Datacard Group RP90, RL90 User Manual

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RP90 Plus E Card Printer and RL90 Card Laminator:

User Guide

June 2008

Part Number 570024-00

2 Rev B

Please note and heed the WARNING and CAUTION labels that have been placed on the equipment for your safety. Please do not attempt to operate or repair this equipment without adequate training. See “Safety” on page vi for the basic safety tips to ensure safe operation and maintenance of this equipment.

Regulatory compliance

These Datacard Group products conform to regulatory requirements as specified in North America, Europe, and Asia. See

““Regulatory compliance” on page 82 for more information.

Trademark acknowledgments

Datacard and ID Works are registered trademarks of DataCard Corporation in the United States and/or other countries.

Microsoft, Windows and Windows Vista are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation.

All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

Names and logos on sample cards are fictitious. Any similarity to actual names, trademarks, or trade names in coincidental.

Proprietary Notice

All drawings and information herein are the property of DataCard Corporation. The design and information contained in these materials are protected by US and international copyright laws.

Revision Log:

RP90 Plus E and RL90 User Guide

Revision Date Affected Pages Description of Changes

A October 2005 All RP90 Plus Release

B June 2008 All RP90 Plus E Release

ii RP90 Plus E and RL90 User Guide

Liability statement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . vi

Safety . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . vi

Safe environment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . vi

Safe human interface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . vi

1 Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

About this manual . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

Who to call for assistance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

About the Printer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

The outside of the printer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

The inside of the printer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

The back of the printer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

About the laminator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

The parts of the laminator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

2 Using the printer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Load Supplies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Load cards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Load ink ribbon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Load retransfer film . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Load laminate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Power on . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Check the PC connection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Optional laminator connection. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

Power on the laminator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

LCD sequence on laminator startup. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Power on the printer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

LCD sequence on printer startup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Prepare to print cards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Initialize the ink ribbon. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Set the retransfer film type . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Initialize the retransfer film . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

Initialize the patch or topcoat material

(optional RL90 laminator only) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

Printing cards. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Print cards using ID software . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Print from a PC application . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

3 Viewing and changing

printer settings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

Printing Preferences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

Printing Properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

Status Monitor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

Open the Status Monitor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

Close the Status Monitor. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

Printer Status tab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

RP90 Plus E and RL90 User Guide iii 539653-002 Rev B

Printer Setting tab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

Retransfer tab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28

Bend Remedy tab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28

Media Setting tab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

Property tab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30

Printer Select tab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30

Others tab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31

Status monitor messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31

Using the LCD menus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

About the Printer LCD panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

Using the Printer LCD panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36

About the Laminator LCD panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41

Using the Laminator LCD panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42

4 Taking care of your printer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43

Cleaning the printer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44

Cleaning the card cleaning rollers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44

Card feed roller . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44

Cleaning the card feed rollers and heat roller . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45

Cleaning the magnetic head . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46

Cleaning the thermal head . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47

Cleaning printer fan filters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47

Preparing the printer and laminator for transport . . . . . . . . . . 48

Cleaning the laminator. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49

Run a laminator cleaning card . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49

Cleaning the laminator cartridge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50

Laminator fan filter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50

5 Messages

and error recovery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51

Printer roller layout . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51

Printer error recovery. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52

Hopper jam . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52

Turnover jam . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53

Retransfer section jam . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54

Mending broken ink ribbon or retransfer film. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55

Bend remedy. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56

Bend remedy printer settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56

Bend remedy laminator settings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57

Printer LCD messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58

Laminator error recovery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62

Card jam . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62

Patch position . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64

Laminator LCD messages. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65

6 Supplies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67

Ink ribbon, retransfer film, and laminator material. . . . . . . . . . 68

Ink ribbon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68

iv RP90 Plus E and RL90 User Guide

Retransfer film . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68

Laminator material . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68

Cards. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68

Card size . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69

Card material . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69

Cleaning supplies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69

7 Site requirements. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71

Site guidelines. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72

Operating environment. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .72

Ventilation clearance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73

Storage Environment for supplies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73

Printer specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74

Laminator specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75

A Magnetic Stripe Encoding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77

Inline Encoding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78

Example . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78

Character Code Table . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79

B Compliance (FCC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81

Regulatory compliance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82

Notice for USA (FCC notice) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82

Notice for Canada . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82

Notice for Europe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82

Notice to Users of Printers Equipped with

Contactless Smart Card . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82

RP90 Plus E and RL90 User Guide v

Liability statement

This Datacard® product has been built to the high standards of DataCard Corporation Corporation (doing business as Datacard Group). Please note and heed the WARNING and CAUTION labels that have been placed on the equipment for your safety. PLEASE DO NOT ATTEMPT TO OPERATE OR REPAIR THIS EQUIPMENT WITHOUT ADEQUATE TRAINING. ANY USE, OPERATION OR REPAIR IN CONTRAVENTION OF THIS DOCUMENT IS AT YOUR OWN RISK. BY ACCEPTANCE OF THIS SYSTEM YOU HEREBY ASSUME ALL LIABILITY CONSEQUENT TO YOUR USE OR MISUSE OF THIS EQUIPMENT. DATACARD CORPORATION SHALL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY INCIDENTAL, INDIRECT, SPECIAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGE OF ANY KIND. Equipment specifications, applications and options are subject to change at the sole discretion of DataCard Corporation without notice.

Safety

All Datacard® products are built to strict safety and reliability specifications in accordance with UL60950 and Canadian requirements, and the Low Voltage Directive 73/23/EEC. Therefore, safety issues pertaining to operation and repair of Datacard® equipment are primarily environmental and human interface.

The following basic safety tips are given to ensure safe installation, operation and maintenance of Datacard® equipment and are not to be considered as comprehensive on all matters of safety.

Liability statement

Safe environment

• Connect equipment to a grounded facility power source. Do not defeat or bypass the ground lead.

• Place the equipment on a stable surface (table) and ensure floors in the work area are dry and non-slip. Insulated rubber floor mats are preferred.

• Know the location of equipment branch circuit interrupters or circuit breakers and how to turn them on and off in case of emergency.

• Know the location of fire extinguishers and how to use them. ABC type extinguishers may be used on electrical fires.

• Know local procedures for first aid and emergency assistance at the customer facility.

• Use adequate lighting at the equipment.

• Maintain the recommended range of temperature and humidity in equipment area.

• Keep paper and foreign materials off the printer and optional laminator.

• Keep all dust, dirt, food, liquids, etc. away from the printer at all times.

Safe human interface

• Use proper lifting techniques when moving or installing the equipment.

• Use standard electrostatic discharge (ESD) precautions when working on or near electrical circuits.

vi RP90 Plus E and RL90 User Guide

Introduction

About this manual

This manual provides detailed information about the Datacard® RP90 Plus E card printer and the optional Datacard basic information about the printer and laminator including drawings and parts identification. The second section provides the information needed to use the printer, and the third section talks about viewing and changing printer settings including printing preferences and setting properties. Detailed error recovery information is provided in section five and includes LCD messages and how to recover from them. Printer supplies, storage information, and specifications are included in section six.

RL90 card laminator. The first section provides operators with

Who to call for assistance

If you work with a Datacard-authorized dealer, distributor, or value-added reseller, contact them for assistance. A value-added reseller provides the RP90 Plus E printer and optional RL90 laminator as part of an overall system.

If any contents of the box are missing, contact your Datacard-authorized dealer, distributor or reseller. If you purchased your printer directly from Datacard, contact the Datacard Customer Care Center at 1.800.328.3996 for service in the United States and Canada. For worldwide service, call the Datacard Customer Care Center directly at 952.988.2316. Make sure you have the printer serial number, located on the back of the printer and optional laminator serial number, when you call.

RP90 Plus E and RL90 User Guide

About the Printer

The Datacard® RP90 Plus E card printer uses retransfer printing technology to produce high-quality, edge-to-edge printing on one or both sides of a variety of PVC and non-PVC card surfaces, including contact and contactless smart cards. The retransfer printing process uses two ribbon types –a color ink ribbon and a retransfer film. The ink ribbon is available in YMCK (Yellow, Magenta, Cyan, and Black) or YMCKK format. The printer uses these colors to print images on the retransfer film, and a heat roller to transfer the image onto a card. The printer can be equipped with optional magnetic stripe and smart card capabilities.

The outside of the printer

About the Printer

Printer door Open the door to access the ink ribbon and retransfer film

cartridges.

Printer LCD panel Shows the printer status and any messages. Use it to change

printer settings. (You can also use the driver Status Monitor, if installed, to change some printer settings.)

Door latch Slide the latch to the right to open the printer door.

Card hopper Load blank cards.

Power switch Press the switch to power on the printer.

Fan filter Helps reduce airborne contaminates entering the printer.

Card discharge slot Cards removed from the print area exit here. If the optional RL90

laminator is installed, cards exit the printer and enter the laminator here.

Smart card module An optional smart card module is available.

Card stacker Printed cards exit here. If the optional laminator is installed, the

card stacker is attached below the laminator’s card discharge slot.

2 RP90 Plus E and RL90 User Guide

About the Printer

The inside of the printer

Retransfer film cartridge Holds the retransfer film.

Film cartridge eject button Press to release and remove the retransfer film cartridge.

Ink ribbon cartridge Holds the ink ribbon.

Ribbon cartridge eject button Press to release and remove the ink ribbon cartridge.

Card discharge slot Cards removed from the print area exit here. If the optional

RL90 laminator is installed, cards exit the printer and enter the laminator here.

Card stacker receptacle Attach the card stacker here.

Card cleaning rollers Removes dust or debris from the cards before printing.

Jog lever Used to turn the jog wheel when clearing a card jam.

Card bracket Slide to the left to load cards and to the right to hold cards

in position.

RP90 Plus E and RL90 User Guide 3

The back of the printer

About the Printer

Power receptacle Plug in the power cord.

USB port Plug in the USB cable.

Ethernet port Plug in the Network cable.

Laminator connection port Used to connect the optional laminator module or other

optional equipment.

Future expansion ports Not used at this time.

CAUTION:

Do not connect or disconnect the laminator cable while the printer or

laminator are powered on.

CAUTION:

Do not keep the power cord connected to facility power unless the

printer is also connected to the power cord.

4 RP90 Plus E and RL90 User Guide

About the laminator

The Datacard® RL90 card laminator is an optional laminating module that works with the RP90 Plus E printer to add topcoat or patch material to printed cards. Holographic laminating material is also available for added security and tamper resistance. A printed card can be laminated manually by simply inserting it into the laminator, or automatically by transferring the printed card from the RP90 Plus E printer to the laminator module.

The parts of the laminator

Laminator door Open the door to access the laminator cartridge.

Laminator cartridge Holds the laminate material.

Cartridge eject button Press to release and remove the cartridge.

Laminator LCD panel Shows the laminator status and any messages. Use it

to change laminator settings.

Power switch Press the switch to power on the laminator.

Power receptacle Plug in the power cord.

Printer port Connection port for the printer.

Card stacker Laminated cards exit here.

Future expansion port Not used at this time.

Card inlet slot Cards enter the laminator here.

CAUTION:

Do not connect or disconnect the laminator cable while the printer or

laminator are powered on.

RP90 Plus E and RL90 User Guide 5

About the laminator

6 RP90 Plus E and RL90 User Guide

Using the printer

This section describes how to perform basic tasks required to operate the Datacard® It describes how to:

Load supplies

•

• “Load ink ribbon” on page 9

• “Load retransfer film” on page 10

• “Load laminate” on page 11

Power on

•

• “Optional laminator connection” on page 13

• “Power on the laminator” on page 14

• “Power on the printer” on page 15

Prepare to print cards

•

• “Set the retransfer film type” on page 16

• “Initialize the retransfer film” on page 17

• “Initialize the patch or topcoat material (optional RL90 laminator only)” on

Print cards

•

• “Print from a PC application” on page 19

Begin with the printer set up and the printer driver installed. This printer must be installed by Datacard authorized and trained personnel. If the printer is not set up, contact your service provider.

RP90 Plus E printer and the Datacard® RL90 card laminator.

“Load cards” on page 8

“Check the PC connection” on page 12

“Initialize the ink ribbon” on page 16

page 17

“Print cards using ID software” on page 18

RP90 Plus E and RL90 User Guide

Load Supplies

Load cards

Tips: Handling cards

• Do not open the card

hopper when “Loading” is displayed on the LCD panel.

• Do not touch the

surface of cards before printing them. (Oils on hands will reduce printing quality.)

• Handle cards by the

edges or wear cotton gloves.

• Cards can stick

together. Slide or fan cards to separate the edges.

• Orient all cards the

same way.

• Do not use cards that

are bent or otherwise damaged.

• See “Supplies” on

page 67

card information.

for specific

Load Supplies

The card hopper can hold approximately 250, .030” (.75mm) cards. The cards are loaded and held in position with a card bracket. Make sure that magnetic stripe or smart cards are loaded in the proper orientation for processing.

1 Open the card hopper.

2 Slide the card bracket to the left until it latches.

3 Insert cards. See the diagrams below for the correct card orientation.

— Load magnetic stripe cards with the magnetic stripe down and

facing the card bracket.

— Load smart cards with the smart card chip toward the back of the

card hopper, facing the card feed roller.

