GRAPHTEC FC5100A-75 User Manual
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GRAPHTEC FC5100A-75 User Manual

GRAPHTEC FC5100A-75 User Manual

Grit-rolling cutting plotter
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A-75/100/130/150
user manual
MANUAL NO. FC5100-UM-154

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Summary of Contents for GRAPHTEC FC5100A-75

  • Page 1 A-75/100/130/150 user manual MANUAL NO. FC5100-UM-154...
  • Page 2 The FC5100A is a high-performance grit-rolling cutting plotter that incorporates a 16-bit CPU and digital servo drive system for highly precise cutting of color adhesive film at high speed. For more information about Graphtec and Graphtec products, visit Graphtec’s corporate web sites at: www.graphtecusa.com (USA, Canada, South America) www.graphteccorp.com...

  • Page 4: Table Of Contents

    Table of Contents Chapter 1: Special Precautions ......12 Handling the Cutting Blades ........12 Handling the Cutters .
  • Page 5 Chapter 4: Preparing to Cut ......34 Control Panel ..........34 Indicator Lamps .
  • Page 6 To Change the Pounce Force ......... 59 To Change the Pounce Speed .
  • Page 7 Specifying the Registration Mark Mode....... . . 96 Axis alignment method ..........96 SCANNING METHODS .
  • Page 8 UP Movement Control (PEN UP MOVE) ....... 140 Media Sensor Control ..........141 Pinch Roller Sensor Control .
  • Page 9 FC5100A-150 without Stand ......... 182 FC5100A-75 with Stand and Basket Option ......182 FC5100A-100 with Standard Stand and Basket Option .
  • Page 10 FC5100A Loupe (PHP-61) Loupe ......197 Attaching the Loupe ..........197 Using the Loupe .

  • Page 12: Chapter 1: Special Precautions

    Chapter 1: Special Precautions This section covers special precautions you should take when operating or storing your plotter. NOTE: Information to simplify or correctly complete a task. CAUTION: Will cause damage to the unit. WARNING: Will cause injury to the Operator! Handling the Cutting Blades WARNING: Sharp cutter blades are used with this plotter.

  • Page 13: Attaching A Cutter Pen

    Attaching a Cutter Pen WARNING: To avoid bodily injury, do not touch the pen tip after the plotter is turned Follow the procedure below to attach a cutter pen to the pen carriage. Make sure that the pen holder screw is loose. While positioning the pen holder upward, push the cutter pen all the way into the holder...
  • Page 14 CAUTION: The pen has two flanges Upper groove and must be fully seated (the pen holder is engaged on the second flange) before tightening the screw. Flange Bracket to hold pen CAUTION: The cutter must be prop- Flange erly seated (the pen holder is engaged on the flange) before tightening the screw.

  • Page 15: After Turning On The Plotter

    After Turning on the Plotter During the course of turning on the plotter, be sure to observe the following pre- cautions: • The pen carriage and loaded media may suddenly move during the cutting oper- ation, immediately afterward and when setting the plotter’s functions. •...

  • Page 16: Machine Caution Label

    Machine Caution Label The machine’s Caution Label is located on the top cover. S p ec ial P r eca u ti o ns : M ac hi ne C au t io n L ab el...

  • Page 17: Notes On Working Environment

    Notes on Working Environment Be sure to observe the following regarding the working environment of your plot- ter: • Avoid use or storage of the plotter in locations subject to direct sunlight or the direct draft from air-conditioning. • Avoid locations which are extremely dusty. •...

  • Page 18: Notes On Use

    CAUTION: Make sure your computer and power sources are adequately grounded (the RS-232 interface cable should meet the CCITT V24, EIA RS-232 standards. Graphtec’s RS-232 serial interface cable conforms to the EIA standard). Inade- quate grounding may result in severe damage to your plotter or computer and constitute misuse of the plotter.

  • Page 19: Daily Maintenance

    Daily Maintenance During the course of daily plotter operation, be sure to observe the following precautions: • Never lubricate the mechanisms of the plotter. • Clean the plotter’s casing using a dry cloth that has been moistened in a neutral detergent diluted with water.

  • Page 20: Chapter 2: Out Of The Box

    If any accessory is missing, contact your sales representative or the nearest Graphtec dealer. Accessories The Stand Kit is an option for the FC5100A-75 and is standard for the FC5100A- 100, FC5100A-130 and FC5100A-150 cutters. Power cord. The configuration pictured may differ from the actual cord supplied.

  • Page 21: Nomenclature

    User’s manual Accuload™ System components. Nomenclature AC Line Inlet: Inlet where the power cord is connected. Control Panel: Used to access various plotter functions. Cutting Channel: A channel running along the cutting mat area. Used to reduce pouncing tool wear. Cutting Mat: A black strip placed under the cutting area.
  • Page 22 14 Roller Location Guide: Yellow markings on the rail and rear side of the top cover that show the position of each grit roller. Use these guides as an aid in locating the push rollers and in locating the media roll on the stock roller. 15 Serial Interface Connector: Used to connect the plotter to the computer with a RS-232 serial interface cable.

  • Page 23: Installing The Accuload System

    Installing the Accuload System The Accuload™ system consists of two media brackets, two stock rollers and one media alignment bar. Installation procedure: Place the right media bracket against the inside surface of the plotter’s side box (right). Front M4 Screw Media Bracket Left Media Bracket Right Insert an M4 screw in the second hole from the front side of the plotter.
  • Page 24 Be sure to place the plotter on an acceptable work surface. Refer to dimen- sions below: FC5100A-75: 45 inches (114cm) wide by 19 inches (48cm) deep. FC5100A-100: 57 inches (144cm) wide by 19 inches (48cm) deep. FC5100A-130: 67 inches (170cm) wide by 19 inches (48cm) deep.

  • Page 25: Connecting The Plotter

    Connecting the Plotter Connecting to The FC5100A Plotter is equipped with an RS-232 Serial Interface Cable in the the Computer accessory kit. 1 Connect the 25-pin connector to the RS232-C connector on the plotter and tighten the screws. If you are using a Centronics-compatible parallel interface cable, connect the 36-pin connector to the Parallel connector on the plotter and...

  • Page 26: Connecting To The Power

    Connecting to The FC5100A Plotter is equipped with a Power Cord in the accessory kit. the Power 1 Connect the provided power cord to the AC inlet of the plotter. 2 Connect the other end of the power cord to an electrical socket of the rated supply voltage.
  • Page 27 Ou t o f t h e B o x: Co n n ect i ng t h e Plo t t er...

  • Page 28: Chapter 3: Cutters And Holders

    Chapter 3: Cutters and Holders This chapter describes the different cutters and their uses. Blade Application and Features Blade part Diameter no. and and blade Plunger part type offset value Applications and features CB09UA 0.9 mm PHP32-CB09N Standard blade for cutting color adhesive media. Suitable (supersteel) 0.45 for cutting media up to 0.25 mm thick.

  • Page 29: Cutter Pen Nomenclature

    Cutter Pen Nomenclature WARNING: To avoid bodily injury, handle cutter blades with care. PHP32-CB09N (For cutter blades of 0.9 mm diameter) Cutter Pen Plunger Spring Cutter Blade Plunger Blade length adjustment knob (blue) PHP32-CB15N (For supersteel cutter blades of 1.5 mm diameter) Cutter Pen Plunger Cutter Blade...

  • Page 30: Cutter Offset Value Settings

    Cutter Offset Value Settings Color Compatible Blade Cutter offset Cutter pen classification blade types Material values PHP32-CB09N Blue CB09UA Supersteel 18 + 2 PHP32-CB15N CB15U Supersteel 28 + 2 CB15U-K30 Supersteel 28 + 2 CB15UB Supersteel 5 + 5 PHP31-CB15 CB15-10C Ceramic 18 + 2...

