ENCAD NovaJet 4 User Manual

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NovaJet 4, NovaJet

and ENCAD

OVA

HP-GL, HP-GL/2, and HP RTL are registered trademarks of Hewlett-Packard Company.

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Other trademarks and registered trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

No part of this manual may be copied or distributed, transmitted, transcribed, stored in a

retrieval system, or translated in any human or computing language, in any form or by any

means, electronic, mechanical, magnetic or otherwise, or disclosed to a third party without the

express written permission of ENCAD, Inc., 6059 Cornerstone Court West, San Diego, CA

92121, U.S.A.

REVISION HISTORY

Rev. A

February, 1996

Rev. B

March, 1996

Rev. C

August, 1996

User's Guide

for

Pro-36, and NovaJet Pro-50

P/N 205883 Rev. C

(text P/N 206454)

are registered trademarks of ENCAD, Inc.

User's Guide

Table of Contents

Troubleshooting

Summary of Contents for ENCAD NovaJet 4

Page 1 ENCAD, Inc., 6059 Cornerstone Court West, San Diego, CA 92121, U.S.A.
Page 2 • Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician for help. Changes or modifications not expressly approved by ENCAD, Inc. could void the user's authority to operate the equipment. Note: This product was FCC certified under test conditions that included the use of shielded I/O cables and connectors between system components.
Page 3: United States
Product. In the event of a Warranty exchange, ENCAD will ship replacement Product, next day air, to Buyer at ENCAD's expense, and Buyer will return the defective Product to ENCAD within ten (10) days of receipt of a replacement Product, at Buyer's expense.
Page 4: Material Safety Data Sheet
ENCAD QIS ink is non-hazardous, requiring no special disposal or handling. It can be harmful if swallowed, and should be kept away from children. To obtain a material safety data sheet, contact ENCAD, Inc. at: 6059 Cornerstone Court West San Diego, California 92121-3734 (619) 452-4350 International users should contact their local dealer or distributors.
Page 5: Manual Conventions
User's Guide Manual conventions This user guide covers three printer models: NovaJet 4, NovaJet Pro-36, and NovaJet Pro-50. Unless specifically noted, all functions are identical on all three models. Where instructions or features are unique for a particular model, a note is included in the margin.
Page 6: Installing Additional Memory
Appendix E Glossary - Explains terms used in the manual. Appendix F Technical information - Lists the technical specifications for NovaJet series printers. Appendix G Supplies - Includes a complete list of ENCAD QIS media, ink, cartridges, and spare parts and information for ordering supplies for your printer.
Page 7: Table Of Contents
User's Guide Contents Chapter 1 Introduction .............. 1-1 Printing with NovaJet printers ............... 1-2 Obtaining quality results ................ 1-3 Chapter 2 Getting started ............2-1 Setting the language ................2-4 Loading media ..................2-5 Using the power media feed and takeup system ........2-7 Using the takeup roll ................
Page 8 User's Guide Contents - continued Chapter 4 Positioning an image ..........4-1 Selecting the media standard ............... 4-1 Changing the length of the print area ............4-5 Print area margins ................4-7 Chapter 5 Choosing printing parameters ........ 5-1 CAD printing modes (HP-GL and HP-GL/2 only) ........5-1 Graphics print modes ................
Page 9 User's Guide Contents - continued Appendix A Calibration ..............A-1 Appendix B Installing additional memory ........B-1 Appendix C Menu tree ..............C-1 Appendix D Error messages ............D-1 Appendix E Glossary ..............E-1 Appendix F Technical information ..........F-1 Appendix G Ordering supplies .............
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Page 11: Chapter 1 Introduction
For artists, designers, engineers, and business professionals, ENCAD printers let you experience the creative freedom of excep- tional graphics quality. The NovaJet series of printers cuts hours of production time, while giving you the dramatic impact of high fidelity, photorealistic images.
Page 12: Printing With Novajet Printers
Printing with NovaJet printers The NovaJet series of wide format inkjet printers lets you print on almost anything that will run through the printer, including ENCAD special coated canvas, vinyl, film, and paper. You can create huge designs—the length of your printed piece can be the length of a roll of media (100’...
Page 13: Obtaining Quality Results
(RIPs) which convert Postscript or CGM to HP RTL. When choosing a RIP or a file format converter for output to the printer, make sure it has the features you need. (Contact your ENCAD distributor or dealer for an up-to-date listing.)
Page 14 Use the right ink ENCAD media and inks are scientifically matched for best color results. Be sure to use GO inks with GO media, and GA inks with other ENCAD media. For outdoor applications, use ONLY GO inks. Do not mix inks.
Page 15 When installing cartridges, be sure that the inkjets are clean. For best results, use only ENCAD ink and inkjet cartridges. Unless you use an ENCAD certified refill kit, refilling cartridges will void your printer warranty. Tests with non-ENCAD inks have resulted in smearing, fading, bleeding, and other undesirable effects.
Page 16 User's Guide Caring for your media Store media in its original packaging in a cool, dry area until you are ready to use it. The environment should be stable; i.e., no extremes of heat and cold, and non-condensing humidity. If conditions are outside the operating ranges recommended for the printer, allow the media to acclimate in the operating environment for at least 48 hours before using If you remove a roll of media from the printer, be sure to store it in a...
Page 17: Chapter 2 Getting Started
• the printer is turned on before attempting to print • driver software is installed. Refer to the Readme files on the driver disks provided with your printer. NovaJet Pro-36 and NovaJet Pro-50 NovaJet 4...
Page 18 User's Guide Look at the front of the printer. The panel at the right side includes a vertical line of buttons and LEDs. The following illustration briefly explains the purpose of each button and LED. Later in this chapter you’ll find more detailed explanations and the procedures for using the buttons.
Page 19 User's Guide At the right of the printer you will see a display like the one in the following illustration. With this part of the front panel, you scroll through the menu, select various options and set parameters. The menu tree in the top cover of the printer shows the layout of the menu.
Page 20: Setting The Language
User's Guide To use the printer menu Press any button to alert the printer (if it's in sleep mode). Press the arrow keys to scroll through the Main menu topics. Press Select to choose a menu topic. Press the arrow keys to scroll through the submenus. Press Select to change a submenu option or set a parameter.
Page 21: Loading Media
User's Guide Loading media You can use either roll media or cut sheets; the default is roll media. To ensure straight paper loading and avoid skewing, be sure to hold the media perpendicular to the platen. Use the load lines on the left side of the platen as a guide to correctly loading media.
Page 22 User's Guide Move the right roll guide (viewed from the front) to align the media to the alignment mark on the front of the platen. Lock the right roll guide in place with the indented tab on the rear of the platen. Move the left roll guide (viewed from the front) toward the center of the printer until it fits firmly in the left side of the media roll.
Page 23: Using The Power Media Feed And Takeup System
User's Guide Using the power media feed and takeup system The power media feed and takeup system facilitates long, unattended printing runs by automatically unwinding and rewinding media as prints are generated. It includes a feeder roll, a takeup roll, and a sensor which prevents media from coming into contact with the floor.