4 Slide the card bracket back into position carefully so cards are not

disturbed and your fingers do not get pinched.

5 Close the card hopper.

Magnetic stripe card orientation

Smart card chip orientation

8 RP90 Plus E and RL90 User Guide

Load Supplies

Load ink ribbon

Tips: Handling ink ribbon

• Do not touch the printing

surface of the ink ribbon. (Oils on hands will reduce printing quality.)

• Place the cartridge on a

smooth level surface when loading or reloading.

• Keep unused ink ribbon

in the original package until ready for use.

• Initialize the ink ribbon

each time you remove and replace the ink ribbon cartridge. See

“Initialize the ink ribbon” on page 16

• See “Storage

Environment for supplies” on page 73

on storing ink ribbon.

• See “Ink ribbon” on

page 68

information about ink ribbon supply.

for information

for more

1 Slide the door latch to the right

and open the printer door.

2 Press the ink ribbon cartridge

eject button to remove the orange cartridge.

3 Remove both used ribbon

spools from the cartridge (if present).

4 Load the new roll of ink ribbon

on the cartridge:

a Put the full spool of ribbon

on the orange supply spindle as shown.

b Put the empty take-up

spool on the black take-up spindle.

c Align ribbon along the three

ribbon guides.

d Take up any slack by

turning the supply knob clockwise. The supply knob must be pulled out slightly to turn. If slack cannot be removed, check that the supply and take-up spools are firmly seated on the spindles.

5 Replace the loaded ribbon cartridge in the printer until it clicks into

position.

6 Close the printer door.

RP90 Plus E and RL90 User Guide 9

Load retransfer film

Load Supplies

Tips: Handling retransfer film

• Place the cartridge on a

smooth level surface when loading or reloading.

• Do not touch the printing

surface of the retransfer film. (Oils on hands will reduce printing quality.)

• After powering on the

printer, the retransfer film must be initialized. See

“Initialize the retransfer film” on page 17

for more

information.

• Keep unused film in the

original package.

• Don't place film on a dusty

or dirty surface — dirt can affect print quality.

• When the retransfer film

has run out, “Media Run Out” appears on the LCD panel. After replacing it, press the RESET key and then the ENTER key to initialize the film.

• See “Retransfer film” on

page 68

for more information about retransfer film.

1 Slide the door latch to the right

and open the printer door.

2 Press the retransfer film

cartridge eject button to remove the green cartridge.

3 Remove both used film spools

from the cartridge (if present).

4 Load the new roll of retransfer

film on the cartridge:

a Put the full roll of film on

the green supply spindle as shown.

b Put the empty take-up

spool on the black take-up spindle.

c Align the retransfer film

along the three film guides.

d Wind two frames of film

onto the take-up spool.

e Take up slack by turning

the supply knob clockwise. The supply knob must be pulled out slightly to turn. If slack cannot be removed, check that the supply and take-up spools are firmly seated on the spindles. To ease installation, the film must be tight along the film guides. Turning the supply and take-up knobs will help maintain the proper tension.

5 Replace the loaded retransfer film cartridge in the printer until it clicks

into position.

6 Close the printer door.

10 RP90 Plus E and RL90 User Guide

Load Supplies

Load laminate

Tips: Handling patch or topcoat material

• After powering on the

laminator, the patch or topcoat material must be initialized. Press the laminator’s RESET/

K and

then the ENTER keys to initialize the material.

• The inside of the laminator

contains hot surfaces. Use care when working in these areas.

• Keep unused laminating

material in the original package.

• Don't place material on a

dusty or dirty surface — dirt can affect card quality.

• During the laminating

process, do not turn the power switch off, open the laminator door, or unplug the laminator.

• See “Laminator material” on

page 68 for more information

about laminating material.

1 Open the laminator door by

pulling the top of the door toward you.

2 Press the laminator cartridge

eject button and remove the laminator cartridge carefully. The material must be tight when removing the cartridge.

3 Place the roll of

material and empty take-up spool side by side on a clean surface.

4 Remove the label from the

patch or topcoat material and use it to secure the free end of the material to the empty takeup spool, making sure the edges are even.

5 Load the new roll of material

on the cartridge:

a Put the full roll of material

on the supply spindle.

b Put the empty take-up

spool on the take-up spindle.

c Align the material along

the four metal guides as shown on the cartridge label.

d Wind two or three

rotations of film onto the take-up spool. Take up slack between the spools by turning the supply knob clockwise. If slack cannot be removed, check that the supply and take-up spools are firmly seated on the spindles.

6 Replace the loaded laminator

cartridge in the laminator until it clicks into position.

7 Close the laminator door.

RP90 Plus E and RL90 User Guide 11

Power on

Check the PC connection

The printer and PC are connected when the printer is set up. To avoid receiving error messages on the LCD panel, make sure that all supplies are properly loaded and in position before powering on the printer. Before you begin processing cards, check the following:

• The printer door and card hopper are closed securely.

• The USB data cable (with ferrite bead) is securely connected to the

Power on

printer and the PC.

• The Network data cable is securely connected to the printer and to a network port.

• The power cable is securely connected to the printer and appropriate grounded power source.

• The card stacker is attached to the printer or to the optional laminator.

• Make sure cards and all other supplies are loaded. See

Supplies” on page 8

for more information.

“Load

12 RP90 Plus E and RL90 User Guide

Power on

Optional laminator connection

When using the optional RL90 laminator, check the following:

• The optional laminator cable is securely connected to the printer and the laminator.

• The power cord is connected to the laminator and appropriate grounded power source.

• Supplies are loaded and the laminator door is closed securely.

Always power off the printer and laminator before you

CAUTION:

connect or disconnect the laminator cable.

RP90 Plus E and RL90 User Guide 13

Power on the laminator

Power on

Tips for laminator power

• When connected to a

printer, laminator messages will not be displayed until the printer is powered on.

• Wait while the laminator

initializes.

• Follow the guidelines for

your organization about when to power the laminator on and off.

• Check that the red

INLET switch, located on the back of the laminator, is set for your input voltage.

When the optional RL90 laminator is installed, turn the laminator power on before powering on the printer.

1 Press the “|" symbol on the

laminator power switch.

2 The laminator powers on. The

LCD panel displays "Initializing" and the green Ready light blinks.

3 "Preheating" is displayed for

approximately four minutes while the heat roller warms to operating temperature.

4 The LCD panel shows "Ready" and the Ready light is steady green

when the laminator is ready to process cards.

LCD sequence on laminator startup

14 RP90 Plus E and RL90 User Guide

Power on

Power on the printer

Tips for printer power

• To avoid receiving errors

on the LCD panel, make sure that all supplies are properly loaded and in position before powering on the printer.

• Wait while the printer

initializes.

• Follow the guidelines for

your organization about when to power the printer on and off.

1 Press the “|" symbol on the

power switch.

2 The printer powers on. The

LCD panel shows the firmware version and the printer begins initializing. The LCD panel shows "Initializing" while the printer checks and positions the ink ribbon and retransfer film.

3 When operation checks are

complete, "Preheating" is displayed on the LCD panel for approximately four minutes while the retransfer roller and bend remedy roller warm to their operating temperatures.

4 The LCD panel shows "Ready" and the Ready Light is steady green.

5 The first time you print cards, initialize the ink ribbon. See “Initialize

the ink ribbon” on page 16

6 The first time you print cards, set and initialize the retransfer film. See

“Set the retransfer film type” on page 16 and “Initialize the retransfer film” on page 17

LCD sequence on printer startup

for the steps to follow.

The printer can require up to 4 minutes between power-on and the “Ready” status.

RP90 Plus E and RL90 User Guide 15

Prepare to print cards

Initialize the ink ribbon

Prepare to print cards

Tips – Ink ribbon

• To avoid dirt and dust

particles that might adhere to the ink ribbon during loading, move (initialize) the ink ribbon one or two panels each time the ink cartridge is removed from the printer.

1 Press the RESET key on the

control panel.

2 The LCD display reads

"Initialize OK?"

3 Use the up and down arrow

keys to select "2'nd Panel, OK?" or "Next Panel, OK?"

— Press the ENTER key

when "Initialize OK?" is displayed to initialize the printer without winding the ribbon.

— Press the ENTER key

when "2'nd panel, OK" is displayed and the printer winds the ribbon two panel sets.

— Press the ENTER key

when "Next Panel, OK?" is displayed and the printer winds the ribbon one panel set.

Set the retransfer film type

Tips – Retransfer film

• Set the retransfer film type

when you set up the printer.

• If you change the type of

film, set the type of retransfer film you are using.

16 RP90 Plus E and RL90 User Guide

1 Press the MENU key until

"Retransfer" is displayed.

2 Press the ENTER key.

3 "Media Type" is displayed.

4 Use the up and down arrow

keys to select Std (1000/roll). Selections of 250 and 750 are not available at this time.

5 Press the ENTER key.

6 Press EXIT twice to return to

the "Ready" display.

Prepare to print cards

Initialize the retransfer film

Tips – Retransfer film

• To avoid dirt and dust

particles that might adhere to the film during loading, (move) initialize the retransfer film one or two panels each time the film cartridge is removed from the printer.

1 Press the RESET key on the

control panel.

2 The LCD display reads

"Initialize OK?"

3 Use the up and down arrow

keys to select "2'nd Panel, OK?" or "Next Panel, OK?"

— Press the ENTER key

when "Initialize, OK?" is displayed to initialize the printer without winding the film.

— Press the ENTER key

when "2'nd panel, OK?" is displayed and the printer winds the retransfer film two panels.

— Press the ENTER key

when "Next Panel, OK?" is displayed and the printer winds the film one panel.

Initialize the patch or topcoat material (optional RL90 laminator only)

You must initialize the laminate material each time it is changed.

To initialize the laminate, press RESET/K and then the ENTER key on the laminator LCD panel.

RP90 Plus E and RL90 User Guide 17

Printing cards

Cards can be sent from ID software such as Datacard® ID Works® identification software. ID software handles the types of information used on cards.

If you do not have ID software, you can use another PC application to format the information to print on cards; however, most PC applications do not support magnetic stripe encoding or smart card programming. With any application, test the card design to verify the results.

The printer’s LCD panel displays the following sequence when a card is sent to print:

Printing cards

Print cards using ID software

1 Follow the instructions for the ID software to capture, format, and save the data for

the card.

2 In the software, send cards to the

printer (usually, use the Print button).

3 The printer driver receives data for

each card, prepares the card for printing, and sends each card to the printer.

18 RP90 Plus E and RL90 User Guide

Print from a PC application

Tips – Printing

• The “Print” check box in

the Print tab must be checked to print cards.

• During the printing

operation, do not open the printer or optional laminator door.

• Do not open the card

hopper when the printer LCD panel displays “Loading” through “Retransfer”.

• Do not power off the

printer, laminator, or PC during the printing or laminating process.

• Do not unplug the printer

or optional laminator during printing or laminating.

• Do not pull out the data

cable or the printer-tolaminator connection cable during printing or laminating.

• On the PC, do not use

the hibernate or standby modes. If the PC powers down while a card is in the printer, it can stop processing and remain in the printer.

1 Use the application's page setup feature to set the following:

— Set paper or page size to CR80 card or 2.125" x 3.375"

— Set the orientation for the card design – either portrait or landscape.

— Set margins to zero for edge to edge printing.

2 Format and save the card information.

3 Select the Datacard RP90 Plus E U1 printer from the Print dialog box.

Datacard RP90 Plus E U1 is the default name of the printer. Your printer may have a different name.

4 Click the Properties button to open the Printing Preferences dialog

box. Use the Setup, Print, and Encode tabs to set printer properties.

Setup tab

Use the Setup tab to set the card orientation, number of copies, and whether to reverse the card. The Setup tab also displays the type of card, the type of ink ribbon in the printer, and the quantity of ink ribbon and retransfer film remaining.

Print tab

Use the Print tab to set printing, printing one side or both sides, and rotate. The Print tab contains settings for using the color (YMC) and black (K) panels of the print ribbon. The tab also contains controls for color adjustment, setting up a look-up table, and specifying the print area for ribbon panels.

Encode tab

The Encode tab contains settings for using smart card (IC) and magnetic stripe encoding. You can also specify whether to rotate the card after an encoding step.

5 Print the card.

Printing cards

20 RP90 Plus E and RL90 User Guide

Viewing and changing printer settings

This section describes how to view and change printer and laminator settings. It describes:

•

“Printing Preferences” on page 22

• “Printing Properties” on page 24

• “Status Monitor” on page 25

• “Using the LCD menus” on page 35

— “About the Printer LCD panel” on page 35

— “Using the Printer LCD panel” on page 36

— “About the Laminator LCD panel” on page 41

— “Using the Laminator LCD panel” on page 42

RP90 Plus E and RL90 User Guide

Printing Preferences

The Printing Preferences dialog box contains the Setup, Print, Encode, and Version tabs. To open Printing Preferences:

1 Choose Start from the Windows task bar.

2 Choose Settings and then Printers (and

Faxes). The Printers (and Faxes) window opens.

3 Click once on the Datacard RP90 Plus E

printer icon to select it.

— The driver must be installed for the

printer icon to be present.

— Datacard RP90 Plus U1 is the default

name of the printer. The name of your printer might be different.

