Printing Innovation iCUBE 1 User Manual
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Printing Innovation iCUBE 1 User Manual

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User Guide for iCUBE Series
iCUBE 1-3
Revision: 2014-09-25
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Summary of Contents for Printing Innovation iCUBE 1

  • Page 1 User Guide for iCUBE Series iCUBE 1-3 Revision: 2014-09-25...
  • Page 2 Printing Innovation AG. © 2014 Printing Innovation AG. All content is the confidential property of, or licensed to, Printing Innovation AG. (“We” or “us”) are protected under European and Foreign copyright, trademark and other intellectual property laws.

  • Page 3: Table Of Contents

    Table of Contents 1. Introduction 1.1. Introduction to Memjet print technology 2. Printer Parts and their functions 2.1. Printer 2.2. Print Engine 2.3. Printhead 2.4. Printhead Cartridge Dock 2.5. Print Mechanism 2.6. Cutter 2.7. Ink Cartridges 2.8. Ink Connection Ports 2.9.
  • Page 4 3.7.1.1. Layout Tab 3.7.1.2. Media Tab 3.7.1.3. Import/Export 3.8. Label printing, generating print jobs 3.8.1. Printing labels from softwares 3.8.2. Printing labels from print jobs 3.9. Printer buttons 4. TOOLBox 4.1. User interface 4.2. Diagnostics 4.3. Ink usage 4.4. Network configuration 4.5.
  • Page 5 Ink tank latch/Ink Bay inspection Cutter ispection 5.2.5. As Needed Maintenance Tasks Printhead Cartridge cleaning (Manual Wipe while installed) Printhead Cartridge cleaning (Remove Cartridge) Waste Ink Absorber replacement 6. Troubleshooting 6.1. Maintenance Module Troubleshooting 6.2. Printhead Troubleshooting 6.3. Print Quality Troubleshooting 6.4.

  • Page 6: Introduction

    1. Introduction The purpose of this manual is to describe the operation of the iCUBE label printer. The first section provides and overview of the Memjet™ print technology to make you familiar with the terms and basics of this new technology that forms the basis of the iCUBE printer series. The following sections walk you through the installation steps, explain the components of the printer and their roles, and then teach you how to operate your printer.
  • Page 7 Figure 3 The Memjet printhead contains 70,400 nozzles in 10 rows (brown stripe in Figure a). It shows an electron microscope image of a single nozzle (Figure b). The small size of the nozzles results in very small (1-2 picolitre) paint drops, approximately 14 micron drop diameter on paper, effectively achieving the highest print resolution the human eye can see.

  • Page 8: Printer Parts And Their Functions

    2. Printer parts and their functions 2.1. Printer The iCUBE printer is a state of the art Memjet printer designed for maximum usability and performance. The major components of the printer are the print engine, the controller and the control panel. 2.2.

  • Page 9: Print Mechanism

    Picture of Fluidic Connectors and Memjet Printhead Cartridge 2.5. Print Mechanism During printing, the print mechanism moves the paper through the print zone below the static printhead. 2.6. Cutter The NorthStar cutter is designed to provide a complete cut of continuous media in the crossweb direction.

  • Page 10: Ink Cartridges

    2.7. Ink Cartridges iCUBE series printers use a single printhead-cartridge and five ink tanks: two black, one cyan, one magenta and one yellow. During installing the ink cartridges the printer should be turned off. Picture of the ink cart r idge -10-...
  • Page 11 Picture of Ink Cartridge Cross - Section Picture of Ink Cartridge Cross-Section with Air Vent Path Detail -11-...

  • Page 12: Ink Connection Ports

    2.8. Ink Connection Ports Ink connection ports allow the connection of the external ink supply houses to the print engine. Unique, zero insertion-force, ganged connectors allow all 10 ink hoses to be engaged with the printhead in one movement. The printhead can be removed or installed without disconnecting any of the ink hoses.

  • Page 13: Other Ids Components

    Picture of Bulkhead Assembly 2.11. Other IDS Components Picture of Other IDS Components -13-...

  • Page 14: Maintenance Module

    2.12. Maintenance Module Aka Service Station (SS) The multi-station, maintenance module (MM) maintains and cleans the printhead by wiping off waste ink and contamination. In addition, the MM assists with printing by priming the printhead, as well as protecting it when not in use, and guiding the paper as it passes under the printhead.
  • Page 15 Picture of Maintenance Module (MM) Assembly (exploded view) The maintenance module should be replaced as part of annual maintenance or after printing one million inches. NOTE: The maintenance module is not intended to be end-user serviceable, although it is a service part for technicians.

  • Page 16: Wiper Station

    2.12.1. Wiper station The printhead must be wiped to remove ink cross-contamination and particulates. The cylindrical wiper rotates to wipe the entire width of the printhead. The roller rotates for the duration of the lift-dwell-lower cycle. The intent is not to merely blot the nozzles but to have functionally translational wiping.

