until display reads Wins Server,
then press Select two times.
Enter the Wins Server using the same steps
b If you will be using DHCP to set the IP
Address, skip to step h. as when setting the Static IP address
To assign the printer a Static IP address, the
Security Level must be set to 2. Please see
h Insert Installation disc into computer
Selecting the Security Level on page 12.

c Set DHCP Settings to Manual

CONFIGURATION
Press until display reads
8. NETWORK
Network, then press Select

NETWORK Press until display reads i Select Install Driver from the Installation window
2. DHCP SETTINGS DHCP Settings, then press
Select.

NETWORK
Press until display reads Manual,
2. MANUAL then press Select. Press Return to go
back to the Network menu

d Set the Static IP Address

NETWORK Press until display reads IP
3. IP SETTINGS Settings, then press Select three j Select Configure to print over the Network
times and click Next

Enter the first Static IP digit using

STATIC IP
the + or - button, then press
0 0 0. 0 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0 Select. Repeat for next eleven
digits. Press Return once when
complete

e Press until display reads Subnet Mask,

then press Select two times.
Enter the Subnet Mask using the same
steps as when setting the Static IP address

Setting Up the Printer 19

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Troubleshooting Printer Setup

If Mech Error 2 or Mech Error 3 appears on the control panel during installation, check
the following.

Possible Cause Solution

Service station is jammed. Ensure that the cardboard is removed from inside the
printer.
Service station was tilted 1. Manually open the clamshell to its highest position.
during shipment. 2. On the control panel, select (Config) > Service
Station > Eject. Wait for the printer to eject the service
station.
3. Turn off the printer, beginning with the power
button on the control panel. When the display turns
off, turn off the power switch on the back of the
printer.
4. Verify that the Service Station is free and can be
manually pulled forward to the front bracket. If yes,
proceed to Step 5. If not, contact Technical Support.
5. Align the service station with the guide rails and
slide it back into the printer.
6. Check the alignment: the cap on the service station
must be parallel to the edge of the platen.
7. Continue pushing the service station while you
manually rotate the positioning gear backwards to
move the station all the way into the print engine.
8. Close the clamshell.
9. Turn on the printer.

I Forward to eject I

Positioning Gear

I Backward to install I
Platen
Cap

20 Setting Up the Printer

 L801 Label Printer

Change Security Passwords (Administrator)

Once the printer has been set up, an administrator should change the security
passwords using the Embedded Web Server (EWS).
1. On the Windows Start menu, select Afinia > Afinia L801 Label Printer > Toolbox.
2. Click Afinia L801 Label Printer to launch the default web browser and open the EWS
for your printer.
3. Click Login and log in with the default password 123.
4. Click Security Setup to change the password for the EWS as well as the passwords
for the control panel (default password 123).
See EWS Security Setup on page 38 for more information about security on this printer
and Embedded Web Server (EWS) on page 36 on the EWS.

Set Date and Time

Also from the EWS, set the date and time
on the printer by synchronizing with the
host computer. This option can be found in
Advanced Settings.

Setting Up the Printer 21

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22 Setting Up the Printer

Chapter 2

Using the Printer

Choosing Label Media 24

Printing Labels 27
Adjusting Alignment for Printing 30
Printing Borderless (Full-Bleed) Labels 32
Turning Off the Printer 35
Software Tools 36
Embedded Web Server (EWS) 36
EWS Security Setup 38
Support Tools 41

Using the Printer 23

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Choosing Label Media

Ensure that the label media meets the requirements for the printer (Table 1).

Table 1 Media specifications

Media Type and Dimensions

Media type Gloss, semi-gloss, and matte.
Label width 2.0” to 8.5” (50.8 mm to 215.9 mm)
Label length Maximum 40” (1.016 m)
Minimum 2” (50.8mm)
Label thickness Maximum 0.01” (0.3 mm, including liner)
Minimum 0.005” (0.13 mm)
Core size Requires 3” (76.2 mm)
Roll diameter Maximum 8” (203.2 mm)
Media Handling
Print mode • Roll to cut
• Print and present (non-peel)
• Roll to roll
Detection • Gap
• Continuous
• Black mark (3mm wide, 25.4mm long on left)

Figure 1 Media Roll

Coating on
the outside

I J

Minimum Maximum
I 3.0” (76.0 mm) cardboard core 3.0” (76.0 mm) cardboard core
J N/A Up to 8.0” (203.0 mm)

24 Using the Printer

 L801 Label Printer

Figure 2 Gap (Transmissive) Media

D
Minimum Maximum
A 0.125”(3.0 mm) 0.3” (8.0 mm)
B 0.0 2.0” (50.8 mm)
E
C 0.0 N/A
D 2.0” (50.8 mm) 8.5” (216.0 mm)
A
E 2.0” (50.8 mm) 40.0” (1016.0 mm)

Direction of travel through printer

as seen from above

B C

Figure 3 Black Mark (Reflective) Media

Reverse side of tag stock
D
Minimum Maximum
D 2.0” (50.8 mm) 8.5” (216.0 mm)
E 2.0” (50.8 mm) 40.0” (1016.0 mm)
H 1.0” (25.4 mm) 8.5” (216.0 mm)
G 0.125” (3.0 mm) 0.3” (8.0 mm)

E Direction of travel through printer

as seen from below

Using the Printer 25

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Print Test Page

The Barcodes test page is formatted for 4" x 6" labels (with inter-label gap).
Larger labels may be used.
On the control panel, select (Config) > MAINTENANCE > PRINT TEST PAGE >
Barcodes.
Sample Barcodes Test Page
Printer Online

(Config)

CONFIGURATION
2. MAINTENANCE
(Select)

MAINTENANCE
1. PRINT TEST PAGE
(Select)

PRINT TEST PAGE

1. Barcodes
(Select)

A successful test print includes:

• Barcodes are readable
• Letters and numbers are readable
• No ink smearing, color mixing, or streaks
• Label is printed in black with no other color visible

26 Using the Printer

 L801 Label Printer

Printing Labels
The printer is ready to print when the control panel displays Printer Online.
1. Select the Print command from your application.
2. Select the printer and click the Setup, Properties or similar button.
The print settings displayed are the defaults that were set in the printer driver.
3. Change the print settings if needed.

NOTE: Ensure the media settings (e.g. label size) match the media loaded in the
printer.

4. Print the document.

Any changes to the settings only apply to the current print job. Once you exit the
application, the changes are lost. Make the changes in the printer driver if you wish to
keep the settings as the default for all print jobs.

