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EFI Vutek QS2000 Operator's Manual

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Basic Operator's Guide
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QS2000 & QS3200

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Summary of Contents for EFI Vutek QS2000

  • Page 1 Basic Operator’s Guide _______________ QS2000 & QS3200...
  • Page 2 The information contained in this document is confidential and proprietary to Electronics for Imaging, Inc (EFI). This information is provided only to authorized representatives of EFI and EFI customers solely for the purpose of facilitating the use of EFI’s products. No information contained herein may be disclosed to any unauthorized person for any purpose whatsoever without the prior written consent of EFI.
  • Page 3 B-1930 Zaventem, Belgium 1930 Tel 32.2.749.9420 Fax 32.2.749.9465 Internet Support http://www.vuteksupport.com This document is published online at the EFI-VUTEk support website at http://www.vuteksupport.com/doc.php?doc=969 Applications Support http://www.SuperwideFormatResource.com. Application tips, material database, white papers, industry contacts, and more. 3 of 71 OMM-00038-F...

  • Page 5: Table Of Contents

    Contents Welcome ..............1 Additional information ............1 Safety............... 3 Components ............4 Front..................4 Rear ..................5 Internal................5 Rear control panel.............. 6 Passwords..............8 Startup..............9 Powering up the printer............9 Perform your daily maintenance ........10 Ink purge ................10 Wet wipe the jet packs .............
  • Page 6 QS Series Basic Operator's Guide Bidirectional (horizontal) alignment test ......35 Step calibration (vertical) test ........... 37 Using the curing lamps ............. 39 Ink and Waste System ..........41 Storing ink ................. 41 Replacing ink boxes ............41 Preventive Maintenance ........44 Lockout/tagout..............

  • Page 7: Welcome

    This guide describes how your printer operates and provides detailed information about daily printing procedures and preventive maintenance requirements. Additional information EFI provides a number of valuable resources to help you use and maintain your printer. Documentation Additional information about your VUTEk printer is...
  • Page 8 EFI printer and its accessories. Additional support If you have any questions about your printer, other EFI or VUTEk products, or this manual please contact EFI’s customer support staff at (603) 677-3111. OMM-00038-US English-F...

  • Page 9: Safety

    EFI cannot be held responsible for injuries, printer damage, lost productivity, or other damage caused by personnel using or approaching the QS Series printer without adequate training and without first reading and understanding your Printer Safety Guide, VIP Guide, and this User’s Guide.

  • Page 10: Components

    QS Series Basic Operator's Guide Components The following figures show the location of the basic printer components referenced in this guide. Front Key (front view) Carriage cabinet Front UV shield Power switch Electronics cabinet Rewinder Emergency stop switches Ink cabinet OMM-00038-US English-F...

  • Page 11: Rear

    QS Series Basic Operator's Guide Rear Key (rear view) Main disconnect switch Rear control panel AC power cabinet Rear UV shield Solvent and waste cabinet Emergency stop switches Internal OMM-00038-US English-F...

  • Page 12: Rear Control Panel

    QS Series Basic Operator's Guide Key (internal view) UV lamp assembly (2x) Ink cabinet Vacuum purge wiper Carriage Outfeed media hold down assembly Media conveyor belt Electronics cabinet Rear control panel Your QS Series printer has a rear control panel to increase productivity by allowing you to control printer functions from the rear of the printer.
  • Page 13 QS Series Basic Operator's Guide again to move the media roller down. Advance Press and hold to move the media conveyor belt forward and feed media into the printer. Release to stop. Print In sheet mode, press to begin printing the next sheet.

  • Page 14: Passwords

    If you ever have an issue with a password and your printer becomes inoperable, contact EFI support for a new password. Ink override password The ink override password allows you to print in the event that there is an issue with your ink system.

  • Page 15: Startup

    QS Series Basic Operator's Guide Startup Before getting started each day, you will want to spend some time preparing your printer in order to achieve the best possible print quality. 1. Power-up the printer. 2. Perform your daily printer maintenance. 3.