  • Page 17: Capping/Spitton Station

    2.12.3. Capping/spittoon station The printhead should not be allowed to dry out after priming. The cap station is used when the printer is idle. The cap station limits evaporation from the printhead by sealing around the nozzles and maintaining a humid environment. The cap is an elastomer seal that fits around and over the printhead nozzles.
  • Page 18 • Dual resolution file format to • achieve crisp Print Quality (PQ) yet • reasonable file size • 1600 dpi lossless text expansion • 800 dpi contone JPEG expansion • Two processors: 650MHz RISC CPU with customized HW assist (image processing focus) and 192MHz SPARC CPU dedicated to the printing pipeline •...

  • Page 19: Installing The Printer

    3. Installing the Printer Choose a location 3.1. The iCUBE printer should be placed on a properly levelled worktable or cabinet which is able to handle the printer’s weight and minimum 62 cm (24,4 inch) wide. Unpacking and Setup 3.2. The printer is shipped in a strong cardboard or wooden box.

  • Page 20: Connecting The Icube

    Connecting the iCUBE 3.4. Make sure the printer is used with the mains cable suited to the requirements of the electrical system of your country. The internal power supply in the printer is rated 115 to 240VAC, 50/60 Hz.  Insert the cable into the printer first.
  • Page 21 Powering Down Printer: 1. Press Main Power button on the top of the Printer, and wait until the engine is turned off. 2. And turn off the machine with the mains-switch. 1. Open the Toolbox and press ’Shutdown’. 2. Wait for the printer to stop processing, and the Toolbox write out the printer not responding 3.

  • Page 22: Setting Up The Printer

    Setting up the printer 3.5. After the printer has passed inspection, install the maintenance module, the printhead, and the ink cartridges, as explained in the following sections. To set up the printer you need to do the following: 1. Install the Service Station (if shipped as a separate unit) 2.
  • Page 23 The Service Station fits in the port immediately above the Ink Tank Station. 1. Plug in the white flat flex cable to the motor PCA on the maintenance module. Slide the Latch open on the Maintenance Station - circuit board Plug the ribbon connector (blue side up) into the space under the latch than close the latch: 2.

  • Page 24: Installing The Ink Cartridges

    4. Close the clamshell gently to avoid causing vibration on the printhead NOTE: The MM must be perfectly aligned with bar to prevent misalignment! 3.5.2 Installing ink cartridges ICUBE series printers use a single printhead cartridge and five ink tanks (two black, one cyan, one magenta, and one yellow).

  • Page 25: Installing The Printhead

    To make sure you have a good contact, remove the ink tank and reinsert twice Picture of inserting the ink cartridges Magenta Yellow Cyan Black Black Cyan ( , inserted in the top left slot. • Black (K) – two cartridges – inserted in the bottom left and bottom right slots. •...
  • Page 26 air bubbles from a previously primed printhead. The priming process is designed to use less than 5ml of ink. To prime the printhead manually, 1. Fill the main channels of the printhead. 2. Generate a pressure pulse to push out any bubbles. 3.
  • Page 27 3. If the printhead latch is not raised, press the printhead-eject-button for three seconds. This will automatically initiate printhead latch opening. This process may take several seconds. 4. Remove the fluidic cap protectors from the two fluidic couplings. 5. Open the end of the printhead package outer box and slide out the foil bag. Inspect the integrity of the foil vacuum sealing.
  • Page 28 9. Remove the protective strip from the electrical contacts. While holding the printhead cartridge by the handle with one hand, grasp the pull tab with the other hand and, slowly and carefully, peel back the plastic strip covering the electrical contacts. Dispose of the removed strip immediately and do not allow the removed strip to contact the electrical contacts.
  • Page 29 12. When the printhead cartridge is fully inserted into the printer rotate it to a vertical position as shown. 13. Slowly close the printhead latch. The fluidic couplings should advance and seal to the printhead cartridge. 14. Close the printhead latch. When the printhead latch is closed, the printer will prime, clean and cap the printhead automatically.

  • Page 30: Switch On The Printer

    NOTE: The printer may take up to 12 minutes to set itself up during initial startup. This is normal. The machine will emit a number of chirps, whirrs and other noises as it circulates ink and runs systems. CAUTION Do not remove the Printhead while fluid is primed in the system! 3.5.4.

  • Page 31: Media Handling

    3.5.5. Media Handling 3.5.1.1. Print Area Print area can be found on the back of the printer where the operator needs to feed the materials. Any media type must go through the metal paper guide in order to avoid any movement during printing.

  • Page 32: Connecting The Printer To A Computer

    3.6. Connect the printer to a computer 3.6.1. Direct connection to a personal computer The printer is connected to PC directly via USB AB cable and a TCP/IP cable. For the driver installation advice to use the USB AB cable, or install that in offline mode and after the installation select the correct port for the USB usage.

  • Page 33: Install Printer Driver

    3.7. Install the printer driver On the user’s PC or laptop, start Memjet's Windows installer: Run WinSetup.exe Accept the License Agreement and click on "Next". -33-...
  • Page 34 When asked, select 'USB Printer'. Installation begins: -34-...
  • Page 35 Click “Install Driver” when the Windows Security Window shows up. Wait until the progress bar finishes the installation. When the driver files are copied the Setup shows the Windows below. Connect the Power and USB-Cable and turn the printer on. Wait until the PC detects the printer and the Setup does the final steps.
  • Page 36 After the Installation you will see the Window below. Disable "Print Test Page" and "Set this printer as the default printer. When it’s finished you will need to Restart your PC or Laptop to make sure that the installation process made all necessary changes! -36-...
  • Page 37 NOTE: When installing the driver on Windows 7, you can skip the Reboot process by clicking on ’Don’t reboot’. The system will prompt you whether the software was installed properly or not. Just select ’Yes’. It is necessary to unselect 'Bidirectional Printing' at printer’s property page otherwise the printer will not print any printjobs! 1.
  • Page 38 3. Click on the Tab “Ports” and disable “Enable bidirectional support”. -38-...
  • Page 39 4. Do not forget to create custom sizes when printing. See example here: Installation finished. -39-...