Change Default Settings in Printer Driver

To select the default print settings that will be used for all print jobs:
1. From the Windows Start menu, select Devices and Printers*.
2. Right-click the printer, and select Printing preferences.
The printing preferences contain three tabs as shown in Figure 4.
3. Make the changes and click OK to save.
It is recommended that any adjustments needed for individual print jobs should
be performed using the drivers.

* For Windows 7. The steps may differ for other Windows versions.

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Figure 4 Printing Preferences

Print pages without any gap.

Render entire document to disk before
sending to the printer. Select this option if
labels are skipped when printing large files.
Color Selection
Select Color to print the same colors displayed
in application
Select Greyscale to print in black and shades
of grey (composite color)
Select Black Only to use only black ink

Adjust horizontal and vertical print position.

See Adjusting Alignment for Printing on Select whether the current label stock includes a
page 30. gap between the labels, has a black mark between
the labels, or is continuous stock.
Used to specify the label size sensing mechanism.
Sheets Per Cut – Cut after printing the specified number of labels.
Print and Present – Print, cut, and present label. Remove the label
to continue printing.
Roll to Roll – Select from these Roll to Roll options if a rewinder is
used (in order shown):
• First label will be blank
• Printing starts with the first label
• Multiple job queue: First label will be blank. Cut will not occur
until the next job specifies a cut or an idle period between jobs
of 10 seconds has passed, whichever comes first

Allows the user to Export the current media settings

and Import previously-saved media settings.

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 L801 Label Printer

Selecting the Media Type

Selecting the media type that matches the media you are printing on will usually give
the best print results.

Select this Media Type: When you are printing on:

Plain Paper Plain (uncoated) paper and labels.
Matte Coated Label Matte coated labels.
Matte Coated Paper Matte coated paper.
Glossy Label Glossy labels. This option optimizes print quality and dry
time.
Premium Gloss Label Glossy labels. This option uses more ink for better color.

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Adjusting Alignment for Printing

Always print a few test labels to check the alignment of the image. If the image is not
centered, adjust the Top of Form and/or Left Edge offsets.
A positive value for Top of Form adjusts the image towards the top of the label.
A positive value for Left Edge adjusts the image towards the left of the label.

– Left
+

–
Right

+
Top

NOTE: Adjustment values entered in the driver and using the control panel are
cumulative. The corresponding values are added together. If you have already
made the correct adjustments in one location, you do not need to enter them
in the other.

30 Using the Printer

 L801 Label Printer

Adjust Alignment from Printer Driver

The offset settings are found on the

Media tab, in the Position Adjustment
section.
Use the controls to enter in the
adjustments necessary to center the
printed image on the label.

Adjust Alignment from Control Panel

This setting requires security Level 1 (supervisor) or higher. Select the security level
before you proceed (see Selecting the Security Level on page 12).

1. On the control panel, select (Config)

> ADJUST OFFSET > TOP OF FORM or
LEFT EDGE.
2. Set the offset value.
3. Press to return to the main menu.

(Config)

CONFIGURATION
6. ADJUST OFFSET
(Select)

ADJUST OFFSET
1. TOP OF FORM
(Select)

TOP OF FORM
 PP
Press , to choose + or – and to set
each digit.
Press to move to next position.

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Printing Borderless (Full-Bleed) Labels

As the Borderless setting in the Print Drivers can change the scale of the image to print
without retaining the same height-to-width proportions, it is not recommended that
you use that setting. Instead, follow the procedure below.
There are a few considerations before printing borderless:
• Fine tuning of the print position is required. The smaller the label gap, the more
difficult this tuning will be.
• This method requires oversizing the image to be printed. Your image cannot
exceed the maximum label width of 8.5”.
• Printing at 12 IPS may result in skipped labels due to the decrease in the label
gap. Printing must be done at 6 IPS.

Adjustments for Borderless Printing

Prepare an image larger than the label size. For example, to print borderless on a 6” x 4”
label, create an image of 6.08” x 4.08”, giving an allowance of 0.08”.

1. On the General tab of the printer drivers, select

Print Speed of 6 IPS.
2. Click the Custom Sizes button to create the new
label size.

3. Name the custom size and set the

media size to that of the image (6.08”
x 4.08” in this example). Click the OK
button to save the custom size.

4. On the Media tab, set the Top of Form to a value

equal to or greater than the allowance from the
oversizing of the image (for this example, a value
equal to or greater than 0.08”).
Verify the units are set to the correct selection (in
this example, Inches should be selected).
5. Also ensure that Inter-Label Gap or Black Mark is
selected as the media layout on the Media tab.

32 Using the Printer

 L801 Label Printer

6. Print a few labels to check the print position. If the image does not print to the edge
or prints over the edge, adjust the Top of Form and Left Edge offsets from either the
print drivers or the control panel ( (Config) > ADJUST OFFSET). See Adjusting
Alignment for Printing on page 30.

7. Print a few more labels to verify the changes to the offsets are placing the label in
the correct position. Adjust again if necessary.

8. Adjust the Bottom of Form offset from the control panel BOTTOM OF FORM
( (Config) > ADJUST OFFSET > BOTTOM OF FORM) to 0 .0 5 inch
eliminate under-printing or over-printing. This offset is only
accessible using the control panel.
The Bottom of Form offset does not change the position of the image on the label.
Instead, it changes the amount that is clipped from the bottom of the image.
A negative value will clip less of the oversized image when printed, increasing the
printed height of the image. Negative adjustments should be made if there is white
space at the bottom of the label.
A positive value will clip more of the image, decreasing the printed height of the
image. Positive adjustments should be made if the image is over-printing past the
bottom of the label.

EXAMPLE:
Left Edge: Horizontal adjustment +
+ –
Top of Form:
Adjust starting line
–
Image/page size
6.08” x 4.08” Label 6” x 4”

–
Bottom of Form:
Adjust ending line
bleed 0.04” +
Note: Minimize the bleed to avoid excess ink on the label backing.

9. The Cutter Offset may need to be adjusted as well from the control panel
( (Config) > ADJUST OFFSET > CUTTER OFFSET), as the Bottom of Form adjustment
may change where the cuts occur. See Cutter Offset on page 76.

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10.Reprint and adjust again if needed. When correctly adjusted, the image should fill
the entire label with a minimum of over-printing.

Adjust offsets
via control panel
and/or drivers

It is recommended that the offsets be changed back to their original values when the
borderless printing has been completed.
Use the same method for reversing the adjustments as was used to originally make the
adjustments. Changes made using the control panel should be reversed on the control
panel, and changes made using the print drivers should be reversed in the print drivers.