Page 24 User's Guide While lifting the leading edge of the media, press the switch on the unwinder unit to advance approximately 18" of media. Align the media to the white line on the back of the platen and feed it through the slot at the back of the printer until it touches the rollers on the platen.
Page 25: Using The Takeup Roll
User's Guide Using the takeup roll The takeup roll allows unattended printing by automatically wind printed media onto a core. When using this option, be sure that the media sensor on the printer's right leg is not blocked. To use the takeup roll In the Printer Setup menu, set the Roll option to TAKEUP.
Page 26 User's Guide Tape the media securely in place at the left and right sides and center. Use at least three pieces of tape. As printing progresses, the media is looped down in front of the takeup core until it is detected by the sensor on the printer leg. The takeup roll is then activated to roll the media.
Page 27 User's Guide To unload the takeup roll When your printing is finished, press the Wind button on the takeup unit to wind any excess media. Press the Cut button on the printer's panel to cut the media. Release the adjustable roll guide and remove the roll. To load sheet media (all models) Note: If you are using sheet media on the NJP-50, be sure the media guides are installed.
Page 28: Manual Media Loading
User's Guide Make sure that the media is flat and under the rollers. Keeping your hands clear of the carriage, press the Load button. The media is sized and pulled to the back of the printer until it reaches the start position on the platen. Manual media loading In some cases the printer may not sense or correctly size certain media.
Page 29 User's Guide Press the arrow buttons to set Options to Advanced, then press Select. The equals sign (=) stops blinking. UTILITIES OPTIONS=ADVANCED Press the Menu key to return to the Main menu. Press the arrow buttons to advance to the Printer Setup menu, then press Select. Press the arrow key to advance to the Load menu, then press Select.
Page 30: Moving The Carriage
User's Guide Press Select, the equals (=) sign will blink. Press the arrow key to ad- vance to the desired media size, then press Select. The equals (=) sign stops blinking and the media is loaded. If your media size is not listed, you will need to select a different media standard, refer to the "Selecting the media standard"...
Page 31: Filling The Ink Reservoir (Njp-36 And Njp-50 Only)
International users can call their local ENCAD sales center. Filling the ink reservoir (NJP-36 and NJP-50 only) Use of inks other than those supplied by ENCAD will void your printer warranty. If you are changing ink types, for example, from GA to GO inks, see Appendix I for changeover instructions.
Page 32 User's Guide If you want to store ink, be sure to use a bottle which originally held the same color of ink. The ink originally in the bottle permeates the surface of the bottle and particles of the previous ink may mix with the new ink and may affect plotting quality if the colors aren't the same.
Page 33 User's Guide To fill the ink reservoir (NJP-36 and NJP-50 only) Note: Before starting, you may want to do the following: • Place a drop cloth under the printer. • Have paper towels handy. • Wear disposable gloves. Open only one reservoir at a time to prevent ink from accidentally spilling and contaminating another color.
Page 34: Priming The Ink Delivery Lines (Njp-36 And Njp-50 Only)
User's Guide Remove the cap from the pouring spout. Remove the rubber cap on the reservoir you want to fill. Verify that the ink color and the reservoir color match. Pour the ink into the reservoir until it reaches the top level indicator on the front of the reservoir.
Page 35 User's Guide To prime the delivery lines (NJP-36 and NJP-50 only) Press Access Cartridges to move the cartridge carrier out of the service station. Be sure the tubing clamps are open. The carriage assembly has four blue tubing clamps on the top which close and open the ink delivery lines.
Page 36 User's Guide Slowly open the priming pump and draw the ink from the reservoir into the priming pump. Watch the line for the flow of ink and for any air bubbles. Stop drawing when ink is flowing into the pump and no air remains in the delivery line (approximately 8 cc).
Page 37: Filling The Ink Cartridges (Njp-36 And Njp-50 Only)
User's Guide Filling the ink cartridges (NJP-36 and NJP-50 only) The NovaJet series printers are designed to use only ENCAD cartridges. Intentional modification of the carriage to accommo- date non-ENCAD cartridges will void the warranty. Installation of new ink cartridges involves filling the ink cartridges, connecting the cartridge to the tubing and fitting, priming the jet plate (with the priming bulb) and installing the cartridge on the carriage.
Page 38: Installing The Ink Cartridges (Njp-36 And Njp-50 Only)
User's Guide Insert the needle of the squeeze bottle into the hole on the top of the empty cartridge. Slowly squeeze the bottle, dispensing all of the ink into the cartridge. Recap the bottle. Installing the ink cartridges (NJP-36 and NJP-50 only) Installing cartridges requires connecting them to the ink delivery line and establishing ink flow through them.
Page 39 User's Guide To install the ink cartridges and initialize printing (NJP-36 and NJP-50 only) Open the tubing clamp on the ink delivery line. If you leave the clamp shut, no ink will be delivered into the cartridge. Remove the blue tape from the jet area of the cartridge. Squeeze the suction bulb to expel as much air as possible.
Page 40 User's Guide Turn the cartridge so there are no twists in the ink delivery line and install the cartridge in its corresponding carriage position. Cartridge positions are labeled in the carriage. Note: It is very important that the ink delivery line is not twisted. To prevent this, be sure the ink delivery line is completely relaxed before installing the cartridge.
Page 41: Installing The Ink Cartridges (Nj4)
User's Guide Installing the ink cartridges (NJ4) NJ4 ink cartridges are supplied filled and can be refilled. (See Appen- dix I for a discussion on refilling the cartridges.) Color images require one cartridge each of cyan, magenta, yellow, and black. Details on ordering replacement cartridges and ink refills are included in Appendix G.
Page 42: Priming For Cartridge Print Check
Use the Prime function to clear the jets and to check that the ink cartridges fire properly. ENCAD recommends that you prime the cartridges when they have not been used for a few days to ensure the best possible print quality.
Page 43: Aligning The Ink Cartridges
User's Guide Aligning the ink cartridges Color calibration aligns the inkjets of the cartridges to each other. Misalignment can result from minute variations in cartridges during manufacturing and from cartridge alignment in the printer. Color test patterns let you check the current horizontal and vertical alignment value and adjust them for the best printing results.
Page 44 User's Guide Pressing the Offline/Reset button a second time returns the printer online. If you press Select while the printer is offline, the printer is reset and the buffer is cleared. 2-44 Getting started...
Page 45: Chapter 3 Setting Printer Options
Setting printer options You can define printer options through your application software or by choosing settings from the printer's menus. NovaJet series printers have the following options: • Language • Dry time • Automatic cutter on/off • Wiper on/off • Media save •...
Page 46: Setting A Dry Time
User's Guide Press the arrow buttons to scroll through the language options. When the language you want to use is displayed, press Select. The equals sign stops blinking, indicating that the language is set. Setting a dry time Unattended prints might require drying time to prevent the ink from smearing when the image touches the basket (or takeup roll if the power media feed unit is installed) or previously printed images.
