EBS EBS-6100 User Manual

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EBS-6100

EBS

Ink-Jet Systems

USER'S MANUAL

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EBS

Ink-Jet Systems

INDUSTRIAL INK-JET PRINTER

EBS-6100

USER’S MANUAL

VERSION 20070529#20.5

EBS Ink-Jet Systems GmbH

Alte Ziegelei 19-25, D-51588 Nümbrecht

 +49 (0)2293 / 939-0

Fax +49 (0)2293 / 939-3

http://www.ebs-inkjet.de

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 EBS-6100 Printer User's Manual

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Ink-Jet Systems

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 EBS-6100 Printer User's Manual

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. GENERAL INFORMATION ..................................................................................7

1.1. APPLICATION .....................................................................................................................7

1.2. PRINCIPLE OF OPERATION ................................................................................................10

2. INSTALLING THE PRINTER..............................................................................11

2.1. SAFETY REQUIREMENTS ...................................................................................................11

In the case of accident ….....................................................................................11

2.2. POWER SUPPLY REQUIREMENTS.......................................................................................12

Mains Requirements.............................................................................................12

2.3. INSTALLING THE PRINTER .................................................................................................12

2.3.1. Standard and Optional Accessories ..........................................................................12

2.3.2. Preparatory Steps ........................................................................................................13

2.3.3. Removing transport protections ................................................................................14

2.3.4. Connections..................................................................................................................15

2.3.5. Connecting bottles of ink and solvent.......................................................................16

2.4. REMOVING THE HEAD CASING............................................................................................16

3. STARTING THE PRINTER................................................................................. 17

3.1. SWITCHING THE PRINTER ON ............................................................................................18

3.2. SWITCHING THE PRINTER OFF...........................................................................................18

3.2.1. Switching the Printer Off in the Regular Mode .........................................................18

3.2.2. Switching the Printer Off in the Emergency and Service Modes............................19

4. OPERATING THE PRINTER.............................................................................. 20

4.1. CONTROL PANELS............................................................................................................20

4.1.1. External Panel...............................................................................................................20

4.1.2. Internal Panel................................................................................................................22

4.2. OPERATING THE PRINTER WITH THE CONTROL MENU .......................................................24

4.3. PRINT HEAD STATUS........................................................................................................27

4.4. CONTROLLING THE PRINTER .............................................................................................29

4.4.1. Text Files.......................................................................................................................29

4.4.1.1. General Information on Text Files ...........................................................................29

WORD PROCESSOR - A Description of Control Keys........................................31

4.4.1.2. Opening and Editing a New Text File ......................................................................31

Subfile Type: Text - ASCII Characters .................................................................32

Subfile Type: Graphics..........................................................................................34

GRAPHICS PROCESSOR - A Description of Function Keys ..............................35

Subfile Type: BAR CODE ........................................................................................35

Subfile Type: TEXT NAME.......................................................................................37

4.4.1.3. Editing an Existing Subfile .......................................................................................37

4.4.1.4. Copying and Editing a Text File...............................................................................38

4.4.1.5. Deleting a Text File..................................................................................................38

4.4.1.6. Deleting the File Library...........................................................................................38

4.4.1.7. Accessing the File Library........................................................................................38

4.4.1.8. Linking File Names with Parameter-Block Names ..................................................39

4.4.1.9. Using the Password.................................................................................................40

Defining a User Password ....................................................................................40

Enabling the User Password ................................................................................40

Changing the User Password...............................................................................40

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Deleting the User Password.................................................................................41

4.4.1.10. Using Special Registers...........................................................................................41

Object Counters....................................................................................................42

Date and Time ......................................................................................................42

Universal Counter.................................................................................................43

Universal Date and Time......................................................................................48

Expiry Date Registers...........................................................................................49

Special Channel Data...........................................................................................50

4.4.2. Using Print-Parameter Blocks ....................................................................................50

4.4.2.1. Creating and Editing a New Parameter Block .........................................................51

Modifying Parameters...........................................................................................51

4.4.2.2. Editing Existing Blocks of Parameters.....................................................................52

4.4.2.3. Copying and Editing Blocks of Parameters .............................................................52

4.4.2.4. Deleting a Block of Parameters ...............................................................................52

4.4.2.5. Deleting the Parameter-Block Library......................................................................53

4.4.2.6. Accessing the Parameter Block Library...................................................................53

4.4.3. Printing..........................................................................................................................54

4.4.3.1. Stopping the Printing ...............................................................................................54

4.4.3.2. Starting the Printing .................................................................................................54

4.4.3.3. Quick Stopping the Printing .....................................................................................55

4.4.3.4. Suspending printing, editing the text and resuming the printing..............................56

4.4.3.5. Print Parameters......................................................................................................56

Modifying Print Parameters ..................................................................................57

Vertical Direction ..................................................................................................57

Initial Distance ......................................................................................................57

Number of Repetitions..........................................................................................58

Distance Between Overprints...............................................................................58

Horizontal Direction ..............................................................................................58

Print Height...........................................................................................................59

Date Offset ...........................................................................................................59

Counter Increment................................................................................................59

Row Repetition .....................................................................................................59

Print-Rate Mode ...................................................................................................60

Print Rate..............................................................................................................60

Interleaving ...........................................................................................................60

Timing Mode.........................................................................................................60

Print Resolution ....................................................................................................61

Travel Speed ........................................................................................................61

Number of Pulses Generated by External Encoder .............................................61

4.4.3.6. Saving Current Parameters in a Block ....................................................................61

4.4.3.7. Monitoring the Counting...........................................................................................62

Accessing Object Counters ..................................................................................62

Modifying Object Counters ...................................................................................63

4.4.3.8. Monitoring the Print Rate .........................................................................................63

4.4.3.9. Printing with the Use of a Code Switch ...................................................................64

4.4.3.10. Viewing Files on the Terminal Display.....................................................................64

4.4.4. Servicing the Head.......................................................................................................65

4.4.4.1. Service Mode...........................................................................................................65

4.4.4.2. Sucking Ink/Solvent .................................................................................................65

4.4.4.3. Closing and Opening the Ink Valve .........................................................................65

4.4.4.4. Turning the Head off Quickly ...................................................................................66

4.4.4.5. Turning the Ink Flow on ...........................................................................................66

4.4.4.6. Turning the Head off ................................................................................................67

4.4.4.7. Turning the Flow of Solvent On ...............................................................................67

4.4.4.8. Adjusting the Ink Jet Path ........................................................................................67

4.4.4.9. Switching the Stroboscope Over .............................................................................71

4.4.4.10. Monitoring High Voltage during Printing ..................................................................71

4.4.4.11. Defining Some Print Parameters by Measuring Conveyor Travel Speed ...............72

4.4.4.12. Other Commands ....................................................................................................72

4.4.5. Auxiliary Commands....................................................................................................72

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Ink-Jet Systems

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4.4.5.1. System Data ............................................................................................................72

4.4.5.2. Accessing Alarm Messages.....................................................................................73

4.4.5.3. Clearing Alarms .......................................................................................................73

4.4.5.4. Accessing Error Reports..........................................................................................73

4.4.5.5. Setting Date and Time .............................................................................................73

4.4.5.6. Viewing Printer Operation Time...............................................................................74

4.4.5.7. Selecting a Language ..............................................................................................74

4.4.5.8. Releasing Protections..............................................................................................75

4.4.6. Ink and Solvent Bottle Monitoring System................................................................76

4.4.6.1. Checking the Validity Date.......................................................................................78

4.4.6.2. Printer Operation Time vs. Solvent Consumption Time Limit..................................79

4.4.6.3. Accessing Ink Monitoring System Data ...................................................................79

4.4.6.4. Checking How Many Text Files Can be Printed with 1 litre of Ink...........................79

4.4.6.5. Printer Operation Problems During the Replacement of Ink and Solvent

4.5. ALARMS, ERRORS AND INDICATIONS.................................................................................81

4.5.1. Clearing Alarms............................................................................................................87

4.6. ADJUSTING THE PRINT RATE.............................................................................................87

4.6.1. Internal Generator ........................................................................................................87

4.6.2. Shaft-encoder ...............................................................................................................88

4.6.3. Defining the Maximum Print Rate for a Given Text File ...........................................90

4.6.4. Information for advanced users .................................................................................91

4.6.5. Problems with reaching the maximum print rate when a shaft-encoder is

used ...............................................................................................................................92

4.6.6. The Maximum Print Rate vs. Resolution Settings ....................................................94

General Information..............................................................................................76

Replacing the Bottle of Ink (Solvent) ....................................................................77

Bottles ......................................................................................................................81

Ink Monitoring System Flow Diagram...................................................................81

 EBS-6100 Printer User's Manual

4.7. SYNCHRONIZING PRINT HEADS .........................................................................................95

5. EXAMPLES OF HOW TO OPERATE THE PRINTER .......................................96

5.1. HOW TO PRINT THE FIRST SAMPLE TEXT FILE ...................................................................96

5.2. CREATING AND PRINTING VARIOUS TEXT FILES .................................................................98

5.2.1. How to Print the Current Date and Time....................................................................98

5.2.2. How to Print Consecutive Numbers...........................................................................99

5.2.3. How to Print Expiry Date ...........................................................................................100

5.2.4. How to Print Logos ....................................................................................................101

5.2.5. How to Print a Bar Code ............................................................................................102

5.2.6. How to Print a Complex Subfile................................................................................103

6. SERVICE AND MAINTENANCE...................................................................... 105

6.1. ROUTINE MAINTENANCE..................................................................................................105

6.2. CHECKING THE ADJUSTMENTS ........................................................................................106

6.3. WHEN PROBLEMS ARISE DURING OPERATION OR SERVICE ..............................................107

6.3.1. The printer cannot be started ...................................................................................107

6.3.2. Misaligned jet of ink...................................................................................................107

6.3.3. Clogged nozzle - cleaning the nozzle.......................................................................108

6.3.4. No nominal ink pressure can be generated by the pump......................................110

6.3.5. Occluded Ink Filter in the Gun..................................................................................110

Replacing the Main Ink Filter ..............................................................................110

Replacing Ink Filter Inside the Gun ....................................................................112

Replacing air filter element in the electronic chamber ventilation system..........113

6.3.6. Reduced partial vacuum............................................................................................115

6.3.7. No flow of solvent in the head ..................................................................................116

6.3.8. The lower part of the print is missing ......................................................................116

6.3.9. Some vertical rows of the print are spaced widely.................................................117

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 EBS-6100 Printer User's Manual

6.3.10. Irregular defects of print quality...............................................................................118

6.3.11. Slopping, rippled or jagged print..............................................................................118

6.3.12. Names of text files in the library are changed - the battery is discharged ..........119

6.4. HOW TO CONTACT THE SERVICE POINT...........................................................................119

Ink-Jet Systems

7. STORAGE AND TRANSPORTATION............................................................. 121

7.1. STORING THE PRINTER ...................................................................................................121

7.2. TRANSPORTING THE PRINTER .........................................................................................124

8. TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS ...................................................................... 125

9. LAYOUT OF CYRILLIC CHARACTERS ON THE PRINTER’S TERMINAL

KEYPAD...........................................................................................................128

10. LAYOUT OF ARABIC CHARACTERS ON THE PRINTER’S TERMINAL

KEYPAD...........................................................................................................129

Index......................................................................................................................130

Dear User,

This Manual contains very useful information on how to operate your InkJet Printer. Please read this Manual carefully.

This edition of the document includes most of the changes introduced to the EBS printers for software version 21_1C and the descriptions contained therein correspond to the printers that are equipped with this software version.

As the machine and options can be customised, the product delivered to you depends on your specific order. Therefore some descriptions or illustrations may differ slightly from your equipment. As we need to keep pace with new technological advancement, we reserve the right to introduce changes in the design and technical solutions adopted. In view of the above, no data, illustrations or description shall make grounds for any claims. Should your printer be equipped with options that are not described or illustrated in the Manual or should you have additional queries after having read the Manual, please contact any EBS Ink-Jet Systems representative for more information.

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 EBS-6100 Printer User's Manual

 Paragraph 1 - General Information

1. General Information

NOTE:

There are warning and information signs on the right or left hand-side margins of some pages to

attract user’s attention to messages that are provided next to them. They are the following signs:

Information signs indicating:

• that the actions described should be taken carefully,

• additional, printer-specific option and features,

• untypical behaviour of the unit,

• other hints.

A warning not to take the action that might have a critical impact on the proper operation of the unit. It requires the user to follow closely the instructions given therein.

A sign informing that the installation or service operation can be performed by the user who does not need to be qualified for servicing EBS equipment.