34 Using the Printer

 L801 Label Printer

Turning Off the Printer

Always use the Power button to turn off the printer.
CAUTION: Removing power to the printer in any other manner may
damage the printer.

1. Press the Power button on the control panel, then press (Select) to confirm.

Printer Online

SWITCH OFF
1. Confirm

2. Wait for the LCD display

on the control panel to
turn off, then turn off the
Power switch at the back
of the printer.
During a normal
shutdown, the printer will
service the printhead and
save data to the memory
before turning off.

If the Printer Will Not Switch Off

If the printer does not respond when you press the Power button, press and hold the
power button for 5 seconds. The printer should switch off. However, it will not be able
to perform the normal shutdown processes. Do not use this option unless it is
absolutely necessary.

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Software Tools
• Embedded Web Server (EWS)
• EWS Security Setup
• Support Tools

Embedded Web Server (EWS)

The Embedded Web Server (EWS)* provides remote access to the printer. You can
monitor the printer status and check usage metrics. The administrator can also log in to
view additional information and change various settings.
1. On the Windows Start menu, select Afinia > Afinia L801 Label Printer > Toolbox. If
the printer is installed on the network, enter the IP address in a web browser* on
any PC on the network and skip step 2.

2. Click Afinia L801 Label Printer to launch the default web browser* and open the
EWS for your printer.

The EWS displays printer information and usage metrics on the Printer Status page.
Click Login to log in for full access to all the EWS pages (described in Table 2).

* Recommended: Internet Explorer 8/Firefox 15 or later, at 1280 x 700 or higher resolution.

Requires Java plug-in enabled in browser.

36 Using the Printer

 L801 Label Printer

Table 2 EWS pages

EWS Page Description

Printer Status Access to printer information, ink levels, and usage metrics.
Also shows the current printer settings.
Security Setup (See EWS Security Setup on page 38.)
Change Password Set the passwords for accessing the following:
• Embedded Web Server (EWS).
3 to 12 alphanumeric characters. No special characters.
• Level 1 (Supervisor) security on control panel.
• Level 2 (Administrator) security on control panel.
The control panel password must contain 3 digits.
Printer Settings Set the minimum security level allowed to access the
following protected settings:
• Language
• LCD Brightness/Contrast
• Sensor Sensitivity
Network Setup Network settings for the printer.
Diagnostics Print test labels. Load labels before printing.
Advanced Settings
Remote commands • Restart printer
Turn the printer off and on.
• Reset to default settings
Reset settings to the factory defaults.
• Synchronize printer date and time with host PC
Set the printer date and time by synchronizing with the
host PC.
Click Submit to send the selected command to the printer.
Mid Job Servicing Applies to roll-to-roll printing only.
Interval Choose from the three options to determine how frequently
the printer will perform a servicing routine during printing.
Printing will pause, the servicing will occur, then printing
resumes.
Other settings • Printer retract label time: 10 minutes or 30 minutes.
When media remains in an idle printer it may become
deformed, affecting printing. To avoid this, check this
option to retract the media after the selected idle time.
• Enable Virtual Print allows the image to be processed
without printing, used to determine the cost of ink for
that label.

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EWS Printer Status

There are three pages on the Printer Status section, Information, Ink Level, and Local
Settings.
Information
The Information page will provide the Model, Print Engine ID, Firmware Version, Printer
Status, and Printed Length. The Serial Number of the printhead is displayed, along with
the number of labels printed by the current head. In addition, the Total Labels Printed
and Total Cuts Made are listed. You can reset these last two counters independently by
selecting the one to be reset from the drop-down list and clicking the Reset button.
Ink Level
The Ink Level page will show you the amount of ink remaining in each cartridge.
In addition, the Ink Cost can be specified, which will then be used to determine the Ink
Estimate in the Ink Usage section below when the Submit button is clicked. The usage
can be exported to a file in .csv format.
Local Settings
The Local Settings page will give you the current settings for the Print by External
Trigger (On/Off), Unit (inch/mm), the four offsets, the LCD Contrast and Brightness, the
Label Gap Sensor Sensitivity, and the Black Mark Sensor Sensitivity.
These settings can only be viewed in the EWS. Any changes to these settings must be
performed on the control panel or drivers.

EWS Security Setup

The Afinia L801 printer has three levels of security. See Selecting the Security Level on
page 12 for the list of security restrictions.

Security Level Description

Level 0 The printer powers up in level 0 by default, which allows users to
(operator) access all the functions needed to print, but not to change printer
parameters via the control panel.
Level 1 The user can access certain printer parameters. A password is
(supervisor) required to access this level.
Level 2 All parameters are enabled. A password is required to access this
(administrator) level.

The administrator can change the passwords through the Embedded Web Server (EWS).
It is recommended that the administrator change the passwords once the printer has
been set up. The default password is 123 for the EWS and the printer control panel.

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 L801 Label Printer

Change Passwords
1. Log in to the EWS.
a On the Windows Start menu, select Afinia > Afinia L801 Label Printer > Toolbox.
b Click Afinia L801 Label Printer to launch the default web browser and open the
EWS for your printer.
c Click Login to log in with your admin password.
2. Select Security Setup, then select Printer Password.

3. Set the password and click Submit.

• The EWS password can have 3 to 12 alphanumeric characters. Special characters
are not allowed.
• The control panel password must contain 3 digits.

Change Security Level for Printer Settings

The administrator can change the security level for the following protected printer
settings, which are enabled at Level 1 by default.
1. Log in to the EWS.
2. Select Security Setup followed by Printer Security.

3. From the dropdown list, select the minimum security level allowed to access each
setting.
For example, if you set Language to Level 0 - Operator, then all security levels will
have access to this setting.
4. Click Submit.

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EWS Network Setup

The Network Setup page can be used to change the IP information. The same settings
can also be changed from the control panel. Select either Continuous or Gap for the
Media Layout.

EWS Diagnostics
The Diagnostics page can be used to send test prints to the printer. These are the same
test prints available in the control panel.

EWS Advanced Settings

The Advanced Settings page can be used to send Remote Commands to the printer, set
the Mid Job Servicing Interval, and set the printer to Retract media when the printer is
idle for 10 minutes.
The Remote Commands include Restart Printer, Reset to Default Settings, and
Synchronize Printer Date and Time with Host PC. Select the command to send and click
the Submit button.
The Mid Job Servicing Interval is used for Roll-to-Roll printing only to be sure the
nozzles are kept healthy. The three options are as follows:
Minimum: The Mid Job Servicing occurs every 2475” (62865 mm) or 9 minutes,
whichever comes first.
Normal (Default): The servicing occurs every 1650” (41910 mm) or 6 minutes,
whichever comes first.
Maximum: Servicing occurs every 550” (13970 mm) or 2 minutes, whichever comes
first.
If white streaking appears on the labels during Roll-to-Roll printing, increase the Mid
Job Servicing interval from the current setting.
If color mixing is observed on the labels during Roll-to-Roll printing, decrease the Mid
Job Servicing interval from the current setting.
This setting should only be changed if necessary.

