Alpha-3R

Direct Thermal Portable Printer

SERVICE
MANUAL

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 Contents

1. FUNDAMENTAL OF THE SYSTEM ................................ 2

1.1 Overview ........................................................................................................... 2
2. ELECTRONICS ............................................... 3
2.1 Summary of Board Connectors ....................................................................... 3
3. MECHANISM ................................................ 7
3.1 Replacing the Media Cover .............................................................................. 7
3.2 Replacing the Keys Control Board .................................................................. 9
3.3 Replacing the Bluetooth Control Board (Option) ......................................... 10
3.4 Replacing the Media Holder Assembly ......................................................... 11
3.5 Replacing the Main Board Assembly ............................................................ 14
3.6 Replacing the Print Head Assembly .............................................................. 15
3.7 Replacing the Stepping Motor ....................................................................... 16
3.8 Replacing the black mark sensor assembly ................................................. 17
3.9 Replacing the WiFi control board (Option) ................................................... 18
4. TROUBLESHOOTING ......................................... 19
4.1 Common Problems ......................................................................................... 19
5. Maintenance ............................................... 21
Revise History ................................................ 22

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1. FUNDAMENTAL OF THE SYSTEM

1.1 Overview
Front View
1

1. LED indicator
2. Feed button
3. Power on/off button
4. Media cover release button
5. Media holder adjustment knob
6. Media cover

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Interior View

1. Print head
2. Black mark sensor
3. Media holder
4. Platen

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Rear View

1. Li-ion battery
2. Battery open clasp
3. USB interface
4. Power jack

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 2. ELECTRONICS

2.1 Summary of Board Connectors

Main board top

4
6

Connector Description
1 LED & KEY board
2 WiFi or Bluetooth module connector

3
 Pin Description
1 3.3V
2 BT/WiFi Reset
3 BT RXD
4 BT RTS
5 BT TXD
6 BT CTS
7 WiFi wake up
8 WiFi TCP
9 BT/WiFi Switch
10 GND

Stepping motor

Pin Description
1 OUT1
3
2 OUT2
3 OUT1
4 OUT2

Download F/W connector

Pin Description
1 3.3V
2 GND
3 RESET
4
4 BMS
5 NPCS0
6 MOSI
7 MISO
8 SPCK

Head open sensor

Pin Description
5
1 HEAD
2 GND

6 USB & RS 232 connector

7 12V DC IN

4
8 TPH connector
Paper sensor

Pin Description
1 3.3V
9
2 BM_E
3 BM_R
4 3.3V

5
 Main board bottom

Connector Description
1 Battery connector

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3. MECHANISM
3.1 Replacing the Media Cover
1. Remove two screws from the back of the printer and two screws from the front of
the printer.

2. Take the printer top cover off.

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3. Use a needle to remove the iron bar.

4. Reassemble the parts in the reverse procedures.

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3.2 Replacing the Keys Pad
1. Refer to section 3.1 steps 1 and 2 to remove the printer top cover.
2. Remove two screws on the keys control board.
3. Disconnect the connector on the keys control board.

4. Reassemble the parts in the reverse procedures.

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3.3 Replacing the Bluetooth Module (Option)
1. Refer to section 3.2 steps 1, 2, and 3 to remove the keys control board.
2. Remove two screws on the Bluetooth control board.

3. Disconnect the connector on the board.

4. Reassemble the parts in the reverse procedures.

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3.4 Replacing the Media Holder Assembly
1. Remove two screws and media holder adjustment knob.

2. Take the interior mechanism from the printer bottom cover.

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3. Plug the media holder adjustment knob to rotate the media holder to the closest position
and remove a screw on the other side.

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4. Take the media holder assembly from the mechanism.

5. Reassemble the parts in the reverse procedures.

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3.5 Replacing the Main Board Assembly
1. Refer to section 3.2 to section 3.4 to remove key control board, Bluetooth control board
(option), and the media holder assembly.

2. Remove two screws from the back of interior mechanism and disconnect all the
connectors on the main board assembly.

3. Reassemble the parts in the reverse procedures.

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3.6 Replacing the Print Head Assembly
1. Refer to section 3.2 to section 3.5 to remove key control board, Bluetooth control board
(option), the media holder assembly, and main board assembly.

2. Use the needle-nose pliers to remove two spring torsions on each side.

3. Take the gear holder and the gear, and push the print head holder on the each side to
remove the print head assembly.

Gear holder

Gear

4. Reassemble the parts in the reverse procedures.

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3.7 Replacing the Stepping Motor
1. Refer to section 3.4 and section 3.5 to remove media holder assembly and main board
assembly.

2. Remove the gear holder and two gears.

Gear holder

Gears

3. Remove two screws.

4. Reassemble the parts in the reverse procedures.

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3.8 Replacing the black mark sensor assembly
1. Refer to section 3.2 to section 3.5 to remove key control board, Bluetooth control board
(option), the media holder assembly, and main board assembly.

2. Replace the black mark sensor.

Black mark sensor

assembly

3. Reassemble the parts in the reverse procedures.

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3.9 Replacing the WiFi Module (Option)
1. Refer to section 3.2 to remove the keys control board.