  • Page 40: Driver Specifications

    3.7.1. Driver Specifications – Printer Preferences 3.7.1.0. General Tab Orientation: Portrait (default), Landscape, Rotate 180° and Mirrored Copies: Let you choose the number of copies to be printed. If choose the reverse order then the jobs starts printing after the last page is arrived.

  • Page 41: Layout Tab

    3.7.1.1. Layout Tab Resizing – Lets you specify the Original Size or Custom Resize: lets you resize the original as a % of normal size. The printer will print the document in the size you selected regardless of the size of the paper selected.

  • Page 42: Media Tab

    3.7.1.2. Media Tab Printing Adjustments: Allows you to make minor positioning changes to the print area in relation to the media if needed. NOTE: Only works on jobs using less than the full print area (less than 8.5" wide). Media Layout: It’s possible to set what kind of print jobs will arrive.

  • Page 43: Import/Export

    3.7.1.3. Import/Export -43-...

  • Page 44: Label Printing, Generating Print Jobs

    3.8. Label printing, generating print jobs. For printing labels the operator has two options: *Print label from a labelling/graphical or other software *Print labels from print jobs. 3.8.1. Printing labels from softwares Printing labels from any kind of software is quite easy. The operator just needs to set all preferences within the iCUBE Series Driver (paper size, printing speed, number of copies, etc.) 3.8.2.

  • Page 45: Printer Buttons

    3.9.0. Printer Buttons Power button /green LED/ When switching on the mains switch the booting starts and the green LED illuminate. The power button is for shutting down the print engine. After the shut-down-process the LED goes out and you can the printer switch off with the mains switch. The green LED always should light when the machine is ON.
  • Page 46 -46-...

  • Page 47: Toolbox

    4. Toolbox On the welcome screen you can select your language and on the left side you will find the status panel of the engine. If the engine is ONLINE it is ready to print. -47-...

  • Page 48: User Interface

    4.1. User Interface It provides access to the printer-user-control-screen. From this screen you can Clear Errors, Cancel a Job, Reset the Job Counter and Reset the Page Counter. You can also perform some maintenance and operating tasks such as: Clear Error: If the engine is in error status, it is possible to delete with this button. There are some fatal states that are unable to delete.

  • Page 49: Diagnostics

    KWS setting: 0, default (3), 7- IMPORTANT! If you change the default settings the printhead will loose its warranty! If Keep Wet Spitting function isn’t working then the printhead nozzles have bigger chance of drying out what will make printing mistakes. Lines. This function is a basic defence of the printhead.

  • Page 50: Ink Usage

    4.3. Ink Usage This menu allows you to monitor the estimated amount of ink left in each of the five Ink tanks. You can monitor ink-usage and consumption and schedule tank changes (saving down-time during a print run.) NOTE – Ink Usage only works when you start with a new tank and leave it in the printer -50-...

  • Page 51: Network Configuration

    4.4. Network configuration On this page you will see the actual engine network configurations. -51-...

  • Page 52: Service Menus

    4.5. Service Menus Under this menu you can find many basic engine settings. It is very easy to uncalibrate the engine. This is the reason of the password protection. Here is possible to change: TOF, BOF, Cut, Gap, r2r distances, Tof2Tof settings. The driver also can handle the most of these parameters.

  • Page 53: Maintenance Guide

    5. Maintenance Guide 5.1. Maintenance Overview To ensure reliable operation and high print quality while using the product, the regular inspection and maintenance steps are required to be performed. These include mechanical subsystems checks, occasional cleanings, consumables changing and print head cleaning.
  • Page 54 General Maintenance Interval Tasks Daily Bi-weekly Monthly Anually As Needed Printhead (manual wipe) Wipe PPCA Contact Cleaning Every PH Removal IDS Fluidic Couplings Every PH Removal Aerosol & Debris Clean Clean Clean Clean Clean Removal Optical Sensors – Paper Clean Clean Clean Path...

  • Page 55: Daily Maintenance Tasks

    5.2.1. Daily Maintenance Tasks Aerosol and debris removal Ink may transfer from printer components into media path. Remove excess ink and debris daily to ensure optimal printing. NOTE: If the operator finds paper debris on a starwheel, check to see whether or not it is aligned with the edge of the media.
  • Page 56 Starwheels Pinch Rollers Picture of the Wipe Upper Surfaces NOTE: Do not wipe the starwheels as they may release and fall out. Do not clean the printhead nozzle plate at this time; it will be cleaned during another task. 5. Use a clean, dry lint-free cloth to dry the inside of the unit. Avoid the grit rollers since they can snag on the cloth and create debris.