NOTE: Mid Job Servicing will not resolve print issues such as white streaks due to
paper dust or debris accumulation in the print zone.

The Printer retract label idle time option will unload the media by rolling it backwards if
the printer has not been used for 10 or 30 minutes, whichever is selected. This is done
to keep the labels from curling inside the printer, which may cause the label media to
rub against the printhead when printing resumes. This setting is checked by default with
a 10 minute idle time selected.
The media will need to be reloaded after it has been retracted in order to print.
The Enable Virtual Printing setting will allow you to process your label images without
actually printing in order to determine the amount of ink that will be used during an
actual print. This can be used to help determine the cost of printing a particular label.

40 Using the Printer

 L801 Label Printer

Support Tools
On the Windows Start menu, select Afinia > Afinia L801 Label Printer > Support Tools.

The Support Tools consist of the following:

• Get Tech Support: Opens the Afinia Label Printer Technical Support web page.
• Buy Consumables: Opens the consumables web page for you to purchase ink
supplies online.
• Update Firmware: Used to select the update file for the printer firmware. Consult
Technical Support before performing a firmware update.
• Get Printer Info: Displays a log of printer activity and errors. This may be required
when you contact Technical Support.
• Contact Info: Allows you to save your contact information, which will be included in
the Printer Info log.

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42 Using the Printer

Chapter 3

Printer Maintenance
Guidelines for Preventive Maintenance 44
Replacing an Ink Cartridge 45
Cleaning the Printhead 46
Replacing the Printhead 47
Opening/Closing the Clamshell 50
Cleaning Debris from the Cutting Zone 51
Cleaning the Sensors 52
Cleaning the Media Guide 54
Replacing the Aerosol Fan Filter 58
Replacing the Waste Ink Absorber 59

Printer Maintenance 43
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Guidelines for Preventive Maintenance

Recommended maintenance depends on the print mode that is most frequently used. If
you mostly print Roll to Roll (≥80%), refer to Table 3. Otherwise, see Table 4. Inspect
means to check the condition and replace if necessary.
Note that these are general guidelines for preventive maintenance. As operating
conditions for your printer may differ, adjust your maintenance schedule accordingly.
Maintenance items not on the tables below should be performed on an as-needed
basis. These maintenance items will be covered before the scheduled maintenance.

Table 3 Maintenance Schedule: For ≥80% Roll to Roll Operation

Part Part Number Every 1M inches Every 2.5M inches Every 5M inches
(25,400 m) (63,500 m) (122,500 m)
Sensors – Clean – –
Media Guide – Clean – –
Service Station 22929 Inspect Replace –
Aerosol Fan Guard 22943 – Replace –
Waste Ink Absorber 22936 – – Inspect1
1. Inspection should occur every 20 cartridges or 6 months, whichever comes first.

Table 4 Maintenance Schedule: For ≥80% Roll to Cut/Print and Cut/Present Operation
Part Part Number Every 1M inches Every 2.5M inches Every 5M inches
(25,400 m) (63,500 m) (122,500 m)
Sensors – Clean – –
Media Guide – Clean – –
Service Station 22929 Replace – –
Aerosol Fan Guard 22934 – Replace –
Waste Ink Absorber 22936 – – Inspect1
1. Inspection should occur every 20 cartridges or 6 months, whichever comes first.

NOTE: When using the cutting feature and continuous media or die-cut media with the
outer matrix left in place, the print zone and cutting zone should be inspected
for dust and debris every 3 rolls and cleaned as needed.

44 Printer Maintenance
 L801 Label Printer

Replacing an Ink Cartridge

1. Open the front cover of the printer.

2. Open the latch and remove the empty ink cartridge.

3. Insert the new cartridge and close the latch.

4. Close the front cover.

NOTE: Dispose of the empty ink cartridge according to local regulations.

Printer Maintenance 45
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Cleaning the Printhead

The printer provides three automated cleaning cycles for the printhead: Normal,
Extended, and Extreme. Always start with the Normal cleaning cycle and proceed to the
next level only if print quality does not improve.
1. On the control panel, select (Config) > Printhead > Clean > Normal.

Printer Online

(Config)

CONFIGURATION
3. PRINTHEAD
(Select)

PRINTHEAD
1. CLEAN
(Select)

CLEAN
1. Normal
(Select)

2. After the cleaning is completed, try printing again.

3. If issues persist, perform again selecting the Extended cleaning cycle. After cleaning
is complete, try printing again.
4. If issues still persist, perform an Extreme cleaning.
NOTE: Extreme cleaning should not be performed unless absolutely necessary, as it
may shorten the life of the printhead.

5. If issues still persist, the printhead should be replaced.

46 Printer Maintenance
 L801 Label Printer

Replacing the Printhead

1. Open the printer top cover.

2. On the control panel, select (Config) > Printhead >

Replace. Wait for the printhead latch to be released, then
open the latch fully.

Do not open latch before

it is released!

3. Hold the printhead by the handle and push it toward the printhead latch. Once the
printhead is released, lift it out of the printer.

Replace the Nozzle Cover

onto the removed printhead.

NOTE: Dispose of the old printhead according to local regulations.

Printer Maintenance 47
Afinia

4. Remove the new printhead from its packaging.

Do not touch the ink couplings,

ink couplings
electrical contacts, or nozzles.

Do not discard the cover!

It should be replaced if the printhead is
removed from the printer.

Slowly remove tape from electrical contacts

nozzles
electrical contacts No less than 45°

Slowly remove tape from nozzles

5. Slide the printhead into the slot. Push it toward the front of the printer. It should
snap into place.

48 Printer Maintenance
 L801 Label Printer

6. Close the printhead latch.

Check that ink is flowing
through the tubes on both
sides of the printhead
(circled above).

7. Close the top cover.

Printer Maintenance 49
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Opening/Closing the Clamshell

In the following procedures you may need to open
the clamshell in order to access the areas inside the
printer.

NOTE: If you will have the clamshell open for more

than 5-10 minutes, remove the printhead to
ensure the printhead remains healthy. See
Replacing the Printhead on page 47.