  • Page 31: Replacing Ceramic & Sapphire Blades

    CAUTION: The cutter must be properly Flange seated (the pen holder is engaged on the flange) before tightening the screw. Bracket to hold pen Replacing For the PHP31-CB15: Ceramic & Sap- Turn the blade length adjustment knob phire Blades counterclockwise. Remove Holder B.

  • Page 32: Blade Length

    Blade Length CAUTION: Make sure to correctly adjust the blade length. If the blade length is too long for the thickness of the media being used, you may cut through the cutting mat and damage your plotter. Adjusting the Retract the blade by turning the blade adjustment knob in a counterclockwise Blade Length direction (Direction B) until the blade tip is aligned with the tip of the cutter pen, then extend the blade by turning the blade adjustment knob in a clockwise...
  • Page 33 C u tt e rs an d Ho l de rs: B lad e L en g th...

  • Page 34: Chapter 4: Preparing To Cut

    Chapter 4: Preparing to Cut This chapter describes how to use the control panel, load the media, select and install the appro- priate cutting tools, and to achieve the best cutting results. Control Panel Indicator Lamps The POWER lamp remains lit (green) while the plotter is on. The PROCESSING INDICATOR lamp lights green when the cutting data goes beyond the effective cutting area.

  • Page 35: Menu Keys

    Menu Keys Press MENU CONTROL to access the MENU mode to set functions on the con- trol panels (green lamp lights). Press MENU CONTROL again to cancel MENU mode. The plotter continues to store data from the computer in the plotter’s receive buffer although the cutting or plotting operation is temporarily suspended.

  • Page 36: Selecting A Function Menu

    Selecting a Function Menu When the plotter is in MENU mode (the MENU lamp is lit), each of the functions listed below in the “Function Selection” column can be accessed by pressing the NEXT key until the desired menu appears and then pressing the select key indi- cated by a box.

  • Page 37: Initial Menu

    Initial Menu When the paper set lever is lowered, the INITIAL menu appears on the LCD. Menu Function Selection Sub Menus INITIAL MENU AUTO REG. MARK F4 KEY AUTO PRE FEED INITIAL FEED SPEED INTERFACE STEP SIZE RS-232C COMMAND Setting the Multilanguage Display Your plotter’s display can be set to one of 12 different languages.

  • Page 38: Turn On The Plotter

    Turn on the Plotter • Check to make sure that the pen carriage is not located near the pinch rollers so that it does not interfere with the pinch roller settings. • After checking that both ends of the plotter’s power cord are securely con- nected, turn on the plotter by pressing the “|”...

  • Page 39: Loading Media

    Loading Media This section describes the steps for loading media in the plotter. Note that the media can be loaded either before or after turning on the plotter. CAUTION: Be sure to move the pen carriage slowly. Moving the pen carriage quickly may damage the plotter.
  • Page 40 To adjust the pinch roller positions: • Position the left and right pinch rollers to correspond with the width of the media. • When moving the media to the left or right be sure to move the pinch rollers as required to hold down the media within the appropriate range.

  • Page 41: Roll Media

    To load sheet media: • Lower the media set lever to raise the pinch rollers. • Move the left pinch roller next to the middle pinch roller. • Move both the left and middle pinch rollers together until they reach the right stop. •...
  • Page 42 • Lower the media set lever to raise the pinch rollers. Pinch Roller • Load the media in the plotter as shown. Media Alignment Bar Media Sensor Grit Roller • Wrap media behind and around the media alignment shaft. While keeping ten- sion on the vinyl, adjust the edges of the vinyl so that both edges match accu- rately.
  • Page 43 To adjust the pinch roller positions: • Position the left and right pinch rollers to correspond with the width of the media. • When moving the media to the left or right be sure to move the roll as required to ensure that no slack develops in the media.
  • Page 44 • Move the left pinch roller next to the middle pinch roller. • Move both the left and middle pinch rollers together until they reach the right stop. • Load the media so that the left side of the narrow media is under the left pinch roller.
  • Page 45 sit for 30 minutes to become acclimated to the environment before starting the cutting operation. Next, use the plotter’s feed function to feed out the specified amount of media needed for your cutting operation. • Turn on the power if it is off. •...

  • Page 46: Select The Media Type

    Select the Media Type CAUTION: To avoid damaging the cutting mat, be sure to set the media type to SHEET when using sheet media. Whenever possible, use sheet media of rectangular shape. If you have already loaded the media, the MEDIA TYPE menu appears. Select the media type.

  • Page 47: Sheet

    CUT AREA shows the effective cut area that is determined by the position of the pinch roller and the page length setting. CUT AREA X=2000mm Y=730mm NOTE: After initializing the plotter by choosing ROLL-1 or ROLL-2, use the FEED function to pre-feed the length of media needed for the job. This embosses the grit roller pattern onto the media to help prevent media skewing or excessive system torque which triggers the position alarm.

  • Page 48: Initializing Routine

    Press the F4 key to select CONTINUE ROLL-1> ROLL-2> SHEET> CONTINUE> No sensing operations are performed. Set the various functions of the plotter as desired. NOTE: Make sure to set the correct cutting conditions to suit the cutter blade and media being used.

  • Page 49: Roll-2

    ROLL-2 During initialization, the pen carriage moves right until it detects the mechani- cal home position. The pen carriage then moves left until it detects the left-hand side of the media edge. It then returns to the right edge of the media. SHEET During initialization, the pen carriage moves right until it detects the mechani- cal home position.

  • Page 50: Setting Conditions

    Setting Conditions This function allows you to register eight different groups of conditions in the plotter’s memory. These conditions greatly affect the finished quality of the cutting operation. The desired group can be quickly loaded by simply pressing the corre- sponding function key [F1] through [F4] on the control panel.

  • Page 51: Select The Tool From The Menu

    The following is a list of all eight conditions and their respective settings. Condition Comments Tool Force Speed Quality Offset Cutter CB09Ux Cutter Immediate CB09Ux Cutter Reflective CB015Ux Cutter High Intensity Reflective CB015Ux Cutter Sandblast with Tangential CB015U-K30x Emulation turned off Other OTHER Pounce...

  • Page 52: Tangential Mode

    • Select OTHER when above preset values and their deviation ranges cannot cover the range needed for satisfactory results. • Select PEN to use a plotter pen. • Select POUNCE to use the pouncing pen. NOTE: These tool names are actually the names of preset offset values, and each value can be changed within a range from -5 to +5.

  • Page 53: To Change The Cutter Speed

    • Press the UP or DOWN ARROW key to raise or lower the numeric value from 1 to 40. • If you wish to change another parameter: • Press the F2 key to change SPEED. • Press the F3 key to change QUALITY. •...

  • Page 54: To Change The Cutter Offset

    • Press the F4 key to change OFFSET. • If all of the parameters are set, press the ENTER key to register your setting. HANGE THE UTTER FFSET • Press the F4 key to change OFFSET. The blinking cursor indicates that you can change its setting.

  • Page 55: Test 1

    Peel off the outside triangle first to view the shape of the corners. The corner’s shape represents the cutter offset setting. If the cor- ners are rounded, the cutter offset value should be decreased; if the corners are too sharp, the cutter offset value should be increased.

  • Page 56: Test 2

    Test 2 When you believe that you are nearing the most desirable condition setting, use the TEST 2 pattern. This test cuts three triangle patterns using three different cut- ting forces. The center triangle is cut using the force which you selected. The left triangle is cut using a force that is one step lower than your selection.

  • Page 57: Plotter Pen Conditions

    Press the F4 key to select CUTTING PRO. Press the F3 key to select YES and start. PATTERN CUTTING PRO YES>. NO>. Press the F4 key to select NO and cancel. • Adjust the cutting conditions and re-run the cutting test. •...

