A print engine for label applicators whose sales have ended
The ZE500 is a Zebra print engine that prints inside automatic label applicators, available as the 4-inch ZE500-4, printing 104 mm wide, and the 6-inch ZE500-6, printing 168 mm wide. Zebra's last sale date was July 28, 2022, and service and support continue until September 28, 2027 (Asia-Pacific October 28).
The manufacturer-designated successors are the 4-inch ZE511 and the 6-inch ZE521. To match the applicator design, RH models with the print mechanism on the right and LH models with it on the left were chosen separately, and replacements are also ordered in the same-direction model. The Korean and English user guides and drivers are on the ZE500 downloads page.
Media conditions for the 4-inch and 6-inch models
| Item | ZE500-4 | ZE500-6 |
|---|---|---|
| Media width (including liner) | 16-114 mm | 76-180 mm |
| Media thickness | 0.135-0.254 mm | 0.076-0.305 mm |
| Minimum label length (applicator, backfeed on) | 12.7 mm | 76.2 mm |
| Minimum label length (applicator, backfeed off) | 6.4 mm | 25.4 mm |
| Ribbon width | 25-107 mm | 76-180 mm |
| Depth and weight | 380 mm, 15.4 kg | 438 mm, 17.3 kg |
With backfeed on, the 6-inch model needs labels of 76.2 mm or longer, so lines applying short labels turn backfeed off or print on the 4-inch model. On both models, ribbons are up to 600 m, on a 25 mm core, and only those wound with the coated side out fit.
Applicator port power methods and signal modes
The applicator interface is a DB15F connector, available in a +5 V I/O version and a +24-28 V I/O version. The +5 V non-isolated method, which uses the engine's internal power, needs no separate setting.
To use the isolated method (+5-28 V) that takes external power from the applicator, a service technician must change the jumpers on the interface board. Do not remove the warning label on the port before the jumpers are changed; supplying external power with the internal power setting unchanged damages the engine.
The print complete signal (~END_PRINT) is set under APPLICATOR PORT in the menu to whichever of MODE 1-4 the applicator manufacturer specifies. MODE 3 and 4 output the signal for 20 ms when one label is finished and in position, and no signal is output in continuous print mode.
What changes when switching to the ZE511
The ZE511 takes ribbons wound with the coated side either in or out, and its minimum label length in stream mode is 6.4 mm, half that of the ZE500-4 (12.7 mm). The ZE500-4's top speed is 305 mm/s, and the ZE511 goes up to 457 mm/s for direct thermal printing at 203 dpi with the high-speed printhead option.