EBS

A sign informing that the installation or service operation should be performed by the user who is qualified for servicing EBS equipment.

The Manufacturer reserves the right to introduce changes whose description may not

be provided in this manual. The Manufacturer shall not be liable for any damages resulting from the failure to follow the instructions or consequences of editorial or publishing errors within the instructions.

1.1. Application

EBS-6100 is a non-contact ink-jet printer designed for putting print on objects of

various types, moving for example, on a factory conveyor. The printer provides clear and firm overprints on materials such as:

• paper and cardboard,

• plastics,

• fabric,

• leather and leatherette,

• wood and wood-like products,

• glass and ceramic products,

• metal surfaces of any type, etc.

Short description of the printer:

 The unit is equipped with one print head of small outer dimensions.

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 EBS-6100 Printer User's Manual  Paragraph 1 - General Information

 The head produces print varying between 1.5 and 14 mm in height.  The head can be set at any position.  The head is connected with the controller via a 4 m long flexible cord as standard.

435

EBS

Ink-Jet Systems

Fig. 1.1.1.

 Printing capabilities:

• texts composed of small and capital letters out of various matrices, also printed in boldface or rotated,

300

151

202

4000

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• several lines of text printed during a single run of an object in front of the print head: a maximum of four lines (with 1-dot space between the lines for the 7x5 matrix) or six lines (with no space between the lines for the 5x5 matrix), with a maximum print height of 32 dots,

lines

(7x5)

lines

(5x5)

lines

(5x5)

• diacritical national characters,

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• graphics – a built-in set of ready-to-use graphic symbols and a tool-kit for creating

• bar codes of various kinds, printed in a regular way or in reverse, with or without

• variable data - such as current date, warranty expiration date, current time,

user-defined graphics,

a numerical caption; an option of introducing on-going changes to the digital contents of the code (bar code as an incremental or decremental counter),

ascending and descending numbering (counters), any types of data, which are transferred from a PC or external devices (via an optional special channel), as required and arranged by the user.

 EBS-6100 Printer User's Manual

 Paragraph 1 - General Information

 Texts to be printed can be input or modified easily with the use of a built-in terminal, an

external code switch or a PC (via RS-232C or RS-485 interface).

 An optional PC can be connected in order to:

• control the operation of one printer via the EdGraf program,

• allow a number of EBS printers of various types, linked together into a network, to be

controlled from one computer via the InkNet program.

 Objects to be labelled are detected by a photo-detector.  Fully automatic printer’s operation with the status indication and instructions for

performing service operations.

 Full monitoring of ink and solvent bottles. For this reason, bottles designed for different,

incompatible types of EBS printer will not be accepted.

 The unit can operate continuously over 24 hours a day.

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 EBS-6100 Printer User's Manual  Paragraph 1 - General Information

1.2. Principle of Operation

Printing with continuous ink jet printers (CIJ printers).

Ink

Gun

Nozzle

Ink return

Gutter

INK-JET

Charging electrode

HV deflection

electrode

EBS

Ink-Jet Systems

Overprints are produced in the following way:

• A continuous ink jet is broken into droplets.

• Then the droplets are charged and deflected in an electric field.

• Every label consists of drop-wide vertical rows.

• The droplets are deflected on the vertical plane. Every droplet within a row is broken off the continuous jet, then charged and deflected while passing under a high-voltage electrode.

• Objects to be labelled move in front of the print head and vertical rows are printed one by one to complete the entire label.

• Uncharged droplets fall into a gutter and from there are pulled back and returned to the ink system cylinders.

This method of printing is applied to all CIJ printers.

Fig. 1.2.1. Labelling with Continuous Ink-Jet printers

The EBS-6100 printer incorporates many unique solutions, including those protected by

patents. Therefore it is in the top flight of units of this type in the world.

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2. Installing the Printer

2.1. Safety Requirements

All efforts have been put into designing this printer carefully and making it safe and reliable. However, the safe operation of the device is conditioned by the user’s awareness of, and obedience to the following safety rules and precautions.

 EBS-6100 Printer User's Manual

 Paragraph 2 - Installing the Printe

The unit should be operated by the staff that has been trained.

the operation of the printer is supervised.

It is recommended that

1. A fire extinguisher designed to extinguish electrical equipment and flammable

solvent fires must be placed within easy reach of the unit.

2. The unit must not be operated in rooms where an explosion hazard exists.

3. No overprints can be made on products whose temperature exceeds 100°C at the

time of printing.

4. No open fire or spark producing devices are allowed in the area where the unit

operates.

5. Power supply cord must be connected to a socket where an earthed pin is used.

The efficiency of earth should comply with the applicable standards. Additionally, in some cases the printer-housing earth terminal needs to be connected appropriately

(according to the instructions given in section 2.3.4 Connections).

6. As high voltage occurs in the printer, make sure that all manipulations in the

electrical part of the system and inside the head are performed after power has been switched off.

7. The outlet of the head must not be directed towards persons, animals or accidental

objects during printing in order to avoid splashing anybody or anything with ink.

8. Protective clothes and possibly protective glasses need to be warn by persons

performing any work on the ink system.

9. No plastic vessels should be used to do the washing as they collect static electricity.

10. Air contaminated with solvent should be carried away to the outside of the building

11. No ink, solvent or wash-up (or waste fluid remaining after the head has been washed)

WARNING:

Static electricity collected by people (on their plastic clothes or in their hair, for example) may spark-over to ink or wash-up vessels when they have been left open. The ink and wash-up are inflammable and may ignite! Therefore, before you approach the open vessels containing inflammable fluids, discharge static electricity by touching the metal printer housing or another metal object that is connected to the earth.

In the case of accident …

 When ink or solvent spills occur, the spilled fluid should be wiped with a piece of

 If the clothing has been splashed, remove it as soon as possible.

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Metal vessels are recommended.

through a clear duct.

should be left in open vessels as these inflammable fluids may ignite from accidental

sources of fire.

absorbent material and then disposed of in compliance with fire, health and safety at work (HSE) regulations.

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 EBS-6100 Printer User's Manual  Paragraph 2 - Installing the Printer

 Should the eyes or skin get irritated:

EYES need to be rinsed with running water for at least 15 minutes, then you

should see your eye doctor,

SKIN needs to be washed with water and soap.

EBS

Ink-Jet Systems

2.2. Power Supply Requirements

Mains Requirements

Standard Option

Supply voltage

Mains frequency

NOTE:

• The mains electricity must meet the requirements of the applicable standards. Otherwise measures need to be taken or devices used to ensure that the proper power is applied to the printer.

• The mains socket should be equipped with a protective pin properly connected to earth. The efficiency of the earth needs to comply with the applicable standards.

100-240V (AC)

45-440Hz

90-350V (DC)

2.3. Installing the Printer

2.3.1. Standard and Optional Accessories

As a variety of configurations of EBS-6000 series printers are available, the set of accessories installed by the user depends on a specific user application. Typical printer accessories include:

a). Elements and units which are needed for printing in every configuration, b). Additional and supportive elements and units which are needed for a given configuration

to satisfy user requirements.

List of the accessories that are used most frequently in various printer configurations:

1. Printer (control cabinet and the head),

2. Complete head holder,

3. Photo detector, an optical sensor,

4. Shaft-encoder, a conveyor’s travel-speed indicator,

5. Bottle of ink,

6. Bottle of solvent,

7. Bottle of wash-up,

8. Wash-up spray,

9. Filters:

a). Main ink filter, b). Ink filter in the head gun, c). Filter elements for suction tubes in bottles, d). Air filter, e). Air filter element for electronic chamber ventilation system.

10. RS232 interface cable to PC,

11. Original rack for EBS-6000 series printers,

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12. Holder for labelling immovable objects manually,

13. Additional external alarm device,

14. Additional external alarm device with conveyor control and stop indication,

15. External code switch,

16. Movable platform with a cable for making overprints manually.

In addition, a variety of special service tools are available, such as:

a). Open end spanner to unscrew the nozzle, b). Service microscope to adjust ink jet parameters in the head, c). Service tool: a template for adjusting the HV electrode position, d). Service tool: a template for adjusting the distance between the gutter and nozzle. e). Service tool for shaping Ø 3 Teflon pipe tips.

NOTE:

• The above list shall not be considered a specification of accessories (to be) delivered together with a printer or printing system.

• The list of accessories may vary from country to country.

2.3.2. Preparatory Steps

 EBS-6100 Printer User's Manual

 Paragraph 2 - Installing the Printe

In order to prepare a new or transported printer to operation, you should perform the following activities:

 Place the unit in a room that is free from vibration, shocks, dust, smoke, soil, aggressive

or inflammable vapours and gases.

NOTE: The room shall meet the following requirements: Environmental conditions: operating temperature from +5°C to +40°C,

relative humidity up to 90% without condensation.

Mechanical requirements: max. vibration 1g at the max. frequency of 10Hz,

max. shocks of 1g over the maximum of 2ms.

 Ensure that free and easy access to the

unit is provided.

 Place the printer on a 0.7 to 1.1 m high

horizontal table or original rack for EBS-6000 series printers for convenience.

 Check for mechanical damages to the

unit, head and connecting hose, which might have been caused during transportation.

 Secure the print head holder in a convenient position.

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Fig. 2.3.2.1.

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 EBS-6100 Printer User's Manual  Paragraph 2 - Installing the Printer

Head holder

37 mm

2xM5

Fig. 2.3.2.2. Fixing the standard head holder to a conveyor

Photo detector holder

Head axis

EBS

Ink-Jet Systems

 Secure the print head in the holder in any required position.  Install the photo detector in clamps fixed to the head holder or in any other place which

would be most suitable for the object under print.

NOTE: If conveyor vibration is too strong, it would be better to fasten the head holder

on a stable rack or on a wall, provided that the rack and the wall are not in contact with the conveyor.

2.3.3. Removing transport protections

The cylinders are protected against spilling the liquid contents in the event the printer tilts or shakes during transportation. Therefore some of the internal connections are separated, pipes are removed and the holes are plugged. The protections need to be removed and each of the connections restored.

1. Remove plugs from the connectors (couplings)

, , .

2. Connect corresponding pipes according to the following diagram.

valve manifold

bottle of ink



VAC





tank



RET

 14



air filter

head gutter

Fig. 2.3.3.1. View of connections on tank covers and inside the unit.

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Ink-Jet Systems

A description of how to reconnect connectors after the unit has been delivered:

• Tank R3: RET - to connect a return pipe in order to transfer ink from the

• Valve manifold: V3 - to connect ink bottle to V3 valve

VAC - to connect the tank to a vacuum pump.

2.3.4. Connections

On putting the printer in place and removing transport protections make the connections

that are shown in the figure below, following the order indicated by the numbers

, .

 EBS-6100 Printer User's Manual

 Paragraph 2 - Installing the Printe

head gutter back to the tank;

 in the valve manifold.

, , , ,

Special-channel interface

connector (to connect a PC)



 

Mains electricity with an earthing contact





Mains plug

Waste-air pipe

connector



Photo detector

socket

Head casing is electrically

connected with an earthed

Fig. 2.3.4.1. Major connections in the EBS-6100 printer

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conveyor

Shaft-encoder

socket

min. 4 mm hose to vent contaminated air

between points A and B and

Earth bar

between A and C should be

Earth terminal

maximum resistance

0.1 Ohm when the mains plug is out of the mains

socket

the

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 EBS-6100 Printer User's Manual  Paragraph 2 - Installing the Printer

2.3.5. Connecting bottles of ink and solvent

1. Insert suction pipes to the bottles of ink and solvent. Check for filters on the pipe tips. The

caps of ink and solvent bottles can be distinquished from each other by the number of pipes going from the printer's ink system to either cap. The ink bottle cap contains one pipe whereas the solvent bottle cap - three pipes.

2. Screw the bottles into the caps where the pipes are inserted and place them in a cavity in

the ink system door.

EBS

Ink-Jet Systems

NOTE:

• Make sure that the original ink and solvent are contained in the bottles. A possible mistake may result in damage to ink contained in the unit’s containers (due to a change to the chemical structure of ink) and cause many serious problems.

• Avoid misplacing the bottles of ink and solvent or placing the bottle of solvent where the bottle of ink should be.

• Different types of ink must not be mixed. Do not add to the bottle any ink whose shelf life has expired.

2.4. Removing the head casing

To gain access to inner parts of the head, remove the head from the holder and remove the casing. The operation involves the following steps:

• Unscrew

• Remove the head from the casing carefully

the fixing screw on the head casing ,

.

