Ribbon Guide Alignment - Printronix P5000 Maintenance Manual

Chapter 4

Ribbon Guide Alignment

Ribbon Guide Alignment

1. Open the printer cover.
2. Load paper and install the ribbon. To align a ribbon guide, wind the ribbon
fully onto the ribbon spool on the opposite side. For example, to align the
left ribbon guide, wind the ribbon until the right ribbon spool is full.
3. Check ribbon tracking by running a ribbon and shuttle diagnostic self-test.
(See Chapter 3.)
4. On the ribbon guide to be adjusted, momentarily short between the ribbon
guide skid screws (1) to verify that the ribbon reverses.
5. Observe how the ribbon (2) passes around and across the ribbon guide. It
should be centered and not folding against either of the two white nylon
washers (3).
6. If the ribbon is not centered, loosen the retaining screws (4) just enough
so that you can rotate the ribbon guide to new positions, but it remains in
place once moved.
7. Rotate the ribbon guide as required to center the ribbon (2).
8. Observe how the ribbon (2) winds onto the ribbon spool of the side you
adjusted. If the ribbon is interfering with the flange of the spool, make sure
the ribbon hub and spool are mounted correctly.
9. Tighten the retaining screws (4).
10. Allow most of the ribbon to wind onto the ribbon spool on the side you
adjusted, then repeat steps 3 through 9 for the other ribbon guide.
142