032719-511441

User's Manual

© 2019 All rights reserved

Notices: The information in this document is subject to change without notice. NO WARRANTY OF
ANY KIND IS MADE WITH REGARD TO THIS MATERIAL, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO,
THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR
PURPOSE. No liability is assumed for errors contained herein or for incidental or consequential
damages in connection with the furnishing, performance, or use of this material. This document
contains proprietary information that is protected by copyright. All rights are reserved. No part of
this document may be photocopied, reproduced, or translated into another language without prior
written consent.

Trademark Acknowledgments: Windows is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation.

All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

Printing History
Edition 1.0, #032719, Copyright 2019 All rights reserved.
­­­­
FCC Compliance Statement: This device complies with part 15 of the FCC rules. Operation is subject
to the following two conditions: (1) this device may not cause harmful interference, and (2) this device
must accept any interference received, including interference that may cause undesired operation.

For Users in the United States: This product is intended to be supplied by a UL listed Direct Plug-In
Power Supply marked "Class 2"or a UL listed ITE Power Supply marked "LPS" with output rated
12VDC, 4.5A or higher. 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. In a domestic environment this product
may cause radio interference, in which case the user may be required to take adequate measures. This
equipment generates, uses, and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in
accordance with the instructions, may cause harmful interference to radio communications. However,
there is no guarantee that interference will not occur in a particular installation. If this equipment does
cause harmful interference to radio or television reception, which can be determined by turning the
equipment off and on, the user is encouraged to try to correct the interference by one or more of the
following measures:
• Re-orient or relocate the receiving antenna.
• Increase the separation between the equipment and receiver.
• Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit different from that to which the receiver
is connected.
• Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician for help.
Use of shielded cables is required to comply with the Class B limits of Part 15 of the FCC Rules.
You are cautioned that any changes or modifications not expressly approved in this manual could
void your authority to operate and/or obtain warranty service for this equipment.

For Users in Canada: This digital apparatus does not exceed the Class B limits for radio noise for
digital apparatus set out on the Radio Interference Regulations of the Canadian Department of
Communications. Le present appareil numerique n'emet pas de bruits radioelectriques depassant
les limites applicables aux appareils numeriques de la class A prescrites dans le Reglement sur le
brouillage radioelectrique edicte par le ministere des Communications du Canada.

CAUTION!
TO PREVENT FIRE OR SHOCK HAZARD, DO NOT EXPOSE THE UNIT TO RAIN OR
MOISTURE. TO REDUCE THE RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK, DO NOT REMOVE EXTERIOR
PANELS. NO USER-SERVICEABLE PARTS INSIDE. REFER SERVICING TO QUALIFIED
SERVICE PERSONNEL. OPERATE THE UNIT WITH ONLY THE PROPER ELECTRICAL
SPECIFICATIONS AS LABELED ON THE PRINTER AND AC ADAPTER.

CAUTION!
THIS PRODUCT CONTAINS A LASER DIODE OF A HIGHER CLASS THAN 1. TO ENSURE
CONTINUED SAFETY, DO NOT REMOVE ANY COVERS OR ATTEMPT TO GAIN ACCESS TO
THE INSIDE OF THIS PRODUCT. REFER ALL SERVICING TO QUALIFIED PERSONNEL. THE
FOLLOWING LABEL APPEARS INSIDE YOUR UNIT:
CLASS 1 LASER PRODUCT LASER KLASSE 1

CAUTION!
USE OF CONTROLS OR ADJUSTMENTS OR PERFORMANCE OF PROCEDURES OTHER
THAN THOSE SPECIFIED HEREIN MAY RESULT IN HAZARDOUS RADIATION.

ii
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 Table of Contents
Section 1: Getting Started................................................................................1
A. Choosing a Good Location.................................................................1
B. Unpacking and Inspection................................................................. 2
C. Identifying the Parts............................................................................ 3
Section 2: Hardware and Software Setup....................................................5
A. Installing Label Stock..........................................................................5
B. Adjusting the Stock Gap Sensor Position.........................................7
C. Using Fan-fold Label Stock..............................................................10
D. Installing the Ink Cartridge.............................................................. 10
E. Aligning the Ink Cartridge............................................................... 13
Section 3: Primera PrintHub.........................................................................14
A. Monitoring Ink Levels...................................................................... 15
B. Using the Cost Estimator.................................................................. 16
C. Set the Stock Sensor Mode...............................................................17
D. Set the Present or Cut Mode (Cutter Models Only)..................... 18
E. Adjusting Print Alignment............................................................... 21
F. Settings................................................................................................22
Section 4: Using RFID (PC Only)................................................................26
A. Setup RFID..........................................................................................26
B. Printing and Encoding......................................................................27
C. Tag Specifications............................................................................... 28
Section 5: Printing Using a PC.....................................................................30
A. Using BarTender®............................................................................. 30
B. Add Text, Barcodes and Graphics to BarTender Label................34
C. Printing from BarTender®................................................................35
D. Printer Driver Settings (PC)............................................................. 36
E. Printing from other Programs......................................................... 39
Section 6: Printing from a Mac.....................................................................41
A. Printer Utility Settings (Color Label 500 Utility).......................... 41
B. Adjusting Print Alignment/Label Offsets..................................... 43
C. Set the Stock Sensor Mode...............................................................45
D. Set the Output Mode.........................................................................46

iii
 E. Printing from Belight Labels and Addresses................................. 48
F. Create a Custom Label Size/Print from other Programs............ 55
G. Creating a Full Bleed Print...............................................................56
H. Printer Driver Settings...................................................................... 57
Section 7: Troubleshooting............................................................................60
A. Solving Offset/Alignment Problems..............................................60
B. Creating a Full Bleed Print...............................................................62
C. Clearing a Label Jam.........................................................................63
D. Maintenance............. .........................................................................63
E. Cleaning the Ink Cartridge.............................................................. 65
F. Technical Support.............................................................................. 68
Section 8: Label and Roll Specifications....................................................69
Section 9: Technical Specifications..............................................................72
Index..................................................................................................................73

iv
 TOC INDEX

Section 1: Getting Started

THANK YOU…
...for choosing an LX500/LX500c/RX500 Color Label Printer.
The LX500 Printer will print razor-sharp text and barcodes,
vibrant colors, and even stunning photo-realistic photographs
directly onto rolls of labels, card stock and fan-fold stock. The
LX500c adds an integrated cutter to cut between each label.
The RX500 adds the ability to encode to label stock with
integrated RFID chips. It has has a built in cutter.
This User's Manual is your complete step-by-step guide to
quickly and easily setting up and printing with your new Color
Label Printer!

A. CHOOSING A GOOD LOCATION

• Place the printer on a flat surface in a location with
adequate air circulation to prevent internal heat build up.
• Do not place the printer near heat sources such as radiators
or air ducts, or in a place subject to direct sunlight,
excessive dust, mechanical vibration or shock.
• Allow for adequate clearance in front of the printer to
accommodate the printed label stock as it is leaving the
printer to avoid the possibility of binding or jamming of
the label stock.
• Allow for adequate overhead clearance for opening the
top cover to allow easy access to the label stock and ink
cartridge.

Getting Started 1
 TOC INDEX
B. UNPACKING AND INSPECTION
While unpacking your printer, inspect the carton to ensure
that no damage has occurred during shipping. Make sure
that all supplied accessories are included with your unit. The
following items should be included:
• Printer
• Power Adapter
• Separate Power Cord
• 6' USB Cable (If other USB cable is used, it must be 6'
(2 M) or less.)
• Color Ink Cartridge
• Starter roll of high gloss label stock
• Warranty Statement and Registration Card
• This manual and other printed information
Save the carton and packing materials. They will come in handy when
transporting the printer.

2 Getting Started
 TOC INDEX
C. IDENTIFYING THE PARTS
This illustration shows the front of the printer with its control
buttons and LED indicator lights.

Power LED Label Stock TOF

Sensor Bar
Ink Low LED

RFID encoder
(RX500 Only)

Top Cover

Ink Button
Label Tear Bar
Load/Feed Button
Unload Button

The Ink Low LED will illuminate when a cartridge has 10% or
less of its ink remaining.
The Power LED indicates that the printer is on and ready to
receive print jobs.
The Ink Button moves the carriage to the center to allow for
loading of the ink cartridge. Once the cartridge is loaded,
press the ink button again.
The Load/Feed Button is pressed in order to load label stock or
form feed the label stock through the printer.
The Unload Button will unload the installed label stock by
reversing it through the printer. Make sure to tear off the
printed labels before pressing the Unload Button.
The Label Tear Bar is a serrated edge for conveniently tearing
your finished labels from the printer.

