Genicom EasyCoder 3400e - Manual (Page 65)

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Helvetica CondensedHelvetica Chapter 5— Optimizing Printer Performance
EasyCoder 3400e Bar Code Label Printer User’s Manual 53
• Delete any unneeded user-defined fonts, graphics, pages, or formats. For
help, see the PrintSet software or the IPL Programming Reference
Manual.
• Purchase additional memory. Please contact your Intermec
representative for information on purchasing additional memory for the
printer.
Increasing Throughput
To print labels as quickly as possible, you must adjust the print speed in
conjunction with the number of image bands [one image band equals 2.54
centimeters (1 inch) of label]. The print speed and image band settings
determine the rate at which the printer processes the images of your labels.
This rate in turn affects the throughput of the entire printing process.
The printer begins imaging the label as soon as it receives the command to
select a format. Since the printer starts imaging the label so early, the
chance that the imaging process will be unable to keep up with the print
speed decreases and throughput improves. However, if the number of
image bands is too low, the imaging process is unable to keep up with the
print speed. In this case, the printer stops printing and starts again at the
lowest print speed with the maximum number of image bands. If the
image band command is set too high, the printer spends more time than
necessary imaging and slows down label production.
What Is an Image Band?
Image bands are a section of memory where a picture of a label format is
drawn. This drawing process is known as imaging. Once the picture is
imaged, the printer loads the picture from the image bands to the
printhead for printing. Each image band is equal to 2.54 centimeters (1
inch) of length of the label format. The number of image bands you use
may be less than the length of the label you are printing. The number of
image bands (in inches) does not have to equal the length of the label since
the printer recycles the image bands. Once the contents of an image band
have been printed, it may be reused to image the next section of the label.
Keep in mind that the more complex the label, the longer it will take to
image each section, thus requiring a slower print speed. To use a higher
print speed, use more image bands to allow more of the imaging process to
complete before printing begins.
How the Image Bands Command Works
The image bands command controls the amount of memory allotted to
the imaging process. When you increase the image band adjustment to a
higher number, you add more buffers to the imaging memory. By doing
this, more of the label format is imaged before printing begins.