  • Page 58: To Change The Pen Force

    NOTE: Press the NEXT key to cancel the condition that you are currently setting and return to the main menu. HANGE THE ORCE • Press the F1 key to change FORCE. A blinking cursor indicates that you can change its setting. SET....14 CONDITION 2..60 PEN..

  • Page 59: To Change The Pen Quality

    HANGE THE UALITY • Press the F3 key to change QUALITY. A blinking cursor indicates that you can change its setting. SET....14 CONDITION 2..60 PEN..• Press the UP or DOWN ARROW key to raise or lower the numeric value from 1 to 8.

  • Page 60: To Change The Pounce Speed

    • Press the F3 key to change QUALITY. • Press the F4 key to change OFFSET. • If all of the parameters are set, press the ENTER key to register your setting. HANGE THE OUNCE PEED • Press the F2 key to change SPEED. The blinking cursor indicates that you can change the setting.

  • Page 61: To Change The Pounce Offset

    HANGE THE OUNCE FFSET • Press the F4 key to change OFFSET. The blinking cursor indicates that you can change the setting. SET...12 CONDITION 8..30 ..4 POUNCE...1 • Press the UP or DOWN ARROW key to raise or lower the numeric value from 1 to 99.
  • Page 62 • Press the F3 key to select NORMAL or the F4 key to select SLOW. INITIAL FEED SPEED ..NORMAL. SLOW. • Press the ENTER key to return to the previous menu. • Press the NEXT key to advance to the next menu. •...

  • Page 63: Withdrawal Of The Pen Carriage

    Withdrawal of the Pen Carriage This function moves the pen carriage from its current position to a position that is +100 mm away along both the X and Y axis. This also helps to confirm the job is completed. While holding down the ENTER key, press the UP ARROW key, and then release it.

  • Page 64: Chapter 5: Advanced Functions And Settings

    Chapter 5: Advanced Functions and Settings This chapter describes the advanced functions and settings for your cutter. You can access these functions through the menu, however, some functions have quick keys on the control panel to pro- vide faster access to these settings. Control Panel Quick Keys Origin –...

  • Page 65: Origin - Setting The Cutting Origin

    Function 2: Data Sorting – Groups the line segments. Axis Alignment – Aligns pre-printed material for cutting. Auto Pre Feed – Prevents slippage on large media jobs. Tangent Emulation – Enables special blade control under specific circum- stances. Background Settings - For details see Background Settings. Option 1: Pen Up Speed –...

  • Page 66: Origin Point With Rotate Function

    Origin Point with ROTATE function NOTE: The coordinates being displayed represent displacements along the X and Y- axes from the original origin. NOTE: If you intend to use the ORIGIN function in combination with the ROTATE or MIRROR function, be sure to set the ORIGIN function first. COPY - Copying the Data in Plotter Buffer Memory This function allows you to automatically cut duplicates of the data sent from the computer.
  • Page 67 If the receive buffer is empty the following message will appear. You will need to re-send the data to the plotter by returning to the previous menu. NO DATA FOR COPY IN BUFFER ! If one block of the data sent from the computer has exceeded the plotter’s receive buffer size (2Mbyte), the following message will appear.

  • Page 68: Copying Sequence

    additional media to achieve the number of copies you wish to cut. Then reset the copy function again. • Press the ENTER key, the following menu will appear: CONDITION 2..14. COPY.....4. CB09Ux...0. The plotter will start cutting/plotting as soon as the ENTER key is pressed. If you wish to continue cutting additional copies, reload the media and begin again by pressing the COPY key.

  • Page 69: Pen Up/Down - Raising/Lowering The Pen

    PEN UP/DOWN - Raising/Lowering the Pen The PEN UP/DOWN function allows you to raise or lower the pen from the con- trol panel. WARNING: While using this function, keep your hands out of the vicinity of the pen holder (especially the pen). •...

  • Page 70: Feed - Advancing The Media

    • This menu appears 3 seconds after you select BUFFER CLEAR. NOTE: CONFIRM DATA FROM. HOST STOPPED. • Press the F3 key to clear the buffer or press the F4 key to resume the cut- ting/plotting job. BUFFER CLEAR OK? CLEAR>.

  • Page 71: Origin - Setting The Origin In Hp-Gl Mode

    • Press the F4 key to select FEED. UP/DOWN>. BUFFER CLEAR>. FEED>. • Press the UP and DOWN ARROW keys to obtain the desired FEED LENGTH. FEED LENGTH • Press the ENTER key to register your settings. The plotter will start feeding as soon as the ENTER key is pressed.

  • Page 72: Area - Setting The Cutting Area

    • Press the F1 key to select ORIGIN. If there is no ORIGIN in the menu, the plotter is in GP-GL mode. Change the mode if necessary. ORIGIN>. AREA>. EXPAND>. PAGE LENGTH>. • Press the F3 key to select LOWER LEFT or press the F4 key to select CEN- TER.
  • Page 73 • Press the F2 key to select AREA. (ORIGIN in the 1 row appears in HP-GL mode only). The following menu appears: ORIGIN>. AREA>. EXPAND>. PAGE LENGTH>. Use the POSITION Keys to specify a new LL position. The X- and Y- coordinate values will represent the current pen position as X- and Y-axis offsets from the original origin.
  • Page 74 both UR and LL positions), the message below appears for several seconds. In this case, reset the effective cutting area. ILLEGAL PLOT AREA NOTE: When the ROTATE and MIRROR mode is selected or canceled after specifying new LL and UR positions, your LL and UR settings are initialized to their default positions.

  • Page 75: Expand - Expanding The Cut Area

    EXPAND - Expanding the Cut Area EXPAND mode allows you to both widen and narrow the cutting area. The cut- ting area is automatically determined by the position of the pinch rollers when the plotter is initialized. Select EXPAND when cutting a pattern that is nearly as wide as the media, and you do not mind the footprint caused by the grit rollers along the edges of the pat- tern.
  • Page 76 • Press the F3 key to select EXPAND. (ORIGIN in the 1 row appears in HP- GL mode only.) ORIGIN>. AREA>. EXPAND>. PAGE LENGTH>. • Press the UP or DOWN ARROW key to select the value. SET EXPAND LIMIT 0 mm DEFAULT>.

  • Page 77: Page Length - Setting The Length Of The Page With Roll Media

    Setting a negative expansion limit. Setting a positive expansion limit. PAGE LENGTH - Setting the Length of the Page with Roll Media This function is used to specify the length of individual pages when using roll media. CAUTION: For optimum precision, specify the PAGE LENGTH to 2m or less. CAUTION: When PAGE LENGTH is set to over 2m, be especially careful to load the media properly to prevent the it from coming loose from the rollers during cutting or plotting.

  • Page 78: Rotate - Rotating The Coordinate Axes

    • Press the F4 key to select PAGE LENGTH. (ORIGIN in the 1 row appears in HP-GL™ mode only.) ORIGIN>. AREA>. EXPAND>. PAGE LENGTH>. • The following page length menu appears: PAGE LENGTH. L = 02000 • Press the LEFT or RIGHT ARROW key next to the blinking cursor to the next digit to the left or right.

  • Page 79: Mirror - Reversing The Image

    • Press the F3 key to turn ON the function or press the F4 key to turn OFF the function. ROTATE • Press the ENTER key to register your settings or press the MENU key to cancel MENU mode. When the ROTATE mode is selected or canceled, the displacement of the new origin remains valid in the “a”...

  • Page 80: Scale - Enlarging And Reducing An Image Size

    • Press the F3 key to turn ON the function or press the F4 key to turn OFF the function MIRROR. • Press the ENTER key to register your settings. • Press the MENU key to cancel the menu mode. When the MIRROR mode is selected or canceled, the displacement of the new origin remains valid in the “a”...