Getting Started 3
 TOC INDEX
This illustration shows the input ports and power switch found
on the rear panel of the printer.

Fan-fold Label Slot Power Switch USB Port Power Input Port

4 Getting Started
 TOC INDEX

Section 2: Hardware and Software

Setup

A. INSTALLING LABEL STOCK

Your printer will utilize a wide variety of paper label stock.
As long as the label stock is paper and can receive ink jet
printing and is within the
allotted size, it will work in
the printer. Primera carries
a large variety of paper
label stock that has been
converted and ready for
use with your printer.
1. Open the Top Cover.
2. Pull the spring loaded
label stock guide out
far enough to fit the
label stock. Label Stock Guide

3. Remove any shipping tape from your label stock roll to

ensure that it can unroll freely, making certain that no
adhesive portion is exposed. It is important to note that
any exposed adhesive surface can attach itself to the inner
workings of the print mechanism and cause a media jam.
Note: If you are using fan-fold label stock or label stock other than standard
square / rectangular die cut labels, see Sections 2B and 2C for
additional instructions.

Stock Guide Rollers

Hardware and Software Setup 5

 TOC INDEX
4. Place the label stock between the stock guide rollers and
release the spring loaded stock guide to hold the label
stock. The stock guide rollers allow the label stock roll to
move freely.

5. Place the leading edge of the label stock between the throat
guide and the side of the printer.

Throat Guide

6. Quickly continue feeding the label stock further into the

printer until you feel resistance from the feed rollers. The
printer will sense the label and automatically feed it
through the printer. If the printer fails to feed the label
stock, press the Load/Feed button to manually engage the
feed roller while continuing to guide the label stock into
the printer.

6 Hardware and Software Setup

 TOC INDEX
Tip! To ensure that the label stock is fed straight be sure to push
the label stock into the printer quickly until the entire front edge
of the stock is touching the feed roller. For wider stock use both
hands to feed the stock to maintain even forward pressure while
you are pushing the stock into the printer.

B. ADJUSTING THE LABEL STOCK GAP SENSOR

POSITION
The stock gap sensor (TOF Sensor) "sees" the gap between label
stock by shining light from the top of the label and attempting
to read that light from a sensor on the bottom. By default, this
sensor is set to read the gap .5" from the left side of the label
stock. If the gap in your label stock intersects with gap
position as shown on the slide bar you do not need to adjust
this and you can skip this section. This does not need to be
adjusted for most label stock.

Gap between
Labels

Intersection Point

in. 0.5 1.0 1.5 2.0

mm 12.7 25.4 38.1 50.8

Gap Sensor
Position Power Ink Load/Feed Unload

Ink

Hardware and Software Setup 7

 TOC INDEX
If you are using label stock other than standard square /
rectangular die cut labels such as circular die-cut labels or
through-hole stock use the instructions below to adjust the
label stock TOF sensor.

in. 0.5 1.0 1.5 2.0

mm 12.7 25.4 38.1 50.8

Gap Sensor Slide Bar

Circular Labels
If you are using Circular Labels you must adjust the Stock Gap
sensor to correspond with the very top of the label where the
circles are closest together. If the sensor is too far to the right
or the left the printer will still sense the label but the image
may be offset downward because the printer will start printing
at the wrong position. If you are using stock that has multiple
labels across make sure the sensor corresponds to a place on
the stock that has a label and not a vertical gap.
The Sensor Bar has a guide in inches and millimeters that will
help you identify where to set the bar to align the sensor over
any identifying mark or top of a circular shape. To do this,
measure the distance from the edge of the label stock to
the correct position on the stock. Set the sensor bar to this
measurement. For example, if you have a two inch circular
die-cut label, measure from the edge of the label stock to the
center of the circle. For this example it should be about
1 1/8 inches. Set the Sensor Bar to this value.

8 Hardware and Software Setup

TOC INDEX

1/2”
1 1/8”

Center
of Hole
Center
of Circle

Circular Labels Through-Hole Labels

Through Hole Labels

If you are using card stock or label stock that has a hole punch
or a notch to identify a transition from backing to label, you
can adjust the Sensor Bar to position it over the identifying
mark.
To adjust the sensor position use a pen to move the slide bar to
the correct postion.

Hardware and Software Setup 9

 TOC INDEX
C. USING FAN-FOLD LABEL STOCK
It is possible to use fan-fold label stock by feeding it through
the fan-fold slot in the the back of the printer.
Before feeding the fan-fold stock through the back of the
printer, lock the stock guide in the out position so the stock
guide rollers will Unlocked Locked
not interfere with
the label stock.
The stock guide
is spring loaded
and under
normal Stock Guide
circumstances it
will pinch any
label stock roll
inserted into the
printer.
To lock the stock
guide push the
tab located on the
bottom of the
moveable stock
guide to the out/
locked position.

D. INSTALLING THE INK CARTRIDGE

When the cartridge reaches 10% remaining you will be
prompted via the Status Monitor to replace the cartridge. If
quality still looks acceptable you can choose to ignore this
warning. However, you may waste labels if the cartridge runs
out of ink before the next warning at 0%. If you choose to
replace the cartridges follow the procedure below.
After installing a new cartridge, you may choose to run an
alignment print to achieve maximum quality. However, this
will require cancelling the print job. If you would like to enable
smooth transitions between ink cartridge changes, you may
choose to disable alignment print warnings. (See the next
section).

10 Hardware and Software Setup

TOC INDEX
1. Open the Top Cover of the printer.
2. Press the Ink Button on the printer.
Power Ink Load/Feed Unload

Ink

3. The Cartridge Carrier will align itself to the center of the

print area.
4. Press the Cartridge Cover Release to open the Cartridge
Holder. Remove the cartridge (if installed).

5. Remove the new Cartridge from its packaging. Be sure to

remove the protective tape covering the copper contacts.

Remove tape

6. Replace/install the cartridge copper end first.

Hardware and Software Setup 11

 TOC INDEX
7. Push cartridge cover downward until it snaps in place.

Note: Ink Cartridge Levels are estimates based on analysis of the printed
images by the driver during spooling. This analysis estimates the
number of ink droplets(spits) required to print the image and
subtracts that amount from the total amount in the cartridge. It
displays the total remaining spits as a percentage. In other words,
there is no real time sensor that shows the actual amount of ink in the
cartridge.

8. Press the Ink button on the printer to indicate the new

cartridge is now installed. You will be prompted to align
the cartridge. A warning will appear stating that you must
have installed label stock that is equal to or larger than 4" x
2" (101.6 mm x 50.8 mm). If your label stock meets this
requirement click OK to align the cartridge. If your stock
does not meet this size requirement see the next section
before clicking OK.

Power Ink Load/Feed Unload

Ink

12 Hardware and Software Setup

 TOC INDEX
E. ALIGNING THE INK CARTRIDGE
Cartridge alignment will align the Color Cartridge for
bidirectional printing and calibrate the printer to each
individual cartridge. You will automatically be prompted to
perform this alignment each time you install a new cartridge.
You may also manually align the cartridge via the status
monitor.
For Alignment you will need to have installed label stock that
is equal to or larger than 4" x 2" (101.6 mm x 50.8 mm). If your
stock does not meet this requirement you can use the sample
roll that came with the printer for this purpose. You may also
choose to disable alignment via the settings area of the status
monitor.
Disable Alignment: If you would like to enable smooth
transitions between ink cartridge changes, you may choose to
disable alignment print warnings. Alignment improves print
quality if Bidirectional printing is enabled. It is not necessary
if Bidirectional printing is disabled via the printer driver.
You can disable alignment via the status monitor.
1. Open the status monitor.
2. Select the settings tab (fifth tab).
3. Uncheck "Require cartridge alignment for best quality."