Opening the Clamshell

1. Open the top cover.
2. Squeeze the latches on either side of the clamshell and open the clamshell to its
highest position.

squeeze clamshell latches

Clamshell open

Closing the Clamshell

Squeeze and hold the clamshell latches while you gently lower the clamshell back into
place.
Do not allow the clamshell to drop when closing it.

50 Printer Maintenance
 L801 Label Printer

Cleaning Debris from the Cutting Zone

Clear all debris from the cutting zone to avoid contaminating the print zone, especially
fine dust particles.

1. Turn off power to the printer. See Turning Off the

Printer on page 35.
2. Open the top cover.

3. Vacuum any debris from the cutting zone (shown

below in green).

cutter path

4. Open the clamshell and also check below the cutting zone, at the bottom of the
printer and in front of the ink cartridges.
5. Close the clamshell and top cover.
6. Open the front cover and remove any cutting debris.

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Cleaning the Sensors

Always keep the media path clean as accumulated dust can affect printing.
1. Open the clamshell to its highest position.
2. Turn off power to the printer. See Turning Off the Printer on page 35.
3. Vacuum any dust or debris from the sensors.
Use the rollers to help you locate the sensors as shown in Figure 5.
4. Clean ink from the TOF sensor if the sensor appears dull
a Fold a lint-free cloth to form a tip and lightly moisten with de-ionized water.
Insert it in the opening to clean the TOF sensor.
b Repeat with a clean part of the cloth if necessary.
c Let the sensor dry before continuing.
5. Vacuum any paper dust or debris from the print zone.
Figure 5 Location of sensors

second roller

first roller

Transmissive and reflective sensors

behind the second roller

TOF sensor behind the first roller

6. Close the Clamshell.

52 Printer Maintenance
 L801 Label Printer

7. Clean any debris from the Exit Sensor, which is located near the front right side of
the top of the clamshell.

Exit sensor on top of clamshell

8. Close the top cover. Turn the printer back on.

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Cleaning the Media Guide

Excess ink on the Media Guide can affect print quality.
1. Remove the printhead. See Replacing the Printhead on page 47.
2. Open the clamshell to its highest position.
3. Slide the white plastic Media Guide to the right. When it will not move further,
gently pull down on the guide.

Media Guide

4. Clean any ink residue from the Media Guide by rinsing with water and drying
thoroughly.
5. Line the Media Guide slots up with the metal tabs on the bottom of the clamshell
and push the guide back on. Slide guide to the left until it stops.
6. Close the Clamshell.
7. Reinstall the printhead and close the top cover.

54 Printer Maintenance
 L801 Label Printer

Replacing the Service Station

NOTE: Before you begin, remove the printhead and cap it with the orange
protective cover, but do not close the latch after removing the
printhead. See Replacing the Printhead on page 47.

Tools • Nitrile powder-free gloves

• T20 Torx driver
• Disposable towels

Removal
1. Manually Open the clamshell to its highest position.
2. On the control panel, select (Config) > Service Station > Eject. Wait for the printer to
eject the service station.
3. Move service station towards front of printer.
4. Press the Power button on the control panel to turn off the printer. See Turning Off
the Printer on page 35.
5. Turn off the Power switch at the back of the printer and unplug the power cord.
6. Remove the front panel:
a Use a T20 Torx driver to remove the four screws (labeled 1 to 4) securing the
front panel.
b Release the front panel and disconnect the two cables behind the control panel.

cables behind
control panel 4

Printer Maintenance 55
Afinia

7. Pull the service station forward until you can disconnect the flex cable to the wiper
motor. Loosen the clip on the connector (Figure 6) to release the flex cable.

clip
flex cable

Ensure that the flex cable does not come into contact with any metallic
surface. If it is touching metal and the printer is accidentally turned on, it will
short the controller circuit and damage the printer.
Take care when handling the service station. Ink may spill when you tilt the service
station.
Never turn on the Printer with the Service Station disconnected!!!

NOTE: Dispose of the old service station according to local regulations.

Installation
8. Insert the flex cable into the connector on the new service station and push in the
clip to secure it.

Figure 6 Flex cable to connector on service station

flex cable clip

56 Printer Maintenance
 L801 Label Printer

9. Carefully align the service station with the guide rails and slide it into the print
engine.

guide rail

guide rail
10.Manually rotate the positioning gear backwards while uniformly pushing the service
station to move the service station into the print engine.

Figure 7 Positioning gear for service station

11.Reinstall the front panel: Reconnect the two cables to the front panel and replace
the screws.
12. Close the clamshell
13. Install the printhead, close the blue latch, and close the covers.
14. Plug the power cord back in and turn the printer on.
Never turn on the Printer with the Service Station disconnected!!!

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Replacing the Aerosol Fan Filter

As a general guideline, replace the aerosol fan filter every six months.

Tools • Nitrile powder-free gloves

• Flat-headed screwdriver

1. Turn off power to the printer. SeeTurning Off the Printer on page 35.
2. Open the clamshell to its highest position.
3. Insert the tip of a flat-blade screwdriver into the slot at the corner of the aerosol fan
assembly, and pry the cover off.

4. Remove the filter (Figure 8) and replace it with a new one.

5. Snap the cover back into place on the aerosol fan assembly.
6. Close the clamshell and top cover. Turn the printer back on.

Figure 8 Fan assembly

slot

aerosol fan assembly cover filter

58 Printer Maintenance
 L801 Label Printer

Replacing the Waste Ink Absorber

Tools • Nitrile powder-free gloves

1. Open the front cover of the printer.

2. Squeeze the latches on both sides of the waste ink absorber and pull it out.

3. Remove the waste ink absorber.

4. Slide the new waste ink absorber into the printer. Push it in until it clicks into place.
5. Close the front cover.

NOTE: Take care when replacing the waste ink absorber to avoid staining hands and
clothing. Dispose of the used waste ink absorber according to local regulations.

Printer Maintenance 59
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60 Printer Maintenance
Chapter 4

Troubleshooting

If Error Messages Appear 62

Poor Print Quality or Incorrect Printout 64
Other Printing Problems 66
Clearing a Media Jam 67
Clearing Clogged Ink Nozzles 67
Adjusting Sensor Sensitivity 70

Troubleshooting 61
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If Error Messages Appear

If error messages are displayed on the printer control panel, check the following table
for the solution.

