Learn More About Our Labeler Resources
Shadow Printer – Label Change (video coming soon)
- Start with a spent label roll in the machine
- Open machine cover
- Open up the print head latch
- Open up the front latch
- Pull the spent labels out
- Take new label roll and pull off 6-ish labels
- Insert new label roll – note the unwind direction
- Wind it under the tensioner, through the gap sensor, and out the front toward the peel bar
- Wrap it under the pinch roller and onto the rewind reel
- Wind the rewind reel until it has good tension
- Make sure the “next label” is positioned at the edge of the peel bar
- Next, check that the labels are at the “back” of the print engine fully
- Once confirmed, close the two latches
- Close the machine cover
- Go to the color touch screen and feed a few labels in offline mode. Make sure they feed one at a time
- Make sure to put printer online and press the tamp button to makes sure it is not waiting on a tamp cycle
Shadow Printer – Checking Sensors (video coming soon)
- With the printer powered off, pull the tamp down and note the position of the HOME photoeye and LOT photoeye
- Push the tamp back up and show the HOME green indicator turns on and off when the tamp is home/not home
- Flag the LOT photoeye with your finger and note how the LOT indicator turns on and off.
- Open the SATO machine cover
- Raise the print head latch
- Take note of the gap sensor:
Show how it slides in and out. It should be pushed towards the back of the print engine then pulled out 4 to 5 clicks
It folds up for the cleaning of the gap sensor.
Shadow Printer – Label Feed Issues (video coming soon)
This is for if the tamp is driving down but the labels are not getting successfully applied to the package.
- First, check the position of the “next label to print” relative to the edge of the peel bar. The “next label” should be within 1/16” of the edge of the peel bar. (Feel free to send us a picture to confirm)
- If it is not at the edge of the peel bar, a support technician must remote connect and make a software change to the printer to get it to advance further
- If it is at the edge of the peel bar move to step 2
- Check that the peel bar is angled up as high as it will go. To do this, loosen the philips head screw on the peel bar and angle it upwards toward the sky. Tighten the screw back down as tight as possible. Red loc-tite is recommended.
- Now check the height of the entire tamp assembly relative to the peel bar. The tamp needs to be positioned so that the label feeding out hits the 45 degree chamfer on the tamp’s leading edge
- To adjust this height, loosen to two large allen screws holding the tamp position vertically
- Slide the tamp up then tighten them
- With the printer in offline mode, feed a few labels to confirm they feed into the 45 degree chamfer on the tamp
- Repeat adjustment if necessary. Even ¼” out of adjustment matters
- Now showcase on video how a properly adjust tamp feeds (side profile) and how an improperly adjusted tamp feeds – explain that the “snap down” action of the rear of the label is why we need to make sure this adjustment is correct
Shadow Printer – Tamp Not Returning Home (video coming soon)
- Turn printer OFF
- Pull down tamp as far as it will go – note if you feel any resistance or catch points
- Inspect for broken or missing teeth
- Push tamp back up- note if you feel any resistance or catch points
- Pull tamp down roughly 6 inches and try to wiggle it in the upstream/downstream directions.
- It should wiggle slightly.
- If it wiggles significantly, the tamp motor is not properly pressed up against the rod and you do not have a good gear mesh
- Remove cover and locate the four bolts holding in the tamp motor. These need to be loosened on slightly and the motor needs to be pressed gently against the rod while they are re-tightened.
- With the tamp rod down, inside the tamp housing, locate the set screw for the motor’s spur gear
- Check tightness with a small allen wrench. Use a pair of pliers to get a better twist on the allen wrench.
P9 Printer – Label Change (video coming soon)
- Start with a spent label roll in the machine
- Open machine cover
- Note there are three things to remember to open:
- Open up the print head latch
- Open up gap sensor
- Open up knurled roller underneath
- Pull the spent labels out
- NOTE: holding the spent label roll and spinning the rewind roller opposite releases the tension
- Take new label roll and pull off 6-ish labels
- Insert new label roll – note the unwind direction
- Note the routing external to the print engine
- Run it through the print engine and note that it’s path remains horizontal to the ground all the way through
- Run it across the peel bar and wrap it underneath
- NOTE: it has to feed ABOVE the knurled roller
- Run it to the rewinder
- Wind the rewind reel until it has good tension
- Make sure the “next label” is positioned at the edge of the peel bar
- Next, check that the labels are at the “back” of the print engine fully
- Once confirmed, close the two latches
- Close the machine cover
- Go to the color touch screen and feed a few labels in offline mode. Make sure they feed one at a time.
- Make sure to put printer online and press the tamp button to makes sure it is not waiting on a tamp cycle.