Hardware and Software Setup 13

 TOC INDEX

Section 3: Primera PrintHub

Primera PrintHub is used to interact with the printer for

gathering ink levels, maintenance, alignment, cost calculation
and several other functions. You can use it to manage these
functions on multiple LX500/RX500 printers and other Primera
label printer models.
PrintHub automatically installs with your printer driver and
can be accessed through the printer driver preferences or as a
program on your Windows start menu.
1. Connect the printer via USB and turn on the power. The
PrintHub accesses most of the information it uses from the
printer itself so the printer must be turned on and
communicating for the program to be useful.
2. Go to Start - Programs - Primera Technology - Primera
PrintHub.

A
B

E H

C
G

F
D

A. Adjust alignment, sensor mode, output mode, RFID

settings and advanced settings.
B. If you have multiple Primera printers connected, they will
be listed here.

14 Primera PrintHub
 TOC INDEX
C. Past jobs will show the last 5 jobs along with cost
information. Click the document icon to view a cost report.
D. Application Settings
E. Print Queue shows the currently printing job.
F. Order Link
G. Frequent Activities
H. Current Ink Levels

A: MONITORING INK LEVELS

Ink levels can be monitored at any time by using the PrintHub.
Immediately after printing starts the PrintHub will display the
ink levels in the upper right corner of the application. Ink is
displayed in 10% increments. Example 100% to 90% to 80%.

Primera PrintHub 15
 TOC INDEX
B. USING THE COST ESTIMATOR
The cost estimator is found under the queue section on the first
tab of the PrintHub. The last five job costs are stored in the list.
Each job will show the cost per label based on the cost per
cartridge entered below the list. Enter the actual cost of the
cartridge you paid. Prints remaining on the currently installed
cartridge and total prints on new cartridge are both displayed.

To see a printable/savable report click on the document icon

next to the job you want to see. A report will display the
information. You can print or save the report from this screen.
You can also change the currency using the drop down, change
the job name or adjust the cost from this screen.

16 Primera PrintHub
 TOC INDEX
Important Note: The cost per label represents the average cost per label over
an entire run of labels. This means that the per label cost will decrease
and become more accurate as the number of labels printed increases.
This is because the ink that is used for periodic cartridge maintenance
is divided into a larger number of labels. Primera recommends
printing at least 5 labels for an accurate per label cost.

C. SET THE STOCK SENSOR MODE

The stock sensor mode refers to the method the printer will use
to detect the print starting position for each label. To adjust the
stock sensor mode, open the PrintHub. In most cases you will
NOT need to change this setting. By default, it is set to sense
standard die-cut labels. It is only necessary to change this
setting if you are using clear labels or any label with a black
sensing mark on the back.
1. Connect the printer via USB and turn on the power. The
Stock Sensor Mode setting is stored in the printer's internal
memory so you will not be able to access it unless the
printer is turned on and properly communicating with the
computer.
2. Go to Start - Programs - Primera Technology - Primera
PrintHub.
3. Click on the Label Feed (3rd tab from left).
4. Select the Stock Sensor Mode by clicking on the graphic
that most closely corresponds to the stock you intend to
install.
5. Load the label stock after you have set the sensor mode.

Primera PrintHub 17
 TOC INDEX
There are three sensor modes:
Die-Cut (Default). If you are using standard die-cut labels that
look similar to the graphic, use this setting regardless of the
size of the label. Also, use this setting for Through-hole label
material where a hole is punched through each label or a notch
is cut in the side.
Reflective. Use Reflective for label material where a black pre-
printed line (black mark) on the back of the label stock
indicates the break between labels. Black marks are required on
clear label stock rolls, or label where the label waste matrix
(waste) is left on the liner. Black marks can also be used for
irregular shaped labels, circles larger than 4 inches or on any
stock where the print starting position cannot be sensed using
the label itself.
Continuous. (Sensor off) If you have continuous stock with no
die-cut, reflective mark or holes, set the sensor type to
Continuous. This will turn off the stock sensor. In this mode
there is no way to set the print starting position. The printer
will simply start printing the first label and print each subse-
quent label immediately after that previous one. To produce a
gap between prints simply add the desired amount of white
space to the end of the label being printed.
Important Note: You must also set the Stock Sensor Position (Section 2B) so
that the sensor is sensing the correct point on the label stock.

D. SET THE PRESENT OR CUT MODE (CUTTER MODELS

ONLY)
Use the Present/Cut Mode to adjust how the printer presents
labels after they are printed or if/when they are cut after
printing. To adjust the Present/Cut Mode, open the PrintHub
program.
1. Connect the printer via USB and turn on the power. The
Output/Cut Mode Setting is stored on the printer main
board so you will not be able to access it unless the printer
is turned on and properly communicating with the
computer.
2. Go to Start - Programs - Primera Technology - Primera
PrintHub.
3. Click on the Label Feed Tab.

18 Primera PrintHub
 TOC INDEX
4. Click on the Output/Cut Mode button. There are different
options available which change if the Cutter is enabled or
disabled. If the Cutter is disabled, the label present options
will be available. If the Cutter is enabled the present
options are no longer available but cut options become
available.

Cutter Options

Cut after button press. This setting will cut after you press the
Load/Feed button on the printer. This can be used after one
label or an entire job. This feature is useful if you will not be
present at the end of the print to catch the cut label.
Cut after label count. This option will cut after the number of
labels specified in the toggle box that appears when this option
is selected. This is useful if you have front/back labels or sets
of labels.
Cut after no activity. This setting will cut at the end of a print
job if the printer does not receive another print job within one
second of the last print job in the queue. You can use this
feature to cut at the end of multi-copy job, multi-page job or
multiple individual jobs in the queue.
Cut every label. This setting will cut after every label.

Primera PrintHub 19
 TOC INDEX
Present Options

Do not present. In this mode the label stock does not move
after the last label is printed. This means that part of the last
label printed is still in the printer. This should be used only if
you have a label rewinder attached.
Present after no activity. This setting will present (feed all
printed labels past the tear off point) at the end of a print job if
the printer does not receive another print job within one
second of the last print job in the queue. You can use this
feature to present at the end of a multi-copy job, a multi-page
job or multiple individual jobs in the queue.
Present Timer. (Works only with Present after no activity
option) Set the time delay from the end of the job to when the
label is presented. Increasing this value can resolve issues with
unnecessary present actions between jobs.

20 Primera PrintHub
 TOC INDEX
E. ADJUSTING PRINT ALIGNMENT
If your previous experience with printing is limited to printing
letters and cards to 8.5 inch by 11 inch paper you probably are
not familiar with an essential part of a label printing - Print
Alignment. Standard printers feed a sheet and start printing
based on the start of the sheet. They also prohibit printing to
the edge of the sheet. This is to avoid any need for alignment.
The LX500/RX500 senses the beginning of the label with an
optical sensor and is capable of printing to top, bottom, left
and right edge. Because of this it is necessary to align the
printer to work with specific types of label stock.
The LX500/RX500 comes factory calibrated to print exactly to
the edge of Primera label stock. However, due to variations in
the left margins and other variables it may be necessary to fine
tune these settings at the beginning of each roll. This is espe-
cially true for other non-Primera brand label stock.
Adjust print alignment using the PrintHub. Go to the Print
Alignment Tab (second tab).

Important Note! Before adjusting any values, print the Test Alignment to
see how close you are to alignment. The on screen graphic is the same
as the print which makes it easier to adjust these values.

Primera PrintHub 21
 TOC INDEX
Three items can be adjusted here:
1. Tear off/Cut
Position. This value
adjusts the position
of the last label
printed after it has
been presented for
tear off or for cut-
ting. This only
applies if the output
mode is set to
"Present the label." Add to the current value to move the
tear point closer to the printer. Subtract from the current
value to move the tear point away from the printer. The
value is automatically saved as soon as you set it.
2. Left Margin Offset. This value moves the printed label left
or right. Add to the current value to move the printed label
to the right. Subtract from the current value to move the
printed label to the left.
3. Top of Form (TOF). This value moves the print start
position up or down on the label. Add to the current value
to move the printed label down or toward the printer.
Subtract from the current value to move the printed label
up or away from the printer. The value is automatically
saved as soon as you set it. You may have to make several
adjustments to one or more of these values. After each
adjustment you can click the Test Alignment button to print
a small test pattern on the label. This will help you find the
proper alignment value.

F. SETTINGS
There are two areas with Settings in PrintHub.
General application settings that apply to the software and all
printers can be found by clicking the blue “Settings” button in
the lower left. Printer specific settings can be found on the
“Printer Settings” Tab.