The screw secures the head

casing and ensures electrical

contact between the metal

casing and the printer earth

Unscrew in

this direction

Fig. 2.4.1.

 16

Direction

of removal

Head

casing

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3. Starting the Printer

 EBS-6100 Printer User's Manual

 Paragraph 3 - Starting the Printe

The following key descriptions are used throughout the manual:

OFF

CLR. ALARM

• The green ON key is marked with

• The red OFF key is marked with

• The yellow CLR. ALARM key is marked with

CLR.

ALARM

Main power

switch

ERROR

CLR. ALARM

PRINT ON / OFF

READY

INK ON / OFF

OFF

Fig. 3.1.

The EBS-6100 printer is equipped with a power supply with a watch circuit. There are two power switches that differ from each other over the way mains electricity is switched on or off:

1. The main (bi-stable) power switch, which separates electrically two power wires

from the mains; it is located on the right-hand side of the unit next to the mains cord. After the main power switch has been turned on, the printer triggers to the watch

mode and the red lamp between the

2. The electronic power switch (the

designed to turn the printer on and off by changing the printer’s mode from the watch mode (the lamp emits red light) to the operation mode (the lamp emits green light) and vice versa. The keys should normally be used to switch the unit on and off.

If it needs to be separated electrically from the mains, the unit should be turned off, as described in section 3.2 Switching the Printer Off, and then the main power switch should be turned off.

NOTE: The description below relates to the printer in its watch mode, i.e. with its

main switch in the ON position.

and

OFF

keys comes on.

CLR. ALARM

and

keys on the external panel)

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 EBS-6100 Printer User's Manual  Paragraph 3 - Starting the Printer

3.1. Switching the Printer On

If all the connections are made properly, then it is enough to press the green

the external panel) (see Fig. 3.1).

Then, the starting procedure is initiated. It involves the following steps:

1. Power voltage is applied and electronic cards are tested.

2. The high voltage module is set to the value that is already stored in the memory (it takes

from a few to a dozen or so seconds).

3. The nozzle is rinsed with solvent (for about 10 seconds).

4. Solvent is sucked out (for about 2 seconds).

5. The flow of ink in the head starts and the printer waits until ink parameters stabilize.

Afterwards, the automatic process of breaking the ink jet into droplets starts, initiating the phasing procedure and ink viscosity measurement (it takes about 2 minutes).

If no head should work after the printer has been turned on, the turning on should be followed by the FAST OFF command within the submenu SERVICE. The above mentioned starting procedure consists of step 2 only. Use the INK ON command to activate the head.

EBS

Ink-Jet Systems

button (on

During the starting procedure the red READY lamp (on the internal panel available on the

electronic card, after the upper door has been opened) - see Fig. 4.1.2.2, indicates the

following:

 no light - ink is supplied to the head and ink parameters stabilize,  flashing - the ink breaking process stabilizes,  steady light - the head is ready for printing. The START PRINT command can be

selected.

During the entire starting procedure both the parameters and text files can be selected and modified. If the START PRINT command is selected before the READY lamp comes on, the command is not executed (the message UNIT NOT ACTIVE is displayed instead). Some errors may also delay the readiness of the unit for operation by about 2 to 3 minutes. Check for error indications on the terminal or the internal panel.

If the EBS-6100 printer has not been used for a period of at least 2 weeks, ink pressure may drop and the following error messages may appear twice or three times after the unit has been started: INK PUMP TIME-OUT or INK PRESSURE DROP. You can clear the alarm with

CLR.

the yellow

ALARM

key and continue operating the unit as usual.

3.2. Switching the Printer Off

There are several modes of switching the printer off:

 Regular mode (to switch the printer off for a period of up to 1 week),  Emergency mode,  Service mode,  Switch-off mode preparing the printer for storage over a longer time (up to 3 months

or longer than 3 months) – for a detailed description refer to 7.1 Storing the Printer.

3.2.1. Switching the Printer Off in the Regular Mode

In order to switch the printer off in the regular mode you just need to press the red

 18

(see Fig. 3.1) on the external panel and wait a few minutes for the printer to turn off. Then the

lamp between the

and

SWITCHING THE PRINTER OFF ..... message is displayed on the terminal and the time till

the end of the switching off procedure is counted down in the status window.

OFF

keys changes colour from green to red. The

OFF

key

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The following processes are involved when the printer is switched off in the regular mode:

 Ink is sucked from the ink pipes,  The pipes, gun, nozzle and gutter are rinsed,  The pipes connected to the head are filled with solvent.

NOTE:

 If the printer is switched off in the regular mode too often, the ink becomes excessively

diluted and the ink system may be overfilled and then the following message is displayed to inform you about that:

THE INK SYSTEM CAN BE OVERFILLED BY MULTIPLE SWITCHING OFF !!

 If you need to switch the unit off for a short time (up to about 1 hour) to perform a service

or other operation, switch it off in the service mode - see section 3.2.2 Switching the

Printer Off in the Emergency and Service Modes.

 If the printer needs to be switched off for a longer time (over 1 week), it should be

switched off in accordance with the instructions given in 7.1 Storing the Printer.

 EBS-6100 Printer User's Manual

 Paragraph 3 - Starting the Printe

3.2.2. Switching the Printer Off in the Emergency and Service Modes

In order to switch the printer off in the emergency mode, press the red

holding it down press and release the yellow

can cut off the supply of electricity to the printer with the main power switch. This type of switching off is allowed only in the event of an evident printer failure, especially when the failure to switch the printer off in the regular mode may cause more extensive or additional damage (such as an ink spill).

NOTE:

On switching the printer off in the emergency mode, do not leave it in the off state for longer than about 30 minutes. The head may be splashed with ink which may dry. Therefore sprinkle the nozzle with solvent before you switch the printer off.

You can switch the printer off in the service mode in the same way, as you proceed in the emergency mode. The service mode is used to switch the printer off quickly (without rinsing) for a few minutes in order to perform a service operation (see the note below). If the unit needs to be switched on and off frequently, then the service mode should only be used in order to prevent ink from getting diluted excessively and the ink system from getting overfilled.

NOTE:

• After the unit has been switched off in the emergency or service modes, wash the inner part of the head (especially around the gutter) with solvent.

• If you switch on the unit that has been switched off in the service or emergency modes, the following warning message is displayed on the terminal:

OPERATORS ERROR !!! : THE HEAD WAS NOT FLUSHED BEFORE SWITCHING THE PRINTER OFF.

CLR. ALARM

key (see Fig. 3.1). Or alternatively, you

OFF

key and while

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 EBS-6100 Printer User's Manual  Paragraph 4 - Operating the Printer

4. Operating the Printer

4.1. Control Panels

4.1.1. External Panel

EBS

Ink-Jet Systems

Terminal

is used by the operator to communicate with the printer. It helps to control the printer's

operation, edit text files to be printed and store them in the printer's memory, access and modify system parameters and monitor the printer's condition. The terminal is located on the external panel and consists of a graphic display, an alphanumerical QWERTY keypad and contrast-control and function keys. All terminal features are described further on in this chapter.

CONTRAST

–

F1 F2 F3 F4 F5

Esc Insert Delete Par Alt

Q T W R E UY I O P

Caps

Ctrl

[

A S D F G H J

;

]

X Z

, .

BV C

? |} : " < >{

ERROR

CLR. ALARM

PRINT ON / OFF

READY

INK ON / OFF

253 4

% ^

ON OFF

(

8 0 9

)

7 6

Shift Space Shift Enter

Fig. 4.1.1.1. External panel with the terminal section

1 The main pad contains the following elements:

 Keys

• the green ON key

• the red OFF key

• the yellow CLR. ALARM key

• the dark blue PRINT ON/OFF key to start and stop the printing,

• the dark blue INK ON/OFF key to start and stop the flow of ink inside the print

head.

 20

- to switch the printer on,

OFF

- to switch the printer off,

CLR. ALARM

- to clear alarms,

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 LEDs

• the red / green lamp between the ON and OFF keys to indicate the printer’s on or

• the red ERROR lamp next to the CLR. ALARM key to indicate the alarm state,

• the green lamp next to the PRINT ON/OFF key to indicate that the printer is in the

• the yellow lamp next to the READY key to indicate that the head is ready for

• the green lamp next to the INK ON/OFF key to indicate that the flow of ink in the

off state,

print mode or is not,

printing,

print head is on or off.

 EBS-6100 Printer User's Manual

 Paragraph 4 - Operating the Printe

2 Graphic display (the display) with a resolution of 240x64 pixels

divided into independent sections (windows).

a Terminal status window one line high, contains the following data

(from the left-hand side):

• short 12-character messages (e.g. on the condition of the pen during the edition of a graphics subfile or the name of a MENU option),

• 3-character typing mode (INSert, OVeRwrite),

• the position of the

lower case letters,

• the indication that the

• coordinates of the graphics cursor (during the edition of graphics).

Y or « function keys have been pressed,

b Working window five lines high, it is the main display window to show

the control MENU, parameters and messages, to edit text files, etc.

. The display area is

c Printer status window five lines high, located to the right of the working

window, contains data on the head status for different printer operation modes

- see section 4.3 Print Head Status.

3 Alphanumerical keypad to start control functions and introduce the accompanying

sequences of digits and letters (characters).

The keys are grouped on the terminal keypad according to application.

Group of control keys

Group of numerical keys

Pixel - any of the smallest elements that together form a graphical image. It can be on or off.

20070529#20.5

the following keys:

U ¥ ¦ § ¨ © « Y V - and the arrow

keys on a light blue background

¢ ¡ £ ¤ (see Fig. 4.1.1.1).

the following numerical keys: 1, 2, ... , 9, 0.

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 EBS-6100 Printer User's Manual  Paragraph 4 - Operating the Printer

EBS

Ink-Jet Systems

Group of alphabetical keys

All the above specified characters are available immediately after the corresponding key has been pressed.

Each time you want to type in a character marked in the top left corner of some keys, press the Y key before the character is selected. This does apply to the following characters: _ + { } : " < > ? | ! @ # $ % ^ & * ( ).

4 Special function keys comprising:

• contrast control keys,

- to increase the contrast, –- to reduce the contrast

F1 F2 F3 F4 F5

•

4.1.2. Internal Panel

The internal panel is used to indicate the condition of inner assemblies of the printer, errors, alarms and failures. The condition, errors, alarms and failures are indicated with a number of lamps (two rows of light-emitting diodes, L1 - L20, L21 - L39) located on the printer's main electronics card, that is available after the upper door has been opened (see

Fig. 4.1.2.1).

the letter keys A, B, C, ... , Z, the keys - = [ ] ; ' , . / \ and the

ª key.

function keys to define various additional functions.

/ V91

VAC.

V01

POWER

V92

V82

V12

V81

V11

PREAS-

SURE

V2 A()ALARM

V2VV3V4V5V6

V02

L21

L21 - L39

L39

Internal panel

LEDs

L20

300V ERR. CHK V. ER. V1/V7 ERR.

FILL. ERR./ PRESS.DROP

SOLV. BAD

INK LACK

SOLV. LACK PRESS.LACK

PH. ERR.2 PH. ERR.1 HV2 ON READY 2

L1 - L20

HV1 ON READY 1 +VIS (SOLV)

-VIS (INK) St1 Sb1 St3-OVER

Sb3

Fig. 4.1.2.1. Location of internal panel indication LEDs

 22

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L20

L1 - L20

300V ERR. CHK V. ER. V1/V7 ERR.

FILL. ERR./ PRESS.DROP

SOLV. BAD

INK LACK

SOLV. LACK PRESS.LACK

PH. ERR.2 PH. ERR.1 HV2 ON READY 2 HV1 ON READY 1 +VIS (SOLV)

-VIS (INK) St1 Sb1 St3-OVER Sb3

 EBS-6100 Printer User's Manual

 Paragraph 4 - Operating the Printe

A vertical row of lamps L1 - L20 is accompanied by captures on the right of the LEDs. The lamps can emit steady light or flicker. The meanings of the two states of each lamp and the procedure to be followed if a failure occurs are described in section 4.5 Alarms, Errors and

Indications.