  • Page 16: Perform Your Daily Maintenance

    QS Series Basic Operator's Guide Emergency stop button (two front, two rear) Power button Perform your daily maintenance The printer maintenance tasks are described in the Preventive Maintenance section of this guide. The daily maintenance procedures are on page 48. If there are any other regularly scheduled maintenance procedures (weekly, monthly, quarterly, semi-annual, or annual) you may want to do them now so they do not...

  • Page 17: Wet Wipe The Jet Packs

    QS Series Basic Operator's Guide Wet wipe the jet packs Wet wipe the jet pack faces with SCAQMD maintenance fluid and a VUTEk-approved wipe. Print a sample jet test 1. From the VUTEk User Interface, right-click Test ( ), on the popup menu, click Check Jets.
  • Page 18 QS Series Basic Operator's Guide Shut off the UV lamps, Stop all mechanical movement within the printer, Stop the unwinder and rewinder. The emergency stop buttons do not remove power from the printer or its electronics. Never use the emergency stop buttons as an alternative to powering down the printer when instructed to do so.

  • Page 19: Printing

    QS Series Basic Operator's Guide Printing A trained operator must be present at all times during printing. Without the immediate intervention of a trained operator, small problems and failures during printing can cause significant damage to your printer. Using the media conveyor belt The media conveyor belt moves the media to be printed into, and out of, the printer.

  • Page 20: Controlling The Media Conveyor Vacuum

    QS Series Basic Operator's Guide 1. From the VUTEk User Interface, click Advance Media ( ) to move the media forward. 2. Click Advance Media again to stop the media. Jogging the media conveyor belt backward You can also use jogging to move the media conveyor belt continuously backward (this moves the media out of the printer).
  • Page 21 QS Series Basic Operator's Guide The unwinder and rewinder attachments are identical in design and function. Unwinder/rewinder The unwinder provides a means of continuously feeding rolled media into the printer while applying a small amount of tension to the media via the air core shaft. This tension helps keep the media feed constant and minimizes media wrinkling.
  • Page 22 QS Series Basic Operator's Guide Directional toggle switch Tension/speed knob Power switch Air nozzle Air core shaft The directional toggle switch determines the direction in which the air core shaft turns (and the direction from which the media feeds off the air core shaft). The switch’s center position is “off,”...

  • Page 23: Loading Continuous Media

    QS Series Basic Operator's Guide Loading continuous media Continuous media moves through the printer on the media conveyor belt. Load the roll of continuous media on the unwinder’s air core shaft; feed over the media conveyor belt and onto the rewinder’s take-up roll. The air core shaft locks the roll in place to ensure consistent tracking of the media.
  • Page 24 QS Series Basic Operator's Guide If the safety chuck will not unlock, the air core shaft is not in the correct position. 3. Carefully lift the air core shaft out of the cradle and place the air core shaft on the floor. Safety chuck Shaft cradle Shaft end...
  • Page 25 QS Series Basic Operator's Guide Collar 9 Click Load Web ( ) to lift the rear media hold down assembly. 10 Continue loading the media through the printer by feeding the media across the conveyor belt. Lift the outfeed media hold down assembly if necessary. 11 Move the leading edge of the media through the printer.

  • Page 26: Media Hold Down Assembly

    QS Series Basic Operator's Guide 15 Tape the media to the empty media roll. Begin taping in the center of the media roll and work toward both edges. 16 Click Print ( ). The media roller will lower, the vacuum will switch on, and the carriage will move to the print position.

  • Page 27: Loading Sheet Media

    QS Series Basic Operator's Guide Infeed media fence and hold down roller Media fence The media fence controls input registration along with the VUTEk User Interface for placement of the printed image. The margins position the image in relationship to the edge of the media fence.

  • Page 28: Installing The Tables

    QS Series Basic Operator's Guide Sheet media feed path Installing the tables The input and output tables can be installed without removing the unwinder or rewinder accessories. The input and output tables are installed over the winder assemblies. 1 Remove any continuous media from the rewinder and conveyor belt.