22 Primera PrintHub
 TOC INDEX
General Settings
Language. Typically, the language is set to match the language
setting in the operating system. However, you can override
currency settings on the Language Tab.
Automatic Updates. Automatic Updates will update PrintHub,
the printer driver and the printer firmware. Every 7 days you
will be prompted to update the software if there are any newer
versions. You can choose to increase or decrease that automate
check. You can also perform a check for updates immediately
by clicking the “Check for Updates” button. Finally, if you
would like to receive beta software check the “Check for Beta
updates” box.

Printing Preferences. You can choose to close PrintHub after

printing completes by checking the “Close this application after
printing completes” box. PrintHub automatically opens when-
ever you send a print job to the printer. If you do not want
PrintHub to open in front of other programs, you can check the
“Launch minimized during print” option.
Support. Click the “Generate Support Report” button to
generate a zip file on your desktop containing all recent log
files. Send this to tech support so they can help solve any
printing problems.
Advanced. Check the “Generate Printer Status XML” box to
create an XML at
"C:\ProgramData\PTI\PrintHub\PrinterStatus.xml".
Software developers can use this file to display status
information such as error messages and ink levels in 3rd party
applications.
Primera PrintHub 23
 TOC INDEX
Printer Settings
Information. This section displays all current driver, software
and firmware versions.
Cartridge Maintenance. Here you can adjust the frequency of
certain maintenance operations. Increasing the value of
“Seconds between Maintenance Spits” will decrease ink usage
but could also cause poor quality printing.
Increasing or Pages between Maintenance Wipes will speed up
printing but could also cause poor quality printing.
Check the Suppress Alignment message to prevent the win-
dow from appearing which prompts you to align the cartridge
every time a new cartridge is installed. Skipping the alignment
is faster but can result in poor print quality.

24 Using RFID
 TOC INDEX
Advanced
Multiple Printer Support. You can install multiple printers to
the same computer and use them simultaneously. To do so you
will need to change the USB serial number identifier of one of
the two printers, two of three printers, three of four printers
etc. To change serial numbers:
1. Connect each new printer one at a time. The current USB
Serial Number will be displayed.
2. Click Generate. It will find the next available USB Serial
Number based on the currently connected printers. For the
first one it should set it to 2 and for the next printer 3 and
so on.
3. Click Set. You will hear the printer reset and the settings
window will turn gray. After it resets you will be able to
see the settings window again. Keep the printer connected.
4. Now you can connect the next printer. Windows will auto-
matically install a new driver for that new printer and
name it Color Label 500 (Copy 1). You can rename it later
by editing the printer properties in the Windows printer
list.
5. You will now see a second printer appear in the left col-
umn – Color Label 500 (Copy 1). Click on it to display
information about this printer. If this is the last printer,
you will connect you are done. If you wish to connect
additional printers follow through steps 2-4.
Calibrate Paper Sensor. Calibrate the paper sensor if you are
receiving TOF errors. The calibration process will prompt you
to remove all paper/stock from the printer before calibrating.
Restore Factory Defaults. This will set all Print alignment and
other calibration settings back to factory defaults.

Using RFID 25
 TOC INDEX

Section 4: Using RFID (PC Only)

A. SETUP RFID
Label Stock should have an antennae imbedded between the
label adhesive layer and the liner. The antennae should be
oriented to the front of the label stock and centered within the
label.

Antenna Label RFID Chip Antenna

The RX500 has a fixed RFID Encoder/Sensor which is in the

middle of the print area. Each time a job with RFID encoding
is sent to the printer the printer will automatically find and
calibrate to the installed tag. If you would like to determine if
the RFID Tags are detected before then you can check on the
RFID tab within Primera PrintHub.
To test the RFID stock, click the Start Read/Write button.

The RX500 will write and read the chip until you press the
“Stop Test” button.

26 Using RFID
 TOC INDEX

If successful, you will see the Success entry for each attempt.
If the stock fails the test for any reason, stop the test and try
pressing the Auto-Calibrate button. If the stock is still not
writing/reading refer to the RFID tag specifications at the end
of this section to make sure your stock is compatible.

B. PRINTING AND ENCODING

Once you have a successful write test, you are ready to print
from your RFID equipped software program! Refer to the
printing application’s documentation for details on RFID
printing. A trial version of Bartender is included on the
installation disc. You will have to start the 30-day trial on at
least the Professional version to encode RFID.

Using RFID 27
 TOC INDEX
To add RFID encoding to a label design using Bartender, once
the label size has been chosen and the blank label is on screen,
click the Standard RFID button on the lower left to display all
RFID options. Simply drag the desired data format to the area
around the label. Double click on the icon that appears to set
the data or data source.
Note on Encoding Errors: During printing from any application if an
encoding error appears, PrintHub will appear and display an error.
It will try to encode again after making calibration adjustments. If it
fails to encode, by default a series of XXXXs will automatically be
printed on the label to indicate that it was not encoded properly. The
job will then continue.

C. TAG SPECIFICATIONS
Tags must meet the following specifications to be encoded
using the RX500:
• EPC Gen 2 (v1.2.0) compliant
• ISO/IEC 18000-6C compliant
• 915 MHz (UHF)for USA (Requires USA version of RX500)
• 867 Mhz (UHF) for Europe (Requires European version of
RX500)
RX500 encodes only to EPC memory which can store from 96
bits to 480 bits depending on the tag that is chosen.
The chip (ICs) for Gen 2 tags contain four types of memory:
• Reserved memory
• EPC memory
• TID memory
• User memory

28 Using RFID
 TOC INDEX
Reserved Memory:
This memory bank stores the kill password and the access
password (each are 32 bits). The kill password permanently
disables the tag (very rarely used), and the access password is
set to lock and unlock the tag’s read/write capabilities. This
memory bank is only writable if you want to specify a certain
password. Most users do not use this memory area unless their
applications contain sensitive data. It cannot store information
besides the two codes.
EPC Memory (RX500 Only Encodes this Memory):
This memory bank stores the EPC code, or the Electronic
Product Code. It has a minimum of 96 bits of writable memory.
The EPC memory is what is typically used in most
applications if they only need 96 bits of memory. There are
some tags that have the capability of allocating more bits to the
EPC memory from the user memory. EPC memory is your first
writable memory bank.
TID Memory:
This memory is used only to store the unique tag ID number
by the manufacturer when the IC is manufactured. Typically,
this memory portion cannot be changed.
User Memory:
If the user needs more memory than the EPC section has
available, certain ICs have extended user memory which can
store more information. When it comes to user memory, there
is no standard in how many bits of memory are writable on
each tag. Typically, the extended memory is no more than 512
bits, but there are some high memory tags with up to 4K or 8K
bytes of memory. This is the second writable memory bank for
Gen 2 ICs.
Note: For specs on the physical placement of the tag on the label please see
Label and Roll Specifications.

Using RFID 29
 TOC INDEX

Section 5: Printing Using a PC

A. USING BARTENDER®
Primera Special Edition BarTender UltraLite is included with
the printer. Other programs can be used to print. If printing
from other programs please follow the guidelines in Section
3D.
When you open BarTender you will be given the choice to
select an existing label or create a new one using a wizard.
Use the following instructions as a general guide for standard
labels.
1. Choose "Start a new BarTender document..."

30 Printing Using a PC
TOC INDEX
2. Select "Blank Template". Click "Next".

3. Select "Color Label 500". Click "Next".

4. Select "Specify Custom Settings". Click "Next".

Printing Using a PC 31
 TOC INDEX
5. Set the page size, width and height to match labels
installed in the printer. Click "Next".

6. Check the "Picture" box to add a background photo or

graphic to your label. Click "Next". If you click "Finish",
the remaining default wizard options will be set and no
picture will be added.

32 Printing Using a PC
TOC INDEX
7. Select "Embedded Picture". Click the "File" Button to
browse to the location of your photo/graphic file. Set the
Size Method to "Stretch". Note the preview to the right.
Click "Next" if you are satisfied with the layout of the photo
or graphic.

8. Review the label setup summary. If it is correct, click

"Finish". Your blank label will be displayed.
After you click Finish, you can always go back and change any
of these settings, by going to the File Menu and selecting "Page
Setup". Basic and advanced settings are available on the
various tabs.