Fig. 4.1.2.2. Error and status lamps emitting red light

300V ERR. +300V voltage failure 0, CHK V. ER. not used, V1/V7 ERR. V11(V1) valve failure, FILL. ERR./ PRESS.DROP ink pressure dropped down below its nominal value (PRESS.DROP), SOLV. BAD not used, INK LACK no ink in the bottle, SOLV. LACK no solvent in the bottle, PRESS.LACK ink pressure exceeds its nominal value , PH. ERR. phasing error in the head,

HV ON this has two meanings:

• the lamp emits steady light - high voltage has been applied to the head,

• the lamp flickers - HV failure or the failure to keep the voltage at the required level,

READY this has three meanings:

• no light - the head is not ready for printing, the flow of ink can be turned on,

• the lamp flickers - ink flow to the head is turned on, the process of breaking ink into drops stabilizes,

• the lamp emits steady light - ink jet is supplied, the head is ready for printing,

+VIS (SOLV) the system is refilled with solvent - ink viscosity is greater than the nominal

value,

-VIS (INK) the system is refilled with ink - ink viscosity is smaller than the nominal

value,

St1 not used, Sb1 not used, St3-OVER the indication of high ink level in cylinder R3; this has two meanings:

• the lamp emits steady light - cylinder R3 is overfilled permanently - a failure,

• the lamp flickers- cylinder R3 is overfilled temporarily (e.g. due to ink surge in the cylinder),

Sb3 the indication of low ink level in cylinder R3,

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 EBS-6100 Printer User's Manual  Paragraph 4 - Operating the Printer

EBS

Ink-Jet Systems

/ V91

VAC.

V81

V11

V01

POWER

V92

V82

V12

V02

L21

Fig. 4.1.2.3. Indication lamps emitting green light

POWER the lamp indicates that a power signal has been applied to keep the

printer’s power supply in the on state,

V01 the indication that electrovalve V0 is turned on to supply ink to the head, V11 the indication that electrovalve V1 is turned on to suck ink from the head, PREASSURE the indication that the ink pressure pump is turned on, V2(A) the indication is not used, V2V the indication is not used, ALARM the indication that an alarm is generated (the duplication of the ERROR

lamp on the main pad of the external panel),

V3 the indication that electrovalve V3 is turned on to refill ink from bottle, V4 the indication that electrovalve V4 is turned on to refill solvent from bottle, V5 the indication that electrovalve V5 is turned on - underpressure is

generated in the solvent pump to ensure that solvent is taken from solvent bottle,

V6 the indication that electrovalve V6 is turned on – ink is supplied to the

solvent pump under pressure to rinse the head with solvent,,

V7 the indication is not used, V91/VAC. the indication that the vacuum pump is turned on, V92 the indication is not used, V02 the indication is not used, V12 the indication is not used, V81 the indication is not used, V82 the indication is not used.

L21 - L39

PREAS-

SURE

()

V2 A

ALARM

V2V

V3V4V5V6V7

L39

4.2. Operating the Printer with the Control MENU

After the printer has been switched on, the control menu is displayed in the operating window of the graphic terminal. The MENU has a multilevel tree structure. Commands are executed directly at the lowest level. The moving from one menu branch to the other involves no action. Only the execution of a command implies an action in the unit, for example printing, moving to the word processor, modifying parameter settings, etc.

Fig. 4.2.1. View of the primary (main) MENU branch, also called MAIN MENU The first character (a digit or letter) in each MENU option is a hot key. When this key is

pressed, the cursor bar is immediately positioned on the selected option.

The following keys help you to move along the tree:

£ To move the cursor one menu item upwards. ¤ To move the cursor one menu item downwards. Y ¢ or Y £ - to move the cursor to the first item.

 24

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 EBS-6100 Printer User's Manual

 Paragraph 4 - Operating the Printe

Y ¡ or Y ¤ - to move the cursor to the last item. V To move one level downwards (to the next MENU branch) or to confirm

the selected command for execution.

U To move one level upwards or cancel the selected command. If you press

the U key several times, you are always moved back to the main MENU level.

NOTE:

After the selection of a command has been confirmed with the V key, it is not always possible to cancel the command. Some commands are executed immediately.

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 25

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 EBS-6100 Printer User's Manual  Paragraph 4 - Operating the Printer

1 TEXT SERVICE

2 PARAMETERS SERVICE

3 PRINTING

4 SERVICE

5 AUX. COMMANDS

6 BOTTLE INFORMATION

EBS

Ink-Jet Systems

MAIN MENU

see next

page

TEXT SERVICE

PASSWORD

PARAMETERS SERVICE

The password can be used only if it was defined by the user before. The user can protect many commands from unauthorised access - see section 4.4.1.9. Using the Password The password can be defined, modified and cancelled only in the TEXT SERVICE menu branch. If all characters of the password are deleted (with the

1 TEXT EDITION

2 CREATE NEW TEXT

3 COPY & EDIT

4 DELETE TEXT

5 CLEAR LIBRARY

6 READ LIBRARY

7 LINK PARAMETERS

8 CREATE/CHANGE PASS

¦ key), the password-based protection is released.

1 EDIT PARAM. BLOCK

2 CREATE NEW BLOCK

3 COPY & EDIT BLOCK

4 DELETE PARAM. BLOCK

5 CLEAR PARAM.LIBRARY

6 READ LIBRARY

BOTTLE INFORMATION

PASSWORD

 26

9 ACTIVATE PASSWORD

A UNIV.DATE REG. CONFIGURATION

Z LIBRARY INFO

1 INK EXPIRE DATE

2 SOLVENT - TIME TO WORK

3 PRINTER/INK/SOLV. TYPE

5 No. OF TXT/1l

8 REMOVE PROTECT TIME

9 IMSVERSION

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PRINTING

 EBS-6100 Printer User's Manual

 Paragraph 4 - Operating the Printe

0 EDIT & PRINT CURRENT TEXT

1 STOP PRINTING

2 START PRINT

3 QUICK STOP

4 PRINTING PARAMETERS

5 SAVE CURRENT PARAM.

6 SHIFT COUNTER

7 SET SHIFT COUNTER

8 ROWS SPEED

9 GLOBAL COUNTER

A SET GLOBAL COUNTER

C PRINT SWITCH

D DISPLAY PRINTED TEXT

SERVICE

Vert. direct. : UP Space : 2,0 mm Text rpt. : 1 Rpt.dist. : 30,0 mm Direction : LEFT Height : LARGE Offset : 1 Offset2 : 1 Counter delta : 1 Row repetit. : 1 Mode : NORMAL Speed : SLOW Interleave : STANDARD Generator : GEN Resol. dot/cm : 30 Cnv spd m/min : 10,0

Only some parameters can be modified during the printing. The settings of others are only displayed.

If the TEXT SERVICE menu option is protected by a user password, any modifications to a block of parameters, change counter and global counter as well as access to the global counter are allowed only after the right password has been typed in.

AUX. COMMANDS

1 SERVICE

2 CLEAN NOZZLE

3 V0 OFF

4 V0 ON

5 FAST OFF

6 INK ON

7 INK OFF

8 SOLVENT

9 SET INK STREAM

A STROBOSCOPE

B HV VALUE,PHOTO,SHAFT,AirP state

C SERVICE COMMANDS

D OTHERS

PASSWORD

This is a special service password that protects an extended set of service commands.

1 OPTIONS

2 DISPLAY ERRORS

3 CLEAR ERRORS

4 READ ERRORS REPORT

5 TIMEAND DATE

6 ACTIVITY TIME

7 LANGUAGE

8 UNLOCK PROTECTION

B SOFTWARE OPTIONS

1 CONVEYER MEASUREMENTS

2 INK FILTER CHANGE

3 PRINTER STORAGE PREPARATION

4.3. Print Head Status

The print head operates in the right way, if the ink jet is properly broken into droplets, the droplets are properly charged and a flow of unused ink droplets falls into the gutter generating

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 EBS-6100 Printer User's Manual  Paragraph 4 - Operating the Printer

the correct measurement phasing signal2. Therefore vital parameters are measured within the print head continuously. The settings of these parameters form the so called print head status and are shown on the terminal display in the printer status window.

EBS

Ink-Jet Systems

A sample head status is given below.

Graphic display

Printer status window

Head status block

The characters of the status block have the following meaning:

 The first digit on the first line indicates the quality of phasing - it can vary between 2 and

6 (with 4 being the optimum). Frequent fluctuations of the quantity from the optimum

indicate that the unit is tuned improperly. A question mark

position from time to time means erroneous measurement of phasing. If the mark is

displayed frequently or continuously, this means that the unit is not tuned properly,

especially within the head, and may lead to a phasing error and an alarm.

 The second digit on the first line (one character) indicates the head operation mode. The

head can be in one of the following four modes:

? which may appear at this

Fig. 4.3.1.

r (restart) the head operation has been restarted (no phasing, the printing

disabled, the READY lamp on the internal panel is off),

s (stop) the head is ready to start the printing (phase and ink viscosity are

measured, the READY lamp on the internal panel generates steady light),

p (print) the head performs the operation of printing as the result of the

START PRINT or PRINT SWITCH commands (high voltage is turned on, phase

and viscosity are measured, the READY lamp and the HV lamp on the internal and external panel generate steady light),

v (service) the head is in service mode and enables the user to perform service

operations (phase and ink viscosity are measured, no alarm is indicated if a phasing error occurs).

 The third digit on the first line (one character) indicates the number of the best phase

determined during the phasing process. It can vary between 0 and 7. Variations in

magnitude every now and again at few-second intervals indicate that ink parameters vary

too quickly (and these are allowed only for a short period after the unit has been switched

on). Changes by ±1 are normal for this parameter.

 Three positions on the second line are used to show ink viscosity and other information.

The viscosity is given in relation to its rated value of +00. Positive numbers indicate that

viscosity levels are higher than the rated value, with negative numbers the viscosity is

smaller than the rated value. The correct value ranges between +15 and -05. Two other

characters such as > (<) can be displayed at the position in emergency cases: when ink

viscosity rises (drops) above (below) the value of 99.

The following messages may also occur on the second line:

Per phasing error.

Phasing - automatic process of controlling the charging of ink droplets. The breaking point at which a continuous ink jet

breaks into droplets varies slightly with time. Therefore the control system needs to update time relations between the charging and breaking of an ink jet into droplets on an on-going basis.

 28

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Tge time gap error indicating too high a printing speed that makes it impossible to

Der drop error indicating the failure to apply the optimal breaking voltage. Aer indicating that no compensation can be made for the KOMPENS option due to

Ter temperature error indicating that the head temperature has fluctuated by

Ovr (overrun) the maximum print rate has been exceeded. This indication may

measure phasing and viscosity or too small a distance (see the Rpt.dist. print parameter) between successive labels as for a given print rate.

too small a value of the Space print parameter or too small a distance (the Rpt.dist. print parameter) between labels to be printed.

more than 10°C in the print mode. This may result from the improper breaking

of ink into droplets and requires the printing to be stopped for about 60 seconds (high voltage to be turned off with the STOP PRINTING or QUICK STOP commands) in order to ensure that the droplet break off point is adjusted automatically to a new temperature. If the working temperature fluctuates by more than 15°C in relation to the temperature at which the breaking circuit has been synchronized, adjust the breaking voltage before starting the operation in such conditions, so that the control equipment operates in the entire temperature range. The adjustment should be performed by a service person. In general, the lower the temperature, the higher the breaking voltage.

appear only when a shaft-encoder is used and it is connected with a sound signal. The alarm can be cleared with one of the following commands:

START PRINT (even if it is rejected), STOP PRINTING, QUICK STOP and SERVICE (from the SERVICE submenu).

 EBS-6100 Printer User's Manual

 Paragraph 4 - Operating the Printe

 The third line is not used in EBS-6100 printers.

 The fourth line indicates the temperature (°C) inside the head.

 The fifth line (ending with “pix”) indicates the type of correction table (7, 16, 25 or 32 pix)

used for printing the current label after the START PRINT command has been selected.

Otherwise, the actual height of the label currently printed is displayed.

NOTE:

• If the START PRINT command has been selected and the

during the printing, the name of a text file printed is displayed (for about 1 second) in

place of the print height. If the

displayed longer.

• If the user is allowed to use the printer for a limited period (under a separate agreement

stating that if the period expires, the printer stops working automatically), the first status

line is displayed in inverted colours (light characters on a dark background, for example

4.4. Controlling the Printer

4.4.1. Text Files

function key is pressed

key is pressed several times, the text name is

4.4.1.1. General Information on Text Files

All operations related to texts to be printed are available from the TEXT SERVICE ubmenu.

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 29

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 EBS-6100 Printer User's Manual  Paragraph 4 - Operating the Printer

NOTE:

If the TEXT SERVICE submenu is protected by a user-defined password, the user is prompted to give the password before the submenu is displayed. For details on using a user password in the printer, see section 4.4.1.9 Using the Password.