  • Page 29: Printing

    QS Series Basic Operator's Guide Using the input table 1 If the fence is not already down, click Load Sheet ( ) to lift the rear media hold down assembly and lower the fence. 2 Push the edge of the sheet up against the fence and against the edge guide on the media fence.
  • Page 30 QS Series Basic Operator's Guide Using RIP software to create an .RTL file Refer to your RIP manual for instructions on how to prepare an image file as an .RTL file for printing. Transferring a file There are two methods to transfer .RTL files from the RIP station to your QS Series printer.
  • Page 31 QS Series Basic Operator's Guide Choosing your print options After loading the .RTL file into the active image window you can begin setting your print options. In the VUTEk User Interface, click on the image in the active image window. This opens the Print Options dialog box. For detailed information about setting the individual print options, click Help ( ).
  • Page 32 .RTL file without having to return to the RIP station. EFI recommends using the RIP station to create very large or very complex layouts. Use this procedure only for smaller, simpler layouts.
  • Page 33 QS Series Basic Operator's Guide Creating a queue Creating a queue lets you print the files, or images, in the active window while assigning different print settings or options to each image. A queue uses the print settings and options from each image in the active window.
  • Page 34 QS Series Basic Operator's Guide Day/night backlit The QS Series printer lets you print on the back of media. The back image — the image to be viewed through the media — is mirrored. This is done by printing on the opposite side of the printer with the software manipulating the image.

  • Page 35: Adjustments And Calibrations

    QS Series Basic Operator's Guide Adjustments and Calibrations Setting the head gap The printer automatically adjusts the carriage height at the start of each print. The total carriage height is the sum of the assigned print gap plus the media thickness as measured by the printer.

  • Page 36: Managing Jet Packs

    QS Series Basic Operator's Guide 4 Open the front door and raise the media hold down roller using the adjustment knob on either side of the roller. Slide the 0.060” shim under the left and right sides of the carriage. The shim should touch the media and the bottom of the carriage plate, and there should be a slight resistance when the shim is moved (the shim should not bind).
  • Page 37 The UV curing system is an “always on” system. As a result, a small amount of stray UV radiation may escape from the lamp housings causing ink to cure in or on the jet packs. EFI has taken steps to minimize the amount of stray UV radiation reflecting back to the jet packs.
  • Page 38 Fluorescent light contains UV light which will cure the ink. 2 Using a clean, EFI-approved clean room free wipe soaked in SCAQMD maintenance fluid, remove the ink residue by gently wiping the face of each jet pack on a regular basis (every two to three hours).
  • Page 39 QS Series Basic Operator's Guide A sample of the jet test pattern (partial) The test pattern creates solid and lined areas that correspond to each nozzle in the jet pack for the color being tested. Missing line segments or faded blocks indicate that the jet pack’s nozzles are not firing properly.
  • Page 40 If you detected a missing line segment in the test pattern, if the quick purge does not recover the nozzle, use the following procedure to recover the nozzle. 1. Wipe the jet pack with a EFI-approved wipe saturated in maintenance fluid. 2. From the VUTEk User Interface, choose Ink Purge from the Service list.

  • Page 41: Bidirectional (Horizontal) Alignment Test

    QS Series Basic Operator's Guide Always switch the power off before removing jet packs. 10. Remove the jet pack and use the jet recovery station to recover the missing nozzles. Refer to your Service Guide for instructions on how to remove the jet packs and how to use the jet recovery station.
  • Page 42 QS Series Basic Operator's Guide Correct Misaligned Sample bidirectional alignment test Modifying the bidirectional alignment 1. Choose the bidirectional alignment pattern that appears to be one line (printed directly over one another) and the text is crisp and clear. 2. From the VUTEk User Interface Setup menu, click Bidirectional Settings.

  • Page 43: Step Calibration (Vertical) Test

    QS Series Basic Operator's Guide Step calibration (vertical) test The step calibration test is an easy way to verify vertical print alignment. Improper step size will create horizontal bands between each carriage pass. If banding is present, adjust the step alignment. The step calibration test prints a series of evenly spaced horizontal dashes on the first pass and then repeats the pattern in the opposite direction.
  • Page 44 QS Series Basic Operator's Guide 3. In the Step Settings dialog box, enter the step distance chosen from the pattern from step 1. For example, using the step alignment test above as a reference, you would enter 2.594. Please note that the value from your step alignment test will probably be different from this example.