Page 47: Cutting The Media
User's Guide Cutting the media If the Cut option is set to On (the default), the printer automatically cuts the media when the image is complete. If you want to let the image dry before cutting, specify a Dry Time. See “Setting a Dry Time”...
Page 48: Turning The Wiper Off
User's Guide Turning the wiper off The cartridge jet plates are normally wiped each time the carriage enters the service station during printing. The default for this function is ON. However, if you are having problems with banding, you can sometimes solve the problem by setting the wiper to OFF.
Page 49: Saving User Settings
User's Guide To turn off the Save Media option From the Main menu, press the arrow keys to advance to the Printer Setup menu, then press Select. Press the arrow buttons to advance to the Save Media option, then press Select.
Page 50 User's Guide You can save settings for the following options for HP-GL and HP-GL/2 emulations only: • Pen Width • Pen Color • P1/P2 scaling values • Intersect Control • Rotation To save user settings From the Main menu, press the arrow buttons to advance to the User Settings menu, then press Select.
Page 51: Returning To The Default Settings
User's Guide To use a previously saved user setting From the Main menu, press the arrow buttons to advance to the User Settings menu, then press Select. The display changes to the Select User option. USER SETTINGS SELECT USER=1 Press Select. The equals sign (=) blinks. Press the arrow buttons to scroll through the Select User numbers, then press Select.
Page 52: Setting Printer Options
User's Guide MENU ITEM DEFAULT OTHER OPTIONS (*=HP-GL and HP-GL/2 only) M ODE 4 PA SS ENHANCED DRAFT , NORM AL, 3-PASS DRA FT , (NJ Pro) 3-PASS ENHANCED, 4-PASS ENHANCED, M ONO 600x600, Norm al (NJ4) USER DEFINE OPT IONS EASY ADVANCED SELECT USER...
Page 53: Displaying The Advanced Options
User's Guide To return to the default settings When you choose the Initialize option, all saved user options are lost. See “Saving User Settings” in this chapter for more information. From the Main menu, press the arrow buttons to advance to the Utilities menu, then press Select.
Page 54: Setting The Memory Configuration
User's Guide UTILITIES INITIALIZE Press the arrow buttons to change Option to Advanced, then press Select. The equals sign (=) stops blinking indicating that the Advanced options are selected. Press the Menu button to move back to the previous menu level. Setting the memory configuration The memory option is used to allocate memory to the I/O or the raster buffer.
Page 55: Setting The Ink Level Estimator (Nj4 Only)
User's Guide MEMORY CONFIG I/O=128K, RAS=1M Press the arrow button to scroll the memory options. Press Select, the equals signs (=) stops blinking. Setting the ink level estimator (NJ4 only) Over time and depending on what you’re printing, one or more of the ink cartridges will start to run low on ink.
Page 56 User's Guide To set the Ink Low Level (NJ4 only) From the Main menu press the arrow buttons to advance to the Utilities menu, then press Select. MAIN MENU UTILITIES Press the arrow buttons to advance to the Ink Low Level option, then press Select, the equals sign (=) blinks.
Page 57 User's Guide Follow the procedure (below) for setting the Current Ink Level option. The Current Ink Level value displayed in the printer menu automatically changes as the ink level drops. When installing new cartridges, reset the current level to 100%. To reset the Current Ink Level (NJ4 only) Follow the procedures above for setting the Ink Low Level and the Low Level Stop options.
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Page 59: Chapter 4 Positioning An Image
Positioning an image When you draw an image, you determine its size at the computer. It's important that you know the size of the image and load the appropriate size media because the printer automatically defines the print area based on the loaded media's width. If the image you send from the computer is of a different length or width than the print area defined for the loaded media size, you can change one or all of the following: •...
Page 60 User's Guide You can choose from the following standards: • U.S. Engineering • U.S. Architectural • U.S. Offset (Graphics) • ISO A • ISO B • Met Over A • Special The following tables show both the normal and expanded print areas for the media sizes within each media standard.
Page 61 User's Guide Media Sizes and Maximum Printing Areas for Rollfeed Media Paper Size Normal Print Area Expanded Print Area GRAPHICS (U.S. OFFSET) 11.0" 14.0" 9.8" 12.8" 10.6" 13.6" 11.0" 17.0" 9.8" 15.8" 10.6" 16.6" 17.0" 22.0" 15.8" 20.8" 16.6" 21.6" 19.0"...
Page 62: Paper Size
User's Guide Media Sizes and Maximum Printing Areas for Sheet Media Paper Size Normal Print Area Expanded Print Area GRAPHICS (U.S. OFFSET) 11.0" 14.0" 9.8" 12.0" 10.6" 12.4" 11.0" 17.0" 9.8" 15.0" 10.6" 15.4" 17.0" 22.0" 15.8" 20.0" 16.6" 20.4" 19.0"...
Page 63: Changing The Length Of The Print Area
User's Guide To select the media standard From the Main menu, press the arrow buttons to advance to the Page Format menu, then press Select. MAIN MENU PAGE FORMAT Press the arrow buttons to advance to the Media option, then press Select.
Page 64 User's Guide When the Frame Length option is set to Auto (the default), the printer assigns the length of the print area based on the width of the media and the Margin option selected (Normal or Expand). For example, your Frame Length is set to Auto and your Margins are set to Normal.
Page 65: Print Area Margins
User's Guide FRAME LENGTH =AUTO Press the arrow buttons to scroll through the frame length values, then press Select. The equals sign (=) stops blinking. Press the Menu button to move back to the previous menu level. Print area margins Margins can be set to Normal or Expanded.
Page 66 User's Guide To change the print area margins From the Main menu, press the arrow buttons to advance to the Page Format menu, then press Select. Press the down arrow to advance to the Margins option, then press select. The equals sign (=) blinks. PAGE FORMAT MARGINS=NORMAL Press the arrow buttons to move between Normal and Expand, then press...
Page 67: Chapter 5 Choosing Printing Parameters
Choosing printing parameters This chapter discusses setting printing parameters, including the print mode and advanced print mode options such as firing rate and nesting. Your printer offers several print modes which let you make tradeoffs between speed and quality. The print mode you use depends on various factors, such as your drawing application, whether you’re printing in color or monochrome, and what type of media you’re using.
Page 68 This is the enhanced print mode the graphics users will use most often. Four Pass Enhanced Mode (ENHC 4 PASS) - This mode will provide the best quality image on any of ENCAD's premium papers and film, but is considerably slower than the other print modes. If you have printed your image in three pass enhanced and are not satisfied with the quality, try this mode.
Page 69 User's Guide NovaJet 4 MODE PRINT METHOD UNI- OR # OF PASSES FIRING RATE BI-DIRECTIONAL (Hz) DRAFT 300X300 5000 NORMAL 300X300 5000 600x600 5000 (MONO ONLY) DRAFT 3 PASS 300x300 8000 ENHC 3 PASS 300X300 5000 ENHC 4 PASS 300X300...
Page 70: User Defined Print Modes Using Advanced Options
User's Guide User defined print modes using advanced options The printer lets you customize your own print modes using the Ad- vanced options. When any options are changed, the Mode option will display User Defined. The changes you make will be saved as the User Defined print mode until they are changed.
Page 71 User's Guide Changing the firing rate Firing rate specifies the time between each firing of the ink jets. The predefined print modes are optimized with the most appropriate firing rate. However, you can set the range from 3000 Hz to 10.0 kHz in 100 Hz increments.