  • Page 57: Bi-Weekly Maintenance Tasks Aerosol And Debris Removal Paper Path Optical Sensor Cleaning Wiper Inspection

    6. Fold the cloth between wipes to ensure a clean, uncontaminated surface is used each time. 7. Use a vacuum cleaner if necessary to remove debris inside and outside surfaces of the clamshell. Aerosol Picture of removing Aerosol from Housing surface 5.2.2.
  • Page 58 Picture of Paper Path Optical Sensor Locations - Top -58-...
  • Page 59 Picture of Paper Path Optical Sensor Locations - Bottom 2. Moisten a foam swab with distilled water. 3. Place the damp swab on each sensor and twist back and forth to clean the surface. Use a new, moist swab on each sensor. -59-...

  • Page 60: Monthly Maintenance Tasks

    4. Repeat cleaning and drying process for all four sensors. Wiper Inspection 1. Pinch the clamshell latches to release and open the clamshell. NOTE: The wiper is automatically in the up position when the clamshell is open. 2. Go to Toolbox and click on ‘Eject Sevice Station’ button. 3.
  • Page 61 Waste Ink Tray Latches 2. Even the absorber is completely darkened with waste ink, with no white to show, it may still be able to hold additional ink due to evaporation. The capacity of the waste ink absorber is 1.6L. Visually inspect the waste ink absorber and tray to see if there is ink leaking out of the tray.
  • Page 62 Ink Tubing Pinch Valve and Pump Motor Vents (x5) Picture of Rear Ink Tubing Detail Buffer Box Peristaltic (ink) Pump Tubing into Fluidic Couplings Peristaltic Pump Pinch Valve and Vents (x5) Picture of Ink Tubing Connections Use a finger to gently pry both fluidic coupling covers off in order to inspect the ink tube connections underneath.
  • Page 63 Picture of Remove Fluidic Coupling Covers 2. Visually inspect each tubing connection point for leaks. If leaks are found, escalate to a technician for troubleshooting. 3. Follow the exposed length of each tube and visually inspect each ink tube for inks or pinches in the tubing.
  • Page 64 1. Inspect the lift motor gear for general wear (worn teeth, debris, etc.). Remove any debris found. If excessive wear is observed, escalate to a technician for repair. Picture of the Lift Motor 2. Use a lint-free wipe, damped with DI water, to very gently clean exposed encoders.

  • Page 65: Paper Path Grit Roller Inspection

    Paper Path Grit Roller Inspection The three paper path grit rollers must be inspected every month. Grit Rollers Picture of Grit Rollers 1. Inspect the print rollers for ink residue and debris. If none is found, proceed to the next PM task. If residue is seen, perform the following steps to remove it. Picture of Grit Rollers with residue 2.

  • Page 66: Ink Tank Latch/Ink Bay Inspection

    ▪ moving parts (motor test) ▪ maintenance module sled assembly cleaning ▪ paper dust removal ▪ ink tank latch/ink bay inspection ▪ cutter inspection Aerosol and debris removal; paper path optical sensor cleaning; wiper cleaning; waste ink absorber inspection; ink tubing inspection; lift motor gear inspection; paper path grit roller inspection –...
  • Page 67 Maintenance Module in Forward Position 3. Prepare a large absorbent towel to catch any ink which might leak from the maintenance module or the wick to the waste ink reservoir. Make sure to fold the towel over 2 or 3 times so that it can absorb lots of ink. Be prepared to cover the bottom of the maintenance module with the towel as you pull it out.
  • Page 68 5. Use a lint-free cloth, moistened with DI water, to gently remove any ink residue or debris from the maintenance module. Once the lint-free cloth is soiled, use a new cloth. Picture of Ink Residue removal from the Maintenance Module 6.
  • Page 69 Picture of using a Vacuum cleaner to remove debris from under the MM Wiper cleaning Wiper cleaning usually means that the oparator has to change the microfiber roller as it comes to the end of its lifetime. The operator can easily recognize this stage. First of all the shape of the roller turns from rounded to ellipse.
  • Page 70 3. Route the ribbon cable through the housing to free the wiper, as shown on the next pictures. Picture of routing ribbon cable through housing 4. Flip up the retention tab at each end of the wiper assembly to free the microfiber roller.
  • Page 71 8. In Toolbox press’Home Service Station’ button to re-install the MM into the print engine. Ink Tank Latches Inspection 1. Release the three ink tank latches. Picture of released ink tank latches Carefully slide all five ink tanks, one at a time, out of the unit. Picture of removed Ink Tanks 2.
  • Page 72 4. Re-fasten each ink tank latch to ensure it moves properly and engages fully. If not, escalate to a technician for replacement. Picture of opened and closed Int Tank Latch -72-...

  • Page 73: As Needed Maintenance Tasks

    Cutter Inspection and Cleaning WARNING! – To avoid personal injury, power off the printer before performing this task! 1. Fold a damp lint-free cloth and insert it into the groove beneath the cutter Pictures of cleaning the Cutter 2. Wipe back and forth to remove aerosol and debris 3.
  • Page 74 Picture of opened Clamshell 2. Locate the printhead nozzle strip. Picture of Printhead Nozzle Plate 3. Dampen a lint-free cloth with distilled water 4. Gently wipe the print nozzle plate from one end to the other -74-...