Printing Using a PC 33
 TOC INDEX
B. ADD TEXT, BARCODES AND GRAPHICS TO A
BARTENDER LABEL
Once you have created your label size you will need to add text,
a barcode and/or graphics. This can be done using one of the
buttons on the button bar at the top of the screen.

Add Text. Click the Text button. Add Graphic. Click the
Now click anywhere on your label. Image button. Now click any-
"Sample Text" will appear. Edit the where on your label. An Image
text on screen or double click it to icon will appear. Double-click it
open up text settings to change to open up image settings and
font, size and other settings. browse to the image/graphic
that you would like to insert.

Add Barcode. Click the Barcode Print. Click the Print button to
button. Now click anywhere on start printing.
your label. A barcode settings
window will appear. Here you can
choose any type of barcode and
enter the value.

Page Setup. Click the Page Setup Lines. Click the Line button to
button to change your label size, add a horizontal or vertical line.
adjust corner radius or change the
shape.

Tip! Double-click any object to open settings for that object.

Tip! Go to the Help menu to access the BarTender Manual and Tutorials.

34 Printing Using a PC
 TOC INDEX
C. PRINTING FROM BARTENDER
1. To print, click the Print button or go to the File
Menu and select "Print". The Print Dialog window will
appear.

2. Select the Color Label 500.

3. Set the number of copies.
4. Click "Document Properties" to adjust print quality settings.
These settings are explained in the next section.
5. Click "Print".

Printing Using a PC 35
 TOC INDEX
D. PRINTER DRIVER SETTINGS (PC)
Settings changed via the method below will apply to all new
designs created in BarTender or other programs after the prefer-
ences were changed. Existing labels saved in BarTender will
not be affected since the preferences are saved with the label.
To change these preferences you will have to change printer
preferences through BarTender before printing by clicking the
"Document Properties" button.
To find Driver Settings:
Click the Start button, choose Printers and Faxes. Right-click
on the Color Label 500 Icon and select Printing Preferences
from the drop-down menu.

The preferences screen will appear.

36 Printing Using a PC
 TOC INDEX
NOTE on PC Settings:
Most applications allow you to change these same printer driver
options from their "Print" screens. Some applications such as
BarTender save your settings with the label, others use settings only
for the current print job just sent to the printer.

Paper Size
If you are using BarTender, this setting is adjusted during the
label setup wizard. If you are using a program other than
BarTender you will need to set this to the dimensions of your
label. Keep in mind that the dimensions are always relative to
the width and height of the actual label in the printer.
Orientation of an image on the label should not change this
setting. See Section 6 for minimum and maximum label sizes.

Orientation
There are two settings for orientation, Portrait and Landscape.
If your text and graphics print left to right or as shown on the
screen, select portrait. If you wish your printing to rotate 90
degrees from what you see on the screen so it is printing
horizontally, select landscape as your orientation. Remember,
this does not change the width and height in the Paper Size
setting. It is only a tool for viewing a label upright on screen
that will be printed sideways on the printer.

Portrait Landscape

Printing Using a PC 37
 TOC INDEX
Print Quality
There are 4 levels of print quality in the driver. The lower the
Quality, the faster the print. Quality 1 provides the fastest print
available while Quality 4 provides the best quality. It is
recommended that you experiment with the different levels
when designing your label to find a good balance between
print quality and print speed.

Color Matching
Best for Graphics mode is best used for graphical images where
accurate color reproduction is not as essential. Images printed
in this mode will look more vibrant because more ink is being
used to produce them. However, printing images of people
may produce skin tones that have a reddish tint.
Best for Photos mode is best used for photographic images
where accurate color reproduction is very essential. Images
printed in this mode will look lighter than those printed in
Photo mode. Skin tones especially will look more natural in
this mode.
NOTE: Exact color matching of the printed labels to the screen may never be
possible since there are factors that affect this out of the drivers con-
trol. The surface of the label reacts with the ink in the cartridge to
produce the color. For this reason, when printing the same image to
different types of labels with different surfaces the printed output can
look entirely different.

Ink Saturation
This option controls the amount of ink used when printing an
image. The default setting is 100%, which will provide the
most accurate color matching. If the ink is not drying fast
enough or is bleeding, you can decrease the Ink Saturation to
lessen the amount of ink that is applied to the label.

Enable Bidi (Bidirectional) Printing

Set to "Yes" for fastest print speed. Requires an alignment print
after every cartridge change. Set to "No" for better quality print
(in some cases).

38 Printing Using a PC
 TOC INDEX
Launch Status Monitor
Click here to open the LX500 Status Monitor. See section 3 for
more details.

Details/Print Counter
Clicking on the Details button will allow you to view
information about printer settings stored on the printer. There
is also a print counter in the details window to help you count
the number of labels printed since the last time it was reset.
Click Reset Counter to set the counter to zero.

E. PRINTING FROM OTHER PROGRAMS

Since this printer uses a standard Windows printer driver you
can print from any application you would like. There are just a
few things to remember that will make it much easier.
1. Set the Page/Label Size in the Driver. BarTender
automatically prompts you for the size of the label that you
are using. When printing from any other program you
must do this manually. Before you print, simply set the
Paper Size just as you would set print quality in the
printing preferences. In the example below the label size is
4" x 4" so the custom page size is set to 400 x 400 (displayed
in .01 inch units).

Printing Using a PC 39
 TOC INDEX
2. Check the image or document size. The image size or
document size should correspond to the Page/Label Size
set in the driver. If you have set your page size n the driver
to 4" x 4" but your image is actually 5" x 3" the printer
driver will automatically shrink your image to fit inside the
4" x 4" label. The result is that the actual printed label is 4"
x 2.4". Avoid this by setting your page size in the driver
and image size in the printing application to match the
label size installed in the printer.
3. Choose the right printing program. There are many
different applications that are capable of printing to the
LX500. However there are only a few that are ideal
printing applications. For example, Adobe Illustrator is
an excellent design program but is not always the best
printing program. It can be difficult to find the printing
preferences or to know the exact size of the art board. It is
best to save as a PDF file and print from Adobe Reader or
export as a 300 dpi JPG and print from BarTender.

40 Printing Using a PC
 TOC INDEX

Section 6: Printing from a Mac

A. PRINTER UTILITY SETTINGS (COLOR LABEL 500

UTILITY)
The Color Label 500 Utility is used to interact with the printer
for gathering ink levels, maintenance, alignment, and several
other functions.

To Find Color Label 500 Utility:

Color Label 500 Utility automatically installs with your printer
driver and can be accessed through the Printer & Scanners in
Mac under Apple Icon – System Preferences.
1. Connect the printer via USB and turn on the power. The
Color Label 500 Utility accesses most of the information it
uses from the printer itself so the printer must be turned on
and communicating for the program to open.
2. Go to the Apple Icon – System Preferences - Printers and
Scanners, select the PTI Color_Label_500, click on, Options
& Supplies, and Open Printer Utility. Or you may simply
print to the printer and the Utility will open. The Color
Label 500 Utility has 4 tabs that are arranged on the top of
the window. Each tab opens a screen that has various
similar functions.

Printing from a Mac 41

 TOC INDEX

- Status Tab (First Tab). Displays ink levels, print counter

and any error messages.
- Cartridge Tab (Second Tab). Use for aligning the
cartridge, cleaning the cartridge, and changing
cartridge.
- Alignment Tab (Third Tab). Adjusts vertical and
horizontal print alignment. Changes the Stock Sensor
Mode and toggles the Output/Cut Mode.
- Settings Tab (Fourth Tab). Displays printer information
including firmware version, driver version, and
software version. Check for updates and set other
advanced settings.

42 Printing from a Mac

 TOC INDEX
B. ADJUSTING PRINT ALIGNMENT/LABEL OFFSETS
If your previous experience with printing is limited to printing
letters and cards to 8.5 inch by 11 inch paper you probably are
not familiar with an essential part of label printing – Print
Alignment. Standard printers feed a sheet and start printing
based on the start of the sheet. They also prohibit printing to
the edge of the sheet. This is to avoid any need for alignment.
The LX500 senses the beginning of the label with an optical
edge. Because of this it is necessary to align the printer to work
with specific types of label stock.
The LX500 comes from the factory calibrated to print exactly to
the edge of Primera label stock. However, due to variability it
may be necessary to fine tune these settings at the beginning of
each roll. This is especially true for other non-Primera brand
label stock.
Important Note: Before adjusting alignment settings first print one label at
the quality level you intend for the entire print job. This will ensure
the label stock is moving at the same speed and the stock sensor will
sense the gap in the same way.