Error Message Possible Cause Solution

Clamshell Open The clamshell is open. Close the clamshell.
End of Roll End of roll is detected. Load a new roll of labels.
Front Cover Open The front cover is open. Close the front cover.
Jammed Cutter Debris in the cutting zone. 1. Turn off the printer and unplug the
power cable.
2. Clean any debris from the cutting zone.
See Cleaning Debris from the Cutting Zone
on page 51 for details.
Jammed Media The labels are jammed or cannot 1. Open the media cover.
feed into the printer. 2. Cut off the jammed media from the
media roll.
3. Open the clamshell to its highest
position.
4. Remove the jammed media from inside
the printer.
5. Close the clamshell and top cover.
6. Reload the media.
Media used exceeds the maximum Clear the jam and replace the media. See
thickness of 0.01” (0.3 mm). Choosing Label Media on page 24.
Low Ink An ink cartridge is low. Replace the ink cartridge. Check the ink
status icons on the Control Panel for the
color that is low.
Mech Error [code] Printer mechanical fault. Note the error code and contact Technical
Support.
I f M e c h E r r o r 2 o r 3 a p p e a rs d u r i n g
installation, see Troubleshooting Printer
Setup on page 20.
Media Cover Open The media cover is open. Close media cover.
Missing Ink Tank The ink cartridge is not installed or Remove and reseat cartridge or install an
not a genuine Afinia ink cartridge. Afinia ink cartridge. If the problem persists,
contact Technical Support.
Missing Printhead The printhead is not installed or not Remove and reseat printhead or install an
a genuine Afinia printhead. Afinia printhead. If the problem persists,
contact Technical Support.

62 Troubleshooting
 L801 Label Printer

Error Message Possible Cause Solution

No Media No media is detected. Load a new roll of labels.
Wrong Media Problems with the media. See Printer feeds media without printing on
page 66.
Out of Ink An ink cartridge is out of ink. Replace the ink cartridge. Check the ink
status icons for the color that is empty.
Top Cover Open The printer top cover is open. Close the top cover.

Troubleshooting 63
Afinia

Poor Print Quality or Incorrect Printout

Problem Possible Cause Solution

Long stripes of missing Ink nozzles are blocked. See Clearing Clogged Ink Nozzles on page 67.
print on several labels
Ink is smudged on the The media is not suitable for Replace the media. See Choosing Label Media
labels use in this printer. on page 24.
The printhead is dirty. Run Normal printhead cleaning from the control
panel.
T h e m e d i a i s c u r l e d a n d 1. Replace the media. See Choosing Label
touching the printhead. Media on page 24.
2. If the problem persists, contact Technical
Support.
The media i s curled by th e 1. On the EWS Advanced Settings page, set the
unwinder when the printer is printer to retract the media when it is idle for
idle for a period of time. more than 10 minutes.
2. If the problem persists, contact Technical
Support.
The service station needs to be See Replacing the Service Station on page 55.
replaced.
Significant misting on Aerosol is not removed because Replace the fan filter. See Replacing the Aerosol
labels the fan filter is dirty. Fan Filter on page 58.
M e d i a u s e d e x c e e d s t h e Replace the media. See Choosing Label Media
maximum thickness of 0.01” on page 24.
(0.3 mm). If the problem persists, contact Technical
Support.
Printed barcode cannot The media is not suitable for Replace the media. See Choosing Label Media
be scanned use in this printer. on page 24.
The barcode is too small. Adjust the size of the barcode.
Ink nozzles are clogged and the See Clearing Clogged Ink Nozzles on page 67.
barcode did not print properly.
Mixed or Muddy colors The printhead is dirty See Color Mixing Recovery on page 69.
(Color Mixing

64 Troubleshooting
 L801 Label Printer

Problem Possible Cause Solution

Po s i t i o n o f p r i n t e d Top of Form position needs Adjust the Top of Form offset from the control
image drifts vertically adjustment. panel or printer driver. See Adjusting Alignment
for Printing on page 30.
T h e m e d i a i s n o t l o a d e d Reload the media. See Loading Media on
properly. page 17.
The media is not suitable for Replace the media. See Choosing Label Media
use in this printer. on page 24.
T h e p r i n t e r i s u n a b l e t o Adjust the sensitivity of the sensors. See
correctly detect the inter-label Adjusting Sensor Sensitivity on page 70.
gap or black mark.
M i s - r e g i s t r a t i o n o r Media settings do not match Make sure the settings are correct for the media
labels are skipped the media loaded in the printer. (e.g. media size and orientation).
The media does not meet the See Choosing Label Media on page 24 for the
specifications. media specifications.
T h e p r i n t e r i s u n a b l e t o 1. Clean the sensors. See Cleaning the Sensors
correctly detect the inter-label on page 52.
gap or black mark. 2. If the problem persists, adjust the sensitivity
o f th e s en s o rs . Se e A d j ust i ng S en s o r
Sensitivity on page 70.
L a b e l s a r e s k i p p e d T h e p r i n t e r i s u n a b l e t o Adjust the media size in the printer driver:
when printing roll to correctly detect the inter-label reduce the height by 0.1” (3 mm).
roll on media with black black mark.
mark

Troubleshooting 65
Afinia

Other Printing Problems

Problem Possible Cause Solution

Printer feeds media without Media settings do not match Make sure the Media Layout setting (gap,
printing and then displays t h e m e d i a l o a d e d i n t h e black mark, or continuous) in the printer
No Media or Wrong media printer. driver matches the media used. See Change
on the LCD. Default Settings in Printer Driver on page 27
The media does not meet the See Choosing Label Media on page 24 for the
specifications. media specifications.
T h e p r i n t e r i s u n a b l e t o 1. Clean the sensors. See Cleaning the
correctly detect the inter-label Sensors on page 52.
gap or black mark. 2. If the problem persists, adjust the
sensitivity of the sensors. See Adjusting
Sensor Sensitivity on page 70.
Changes made using the The changes were not saved 1. Try changing the parameter again.
control panel did not take p r o p e r l y d u e t o u s e r o r 2. If the problem persists, reset the printer.1
effect. hardware error. Try changing the parameter again.
3. If the problem persists, contact Technical
Support.
Labels are not cut The exit sensor needs cleaning Clean the exit sensor. See Cleaning the
Sensors on page 52.
Label not held in Print and
Present mode
Label pulls back into printer
in Roll to Cut mode
T h e L C D i s m i s s i n g The LCD may be damaged. The LCD may need to be replaced. Contact
cha ra cters or pa rts of Technical Support.
characters
Nothing is displayed on the Internal electronic or firmware Contact Technical Support.
LCD and the printer freezes. failure.
1. Requires security Level 2 (administrator).