Page 72 User's Guide To change the number of passes Follow the procedure in Chapter 3 for displaying the advanced options. From the Main menu, press the arrow buttons to advance to the Print Mode menu. Press the arrow buttons to advance to the # of Passes option, then press Select.
Page 73: Nesting (Hp-Gl And Hp-Gl/2 Only)
User's Guide PRINT MODE PRINT METHOD PRINT METHOD =COLOR Press select, the equals sign (=) blinks. Press the arrow buttons to display the desired Print Method option, then press Select. The equals sign (=) stops blinking. Press Menu to move back to the previous menu level. Nesting (HP-GL and HP-GL/2 only) Nesting lets you save media by arranging prints across the width of the media.
Page 74 User's Guide The following types of prints cannot be nested: • Prints with different margins or media size standards • Prints specified with the P1/P2 option • Prints with different intersect controls • Prints with mixed emulation modes • Prints with different memory requirements. To enable nesting From the Main menu, press the arrow buttons to advance to the Page Format menu, then press Select.
Page 75 User's Guide The printer waits to print a nest until one of the following conditions has been met: • Enough prints have been received to fill the width of the loaded media. • An insufficient memory condition occurs and the printer must proceed to plot with as many prints as will fit in the vector buffer list.
Page 76 User's Guide Nesting auto rotate When Nesting Auto Rotate is on, the Nesting algorithm automatically rotates prints to fit the most images on the media. To enable auto rotate From the Page Format menu, press the arrow buttons to advance to Auto Rotate=.
Page 77: Chapter 6 Working With Your Application
If your software application supports the ENCAD NovaJet 840, ENCAD NovaJet II, or ENCAD NovaJet Pro printers, or HP-GL, HP- GL/2 or HP RTL, follow the instructions in your software application's user documentation for configuring your software for the printer.
Page 78 User's Guide The printer can automatically sense whether your file is HP-GL/2 or HP RTL, but cannot sense whether the file is HP-GL. The printer's default emulation setting is HP-GL/2, which will plot HP-GL/2, HP RTL and files that contain both HP-GL/2 and HP RTL data (merged vector/raster files).
Page 79 ® * Requires a PostScript interpreter for conversion to HP RTL. Refer to the Software Reference Guide available from ENCAD. ** Requires a conversion utility for conversion to HP RTL. Refer to the Software Reference Guide available from ENCAD. If your software doesn’t state that it supports any of the formats listed above, contact the software vendor and ask for the availability of a suitable driver.
Page 80: Setting The Serial Communication Parameters
User's Guide Setting the serial communication parameters If your software or hardware platform only has serial communication capability, check the manuals provided with your system for the required communication parameters prior to setting the RS-422/232 options on the printer. (See Appendix H for serial cabling information.) Setting the baud rate Baud rate is the data transmission rate (in bits per second) between your computer and the printer.
Page 81 User's Guide Setting the parity The RS-422/232 Setup menu lets you select from the following parity options: ODD, 7 BITS OFF, 8 BITS EVEN, 8 BITS ODD, 8 BITS OFF, 7 BITS EVEN, 7 BITS To set the parity Press the arrow buttons to advance to the Parity menu, then press Select. The equals sign (=) blinks.
Page 82 User's Guide Press the arrow key to scroll through the Handshake options, then press Select. The equals sign (=) stops blinking. Press the down arrow to move to the DTR option. Setting the DTR option The DTR (Data Terminal Ready) options are: DTR=NORMAL DTR=BYPASS Set DTR to Normal if the Handshake option is set to Hardwire and to...
Page 83: Chapter 7 Printing Vector Data
Printing vector data This chapter applies only to files that you print using the HP-GL or HP-GL/2 emulations. These functions are otherwise not available. When printing vector data, you can control certain options from your software application, or you can assign control to the printer and set its options.
Page 84: Using The Vector Palette
User's Guide To override software control From the Main menu, press the arrow buttons to advance to the Printer Setup menu, then press Select. MAIN MENU PRINTER SETUP Press the arrow buttons to advance to the Control option, then press Select.
Page 85 User's Guide Setting pen colors using software control If your application has the ability to use 256 simultaneous colors, Software control (the default) should be your preferred method. If you have kept the Control option set for Software in the Printer Setup menu, draw each entity with the color in which you want it to print.
Page 86 User's Guide To set pen colors and pen widths From the Main menu, press the arrow buttons to advance to the Vector Palette menu, then press Select. MAIN MENU VECTOR PALETTE Press the arrow buttons to advance to the Pen Settings option, then press Select.
Page 87: Using Intersect Control
User's Guide PEN SETTINGS 1 WIDTH=0.17 Press the arrow buttons to scroll through the 15 pen widths. Press Select to choose the desired pen width, the equals sign (=) stops blinking. Press the down arrow to move back to choose the next pen number to set and repeat steps 5 through 8.
Page 88: Improving Line-Length Accuracy
User's Guide VECTOR PALETTE INTERSECT CONTRL Press the arrow buttons to move between Add and Single, then press Select. The equals sign (=) stops blinking. Press the Menu button to move back to the previous menu level. Improving line-length accuracy The printer should not require XY calibration, therefore by default the Use XY Calibration option (advanced option) is set to No.
Page 89: Rotating The Image (Advanced Option)
User's Guide Press the arrow buttons to show ADVANCED. Press Select, the equals sign (=) stops blinking. Press the up arrow to move to the Calibration menu and press Select. UTILITIES CALIBRATION Press the down arrow to advance to the Use XY Calibration option. Press Select, the equals sign (=) blinks.
Page 90 User's Guide E SIZE SHEET D SIZE DRAWING To rotate the image Follow the procedure for changing the Control option discussed earlier in this chapter. Be sure Advanced options are selected. From the Main menu, press the arrow buttons to advance to the Page Format menu, then press Select.
Page 91: Making Multiple Prints
User's Guide Making multiple prints You can set the printer to print a specific number of vector files, during printing, as long as there is data in the buffer. When the Reprints option is set to 0, only one image at a time prints. To make multiple prints From the Main menu, press the arrow buttons to advance to the Printer Setup menu, then press Select.
Page 92: Setting The Wait Time
User's Guide With HP-GL/2 emulation, the P1 and P2 defaults are at the corners of the printing area (the Maximum setting). If your CAD software lets you specify the location of P1 and P2, you can choose either normal or maximum locations to reduce or enlarge the printed image.
Page 93: Setting The Ink Limit (Nj4 Only)
User's Guide To set the wait time From the Main menu, press the arrow buttons to advance to the Printer Setup menu, then press Select. Press the arrow buttons to advance to the Wait Time option, then press Select. The equals sign (=) blinks. PRINTER SETUP WAIT TIME=0:00 Press the arrow buttons to increment the minutes and seconds, then...
Page 94: Setting Ink Reduction
User's Guide Press either arrow button to display OFF. Press Select, the equals sign (=) stops blinking. Press the Menu button to move back to the previous menu level. Setting ink reduction Ink reduction lets you reduce the percentage of ink laid down by the printer.
Page 95: Chapter 8 Preparing Your Printer For Transport Or Storage