4 From the File menu, choose Preferences. The Printing Preferences dialog box

opens.

Setup tab

The Setup tab shows the type of card and the type of ink ribbon in the printer. You can specify the card orientation and number of copies (your ID software might specify these settings, which override the Setup tab). You can also specify whether to reverse the card.

Printing Preferences

Print tab

The Print tab contains settings for using the color (YMC) and black (K) panels of the print ribbon. You can specify the whether to print on both sides and whether to rotate the image (your ID software might specify these settings, which override the Print tab). The tab also contains controls for color adjustment, setting up a look-up table, and dithering. Use the Printing area settings if using peel-off ribbon.

To print text, bar codes, or both using K ink on the side of a card using YMCK ink ribbon, choose Extraction>Only Text.

To print black areas on graphics with K ink ribbon, choose Extraction>All.

22 RP90 Plus E and RL90 User Guide

Printing Preferences

The look up table requires a file with a full set of 256 values (0-255) for each plane for Yellow, Magenta, Cyan, and Black. Each field can have a value from 0 through 255. Data should be ASCII numeric values, separated by a comma or line feed.

To use the Security Erase feature, use a YMCK ink ribbon and choose Security Erase. Security erase prints a random pattern using the K panel onto the transfer ribbon.

This illustration shows a printed card and the ink ribbon used to print it, without using the Security Erase feature.

U.S.A.

123456789

Rank Service Date of Birth BloodType

GS4 DoD 06-25-1964 B-

Debra Wilson 123456789

U.S.A.

123456789

Rank Service Date of Birth BloodType

GS4 DoD 06-25-1964 B-

Debra Wilson 123456789

This illustration shows the same printed card and the ink ribbon used to print it, after using the Security Erase feature.

U.S.A.

123456789

Rank Service Date of Birth BloodType

GS4 DoD 06-25-1964 B-

Debra Wilson 123456789

U.S.A.

123456789

Rank Service Date of Birth BloodType

GS4 DoD 06-25-1964 B-

Debra Wilson 123456789

This illustration shows the retransfer ribbon after using the Security Erase feature.

R an k S er vice D ate of B irth Blo o d T yp e

Encode tab

The Encode tab contains settings for using smart card (IC) and magnetic stripe encoding (your ID software might specify these settings, which override the Encode tab). You can also specify whether to rotate the card after an encoding step.

“Magnetic Stripe Encoding” on page 77 for

See more information on encoding magnetic stripes.

RP90 Plus E and RL90 User Guide 23

Laminator tab

Tips – Card cleaning roller

• Values are blank if the

printer is disconnected or powered off.

• Graphics controls show

all red if the printer is disconnected or powered off.

• Clicking on buttons

displays the “No printer is found.” message if the printer is disconnected or powered off.

Printing Properties

The Laminator tab contains settings for using the optional RL90 laminator. You can set whether to apply material to the front of the card, the back of the card or both. You can also set the temperature, speed, patch position, and fan settings for each side of the card.

Use this tab only if an RL90 laminator is connected to the printer.

Version tab

The Version tab shows the build version of the printer driver. Your service provider might ask you for this information.

Printing Properties

The Printing Properties dialog box options are set up when the printer is installed or by your system administrator.

1 Choose Start from the Windows task bar.

2 Choose Settings and then Printers (and Faxes). The Printers (and

Faxes) window opens.

3 Click once on the Datacard RP90 Plus E U1 printer icon to select it.

— The driver must be installed for the printer icon to be present.

— Datacard RP90 Plus E U1 is the default

name of the printer. The name of your printer might be different.

4 From the File menu, choose Properties.

The Properties window opens.

5 Use the tabs to set up Sharing, Ports, Color

Management, Security, and Advanced options.

6 Choose OK to save and close, or choose

Cancel to close without saving changes.

24 RP90 Plus E and RL90 User Guide

Status Monitor

The Status Monitor can be installed when the driver is installed. The Status Monitor handles bidirectional communication between the printer and printer driver. You can use the Status Monitor or the printer LCD panel for many settings.

Open the Status Monitor

To open the Status Monitor window:

Tips for Success

• Users without administrator permissions can view settings but cannot change them.

Start the Status Monitor with Administrator permissions if you want to change settings.

• The first time you open the Status Monitor on Windows Vista, you must open it as

Administrator. If you do not, the Status Monitor will display the following message.

If you click Cancel, you can try to open it as an Administrator. If you click OK, Windows Vista displays the error shown.

• When you receive the error, uninstall the Status Monitor, restart Windows Vista, and

install the Status Monitor again.

1 Begin with the printer powered on and attached to the PC.

2 To start the Status Monitor with Administrator Permissions, do the following:

— From the Windows task bar, choose Start>Programs>RP90 Plus E Status

Monitor.

— For Windows XP and 2000, right-click the RP90 Plus E Status Monitor icon

and choose Run As... In the Run As dialog box, enter the name and password for a user name with Administrator permissions.

— For Windows Vista, right-click the RP90 Plus E Status Monitor icon and

choose Run As Administrator.

— The first time you start the Status Monitor on Windows Vista, a Windows

Security Alert dialog box might appear. Click

Unblock to use the Status Monitor.

RP90 Plus E and RL90 User Guide 25

If you choose Keep Blocking and decide that you want the Status Monitor to run, you must uninstall the Status Monitor, restart Windows Vista, and install it again.

3 To start the Status Monitor without Administrator permissions, click the icon to open

it. A prompt appears to tell you that you cannot change settings. Click continue.

4 The Status Monitor window opens.

Close the Status Monitor

To close the Status Monitor:

1 Click the red Close button.

2 A prompt asking if you want to close the Status Monitor appears. Click

Yes.

Tips for Success

• When you close the Status Monitor, communication between the printer and driver

becomes one way, with the driver sending cards to the printer.

• To keep the Status Monitor running without viewing it, click the

Minimize button.

Status Monitor

OK to

Printer Status tab

The Status tab shows:

• The type of ink ribbon, the approximate

• The type of retransfer (INTM) supply and the

• The resettable print count and a Clear button

• The printer name. If more than one printer is

• An estimate of the cards remaining in the card

• When the printer requires cleaning, the printer image changes to:

percentage remaining, and the lot number.

approximate percentage remaining.

to set it to zero (0).

installed, choose the printer to work with using the

Printer Name list. Click the Update button

to search for additional RP90 Plus E printers. The information changes automatically when you choose another printer.

hopper.

— 25 or fewer 0.76mm (0.030in) cards

— 70 or fewer 0.25mm (0.010in) cards

Less means:

26 RP90 Plus E and RL90 User Guide

Status Monitor

• The current state of the printer, such as ready. The icon changes with different states. See the table below.

Icon Status Icon Color Meaning

No Printer is found. Yellow The printer power is not switched on. or the host PC and

printer are not connected properly by the USB cable.

Ready Green The printer is ready and able to start card printing.

Initializing Yellow The printer is initializing. After the printer is initialized, it

goes into Ready state.

Offline Mode Yellow The printer is in Setting mode or it is being cleaned.

When the process ends, it goes into Ready state.

Preheating Yellow The heat roller is heating. When it reaches the correct

temperature, the printer goes into Ready state.

Card Loading Card Transporting MG Encoding Retransfer Contact IC Encoding No-Contact IC Encoding Unloading Printing

Power Saving Yellow The printer is in power save mode. To end Power

Error Red

Printer Setting tab

The Printer Setting tab shows:

• Controls for viewing or changing print settings:

Yellow The printer is issuing cards. The operating status during

card issuing is indicated. When the card is issued, the printer goes into Ready state.

Saving, press the RESET button on the printer and then press the ENTER button to initialize the printer.

“Status monitor messages” on page 31.

See

— Resin K Print Level, which sets the K

resin ink print density.

— Level of UV Ink and Level of Special Ink

2 which are not supported.

— Resin K Print Mode which sets the K

resin ink print quality. If Fine is selected, the print quality improves but the printing speed is slower.

— Cooling Time which sets the time in

seconds to wait until the retransfer film peels off from the card after retransfer. The default value is 0.

RP90 Plus E and RL90 User Guide 27

Retransfer tab

Status Monitor

• Controls for viewing or changing magnetic stripe settings.

— Number of Retry, which sets the maximum number of retries when writing or

reading magnetic stripe data fails. Default value is 1.

— ISO Mode, which sets the power used by the magnetic card encoder. The

default is Hi-Co.

• A control to enable or disable the buzzer.

• A control to set power saving, which reduces the temperature of the retransfer heat roller after the printer is not used for 30 minutes. The default is Disable.

• Controls to specify the smart card module(s) (IC Encoder) in the printer.

The Retransfer tab shows:

• Two matrices for setting the retransfer speed

and temperature. Click a square to choose the setting. On the printer, press the and then the

Enter button to initialize the

Reset button

printer and make the new setting take effect.

• The card type, set on the Media Setting tab.

• The Refresh button which displays the current

printer data.

Tips for success

• The transfer power to the card gets stronger

towards the upper right, but the card becomes more distorted due to the heat.

• Changing the retransfer temperature on one card side also affects the other side.

• The range of values changes with the Card Type setting.

• Make sample cards to verify settings before using new settings.

Bend Remedy tab

The Bend Remedy tab shows:

• A matrix for setting the bend remedy time and temperature. Click a square to choose the setting. On the printer, press the and then the

Enter button to initialize the

printer and make the new setting take effect.

• The card type, set on the Media Setting tab.

Tips for success

• Bend remedy is effective for single side

printing. For double side printing, choose the

Disable button.

• When you change to Disable, the printer goes

Preheat state for about 10 minutes while

into the roller temperature drops. Wait until the printer state changes to

• The side of the card where bend remedy is performed can become faded.

• Make sample cards to verify settings before using the new settings.

28 RP90 Plus E and RL90 User Guide

Reset button

Ready.

Status Monitor

Media Setting tab

The Media Setting tab shows:

• The type of Ink ribbon in the printer, the lot

number of the ribbon, and the number of panel sets included in the ribbon. The printer provides this information and it cannot be changed. If the printer cannot recognize the type of ink ribbon, one of the following reasons is displayed:

Display Reasons for ink recognition error and the solutions

252: Invalid TAG Data The data for the ink ribbon is incorrect. Replace the ink ribbon and try again.

253: Defective TAG The printer did not recognize the print ribbon data. Replace the ink ribbon and

try again.

254: No TAG The printer could not read the print ribbon data. Make sure the ink ribbon has

been loaded correctly. See

“Load ink ribbon” on page 9.

255: Defective R/W The printer is defective. The printer must be repaired.

• Settings to view or change the type and thickness of cards being used.

— For Material, choose PET-G, PVC, or PET (0.25mm). The values for retransfer

speed and temperature (on the

“Retransfer tab” on page 28) change

depending on the selected card type.

— For Thickness, choose:

— Standard for cards 0.76mm (0.030in) thick

— Thin for cards 0.25mm (0.010in) thick

• A setting to view or change the type of Retransfer (INTM) film.

Tips for success

• Make sample cards to verify settings before using cards of a different thickness.

• Print on one side of thin cards. Do not print on both sides.

RP90 Plus E and RL90 User Guide 29

Property tab

The Property tab shows:

Printer Select tab

The Printer Select tab shows:

Status Monitor

• The version of printer firmware, and firmware

versions of any installed options such as magnetic stripe encoder or laminator. “

????”

means an option is not installed or connected.

• Configuration information for options installed.

• The unit number. (Use the LCD panel to set the

unit number, described in

LCD panel” on page 36

• The Print Count, which is the number of cards

“Using the Printer

printed.

• The Thermal Head count, which is the number

of panels printed by the printhead currently installed in the printer. (YMCK ink ribbon has four panels.)

• The currently selected printer.

• If more than one RP90 Plus E printer is

installed on the PC, you can change the printer for which information is displayed by choosing it from the Current Printer list. The Status Monitor will communicate with the printer to update information.

• Use the Scan button to locate another printer if

it is not displayed in the list.

• Use the Sync Time button to send the current

time on the PC to the printer.

• Use the Update button to send changed values

to the printer.

• Use the Refresh button to obtain current values from the printer.

• If the printer is set, using the LCD panel, to use a LAN connection, this tab displays

the default settings (which cannot be changed). If the printer is connected using a USB connection, you can use this page to set the IP address and other network values. See

• If you need to assign a printer name different from a choice provided by the printer,

About Network Settings in the Installation Guide.

make sure the printer is installed with a USB connection and then enter the new printer name. Your network administrator can provide information about allowed or required names on your network.

• Security settings, which can be set only when the printer is connected using a USB

connection. are available. Use the box. See the

Installation Guide for the steps to follow.

Details button to open the IPSec Setting dialog

30 RP90 Plus E and RL90 User Guide

Status Monitor

Others tab

The Others tab shows the following for a USBconnected printer:

• Controls for printing a test card. The printer will

create one test card, using the internal test pattern.

• A control for saving a command log. Your

service provider might ask you to save a command log as part of troubleshooting.

• Controls for selecting a firmware file and

sending it to the printer. Only update printer firmware when your service provider recommends it.

For both USB-connected and Ethernet-connected printers, the tab shows:

• Version information for the Status Monitor.

Status monitor messages

The following messages appear on the Status Monitor Status tab. See “Printer Status tab”

on page 26

Error Code Displayed Message Solution

No Printer is found. • Make sure that the host PC and the printers are

connected properly with a USB cable.