  • Page 81: Data Sorting - Sorting The Cut Data

    • Press the UP or DOWN ARROW keys to select the desired SCALE factor within the magnification range of 1/8, ¼, ½, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8. SCALE SCALE FACTOR = Press the ENTER key to register your settings or press the MENU key to cancel MENU mode.
  • Page 82 • Press the F3 key to turn AREA sorting ON or OFF. Press the F4 key to turn PEN sorting ON or OFF DATA SORTING AREA ON PEN OFF • Press the ENTER key to store your setting. If the sorting OFF is selected, return to the previous menu.

  • Page 83: Axis Alignment - Axis Alignment Parameter Setting

    If CANCEL is selected, return to the previous menu. DATA SORTING>. AXIS ALIGNMENT>. AUTO PRE FEED>. TANGENT EMULATION>. • Press the MENU key to cancel the menu mode. NOTE: The plotter immediately begins sorting when it receives the cut data from the PC, however, the cutting/plotting may experience a delay due to the data sort- ing process.

  • Page 84: Selecting The Axis Alignment Method

    then the distortion of the printed image can be taken into account. The origin point can be set independently. • 4 POINTS: This method should be used if the printed media has four registration marks. If the relative position of each of the four marks is already known then the distortion of the printed image can be taken into account.
  • Page 85 • AXIS ORIGIN POINT: Origin point of pre-printed image. • Press the MENU key to select MENU mode. • Press the NEXT key two times. • Press the F4 key to select FUNCTION 2. INTERFACE>. AREA PARAMETERS>. FUNCTION 1>. FUNCTION 2>.

  • Page 86: Axis Alignment Adjustment

    • Press the ENTER key to register your settings. The following menu appears. If you wish to change another setting, press the key corresponding to that setting. DATA SORTING>. AXIS ALIGNMENT>. AUTO PRE FEED>. TANGENT EMULATION>. • Press the MENU key to cancel the menu mode. Axis Alignment Mount the optional loupe in the pen carriage.
  • Page 87 • Press the ENTER key to store the setting. The following menu appears: DISTANCE POINT 1-2 00399.6 OK?..00400.0 If the distance between point 1 and point 2 is unknown, press the ENTER key to skip to the next step. If the distance between point 1 and point 2 is a known value, use the POSITION key to change the distance value to that of the printed image, i.e., the distance between point 1 and point 2.
  • Page 88 If the Axis Point 1 is the origin point of the pre-printed image, press the ENTER key. Then press the ENTER key to store the setting. The READY menu appears, the plotter is ready to start the cutting operation. CONDITION 1..14.
  • Page 89 • Press the POSITION key to move the loupe to Axis Point 3. • Press the ENTER key to store the setting. The following menu appears. AXIS POINT 4 0 mm 0 mm • Press the POSITION key to move the loupe to Axis Point 4. •...
  • Page 90 NOTE: The Axis Alignment settings are cancelled if any of the following operations are performed: A new Origin is set The media is reloaded Rotation and/or Mirror settings are made (make these settings before perform- ing axis alignment). If the axis is slanted too much between points 1 and 2, 1 and 3, 3 and 4, and 2 and 4, an axis error message is displayed.

  • Page 91: Auto Reg. Mark - Auto Registration Mark Sensor

    • Registration mark sensing precision*: Max. 0.3 mm * Precision measured when sensing a specified pattern using the pen provided as a standard accessory and Graphtec’s PC-type non-glossy paper. WARNING • Registration marks used in the application software cannot be used.

  • Page 92: Auto Reg. Mark

    • Registration marks should use single lines with the required line thick- ness specified. The center of the lines is used as the reference point. AUTO REG. Remember, when using automatic registration mark recognition, pay special MARK attention to the following points: •...

  • Page 93: The Registration Mark Location

    Pattern 1 Pattern 2 Mark 4 Mark 2 Mark 4 Mark 2 Media feed direction Mark 3 Mark 1 Mark 1 Mark 3 Note: For instructions on how to change the registration mark pattern, see Setting the Type of Registration Mark for more details. Caution: The size of the registration mark is important;...

  • Page 94: The Registration Mark Reading Area

    With roll media, the registration mark must be at least 110 mm from the back edge of the media. Pattern 1 Pattern 2 Left pinch roller Right pinch roller  Left pinch roller Right pinch roller  Ａ Ａ EGISTRATION EADING In the default setting, the AUTO REG. MARK sensing function senses the regis- tration mark by moving the media or sensor until the plotter locates the registration mark.

  • Page 95: The Position Of The Origin Point

    Caution: Do not plot anything except registration marks within the registration mark reading area. Caution: If dirt, dust or other foreign matter adheres to the media, the plotter may recog- nize it as a registration mark. Caution: Be sure to use only black ink for plotting registration marks. OSITION OF THE RIGIN OINT...

  • Page 96: Media For Which Registration Marks Cannot Be Detected

    Caution: You must specify the axis origin correctly. If the location of the axis origin is wrong, then you will not be able to match the cut pattern to the pre-printed image. EDIA HICH EGISTRATION ARKS ANNOT ETECTED The plotter cannot detect registration marks on the following types of media: •...

  • Page 97: Scanning Methods

    3 POINT: The three-point method requires you to create mark 1, mark 2 and mark 3. Enter the distance between the registration marks; the plotter then adjusts the virtual angle of both the X- and Y-axis and the dis- tance of both X- and Y-axis. Enter the axis origin point individually to adjust the offset between the cutting data and the printed image.

  • Page 98: Selecting The Axis Alignment Method

    Caution: When the edge of the registration mark is blurry or the media is crumpled, the plotter may not sense the mark or sense it inaccurately. Note: When the plotter cannot sense the registration mark, use the AXIS ALIGN- MENT key with the Loupe. Selecting the The following procedures describe how to align the coordinate axes based on Axis Alignment...

  • Page 99: Three-Points Method

    • If you press the F4 key (MANUAL), the following message is displayed. Use the POSITION key to move the pen tip to MARK 1, and then press the ENTER key. MOVE TO MARK USE THE POSITION KEY* TO MOVE THE PEN AND* THEN PRESS ENTER.*...
  • Page 100 • If you press the F3 key (AUTO), sensing begins from the current pen position. Use the POSITION key to move the pen tip to the shaded area in the following diagrams, and then press the F3 key. Pattern 1 Pattern 2 Point 2 Point 2 Point 1...

  • Page 101: Four-Points Method

    sured value for the distance between points 1 and 3 is shown on the 3rd row. Set the actual distance on the 4th row. DISTANCE POINT 1-3 00101.1 OK?..00100.0 Press the RIGHT or LEFT ARROW key to move the cursor. Press the UP or DOWN arrow key to increase or decrease the number for the distance value.
  • Page 102 • If you press the F3 key (AUTO), sensing begins from the current pen position. Use the POSITION key to move the pen tip to the shaded area in the following diagrams, and then press the F3 key. Pattern 1 Pattern 2 Point 4 Point 2 Point 4...

  • Page 103: Setting The Registration Mark Reading Area

    • Press the ENTER key to store the setting. The display changes to the following (only displayed if OFF has been selected for DISTANCE ADJUST). The mea- sured value for the distance between points 1 and 3 is shown on the 3rd row. Set the actual distance on the 4th row.
  • Page 104 • Press the F3 key to select ENABLED. A mark appears next to the current set- ting MARK SCAN MODE ENABLED DISABLED • Press the ENTER key to register your setting and display the following screen. MARK SCAN MODE 2POINTS 3POINTS 4POINTS •...