Text files are stored in a library in the printer’s memory. Each text file is identified by a name of up to 8-characters. The name can be built up of alphabetical (small and capital) letters, digits and some symbols except spaces, dots or characters such as: \ / : * ? ” < > |, e.g. 12345678, AB#%CD&, Weight-5, JUICE-12, DATEtime, Q1, @8, etc. Text names and the arrangement of text names in the library enable the user to move through even a large set of text files easily and find the right file without any problems.

Every text file in the library can have the read only attribute assigned to it in order to prevent it from being deleted or modified by an unauthorised person. The read only attribute can be assigned to/removed from a single text file or all text files stored in the library. For more information refer to paragraph 4.4.1.7 Accessing the File Library.

Some commands show the library contents in alphabetical order in the operating window of the display.

EBS

Ink-Jet Systems

The following facilities enable the user to move along the file name directory freely:

• the ¡¢¤£ keys to move the cursor from one name to the other,

• the leading character (a letter or digit) to move the cursor to the first name that starts

with this character,

• the Y¢ (HOME) or Y£ keys to move the cursor to the first name in the

library,

• the Y¡ (END) or Y¤ keys to move the cursor to the last name in the library.

NOTE:

If the printer memory is overflowed (with a lot of or very long text files or parameter blocks), the file names may not be arranged in alphabetical order and some facilities may not be effective.

The files can be divided into two groups:

 simple text files,  complex text files.

The simple text files include the following types of text:

 a string of ASCII characters,  a graphical image,  a bar code,  a subfile (another text called by its name).

 30

In every case you can create a complex text file from the very beginning or merge text files (hereinafter called subfiles) that already exist in the library (merging by name). A file created by merging may be used as part of another file.

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NOTE:

• Once created, a text file remains in the printer’s memory even if the power supply

has been switched off. A file is removed from the library only when deleted.

• The maximum file length is restricted by the volume of the printer memory available.

• Up to 6 special registers

Registers below).

can be used in a complex text file (see 4.4.1.10 Using Special

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 Paragraph 4 - Operating the Printe

WORD PROCESSOR - A Description of Control Keys

¢¡£¤

To navigate within a given subfile or between text files.

Y ¢¡

Y £¤

« ¢¡£¤

to move the cursor to the first or to the last character in an ASCII subfile.

To move the entire subfile by one pixel (dot) upwards or downwards.

To create a new subfile in a given position in relation to the current subfile.

To switch between two character insertion modes: INSert/OveRwrite.

To delete a character at the cursor position in a subfile.

To switch between national characters on the keypad. The selection is indicated in the terminal status window, for example

K:POL. German characters Polish characters

indication: character ä corresponds to a characters ąĄ correspond to aA

ö o ćĆ cC ß s ęĘ eE ü u łŁ lL Ä A ńŃ nN Ö O óÓ oO ß S śŚ sS Ü U żŻ xX źŹ zZ

To edit (modify) parameters of a subfile and to change the subfile type.

K:GER indication: K:POL

« ¦

« V

To delete the entire subfile.

To edit a graphics subfile.

To cancel the edition (modification) of a current text.

To indicated the end of the edition (save the file in the library).

To switch between two space display modes3. Spaces can be displayed as  (by default) or as blanks. Spaces are always printed as blanks no matter which display mode is active.

4.4.1.2. Opening and Editing a New Text File

In the main MENU select the TEXT SERVICE item and then the CREATE NEW TEXT item, type in a subfile name consisting of up to eight characters and confirm.

Space – a blank distance between characters; insert it with the ª terminal key.

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NOTE:

If the file name exists in the library, the file appears on the terminal display and can be edited.

The word processor starts and various types of simple and complex files can be created. The word processor opens a simple ASCII file of the maximum height. The file contains one space. Now you can use the keypad to input a text to be printed. A description of control keys

is given in section 4.4.1.1 General Information on Text Files, paragraph WORD

PROCESSOR - A Description of Control Keys.

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You can modify text file attributes or type by entering the subfile menu with the The first item in the subfile menu is Type. All subfile types available together with parameters

and default settings are described later on in this document.

The setting of each of the parameters can be modified with the ¡ and ¢ keys. The setting of a numerical parameter can also be input directly from the keypad and confirmed with the V key.

For various types of simple text file (subfile), subfiles are created in different ways. In the following paragraphs you will find a description of how to create and edit simple files of various types.

On selecting the subfile type, setting file parameters and typing the file contents, the text file needs confirming or cancelling.

Subfile Type: Text - ASCII Characters

This type of simple text file (subfile) is a set of alphabetical characters. The standard word processor offers the Latin alphabet as ASCII characters.

The characters are coded with matrices (or character generators), whose examples are given below:

MATRIX EXAMPLE

Latin 5x5 pixels

Latin 7x5 pixels Latin 9x5 pixels

§ key.

Latin 16x10 pixels

Latin 21x15 pixels

Latin 25x15 pixels

Latin 32x18 pixels

Lat__5x5__ pixels Arab.Dg.7x5 pixels

Cyrillic 7x6 pixels Cyryl.16x10 pixels

Cyryl.25x19 pixels

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 Paragraph 4 - Operating the Printe

MATRIX EXAMPLE

 Terminal keys corresponding to the Spec 7 set of special characters

ABCDE H J M N O PQ T U V W etc.

Spec 7 pixels Spec 16 pixels

A B C D E F G H J M N O P Q T U V W X Y etc.

 Terminal keys corresponding to the

 Terminal keys corresponding to the Spec 25 set of special characters

A B C D E F G H I J K L M

Spec 16 set of special characters

Spec 25 pixels

 Terminal keys corresponding to the Spec 25 set of special characters

N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z etc.

Latin 9x7 pixels Latin 11x8 pixels

Latin 16x14 pixels

When you press the The parameters have the following meaning:

PARAMETER DESCRIPTION AND SETTINGS DEFAULT

Type :

Char. set :

§ key in the word processor, the parameter menu for a subfile is displayed.

Subfile Type. Any parameters shown below are typical of a Text subfile.

subText

Character generators see the above specified sample character matrices. (The number and types of generators installed in the printer depend on the type of print head used and user requirements.):

Latin 5x5, Latin 7x5, Latin 9x5, Latin 16x10, Latin 25x15, Latin 32x18, Latin 21x15, Cyrillic 25x19, Cyrillic 16x10, Cyrillic 7x6, Arab.Dg.7x5, Lat__5x5__, Spec 25, Spec 16, Spec 7 Latin 9x7, Latin 11x8, Latin 16x14.

, Graphic, Barcode, Ins. text

Text

as high as possible

Typeface :

Distance :

Rotation :

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Texts can be printed boldface or the printing of every vertical row can be repeated n times (n=2÷15).

Bold, Normal, Length *2, .... , Length *15

Distance (a number of dots) between characters in vertical rows.

0, 1, 2, .... , 15

Every character within a subfile can be rotated.

None, Right, Upside down, Left

Normal

None

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PARAMETER DESCRIPTION AND SETTINGS DEFAULT

The so called special register can also be used as a subfile. Its

contents can vary during printing - see section 4.4.1.10 Using

Special Registers.

Spec.reg. :

Front dis :

Back dist :

NOTE:

• While editing a subfile you can modify subfile parameters at any time (by pressing the

• While editing a subfile you can change its type at any time (by pressing the

subfile type has been changed (and possibly subfile parameters modified) and confirmed, the previous contents of the subfiles are erased.

None, Up counter, Down count., Time, Date, Spec. chan., Univ.count., Univ. date, Date+offs., Date+offs.2

Leading spacing before a subfile, given as a number of vertical rows (dots).

0, 1, 2, 3, .... , 5000

Leading spacing after a subfile, given as a number of vertical rows (dots).

0, 1, 2, 3, .... , 5000

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None

§ key).

§ key). After the

Subfile Type: Graphics

A GRAPHICS subfile is a block of pixels (on the display) or dots (on an overprint) that are set/erased separately.

When the subfile. The parameters have the following meaning.

PARAMETER DESCRIPTION AND SETTINGS DEFAULT

Type :

Height :

Length :

Front dis :

§ key is pressed in the word processor, parameter menu is displayed for your

Subfile type. Any parameters shown below are typical of a Graphics subfile.

Graphic

The maximum height (number of pixels) of a graphics block equals the maximum height, Hmax, of a printable vertical row.

1, 2, 3, .... , Hmax

Expected length (number of pixels) of a graphics block.

1, 2, 3, .... , 32767

Blank space (number of vertical rows) before a graphics block.

0, 1, 2, 3, .... , 5000

, Barcode, Ins. text, subText

Text

Hmax

the same as the height setting

Back dist :

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Blank space (number of vertical rows) after a graphics block.

0, 1, 2, 3, .... , 5000

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NOTE:

• While editing a graphics block you can modify parameters of a Graphic subfile at any time (by

pressing the

• After the edition of a graphics block has been completed, empty vertical rows to the right of the last non-blank row are deleted automatically. Therefore the block length changes and differs from the original setting.

By pressing the «V keys you will move to the graphics processor, where every dot can be inserted/erased. The image is magnified four times to make individual pixels more visible on the display. The graphic cursor coordinates are shown in the status window on the terminal display. A reference point for them is at the top left corner

§ key).

X: horizontal coordinate Y: vertical coordinate.

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 Paragraph 4 - Operating the Printe

of the graphic block.

GRAPHICS PROCESSOR - A Description of Function Keys

To show in inversion (off/on) a point indicated by the cursor.

To switch between the editor pen modes: UP / SET / CLEAR.

UP lift up the pen,

SET set the pen in the >write< mode, CLEAR set the pen in the >erase< mode.

The pen status is displayed in the terminal status window.

¢¡£¤

Y ¥

Y ¦

To invert (enable/disable) every element of a graphic subfile irrespective of the pen state defined with the

To move the cursor right, left, up or down according to the pen mode. If the cursor is moved right, beyond the length limit, new vertical rows are inserted and the subfile length is modified.

To move the cursor by 8 dots in the direction indicated by the arrow.

To insert an empty vertical row and move the following rows by one row to the right.

To delete the vertical row where the cursor is and move the rows further on by one dot to the left.

To insert one blank horizontal row and move the below rows by one dot down (with no change in the subfile height).

To delete the horizontal row where the cursor is and move the downward rows by one dot up (with no change in the subfile height).

To confirm modifications and return to the word processor.

To cancel modifications and return to the word processor.

Subfile Type: BAR CODE

A BAR CODE subfile is a bar-code block. The processor offers an option to create various

barcodes defined by the applicable standards.

¨ key.

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When the § key is pressed in the word processor, parameter menu is displayed for your subfile. The parameters have the following meaning:

PARAMETER DESCRIPTION AND SETTINGS DEFAULT

Subfile type. Any parameters shown below are typical of a Bar Code subfile.

Type :

Barcode

, Ins. text, subText, Graphic

Text

Bar-code type:

Code :

Datalogic, Matrix, 2/5 5 Bars, Interleaved,

Datalogic

Code 39, EAN-8, EAN-13, UPC-A, UPC-A EBS, Code 128, EAN-128, Code 128B, ITF8, ITF14

Information stored in the bar code. It shall follow bar-code specific rules.

Contents :

e.g. 590069701766 or the EAN-13 bar code For the EAN-8 code input 7 characters (the 8

one is calculated

automatically). For EAN-13 input 12 characters (the 13

one is

No setting

calculated automatically).

The maximum bar height (a number of pixels) equals the maximum height, Hmax, of a printable vertical row.

1, 2, 3, .... , Hmax

Height :

10, 11, 12, .... , Hmax for EAN-8 and EAN-13

Defines how many times the printing of a vertical row is repeated. It is used to scale the width of a bar code block.

Elongat.X :

1, 2, 3, .... , 16

A bar code can be the so called special register - see section

4.4.1.10 Using Special Registers paragraph Object Counters.

None, Up counter, Down count.

Spec.reg. :

A blank space (a number of vertical rows-dots) before a code block.

Front dis :

0, 1, 2, 3, .... , 5000

A blank space (a number of vertical rows-dots) after a bar code block.

Back dist :

0, 1, 2, 3, .... , 5000

An indication, whether a 5 or 7 pixel-high numerical caption is to be added beneath the bar code.

Signature :

5 pix, 7 pix, NO

The numerical caption is added only when the bar-code height exceeds 12 pixels.

Hmax

None

5 pix

Sign.dist :

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A 1 or 2-pixel distance can be applied between a bar code and a caption beneath.

1 pix, 2 pix

1 pix

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PARAMETER DESCRIPTION AND SETTINGS DEFAULT

Inversion :

An indication, whether a bar code is to be printed in inverted colours.