• Make sure that the printer is switched on.

0102D000 There is no card. Please supply cards.

0102D100 Printer door is opened. Please close the

door and initialize the printer by pressing RESET and ENTER button.

0102D600 Ink Ribbon Cassette or Retransfer Film

Cassette is not set.

0102D700 Cleaning Unit is not set. 1 Install the Cleaning Unit and then close the card

01039000 Feed Jam happens. Please unset the

card tray and remove the card after turning off the printer power.

1 Load cards as described in

page 8

2 Close or replace the card hopper securely.

1 Close the printer door. 2 Press RESET and then ENTER to initialize the

printer.

1 Load the Ink Ribbon Cassette or Retransfer

Film Cassette and then close the printer door.

2 Press RESET and then ENTER to initialize the

printer.

hopper.

2 Press RESET and then ENTER to initialize the

printer.

1 Switch off the printer power. 2 See

card.

3 Switch on the printer power.

“Hopper jam” on page 52 to remove the

“Load cards” on

RP90 Plus E and RL90 User Guide 31

Status Monitor

01039100 Card Jam happens in the printer. Please

open the printer door and remove the card after turning off the printer power.

01039200 Card Jam happens in the printer. Please

open the printer door and remove the card after turning off the printer power.

01039300 Card Jam happens in the printer. Please

open the printer door and remove the card after turning off the printer power.

01039400 Card Jam happens in the printer. Please

open the printer door and remove the card around the card outlet after turning off the printer power.

0103A000 Retransfer Film is broken. 1 Repair the retransfer film as described in

1 Switch off the printer power. 2 See “Turnover jam” on page 53 to remove

the card.

3 Switch on the printer power.

1 Switch off the printer power. 2 See

3 Check that the card stacker is securely attached

4 Switch on the printer power.

1 Switch off the printer power. 2 See “Retransfer section jam” on page 54 to

3 Switch on the printer power.

1 Switch off the printer power. 2 Open the printer door and remove the card near

3 Switch on the printer power.

“Retransfer section jam” on page 54 to

remove the card.

to the card stacker receptacle.

remove the card.

the card discharge slot.

“Mending broken ink ribbon or retransfer film” on page 55

2 Press RESET and then ENTER to initialize the

printer one ribbon panel.

0103A100 Mark on Retransfer Film could not be

detected. Please set Retransfer Film correctly.

0103B000 Ink Ribbon is broken.

0103B100 Ink Ribbon cannot be controlled. Please

set Ink Ribbon correctly.

0103BB00 Card Jam happens in External IC unit.

Please remove the card in External IC unit.

01044400 0104D800 0104FA00

Hardware failure happens in the printer unit. Please turn off and on the printer power to initialize the printer.

1 Make sure that the Retransfer Film is loaded

correctly (see

page 10

2 Close the printer door and press RESET and

then ENTER to initialize the printer.

1 Repair the ink ribbon as described in

“Load retransfer film” on

“Mending broken ink ribbon or retransfer film” on page 55

2 Press RESET and then ENTER to initialize the

printer.

1 Make sure that the Ink Ribbon is loaded

correctly (see

2 Close the printer door and press RESET and

then ENTER to initialize the printer.

1 Switch off the printer power. 2 Remove the jammed card from the IC unit on

the right side of the printer.

3 Switch on the printer power.

1 Turn the printer power switch off and then on. 2 If the error happens again, call for service.

“Load ink ribbon” on page 9).

32 RP90 Plus E and RL90 User Guide

Status Monitor

0104A900 MG encoder is not set correctly. Please

turn off the printer power and set MG unit correctly.

0104AB00 Mechanical failure happens in the MG

encoder. Please turn off and on the printer power to initialize the printer.

0104AC00 Hardware failure happens in the MG

encoder. Please turn off and on the printer power to initialize the printer.

0104AF00 Communication error happens between

printer and MG encoder. Please turn off and on the printer power to initialize the printer.

0104B900 External IC unit is not set correctly.

Please turn off the printer power and set External IC unit correctly.

0104BA00 Dip switch setting in the external IC unit

is not correct. Please turn off the printer power and correct Dip switch setting in External IC unit.

0104BE00 Communication error happens between

printer and External IC unit. Please turn off the printer power and connect communication cable correctly.

1 Turn the printer power switch off and then on. 2 If the error happens again, call for service.

1 Switch off the printer power. 2 Connect the cable between the External IC unit

and the printer securely. 3 Switch on the printer power. 4 If the error happens again, call for service.

0104BF00 Communication error happens between

printer and laminator. Please turn off the printer power and connect communication cable correctly.

0104C000 Hardware failure happens in the

turnover unit. Please turn off and on the printer power to initialize the printer.

0104C100 Hardware failure of Heater Cam

happens. Please turn off and on the printer power to initialize the printer.

0104F000 The temperature of Retransfer Roller is

too hot. Please turn off the printer power till it becomes cool enough.

1 Switch off the printer power AND laminator

power.

2 Connect the cable between the laminator and

the printer securely. 3 Switch on the printer and laminator power. See

“Power on the printer” on page 15 and

“Power on the laminator” on page 14.

4 If the error happens again, call for service.

1 Turn the printer power switch off and then on. 2 If the error happens again, contact you service

provider.

1 Turn the printer power switch off and then on. 2 If the error happens again, call for service.

1 Switch off the printer power. 2 Wait about 10 minutes for the Retransfer Roller

to cool down. 3 Switch on the printer power. 4 If the error happens again, call for service.

RP90 Plus E and RL90 User Guide 33

Status Monitor

0104F100 Hardware failure of Retransfer Roller

happens. Please turn off and on the printer power to initialize the printer.

0104F200 Hardware failure of Retransfer Roller

Thermister happens. Please turn off and on the printer power to initialize the printer.

0104F300 The temperature of Bend Remedial

Roller is too hot. Please turn off the printer power till it becomes cool enough.

0104F400 Hardware failure of Bend Remedial

Roller happens. Please turn off and on the printer power to initialize the printer.

0104F500 Bend Remedial Roller thermister is out

of order. Please turn off and on the printer power to initialize the printer.

0104F600 The temperature in the printer is too

cool. Please turn off the printer power till it becomes warm enough.

1 Turn the printer power switch off and then on. 2 If the error happens again, call for service.

1 Switch off the printer power. 2 Wait about 10 minutes for the Bend Remedial

Roller to cool down. 3 Switch on the printer power. 4 If the error happens again, call for service.

1 Turn the printer power switch off and then on. 2 If the error happens again, call for service.

1 Switch off the printer power. 2 Wait for the surrounding temperature to warm

up. 3 Switch on the printer power. 4 If the error happens again, call for service.

0104F800 The temperature of Thermal Head is too

hot. Please turn off the printer power till it becomes cool enough.

0105FB00 Download data to the printer is invalid.

Please confirm the file is correct.

0142A200 End of Retransfer Film, please replace

the film with a new.

0142B200 End of Ink Ribbon, please replace the

ink with a new.

1 Switch off the printer power. 2 Wait about 10 minutes for the Thermal head to

cool down. 3 Switch on the printer power. 4 If the error happens again, call for service.

Check whether the downloaded file is correct.

1 Replace with a new roll of retransfer film. See

“Load retransfer film” on page 10.

2 Press RESET and then ENTER to initialize the

printer. 3 Initialize the new roll of film as described in

“Initialize the retransfer film” on page 17.

1 Replace with a new roll of ink ribbon. See “Load

ink ribbon” on page 9

2 Press RESET and then ENTER to initialize the

printer. 3 Initialize the new roll of ink ribbon as described

“Initialize the ink ribbon” on page 16.

34 RP90 Plus E and RL90 User Guide

Using the LCD menus

About the Printer LCD panel

The printer LCD panel has a 2-line display, six keys, a Ready light, Error light, and speaker.

The display background color changes according to the printer's function; the background is bright green during initialization, orange while processing a card, and red on printer error. These colors can be changed using the LCD panel.

Ready LED (green)

Steady Green The printer is ready and waiting to print cards.

Blinking The printer is receiving data.

Off The printer stopped due to error, initialization or preheat mode, or

operator setting preferences.

Error LED (red)

Keys:

LCD Display

On The printer has a condition that requires service or the printer did

not power on correctly. To correct the condition, press the RESET and then the ENTER key. If this does not correct the condition, power the printer off, and then back on before calling for service.

OFF Normal status

Reset Initializes the printer. Use the Reset key after loading supplies, to

end Power Saving, or after an error occurs.

Menu Press MENU to access the printer settings. Continue to press the

MENU key to access the settings in the order listed in

Printer LCD panel” on page 36

Enter Confirms the user selection.

Arrow Keys Use the up and down arrow keys to select options within a menu

selection.

Exit Exits the current menu or menu selection and returns user to the

previous menu selection.

Line one of the display shows the current printer or mode status. The > symbol following a menu selection indicates that there are subcategories listed within the selection. Use the up and down arrow keys to select these options.

“Using the

RP90 Plus E and RL90 User Guide 35

Speaker

Provides an electronic beep that indicates:

• An error has happened.

• Fewer than 20 cards remain in the card hopper.

• Confirms that settings have been saved.

The speaker function can be turned on or off using the LCD panel.

Using the Printer LCD panel

Using the LCD menus

Press the MENU key and "User Mode" is displayed on the LCD panel. The LCD panel changes to read "Display" within 0.5 seconds.

Press the ENTER key when "Display" is shown to access display settings which include the card counter, LCD contrast, and LCD background color.

Press the MENU key when “Ready” is displayed to access other printer settings.

Press the EXIT key at any time to exit the menu system and return to "Ready" status.

Many printer settings can be changed using the Status Monitor. See “Status Monitor” on

page 25

Menu Display Settings Function

Display Counter

• Total

• Head

•Free

Contrast

Back Color

SKY BLUE

Counter Reset OK? Press ENTER to reset the Free counter.

Cleaning Rollers

OK? Magnetic Stripe (MG) Head

Use the up and down arrow keys to select the card counter type:

• Total is the default setting, and displays the number of cards printed. The Total counter cannot be reset.

• Head displays the number of complete dye panels. The Head counter cannot be reset, however, it automatically resets itself when the print head is replaced.

•The Free counter displays the number of cards that have printed. The Free counter can be reset by the user.

Set the LCD panel contrast using 7 gradations from

-3 (low contrast) to +3 (high contrast). The default setting is 0.

Choose from eight LCD background colors. Sky blue is the default color. Other selections are blue, light blue, green, bright green, yellow, purple, and pink.

Start the cleaning function to clean the card feed rollers and heated rollers, and to clean the magnetic head when using magnetic stripe cards. See

and heat roller” on page 45 head” on page 46

for the steps to follow.

“Cleaning the card feed rollers

or “Cleaning the magnetic

36 RP90 Plus E and RL90 User Guide

Using the LCD menus

Menu Display Settings Function

Ink Ink Type

YMCK: 0 YMCKPO: 2 YMCKK: 4

Black level Choose from seven gradations from -3 (lighter) to +5 (darker).

Black mode Choose Standard or Fine. Change to Fine if thin lines or small

SP - Ink1 Level Use SP - Ink1 and Ink2 levels to set the darkness level of

SP - Ink2 Level See SP -Ink1 Level above.

Retransfer Media type:

750 1000

Temp Level Set the retransfer roller temperature. Set from -3 (lower) to +2

Speed (front)

Speed (back) Set the retransfer speed for the back of the card. Set from -10

Displays the type of ink ribbon that is loaded in the printer. Datacard supports YMCK and YMCKK ink ribbons. (The printer detects the type of ink ribbon; it cannot be set.) See your dealer regarding support for YMCKPO ink ribbon.

black text is blurred (printing speed is slower).

special inks that will be available in the future.

Datacard retransfer ribbon is available in 1000 frames per roll.

(higher).

Set the retransfer speed for the front of the card. Set from -10 (slower) to +2 (faster). Initialize the retransfer film after making changes. See

(slower) to +2 (faster). changes. See

“Initialize the retransfer film” on page 17.

Initialize the retransfer film after making

“Initialize the retransfer film” on page 17.

MG Print (JIS) Select ON or OFF.

Standby Front Wait

Back Wait

Buzzer ON or OFF Use to turn the electronic beep sound ON or OFF. The sound

Power Saving OFF or up to 60 minutes The printer enters power save mode after a specified period

Bend Remedy Temp Level Choose from -5 (lower) to 0 (higher) or OFF to set the bend

Speed Choose from -2 (slower) to +2 (faster) to set the bend remedy

Cooling time Set the cooling time from 0 (None) to 15 seconds.

When printing both sides of a card and using an optional smart card (IC) unit, specifies whether to wait after the front side or the back side of the card.

can indicate an error, when fewer than 20 cards remain in the card hopper, or to confirm a menu selection.

of inactivity. Choose from OFF or select from 5 to 60 minutes in 5 to15 minute increments. “Sleeping” appears on the LCD display. To cancel power save mode, press RESET and then the ENTER key. The printer uses one set of supplies.

remedy roller temperature. See for more information.

speed. See information.