  • Page 105: Selecting The Registration Mark Type

    Note: If you select the 2-POINTS method, the Y-axis information is ignored. Pattern 1 Pattern 2 Mark 2 Mark 2 Media feed direction Mark 3 Mark 1 Mark 3 Mark 1 Enter distance X to the "X=", distance Y to the "Y=". Note: After the plotter senses the first registration mark, it discontinues sensing, moves to the specified distance and starts searching for the next registration...

  • Page 106: Specifying The Registration Mark Size

    • Press the F2 key to select MARK TYPE. MARK SCAN MODE>* MARK TYPE>* OTHER SETUPS>* DISTANCE ADJUST>* • Press the F3 key for pattern type 1 or the F4 key to select pattern type 2 to be used when printing the image and registration mark on the media. A mark appears next to the current setting.
  • Page 107 • Press the F1 key to select MARK SIZE MARK SIZE>* SENSOR OFFSET ADJ>* AXIS ORIGIN OFFSET>* PAPER-WEIGHT>* • Press the UP or DOWN ARROW key to set the length. The length can be set from 5 mm to 20 mm in 1 mm increments. MARK SIZE* 15mm*...

  • Page 108: Setting The Distance Adjustment

    Setting the DIS- The DISTANCE ADJUST function allows you to specify the method to precisely TANCE ADJUST- adjust the distance between the registration marks. The distance between regis- MENT tration marks is automatically corrected to a value. There are two types of distance adjustment methods available, manual and auto.

  • Page 109: Setting Of Axis Origin Offset

    • The item marked with the asterisk is the current setting. To set a distance adjustment of 5 mm (rounded up for less than 5), press the F2 key (5 mm). To set a distance adjustment of 10 mm (rounded up for less than 10), press the F3 key (10 mm).
  • Page 110 Press the F2 key • Press the F3 or F4 key to select the axis for setting distance. to change polarity for distance setting. Press the LEFT or RIGHT ARROW key to move the blinking cursor to select a digit, then press the UP or DOWN ARROW key to change the number.

  • Page 111: Setting Of Paper-Weight Function

    Setting of The PAPER-WEIGHT function adds extra weight to hold the media down against PAPER-WEIGHT the cutting surface to prevent a sensing error caused by media rising up from the Function cutting surface. Paper-weight Mechanism Cutter Pen Registration Mark Sensor Use the following procedure to enable or disable this function: •...

  • Page 112: Setting The Sensor Offset Adjustment

    • Press the F3 key to enable this function. Press the F4 key to disable this func- tion. A mark appears next to the current setting. PAPER-WEIGHT Note: When ON is selected, the plotter will move to the home position to enable the PAPER-WEIGHT mechanism before and after the plotter scans the registration mark.

  • Page 113: Selecting Method 1

    • Press the F3 key to select OTHER SETUPS MARK SCAN MODE>* MARK TYPE>* OTHER SETUPS>* DISTANCE ADJUST>* • Press the F2 key to select SENSOR OFFSET ADJ. MARK SIZE>* SENSOR OFFSET ADJ>* AXIS ORIGIN OFFSET>* PAPER-WEIGHT>* • Press the F3 or F4 key to select METHOD 1 or METHOD 2 SENSOR OFFSET ADJUST METHOD 1>.

  • Page 114: Selecting Method 2

    You must measure the distance between the pre-printed cross mark and the cross mark plotted by your plotter. If the location of the two cross marks match, press the NEXT key to cancel this mode. If the location of the cross marks do not match, change the PARAMETER SET.
  • Page 115 • Press the F4 key to select SCAN SENSOR OFFSET ADJUST PARAMETER SET>. SCAN>. Media feed direction Second cross mark Axis direction plotted by the plotter Current pen position First cross mark printed by the plotter The plotter plots the first cross mark. The following menu appears. •...

  • Page 116: Using The Auto Reg. Mark Sensing Function

    • The following menu appears. Press the F3 or F4 key to select the axis for set- ting distance. Press the F2 key to toggle polarity for the distance setting, the “–“ mark appears on the distance setting when negative is selected. Press the LEFT or RIGHT ARROW key to move the blinking cursor to select the digit, then press the UP or DOWN ARROW key to change the number.
  • Page 117 Press the POSITION key to move the pen and media to the area necessary for scanning the first registration mark. When using AUTO scan mode, move the media to the first registration mark that is located between the pinch roller and the pen.
  • Page 118 After all the registration marks are read, the plotter moves the pen and media to the AXIS ORIGIN POINT. The axis origin location is set in the AXIS ORIGIN OFF- SET menu and then the READY menu appears. • When you disable auto DISTANCE ADJustment, the following menu appears after the plotter scans the registration marks: DISTANCE POINT 1-2...

  • Page 119: Auto Pre-Feed - Advancing The Media Automatically

    AUTO PRE-FEED - Advancing the Media Automatically The auto pre-feed function is used to prevent the loaded media from slipping caused by pulling the media out from the stock roll during cutting/plotting. If this function is enabled, the plotter begins feeding as soon as initialization is complete.
  • Page 120 The FEED LENGTH can be set in a range of 1 to 50 meters. If the feed length is set too high (too long), the media will unwind. Unwound media will not cut as eas- ily as wound media. • Press the ENTER key to register your settings or press the MENU key to cancel MENU mode.

  • Page 121: Tangential Emulation - Cutting Thick & Thin Material

    • Press the NEXT key. The LOAD MEDIA message then appears again. Mount the media and raise the media set lever. LOAD MEDIA! INITIAL MENU>. TANGENTIAL EMULATION - Cutting Thick & Thin Material Tangential emulation blade control prevents the problems listed below from occurring in the normal blade control.

  • Page 122: Enabling Tangential Emulation

    • Press the F4 key to select FUNCTION 2. INTERFACE>. AREA PARAMETERS>. FUNCTION 1>. FUNCTION 2>. • Press the F4 key to select TANGENT EMULATION. DATA SORTING>. AXIS ALIGNMENT>. AUTO PRE FEED>. TANGENT EMULATION>. • Press the F3 key to select mode. TANGENT EMULATION.

  • Page 123: Setting Overcut

    • Press the F4 key to select TANGENT EMULATION. DATA SORTING>. AXIS ALIGNMENT>. AUTO PRE FEED>. TANGENT EMULATION>. • Press the F4 key to toggle between ENABLE/DISABLE. TANGENT EMULATION. MODE>. ENABLE/DISABLE>. • Press the LEFT or RIGHT ARROW key as required to enable/disable the tan- gential emulation mode per each condition of numbers.

  • Page 124: Speed - Setting The Pen-Up Speed

    • Press the condition key. SET.....38. CONDITION 6..60..2. CB15U-K30x...0. • Set the parameters if necessary, then press the ENTER key to register your settings. • Press the F3 key or the F4 key to select the start point or end point. Press the UP or DOWN ARROW key to set the overcut length.

  • Page 125: Offset Angle - Adjusting The Blade Offset Angle

    The PEN-UP SPEED can be set to AUTO or to 10, 20, 30, 40, 50 or 60 cm/s. When AUTO is selected the PEN UP-SPEED is set to match the current cutting SPEED setting. PEN UP SPEED SPEED = AUTO •...

  • Page 126: Offset Force - Setting The Offset Cut Pressure

    • Press the UP or DOWN ARROW key to sequence through the available choices. The OFFSET ANGLE can be set in a 61-step range from 0 to 60. OFFSET ANGLE ANGLE = 30 • Press the ENTER key to register your settings or press the MENU key to cancel MENU mode.

  • Page 127: Step Pass - Setting The Step Pass

    • Press the UP ARROW or DOWN AROW key to sequence through the avail- able choices. The OFFSET PRESSURE can be set in a 40-step range from 1 to 40. OFFSET FORCE FORCE = 4 • Press the ENTER key to register your settings. •...