  • Page 75: Printhead Cartridge Cleaning (Remove Cartridge)

    Picture of wiping the nozzles 5. Fold the cloth and clean the nozzle plate again to remove remaining debris. Pictures of soiled lint-free cloth Close the clamshell. Printhead Cartridge Cleaning (Remove Cartridge) Preparation 1. Lightly dampen a lint-free cloth with DI water. 2.
  • Page 76 Picture of moisten PH Cap Perform the following steps to ensure proper printhead cartridge cleaning: Open the toolboox and press system deprime. This command will de-prime the system. During de-priming, the printhead latch will release. Listen for the latch to click and observe that it is “popped up”...
  • Page 77 5. Open the latch. 6. Tilt the printhead cartridge towards the rear of the unit until it clicks. Picture of tilting PH towards rear of the unit -77-...
  • Page 78 7. Slide the printhead cartridge out of the print engine. Picture of sliding the PH out of the unit 8. Gently wipe the printhead from one end to the other, with a lint-free cloth moistened with DI water, and then cap the printhead to keep it moist while performing other tasks.
  • Page 79 9. Locate the PPCA contacts. PPCA Contacts Picture of PPCA Contacts 10. Use a new, lint-free cloth dampened with DI water to gently wipe up-and-down to clean the PPCA contacts. CAUTION Use only a very gentle up-and-down motion (never side-to-side) because the contact pins are very easy to bend which can damage the printhead and the printhead circuit board! Picture of cleaning the PPCA Contacts 11.
  • Page 80 Fluidic Couplings Picture of Fluidic Coupling Location Picture of Fluidic Coupling with ink residue 12. Moisten a foam swab with DI water. Pictured of moisten swab 13. Place the foam swab in one of the ink channels on the fluidic coupling and rotate to clean.
  • Page 81 Picture of cleaning the ink channel 14. Use a new, moist foam swab and repeat the process for each ink channel on both fluidic couplings until all 10 openings are cleaned. Picture of soiled swab for one fluidic Coupling (5-channels) 15.
  • Page 82 16. Wipe from one end to the other with the damp lint-free cloth. Picture of wiping the PH 17. Align the PH cartridge with the pin on the PPCA board and slide it into the print engine. PH Alignment Picture of PH alignment Pin Alignment Pin PH Groove Picture of PH alignment pin interface...

  • Page 83: Waste Ink Absorber Replacement

    18. Tilt the top of the printhead cartridge toward the back of the printer, about 20º. 19. Gently seat the back of the printhead cartridge into the print engine. 20. When the back of the printhead is firmly seated, gently rotate the printhead cartridge into position against the stops on the printhead connector board until it clicks into place.
  • Page 84 Waste Ink Absorber 2. Use a gloved hand to pull the waste ink absorber out of the waste ink tray and dispose of it according to local regulations. 3. Align a new waste ink absorber with the shape of the waste ink tray and push into place until evenly seated and flush with the tray top edge.

  • Page 85: Troubleshooting

    6. Troubleshooting 6.1. Maintenance Module (aka Service Station) Troubleshooting The following table lists some possible problems related to the maintenance module, with possible causes and solutions. Problem Possible Causes Solution • Motor stalls Jammed gear train from Check through each broken post or improperly of the possible seated gears...

  • Page 86: Printhead Troubleshooting

    6.2. Printhead Troubleshooting Occasionally, print quality is affected by minor problems that arise with the printhead. The following table provides a list of common printhead issues, their symptoms, and solutions: Problem Problem Causes Solution Air and air bubbles causing Appear as missing groups of Cured by recirculation, priming or cycles of bloacked nozzles...

  • Page 87: Icube Troubleshouting Guide

    6.4. iCUBE Troubleshooting Guide GENERAL Documents to read before (available on ftp) Print engine: • OEM Setup and Operations Guide • OEM Troubleshooting Guide • OEM Service and Repair Guide • Technical Specifications iCUBE: • Training – software module • Troubleshooting Flowchart •...
  • Page 88 Troubleshooting Tools Serial communication between the NorthStar print engine and the host PC enables detection and analysis of issues. You will also need the related software for entering commands, serial logging. More information about it int he next phase. Serial Communication and Related Tools The most important troubleshooting tool is serial communication, which requires a special serial cable and some software on the PC.
  • Page 89 Dead engine: When is a print engine dead? After Dediprog re-flash, the putty output is empty or not interpretable, green LED is off. EWS: How can I reach the print engine information page? Open the Toolbox. Firmware: How can I burn the firmware? All firmware has a Readme file.

  • Page 90: Crit 63 03-Phead Offline Cancelpage

    PRINT ENGINE: ERROR MESSAGES Crit 63 03-phead offline cancelpage 1. Clean printhead contact sensors. 2. Replace print head 3. Flash Omnipec 4. Replace Omnipec CARTRIDGE_MISSING_X • clean cartridge chip with isopropyl alcohol • clean chip readers with isopropyl alcohol • run cm_ink •...