“Bend remedy” on page 56 for more

“Bend remedy” on page 56

RP90 Plus E and RL90 User Guide 37

Menu Display Settings Function

Using the LCD menus

Ink Ink Type

YMCK: 0 YMCKPO: 2 YMCKK: 4

Black level Choose from seven gradations from -3 (lighter) to +5 (darker).

Black mode Choose Standard or Fine. Change to Fine if thin lines or small

SP - Ink1 Level Use SP - Ink1 and Ink2 levels to set the darkness level of

SP - Ink2 Level See SP -Ink1 Level above.

Retransfer Media type:

750 1000

Temp Level Set the retransfer roller temperature. Set from -3 (lower) to +2

Speed (front)

Speed (back) Set the retransfer speed for the back of the card. Set from -10

black text is blurred (printing speed is slower).

special inks that will be available in the future.

Datacard retransfer ribbon is available in 1000 frames per roll.

(higher).

Set the retransfer speed for the front of the card. Set from -10 (slower) to +2 (faster). Initialize the retransfer film after making changes. See

(slower) to +2 (faster). changes. See

“Initialize the retransfer film” on page 17.

Initialize the retransfer film after making

“Initialize the retransfer film” on page 17.

MG Print (JIS) Select ON or OFF.

Standby Front Wait

Back Wait

Buzzer ON or OFF Use to turn the electronic beep sound ON or OFF. The sound

Power Saving OFF or up to 60 minutes The printer enters power save mode after a specified period

Bend Remedy Temp Level Choose from -5 (lower) to 0 (higher) or OFF to set the bend

Speed Choose from -2 (slower) to +2 (faster) to set the bend remedy

Cooling time Set the cooling time from 0 (None) to 15 seconds.

When printing both sides of a card and using an optional smart card (IC) unit, specifies whether to wait after the front side or the back side of the card.

can indicate an error, when fewer than 20 cards remain in the card hopper, or to confirm a menu selection.

remedy roller temperature. See for more information.

speed. See information.

“Bend remedy” on page 56 for more

“Bend remedy” on page 56

38 RP90 Plus E and RL90 User Guide

Using the LCD menus

Menu Display Settings Function

Card Thickness Standard

Thin

Set Standard for 0.030 inch (0.76mm) thick cards or Thin for

0.010 inch (0.25mm) thick cards. Contact your dealer or

service provider before using 0.010in (.0.25mm) thick cards.

MG ISO Type ISO coercivity setting

Lo-Co Hi-Co

IC Antenna Pos None

EXT. Unit Added on

Set coercivity for writing data to ISO magnetic stripe cards:

Lo-Co: 238 x 10 Hi-Co: 218 x 10

[A/m] (300[Oe])

[A/m] (2750[Oe])

Select from three settings:

• None for no antenna.

• EXT.Unit when a smart card antenna is used.

• Added on when a contact smart card is used.

IC Contact Pos None

Built-in EXT. Unit

Select from three positions to stop the card in:

• None for no contact.

• Built-in when the built-in contacts are used.

• EXT. Unit when an external smart card option is used.

Test Print OK? Press the ENTER key to print the default test pattern. Test

Print can be used with or without a host PC.

Unit No Choose from 1 to 7 Assign the unit number when more than one printer is

connected to a PC. Each unit attached to a PC must have a unique number. After choosing the unit number, press the ENTER key and then the EXIT key. “Please, power off” is displayed on the LCD panel. Power the printer off and then back on.

Network IP Address Shows the current IP Address of the printer.

Printer Name

PRINTER01 to PRINTER09

Assign the Network Name of the printer. Change this name when more than one RP90 Plus E printer is connected to the network. Choose from the names supplied. If you set up a network printer on the PC using a USB connection, this name can be the name that you assigned from the PC.

Host Interface

USB

Choose the connection method for the printer and PC, either USB or LAN (Ethernet).

LAN

DHCP

ON OFF

Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) is a network feature that assigns IP addresses to devices on the network.

• ON uses DHCP to assign the printer IP address. The IP Address can change when you power off the printer and then power it on again.

• OFF means that you must assign the IP Address of the printer and it will not change (Static IP). Use this setting if your network does not support DHCP.

Ask your network administrator which setting to use.

IP Address The default IP address of the printer is 192.168.0.141, and is

displayed when the printer is powered on for the first time or when DHCP is set to On. If you do not use DHCP, ask your network administrator for the IP Address to use.

RP90 Plus E and RL90 User Guide 39

Menu Display Settings Function

Subnet Mask The default Subnet Mask of the printer is 255.255.255.0. If

you do not use DHCP, ask your network administrator for the Subnet mask.

Gateway The default Gateway of the printer is 192.168.0.1. If you do

not use DHCP, ask your network administrator for the Subnet mask.

Using the LCD menus

Session TimeOut

OFF or up to 60 minutes

MAC Address The MAC Address is unique to each printer. The MAC

IPSec Mode

ON OFF

IPSec Type Set the type of IP Security. Choose from the following:

HR Control ON

OFF

Download To prepare the printer for a firmware download, press the

Set how many minutes to wait without using the printer to stop the network session between the PC and printer.

Address is displayed and cannot be changed.

Set the Internet Protocol (IP) Security mode to ON or to OFF. After setting up security using a PC and USB connection, this setting cannot be changed.

• Not Setting, no IP Security.

• Preshared, using a preshared key for encryption.

• Certificate, using a public key certificate for encryption.

After setting up security using a PC and USB connection, this setting cannot be changed.

Set whether to lower the temperature of the retransfer heat roller after 30 minutes of no printing. The roller returns to operating temperature when the next card is printed. Setting HR Control to ON can add to the useful life of the retransfer heat roller.

ENTER key. The firmware must be downloaded from a USBconnected PC with the driver and Status Monitor installed.

“Others tab” on page 31 for the Status Monitor page.

See

DO NOT power off the printer while the firmware is being downloaded.

Transport Mode Set transport mode Set the Transport Mode when moving or shipping the printer.

Press the ENTER key to use the transport mode. “Please, power off” is displayed on the LCD panel. The transport mode is cancelled when the printer is powered back on.

“Preparing the printer and laminator for transport”

See

on page 48

transporting it.

for information on preparing the printer for

40 RP90 Plus E and RL90 User Guide

Using the LCD menus

About the Laminator LCD panel

When you power on the laminator, it begins initializing. The laminator searches for laminate and then starts preheating. The laminator is ready when the LCD display reads "Ready" and the Ready light is steady green.

Ready LED (green)

Steady Green The laminator is ready.

Blinking The laminator busy.

Off The laminator stopped because of an error, initialization or

preheating is in progress, or the operator is using the LCD panel to set preferences.

Error LED (red)

Keys:

On The laminator may require service or did not power on correctly. To

correct the condition, press the RESET/K and then the ENTER key. If this does not correct the condition, power the laminator off, and then back on before calling for service.

Off Normal status

MENU Press MENU to access the laminator settings. Continue to press

the MENU key to access the settings in the order listed on the next page.

ENTER Confirms your selection.

EXIT Exits the current selection and returns you to the previous menu

selection. Press the EXIT key at any time to exit the menu system and return to "Ready" status.

RESET/K Initializes the laminator after an error occurs. Scrolls through

available values when you change settings.

RP90 Plus E and RL90 User Guide 41

Using the Laminator LCD panel

Use the LCD panel to change laminator settings, or use the Laminator tab of the Status Monitor to change some settings from the PC.

LCD Display Settings Function

Using the LCD menus

Mode Single

Pass

Film 1-mil

0.6 mil overlay

Film Position -7 to +7 Adjusts the patch transfer position. Default setting is 0; the

Temp Temperature, default 170° Press the RESET/K key to set temperature from 120° C to

Speed Lamination speed, default

5.5mm/sec

Card Fan Off, Low, Half, High, or

Full

Cool Time 0 (default), 5, 7, or 10

seconds

Power Save Off, 10, 20, 30 (default),

or 60 minutes

Default setting; laminates on one side only. Passes card without laminating.

1-mil is the default setting. Use it for patch film 1-mil thick. Use for patch film 0.6-mil thick. Use with topcoat with no positioning markings.

patch moves to the right with a positive value and to the left with a negative value.

200° C in 5° increments. Press the ENTER key to confirm selection.

Press ENTER and use the RESET/K key to set lamination speed from 2mm/sec to 10mm/sec in 0.5mm/sec increments. The value that can be set may be limited by the temperature setting. Press the ENTER key to confirm selection.

Press the RESET/K key to turn the card cooling fan Off (default), Low, Half, High, or Full. Press the ENTER key to confirm selection.

Press the RESET/K key to select the amount of cooling time before laminating starts.

Lowers the heater temperature if no lamination has occurred in the set time period. Preheating automatically returns when a card enters the laminator. Using the default value of 30 minutes can reduce discoloration of the laminator material.

LCD contrast 1 to 5 Press the RESET/K key to set the LCD display contrast

from 1 to 5. The larger the number, the higher the contrast.

Cleaning Without HR Cleans the transport roller only.

With HR Cleans transport and heat rollers. Remove the laminate

cartridge to clean the heat roller. See

laminator” on page 49

Online Setting Displays settings sent from the PC when the RL90 is

connected through an RP90 Plus E printer to a PC.

for more information.

“Cleaning the

42 RP90 Plus E and RL90 User Guide

Taking care of your printer

This chapter provides information to help you maintain the Datacard® RP90 Plus printer and the Datacard performance. It describes:

Cleaning the printer

“Cleaning the card cleaning rollers” on page 44

•

• “Card feed roller” on page 44

• “Cleaning the card feed rollers and heat roller” on page 45

• “Cleaning the magnetic head” on page 46

• “Cleaning the thermal head” on page 47

• “Cleaning printer fan filters” on page 47

“Preparing the printer and laminator for transport” on page 48

Cleaning the laminator

“Run a laminator cleaning card” on page 49

•

• “Cleaning the laminator cartridge” on page 50

• “Laminator fan filter” on page 50

RL90 card laminator for optimal

RP90 Plus E and RL90 User Guide

Cleaning the printer

This section provides information on proper care and cleaning of the RP90 Plus printer. It also includes recommendations on how often to clean and replace components.

Cleaning the card cleaning rollers

Tips – Card cleaning roller

• Wash the card cleaning

rollers regularly, such as every time you change the ink ribbon.

• More frequent cleaning

may be required under heavy use conditions. Clean rollers every 200 cards to improve print quality.

• Allow the card cleaning

rollers to dry thoroughly before reinstalling them in the printer.

• Replace the card cleaning

rollers annually.

The card cleaning rollers are located inside the card hopper and clean lint and other debris from the cards before printing. The card cleaning rollers should be cleaned regularly, such as every time the ink ribbon or retransfer film is changed. To clean the rollers:

1 Open the card hopper.

2 Pull the card cleaning rollers

3 Wash the blue cleaning rollers

4 Allow the card cleaning rollers

5 Reinstall the cleaning unit with

6 Close the card hopper.

out.

with water. Rub rollers gently under running water. Do not use isopropanol or detergents to clean the rollers.

to dry thoroughly.

the blue rollers facing up.

Card feed roller

The card feed rollers move the card through the printing process. To clean the card feed roller:

1 Open the card hopper and

remove cards.

2 Slide the card bracket to the

left until it locks.

3 Clean the card feed roller with

a cotton swab dipped in ethanol.

4 Load cards as described in

“Load cards” on page 8.

44 RP90 Plus E and RL90 User Guide

Cleaning the card feed rollers and heat roller

Cleaning the printer

Tips – Cleaning card feed and heat rollers

• The heat roller cannot be

cleaned while hot. Power the printer off and allow it to cool, or perform cleaning before the heat roller reaches operating temperature.

• Clean the card feed

rollers and heat roller every 1,000 printed cards.

• Use the cleaning card

one time only. Using a dirty cleaning card can cause damage to the rollers.

The heat roller provides the heat used during the retransfer process. The card feed rollers move the card inside the printer. See

page 51

to find the location of the rollers.

“Printer roller layout” on

Begin with the printer (and optional laminator) powered off.

1 Move the RL90 laminator (if installed) away from the printer to avoid a

card jam during the cleaning process.

2 Slide the door latch to the right and open the printer door.

3 Press the retransfer film cartridge eject button and remove the

retransfer film cartridge.

4 Close the printer door.

5 Power on the printer. See “Power on the printer” on page 15.

6 The "No Cassette" message is displayed on the LCD display.

7 Remove the protective paper from a cleaning card.

8 Press the MENU key until "Cleaning" is displayed.

9 Press the ENTER key.

10 "Rollers OK?" is displayed. Press the ENTER key.

11 Insert the cleaning card into the card slot located on the right side of

the printer within 10 seconds. The card will be drawn into the printer by the rollers and cleaning will begin.

12 Turn the card over when it is discharged and repeat Step 11 to

complete the cleaning process.

13 When the cleaning card is discharged, power off the printer, wait ten

seconds, reinstall the retransfer film cartridge, and power back on.

RP90 Plus E and RL90 User Guide 45

Cleaning the printer

Cleaning the magnetic head

When printing magnetic stripe cards, the magnetic head should be cleaned every 1,000 cards. If you are not using magnetic stripe cards, the magnetic head does not require cleaning.

Tips –Magnetic head cleaning card

• Replace the magnetic

head cleaning card when it becomes dirty. Using a dirty magnetic head cleaning card can damage the magnetic head.