Adjust print alignment using the Color Label 500 Utility. Click
on the Alignment Tab (Third Tab).

Printing from a Mac 43

 TOC INDEX
Three items can be adjusted here:
* Tear off Position. This value adjusts the position of the last
label printed after it has been presented for tear off. This
only applies if the output mode is set to “Present.” Add to
the current value to move the tear point closer to the
printer. Subtract from the current value to move the tear
point away from the printer. After adjusting the value click
the Set Offsets button to send the value to the printer.
* Left Margin Offset. This value moves the printed label left
or right. Add to the current value to move the printed label
to the right. Subtract from the current value to move the
printed label to the left. After adjusting the value, click the
Set Offsets button to send the value to the printer.
Note: Before adjusting this value make sure the label stock is properly loaded
so that there is no gap between the edge of the liner and the fixed
throat guide. Any gap at this point will greatly affect the Left
Margin Offset value needed to align the label. Also, if you adjust the
value with improperly loaded label stock you will have to adjust it
again if you load the label stock correctly the next time.

* Top of Form (TOF). This value moves the print start

position up or down on the label. Add to the current value
to move the printed label down or toward the printer.
Subtract from the current value to move the printed label
up or away from the printer. After adjusting the value click
the Set Offsets button to send the value to the printer.
You may have to make several adjustments to one or more of
these values. After each adjustment you can click the Test
Offsets button to print a small test pattern on the label. This
will help you find the proper alignment value.

44 Printing from a Mac

 TOC INDEX
C. SET THE STOCK SENSOR MODE
The stock sensor mode refers to the method the printer will use
to detect the print starting position for each label. To access the
Stock Sensor Mode, click on the Alignment button, then select
Stock Sensor Mode. In most cases you will not need to change
this setting.

Important Note: Set the Stock Sensor Mode BEFORE loading label stock!
You must also set the Stock Sensor Position (Section 2B) so that the
sensor is sensing the correct point on the label stock.

Die Cut (Default). If you are using standard die-cut labels that
look similar to the graphic use this setting regardless of the size
of the label. Also, use this setting for through-hole label
material where a hole is punched through each label or a notch
is cut on the side.
Reflective. Use Reflective for label material where a black pre-
printed line (black mark) on the back of the label stock indicates
the break between labels. Black marks are required on clear
label stock rolls, or labels where the label waste matrix (waste)
is left on the liner. Black marks can also be used for irregular
shaped labels, circles larger than 4.6 inches or on any stock
where the print starting position can not be sensed using the
label itself.

Printing from a Mac 45

 TOC INDEX
Continuous. (Sensor off.) If you have continuous stock with no
die-cut, reflective mark or holes, set the Sensor Type to
Continuous. This will turn off the stock sensor. In this mode
there is no way to set the print starting position. The printer
will simply start printing the first label and print each
subsequent label immediately after the previous. To produce a
gap between prints simply add the desired amount of white
space to the end of the label being printed.

D. SET THE OUTPUT MODE

Use the Present/Cut Mode to adjust how the printer presents
labels after they are printed or if/when they are cut after
printing. There are different options available which change if
the Cutter is enabled or disabled. If the Cutter is disabled the
label present options will be available. If the Cutter is enabled
the present options are are no longer available but cut options
become available.
Cut Options (Check Cutter Enabled):
Cut after no activity. This setting will cut at the end of a print
job if the printer does not receive another print job within one
second of the last print job in the queue. You can usethis feature
to cut at the end of multi-copy job, multi-page job or multiple
individual jobs in the queue.
Cut after button press. This setting will cut after you press the
Load/Feed button on the printer. This can be used after one
label or an entire job. This feature is useful if you will not be
present at the end of the print to catch the cut label.
Cut every label. This setting will cut after every label.

46 Printing from a Mac

TOC INDEX
Cut after label count. This option will cut after the number of
labels specified in the toggle box that appears when this option
is selected. This is useful if you have front/back labels or sets
of labels.

Present Options (Uncheck Cutter Enabled)

Do not present. In this mode the label stock does not move
after the last label is printed. This means that part of the last
label printed is still in the printer. This should be used only if
you have a label rewinder attached.
Present after no activity. This setting will present (feed all
printed labels past the tear off point) at the end of a print job if
the printer does not receive another print job within one
second of the last print job in the queue. You can use this
feature to present at the end of a multi-copy job, a multi-page
job or multiple individual jobs in the queue.

Printing from a Mac 47

 TOC INDEX
E. PRINTING FROM BELIGHT LABELS AND ADDRESSES
You can print to the printer from any program. However,
Belight’s Labels and Addresses is an affordable program that
we recommend. It saves time by eliminating the need to setup
a custom page size for each label. You may download a trial
version at their website: www.belightsoft.com
To setup a label and print follow these instructions.
1. When you open the program for the first time, a label
assistant will be displayed. You may choose a predefined
label if your label size is on the list.

48 Printing from a Mac

TOC INDEX
2. If your size is not on the list, select ANY label and click
Choose. You will have to setup a new label before it will
appear on the Custom tab. Click on the information icon to
display label size information. Click on Change Layout…

3. Click on the Custom Tab. Choose Create New. Click OK.

Printing from a Mac 49

 TOC INDEX
4. The setup will contain a default name and setup. All of this
information needs to be changed. First change the name to
match your label size.

50 Printing from a Mac

TOC INDEX
5. Change the Label Size and Layout. Use this information as
a guide. In this example we will setup a 2.5” wide x 2”
high label.
• Label Width and Height should match Page Width and
Height
• A standard corner radius (rounded corner) is .125
• Paper Size should be set to “Other”
• Rows and Columns should be set to 1
• All Margins should be set to zero
• All Spacing should be set to zero

Printing from a Mac 51

 TOC INDEX
6. Click OK when the label is setup. Now select the label you
setup from the Custom Tab. Click OK.

7. Add images, barcodes or text using the buttons across the

top ribbon. For more information on how to setup a label
and use the software, contact Belight or visit the Help
menu. When you are ready to print, go to the file menu –
print.

52 Printing from a Mac

TOC INDEX
8. Choose the Color Label 500 as the printer and click Next.

9. You may print at this point. However, if you wish to adjust

print settings, click on the Show Details button.

Printing from a Mac 53

 TOC INDEX
10. Next click on the Layout menu to reveal additional menu
options. Choose Saturation/Ink/Quality.

11. Set your Saturation, Ink and Quality settings according to

the guide in section 5F. Click Print.

54 Printing from a Mac

 TOC INDEX
F. CREATE A CUSTOM LABEL SIZE /PRINTING FROM
OTHER PROGRAMS
In many programs such as Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop or
Acrobat Reader you will need to choose your label/page size
before you print. If the label size you need to use is not already
on the list of available pages sizes you will need to create a new
custom size.
1. Open the program you would like to print from and select
File – Page Setup. Using the Paper Size drop down menu
select Manage Custom Sizes.

2. Add a New Custom Paper Size. Click the plus (+) button to
add a new custom paper size. Enter the size on the right.
Be sure to adjust the top, bottom, left and right margins to
0. Change the name from "untitled" to the size of your
custom page (W x H).

Printing from a Mac 55

 TOC INDEX
G. CREATING A FULL BLEED PRINT
1. If you are having trouble making the image cover the
entire label, first make sure the image is printing at least as
big as the label size you have selected. Increase the selected
page size by .03 inches on the width and .03 inches on the
height to create an over bleed.
Note: Make sure under scaling options to select ‘Fit to Page’ in the print
dialogue box if printing from Illustrator.

Left Margin Offset. You must decrease the Left Margin

Offset to center the over bleed on the label. If you over
bleed by .03 inches, you will need to decrease the Left
Margin Offset by 4. This will center the page size increase
so there is an over bleed on both the left and right sides.
TOF. Increase the Top Of Form by 4. This will cause the
printer to start printing before the label and ensure a fully
printed label.

Note: It is best to over bleed as little as possible to avoid excess ink on the
label backing. Also, over bleeding too much will cause the printer to
skip labels. This is because the printer stops printing too late to sense
the next label.