  • Page 91: Fatal 7102 Offline Cancel Page

    Fatal 71 02 offline cancelpage Dongle Please ensure: 1. That P2002 on the MPCA has not been lifted from the solder pads on the PCA 2. That there is insulating tape on the dongle covering the solder pads 3. That the wires between the dongle PCA and P2002 are connected to the dongle PCA and to the connector Incorrect NVM settings Interruptioin the sensor power How to detect:...
  • Page 92 4) ss_down (lowers the cap) 5) gpio_pin_get SS_LIFT_UP (should return a 0 indicating that the cap is down). 6) maint_enable 1 (re-enable the maintenance state machine). Service station position unkown How to detect: ss_pos returns unknown How to fix: 1. Clean service station 2.

  • Page 93: Maintenance_Busy

    Appendix A - Capturing the sensor/encoder data during lifter arm movement for reporting to Memjet For servo move debounce to work the following settings and their values should be set (this is the default on power up): TCL> servo_debounce SSLift TCL>...

  • Page 94: Paperpath_Feed_Timeout

    returns 3 nvm_getset wiper_motor returns none nvm_getset pump_motor returns 0 How to fix: nvm_getset mpcarev 5 nvm_getset wiper_motor E nvm_getset pump_motor B shutdown 1 PAPERPATH_CUTTER_ERROR reset PAPERPATH_FEED_TIMEOUT • clean sensors • check paperpath • check paper settings & positioning PAPERPATH_PAPERJAM •...

  • Page 95: Print Quality Issues

    6.5. Print Quality Issues Print quality issues can be grouped into the following categories, as explained in subsequent sections. Two-letter abbreviations are used as the prefix for each category, so that they can be reported to the support team and tracked with metrics for further analysis. •...
  • Page 96 Examples for Color Mixing CM01: Fine Clouds of Ink or Misting Issue CM01: Fine Clouds of Ink or Misting displays as a fine spray of small ink drops from the upstream print area that is falling on the downstream print area of the page. Picture of Color Mixing: Clouds of Ink Picture of Color Mixing: Fine Misting -96-...
  • Page 97 Cause Misting typically results from by the poor “break off” of the tails of the ejected ink drops, which results in very small droplets that have very little momentum. Higher pen-to-paper spacing, difficult images, or old printheads may amplify this defect. Solution To resolve this issue: 1.
  • Page 98 CM02: Color Contamination Repeated at Beginning of Every Page CM02 displays as small amounts of color contamination that appear on top of a page. The contamination is reduced after a couple of pages. Picture of Color Mixing: Color Contamination The printhead is covered with ink somewhere and the ink keeps wicking back to the channels.
  • Page 99 CM03: Color Contamination at 1 mm Intervals CM03 usually displays as color contamination lines that continue at approximately 1 mm intervals after the majority of the color has cleared. Picture of Color Mixing: Color Contamination at 1mm intervals Ink mixing is caused by location of feed holes in the back channel. Solution Check the tubes at the back of the print engine before circulating ink.
  • Page 100 CM04: Color Mixing in the Middle of the Page CM04 is the printing of mixed colors after long, continuous printing or short periods of idle time (~ 5 seconds) from a printhead that does not show signs of internal leaks. Picture of Color Mixing: Example 1 Picture of Color Mixing: Example 2 -100-...
  • Page 101 Picture of Color Mixing: Example 3 Cause Color mixing results when ink migrates across the printhead surface from heavily printing nozzles into the nearest odd or even nozzle row that is not printing. Solution 1. Use profile tool loading (Printing Preferences→Color Tab→Color Matching) to verify that the correct color profiles are being used.
  • Page 102 CM05: Color Contamination CM05 Color Contamination is when prints that are supposed to be one color are coming out in a different color. Picture of Color Contamination Samples Cause Although leaks are possible in the backchannel, the most common cause of color contamination is mixing of ink from drool on the nozzle plate.
  • Page 103 Purge the ink and clean the nozzle plate before resuming backpressure. Then, print the same set of plots. If not resolved, contact Customer Service and report error code CM05-04: Possible printhead damage. -103-...
  • Page 104 CM06: Vertical Lines Throughout Page/Drooling CM06 displays as vertical white lines followed by a dark dot. Picture of Verical Lines with Dark Dot from Drooling Cause A puddle has formed in front of the nozzle, possibly due to a particle or fiber on the printhead surface, and is capturing the drops that are fired.

  • Page 105: Streaking (Sr)

    Streaking (SR) White or grey lines or parabolas running vertically in print jobs, as well as white, unprinted areas, are called “streaks.” Picture of Streaks SR01: Growing Nozzles Out SR1 displays as a region of “nozzles out” (that is, nozzles stop working) that becomes increasingly worse on the way down the page or when any large (>1cm wide) region of nozzles out moves or changes down the page.
  • Page 106 SR02: Large Missing Nozzles with Varying Amount SR02 displays as a parabola-shaped area in the middle of the page. Picture of Streaks: Parabolas Cause Bubbles can air-block ink from getting to nozzles or a puddle has formed in front of the nozzle.
  • Page 107 SR03: Large White Area SR03 displays as a large white area with almost no nozzle firing and is consistent from page to page. Picture of Streaks: White Areas Picture of Streaks: Single Die Cut Cause This print defect indicates an electrical issue or damage to the printhead. Solution For lines approximately 1”...
  • Page 108 SR04: Lines/Prints Fall In SR04, text or images become weaker page after page and finally drop out. Cyan Nozzles are out Picture of Streaks: Lines or Prints Fail Cause The nozzles can dry out over time if there is not enough on-page and inter-page servicing.
  • Page 109 SR05: Random Small Streak SR05 displays as random, small, thin lines that are visible on the print but do not grow along the page. Picture of Random Small Streaks Cause Thin streaks can be caused by internal contaminants, external contaminants (fibers), air bubbles, or printhead damage.
  • Page 110 SR06: Weak Chips SR06 displays as weak chips that result when some dies do not eject properly. The issue does not improve by varying pulse width. Picture of Streaks: Weak Chips Example Cause This print defect may result from an electrical failure due to a cracked die or extended periods of nozzle dehydration.