Begin with the printer (and optional laminator) powered off.

1 Move the RL90 laminator (if

installed) away from the printer to avoid a card jam during the cleaning process.

2 Open the card hopper and

remove cards.

3 Power on the printer. See

“Power on the printer” on page 15

4 Press the MENU key until

"Cleaning" is displayed.

5 Press ENTER and use the up

and down arrow keys to select "MG Head."

6 Place three or four drops of

isopropanol on the stripe of the magnetic head cleaning card.

7 Place the magnetic head

cleaning card in the card hopper in the correct orientation for the type of cards used. See

page 8

orientation.

8 Close the card hopper and

press the ENTER key on the LCD panel.

9 When the cleaning card is

discharged, power off the printer, wait ten seconds, and power back on.

“Load cards” on

for proper card

46 RP90 Plus E and RL90 User Guide

Cleaning the thermal head

Cleaning the printer

Tips – Thermal head

• Do not use metal or other

abrasive materials to clean the thermal head.

• The thermal head can be

damaged by an electrostatic charge. Discharge yourself by touching the printer frame before cleaning the thermal head.

The thermal head assembly should be cleaned once every ten rolls of retransfer film.

Begin with the printer (and optional laminator) powered off.

1 Slide the door latch to the right and

2 Press the ink ribbon cartridge eject

3 Press the retransfer film cartridge

4 Wipe the thermal head with a

5 Reinstall the ink ribbon cartridge

6 Close the printer door.

Cleaning printer fan filters

The printer has four fan filters to prevent airborne particles from entering the print area. Clean the filters regularly. Replace them when the foam begins to deteriorate.

1 Remove the external fan filters; remove two filters from the left side of

2 Remove the card hopper.

3 Remove the fan filter located on the upper surface of the card hopper

4 Clean the filters carefully using a vacuum cleaner. Hold the foam filter

5 Reinstall the filters into the printer.

6 Replace the card hopper.

open the printer door.

button and remove the ink ribbon cartridge.

eject button and remove the retransfer film cartridge.

cotton swab dipped in ethanol.

and the retransfer film cartridge.

Thermal head

the printer and one from the right side.

housing by sliding the filter to the left and pulling down.

in place to prevent it from being pulled into the vacuum. Replace the foam filters into their frames if they have moved during cleaning.

cotton swab

RP90 Plus E and RL90 User Guide 47

Cleaning the printer

Preparing the printer and laminator for transport

Use saved packaging materials to prepare the printer and optional laminator for transport. Transport includes moving the printer from one location to another within the same facility.

1 Set the printer to transport mode using the LCD panel. See “Using the

Printer LCD panel” on page 36

2 Power off the laminator (if used) and the printer.

3 Disconnect the power and data cables from the printer.

4 Disconnect the power cable from the laminator (if used).

5 Disconnect the cable between the laminator and printer (if used).

6 Allow the unit(s) to cool down before preparing them for transport.

7 Remove cards from the printer card hopper.

8 Remove the printer ink ribbon cartridge and remove the ink ribbon from

the cartridge. Replace the empty cartridge in the printer.

9 Remove the transfer film cartridge and remove the transfer film from

the cartridge. Replace the empty cartridge in the printer.

10 Insert the head pad on the printer thermal head.

11 Remove the laminator cartridge and remove the laminator supply from

the cartridge.

12 Replace the laminator transport cushion and the empty cartridge in the

laminator.

13 Close all doors, including the input hopper.

14 Remove the output hopper.

15 Package each unit in the original shipping carton.

Note:

If the printer will not be used for a week or more, cover the

printer with the plastic shipping bag to keep dust and other

debris out of the printer.

48 RP90 Plus E and RL90 User Guide

Cleaning the laminator

Most card jams are caused by dirty rollers. Clean the laminator at the same time that you clean the printer. If you are using the laminator as a stand-alone unit, clean the laminator every 1,000 cards.

Run a laminator cleaning card

Tips – Laminator cleaning card

• When the heat roller is

at operating temperature, “HR is too hot” is displayed on the LCD display. Turn power OFF and allow unit to cool for approximately 30 minutes before starting the cleaning sequence.

• Use a cleaning card one

time only. Using a dirty cleaning card can cause card jams.

1 Press the MENU key on the laminator LCD panel until "Cleaning" is

displayed.

2 To clean the transport roller only:

a Press the ENTER key and "Without HR" is displayed.

b Press the ENTER key and "Cleaning OK" is displayed. c Press the ENTER key and cleaning starts.

3 To clean the transport roller and heat roller:

a Press RESET and then ENTER and "With HR" is displayed.

b Press ENTER and "Film removed?" is displayed. c Remove the laminator cartridge, remove patch or topcoat material,

replace the empty cartridge into the laminator, and close the laminator door.

d Press the ENTER key and "Cleaning OK?" is displayed. e Remove the protective paper

from the cleaning card and press the ENTER key.

f Slide the cleaning card into the

card discharge slot. The card will be drawn into the laminator and will exit from the same slot when cleaning is complete.

4 Press the EXIT key twice to exit the

cleaning menu.

5 Reload and initialize the material.

Cleaning the laminator

RP90 Plus E and RL90 User Guide 49

Cleaning the laminator cartridge

The laminator cartridge can collect debris and dust during lamination and supply loading. Clean the cartridge every 1,000 cards.

1 Open the laminator door by pulling the top of the door toward you. 2 Press the laminator cartridge eject button to remove the laminator

cartridge.

3 Remove the supply and take-up spools if present. 4 Clean the two cartridge guide shafts and the four metal guides with a

lint free cloth and ethanol.

5 Clean the laminator guide rails and the cartridge opening. 6 Replace the supply and take-up spools on the cartridge. See “Load

laminate” on page 11

7 Replace the loaded laminator cartridge in the laminator until it clicks

into position.

8 Close the laminator door.

Laminator fan filter

The laminator fan filter is designed to keep airborne particles from entering the unit. Clean the filter regularly and replace it when the foam begins to deteriorate.

1 Remove the filter from the back

of the laminator by pulling the filter cover off.

2 Clean the filter carefully using a

vacuum cleaner. Hold the foam filter in place to prevent it from being drawn into the vacuum.

3 Reinstall the filter.

Messages and error recovery

This chapter provides information to help you respond to the printer and laminator messages and explains how to recover from an error. It describes:

•

“Printer roller layout” on page 51

• “Printer error recovery” on page 52

• “Printer LCD messages” on page 58

• “Laminator error recovery” on page 62

• “Laminator LCD messages” on page 65

Printer roller layout

RP90 Plus E and RL90 User Guide

Printer error recovery

The printer’s LCD panel background color changes to red when the printer has an error. The LCD panel displays text that describes the error.

Hopper jam

If a card jams in the card hopper section, “Jam (Hopper)” is displayed on the LCD panel. To remove the jammed card:

1 Pull the card hopper out and

lift it slightly to remove it.

2 Remove the jammed cards:

— If you can reach the

— If you cannot reach the

3 Replace and close the card

hopper.

4 Press the RESET and then

the ENTER key to initialize the printer.

jammed card, pull it out.

jammed card:

— Pull the cleaning roller

module out slightly.

— Turn the knob on the

right-hand side of the cleaning roller module clockwise to drop the jammed card. Remove the fallen card.

— Push the cleaning roller

module back into position.

52 RP90 Plus E and RL90 User Guide

Turnover jam

Tips – Turnover jam

• Some internal parts may

be hot. Wear a glove when rotating the turnover table.

Printer error recovery

If a card jams in the card turnover section, “Jam (Turnover)” is displayed on the LCD panel. To remove the jammed card:

1 Slide the door latch to the right and open the printer door.

2 Press the ink ribbon cartridge eject button and remove the ink ribbon

cartridge.

3 Remove the jammed card.

— If you can reach the jammed card, pull it out.

— If the jammed card is sticking out of the turnover table, push it back

into the table, and rotate the table slowly until the card can be removed.

4 Replace the ink ribbon cartridge and initialize the ink ribbon as

described in

“Initialize the ink ribbon” on page 16.

RP90 Plus E and RL90 User Guide 53

Printer error recovery

Retransfer section jam

If a card jams in the retransfer section, “Jam (Transfer)” is displayed on the LCD panel. To remove the jammed card:

Tips – Retransfer jam

• Some internal parts may

be hot. Be careful when removing a jammed card.

1 Slide the door latch to the right and open the printer door.

2 Press the retransfer film cartridge eject button and remove the

retransfer film cartridge.

3 Open the card hopper and

remove the jog lever by pushing the retaining tab toward the front of the printer and lifting the jog lever.

4 Use the jog lever to turn the

jog dial counterclockwise until the card can be removed.

5 Remove the card.

6 Replace the retransfer film

cartridge and initialize the retransfer film as described in

“Initialize the retransfer film” on page 17

54 RP90 Plus E and RL90 User Guide

Mending broken ink ribbon or retransfer film

If the ink ribbon or retransfer film breaks, “Media Broken” is displayed on the LCD panel. Broken ink ribbon is shown in the following example; repairing broken retransfer film uses the same steps.

1 Slide the door latch to the right and open the printer door.

2 Remove the cartridge by pressing the cartridge eject button.

3 Trim the ends of the broken

portions evenly.

4 Do not remove the used ink

ribbon or film from the take-up spool.

5 Align the ends of the broken

media evenly and apply tape to secure.

6 Turn the take-up spool

clockwise until the mended portion is wound onto the spool two or three turns.

7 Reinstall the cartridge into the

printer until it clicks into position.

8 Close printer door.

9 Initialize the ribbon or film as

described in

ribbon” on page 16 “Initialize the retransfer film” on page 17

“Initialize the ink

Printer error recovery

RP90 Plus E and RL90 User Guide 55

Printer error recovery

Bend remedy

Single-sided printing can cause the card to warp depending on the type of cards you use. Use the bend remedy Temp Level settings to correct the condition and use the Speed settings to fine tune the adjustment.

Bend remedy printer settings

You can also change the printer setting using the Status Monitor. See “Bend

Remedy tab” on page 28

Tips –Bend Remedy

• You must initialize the

printer by pressing the RESET and then the ENTER key. Settings will not be saved if the printer is not initialized.

• Double-sided printing

with the Temp Level set to a high temperature can cause severe warping. Set the Temp Level to OFF when printing on both sides of the card.

• Allow sufficient time for

the bend remedy roller to cool after decreasing the temperature setting.

1 Press the printer MENU

key until "Bend Remedy" is displayed.

2 Press the ENTER key.

Choose from three bend remedy settings. Use the up and down arrow keys to select "Temp Level", "Speed", or "Cooling Time".

a Temp Level

Use the up and down arrow keys to set the bend remedy roller temperature. There are seven settings: off and 5 to 0. The higher the value, the higher the temperature. Press the ENTER key to confirm the value.

b Speed

Use the up and down arrow keys to set the bend remedy roller speed. There are five settings from -2 to +2; the higher the value, the faster the speed. Press the ENTER key to confirm the value.

c Cooling Time

Set the cooling time from zero to 15 seconds using the up and down arrow keys. Press the ENTER key to confirm the value.

3 Press the RESET and then the ENTER key to initialize the printer.

56 RP90 Plus E and RL90 User Guide

Bend remedy laminator settings

When the laminated card warps concave, the printer bend remedy settings should be effective in correcting the problem. See

settings” on page 56

If the laminated card warps convex, set the printer Bend Remedy> Temp Level to Off and set the laminator’s Card Fan to one of five settings.

Set the printer Bend Remedy>Temp Level to Off when laminating cards that have been printed on both sides.

To set the laminator Card Fan:

1 Press the MENU key on the

laminator LCD display until “Card Fan” is displayed.

Printer error recovery

“Bend remedy printer

on the previous page.

2 Press the ENTER key.

3 Press the RESET/K key to select from five settings: Off, Low, Half,

High, or Full. You may need to experiment with this setting to obtain satisfactory results.

4 Press the ENTER key to confirm the setting.

RP90 Plus E and RL90 User Guide 57

Printer error recovery

Printer LCD messages

LCD Message Possible Cause Solution

Please, Power Off The power must be turned

off to initialize the printer.

Please Remove Media Cassette

HR is too hot Cleaning cannot start

Jam (Hopper) There is a card jam in the

Jam (Turnover) There is a card jam in the

Cleaning cannot start when the retransfer film cartridge is in the printer.

because the temperature of the heat roller is too high.

hopper section.

turnover section.

Turn the power switch off and then on again.

1 Remove the retransfer film cartridge. 2 Press RESET and then ENTER to initialize the

printer.

3 Start the cleaning cycle again.

1 Power off the printer and allow the heat roller to

cool for about 20 minutes.

2 Power on the printer and start cleaning again.

Make sure that the retransfer film cartridge has been removed.

3 See

4 Contact your service provider if “HR is too hot”

1 Remove jammed card from the card hopper. 2 Press RESET, and then ENTER to initialize the

3 See

1 Remove jammed card from the turnover section. 2 Press RESET, and then ENTER to initialize the

3 See

“Cleaning the card feed rollers and heat

roller” on page 45

the card feed and heat rollers.

appears on the LCD panel and you are not cleaning the printer.

printer.

for instructions on how to clean

“Hopper jam” on page 52.

printer.

“Turnover jam” on page 53.