56 Printing from a Mac

 TOC INDEX
H. PRINTER DRIVER SETTINGS
Printer driver settings are accessible on the print window of
any application right before you click print.
Printing from Preview:
Click on the Layout dropdown menu and choose Printer
Features.

Printing from a Mac 57

 TOC INDEX
Printing from Adobe Reader:
First click on Printer... to access settings. Click on the Layout
dropdown menu and choose Printer Features.

58 Printing from a Mac

 TOC INDEX
Print Quality
There are 4 levels of print quality in the driver. The lower the
Quality, the faster the print. Quality 1 provides the fastest print
available while Quality 4 provides the best quality. It is
recommended that you experiment with the different levels
when designing your label to find a good balance between
print quality and print speed.

Color Matching
Best for Graphics mode is best used for graphical images where
accurate color reproduction is not as essential. Images printed
in this mode will look more vibrant because more ink is being
used to produce them. However, printing images of people may
produce skin tones that have a reddish tint.
Best for Photos mode is best used for photographic images
where accurate color reproduction is very essential. Images
printed in this mode will look lighter than those printed in
Photo mode. Skin tones especially will look more natural in this
mode.
NOTE: Exact color matching of the printed labels to the screen may never be
possible since there are factors that affect this out of the drivers con­
trol. The surface of the label reacts with the ink in the cartridge to
produce the color. For this reason, when printing the same image to
different types of labels with different surfaces the printed output can
look entirely different.

Ink Saturation
This option controls the amount of ink used when printing an
image. The default setting is 100%, which will provide the most
accurate color matching. If the ink is not drying fast enough or
is bleeding, you can decrease the Ink Saturation to lessen the
amount of ink that is applied to the label.

Enable Bidi (Bidirectional) Printing

Set to "Yes" for fastest print speed. Requires an alignment print
after every cartridge change. Set to "No" for better quality print
(in some cases).

Printing from a Mac 59

 TOC INDEX

Section 7: Troubleshooting

A. SOLVING OFFSET/ALIGNMENT PROBLEMS

Image is Vertically Offset
(White space can be seen on the top or bottom of the label)
The LX500 decides where to start printing by detecting the
start of a die-cut label, detecting a black mark on the back or
detecting a thru-hole that corresponds to the start of the label.
The following items can cause the label sensor to improperly
detect the start of a label:
1. TOF Offset. TOF stands for Top of Form and this setting
allows you to fine tune the alignment of your printing on
your label stock. This will be factory calibrated. If fine
tuning is needed, increase this setting to move the image
down on the label; decrease this setting to move the image
up on the label. The unit of measure is 0.1mm.
2. Nonstandard / Non-translucent Backing Material. Test
the unit with the label sample material that came with the
unit. If it prints correctly, your label stock may not be
compatible. The label sensor needs to see the difference
between a label and a backing material by seeing through
the label stock for light variations. If it can not see through
the label, problems will arise. If you must use this type of
backing, try label stock that has a black mark on the back
to show where the label begins. You will need to change
the Sensor Type setting in the driver preferences to
Reflective if you switch to a label with a black mark on the
back.
3. Improper Label Gap Distance. See Section 8 for label
specifications.
4. Page Size is Bigger than Label Stock Size. If the page size
set in the driver is larger than the actual label stock, ink
will be printed on the gaps and the sensor will start
looking for a gap too late. This can cause label skipping
or inconsistent print starting points.

60 Troubleshooting
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5. Portrait / Landscape. If the Portrait / Landscape setting
does not correspond to the label stock installed this will
also cause the printer to print over the gap and onto the
next label. Make sure this is set correctly.
6. Sensor Position. Circular, nonstandard label shapes or
multiple labels across will require precise adjustment of
the label sensor. If you are using circular or other non
rectangular die-cut labels see Section 2B for instructions.
The image is printing horizontally offset
(White space is seen on the left or right side of the label)
Two printer driver settings can affect this issue.
Left Margin Offset. This adjustment is found in the Status
Monitor. If you see white space on the right side of the label
and overlap on the opposite side, increase the number. If you
see white space on the left side of the label and overlap on the
opposite side decrease the number (Negative numbers are
allowed).
Note: Usually a space on the right side indicates a margin around the label
that is not being accounted for. The printer is factory calibrated for a
2mm margin. A larger margin around the label will cause a right
side space.

Page Size. Often the page size is not large enough for the
label. If this is the case you may see white space on the right
side of the the label and no image overlap on the opposite side.
This indicates that the page size needs to be increased.
Increase the page size through the printer preferences enough
to cover the label.

Troubleshooting 61
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B. CREATING A FULL BLEED PRINT
1. If you are having trouble making the image cover the
entire label, first make sure the image is printing at least as
big as the label size you have selected. To accomplish this
using BarTender, make the image a few millimeters larger
than the label by dragging the image over the edge of the
label on all sides. The bounding box around the image will
turn red when it is over the edge of the label. Try printing
again to see if it covers the entire label. If not, move on to
step two.
2. Adjust these settings in the printer driver preferences:
Page Size. Increase the page size width in the driver
preferences by .05 inches. Increase the height by .05 inches.
If you are using BarTender, simply change the size under
the File Menu - Label Setup. Increase the size of the image
to fit the new larger page size. If you are using other
graphics programs you will need to change the page size in
the application and in the printer driver preferences.
Left Margin Offset. Decrease the Left margin offset by
half the increase of the page size width. In this case you
would decrease the value by 6 (which corresponds to .025
inches). This will center the page size increase so there is a
.025 inch over bleed on both left and right sides.
TOF. Increase the Top of form by 6. This will cause the
printer to start printing before the label and ensure a fully
printed label.

Note: It is best to over bleed as little as possible to avoid excess ink on the
label backing. Also, over bleeding too much will cause the printer to
skip labels. This is because the printer stops printing too late to sense
the next label.

62 Troubleshooting
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C. CLEARING A LABEL JAM
If there is a label jam in the printer mechanism first attempt to
remove the jam by opening the cover and removing the jam
from the printer feed output area.
If the jam can not be located, it is possible to remove a cover
over the feed input area. Pull on the center of the cover as
shown below to release the tabs on the sides.
To prevent future jams, use rubbing alcohol to remove any
adhesive left in the printer feed area.

PULL

D. MAINTENANCE
Cleaning the Printer
The case of the printer can be cleaned with an ammonia based
window cleaner and a lint-free cloth.
Over time, ink overspray may gather at the base of the printer.
The printer is designed using a vacuum system to gather most
of this ink on a series of saturation pads. Eventually, these
pads may need to be replaced. Contact tech support to
determine if pad replacement is necessary.

Troubleshooting 63
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Maintenance Station Cleaning/Wiper Replacement
Check the Maintenance (Capping) Station for ink build up /
Replace Wipers. The capping station is where the cartridges
dock when not printing. The rubber cap just naturally builds
up ink over time. There can also be ink residue on the wiper.
Wipe off the capping station components occasionally with a
damp cloth. The components that need cleaning include the
cap itself as well as the rubber wiper just to the right of the cap.
Wiper Replacement.
If you notice that the first few labels print fine and then the
colors fade away, the wiper may actually need replacement.
Wipers last approximately 30,000 prints. However, actual wear
will depend on several factors including the size of the label
you are printing. For this reason, the wiper should be cleaned
and checked for wear every 10,000 prints. A replacement wiper
can be purchased from the replacement parts store. SKU:
626367 Instructions for replacement can also be found on the
parts store.
How will I know a wiper is worn?
The wiper has blades at the top that can get rounded over time.
This rounding can be very subtle when viewing only the worn
wiper but when comparing a worn wiper to a new wiper the
difference is noticeable.
Note: These same symptoms can be caused by an empty cartridge. Please
ensure the cartridge has at least 20% ink remaining. If not, please try
a new cartridge.

64 Troubleshooting
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E. POOR PRINT QUALITY - CLEANING THE CARTRIDGE
It may be necessary to clean the ink cartridge nozzles if you
notice reduced print quality, or if you suspect a cartridge
nozzle has become slightly dried out or clogged. If the
cartridge has been left out of the printer more than 30 minutes,
the ink in the print head nozzles may have dried. If you are
having print quality problems, follow the steps below:
1. Before moving on to the next step, ensure that the ink level
of the color cartridge is more than 10%. If the ink level is
lower than 10%, replace the cartridge.
2. Try cleaning the cartridge using the clean function in the
PrintHub or Printer Utility (Mac).