  • Page 128: Initial Down Force- Adjusting The Initial Media Cut Force

    higher the number, the more steps of data will be passed between each data point. These data points represent actual cut line segments. STEP PASS STEP PASS = 0 • Press the ENTER key to register your settings or press the MENU key to cancel MENU mode.

  • Page 129: Distance Adjust - Adjusting The Length Of Line Segments

    • Press the UP or DOWN ARROW key to sequence through the availabe choices. The INITAL DOWN FORCE can be set from 0 to 40. INITIAL DOWN FORCE FORCE = 0 • Press the ENTER key to register your settings. •...

  • Page 130: Setting Distance Adjust Parameter

    UP or DOWN ARROW key to enable or disable the DISTANCE ADJUST func- tion. When the DISTANCE ADJUST function is enabled a “v” mark appears. DISTANCE ADJUST ..CONDITION 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 xV| x... xxx xxx •...

  • Page 131: Rs-232C Serial Interface

    RS-232C Serial Interface The RS-232C Serial interface of your plotter conforms to the RS-232C Standard of Electronic Industries Association (EIA). This serial interface performs the serial transfer of digital binary data, control signals and SYNC signals. Table 1: RS232 Serial Interface Specifications Standard CCITT V.24, EIA RS-232C, JIS X5101 Synchronization...

  • Page 132: Cable Connection

    Table 3: Pin Assignment of the Serial Connector Signal Name Signal Name GND (Frame) Not used SD (TxD) Not used RD (TxD) Not used RS (RTS) Not used CS (CTS) Not used DR (DSR) Not used GND (Logic) ER (DTR) Not used Not used Not used...
  • Page 133 A dv an ce d F u nc ti o ns a nd Set t in gs : RS- 23 2C Se ria l In t erf ac e...

  • Page 134: Chapter 6: Background Settings

    Chapter 6: Background Settings This chapter discusses your plotter’s background settings. NOTE: Your settings are registered in the plotter’s internal memory and retained even when the plotter is turned off. This menu can be accessed by two methods. Method 1: •...
  • Page 135 The MENU Tree of Background Setting GP-GL HP-GL Background Settings Background Settings LANGUAGE SELECTION LANGUAGE SELECTION [ ENGLISH ] [ ENGLISH ] COMMAND ; AND : MODEL EMULATED ENABLED| 7550| DISABLEDb 7586| “W” COMMAND CONDITION PRIORITY PEN UP| MANUAL| DOWN. PROGRAM.

  • Page 136: Background Settings For Gp-Gl

    Background Settings for GP-GL LANGUAGE You may select one of the following 12 languages for the operation menu: Dan- SELECTION ish, Dutch, English, French, German, Hungarian, Italian, Japanese, Norwegian, Portuguese, Spanish and Swedish. • Press the UP and DOWN ARROW keys to select the desired language. LANGUAGE SELECTION [ ENGLISH ] •...

  • Page 137: Pen Up/Down For The "W" Command

    not wish to make any changes. If you used METHOD 2 to select BACKGROUND SETTINGS, turn off the plotter if you do not wish to make any changes “W” COMMAND PEN UP PEN DOWN Pen UP/DOWN When a command specifying the plotting of an arc is sent from the computer, for the “W”...

  • Page 138: Pen Select

    is turned off, the registered conditions by command input from the computer are not retained. The registered conditions by the plotter’s control are retained. • Press the F3 key to select MANUAL or press the F4 key to select PROGRAM. A blinking cursor appears beside your choice.

  • Page 139: Initial Blade Control Position (Initial Blade Control)

    • Press the ENTER key to register your setting and to proceed to the next menu. Press the NEXT key if you wish to bypass this setting with no changes. INITIAL BLADE CONTROL POSITION 2mm BELOW OUTSIDE If you used METHOD 1 to select BACKGROUND SETTINGS, press the MENU key if you do not wish to make any changes.

  • Page 140: Up Movement Control (Pen Up Move)

    • Press the F3 key to select METRIC or press the F4 key to select INCH. A blink- ing cursor appears beside your choice. LENGTH UNIT METRIC INCH • Press the ENTER key to register your setting and to proceed to the next menu. Press the NEXT key if you wish to bypass this setting with no changes.

  • Page 141: Media Sensor Control

    BACKGROUND SETTINGS, turn off the plotter if you do not wish to make any changes. Media Sensor This function allows you to disable the media length sensor function which is Control performed after selecting the media type during the plotter’s initialization. When ENABLED is selected, the media length sensor will perform.

  • Page 142: Background Settings For Hp-Gl

    CAUTION: Always set the AREA function to limit the cutting area and protect the machine. • Press the F3 key to select ENABLED or press the F4 key to select DISABLED. A blinking cursor appears beside your choice. PINCH ROLLER SENSOR ENABLED DISABLED •...

  • Page 143: Model No. Response (Model Emulated)

    If you used METHOD 1 to select BACKGROUND SETTINGS, press the MENU key if you do not wish to make any changes. If you used METHOD 2 to select BACKGROUND SETTINGS, turn off the plotter if you do not wish to make any changes.

  • Page 144: Initial Blade Control Position (Initial Blade Control)

    • Press the F3 key to select MANUAL or press the F4 key to select PROGRAM. A blinking cursor appears beside your choice. CONDITION PRIORITY MANUAL PROGRAM • Press the ENTER key to register your setting and to proceed to the next menu. Press the NEXT key if you wish to bypass this setting with no changes.

  • Page 145: Length Unit

    If you used METHOD 1 to select BACKGROUND SETTINGS, press the MENU key if you do not wish to make any changes. If you used METHOD 2 to select BACKGROUND SETTINGS, turn off the plotter if you do not wish to make any changes.

  • Page 146: Media Sensor Control

    • Press the ENTER key to register your setting and to proceed to the next menu. Press the NEXT key if you wish to bypass this setting with no changes. MEDIA SENSOR ENABLED DISABLED If you used METHOD 1 to select BACKGROUND SETTINGS, press the MENU key if you do not wish to make any changes.

  • Page 147: Pinch Roller Sensor Control

    Pinch Roller Sen- This function allows you to disable the pinch roller position sensor function of sor Control sensing media width is performed after selecting the media type during the plot- ter’s initialization. NOTE: When disable is selected, the new home position will be the point that the pen is when the unit is powered up.
  • Page 148 • Press the ENTER key to register your setting and to proceed to the next menu. Press the NEXT key if you wish to bypass this setting with no changes. LANGUAGE SELECTION [ ENGLISH ] If you used METHOD 1 to select BACKGROUND SETTINGS, press the MENU key if you do not wish to make any changes.
  • Page 149 Ba ckg r o u n d S et t in g s: Ba ck gr ou n d S e tt i ng s f or HP -G L...

  • Page 150: Chapter 7: Test Modes And Troubleshooting

    Chapter 7: Test Modes and Trouble- shooting This chapter describes the check points and possible solutions to use for troubleshooting if the plotter does not operate or operates abnormally. CONDITION LIST - Listing the Cutting Conditions The CONDITON LIST function allows you to print a list of the settings of the four groups of cutting conditions, so you can check all of your current settings at a glance.

  • Page 151: Sample Printout Of The Condition Function

    The following message appears: MOUNT THE PEN! ..DONEDONE>. CANCEL CONDITIONS>. Confirm that the pen is mounted on the carriage. • Press the F3 key to select DONE and start plotting or press the F4 key to select CANCEL CONDITIONS. You have to turn off the plotter to cancel CONDITION if the plotter is in CONDI- TION mode.