Jam (MG) There is a card jam in the

magnetic stripe encode section.

Jam (Transfer) There is a card jam in the

retransfer section.

Jam (Discharge) There is a card jam in the

card discharge section.

1 Press RESET, and then ENTER to initialize the

printer. If no card is discharged, remove the card from the encode section.

2 Press RESET, and then ENTER to initialize the

printer.

1 Remove the jammed card from the retransfer

section.

2 Press RESET, and then ENTER to initialize the

printer.

3 See

1 Press RESET, and then ENTER to initialize the

2 Remove the jammed card from the retransfer

3 Check that the card stacker is securely attached to

“Retransfer section jam” on page 54.

printer.

section.

the stacker receptacle. An incorrectly mounted card stacker can cause discharge jams.

58 RP90 Plus E and RL90 User Guide

LCD Message Possible Cause Solution

Printer error recovery

Media Broken The retransfer film is

broken.

Media Search The printer is searching for

the retransfer film.

Media Run Out The retransfer film has run

out.

1 Repair the retransfer film as described in

“Mending broken ink ribbon or retransfer film” on page 55

2 Press RESET, and then ENTER to initialize the

printer one ribbon panel.

1 Press RESET, and then ENTER to reset the

retransfer film.

2 Call for service if the problem persists.

1 Replace with new roll of retransfer film. 2 Press RESET, and then ENTER to initialize the

printer.

3 Initialize the new roll of film as described in

“Initialize the retransfer film” on page 17.

Ink Broken The ink ribbon is broken.

1 Repair the ink ribbon as described in

broken ink ribbon or retransfer film” on page 55

2 Press RESET, and then ENTER to initialize the

printer.

Ink Search The printer is searching for

the ink ribbon.

Ink Run Out The ink ribbon has run out. 1 Replace with a new roll of ink ribbon.

1 Press RESET, and then ENTER to reset the ink

ribbon.

2 Call for service if the problem persists.

2 Press RESET, and then ENTER to initialize the

printer.

3 Initialize the new ribbon as described in “Initialize

the ink ribbon” on page 16

“Mending

Turn Over Unit The card turnover device

has malfunctioned.

Heater Cam Heat roller operation error. 1 Press RESET, and then ENTER to initialize the

No Card 1 There are no cards in

the card hopper.

2 The card hopper is

open or has been removed.

Door Open The printer door is open. 1 Close the printer door.

Press RESET, and then ENTER to initialize the printer. Call for service if the problem persists.

printer.

2 Call for service if the problem persists.

1 Load cards as described in “Load cards” on

page 8

2 Close or replace the card hopper securely.

2 Press RESET, and then ENTER to initialize the

printer.

RP90 Plus E and RL90 User Guide 59

Printer error recovery

LCD Message Possible Cause Solution

No Cleaning Ro. The cleaning rollers are

missing.

No Cassette The ink ribbon or retransfer

film cartridge is not installed.

1 Reinstall the cleaning rollers. 2 Press RESET, and then ENTER to initialize the

printer.

3 See

1 Install the cartridge(s) in printer. 2 Initialize the ink ribbon as described in

3 Initialize the retransfer film as described in

“Cleaning the card cleaning rollers” on

page 44

the ink ribbon” on page 16

for more information.

“Initialize

“Initialize the retransfer film” on page 17.

Hardware There is a hardware error. Turn the power switch off and then on again. Call for

service if the problem persists.

TR Overheat The retransfer roller is too

hot.

TR Broken The retransfer roller is not

working.

TR Sensor Broken The retransfer roller

thermistor is not working.

RR Overheat The bend remedy roller is

too hot.

RR Broken The bend remedy roller is

not working.

Turn the power switch off and then on again. Call for service if the problem persists.

RR Sensor Broken The bend remedy roller

thermistor is not working.

Overcool It is too cold for the printer

to operate.

Head Overheat The thermal head is

overheated.

EEProm Broken EEPROM malfunction Turn the power switch off and then on again. Call for

MG Unconnected Magnetic stripe module

connection error

MG Mechanical Magnetic stripe

mechanical error

MG Hardware Magnetic stripe hardware

error

Turn the power switch off and then on again. Call for service if the problem persists.

The temperature in the printer area is too low. Use at the recommended operating environment temperature as described in

page 72

Turn the power switch off and allow the printer to cool for approximately 10 minutes before turning power back on.

service if the problem persists.

Turn the power switch off and then on again. Call for service if the problem persists.

“Operating environment” on

60 RP90 Plus E and RL90 User Guide

LCD Message Possible Cause Solution

Printer error recovery

MG Write Magnetic stripe writing

error

EXT Unconnected An external device, such

as the optional laminator, is not working.

MG Read Magnetic card reading

error.

MG Communicate Magnetic stripe module

communication error.

EXT SW Setting External device switch

setting error.

EXT Jam External retransfer unit jam

error.

1 Check the orientation of magnetic stripe cards in

the card hopper as described in

page 8

2 Press RESET, and then ENTER to initialize the

printer.

1 Check that the laminator’s power switch is on. 2 Make sure that the cable connecting the laminator

to the printer is plugged in securely.

3 Turn the printer and optional laminator power

switches off and then on again.

4 Call for service if the problem persists.

1 Check the type and orientation of magnetic cards in

the card hopper as described in “Load cards” on

page 8

2 Press RESET, and then ENTER to initialize the

printer.

Turn the printer’s power switch off and then on again. Press RESET, and then ENTER to initialize the printer.

1 Press RESET, and then ENTER. 2 Remove cards if they are not discharged as

described in “Retransfer section jam” on

page 54

3 Press RESET, and then ENTER to initialize the

printer.

“Load cards” on

EXT Communicate External unit

communications error.

EXT 2 Communicate The laminator

communication is lost.

Turn the printer’s power switch off and then on again.

1 REQUIRED: Power off the printer and laminator. 2 Make sure that the cable connecting the laminator

to the printer is plugged in securely.

3 Turn the printer’s power switch off and then on

again.

RP90 Plus E and RL90 User Guide 61

Laminator error recovery

The laminator LCD panel displays the error.

Card jam

The laminator LCD panel displays the location of the card jam: Card Jam (In), Card Jam (Middle), or Card Jam (Out). Use the following steps to remove card jams.

Tips – Laminator card jam

• Make sure that the card

stacker is not blocking the card discharge slot.

• The area around the heat

roller is very hot. Be careful when removing a jammed card.

1 Open the laminator door by

pulling the top of the door toward you.

2 Turn the take-up knob

clockwise to remove slack in the laminator material.

3 Press the laminator cartridge

eject button and remove the laminator cartridge. The cartridge may be difficult to remove; pull firmly, but do not force. If cartridge cannot be removed, call for service.

4 Use a coin to turn the jog dial,

which will move the card. The jog dial can be turned clockwise or counterclockwise depending on the location of the card.

5 Remove the jammed card.

The area around the heat roller is very hot. Be careful when removing a jammed card.

62 RP90 Plus E and RL90 User Guide

Laminator error recovery

6 Inspect the cartridge:

— If the material on the cartridge is in one piece:

— Turn the cartridge take-up knob counter-clockwise until all

damaged material is wound neatly on the take-up spool.

— If the material is split

or broken:

— Trim the ends of the broken portions evenly.

— Align the end of the

supply material with the take-up spool and apply tape to secure.

— Turn the material onto

the take-up spool until the mended portion is wound two or three turns.

7 Replace the loaded laminator

cartridge in the printer until it clicks into position.

8 Close the printer door.

9 Initialize the patch or topcoat

material by pressing the laminator’s RESET/K and then the ENTER key.

RP90 Plus E and RL90 User Guide 63

Laminator error recovery

Patch position

The position of the patch on the card can very slightly with a different lot of laminator supply material. You can change the left-to-right position or the top to bottom position.

Change the left-to-right position

Use the laminator LCD panel to change the left-to-right position of the patch on the card.

“Using the Laminator LCD panel” on page 42 to use the Film Position setting.

See

Change the Top-to-Bottom Position

Move the supply-side sprocket once to shift the patch position, following these steps.

1 Power off the laminator and allow it to cool.

2 Open the laminator door and remove the

laminator cartridge.

3 Use the sprocket on the supply side of the

cartridge opening to change patch position.

4 Pull the sprocket out. It

moves a small amount.

5 Turn the sprocket knob to

move the patch:

— Turn clockwise 30° to

move the patch 1mm toward the top of the card.

— Turn counterclockwise

30° to move the patch 1mm toward the bottom of the card.

— The sprocket does not

have a stop to indicate 30°; estimate the movement as closely as possible.

6 Release the sprocket.

Do not move the sprocket more than 30° from the default position.

7 Insert the cartridge, close the door, and power on the laminator. Press the Reset

button to initialize the supply material.

8 Laminate a card to verify the new position.

64 RP90 Plus E and RL90 User Guide

Laminator LCD messages

LCD Message Possible Cause Solution

Laminator error recovery

Please Power OFF To initialize this unit, the

power must be switched off once.

Please Reset Displayed when Reset is

necessary after changing the settings.

Please check inside The power was switched

off during lamination.

Card Jam (in) There is a card jam in the

entrance area.

Card Jam (middle) There is a card jam in the

center of the card path.

Card Jam (out) There is a card jam in the

card discharge area.

Turn the laminator’s power switch off, and then back on to initialize the laminator.

Press the RESET/K and then the ENTER key to initialize the laminator.

Remove the laminator cartridge and check for a card inside the machine. If there is a card in the machine, remove it. Press the RESET/K and then the ENTER key to initialize the laminator.

Check that the laminator is properly connected to the printer as described in

connection” on page 13

See

“Card jam” on page 62 to clear the jam.

The laminating temperature is too high or the speed is too slow. Set the temperature or speed as described in

“Optional laminator

“Using the Laminator LCD panel” on page 42.

See

“Card jam” on page 62 to clear the jam.

The laminating temperature is too high or the speed is too slow. See jam.

“Card jam” on page 62 to clear the

Film search The laminator is searching

for laminate material.

Film run out The end of the roll mark

has been detected.

No Cassette The laminator cartridge is

not installed.

Overcool The area surrounding the

laminator is too cold.

HR is too hot! The heat roller is too hot

for the cleaning operation.

Check that the laminating film is correctly loaded as described in Press the RESET/K and then the ENTER key to initialize the laminating material.

Replace the laminating material as described in

laminate” on page 11

Press the RESET/K and then the ENTER key to initialize the laminator.

Install the laminator cartridge as described in “Load

laminate” on page 11

Press the RESET/K and then the ENTER key to initialize the laminator.

See

“Operating environment” on page 72 for

location guidelines.

Turn the power switch off and allow the roller to cool before attempting to clean it. See

laminator” on page 49

“Load laminate” on page 11.

“Load

“Cleaning the

to clean the heat roller.

RP90 Plus E and RL90 User Guide 65

LCD Message Possible Cause Solution

HR Cam Heater Cam error. Turn the power switch off, and then back on. Contact

your service provider if this does not correct the condition.

Heater Err The heater temperature

does not increase.

HR Overheat Heat roller temperature is

too high.

Temp Sensor The heat roller

temperature sensor is not working.

Memory Err There is an internal

memory error.

Set Temp Err There is an error with the

heat temperature setting.

R. Encoder Err Rotary encoder error. Turn the unit off and contact your service provider

Overheat The temperature inside the

unit is too high.

PRT. Communicate Communication error with

the printer.

Check that the voltage inlet switch, located on the back of the laminator, is in the proper position for the input voltage. Contact your service provider if this does not correct the condition.

Turn the unit off and contact your service provider before powering back on.

before powering back on.

Turn the unit off and contact your service provider before powering back on.

Check that the laminator cable is connected securely to the printer. Turn the printer and laminator off, and then back on to recycle the power.

Film Exchanged? The patch or topcoat

material was changed while the laminator was turned off.

Press the RESET/K and then the ENTER key to initialize the patch or topcoat material.

Supplies

This section outlines the recommended supplies to use with the Datacard laminator.

RP90 Plus E card printer and the Datacard® RL90 card

•

“Ink ribbon, retransfer film, and laminator material” on page 68

• “Cards” on page 68

• “Cleaning supplies” on page 69

RP90 Plus E and RL90 User Guide

Ink ribbon, retransfer film, and laminator material

Ink ribbon

Color print ribbons are designed for full-color card printing. The ribbons use the following color panels: Y=yellow, M=magenta, C=cyan/blue, and K=black.

The following ink ribbons are available:

YMCK 568971-001 (Prints up to 1,000 cards per roll.)

YMCKK 568971-002 (Prints up to 750 cards per roll.) Use when printing two-sided

cards; full color on one side and black only on the other side.

Retransfer film

The following retransfer film is available:

568971-003 (Prints up to 1,000 single-sided cards.)

Laminator material

Successful laminating depends on the type of card used and its construction. If you are interested in applying topcoat or patch on PVC cards, contact your dealer for guidance. Datacard

The RL90 laminator can apply any of the following types of laminator supply materials:

provides two types of materials for use in laminators:

• Topcoat, which is a continuous film.

• Patch, which has die-cut patches sized to fit on a card.

Cards

Patch material

0.6 mil clear patch 565394-002

1 mil clear patch 565394-001

Topcoat material

clear topcoat 565394-003

You might use custom materials similar to those listed above.

