A three-dimensional facial imaging system is disclosed for generating facial images, indexing those images by composite codes and for searching for similar two-dimensional facial images. So that differently thick print media, especially label courses, can be printed with little wear on the printing head, the invention provides that the pressure beam is made liftable and lowerable. Wall thickness is preferably on the order of approximately 1. When a command code A0h is sent to the ATA register from the host computer, data sent from the host computer is sent to the ATAPI register via the ATA register.