66 Troubleshooting
 L801 Label Printer

Clearing a Media Jam

1. Open the media cover.
2. Cut off the jammed media from the media roll.
3. Open the clamshell to its highest position.
4. Remove the jammed media from inside the printer.
5. Clean any label debris from the sensors and print zone. See Cleaning the Sensors on
page 52.
6. Close the clamshell and top cover.
7. Reload the media.

Clearing Clogged Ink Nozzles

Long stripes of missing print or vertical light streaks on several labels may be an
indication of clogged ink nozzles. Follow the procedure below to clear the ink nozzles.
After each step, print and check the print quality. Proceed to the next step only if the
problem persists.
1. Open the clamshell and inspect the print zone (the area below the clamshell as
shown in Figure 9). Vacuum any dust or debris from the area.

NOTE: Do NOT clean the printhead at this point.

Figure 9 Print zone

clamshell

printhead

print zone

Troubleshooting 67
Afinia

2. From the control panel, run Normal printhead cleaning.

( (Config) > MAINTENANCE > CLEAN > Normal)
• If print quality shows some improvement, repeat Normal cleaning until the print
quality is satisfactory.
• If print quality does not improve, continue with step 3.
3. Run the Extended cleaning cycle from the control panel.
• If print quality shows some improvement, repeat Extended cleaning until the
print quality is satisfactory.
• If print quality does not improve, continue with step 4.
4. Run the Extreme cleaning cycle from the control panel.
• If print quality shows some improvement, repeat Extended cleaning until the
print quality is satisfactory.
• If print quality does not improve, continue with step 5.
5. Open the clamshell and inspect the printhead. Lightly moisten a lint-free cloth with
de-ionized water and gently blot off any ink. Do not wipe side-to-side, as this may
mix colors from one nozzle into others. If no ink is visible, gently wipe the ink nozzles
from one side to the other.
6. Change the printhead.
Contact Technical Support if the issues persist.

68 Troubleshooting
 L801 Label Printer

Color Mixing Recovery

If the colors appear muddy or dull, excess ink may be building up on the printhead. If
this occurs, perform the following steps.
1. Run the Extended cleaning cycle one time, then print several labels. If the print
quality shows improvement, repeat until color quality has recovered
2. If the print quality doesn’t improve, open the clamshell and inspect the printhead
for excessive ink (the area below the clamshell as shown in Figure 10).
3. If you see excess ink on the printhead, gently tap the affected area of the printhead
with a lint-free cloth, taking care to only touch the area with excess ink. Do not rub
the printhead.
4. Close the clamshell and top cover, the re-check the print quality. Run an Extended
cleaning cycle again; if print quality improves, repeat the cleaning until color quality
has recovered.
5. If the print quality is not improving, contact Technical Support.

Figure 10 Excess ink on Printhead

clamshell

Excess ink
on printhead

NOTE: If color mixing occurs only on the label immediately after servicing occurs when
printing Roll-to-Roll, increasing the Mid Job Servicing Interval may resolve the
problem. See EWS Advanced Settings on page 40.

Troubleshooting 69
Afinia

Adjusting Sensor Sensitivity

Adjust the sensor sensitivity if you encounter the following problems:
• The printer keeps feeding media and does not print. This may be because the printer
is unable to detect the gap or black mark between labels and the sensor sensitivity
needs to be increased.
• The printer does not position the media correctly for printing because it detects a
“false” gap or mark. In this case the sensor sensitivity needs to be decreased.
The sensor settings require security Level 1 (supervisor) or higher. Select the security
level before you proceed (see Selecting the Security Level on page 12).
1. On the control panel, select (Config) > SENSOR > TRANSMISSIVE (for inter-label gap)
or REFLECTIVE (for black mark).
2. Set the sensitivity level.

Printer Online

(Config)

CONFIGURATION
4. SENSOR
(Select)

SENSOR
1. TRANSMISSIVE
(Select)

TRANSMISSIVE
 Press to increase or to decrease.
Press to select.

3. Press to return to the main menu.

Try printing again. If the problem persists after repeated adjustments, the media is not
compatible with the printer.

70 Troubleshooting
Appendix

System Requirements 72
Config Options on the Control Panel 73
Printer Interface (GPIO) Specifications 77
Regulatory Information 79

Appendix 71
Afinia

System Requirements
The computer used to print must meet the minimum requirements listed below.

Specifications
Processor Intel® Core™2 and above
Operating system Supported operating systems with the latest updates:
• Windows 7 (32- and 64-bit) with Service Pack 1
• Windows Vista (32- and 64-bit) with Service Pack 2
• Windows XP (32- and 64-bit) with Service Pack 3
Software • .NET Framework 3.5
• Java 1.6 or later (included with printer installation)
Memory • Minimum: 1 GB for Windows XP
• Minimum: 2 GB for Windows Vista and later operating
systems
• Recommended: 4 GB or more
Avai lable d i s k Minimum: 1 GB
space

72 Appendix
 L801 Label Printer

Config Options on the Control Panel

On the control panel, press (Config) to access the following menus and options.
1. Setup 5. Sensor
1. Language 1. Transmissive
2. Reset Settings 2. Reflective
3. List Setup 3. Level
4. Security 6.Ext Signal Print
1. Level 0 1. By I/O
2. Level 1 1. Yes
3. Level 2 2. No
5. LCD Contrast 7. Adjust Offset
6. LCD Brightness 1. Top of Form
7. Date/Time 2. Bottom of Form
8. Unit 3. Left Edge
9. Label 4. Cutter Offset
1. Continuous 8. Network
2. Gap 1. List
2. Maintenance 2. DHCP Settings
1. Print Test Page 1.Automatic
1. Barcodes 2. Manual
2. PQ Plot 3. IP Settings
3. Printhead 1.Static IP
1. Clean 2. Subnet Mask
1. Normal 3. Default Gateway
2. Extended 4. Wins Server
3. Extreme
2. Replace
4. Service Station
1. Cap Printhead
2. Eject

Menu items in Bold text require the Control Panel Security Level setting of 1 or 2
Menu items in Bold Italic text require the Control Panel Security Level setting of 2