  • Page 152: Data Dump - Using The Character Dump Mode

    DATA DUMP - Using the Character Dump Mode This mode enables experienced users to detect the exact cause of communica- tion problems between the plotter and the computer. In character dump mode, the plotter produces an exact print-out of the codes reaching the plotter. NOTE: When the plotter receives READ commands that instruct it to output data, it will output dummy data (except in the case of READ commands that request the...

  • Page 153: Self Test - Running The Self Test

    The following message appears: MOUNT THE PEN! ..DONE>. CANCEL DATA DUMP>. Confirm that the pen is mounted on the carriage. • Press the F3 key to select DONE and start plotting or press the F4 key to select CANCEL DATA DUMP. You have to turn off the plotter to cancel DUMP if the plotter is in DUMP mode.
  • Page 154 • Press the F4 key to select OPTION 2. BACKGROUND SETTINGS>* OPTION 1>* OPTION 2>* • Press the F4 key to select TEST. INITIAL DOWN FORCE>* DISTANCE ADJUST>* TEST>* • Press the F3 key to select SELF TEST. CONDITON LIST>* SELF TEST>* DATA...

  • Page 155: Troubleshooting

    The recovery time can vary from case to case. It the plotter does not reactivate after 30 minutes, contact your sales representative or nearest Graphtec dealer. The plotter is defective. Contact your sales representative or near- est Graphtec dealer.
  • Page 156 Media falls down dur- The media sensors may be Contact your sales representa- Media size sen- ing initialization. deactivated. tive or nearest Graphtec sor settings in dealer. Background Set- tings. You can start your job by tem- porarily disabling the media size sensing function.
  • Page 157 Table 6: Plotter does not operate properly Problem Cause Solution See section As soon as the data is Origin point might be set at Check the origin setting. Origin sent to plotter, pen car- lower left although the plot data riage or media do not was created based on center move at all.
  • Page 158 Table 6: Plotter does not operate properly Problem Cause Solution See section Media is fed at an Media was loaded at an angle. Reload media correctly. Loading Media angle. The total amount of roll media Pull out the required amount of to be cut was not pulled out in media in advance.
  • Page 159 Table 7: Poor cutting results Problem Cause Solution See section The cut corners are too The CUTTER OFFSET is Adjust the CUTTER OFFSET Setting cutting pointed. incompatible with the blade value. If too high, the corners conditions. type being used. become pointed.
  • Page 160 Table 7: Poor cutting results Problem Cause Solution See section The media curls up at The blade is extended too far. Adjust the blade length. Blade Length the corners. The CUTTER OFFSET is Adjust CUTTER OFFSET incompatible with the blade value.
  • Page 161 Table 7: Poor cutting results Problem Cause Solution See section The cutting results dif- The programmable resolution Set both the plotter and the Step Size fer from specified size. (STEP SIZE) has been set dif- software to the same resolu- ferently at the the plotter and tion.

  • Page 162: Error Messages

    The beeper sounds Excessive load is causing the current to If error occurs frequently, contact your the motor to exceed the rated value. sales representative or nearest Graphtec dealer. OVER CURRENT POWER OFF THEN ON Cutting conditions do not suit the media.

  • Page 163: Error Messages In Hp-Gl Command Mode

    Table 9: Error Messages in GP-GL Command Mode Symptom Cause Solution The plotter received an unrecognizable command. ERROR 1 Noise was input to the plotter upon execu- Press the ENTER key. COMMAND ERROR tion of the software application. The software configuration regarding the Configure the software to drive your plot- output device has been changed.
  • Page 164 • Set the plotter’s interface conditions to match the software’s interface condi- tions. Table 10: Error Messages in HP-GL Command Mode Symptom Cause Solution An unrecognizable instruction was exe- Execute a recognizable command. cuted. ERROR 1 NOT RECOGNIZED A command was executed with the wrong Execute the command with the correct number of parameters.
  • Page 165 Table 10: Error Messages in HP-GL Command Mode Symptom Cause Solution The ESC character was followed by an Check the ESC command in your pro- invalid byte. gram. ERROR 11 INVALID BYTE FOLLOWING ESC A device control command containing an Check the device control commands in invalid byte was received.

  • Page 166: Chapter 8: Setting The Interface Functions

    Chapter 8: Setting the Interface Functions This chapter describes how to connect your plotter to your computer using either the Parallel, USB or Serial interface. Setting the Parallel Interface • To use the Centronics-compatible parallel interface, connect the plotter’s paral- lel connector to the computer’s parallel port by cable.

  • Page 167: Setting The Serial Interface

    Setting the Serial Interface • To enable prompt compatibility with multiple software applications, you can reg- ister three different groups of interface settings (RS-1, RS-2, and RS-3) in the plotter’s memory. • The desired group of RS-232C interface settings can be loaded from the control panel.

  • Page 168: How To Access The Interface Menu After Loading The Media

    • Press the F3 key to select RS-232C; the INTERFACE menu appears: STEP SIZE>* RS-232C>* COMMAND>* • Press the NEXT key twice to return to the LOAD MEDIA menu. How to access After the media is loaded and initialization is performed, the plotter goes to the INTERFACE READY mode.
  • Page 169 NOTE: Be sure to set the step size to match the step size setting of your software application. NOTE: Your step size setting is retained in the plotter’s internal memory even while the plotter is turned off. • Press the F2 key to select STEP SIZE. STEP SIZE>* RS-232C>*...

  • Page 170: Rs-232C - Setting The Data Transmitting Conditions

    RS-232C – Setting the Data Transmitting Conditions This function selects and sets the data transmitting conditions of the serial inter- face. Three preset conditions are available for easy access. NOTE: Be sure to set the transmitting conditions to match the setting of your software applications.

  • Page 171: Command - Selecting The Command Mode

    • Press the ENTER key to register your settings and return to the INTERFACE menu. COMMAND - Selecting the Command Mode This function selects the command mode, either HP-GL™ or GP-GL. NOTE: Be sure to set the command mode to match the command mode setting of your software application.

  • Page 172: Specifications

    cutting or plotting operation. When the specified operation is completed, the plot- ter awaits the input of subsequent DATA signals. CAUTION: The interface cable should be no longer than two meters. Specifications • While the parallel interface is used, data cannot be output from the plotter (that is, READ commands cannot be used with the exception of the “BS”...

  • Page 173: Input/Output Timing Chart

    Input/Output Tim- ing Chart Default setting Contact Graphtec Technical Service for assistance if the default setting or the alternate setting are not appropriate. Pin Assignment The pin assignment of the Centronics-compatible parallel interface connector is of the Parallel described below.

  • Page 174: Rs-232C Serial Interface

    RS-232C Serial Interface The RS-232C Serial interface of your plotter conforms to the RS-232C Standard of Electronic Industries Association (EIA). This serial interface performs the serial transfer of digital binary data, control signals and SYNC signals. Standard CCITT V.24, EIA RS-232C, JIS X5101 Synchronization Asynchronous start-stop Transfer Rate...

  • Page 175: Cable Connection

    Signal Name Signal Name CS (CTS) Not used DR (DSR) Not used GND (Logic) ER (DTR) Not used Not used Not used Not used Not used Not used Not used Not used Not used Not used Not used Cable Connec- The cable pin assignment of the serial interface connector from the 25-pin plot- tion ter connector to the 9-pin computer connector or the 25-pin computer connector is...

  • Page 176: Chapter 9: Specifications

    Chapter 9: Specifications This chapter describes the plotter’s main specifications Main Specifications: FC5100A-75 16-Bit Configuration Grit-rolling cutting plotter Drive Digital servo Max. Cut Width (expanded mode) 758 mm (29.6 in.) Guaranteed precision cutting area 9m (30 ft.) with approved media Max.