  • Page 45: Using The Curing Lamps

    QS Series Basic Operator's Guide 7. After you have printed a few of the squares with different step sizes, lay them on the floor and choose the one that looks the best. 8. Take the step size from the best-looking square, and enter it in as your step.
  • Page 46 QS Series Basic Operator's Guide Single Cures with the trailing lamp only Post Cures with the leading lamp only Double Cures with both lamps 3. Click Apply ( ). Adjusting lamp cure energy The lamp cure energy setting adjusts the amount of curing used during the printing process and can be set at high, medium, low, or minimum.

  • Page 47: Ink And Waste System

    QS Series Basic Operator's Guide Ink and Waste System The QS Series printer’s UV-curable ink comes in sealed 3.25- liter containers. This special, “bag-in-a-box” ink supply system provides the maximum possible protection from exposure to light while keeping the ink adequately contained during handling.
  • Page 48 QS Series Basic Operator's Guide Ink cabinet 1. Open the ink compartment doors. 2. Remove the ink support bracket from the box of ink by gently sliding the bracket off the coupler and off the bottom of the ink box. 3.
  • Page 49 QS Series Basic Operator's Guide 10. Set the ink box onto the ink support bar. 11. On the Diagnostics menu, click Ink Status to verify that the new ink box has been initialized. If the ink status is red (not initialized), open the firmware, choose Ink Status, and then click Read Ink Data (in the lower right-hand corner) 12.

  • Page 50: Preventive Maintenance

    After performing each maintenance task, be sure to record the date and time in your Maintenance Log. A properly maintained Maintenance Log can be a valuable diagnostic resource to help EFI’s technical support representatives should they need to help you. Maintenance materials...

  • Page 51: Every Two Hours

    Every two hours 1. Wipe the jet pack faces with SCAQMD maintenance fluid and an EFI-approved wipe. 2. When you’re done, enter the date, time and your initials in the Maintenance Log. This procedure should take about five minutes to complete.

  • Page 52: Every Eight Hours

    QS Series Basic Operator's Guide Every eight hours At least once every eight hours, verify that the printer is operating under optimal conditions by performing the procedures described below. These procedures should take about 10 minutes to complete. 1. Clean and lubricate the carriage rails using a light petroleum-based oil (such as 3-In-One, or similar).
  • Page 53 QS Series Basic Operator's Guide Carriage rails 1 Clean the surface of the carriage rails using a clean lint- free cloth. 2 With the carriage positioned to the far left end, apply light oil (such as 3-In-One) to a lint free cloth and wipe evenly over the surfaces of the upper and lower carriage rails.

  • Page 54: Daily

    4. Do not use acid or abrasive products. Weekly These procedures should take about 60 minutes to complete. 1. Clean ink residue off the UV lens with an EFI-approved clean room wipe and isopropyl alcohol. 2. Clean ink residue off the light shield trays with isopropyl alcohol.
  • Page 55 5. Clean and lubricate the purge wiper rails using a light oil (such as 3-In-One). 6. Clean ink spatter from the encoder strip with an EFI- approved clean room wipe and alcohol. 7. Clean the material detector lens with a clean lint-free cloth or wipe and isopropyl alcohol.
  • Page 56 QS Series Basic Operator's Guide Air filter Static bar Cleaning and lubricating the purge wiper rails The purge-wiper unit can stall if the left and right rails are not clean and lubricated. After several days of use, the oil on the rails begins to wear off and ink begins to build up.
  • Page 57 QS Series Basic Operator's Guide over the top surface of the right inner and left outer rails in order to apply a thin film of oil evenly to the rails. Purge wiper rail Cleaning the material detector lens Apply a small amount of isopropyl (rubbing) alcohol to a lint- free cloth and wipe the lens of the material detector.