Appendix 73
Afinia

Menu/Option Description
Setup
Language1 Select the display language for the printer control panel.
Supported languages are: English, French, German, Spanish, Italian,
Traditional Chinese, Simplified Chinese, and Japanese.
Reset2 Restore the default factory settings.
List Setup Print the key parameters of the printer in a 4” x 6” label format.
Security Display the current security level:
• Level 0 (operator) – The user can access all the functions needed to
print, but cannot change printer parameters via the control panel.
• Level 1 (supervisor) – The user can access certain printer parameters.
A password is required to access this level.
• Level 2 (administrator) – All parameters are enabled. A password is
required to access this level.
Passwords are set using the EWS (see Embedded Web Server (EWS) on
page 36).
LCD Contrast1 Adjust the contrast of the text against the background (–3 to 3).
Use and to increase or decrease the value.
LCD Brightness1 Adjust the brightness of the back light (–3 to 3).
Use and to increase or decrease the value.
Date/Time2 Set the printer clock (YYYY/MM/DD HH:MM:SS).
1. Press and to set each digit (0 to 9).
2. Press to move to the next digit.
Unit1 Unit used for Adjust Offset, either inch or mm. Applies to both Control
Panel and EWS units.
Label1 Select which type of label stock will be used for printing test pages.
Options are Continuous or Gap.
Maintenance
Print Test Page Print a test page.
• Barcodes: Print barcode test page in 4” x 6” label format.
• PQ Plot 6x4: Print diagnostics test page in 6” x 4” label format.
• PQ Plot 4x6: Print diagnostics test page in 4” x 6” label format.

74 Appendix
 L801 Label Printer

Menu/Option Description
Printhead
Clean Clean the printhead. Always start with the Normal cleaning cycle and
proceed to the next level only when print quality does not improve.
• Normal
• Extended
• Extreme
Replace Deprime the printhead and release the printhead latch, allowing the user
to change the printhead.
Service Station1
Cap Printhead Cap the printhead.
Eject Eject the service station.
Sensor1
Transmissive Adjust the sensitivity of the transmissive gap sensor (–5 to 5). This sensor
detects the inter-label gap or notch.
Reflective Adjust the sensitivity of the reflective gap sensor (–5 to 5). This sensor
detects the inter-label black mark.
Level Detect and display the tilt angle of the printer.
The print engine needs to be kept within two degrees from the horizontal
plane in both the X and Y axes, otherwise ink flow to the printhead will be
disrupted. Use this option to help you adjust the printer’s tilt angle within
±2 degrees from horizontal.

ƒ
ƒ

Ext Signal Print1

By I/O When this option is selected, the printer receives the print job but will
not print until it receives a signal from an external device.
See Printer Interface (GPIO) Specifications on page 77.

Appendix 75
Afinia

Menu/Option Description
Adjust Offset1 (Offset range: ±0.5” or ±12.7 mm.)
Top of Form Adjust the print position vertically on the label.
A positive value adjusts the image toward the top of the label while a
negative value moves it down.
Bottom of Form Adjust the bottom edge of the label for printing by clipping the amount
entered from the bottom of the image. Does not change the position of
(Used only for Borderless the image on the label.
Printing) A positive value clips more from the bottom of the image while a
negative value clips less (image must be larger than label size for negative
value to change print appearance).
Changing the BOF may make adjustments to the Cutter Offset necessary.
Left Edge Adjust the print position horizontally on the label.
A positive value adjusts the image toward the left of the label while a
negative value moves it to the right.
Cutter Offset Adjust the position of the cutter.
A positive value adjusts the cut away from the top of the label while a
negative value moves it nearer.
+
–

Network
List Network Print the network setup parameters in a 4” x 6” label format.
DHCP Setting2 Set the IP settings on the printer.
• Automatic: Set DHCP server to automatic.
• Manual: Disable DHCP server or allow user to set a static IP.
IP Settings2 Enter the static IP settings for the printer.
• Static IP
• Subnet Mask
• Gateway
• WINS Server
1. Press and to set each digit (0 to 9).
2. Press to move to the next digit.
1. Requires security Level 1 (supervisor) or higher.
2. Requires security Level 2 (administrator).

76 Appendix
 L801 Label Printer

Printer Interface (GPIO) Specifications

The Printer Electrical Signal Interface and Protocol is developed to coordinate the
printing of labels with an external process in a production workflow. Using this protocol,
the printer (Device A) receives a print job but will not print until it receives a signal from
an external device (Device B).
The following scenario illustrates how this could be used:
1. A box on a conveyor arrives at a workstation. A barcode is read and triggers a
message to a computer.
2. The computer sends a print job (probably with some variable data) to the printer.
3. The box reaches the next station on the conveyor and triggers a signal (e.g. by a
footswitch or automatically by a sensor). The printer starts printing when the signal
is received.
The electrical signal to initiate printing is received at the printer’s GPIO port. The
handshaking protocol is as follows:
• The printer signals it is ready to print by pulling down the Print Job Ready signal from
high to low.
• Device B signals it is ready by pulling down the Ready signal. This must remain low
for at least 50 ms before returning to high.
• The printer prints and pulls up the signal when printing is completed.

Figure 11 Timing Diagram

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Appendix 77
Afinia

Table 5 GPIO Pin Assignment (D-sub 9-pin Connector)

Pin Signal Description
1 HIGH (3.3 V)
2 ADC 5
3 Print job ready (output) (GPIO A25)
4 External device ready (input) (GPIO D04)
5 Printer error (output) (GPIO D08)
6 LOW (0 V)
7 NC
8 NC
9 NC

78 Appendix
 L801 Label Printer

Regulatory Information

FCC Statement
NOTE: This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class A
digital device, 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 commercial environment. This equipment generates, uses, and can radiate radio
frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with the instruction
manual, may cause harmful interference to radio communications. Operation of this
equipment in a residential area is likely to cause harmful interference in which case the
user will be required to correct the interference at his own expense.
Any changes or modifications to this equipment which are not expressly approved by
the manufacturer could void the user’s authority to operate this equipment.

CE Conformity
For customers in Europe
The CE mark indicates that this product complies with the European requirements for
safety, health, environment and customer protection.
This product complies with following European directives: Low Voltage Directive
2006/95/EC, EMC Directive 2004/108/EC, WEEE Directive 2002/96/EC and RoHS Directive
2011/65/EU.

Appendix 79
Afinia

Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive

For customers in Europe
This symbol on the product or on its packaging indicates that this product should be
separately disposed of, and not together with other unsorted municipal household
waste. Instead, it is your responsibility to dispose of your waste equipment by handing
it over to a designated collection point for the recycling of waste electrical and
electronic equipment.
The separate collection and recycling of waste equipment at the time of disposal will
help to conserve natural resources and ensure that it is recycled in a manner that
protects human health and the environment, through controlled treatment of possible
hazardous substances that may exist. For more information about where you can drop
off equipment for recycling, please contact your local city office, your household waste
disposal service or the dealer where you purchased the product.

80 Appendix