Preparing your printer for transport or storage Storing the NJ4 Preparing the NJ4 for storage requires only that you remove the ink cartridges. If you saved the blue sealing tape originally on the car- tridges, carefully replace it on the inkjets. If you did not save the blue tape, do not use masking tape or any other type of tape, as this may damage the inkjets.
Page 96: Removing The Ink Cartridges
• If you are returning the cartridge to ENCAD, please drain as much of the ink out of the cartridge as possible, enclose it in a plastic bag, and seal the bag.
Page 97: Purging Ink Delivery Lines
User's Guide Purging ink delivery lines Purge ink delivery lines completely with distilled water so that no ink remains in them. Otherwise, ink may dry in the lines and cause printing problems later. To purge ink delivery lines Notes: • Perform this procedure only when you are preparing the printer for ship- ment or storage.
Page 98 User's Guide After an ink delivery line has been disconnected, drain the ink from the line. You will need a cup of distilled water and someone to assist you with this part of the procedure. Fit the end of the depriming attachment from the NovaInk toolkit into the end of the connector which was disconnected from the ink reservoir.
Page 99 User's Guide The person assisting you should place the needle at the end of the ink delivery line into a cup of water. The assistant should then open the tubing clamp for that line. Draw the ink into the depriming attachment. Keep drawing out the ink until clean water emerges.
Page 100: Draining The Ink Reservoirs
It also will help to avoid any ink spills which could cause damage to the printer. ENCAD recommends that tubing clamps on the ink delivery lines be left open during storage or shipment. To drain the ink reservoirs Note: This step requires two people.
Page 101 User's Guide After removing the left cover assembly, place it in the packing foam that came with the plotter (or otherwise brace the print head to prevent it from tipping) so that the ink does not spill or leak out of the air vents in the top of the ink reservoirs.
Page 102: Returning The Printer For Service
Returning the printer for service If for any reason, you need to return your printer to ENCAD for service, you must remove the ink reservoir assembly and purge the ink supply lines.
Page 103: Appendix A Calibration
Calibration Cartridge calibration For best results, the cartridge calibration must be performed each time you install a new cartridge. The printer draws a series of three patterns. The first pattern, labeled “Current Heads (Y, M, C),” shows yellow, magenta, and cyan "+"s which represent the horizontal and vertical alignment between the cartridges.
Page 104 User's Guide Examine the patterns to determine which value shows the best horizon- tal and vertical alignment between cartridges. These are the values you will set in the printer menu. To print a color pattern for calibration Install ink cartridges in the printer. (See Chapter 2 "Getting started" for cartridge installation instructions.) Load media that is at least 11 inches (280 mm) wide.
Page 105 User's Guide Examine the Current Heads pattern; the colored +’s should align with the black lines. If any of the "+"s don’t align, perform the procedure for adjusting the alignment values. To adjust the alignment values Examine the Horizontal Head-To-Head pattern and determine which value shows the best horizontal alignment.
Page 106 User's Guide XY calibration When you perform XY calibration, the printer draws a set of vertical marks to calibrate the paper axis and a set of horizontal marks to mea- sure the carriage axis. To measure the marks laid down by the printer, you will need a ruler or scale at least 33 inches (838.2 mm) long.
Page 107 User's Guide UTILITIES CALIBRATION Press the arrow buttons to advance to the XY units option, then press Select to choose whether to measure in inches (English) or millimeters (metric). CALIBRATION XY=ENGLISH Press the arrow buttons to advance to the Paper Axis option, then press Select.
Page 108 User's Guide To calibrate the horizontal axis Load the printer with media that is at least 24 inches (610 mm) wide. From the Paper Axis menu, press the down arrow to advance to the Carriage Axis menu. Press Select. The printer prints marks and the display changes. Remove the media from the printer and measure between the witness marks.
Page 109: Acceptable Simm Sizes
4 Megabyte 8 Megabyte Micron MT8D132M-6,-7 MT16D232M-6,-7 Samsung KMM5321200AW-6,-7 Siemens HYM322140S60,70 Toshiba THM3210B0ASG-60,-70 THM3220C0ASG-60,-70 16 Megabyte 32 Megabyte Micron MT8D432M-6,-7 MT16D832M-6,-7 Samsung KMM5324100AK-6,-7 KMM5328100AK-6 Note: ENCAD printers do not use parity. Either 32-but or 36-bit wide SIMMs may be used.
Page 110: Appendix B Installing Additional Memory
User's Guide SIMM installation The SIMMs are located on the PCB inside the right cover. The PCB comes with both SIMM slots empty and 4 MB RAM permanently mounted on the board. The following procedures describe how to remove the right cover, remove any currently installed SIMM(s), install new SIMM(s) and replace the right cover.
Page 111 User's Guide Move the right cover toward the back of the printer as you remove it, so that it clears the parallel port on the back of the unit. Be careful not to damage the LEDs on the PCB. Note: Integrated circuits can be weakened or inactivated by electrical discharge.
Page 112 User's Guide To install the new SIMMs Note: If you are installing two SIMMs: • Install the bottom one first. • The SIMM in the top slot MUST contain AS MUCH OR MORE capacity as the SIMM in the bottom slot. If necessary, remove the plug from the SIMM socket.
Page 113 User's Guide To reinstall the right cover Make sure that all wires are inside the right cover area as you begin to put the right cover back into position, so that none of the wires is pinched between the right cover and the side plate. Align the back of the right cover over the connector clips on the parallel port.
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Page 115: Appendix C Menu Tree
Menu tree This section contains an overview of the printer's menu tree. Menus vary depending on the printer model; differences for the various models are noted. The use of the options is explained elsewhere in this guide. Note: Advanced menu items are in italics. MAIN MENU PRINT MODE - contains options for selecting the printing quality.
Page 116 User's Guide PRINT MODE MODE= - Allows the selection of the predefined print modes. Options: NORMAL (default for NJ4) DRAFT USER DEFINE DRAFT 3 PASS MONO 600x600 ENHC 3 PASS (color only) ENHC 4 PASS (color only) (default for NJPro) DIRECTION= - Selects whether the printer will print in one or both directions across the platen.
Page 117 User's Guide UTILITIES CALIBRATION - Provides access to the calibration procedures. Options: COLOR (default) Vertical and horizontal calibrations for cyan, magenta, and yellow USE XY CALIB=NO [YES] XY=ENGLISH [METRIC] PAPER AXIS CARRIAGE AXIS OPTIONS= - Selects the menu mode Options: EASY (default) ADVANCED NJ4 ONLY...
Page 118 User's Guide INITIALIZE - Resets the printer to the factory defaults. Options: None SELF TEST Use only at the direction of Tech Support. MANUFACTURING Use only at the direction of Tech Support. SERVICE Use only at the direction of Tech Support. USER SETTINGS SELECT USER= - Selects a previously saved USER configuration.
Page 119 User's Guide FRAME LENGTH - Allows you to specify odd sizes for the length of your media. Options: AUTO 5" to 50" in 0.1" (126mm to 1269mm in 2mm and 3mm increments) (default) UNITS = INCHES (default) ROTATION= - (HP-GL and HP-GL/2 emulations only) Rotates vector plots. Options: 0°...
Page 120 User's Guide PRINTER SETUP EMULATION= - Sets the printer's emulation mode. The printer automatically senses between HP-GL/2 and HP RTL. Change default only when using HP-GL. Options: HP-GL (only available when Easy is selected as the Utilities option) HP-GL2/RTL (default) EN-RTL HP7475 HP7550...