  • Page 177: Main Specifications: Fc5100A-100

    Main Specifications: FC5100A-100 16-Bit Configuration Grit-rolling cutting plotter Drive Digital servo Max. Cut Width (expanded mode) 1067 mm (41.6 in.) Guaranteed precision cutting area 9m (30 ft.) with approved media Max. Loadable Media Width 1219 mm (48 in.) Max. cutting speed (Axial) 1414 mm/sec (55.7 ips) Diagonal Direction Cutting Pressure 10 to 500 g...

  • Page 178: Main Specifications: Fc5100A-130

    Main Specifications: FC5100A-130 16-Bit Configuration Grit-rolling cutting plotter Drive Digital servo Max. Cut Width (expanded mode) 1372 mm (54 in.) Guaranteed precision cutting area 9m (30 ft.) with approved media Max. Loadable Media Width 1500 mm (59 in.) Max. cutting speed (Axial) 1414 mm/sec (55.7 ips) Diagonal Direction Cutting Pressure 10 to 500 g...

  • Page 179: Main Specifications: Fc5100A-150

    Main Specifications: FC5100A-150 16-Bit Configuration Grit-rolling cutting plotter Drive Digital servo Max. Cut Width (expanded mode) 1514 mm (59.6 in.) Guaranteed precision cutting area 9m (30 ft.) with approved media Max. Loadable Media Width 1600 mm (63 in.) Max. cutting speed (Axial) 1414 mm/sec (55.7 ips) Diagonal Direction Cutting Pressure 10 to 500 g...

  • Page 180: Options

    Pounce Tool Pouncing tool assembly Loupe (bombsight) Used for axis alignment External Dimensions FC5100A-75 with- out Stand 3 5 0 m m 1 4 i n c h e s 1 1 3 5 m m 4 4 .5 i n c h e s...

  • Page 181: Fc5100A-100 Without Stand

    FC5100A-100 without Stand 3 5 0 m m 1 4 i n c h e s 1 4 4 0 m m 5 6 .5 i n c h e s 2 5 4 m m 1 0 i n c h e s 4 8 5 m m 1 9 i n c h e s FC5100A-130...

  • Page 182: Fc5100A-150 Without Stand

    2 5 4 m m 1 0 i n c h e s 4 8 5 m m 1 9 i n c h e s FC5100A-75 with Stand and Basket Option 1 1 1 8 m m 4 4 i n c h e s...

  • Page 183: Fc5100A-100 With Standard Stand And Basket Option

    FC5100A-100 with Standard Stand and Basket Option 1 1 1 8 m m 4 4 i n c h e s 1 0 4 1 m m 4 1 i n c h e s 1 4 4 0 m m 5 6 .5 i n c h e s 715 mm 6 8 0 m m...

  • Page 184: Chapter 10: Options

    Chapter 10: Options This chapter contains information regarding the various FC5100A Option User Manuals. FC5100A Pounce Tool Manual Pouncing is a method used to create a punched outline on media. This is done by inserting a special tool in the plotter that produces tiny holes instead of plotting with a pen or cutting with a blade.

  • Page 185: Select Pounce Tool From The Menu

    When the pouncing tool has been properly mounted, tighten the screw. Pen stopper Select Pounce Tool • Press the function key [F1] through [F4] corresponding to the number of the from the Menu group whose registered tool you wish to change. •...

  • Page 186: To Change The Pounce Quality

    • Press the UP or DOWN ARROW key to raise or lower the numeric value from 1 to 100. [1 to 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 55, 60, 70, 80, 90, 100.] • Press the F1 key to change FORCE. •...

  • Page 187: Fc5100A Stand Manual

    The FC5100A Stand is used to make the unit more portable, free-up counter space and make storing your plotter easier. The Stand is optional for the FC5100A-75. It is a standard accessory for the FC5100A-100, FC5100A-130, and FC5100A-150 cutters. WARNING: Use two people to pick up the plotter.

  • Page 188: Stand Assembly

    Stand Assembly The following information will give you step-by-step instructions on how to assemble the Stand for the GRAPHTEC FC5100A Cutting Plotter. For best results, follow all instructions carefully. SSEMBLY Assemble the Stand on a secure, flat surface. You will be using the Hex Key Tools provided with your Stand assembly.
  • Page 189 Lock the casters. Have two people set the plotter (without the conveyor rollers and media installed) onto the stand assembly, aligning the index pins with the left and right top mounting brackets of the stand. Secure the unit with the four socket head cap screws B using the L wrench hex key tool B.

  • Page 190: Fc5100A Basket Manual

    CAUTION: Remove the plotter from the stand before assembling the basket onto the stand. NOTE: The basket was designed to be used with Graphtec recommended media only. Other media may be stiffer and will not flow into the basket smoothly. NOTE: Always keep the wheels in a locked position when operating your plotter.
  • Page 191 Lock the casters. The front and rear basket tubes have been assembled into the tube brackets. Attach one (1) of the tube brackets to the upper two (2) holes in the left side of the stand with two (2) M6 x 12mm socket flange head cap screws using the L wrench hex key tool.
  • Page 192 Place the middle tube between the stand sides in the slots provided on the tube brackets. Use the center slot when only the stand and basket options are installed. Middle Middle Front Front Basket Op ti on s : F C 510 0 Ba sk et Ma n ua l...
  • Page 193 Use the most front facing slot when the media roll holder option is installed. Media Roll Middle Holder snaps Media Rear Front Roll Front Holder With the snaps facing down, drape the cloth basket over the basket tubes. Snap the middle section of the cloth basket around the middle tube. Snap the front side of the cloth basket around the front basket tube.

  • Page 194: Fc5100A Media Roll Holder Manual

    Media Roll The following information will give you step-by-step instructions on how to Holder Assembly assemble the Media Roll Holder Assembly for the GRAPHTEC FC5100A Cutting Plotter. For the best results follow all instructions carefully. SSEMBLY Assemble the Media Roll Holder on a secure, flat surface. You will be using the 4mm L wrench hex key tool provided with your Media Roll Holder assembly.
  • Page 195 NOTE: The two conveyor rollers, two media roll holders, and screw/wrench set are packed together with the plotter unit. Attach the left media roll holder bracket to the left side of the stand assembly with two socket head cap screws using the L wrench hex key tool. Repeat this step with the right media roll holder bracket.
  • Page 196 Remove the roll of media from your Accuload™ system. Load the Media using the outside Accuload™ roller as an idler, making sure to feed the media cor- rectly. Accuload Media roll holder bracket Conveyor roller Media Accuload roller Insert the media rolls from the rear for the bottom media roll holder, and from the front for the top media roll holder, depending on the number of rolls to be used.

  • Page 197: Fc5100A Loupe (Php-61) Loupe

    FC5100A Loupe (PHP-61) Loupe The loupe (bombsight) is used to align points for adjustment during axis align- ment operations, and to indicate the current pen position. The loupe is mounted in the pen holder. Attaching the Follow the procedure below to attach the loupe to the pen carriage. Loupe Loosen the pen holder screw, and check that the p mark is facing upward.

  • Page 198: Using The Loupe

    Using the Loupe Look through the loupe when it is in the pen down status. Position your line of sight so that you are looking directly down into the loupe. Look directly down into the loupe Pen down status CAUTION: If you look at the loupe from an angle, the center point will be shifted and you will not get a correct reading.
  • Page 199 O p ti o ns : F C 51 00 A L o u pe ( P H P - 61 ) Lo u p e...

  • Page 200: Chapter 11: Appendix

    Appendix This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class A digital device, pursuant to part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference when the equipment is operated in a commercial environment. This equipment generates, uses, and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with the instruc- tion manual, may cause harmful interference to radio communications.
  • Page 201 The specifications, etc., in this manual are subject to change without notice. FC5100-UM-154 January 10, 2004 1st edition-01 GRAPHTEC CORPORATION...

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