2. Remove two screws on the board.

3. Refer to section 3.5 to remove the main board assembly.

4. Replace the WiFi control board.
5. Reassemble the parts in the reverse procedures.

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4. TROUBLESHOOTING

4.1 Common Problems

The following guide lists the most common problems that may be encountered when
operating this bar code printer. If the printer still does not function after all suggested
solutions have been invoked, please contact the Customer Service Department of your
purchased reseller or distributor for assistance.

Problem Possible Cause Recovery Procedure

Power indicator does not * The battery is not properly * Reinstall the battery.
illuminate installed. * Switch the printer on.

- The printer status from

DiagTool shows “Head * The printer carriage is open. * Please close the print carriage.
Open”.

* Running out of media roll.

- The printer status from * Supply a new media roll.
* The media is installed
* Please refer to the steps on section 3.4 to
DiagTool shows “Out of incorrectly.
reinstall the media roll.
* Black mark sensor is not
Paper”.. * Calibrate the black mark sensor.
calibrated.

* Black mark sensor is not set

properly.
- The printer status from * Calibrate the black mark sensor.
* Make sure media size is set
* Set media size correctly.
DiagTool shows “Paper Jam”. properly.
* Media may be stuck inside
the printer mechanism.
* Delete unused files in the FLASH/DRAM.
* The max. numbers of DRAM is 256 files.
* The max. user addressable memory space
Memory full * The space of FLASH/DRAM of DRAM is 256KB.
( FLASH / DRAM ) is full. * The max. numbers of file of FLASH is 256
files.
* The max. user addressable memory space
of FLASH is 2560KB.
* Media is loaded incorrectly * Reload the supply.
* Dust or adhesive * Clean the print head.
accumulation on the print * Clean the platen roller.
head. * Adjust the print density and print speed.
Poor Print Quality
* Print density is not set * Run printer self-test and check the print
properly. head test pattern if there is dot missing in
* Printhead element is the pattern.
damaged. * Change proper media roll.

Missing printing on the left or

* Wrong label size setup. * Set the correct label size.
right side of label

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 * Re-connect cable to interface.
* If using serial cable,
- Please replace the cable with pin to pin
connected.
- Check the baud rate setting. The default
baud rate setting of printer is 9600,n,8,1.
* If using the Ethernet cable,
- Check if the Ethernet RJ-45 connector
green LED is lit on.
- Check if the Ethernet RJ-45 connector
amber LED is blinking.
* Cable is not well connected to - Check if the printer gets the IP address
USB interface. when using DHCP mode.
Not Printing * The serial port cable pin - Check if the IP address is correct when
configuration is not pin to pin using the static IP address.
connected. - Wait a few seconds let the printer get the
communication with the server then
check the IP address setting again.
* Chang a new cable.
* Clean the print head.
* The print density setting is incorrect.
* Print head’s harness connector is not well
connected with printheat. Turn off the
printer and plug the connector again.
* Check your program if there is a command
PRINT at the end of the file and there must
have CRLF at the end of each command
line.
* The print head is dirty. * Clean the print head.
Gray line on the blank label
* The platen roller is dirty. * Clean the platen roller.
* The printer is in Hex Dump
* Turn off and on the printer to skip the
mode.
Irregular printing dump mode.
* The RS-232 setting is
* Re-set the Rs-232 setting.
incorrect.

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5. Maintenance
This session presents the clean tools and methods to maintain your printer.
1. Please use one of following material to clean the printer.
 Cotton swab
 Lint-free cloth
 Vacuum / Blower brush
 100% ethanol

2. The cleaning process is described as following,

Printer Part Method Interval
1. Always turn off the printer before Clean the print head when changing a new
cleaning the print head. label roll
2. Allow the print head to cool for a
minimum of one minute.
3. Use a cotton swab and 100%
ethanol to clean the print head
surface.

Print Head

1. Turn the power off. Clean the platen roller when changing a
2. Rotate the platen roller and wipe it new label roll
Platen Roller
thoroughly with 100% ethanol and
a cotton swab, or lint-free cloth.
Use the lint-free cloth with 100% As needed
Tear Bar/Peel Bar
ethanol to wipe it.
Sensor Compressed air or vacuum Monthly
Exterior Wipe it with water-dampened cloth As needed
Interior Brush or vacuum As needed

Note:
 Do not touch printer head by hand. If you touch it careless, please use ethanol to clean it.
 Please use 100% Ethenol. DO NOT use medical alcohol, which may damage the printer head.
 Regularly clean the print head and supply sensors once change a new ribbon to keep printer
performance and extend printer life.
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Revise History
Date Content Editor

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 Corporate Headquarters Li Ze Plant
9F., No.95, Minquan Rd., Xindian Dist., No.35, Sec. 2, Ligong 1st Rd., Wujie Township,
New Taipei City 23141, Taiwan (R.O.C.) Yilan County 26841, Taiwan (R.O.C.)
TEL: +886-2-2218-6789 TEL: +886-3-990-6677
FAX: +886-2-2218-5678 FAX: +886-3-990-5577
Web site: www.tscprinters.com
TSC Auto ID Technology Co., Ltd. E-mail: printer_sales@tscprinters.com
tech_support@tscprinters.com

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