Page 121 User's Guide MANUAL SAVE MEDIA= - When enabled, will stop at the end of the plot if the frame length is longer. Options: ON (default) # OF REPLOTS= (HP-GL and HP-GL/2 emulations only) - Replots the vector file in the printer's buffer the selected number of times. Options: 0 to 100 (Default is 0) DRY TIME=...
Page 122 User's Guide Options: English (default), French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish MEMORY CONFIG= - Allocates memory for the I/O buffer and the raster buffer. Options: Depends on the amount of RAM installed NJ4 ONLY ALARM BEEP= - ALLOWS YOU TO TURN THE PRINTERS ALARM BEEP OFF. Options: ON (default) VECTOR PALETTE (HP-GL AND HP-GL/2 EMULATIONS ONLY)
Page 123 User's Guide Options: COLOR= ADD (default) SINGLE NJ4 ONLY PEN CONTROL= (HP-GL and HP-GL/2 emulations only) - Determines whether pen settings are defined through the printer's settings or by the application software. Options: SOFTWARE (default) PRINTER RS-422/232 SETUP BAUD= - Sets the baud rate Options: 1200 2400...
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Page 125: Appendix D Error Messages
Error messages Front panel messages These display messages are helpful in determining the status of the printer and possible corrective action when operation does not appear to be normal. PLOT RECEIVED UNABLE TO CHANGE The user has attempted to make a change to the printer parameters after the plot data has been received.
Page 126 (OE) command. These error codes do not necessarily indicate that the plot will be incomplete or aborted. In some cases, plotting operation may be normal; however, please contact ENCAD’s Technical Support Department or your dealer, so the source of the error can be determined. Error 1 Instruction not recognized.
Page 127 User's Guide RS-422/232 error messages No I/O error has occurred. Output instruction received while another output instruc- tion is being executed. The first is executed while the next instructions are ignored. Invalid byte received after the first two characters, ESC., in a device control instruction.
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Page 129: Appendix E Glossary
Glossary baud rate The rate of data transfer (bits per second between the computer and printer. The smallest unit of digital information used by a computer or printer. buffer The part of the printer's memory that is used for receiving and processing plot files.
Page 130 User's Guide parity A method for checking the transfer of information between the computer and printer. platen The surface on which the printer prints. plot area The area in which the printer prints the image, determined by the width of the media. prime To clear the ink cartridges by forcing them to fire rapidly.
Page 131: Appendix F Technical Information
*= NJP-50 only *= NJP-50 only 40 x 50"* 32 or 68 MB, 70 ns or faster, ANSI E 34 x 44" 48 x 65"* ENCAD approved. ANSI D 22 x 34" 50 x 65"* ANSI C 17 x 22" EMULATIONS:...
Page 132 User's Guide NJ4 - D size NJ4 - E size DIMENSIONS: DIMENSIONS: DIMENSIONS: DIMENSIONS: DIMENSIONS: DIMENSIONS: DIMENSIONS: DIMENSIONS: DIMENSIONS: DIMENSIONS: Height - 42" (105 cm) Height - 48" (121 cm) Width - 44" (112 cm) Width - 55" (140 cm) Depth - 28"...
Page 133: Appendix G Ordering Supplies
Ordering supplies ENCAD media for NovaJet series printers ENCAD offers a full line of inkjet media which gives you brighter, crisper color from your printer. Choose from a variety of sheet and roll sizes. ENCAD ink and media are optimized to work together and were designed for optimal results on your printer.
Page 134 NovaInk is an extended ink system which reduces the interval between cartridge changes. This system is ideal for unattended printing and large batch runs. Each ENCAD NI proprietary cartridge includes the nozzle mechanics, and electrical connections. It draws ink from a reservoir in the printer.
Page 135 Inkjet media for NovaJet Series printers ENCAD Quality Imaging Supplies (QIS) expand the range of projects you can produce with your printer. Put your ENCAD inkjet printer to work creating dazzling presentations, quality fine art, photo-realistic images, impressive signs, eye-catching trade show displays, vivid charts, colorful maps, and more.
Page 136 CAD designs, renderings, maps, or presentation graphics Film ENCAD polyester-based films are engineered for high-impact and vivid color. Five types of film give you the flexibility to create brilliant overlays, overhead projections, signs, posters, and banners.
Page 137 User's Guide QIS Clear Film - 4 mil* Optically clear. Its polymer coating gives excellent resolution and color saturation. Use for overlays, such as printed circuit boards, mapping, screen printing, and overhead projection. May be imaged on both sides. * Use only with Enhanced Printing mode. QIS Backlit Display - 5 mil* Tough, translucent polyester for high quality, backlight displays.
Page 138 (GO) inks and NovaJet printers. Outstanding for outdoor signs. * Use only with Enhanced Printing mode. Overlaminates Overlaminates are used with ENCAD GO media to seal and protect the graphic. They are available with gloss, matte, or luster surfaces. Matte Clear Vinyl Cast Overlaminate Film A premium quality, clear, matte, cast vinyl overlaminate film for use with ENCAD Graphic Outdoor (GO) media.
Page 139: Media Sizes
Media Samples Media samples are available so that you may experiment with a variety of media for your application. Because we are always adding new media, call your authorized ENCAD media dealer for a list of current offerings. Media Cutter (pkg. of 5)
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Page 141: Appendix H Serial Cable
This section defines the serial cable requirements for connecting the printer to your DOS or UNIX based systems. You may build this cable or purchase it from ENCAD, Inc. For connecting to an Apple Macintosh, use the standard LaserWriter cable.
Page 142 User's Guide User's Guide DB-25P DB-25S DB-25S (DB-9S) Mini-Din-8 Male Female Female HSKO 1 2 (3) HSKI 3 (2) TXD- 4 (7) 5 (8) RXD- 6 (6) TXD+ 6 7 (5) 8 (1) RXD+ 8 20 (4) DTR 22 (9) ®...
Page 143: Appendix I Maintenance
Cleaning the service station. Refilling ink reservoirs (NJP-36 and NJP-50 only) Use of inks other than those supplied by ENCAD will void your printer warranty. The NJP-36 and NJP-50 support long, uninterrupted printing runs because of their ink reservoirs, which hold 470 ml of each of four colors.
Page 144 User's Guide To fill the ink reservoir Note: Before starting, you may want to do the following: • Place a drop cloth under the printer. • Have paper towels handy. • Wear disposable gloves. Open only one reservoir at a time to prevent ink from accidentally contami- nating another color.
Page 145: Changing Ink Types
Changing ink types If you are changing from one ink type to another, for example, from ENCAD GA to ENCAD GO ink, you will want to use the Novaink Reservoir Change Kit. This procedure gives you all the information you need to changeover your ENCAD NovaJet Pro printer from Graphic Arts (GA) and Graphic Standard (GS) to Graphic Outdoor (GO) inks.
Page 146 User's Guide Novaink reservoir change kit The Novaink Reservoir Change Kit provides all the tools and parts necessary to: • Make the initial ink changeover simple. • Ensure proper storage and handling of the ink, cartridges, and reservoirs for later use. •...
Page 147 User's Guide Ink changeover procedure To change from one type of ink system to another, you will need to do the following: • Remove and store ink cartridges • Purge delivery lines • Remove and store ink reservoirs (or flush existing ink reservoirs) •...
Page 148 User's Guide To store cartridges Attach a bellows bottle (part of the NovaInk Reservoir Change Kit) to the Luer fitting on the top of the cartridge. Squeeze bellows while installing tightly on cartridge. Dab the jet plate on the cartridge with a lint-free wipe until it stops bleeding. Snap the cartridge into the garage (part of the NovaInk Reservoir Change Kit).
Page 149 User's Guide After an ink delivery line has been disconnected, drain the ink from the line. You will need a cup of distilled water and someone to assist you with this part of the procedure. Fit the end of the depriming attachment from the NovaInk toolkit into the end of the connector which was disconnected from the ink reservoir.