  • Page 111: Dot Misplacement (Dp)

    Dot Misplacement (DP) Dot misplacement can be observed as lines or solid fill areas that are fuzzy. Picture of Dot Misplacement Examples DP01: Poor Text Quality In DP01, text becomes fuzzy or unfocused after many thousands of pages have printed. Picture of Dot Misplacement: Text Becomes Fuzzy Over Time Cause Asymmetric “wear”...
  • Page 112 Check the printhead-to-paper spacing (PPS) with the PPS tool. If not resolved, continue to the next step. Replace printhead with a new one or swap with another printhead. If not resolved, contact Customer Service and report error code DP01-04.: Poor text quality unresolved.
  • Page 113 DP02: Graininess Graininess presents as a mottled, random pattern in a solid fill area. Picture of Dot Misplacement: Graininess Cause Excessive printhead-to-paper spacing or a worn-out printhead can cause this printing defect. Picture of Dot Placement Examples Poor and Good Solution Print a diagnostic plot to evaluate individual dot placement.

  • Page 114: Banding (Bd)

    Banding (BD) Banding defects are shown in the following illustration and detailed in subsequent sections. Picture of Banding Examples BD01: Initial Page Startup Defect BD01 displays as color change or poor directionality at the start of nozzle firing. Picture of Initial Page Startup Defect This defect results from dehydration of the ink nozzles.
  • Page 115 Solution 1. Check the Maintenance Algorithm (KWS + Inter page spit) TCL › maint_user_recovery 1 If not resolved, continue to the next step. 2. Re-run servicing and print the plots again. If not resolved, continue to the next step. 3. Replace the printhead. If not resolved, contact customer service and report error code BD01-04 initial page startup unresolved -115-...
  • Page 116 BD02: Optical Density or Color Variation BD02 displays as an area of half-tone prints with unexpected color variation or horizontal, thin lines with dot placement error. Picture of Banding: Variation of Optical Density or Color This defect results from heat (generated while printing the solid black area) that creates a suboptimal ejection behavior of the nozzles that later have to print the half-tone area.
  • Page 117 BD03: Die Boundary Banding BD03 displays as dark, light, or rainbow bands 0.5 mm to 1 mm wide at die boundaries not caused by dead nozzles or mist. Picture of Die Boundary Banding This defect results from a shift in dot grid from one die to the neighboring die due to a printhead related defect, lack of die flatness at die ends, or a combination of both.
  • Page 118 BD04: High Frequency Banding BD04 displays as horizontal, high frequency, dark bands that are visible in solid fill area. Picture of High Frequency Banding This defect is caused by a variation in dot placement due to paper path firmware/rendering, or a combination of both. Solution 1.
  • Page 119 BD05: Low Frequency/Page Advance Banding BD05 displays as a horizontal, dark bands, visible in solid fill areas mainly close to the top or bottom of the page. Picture of Low Frequency/Page Advance Banding Cause This defect is caused by a variation in dot placement due to the paper path in the print engine, the systems that feed in the paper, or a combination of both.

  • Page 120: Other General Print Quality Errors (Ge)

    Other General Print Quality Errors (GE) This section covers issues that come from mechanical behaviors, such as varying distance for top of form, smears or dots, marks or ink on the paper, scrambled or skewed printing. Picture of Other General Print Quality Errors -120-...
  • Page 121 GE01: Marks on the Print Paper, Dust GE01 presents as fine, detail artifacts on the print that resolve after running maintenance. Picture of Dust and Marks on Paper Cause This defect results from paper dust or other particles hanging from the printhead. Solution 1.
  • Page 122 GE02: Varying Top of Form Margin GE02 presents as a varying margin from lead edge of paper to top of print form. Measurement varies significantly. Picture of Varying Top of Form The print defect may result from dirty sensors or data that has timed out. -122-...
  • Page 123 Solution 1. Evaluate paper path sensors. If not resolved, contact customer service and report error code GE02-02: Varying top of form margin unresolved. GE03: Ink on Back/Top of Page GE03 displays as ink tracks on back or front side of the media. Picture of Ink on Back or Top of Page This defect indicates that the platen is dirty or an ink puddle is building up on the print engine.
  • Page 124 Solution Physically wipe the platen. If not resolved, continue to the next step. Evaluate the ink buildup inside the print engine If not resolved, contact customer service and report error code GE03-03: Ink on back/top of page unresolved. -124-...
  • Page 125 GE04: Bleed Line or text quality looks very fuzzy. Edges of each line look ragged. Some media may have better performance than others. Print mode and color profiles are the main ways used to control this behaviour. Picture of Examples of Clear Edges and Ragged Edges (Bleed) Bleed results from ink and media interaction.
  • Page 126 GE05: Scrambled Print GEO5 displays as scrambled or garbled print spanning a zone width equal to one die chip (20 mm) Picture of Scrambled Print This defect generally results from a poor connection between printhead and printer. Alternatively, it can arise from cracked dies or broken bond wires. Solution Power down the printhead.
  • Page 127 If not resolved, as a last resort, switch printhead to see if the defect follows the printhead or is still present on the printer. If the defect is in the printhead, install a new printhead and report error code GE05-05: Scrambled print unresolved. -127-...
  • Page 128 GE06: Print Skew GE06 presents as an untended skewing of the body of print. i.e., the print is crooked on the page. Cause This defect results from various issues of paper path handling. Solution 1. Remove ay paper jam. If not resolved, continue to the next step. 2.