3. Determine if printing is now acceptable by printing your

image.
If the sample has missing colors or voids within a color
strip, remove the cartridge from the printer and proceed to
step 4.

Troubleshooting 65
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4. Prepare items needed for procedure.

Two Paper Towels A Glass of Water
folded four times each

5. Soak the paper towels in water for 5 seconds.

Note: Do not squeeze water from paper towels after removing
from water.

66 Troubleshooting
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6. Place one paper towel on cartridge nozzles. Gently press
the paper towel with your finger. Leave the paper towel on
the nozzles for 30-40 seconds.

Cartridge Nozzles

Place one paper Gently press Leave paper

towel on nozzles paper towel with towel on nozzles
finger for 30-40 seconds
7. Wipe nozzles.

A. Place second paper towel on D. Wipe/Drag the cartridge in

flat/hard surface. the direction indicated.
B. Press the nozzles into the E. Repeat until all colors are
paper towel. seen on the paper towel.
C. Firmly tap the top of the
cartridge three times to force
the ink out.

After wiping the nozzles, the paper towel should

show all three colors.

If all three colors are present, proceed to step 8.

If the paper towel doesn’t show all three colors,

then repeat step 7.

If paper towel still doesn't show all three colors

repeating step 7, then replace the cartridge.

Troubleshooting 67
 TOC INDEX
8. Dry cartridge.

Dry excess water

from cartridge. Ensure
cartridge contacts are
completely dry. Printer
damage may result if
cartridge contacts are
not completely dry.

9. Verify cartridge is now functioning properly by printing

your label.

F. TECHNICAL SUPPORT
If you have difficulties operating your Printer, contact technical
support using one of the methods listed below.

Source Location
Primera Knowledge Base www.primera.com/kb
BarTender Software Help files Open the software. Click on the Help
Menu - BarTender Help
Email Support www.primera.com/contact_tech_support.cfm
Phone Support 763-475-6669 (Mon - Fri 8 a.m. - 6 p.m CST)
Chat http://www.primera.com/contact_tech_
support.php (Mon - Fri 8 a.m. - 6 p.m CST)

68 Troubleshooting
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Section 8: Label and Roll

Specifications
Important! Test all custom made label stock with the intended printer before
ordering large quantities! Primera will only assume responsibility
for custom label stock ordered from Primera.

Label Sensing Methods

Label Width
Liner Width

Gap Between
Method 1: Label Labels
Gap Sensing

Distance from
edge of Media
Method 2: Width of
thru-hole opening Width of Opening
Sensing

Distance from Label Height

edge of Media
to edge of Label

Method 3: Reflective/Black
Mark Sensing
(Black Mark must be printed
on back side of label stock)
Black Mark
RFID: Antenna inlay Width
should be 0.25” (6.35mm)
+/- 0.08” (2mm) from
leading edge of label.
If your inlay varies from
this recommended
specification, run the
callibration described in
Section 3A.

Note: See table below for Max and Min values in inches and mm..

Label and Roll Specifications 69

 TOC INDEX
Max Min
Label/Print width 4.25" (108mm) 0.75" (19mm)
Liner width 4.25" (108mm) 1" (25.4mm)
Label height/length 24" (609.6mm) 0.75" (19mm)
Gap between labels 0.75" (19mm) 0.10" (2.5mm)
Width of thru-hole opening 0.5" (12.7mm) 0.375" (9.5mm)
Distance from edge of media 1.90" (48.3mm) 0.20" (5.1mm)
to edge of thru-hole
Reflective/Black Mark Width* Equal to distance 0.10" (2.5mm)
between labels
Max Outer Diameter (OD) 5.0"(127mm) N/A
Inner Core Diameter (ID) see roll specifications below
Stock Thickness** .0010” (10 mil) N/A
Distance from edge of media to Printer driver assumes 2 mm gap.
edge of label However, this is adjustable via the
left margin offset.
* The Reflective/Black Mark should be opaque to infared light. The
mark should be between the labels. The end of the mark should
correspond with the beginning of the next label.
**This is the recommended maximum. There are two factors that
determine whether the printer will accept any particular stock
thickness.
1. The ability for the printer to pull the paper through the print area.
2. The ability for the sensor to read through the backing if the sensor is
set to die-cut.
If you are printing in continuous or reflective label sensing mode
number 2 does not apply. The fact that the printer must read through
the backing in die-cut mode will limit the thickness much more than the
printer's ability to pull the paper through the print area. However, if
you adjust opacity level of the liner enough to allow the label to be seen
by the stock sensor, the thickness will only be limited by the printer's
ability to pull it through the printer area. For these reasons the weight
or thickness of the liner is a variable that can not easily be defined.
Primera recommends and uses 40# liner with all label stock.

70 Label and Roll Specifications

TOC INDEX

Roll Specifications
Label Side Out

Roll O.D.
Label Stock

2” 5”

Core I.D.
Core O.D.
Notes:
1. Label height <1.5” requires a 2.00” I.D. x 3.00” O.D. core.
Label height >1.5” requires a 2.00” I.D. x 2.25” O.D. core.
2. Turret glue or 1/2”-wide 3M 928 double-sided removable tape must be
used to attach stock to core. Removable tape must be positioned across
full width of core. Other types of tape are not allowed.
3. End face of liner must align with end of core on both sides within 0.030”.
(Core width should be the same as liner width.)
4. Masking tape or equivalent may be used to secure label stock to outside of roll.

Label and Roll Specifications 71

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Section 9: Technical Specifications

Print Method: Inkjet

Print Resolutions: 4800 x 1200 dpi, 1200 x 1200 dpi, 600 x 600 dpi
Ink Cartridge: #53374 Color (CMY)
Colors: 16.7 million
Media Types: Roll-fed pressure-sensitive labels, roll-fed tags
Media Sensing: Moveable see-through sensor for die-cut
labels and reflective for tags with black
stripe sensing
Ink Level Warning: Calculates actual number of prints remaining
based upon ink usage of graphics being
printed (patent-pending)
Indicator Lights: Power, Ink
Controls: Ink, Load/Feed, Unload
Operating Systems: Windows 7/8/10, Macintosh OS X
Data Interface: USB 1.1
Minimum System: Pentium® IV computer or better, 512MB
RAM, 5GB free hard drive space,
USB 1.1/2.0 port
Label Design BarTender Ultralite Edition.
Software: Can also be used with most other popular
Windows and Macintosh label design software
programs
RFID Module: Compliant with EPC Global Class 1 Gen 2
and ISO 18000 -6B and -6C
Electrical Rating: 12VDC, 5.0A
Power Requirements: 100-240VAC, 50/60 Hz, 60 watts
Certifications: UL, UL-C, CE, FCC Class B
Weight: 7 lbs.
Dimensions: 10.4" wide X 15.3" deep X 7.1" high (closed)
17.4" high (open)
Warranty: One year, parts and labor

72 Technical Specifications
TOC INDEX

Index
Automatic Update........................................................................... 23
Calibrate......................................................................................13, 25
Cartridge Alignment.......................................................................13
Cleaning Ink Cartridge................................................................... 65
Cost Estimator.................................................................................. 16
Cut Mode.......................................................................................... 18
High Gloss Label Stock.....................................................................2
Ink Low LED......................................................................................3
Installing the Ink Cartridge............................................................ 10
Installing Label Stock........................................................................5
Label Size....................................................................................28, 62
Label Tear Bar..................................................................................... 3
Left Margin Offset...............................................................22, 61, 62
Load/Feed Button.............................................................................3
Multiple Printers.............................................................................. 25
Offsets..........................................................................................43, 44
Orientation........................................................................................37
Power LED.......................................................................................... 3
Print Counter.................................................................................... 39
PrintHub........................................................................................... 14
Print Quality.........................................................................13, 24, 65
Printer Driver Settings.................................................................... 61
Printing.............................................................................................. 27
Sensor Type.................................................................................18, 60
RFID................................................................................................... 26
Roll Specifications............................................................................ 71
Tag Specifications............................................................................. 28
TOF Offset........................................................................................60
Troubleshooting...............................................................................60
Unload Button.................................................................................... 3
Using BarTender........................................................................28, 62

Index 73
Printed in the United States of America
P/N 511441