YES, NO When a bar code is printed in inversion, no bars are printed but

only spaces are printed instead, and filled-in fields are added before and after the bar code. The inversion is used to print bar codes with white ink on a black background.

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The EAN-13 car code not in inversion, i.e.

Inversion=NO (32 pixels).

NOTE:

• Subfile parameters can be changed at any time during the edition of a Barcode subfile (by pressing the

• In some cases the ranges of parameters may be reduced to ensure the bar-code standards are met and editing rules are followed.

§ key).

The EAN-13 bar code in inversion, i.e. Inversion=YES (32 pixels).

Subfile Type: TEXT NAME

Every file stored with a name in the library can be merged into another file as ‘a subfile called by its name’. The inside the file it has been merged into. It can only be edited as a separate library file.

When the your subfile. The parameters have the following meaning:

PARAMETER DESCRIPTION AND SETTINGS DEFAULT

Type :

§ key is pressed in the word processor, the parameter menu is displayed for

Subfile type. Any parameters shown below are typical of a Ins. text subfile.

Ins. text

TEXT NAME subfile is a simple or complex subfile. It cannot be edited

, subText, Graphic, Barcode

Text

Specify a name of a library-stored file. The file name can also be

Text name :

Front dis :

Back dist :

NOTE:

Subfile parameters can be modified during the edition of an Ins. text subfile at any time (by pressing the

selected from the library by pressing the ¨ key.

A blank space (a number of vertical rows) before a subfile that is called by its name.

0, 1, 2, 3, .... , 5000

A blank space (a number of vertical rows) after a subfile that is called by its name.

0, 1, 2, 3, .... , 5000

§ key).

No setting

4.4.1.3. Editing an Existing Subfile

In the main MENU select the TEXT SERVICE item and then the TEXT EDITION item.

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After a text file has been selected from the library, a word processor starts running and you can edit the text file or its parameters.

A description of control keys used by the processors is given in section 4.4.1.1 General

Information on Text Files, paragraph WORD PROCESSOR - A Description of Control Keys. For a description of how to edit individual subfile types see section 4.4.1.2 Opening and Editing a New Text File.

After the edition has been completed, confirm or cancel all modifications.

4.4.1.4. Copying and Editing a Text File

You can create a new text file by copying an existing file from the library and saving it with another name. In the main MENU select the TEXT SERVICE item and then the COPY & EDIT BLOCK item.

The display shows the text file library from which you should select the name of a text file to

be copied (see also section 4.4.1.1 General Information on Text Files).

Then input an up to 8-character name for the new file that has just been copied. If the new name exists in the library, the following message is displayed: *TEXT EXISTS*.

After the file name has been typed in, the word processor starts. The file is displayed on the

terminal. It can be edited as described in section 4.4.1.3 Editing an Existing Subfile.

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4.4.1.5. Deleting a Text File

In the main MENU select the TEXT SERVICE item and then the DELETE TEXT item.

The display shows the text file library from which you should select the name of a text file to

be deleted and confirm the selection (see also section 4.4.1.1 General Information on Text

Files).

NOTE: Once deleted the file cannot be restored.

4.4.1.6. Deleting the File Library

Deleting the library means deleting all text files that are stored in the printer’s memory. In the main MENU select the TEXT SERVICE item and then the CLEAR LIBRARY item.

When confirmed, the text files are deleted irretrievably

4.4.1.7. Accessing the File Library

Reviewing the file library means reviewing all text files that are stored in the printer’s memory, together with parameter blocks assigned to them. In the main MENU select the TEXT SERVICE item and then the READ LIBRARY item.

 38

File names linked with appropriate parameter-block names are displayed in the operating window in alphabetical order and separated with “:”. The window can be used not only to view text files but also to separate the parameter block from a text file selected and to assign/remove the read only attribute in order to prevent the text files from being deleted or modified by unauthorised persons. The text files with the read only attribute are marked with a “+” sign that precedes the file names. The text file attribute markers (“+” or “space”) are also

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displayed with the TEXT EDITION and COPY & EDIT commands but they cannot be modified with these commands.

The following functions are available while the text files library is viewed:

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 Paragraph 4 - Operating the Printe

Terminal key

Function

¤£

An alphabetical or

numerical key

Y¢ (HOME)

Y£

lub

Y¡ (END) lub

Y¤

To display the next/previous screen showing text file names.

To display the text file names starting from the first name that begins with a given character.

To place the cursor on the first name in the library.

To place the cursor on the last name in the library.

To assign/remove the read only attribute to/from a selected text file. The operation is available only when the service password is enabled. If the password level is too low, you will be asked for a password when you make an attempt to change the attribute.

To assign the read only attribute to every text in the library. The option is available only when the service password is enabled. If the password level is too low, you will be asked for a password when you make an attempt to change the attribute.

To remove the read only attribute from every text in the library. The option is available only when the service password is enabled. If the password level is too low, you will be asked for a password when you make an attempt to change the attribute.

NOTE: If no text files are defined in the library, the command is ignored.

To detach the parameter block from the text file previously selected with the cursor.

4.4.1.8. Linking File Names with Parameter-Block Names

Certain print parameters need to be set during printing (see section 4.4.3.5 Print

Parameters). When you change the text to be printed (e.g. as the line of products to be

labelled changes), the parameters need to be adjusted accordingly. Therefore it would be advisable to have a tool that might enable you to do the following:

 Store print parameters for a given text file,

 Link the parameters stored with the text file to be printed,

 Set all parameters for the text file automatically just before the printing, after the print

command has been selected.

A solution to meet the above requirements is offered by EBS printers. Every text file (that is stored in the library) can be linked with a parameter block and such a pair can be stored in the file library. To do this, follow the procedure below:

In the main MENU select the TEXT SERVICE item and then the LINK PARAMETERS item.

The display shows the text file library from which you should select a text file name (see also

section 4.4.1.1 General Information on Text Files). Then the parameter block library is

displayed, from which you should select a parameter block name.

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Now the text file name is paired off with the parameter-block name and the relevant information remains in the printer’s memory even if the power supply is switched off.

For how to detach the parameter block from the a selected text file see paragraph

4.4.1.7 Accessing the File Library.

4.4.1.9. Using the Password

The user can secure access to the following commands that are called protected commands further on:

 all commands in the TEXT SERVICE submenu,  all commands in the PARAMETERS SERVICE submenu,  commands in the PRINTING submenu, such as:

• SAVE CURRENT PARAM.,

• SET SHIFT COUNTER,

• GLOBAL COUNTER,

• SET GLOBAL COUNTER.

The objective is to protect text files, parameter blocks and the object counter against accidental or deliberate access by unauthorised persons.

This security feature is implemented by defining a password and enabling the password. Any access to the secured MENU commands is possible only after the password has been typed in. When the right password has been typed in, the commands previously unavailable become available until the password function is enabled again or the printer is turned off. When the password is defined, the password function is enabled automatically after the unit has been switched on.

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Defining a User Password

In the main MENU select the TEXT SERVICE item and then the CREATE/CHANGE PASS item.

The request to type in a user password is displayed. Enter from 1 up to 8 characters and confirm, and then type in the password again in order to certify. The characters input are not displayed explicitly. Only asterisks (******) are shown on the display.

If the password has already been defined, the CREATE/CHANGE PASS option is followed by as many asterisks as the number of characters within the password.

Enabling the User Password

The password function is enabled to secure protected commands against any

unauthorised use. The commands are available until the password function is enabled (turned on). The password needs to be defined first. After the password function has been enabled any access to the submenus and commands specified above is preceded by a request to type in the password.

In the main MENU select the TEXT SERVICE item and then the ACTIVATE PASSWORD item. The password function is on from that moment on.

 40

Changing the User Password

The user password can be changed at any time. In the main MENU select the

TEXT SERVICE item and then the CREATE/CHANGE PASS item.

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NOTE: Note that the old password can only be modified (cancelled) when it has been

defined to protect the TEXT SERVICE submenu. Therefore no unauthorised person can modify (cancel) the password.

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Deleting the User Password

The user password used to secure the protected commands can be deleted.

In the main MENU select the TEXT SERVICE item and then the CREATE/CHANGE PASS item.

The user password is displayed but not explicitly (only asterisks are seen on the display). Delete all characters with the

PASSWORD DELETED message and all security features are then removed.

NOTE: If the password has been forgotten, you can contact the Manufacturer

(distributor) to cancel the password without entering the TEXT SERVICE submenu - see section 4.4.5.8 Releasing Protections.

¦ key. The system will confirm the action with the

4.4.1.10. Using Special Registers

Special registers are a specific type of ASCII subfile that are updated after each overprint has been made. The register settings can be changed with events such as changing date, changing time, detecting an object by a photo detector, receiving a signal from an external device such as scales.

The Spec.reg. parameter indicates whether a given subfile is to be a text file or a special register. You can find it in the parameter menu of the word processor by pressing the

§ key.



Type : Text Char. set : Latin 25x15 Typeface : Normal Distance : 2 Rotation : None Spec.reg. : None

The Spec.reg. parameter defines the following special registers: None, Up counter, Down count., Time, Date,

Univ.count., Univ. date, Date+offs., Date+offs.2, NOTE: Up to 6 special registers

Each of them is described in the following section.

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can be used in one complex text file.

Spec. chan.

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Object Counters

The following counters are used to print a consecutive number on every object automatically:

• an incremental counter,

• a decremental counter.

The counters are timed by a photo detector. An increment (varying from 1 to 9, in ascending or descending order) for both counters is set with the Counter delta parameter, which is available in the PRINTING PARAMETERS command within the submenu PRINTING. While editing a subfile that is to be used as an object counter, insert into the subfile a number that consists of so many digits so that the entire user-requested range is covered. The number is the initial setting of the counter at the same time. The number can be preceded and followed by any characters.

EXAMPLE: If number 056 has been put into the subfile, then:

• for the incremental counter – after 999 has been reached, the counter is cleared

• for the decremental counter – after 000 has been reached, the counter is set to

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and the counting goes up from zero (056, 057, 058, ... , 999, 000, 001, 002, etc.),

999 and the counting goes down to zero (056, 055, 054, ... , 000, 999, 998, 997, etc.).

NOTE:

• The object counter register is also used to print bar codes. Then the bar codes are

printed instead of consecutive numbers and the code corresponds to the consecutive

number that is counted by the special register. See section 4.4.1.2 Opening and

Editing a New Text File, paragraph Subfile Type: B

• The incremental counter special register can also count in the hexadecimal format. On

selecting the Spec.reg.=Up counter parameter from the subfile parameter menu, press

§ key and then change the setting of the Counter type parameter from DEC (the

the default setting standing for counting in decimal form) to HEX.

AR CODE.

Date and Time

The Time register is used to print current time in the 24-hour system on objects

automatically.

The Date register is used to print current date in the leap year system on objects

automatically.

The structure of date and time registers is similar. If you edit a subfile that is to be a time (date) register, follow the rules below:

• the time (date) register is built of up to 8 meaningful characters (6 digits to be updated

and 2 separators),

• when the register is updated, data is input starting from a non-space character until

8 defining characters are inserted or until another space or the end-of-subfile are

encountered,

• every third character is treated as a separator; the separator can be any character,

• hours (day), minutes (month), seconds (year) are two-digit numbers and the separator is

any non-space

• the register can contain less than 8 characters; then the characters are cut off on the

right.

character,

EXAMPLE: Time is coded in the following way:

Hours Separator Minutes Separator Seconds e.g. 00:00:00 or 13/44/56. Hours Separator Minutes e.g. 00:00 or 13/44, if seconds are not to be printed.

Space – a blank distance between characters; it is inserted with the ª key on the terminal.

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Hours e.g. 00 or 13, if minutes or seconds are not to be printed.

Date is coded in the following way:

Day Separator Month Separator Year e.g. 00.00.00 or 17/05/02. Day Separator Month e.g. 00.00 or 17/05, if year is not to be printed. Day e.g. 00 or 17, if month and year are not to be printed.

For more date and time options see the universal date register below.

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Universal Counter

The universal counter is a special counter to count objects that move in front of the print head. The counter is timed by a standard photo detector. The universal counter consists of two elements:

• a main counter,

• an auxiliary counter.

The main counter is always printed, while the auxiliary counter either can or cannot be

printed.

The main counter setting changes only when the auxiliary counter has been overflowed.

Therefore, when you edit a subfile that is to be a universal counter of objects, the subfile should contain the following:

 For the main counter and printable auxiliary counter - two numbers (groups of digits) with

as many digits as may be needed to cover the user-defined range. The groups must be

separated with a separator that is different from digits or space

designed for the main counter, the second for the auxiliary counter.