  • Page 58: Monthly

    QS Series Basic Operator's Guide Monthly Additional cleaning and lubrication tasks must be performed every month. These procedures should take about 90 minutes to complete. 1. Replace the waste tank. 2. Inspect the filters on the outside of the lamp housings. 3.
  • Page 59 QS Series Basic Operator's Guide 4 Dispose of the old waste tank and its contents in a manner consistent with your local safety and environmental regulations. 5 Ensure the waste tank’s vent hole cap is removed and the hole is open. 6 Insert the float switch assembly into the new waste tank and screw the cap on.
  • Page 60 QS Series Basic Operator's Guide Static bars Pins Umbilical assembly and shelf maintenance As part of the monthly maintenance, the umbilical assembly and shelf must be cleaned using a vacuum cleaner. This will aid in keeping the umbilical assembly clean and ink debris to a minimum, both of which will limit print surface contamination.

  • Page 61: Quarterly

    QS Series Basic Operator's Guide Umbilical assembly Quarterly Additional cleaning tasks must be performed every three months (quarterly). These procedures should take about 90 minutes to complete. Always wear protective goggles, nitrile gloves, and an apron when handling UV-curable ink. Do not open the waste tank or remove the cap from the waste drain tube while purging ink or solvent.
  • Page 62 QS Series Basic Operator's Guide quarterly basis. If significant dust buildup is encountered during cleaning, it may be necessary to perform this task more frequently. To prevent inhalation of airborne particles, a dust mask and safety goggles with side protection must be worn while removing dust from the printer.

  • Page 63: Semi-Annually

    The in-line ink filters in the ink compartment need to be replaced once every six months. Only use EFI-approved ink filters in the QS Series. Using another type of filter may lead to serious damage to the jet packs and termination of all warranties.
  • Page 64 QS Series Basic Operator's Guide Contaminated fluid will significantly reduce the efficiency of the cleaning station and may damage the jet packs. 1. Perform the lockout/tagout procedure. 2. Open the ink compartment access doors. You must wear protective gloves made of nitrile rubber, protective sleeve coverings, protective apron, and safety goggles with side protection while working inside the ink compartment.
  • Page 65 QS Series Basic Operator's Guide 3. Every six months apply high temperature grease to the lamp shutter mechanism. 4. Remove the lamp housing from the carriage. 5. Remove the end cover from the lamp housing. 6. Apply high-temperature grease to the screws attaching the actuator lever to the lamp shutters.

  • Page 66: Annually

    QS Series Basic Operator's Guide Annually Additional cleaning and lubrication tasks must be performed every 12 months (annually). These procedures should take about one hour to complete. Always wear protective goggles, nitrile gloves, and an apron when handling UV-curable ink. Do not open the waste tank or remove the cap from the waste drain tube while purging ink or solvent.
  • Page 67 QS Series Basic Operator's Guide 13. Replace the carriage cover. 14. Perform the startup procedure. OMM-00038-US English-F...

  • Page 68: Shutting Down And Restarting

    QS Series Basic Operator's Guide Shutting Down and Restarting Refer to FTP-00235 Printer Inactivity Guidelines for shutdown and restarting instructions. This document is located on the EFI Customer Support Website: http://www.vuteksupport.com/doc.php?doc=1531. OMM-00038-US English-F...

  • Page 69: Managing Media

    QS Series Basic Operator's Guide Managing Media Your QS Series printer is capable of printing on a wide variety of media. As with any printer, there are some extremes you should be aware of when choosing print media. QS 2000 QS 3200 Maximum width 80.0”...

  • Page 70: Handling Media

    QS Series Basic Operator's Guide materials on racks, lay the rolls into half of the cardboard shipping tube. Corona or plasma treated materials should be stored fully wrapped, in their original packaging. Contact with air will degrade their surface qualities. The storage area should be free from extremes of temperature, dirt, and moisture.
  • Page 71 QS Series Basic Operator's Guide material, the storage and handling of the materials prior to printing can also affect print quality. Keep materials clean and dry. Surface contamination can lessen ink adhesion, so surfaces should be clean and individual sheets handled with gloves. Remove fingerprints and other surface contamination with a clean, dry rag.

This manual is also suitable for:

Vutek qs3200Qs series

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