  • Page 129: Paper Handling (Pa)

    Paper Handling (PA) Issues with paper handling (PA) cause a range of defects, as detailed in the following sections. Page Marking from Paper Handling Page Marking from Paper Handling displays as smudged ink. Cause This defect results when the top of the media makes contact shortly after printing. Solution 1.
  • Page 130 PA02: Feeder Marks PA02 displays as tracks on the paper that correspond to the measurements of the sheet feeder’s wheels (2 x 1/2'” wide, roughly 5 in apart). Cause This defect results from a dirty feeder assembly, possibly from aerosol or an ink spill that contacts media.
  • Page 131 frequency banding (less than an inch between lines) can be caused by other noise or imperfections in the paper path. Solution 1. Print a solid area fill plot (insert plot here) and measure spacing. 2. Reset belt tension and rerun diagnostic 1040 plot. Check pulleys and bearings for any slop or run-out.
  • Page 132 Paper Jams and Head Crashes PA09: True Paper Jams The sound of crinkling paper usually precedes the notification of a paper jam, PA09. Paper must be cleared to continue printing. Cause Causes include debris or objects in the paper path; platen out of position; bent or curled media prior to entering the printer;...
  • Page 133 Open clamshell; check for and remove any foreign objects in paper path causing problem. Margin Defects Margin defects may appear in the top margin, in the bottom margin, or with the image askew on the page. PA12: Incorrect Top Margin The top margin appears very large or very small or nonexistent as the printed image can run off the edge of the media Cause...

  • Page 134: Inkdelivery System (Id)

    Ink Delivery System (ID) For issues with missing or non-recognized ink cartridges, a standard good practice is to remove all ink cartridges, then insert them one at a time and run the “qa” command. In this way, the actual cartridge can be identified, instead of the confusion that may result with bus contention or an incorrectly chipped cartridge.
  • Page 135 ID03: Ink Low Indicator When Not Actually Low The printer reports empty ink and refuses to print, but the cartridge still has more than 7CCs remaining. Cause In order to trigger low ink, the low ink sensor must detect low ink in the prism of the cartridge.

  • Page 136: Paper Cutting

    tank, fitting, tubing, printhead or diaper. The likeliest cause is an over-full maintenance module. Solution Remove the maintenance module and evaluate whether it was the cause. Dismantle the printer to locate the source of ink. Paper Cutting (PC) Issues with paper cutting (PC) cause a range of defects, as detailed in the following sections.

  • Page 137: Firmware Error Message (Er)

    Firmware Error Messages (ER) Error messages (ER) may display on the Toolbox, indicating a problem. The following sections detail some of the more common messages. ER01: PEP Data Underrun The paper path motion stops under this condition. Partially printed pages are common as the error only occurs while the paper path is moving.
  • Page 138 ER04: SS Lift Error In order to protect from situations that could cause ink mixing and possible spillage, the printer will not function if it is tilted. Cause Tilt sensors can give bad readings when there is excess electrical noise or EMF in the vicinity, or if the table on which the print engine sits is vibrating.

  • Page 139: Maintenance Module (Mm)

    Maintenance Module (MM) Issues with the maintenance module (MM) cause a range of defects, as detailed in the following sections. The maintenance module is also known as the service station (SS) in some contexts and messages. MM01: Wiper Not Spinning The wiper roller is not spinning.

  • Page 140: Printer Specifications

    7. Printer Specifications Printer Technology Drop on demand thermal inkjet printing Printable width is 215.9 mm (8.5 inch) 70,400 nozzles (14,080 per color) Five channels: Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black (2x) Print Speed 300mm/s at 1,600 x 1,600 dpi black 300mm/s at 1,600 x 800 dpi color 150mm/s at 1,600 x 1,600 dpi black and color 12 in/s (21.6 km/day) Print Quality...
  • Page 141 Cutter Integrated cutter Operation data Power supply 90-240 V ~50/60 Hz, PFC Power max. 1200 W (5A fuse) consumption Operating 15-35 C temperature Humidity 40% range Dimensions Width 62 cm Height 36 cm Depth 50 cm Weight 40 kg -141-...
  • Page 142 Print speed quick chart The table below shows the print performance of the printer expressed in printing length and label count for given print time intervals. This information is for getting a feel of the volume the printer can print for planning purposes. Speed (IPS –...

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