Page 150 User's Guide The person assisting you should place the needle at the end of the ink delivery line into a cup of water. The assistant should then open the tubing clamp for that line. Draw the ink into the depriming attachment. Keep drawing out the ink until clean water emerges.
Page 151: Removing The Reservoirs
User's Guide Removing the reservoirs Tool needed: Phillips head screwdriver Note: This step requires two people. Remove all the cartridges and drain all the lines before beginning to remove the left cover assembly. Three Phillips head screws hold the left cover assembly onto the left side plate.
Page 152 User's Guide Remove the black foam support from the inside of the left cover assembly. At this point, you can either drain, flush, and store the reservoirs or install clean reservoirs provided with the NovaInk Reservoir Change Kit. Draining and flushing ink out of reservoir (do this only if you decide not to replace the reservoir) Tool needed: Phillips head screwdriver Remove each ink reservoir from the side cover.
Page 153: Installing New Cartridges
User's Guide Thoroughly wash rubber caps with distilled or RO water. Flush out the steel tube and CPC fitting on the reservoir using the CPC reservoir adapter. This adapter opens the valve on the reservoir’s tubing connection. Then a syringe can be attached to the adapter and the ink captured in the reservoir tube can be purged.
Page 154 User's Guide Refilling ink cartridges (NJ4 only) Use only the ink provided with your NJ4 cartridge or ENCAD refill kit. Use of any other ink will void your warranty and may damage the printer. Be sure to refill the cartridge with the same color ink it originally contained.
Page 155: Replacing Ink Cartridges
User's Guide DO NOT OVERFILL. The cartridge is overfilled if ink begins to surface from the refill hole. Stop squeezing the ink bottle and allow it to slightly re-inflate (release pressure). This will draw some of the ink back into the bottle to prevent overflowing.
Page 156 User's Guide NJP-36 and NJP-50 Before installing the cartridge in the carrier, you need to prime it to remove any air bubbles inside it and start the flow of ink. Before starting this process, locate the NovaInk Tool Kit supplied with your printer. You will need the jet plate suction bulb.
Page 157 User's Guide If you are returning the cartridge to ENCAD, drain or extract as much of the ink out of the cartridge as possible, enclose it in a plastic bag, and seal the bag. Do not put the blue tape (or any other tape) over the jet area of the car- tridge;...
Page 158 User's Guide To install new ink cartridges (NJP-36 and NJP-50 only) All new cartridges must be filled, connected to the ink delivery line, primed, and snapped into the carriage. Caution: do not remove the blue tape yet. Hold the cartridge upright. Do not touch the flex area of the cartridge.
Page 159 User's Guide Make sure the suction bulb is making good contact with the jet area. Release the pressure on the suction bulb so it draws ink through the jet area of the cartridge. If you don't see ink in the jet area, repeat the process. Gently blot the nozzle with a lint-free cloth.
Page 160: Periodic Cleaning
User's Guide If the cartridge is firing properly, the bands in the plot will be smooth without dark streaks or white lines. The diagonal lines should not look fuzzy or contain gaps. If the cartridge is not firing properly, repeat the priming and installation procedure.
Page 161: Cleaning The Service Station
User's Guide necessary. If the cartridges fire correctly, perform the appropriate calibration procedure from Appendix A. If the cartridge continues to misfire, close the tubing clamp, remove the tube fitting, and remove the cartridge. Rinse the ink from the bottom of the cartridge using warm distilled water.
Page 162: Materials To Use For Cleaning
User's Guide Dry the service station and replace it, making sure the release tab re- latches. Press the Access Cartridges button to return the carriage to the service station. Periodic cleaning The table that follows identifies periodic cleaning which you can perform to keep your printer in top operating condition.
Page 163 User's Guide Components to annually inspect The following components should be cleaned and inspected for damage on an annual basis and replaced if necessary. • Carriage belt • Trailing cable • Service station seals and wipers • Motors • Cutter This page intentionally blank.
Page 164 User's Guide I-164 Maintenance...
Page 165: Appendix J Troubleshooting
Troubleshooting This appendix contains valuable information to help you solve the most common printer problems for NovaJet series printers. The problems addressed are divided into these types: Printer health • • Print quality • Data transfer • Application software • HP-GL A separate index is provided at the end of this appendix to help you quickly locate discussions of symptoms and their solutions.
Page 166 User's Guide If your printer fails during any of the above steps, call your ENCAD distributor/dealer or call ENCAD Technical Support. Otherwise, continue with the steps that follow. 4. Send the demo print directly to the printer. For example, on a PC, type: go /b *.rtl lpt1.
Page 167 If you are using the serial port, make sure you’re using the correct interface cable and that it is securely connected to the proper ports on both the printer and the computer. (ENCAD serial cable PN 203977) If you are using a serial interface, make sure that the RS-232/422 settings match the requirements of your hardware and software.
Page 168 User's Guide File will not print If you are using a serial cable, check that it is ENCAD PN 203977. Be sure that RS232/422 settings in your software match those on your printer. Check your electrical connections. From your software application, print to a file and send the file to the printer in DOS using the DOS Copy command.
Page 169 User's Guide Takeup roll doesn't stop turning (printers with power media feed) Check that the sensor is not blocked. There should be nothing between the sensor and media. Takeup roll doesn't turn when using clear media Block takeup sensor to be sure that take-up rollers advance. Call Techni- cal Support for instructions on applying a smaller cover over the sensor lens.
Page 170 If the carriage is in the same spot, check the encoder strip for visible damage (clear plastic strip under the trailing cable tray and above the belt) Refer to the figure which follows. NovaJet 4/Pro/Pro 50, front view Encoder strip under second trailing cable cover level, (clear plastic strip directly behind the shaft)
Page 171 User's Guide Remove the cutter from the left side of the carriage and check it for visible damage. Make sure cutter version A is installed (see the figure below). Check the shaft for visible damage (carriage moves back and forth on it during operation).
Page 172 User's Guide Check that the Luer fitting is tightly secured. If a leak appears at the Luer-steel tubing connection, call Technical Support. Cannot draw ink during initial siphon (NovaJet Pro models only) Check that the clamp on the carrier is open. Check that the CPC connection to the ink reservoir is secure.
Page 173 User's Guide Be sure the ink reservoirs are not empty. Make sure there are no air bubbles in the ink delivery lines. (Ink reser- voirs do not need to be emptied unless the unit is being shipped or put into storage.) Cartridges leaking (NovaJet Pro models only) Check that reservoirs are not overfilled.
Page 174 User's Guide What if I need a firmware upgrade? You can download firmware upgrades from ENCAD’s BBS or from the Internet WEB page. (See Technical Bulletins 42 and 55 on either the BBS or WEB page.) Print Quality No print appears Check that tape has been removed from the printhead before using the cartridge.