Card success depends on the manufacturer and card construction. This section describes specifications and quality guidelines for card stock to use with the RP90 Plus E printer and the RL90 laminator. For best results, use high-quality card stock that meets the specifications and recommendations described in this section.

Use cards that conform to the following specifications:

• ISO/IEC 7810 Type ID1

• ISO/IEC 7811-2 Magnetic stripe (optional)

• ISO/IEC 7816 Smart card (optional)

Contact your service provider before using a preprinted magnetic stripe card or smart card. Dark color preprinted cards can cause positioning errors during encoding.

68 RP90 Plus E and RL90 User Guide

Card size

Use CR-80 size cards with the following nominal dimensions:

Length 3.375 inches 85.60 mm

Width 2.125 inches 53.98 mm

Thickness 0.010 or 0.030 inches 0.25 or 0.762 mm

Card material

For best results, use cards of the following types:

•PVC

•PET

•PET-G

• Polycarbonates

•ABS

Cleaning supplies

The printer uses the following cleaning supplies. For best results, keep cleaning supplies on hand.

Cleaning card 564729-164, pack of 10 cards

Magnetic head cleaning card 564729-166, pack of 10 cards

Card cleaning rollers 564729-122

Printer fan filters 564729-167, set of four replacement foam filters

Laminator fan filter 564731-133 and 564731-134, set of replacement filters

0.030 is the printer’s default setting. Contact your service provider before using 0.010in (0.25mm) thick cards.

RP90 Plus E and RL90 User Guide 69

70 RP90 Plus E and RL90 User Guide

Site requirements

This section describes the operating environment recommended for your Datacard

It describes

RP90 Plus E card printer and Datacard® RL90 card laminator.

“Site guidelines” on page 72

•

— “Operating environment” on page 72

— “Ventilation clearance” on page 73

— “Storage Environment for supplies” on page 73

• “Printer specifications” on page 74

• “Laminator specifications” on page 75

RP90 Plus E and RL90 User Guide

Site guidelines

Tips – Site selection

• Avoid locating the

equipment in dirty or dusty environments.

• Do not place in areas

susceptible to strong vibration or shock.

• Do not place the printer,

optional laminator, or the supplies in direct sunlight.

Operating environment

When choosing a site for the printer and its supplies, consider these guidelines:

• Keep all dust, dirt, food, liquids, etc. away from the printer at all times.

• Do not use supplies or cards that have been dropped on the floor or have otherwise become contaminated.

• Keep paper and foreign materials off the printer.

• Place the printer on a stable platform; keep it off the floor.

• Place the printer away from direct sunlight.

• Place the printer away from heating ducts, blowers, or other air vents.

• Do not use the printer for purposes other than its intended use.

• When cleaning around the printer, prevent debris from entering the printer.

• Place the printer in a clean office environment, protected from any type of construction.

• Store all supplies in the original packaging until you load them in the printer. Keep the original packaging closed.

• Store all supplies in a clean, cool, and dry location.

The performance of the printer and optional laminator is strongly influenced by the installation location. Using the printer in areas below the recommended temperatures can cause retransfer errors, while using the printer in areas above the recommended temperatures can cause errors such as deformation and retransfer film errors. Consider the following recommendations if you need to move or relocate your printer.

Relative humidity: 35% to 70%

Temperature: 59° F to 86° F (15° C to 30° C)

72 RP90 Plus E and RL90 User Guide

Ventilation clearance

To ensure proper ventilation to the printer and laminator, maintain minimum clearance distances as shown.

Sides: 8” (20mm)

Back: 4” (10mm)

• Keep paper and foreign materials off the printer.

•Place the printer on a stable platform

• Do not place in areas susceptible to strong vibration or shock.

• Keep all dust, dirt, food, liquids, etc. away from the printer at all times.

Storage Environment for supplies

Follow these guidelines when storing supply rolls:

• Store supplies in their original packaging until you are ready to use them.

• Choose a location away from direct sunlight, with a temperature between 41° F and 77° F (5° C and 25° C) with a maximum of 40% to 60% relative humidity.

• Do not store supplies in direct sunlight or high humidity locations.

• The print ribbon maintains its quality for about one year. For optimal card quality, purchase and store quantities that you can use up in less than a year.

• The print ribbon and card stock might require secure storage and tracking. Follow your policy for storing and tracking the supplies used to make cards.

• Supply rolls should be at room temperature when they are installed in the printer and used. If supplies are stored in a cooler environment than the printer, allow supplies to reach room temperature before using.

• If the printer will not be used for an extended period of time, remove supplies from the printer and store them with new supplies.

RP90 Plus E and RL90 User Guide 73

Printer specifications

Recording method: Sublimation type retransfer

Feed format: Automatic feed

Recording density: 300 dpi

Expression gradation:256 gradations for yellow (Y), Magenta (M), and

Cyan (C); 2 for Black (K)

Printing time: 29 sec. (single sided, excluding data transfer time)

Interface: USB 2.0

Ethernet (100Base-Tx or 10Base-T)

Operating environment conditions

Temperature: 59°F to 86°F (15°C to 30°C) Humidity: 35% to 70% (no condensation)

Storage environment conditions

Temperature: 5°F to 131°F (-15°C to 55°C) Humidity: 20% - 80%

Power supply: 100-120VAC or 220-240VAC (±10%) Current dissipation: 7.0A for 100V system and 5.0A for 200V system

Weight: 48.4 lbs (22kg) (Standard unit excluding built-in

magnetic encoder)

Sound level: less than 70dB(A) according

to DIN45635, part 19 (EN27779).

74 RP90 Plus E and RL90 User Guide

Laminator specifications

Tips – Electrical

• Check that the red

INLET switch, located on the back of the laminator, is set for your input voltage.

Transfer method Halogen lamp built-in heat roller method

Transfer time 20 seconds. The time varies according to settings.

Usage environment

Temperature: 59° F to 86° F (15° C to 30° C)

Storage environment

Temperature: 5° F to 131°F (-15° C to 55° C) Humidity: 30% to 70% (without condensation)

Power supply: 100-120VAC or 220-240VAC (±10%) Power consumption: Approximately 200 W

Weight: 17.6 lbs (8 kg)

Sound level: less than 70dB(A) according

to DIN45635, part 19 (EN27779).

RP90 Plus E and RL90 User Guide 75

76 RP90 Plus E and RL90 User Guide

Magnetic Stripe Encoding

This section provides information about encoding magnetic stripe data. It includes:

“Inline Encoding” on page 78

•

• “Character Code Table” on page 79

RP90 Plus E and RL90 User Guide

Inline Encoding

When the Magnetic Encode setting on the Printing Preferences Encode tab is checked, the magnetic stripe encoder can be enabled. The encoding data is sent to the card printer through the printer driver using the prefix characters described in this section. This function is called “inline encoding”.

If the first three characters in a line are prefix characters (Tilde, “?” and numeral), the text that follow is recognized as encoding data. Encoding data is not printed on a card.

Prefix characters

~?0 JIS type 2 7 unit (bit) code 69

~?1 ISO track 1 (International Air Transport

~?2 ISO track 2 (American Bankers Association —

~?3 ISO track 3 (Thrift Third Standard — TTS) 4 unit (bit) code 104

Data format

Association — IATA)

ABA)

character code table

6 unit (bit) code 76

4 unit (bit) code 37

Maximum Character Length

Tip for success

• Data must be formatted with the same, continuous font.

• Only characters specified in the table on page 79 can be included. Using other

characters will result in an error.

• The maximum number of characters does not include the three prefix characters, or

the start and end sentinels. The Datacard ID Software Printer Plug-in used with the mag stripe plug-in adds the start and end sentinels.

• Make sure that the ID software or PC application does not process the encoding

data as graphics.

• Magnetic stripe data must be on the first page of the card data.

Example

78 RP90 Plus E and RL90 User Guide

Character Code Table

The following table shows the usable ASCII character codes. The encoding data must use only allowed characters.

b4 b3 b2 b1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

0000 0 0001 1 0010 2 0011 3 0100 4 0101 5 0110 6 0111 7 1000 8 1001 9 1010 A 1011 B 1100 C 1101 D 1110 E 1111 F

Character Code Table

b7 00001111 b6 00110011 b5 01010101

0@P ` p !1AQaq “2BRbr

#3CSc s $4DTd t

% * 5 E U e u

&6FV f v

‘7GWgw (8HXhx )9IYIy

LF *:JZjz

+ ; * K [ k {

,<L\ l |

-=M]m} .>N^n~ / ? * O _ o DEL*

4-unit code

6 unit code

7 unit code (except DEL)

Do not use these characters as encoding data; They are reserved for use by the driver as start

or end sentinels.

Start Sentinel (Hexadecimal)

4 unit code (TTS & ABA)

6 unit code (IATA) % (25) ? (3F) 7 unit code (JIS) DEL (7F) DEL (7F)

RP90 Plus E and RL90 User Guide 79

; (3B) ? (3F)

End Sentinel (Hexadecimal)

Character Code Table

80 RP90 Plus E and RL90 User Guide

Compliance (FCC)

This section describes the regulatory compliance of the Datacard® RP90 Plus E printer and the Datacard® RL 90 laminator. It includes the following:

• Regulatory compliance

— Notice for USA (FCC notice)

— Notice for Canada

— Notice for Europe

• Notice to Users of Printers Equipped with Contactless Smart Card

RP90 Plus E and RL90 User Guide

Regulatory compliance

Notice for USA (FCC notice)

This equipment generates, uses, and can radiate radio frequency energy. If it is not installed and used in accordance with this instruction manual, it may interfere with radio communications. This equipment has been tested and found to be within the limits for Class B computing devices, pursuant to Subpart J of Part 15 of FCC rules, designed to provide reasonable protection against radio interference in a commercial environment. Operation of this equipment in a residential environment may possibly cause interference. In the event of interference, the user, at their own expense, will be required to take whatever measures are necessary to correct the problem.

This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B 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 instruction manual, may cause harmful interference to radio communications. Operation of this equipment in a residential area is likely to cause harmful interference in which case the user will be required to correct the interference at his own expense.

Notice for Canada

This digital apparatus does not exceed the Class B limits for radio noise for digital apparatus set out in the Radio Interference Regulations of the Canadian Department of Communications.

Le présent appareil numérique n'émet pas de bruits radioélectriques dépassant les limites applicables aux appareils numériques de la classe B prescrites dans le Règlement sur le brouillage radioélectrique édicté par le ministère des Communications du Canada.

The term “IC:” before the radio certification number only signifies that Industry Canada Technical specifications were met.

Notice for Europe

We hereby certify that the Datacard® RP90 Plus E printer complies with EMC Directive 89/336/EEC and R&TTE Directive 1999/5/EC. This printer conforms to Class B of EN 55022 and to EN 301 489-5. Operation of this equipment in a residential environment may possibly cause interference. In the event of interference, the user, at their own expense, will be required to take whatever measures are necessary to correct the problem.

Notice to Users of Printers Equipped with Contactless Smart Card

The contactless smart card reader emits radio-frequency waves and must be used as installed and recommended by Datacard Group. You may not modify the reader or how it is used without the written permission of Datacard Group. You may not operate the printer after modifying the reader or its method of operation.

82 RP90 Plus E and RL90 User Guide

11111 Bren Road West Minnetonka, MN 55343-9015

952.933.1223

952.933.7971 FAX www.datacard.com

The design and information contained in these June 2008 570024-002 Rev B materials is protected by US and international copyright laws and treaties.

Datacard Group RP90, RL90 User Manual

Specifications and Main Features

Frequently Asked Questions

User Manual

Contents

Liability statement

Safety

Safe environment

Safe human interface

Introduction

About this manual

Who to call for assistance

About the Printer

The outside of the printer

The inside of the printer

The back of the printer

About the laminator

The parts of the laminator

Using the printer

Load Supplies

Load cards

Load ink ribbon

Load retransfer film

Load laminate

Power on

Check the PC connection

Optional laminator connection

Power on the laminator

LCD sequence on laminator startup

Power on the printer

LCD sequence on printer startup

Prepare to print cards

Initialize the ink ribbon

Set the retransfer film type

Initialize the retransfer film

Initialize the patch or topcoat material (optional RL90 laminator only)

Printing cards

Print cards using ID software

Print from a PC application

Viewing and changing printer settings

Printing Preferences

Printing Properties

Status Monitor

Open the Status Monitor

Close the Status Monitor

Printer Status tab

Printer Setting tab

Retransfer tab

Bend Remedy tab

Media Setting tab

Property tab

Printer Select tab

Others tab

Status monitor messages

Using the LCD menus

About the Printer LCD panel

Using the Printer LCD panel

About the Laminator LCD panel

Using the Laminator LCD panel

Taking care of your printer

Cleaning the printer

Cleaning the card cleaning rollers

Card feed roller

Cleaning the card feed rollers and heat roller

Cleaning the magnetic head

Cleaning the thermal head

Cleaning printer fan filters

Preparing the printer and laminator for transport

Cleaning the laminator

Run a laminator cleaning card

Cleaning the laminator cartridge

Laminator fan filter

Messages and error recovery

Printer roller layout

Printer error recovery

Hopper jam

Turnover jam

Retransfer section jam

Mending broken ink ribbon or retransfer film

Bend remedy