 For the main counter and unprintable auxiliary counter – a number (a group of digits) with

as many digits as may be needed to cover the user-defined range. The group is designed

for the main counter, whereas the setting of the auxiliary (unprintable) counter is defined

by the Cnt.value2 parameter – see below.

The operation of two counters is determined by universal counter parameters. To access the parameters start the word processor and follow the procedure below:

• Position the cursor on the subfile that is a special register and press the the terminal,

• Set Spec.reg.=Univ.count.,

• Press the

are displayed:

§ key on the terminal again. The following universal counter parameters

. The first group is

§ key on

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Description Settings

CONTINUE,

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Print beg. - see below,

Mode - see below,

Beg.value1 - initial setting 5*), Min.value1 - minimum setting, Max.value1 - maximum setting, Cnt.delta1 - increment,

Beg.value2 - initial setting *), Min.value2 - minimum setting, Max.value2 - maximum setting, Cnt.delta2 - increment, Cnt.value2 - current setting of the counter; it is

vital for the auxiliary unprintable counter,

0 suppress - Indication whether to hide leading

zeros.

If the setting is YES the leading zeros are replaced with spaces in both elements, and both elements are moved to the separator.

Spc.Md.max - the number of photo detector

activations for which unchanged settings of the main counter and auxiliary counter (a subcounter of the auxiliary counter for the same prints) are to be printed,

Spc.Md.cnt - the setting of the Spc.Md.max

parameter from which the printing is to be resumed,

BEG.VALUE, MIN/MAX

Standard, Special

0 ÷ 4 294 967 295

0 ÷ 255

0 ÷ 65 535

0 ÷ 255

0 ÷ 65 535

YES, NO

0 ÷ 65 535

applies to the first element of the universal counter

(the main counter)

applies to the second element of the universal counter

(the auxiliary counter)

available only for the following universal counter setting Mode=Special

Pal.countr - the number of packages on a pallet

0 ÷ 65 535 – it defines “jumps” of the main counter for successive pallets, so that consecutive numbering is used during the placing of packages on pallets.

*) Both elements of the universal can be set to their initial settings in the Standard mode only. In the Special mode the

settings need to be modified by editing the subfile of the universal counter directly.

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Two modes of operation set with the Mode parameter are available for the universal counter: standard and special.

1). The universal counter with Mode=Standard.

The first setting of the universal counter printed after the printing has been resumed (i.e. after the START PRINT command) depends on the Print beg. parameter. The settings of the parameter have the following meaning:

• CONTINUE - a consecutive setting of the universal counter (defined by the

settings of other counter parameters) is printed as if the printing has not been stopped. This means that the sequence of two commands: STOP PRINTING and START PRINT does not break the order of numbering, no matter how many times it is repeated,

• BEG.VALUE - both elements of the counter are set to figures defined by the Beg.value1 and Beg.value2 parameters, respectively. The counters count

between the minimum and maximum settings. With such settings, the printing can be resumed from any state. The feature can be used to label some missing objects,

• MIN/MAX - both elements of the counter are set with settings defined by the Min.value1 and Min.value2 counter parameters.

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 Paragraph 4 - Operating the Printe

NOTE:

• The setting of the (main, auxiliary) counter is incremented, when its minimum setting is smaller that its maximum setting. Otherwise it is decremented,

• The (main, auxiliary) counter overflows, when its maximum setting is replaced with the minimum setting,

• Each time you change the type of special register to universal counter, all counter parameters are set to the following initial settings:

Print beg.=CONTINUE, Mode=Standard

Beg.value1=1, Min.value1=1, Max.value1=4 294 967 295, Cnt.delta1=1, Beg.value2=1, Min.value2=1, Max.value2=1, Cnt.delta2=1, Cnt.value2=1, 0 suppress=NO.

• The overflow of the main or auxiliary counters can additionally be indicated by a change at the output of one of the printer’s external ports. The change can optionally be used to control external devices (option).

In this mode the Spc.Md.max, Spc.Md.cnt and Pal.countr parameters are not available and cannot be set.

EXAMPLE 1: Creating a standard pallet counter

Assumptions: Packages moving on a factory conveyor are stored on a pallet in a single

layer. There are 4*5=20 packages in the layer. Packages are placed on the pallet in A and B order and directions, as shown in the illustration below. The pallets are put one

onto the other in 4 layers (C) on all shelving in the store. The packages need to be labelled in such a way that the pallet number and consecutive package number on each pallet are printed. When the printing is interrupted and then resumed, the consecutive number should be printed. After 4 pallets (80 packages) have been labelled, the counter should be reset (i.e. set to its minimum setting) and the counting resumed.

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Create a subfile in the form of a special register (a universal counter) within the text file

to be printed onto packages. Type in the following text: universal counter parameters:

Print beg.=CONTINUE, Mode=Standard, Beg.value1=1, Min.value1=1, Max.value1=4, Cnt.delta1=1, Beg.value2=1, Min.value2=1, Max.value2=20, Cnt.delta2=1, Cnt.value2=1, 0 suppress=NO

The following labels are printed on packages if the above settings have been set:

001/001, 001/002, ... , 001/020, 002/001, 002/002, ... , 002/020, 003/001, ...... , 004/019,

004/020, 001/001, etc. NOTE: If the numbering of packages has been interrupted for some reason during the

printing, you can stop the printing, reset the Print beg. parameter to

BEG.VALUE, set both counters to the initial settings with the Beg.value1 and Beg.value2 parameters and resume the printing.

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Ink-Jet Systems

000/000. Set the following

Direction in

which pallets

are placed

000/ 000

001/ 001

000/ 000

004/ 001

000/ 000

003/ 001

000/ 000

002/ 001

000/ 000

001/ 001

000/ 000

001/ 005

000/ 000

004/ 005

000/ 000

003/ 005

000/ 000

002/ 005

001/ 005

000/ 000

001/ 009

000/ 000

004/ 009

000/ 000

003/ 009

000/ 000

002/ 009

000/ 000

001/ 009

000/ 000

001/ 013

000/ 000

004/ 013

000/ 000

003/ 013

000/ 000

002/ 013

000/ 000

001/ 013

000/ 000

000/ 018

001/ 017

000/ 018

004/ 017

000/ 018

003/ 017

000/ 018

002/ 017

000/ 018

001/ 017

000/ 020

000/ 019

000/ 020

000/ 019

000/ 020

000/ 019

000/ 020

000/ 019

000/ 020

000/ 019

1 2 3 4 5

Order A, B and direction in which

packages are stored on pallets

Fig. 4.4.1.10.1. The operation of the universal counter in Example 1

2). Universal counter with Mode=Special.

Additional parameters of the universal counter are available in this mode. They are: Spc.Md.max, Spc.Md.cnt and Pal.countr - see the table above. With them, the numbering of products can be automated and fit subsequent packing and storing on pallets or shelves in a hierarchical way. In this mode the other parameters are similar to those used in the Standard mode except for the Beg.value1 and Beg.value2 parameters. These two parameters are not available and therefore cannot be used to set both counters of the universal counter to their initial settings. In the Special mode, the initial settings need to be introduced by editing the universal-counter subfile directly (and inputting 2 groups of digits and a separator).

1st pallet

4th pallet

3rd pallet

2nd pallet

1st pallet

2nd shelving

1st shelving

 46

EXAMPLE 2: Creating a special counter to allow for peculiarity of product packing in a company

Assumptions: Small unit packages (products) moving sequentially on a factory conveyor are packed in fours into type I packages, then the type I packages are put in groups of 64 into boxes (type II packages). The type II packages are stored on pallets in one layer, with

4*5=20 packages in the layer. The packages are arranged on the pallet in A, B order and

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 Paragraph 4 - Operating the Printe

in the direction as shown in the illustration below. The pallets are put one onto the other in 3 layers (C) on all shelving in the store. The unit packages need to be labelled in such a way that the type I and type II packages are clearly identified to find the product. Therefore the type II package number (the main counter) and type I package number (the auxiliary counter) are printed on each unit package. All products in the type I package have the same label (a subcounter of the auxiliary counter). When the printing is interrupted and then resumed, the consecutive number is printed. After products on 3 pallets (4*64*60=15360 packages) have been labelled, the counters need to be reset (i.e. set to their initial settings) and the counting resumed – see the illustration.

1st pallet

2nd shelving

Print head

Direction

in which

pallets are

placed

1 2 3 4 5

A, B order and the direction of placing

type II packages on pallets

04/63

04/64

4 unit packages labelled with

the same numbers

print parametr Spc.Md.max=4

04/64

type I

04/64

04/46

04/64

04/13 04/05 04/09 04/01

04/14 04/06 04/10 04/02

04/04 04/04 04/04 04/07

04/15 04/07 04/11 04/03

04/04 04/04 04/04 04/08

04/16 04/08 04/12 04/04

04/04 04/04 04/04 04/03

04/04 04/04 04/04 04/09

04/04 04/04 04/04 04/04

04/32 04/24 04/28 04/20

04/04 04/04 04/04 04/09

04/04 04/04 04/04 04/05

04/04 04/04 04/04 04/00

04/48 04/40 04/44 04/36

04/04 04/04 04/04 04/01

04/64 04/56 04/60 04/52

Value of the auxiliary counter

(not printed on these packages)

type II

3rd pallet

1st shelving

2nd pallet

1st pallet

Value of the main

counter (not printed

on these packages)

64 type I packages

packed into a type II

package. Type II

packages are placed on

pallets

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Fig. 4.4.1.10.2. The operation of the universal counter in Example 2

A subfile needs to be embedded into the text file to be printed on packages. It needs

to be a universal counter special register. Its contents of

20/64 should be typed in

via the keypad. The counter parameters should be set as follows:

Print beg.=CONTINUE, Mode=Special, Min.value1=1, Max.value1=60, Cnt.delta1=1, Min.value2=64, Max.value2=1, Cnt.delta2=1, Cnt.value2=1, 0 suppress=NO, Spc.Md.max=4, Spc.Md.cnt=1, Pal.countr=20

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When the above settings are made, the following labels are printed on each of the packages moving on a factory conveyor in front of the print head:

20/64, 20/64, 20/64, 20/64, 20/63, ... , 20/02, 20/01, 20/01, 20/01, 20/01, 19/64, ... , 01/02, 01/01, 01/01, 01/01, 01/01, 40/64, 40/64, 40/64, 40/64, 40/63, ... , 21/02, 21/01, 21/01, 21/01, 21/01, 60/64, 60/64, 60/64, 60/64, 60/63, ... , 41/02, 41/01, 41/01, 41/01, 41/01, 20/64, etc.

and the counting is resumed 

NOTE: If the numbering of packages has been interrupted for some reason during

the printing, you can stop the printing, edit groups of digits within the counter subtext, set a setting to continue the counting at the same point in process with the Spc.Md.cnt parameter and resume the printing.

Universal Date and Time

You can use a special register (Univ. date) in order to print current date and time (in

various formats) on objects automatically.

Below, there is a list of characters that can be used to encode date and time. Elements of

the universal date register can be preceded, separated and followed by any characters

different from the specified below.

D tens of day in the current date, A units of day in the current date, M tens of month in the current date, O units of month in the current date, Y tens of year in the current date, E units of year in the current date,

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B tens of hours of the current time, C units of hours of the current time, I tens of minutes of the current time, J units of minutes of the current time, T tens of seconds of the current time (option), U units of seconds of the current time (option),

NOTE: During printing, the above mentioned date and time components (D, A, M, O, Y,

E, B, C, I, J, T, U) are replaced with digits (0-9), as standard. It is also possible that an additional way of coding is used and the above mentioned date and time components are replaced with any characters available from the terminal keypad rather than with digits. The assignment is made in the submenu TEXT SERVICE  UNIV.DATE REG. CONFIGURATION  DIGIT CODING. The same characters can be assigned to different digits. For example, the date of 24/10/2004, coded as DA/MO/20YE, can appear on a print as x$/HZ/20Z$, if the following assignments have been made: 0 => Z, 1 => H, 2 => x, 4 => $.

