On Videojet CLARiTY controllers, open Tools → Setup → Control → Date and Time, set the date and save it, then set the time and save that separately before returning to Home.
Miss a save and the printer keeps stamping yesterday’s date on every carton. Below are the verified paths for the three main control environments, the step most operators skip, and why a corrected clock sometimes changes nothing.
Setting Date And Time On A CLARiTY Controller (2120 And DataFlex 6230)
The 2120 and DataFlex 6230 share the CLARiTY interface, and Videojet documents the same path on both: Tools → Setup → Control → Date and Time.
From Home, tap Tools, then Setup, Control, and Date and Time. Select Date, use plus/minus to scroll to the current month and year, pick today’s day from the calendar grid, and press OK. Select Time, set hours and minutes, press OK again. On the 2120 you can also set seconds. Return to Home — the corner clock should show the new value.
The trap: date and time save as two separate actions. Setting the date, confirming it, then leaving for the time screen without pressing OK again leaves a correct date and a clock stuck on the old hour.
Setting Date And Time On A G55 Or Smart Graph Laser
Videojet lasers use a different menu structure, and both require the key switch in the OPEN position before date fields accept changes.
On a G55, log in, open Main Menu → System Settings → Set Time and Date, enter values, and press Enter. On Smart Graph, connect to the laser, open Configuration → System Setting, set date and time, and select Apply.
Videojet’s procedure adds a step that catches people out: power-cycle the laser and verify the date and time after restart. If values did not stick, repeat the entry.
Why The Date Still Prints Wrong After A Clock Fix
A corrected clock only feeds the date field if the print job contains a date or time variable, and on many systems variable data can be edited separately inside the message.
Videojet describes modern date coders as software-controlled systems that generate and apply date codes automatically during production. The clock is the source — but a template with a hardcoded date, or an overridden variable, keeps printing the old value regardless. Open the message and confirm each date variable pulls from the system clock.
This matters most at production cutover. A job with three date variables needs all three confirmed; fixing one does not touch the others.
Operators building a line from scratch, or replacing a unit that keeps dropping its clock, are usually better off with hardware built for the job — these before date printers tested for accuracy and clock retention cover the models worth comparing.
| Control Interface | Menu Path | Extra Requirement |
|---|---|---|
| CLARiTY (2120) | Tools → Setup → Control → Date and Time | Save date and time separately |
| CLARiTY (DataFlex 6230) | Tools → Setup → Control → Date and Time | Save each value, then Home |
| G55 laser | Main Menu → System Settings → Set Time and Date | Key switch OPEN; power-cycle and verify |
| Smart Graph laser | Configuration → System Setting | Key switch OPEN; select Apply, then cycle |
These menu names come from Videojet’s current operator manuals for the 2120 and DataFlex 6230, plus the power-cycle and date/time adjustment procedure for Videojet lasers. They are documented for those specific families and controllers — other manufacturers or models use different wording, so treat these as a map for Videojet equipment, not a universal key.
The Mistakes That Cost The Most Time
- Leaving before saving. Press OK or Apply on the date field and again on the time field.
- Setting the date but skipping the clock. Midnight cutovers are the classic failure — the day changes, the hour does not.
- Assuming the job updates itself. Confirm every date variable in the message, not just the system clock.
- Skipping the restart check on lasers. Videojet’s procedure explicitly requires power-cycling and re-verifying.
Access permissions and clock retention vary by firmware and interface, so if a field is greyed out, check the logged-in user level first.
FAQs
Does changing the clock update every date field in the job?
Not automatically. The clock supplies the data, but each date variable pulls it independently. A job with several date fields may need each one confirmed after the clock change, and a manually overridden variable keeps printing its old value until reset to the system clock.
Why did my laser lose the date after a restart?
Some laser systems do not persist the new value on the first attempt. Videojet’s documented procedure calls for power-cycling after entry and checking the date and time once the system is back up.
Where is the date and time menu on a non-Videojet printer?
It varies by manufacturer and controller, so there is no single answer. Look for a Settings, System, or Configuration menu, then a Clock, Date/Time, or System Setting entry. The two-stage save pattern — confirm the date, then the time — is common across most industrial coders.
References & Sources
- Videojet. “2120 Operator Manual, Rev AB.” Source for the CLARiTY date and time path on the 2120.
- Videojet. “DataFlex 6230 Operator Manual, Rev AA, US Edition.” Source for the 6230 CLARiTY procedure.
- Videojet. “Power Cycle Procedure and Date/Time Adjustment on Videojet Lasers.” Source for G55 and Smart Graph laser steps, key switch position, and restart verification.