Page 175 User's Guide Prime the ink cartridges. They may have become clogged if the printer has not been operated for a period of time. (See "Priming for Cartridge Print Check" in Chapter 2.) Make sure the printer is positioned on level ground. Cartridge spits small amounts of ink on paper Nozzle plate may be flooded.
Page 176 You can define whether you want monochrome to be printed as black and white (true monochrome) or as grayscale. Use NovaJet firmware 1.4B or later. Firmware can be downloaded via the ENCAD BBS or Internet WEB page. The monochrome setting on the NovaJet defaults to grayscale. Select black in your software or set Control=Printer and set all pen colors to pen number 1.
Page 177 User's Guide Check ENCAD's WEB site or bulletin board and download the latest Windows drivers. These drivers have calibrated color tables which act as a filter to your file and make the colors come out closer to what is on your computer screen.
Page 178 Consistent banding is a hardware problem; inconsistent banding is generally a software problem. Use specially coated inkjet media. ENCAD provides a full line of high quality inkjet media. (See Appendix G.) Change the Print Mode option to one of the Enhanced modes. Try 3 or 4- pass enhanced.
Page 179 User's Guide Portions of lines are missing Repeat prime several times. Remove and reinstall cartridge; repeat prime. Remove and clean cartridge; repeat prime. Clean service station; clean cartridge again; repeat prime. Clean carriage flex cable and cartridge electrical contacts; repeat prime. Do not use alcohol, acetone, or other cleansers.
Page 180 Be sure that your baud rate, parity, and emulation are set correctly. (See "Setting Serial Communication Parameters" in this User’s Guide.) If you are using a serial cable provided by a vendor other than ENCAD, be sure that the pinouts match those in Appendix H. If the non-ENCAD serial cable is not working, order ENCAD cable 203977.
Page 181 User's Guide No output when printing from Unix If you encounter “no output” problems when printing from Unix, try the following: 1. Check the printer hardware. Check that the printer is plugged in and turned on. • • Check that the cable is connected to the port on the printer and the port on the workstation or server.
Page 182 User's Guide • Check that the port monitor is configured correctly on the print server. • Check that the network listen services are registered with the port monitor on the print server. 3. Check the LP print service. • On both the print server and print client, make sure the LP print service is running.
Page 183 User's Guide Application Software Isolating a problem to your software Sometimes printing problems are application software-specific. Try printing the “Demo Plot” on the Utilities disk. If the demo prints, the printer’s health is probably good. Try printing a demo file from your Utilities disk. (See the Troubleshoot- ing Quick List on page J-1.) Try printing a simple file from your application or from another appli- cation.
Page 184 MEMORY FULL message The print file is too large for the printer’s buffer. Install additional memory to print this file, or use ENCAD’s Vector to Raster Conversion Utility. (Instructions for installing additional memory are in Appendix B. Appendix G has ordering information.) If you are using AutoCAD, use the ENCAD ADI driver.
Page 185 User's Guide If you are using ENCAD’s ADI driver, be sure the long print capability has been configured. Print is not to scale When you load new types of paper, you must perform the X-Y calibra- tion. Make sure that Calibration = ON before starting the calibration.
Page 186 Dotted or grainy vector lines instead of solid Select a fully saturated color for thin vector lines, either in your applica- tion or on the printer. If you are using the ENCAD palette, choose highly saturated colors from the demo print. If you are using the application’s palette, print an example of all the application’s colors and select a...
Page 187 Windows 95, but does not support Windows NT. Use the HP-GL/2 driver provided with Windows NT. Be sure you are using the latest driver. Check the ENCAD BBS or Internet WEB page and download a new driver if necessary.
Page 188 If you have tried the suggestions in this manual and still need assistance, call the ENCAD dealer where you purchased your printer. Other sources of help are listed inside the front cover and on the first three pages of this manual.
Page 189: Customer Technical Support
Internet WEB Page http://www.encad.com ENCAD’s home page gives you 24-hour access to product news, company information, and technical support. You can view any or all of the technical bulletins and download test files and drivers.
Page 190 User's Guide J-190 Troubleshooting...
Page 191: Troubleshooting Index
User's Guide Troubleshooting Index application software elongated plot, J-21 isolating a problem to, J-19 emulation error, J-20 area fills banding in, J-14 AutoCAD file does not print, J-10 ADI driver for versions 12 and 13, J-23 flex cable, J-9 banding in area fills, J-14 gaps in prints, J-21 BBS, J-25 bleeding, J-11...
Page 192 User's Guide prints difficulty generating D or E size plots, J- Macintosh workstation 19, J-20 drivers, J-16 mono-mode appear in gray scale, J-12 parallel connection, J-16 problems connecting to, J-16 serial RS-232 connection, J-16 Quick List, J-1 MEMORY FULL message, J-4, J-20 plotter problems, J-1 mono mode prints, J-12 raster file...
Page 193 User's Guide vector/raster file incorrect plot, J-10 Windows driver, J-23 wrong size print, J-20 Troubleshooting J-193...
Page 194 Problem Report ATTENTION: TECHNICAL SUPPORT AND SERVICE DEPARTMENT 6059 Cornerstone Court West San Diego, CA 92121-3734 Technical Support FAX: 619-546-0659 TO: ENCAD Technical Support Department # of pages: ____ ATTN: Help Desk From: ___________________________________________________ Company: _______________________________________________ Phone: __________________________________________________ FAX: ___________________________________________________ Re: _____________________________________________________ Printer model, firmware, rev.
Page 195 User's Guide Date Problem Case# Support Rep. Troubleshooting J-195...
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Page 197: Index
Index Note: troubleshooting topics are included in a separate index at the end of Appendix J. access cartridges, 2-14 default, 2-3 ink cartridge jet plate additional memory default settings, 3-7 cleaning, I-18 SIMM installation, B-2 demo plot, C-9 ink cartridges, I-13, sizes, B-1 dimensions, F-2 I-13, 2-22, 2-25...
Page 198 User's Guide print mode, C-2 direction, C-2 line-length accuracy, 7-6 obtaining quality results, firing rate, C-2 loading media mode, C-2 roll, 2-5 offline, 2-27 plot area, C-5 options print method, C-2 advanced printer control, 7-3 easy, 2-3 printer menu, 2-4 ordering supplies, G-1 printer setup, C-6 main menu, C-1...
Page 199 User's Guide rotating the image, 7-7 RS-422/232, 6-1 vector data setup, C-9 printing, 7-1 baud, C-9 vector palette, 7-2, C-8 DTR, C-9 intersect control, C-8, handshk, C-9 parity, C-9 pen settings, C-8 save media, 3-4 scaling the print area, wait time, 7-10 7-9, 7-10 serial cable, H-1 serial communication...
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This manual is also suitable for:

Novajet pro-36 Novajet pro-50

ENCAD NovaJet 4 User Manual

Chapter 1 Introduction

Chapter 2 Getting Started

Chapter 3 Setting Printer Options

Chapter 4 Positioning an Image

Chapter 5 Choosing Printing Parameters

Chapter 6 Working with Your Application

Chapter 7 Printing Vector Data

Chapter 8 Preparing Your Printer for Transport or Storage

Appendix A Calibration

Appendix B Installing Additional Memory

Appendix C Menu Tree

Appendix D Error Messages

Appendix E Glossary

Appendix F Technical Information

Appendix G Ordering Supplies

Appendix H Serial Cable

Appendix I Maintenance

Appendix J Troubleshooting

Quick Links

Troubleshooting

Related Manuals for ENCAD NovaJet 4

Summary of Contents for ENCAD NovaJet 4

This manual is also suitable for:

Table of Contents