W tens of week-of-the-year number, K tens of week-of-the-year number, a number of week of the year coded with one character. The assignment is made in the

submenus TEXT SERVICE  UNIV.DATE REG. CONFIGURATION  WEEK CODING (1 CHAR),

y tens of year of the current date by week-of-the-year number (e.g. if week 53 ends on

January next year, then 5th January falls within the previous year’s week),

e units of year of the current date by week-of-the-year number, m number of month printed with the following encoded letters: A B C D E F G H L M N

P (corresponding to numbers from 1 to 12, respectively). The assignment can be

changed in the submenus TEXT SERVICE  UNIV.DATE REG. CONFIGURATION  MONTH CODING (1 CHAR),

P hundreds of day-of-the-year number, Q tens of day-of-the-year number, S units of day-of-the-year number, N number of day of the week (1- Monday, 2-Tuesday, ... , 7-Sunday), F the first letter of the month,

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G the second letter of the month, H the third letter of the month,

b the number (between 0 and 23) of the hour of day of current time coded with a single

Z working shift identifier,

A shift identifier can be set for each of up to 8 working shifts (within a 24-hour day), so can shift start and finish times for each shift separately on working days (from Monday to Friday) and on the other days (Saturday and Sunday).

In order to change the settings select the item SHIFT DEFINITION from the submenu TEXT SERVICE  UNIV.DATE REG. CONFIGURATION. A list of additional parameters of the special register Universal date and time is displayed for the coding element Z of this register, that is for the shift identifier. This is where the following parameters can be modified.

• Any alphanumerical character available on the terminal keypad can be used as

• The shift start time needs to be specified as the sequence of hh:mm (hours:minutes).

• If a character X is specified instead of a shift start time, it means that a given and

character. The assignment of any character available via the terminal keypad to each hour of day is made in the submenu TEXT SERVICE  UNIV.DATE REG. CONFIGURATION  HOUR CODING (1 CHAR). The same characters can be assigned to different hours.

Working shifts identified by numbers 1, 2 or 3 cover the following time periods as standard:

shift - from 6:00 to 14:00, 2nd shift - from 14:00 to 22:00,

shift - from 22:00 to 6:00, on every day of the week.

identifier.

The shift times need to be specified in such a way that the following condition is met: the next shift needs to start later than the previous one.

subsequent shifts do not exist, and the identifier is printed in accordance with the previous shits’ parameter settings.

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 Paragraph 4 - Operating the Printe

NOTE:

• The shift identifiers and start times are global parameters in the printer. This means

that every subfile in the text-file library that is a Universal Date and time special register and contains the Z element of the register uses the same set of shift

identifiers and start times.

• The standard version does not support any update of tens or units of seconds (parts T and U in the Univ. date register). When such function is supported, the printer processor is engaged frequently (every second) to update the text file and the maximum print rate might be reduced.

EXAMPLE: When you define a subfile as a Univ. date special register and input the following characters ( stands for a space character):

a) DA.MO.20YE=DAFGH20YEBC:IJPQSWKNZ b) EYOM/DZAF<PGQH>SC***BIJQ###SPW---NK

then the following labels are printed on 12.01.2004 at 12:35:50: a) 12.01.2004=12 JAN 2004 12:35 012 02 6 1 b) 4010/112J<0A1N>22***1350###120---62

Expiry Date Registers

In order to print automatically a future date that is shifted by a certain number of days

from the current date, you can use two special registers Date+offs. and Date+offs.2 (so

called expiry date registers).

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The offset (a number of days added to the current date in order to calculate the expiry

date) is defined by two parameters: Offset (for the Date+offs. register) and Offset2 (for the Date+offs.2 register) in the PRINTING PARAMETERS command within the PRINTING submenu.

The structure of the Date+offs. and Date+offs.2 registers is similar to that of the

Univ. date register (see the Universal date and time special register). This means that successive elements of the date need to be coded with the special characters that are specified in the description of the Univ. date special register.

EXAMPLE:

The Date+offs. and Date+offs.2 registers can be coded in the following way:

Day Separator Month Separator Year e.g. DA.MO.YE (a separator can be

Day Separator Month e.g. DA.MO, if year is not to be

Year Separator Month Separator Day e.g. YE.MO.DA.

Any combination of coding characters defined for the Univ. date special register can be used.

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Ink-Jet Systems

(!)

any character that is not used to code the date),

printed,

Special Channel Data

The special channel is used to transfer data from peripherals (such as a computer,

automatic scales, a bar code reader) to the printer. The data can be printed automatically

via a special register called special channel.

While editing a subfile that is the special channel register, insert to the subfile as many characters (they can be any characters) as the peripheral may transfer. The purpose is to define the register length channel data in the following way:

• If the number of characters transmitted from the special channel is smaller than the register length, additional spaces are added on the right side on missing character positions,

• If the number of characters transmitted from the special channel is greater than the register length, the excessive number of characters is cut off on the right side on excessive character positions.

EXAMPLE: The printer is connected with automatic scales and a subfile has been defined as a Spec. chan. register. The subfile contains, for example

e.g. XXXXXXXXXX or 1234567890

When the following data are transferred from the scales successively:

"netto: 75g",

"netto: 1250g"

the subfile is printed as follows:

. During printing the characters are replaced with special

netto: 75g the entire text is printed. netto: 125 the text is shortened as this register is only

4.4.2. Using Print-Parameter Blocks

Operations on parameter blocks are available in the PARAMETERS SERVICE menu.

 50

10 characters long.

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NOTE:

If the TEXT SERVICE MENU option (!) is protected with a user password, you are prompted to type in the password before the PARAMETERS SERVICE option is displayed. For details on how to use the user password see section 4.4.1.9 Using the Password.

Parameter blocks are stored in a library in the printer’s memory. Each block goes with an up to 8-character name. The name can be built up of alphabetical (small and capital) letters, digits and some symbols except spaces, dots or characters such as: \ / : * ? ” < > |, e.g. 12345678, AB#%CD&, Weight-5, JUICE-12, DATEtime, Q1, @8, etc. Every parameter block contained in the library can have the read only attribute assigned to it to prevent it from being deleted or modified by an unauthorised person. The read only attribute can be assigned to/removed from a single parameter block or all block in the library. For more information refer

to paragraph 4.4.2.6 Accessing the Parameter Block Library.

Block names are arranged in alphabetical order. The following facilities enable the user to move along the block directory freely:

• the ¡¢¤£ keys to move the cursor from one block name to the other,

• the leading character (a letter or digit) to move the cursor to the first name that starts

• the Y¢ (HOME) or Y£ keys to move the cursor to the first name in the

• the Y¡ (END) or Y¤ keys to move the cursor to the last name in the library.

with this character,

library,

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 Paragraph 4 - Operating the Printe

NOTE:

If the printer memory is overfilled (with a lot of or very long text files or parameter blocks), the parameter-block names may not be arranged in alphabetical order and some facilities may not be effective.

4.4.2.1. Creating and Editing a New Parameter Block

In the main MENU select the PARAMETERS SERVICE item and then the

CREATE NEW BLOCK item, type in a block name consisting of up to eight

characters and confirm.

NOTE:

• If the block name already exists in the library, the parameters are displayed on the terminal and can be edited.

• Once the parameter block has been created, it remains in the printer’s memory even after power supply has been switched off. The block can be deleted.

After the name has been typed in, a parameter processor is used to input settings. All parameters in the parameter menu have their default settings modifications see below) need to be confirmed and then a new parameter block with the user-defined name is formed in the library.

For linking parameter blocks with subfiles see section 4.4.1.8 Linking File Names

with Parameter-Block Names.

. Any modifications (for

Modifying Parameters

The following keys help you to move along the parameter list or to modify settings:

 the ¤ and £ keys to move the cursor to parameter boxes,

Default setting - initial setting suggested by the Manufacturer.

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 the Y¢ (HOME) or Y£ keys to position the cursor on the first

parameter setting,

 the Y¡ (END) or Y¤ keys to position the cursor on the last parameter

setting.

Changes to the settings of each of the parameters are made with the ¡ and ¢ keys. Numerical settings can also be input directly from the keypad and confirmed with the V key.

NOTE:

The creation or edition of a parameter block have no direct impact on current

settings - see section 4.4.3.5 Print Parameters.

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Ink-Jet Systems

4.4.2.2. Editing Existing Blocks of Parameters

In the main MENU select the PARAMETERS SERVICE item and then the EDIT PARAM. BLOCK item.

The display shows the parameter block library from which a block name should be

selected (see also section 4.4.2 Using Print-Parameter Blocks).

The parameter block processor starts running and you can modify the parameter settings. After the settings have been modified and the modifications confirmed, the parameter block is stored in the library.

For linking parameter blocks with subfiles see section 4.4.1.8 Linking File Names

with Parameter-Block Names.

NOTE:

The edition or modification of a parameter block have no direct impact on current

settings. For details see section 4.4.3.5 Print Parameters.

4.4.2.3. Copying and Editing Blocks of Parameters

You can create a new block of parameters by copying an existing block and

saving it with a different name. In the main MENU select the PARAMETERS SERVICE item and then the COPY & EDIT BLOCK item.

The display shows the parameter block library from which you should select the name

of the block to be copied (see also section 4.4.2 Using Print-Parameter Blocks).

Type in an up to 8-character name for a newly copied block.

If the newly typed in block name already exists in the library, the BLOCK NAME EXISTS message is displayed.

The parameter processor starts running and the settings can be edited. The process

goes in the same way as described in section 4.4.2.2 Editing Existing Blocks of

Parameters.

4.4.2.4. Deleting a Block of Parameters

In the main MENU select the PARAMETERS SERVICE item and then the

DELETE PARAM. BLOCK item.

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The display shows the parameter block library from which you should select the name

of a block to be deleted, and then confirm the selection (see also section 4.4.2 Using

Print-Parameter Blocks).

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 Paragraph 4 - Operating the Printe

NOTE: Once deleted the block cannot be restored.

4.4.2.5. Deleting the Parameter-Block Library

If you delete the block library, it means that all parameter blocks contained in the

printer’s memory are deleted.

In the main MENU select the PARAMETERS SERVICE item and then the

CLEAR PARAM.LIBRARY item.

When confirmed, the parameter blocks are deleted irretrievably

4.4.2.6. Accessing the Parameter Block Library

Viewing the parameter library means viewing all parameter blocks stored in the

printer’s memory. In the main MENU select the PARAMETERS SERVICE item and then the READ LIBRARY item.

The names of parameter blocks are displayed in the terminal’s operating window in alphabetical order. In this window you can view parameter blocks, assign the read only attribute to the blocks to protect the blocks from being deleted or modified by unauthorised persons and also remove the attribute. The blocks with the read only attribute assigned to them are marked with a “+” sign that precedes the block names. The attribute markers (“+” or “space”) are also displayed with the EDIT PARAM. BLOCK and COPY & EDIT BLOCK commands but they cannot be modified with these commands.

The following functions are available while the parameter block library is viewed:

Terminal key

¤£¢¡

An alphabetical or

numerical key

Y¢ (HOME)

Y£

lub

Y¡ (END) lub

Function

Moving the cursor along the names of parameter blocks.

To display the parameter block names starting from the first name that begins with a given character.

To place the cursor on the first name in the library.

To place the cursor on the last name in the library.

Y¤

To assign/remove the read only attribute to/from a selected parameter block. The operation is available only

when the service password is enabled. If the password level is too low, you will be asked for a password when you make an attempt to change the attribute.

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Terminal key Function

To assign the read only attribute to every block in the library. The option is available only when the service

password is enabled. If the password level is too low, you will be asked for a password when you make an attempt to change the attribute.

To remove the read only attribute from every block in the library. The option is available only when the service password is enabled. If the password level is too low, you will be asked for a password when you make an attempt to change the attribute.

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NOTE:

If no parameter blocks are defined in the library, the command is ignored.

4.4.3. Printing

4.4.3.1. Stopping the Printing

The printing can be terminated in two parallel and independent ways:

• With the STOP PRINTING command on the terminal.

• With the PRINT ON/OFF key on the main pad of the external panel (when the key

is pressed, the STOP PRINTING) command is executed). The key can be used no matter where the cursor position is within the control menu (for example, you can stop the printing while editing a text file).

To stop the printing follow the procedure below. In the main MENU select the PRINTING item and then the STOP PRINTING item,

Press the PRINT ON/OFF key on the external panel. If the command is selected while the printer is in the print mode, the current print job

finishes and no other label is printed. The execution of the command results in the

application of high voltage. The green PRINT ON/OFF lamp on the main pad of the external panel and the red HV ON lamp on the internal panel go out. The printer switches to the stop mode.

If the printing is to be interrupted immediately (the current print job is not to be completed), use the QUICK STOP command.

4.4.3.2. Starting the Printing

The printing can be initiated in two parallel and independent ways:

• With the START PRINT command selected on the terminal.

• With the PRINT ON/OFF key on the main pad of the external panel. When the

key is pressed, the START PRINT command is executed for the text file that was printed most recently. The key can be used no matter where the cursor position is within the control menu (for example, you can start the printing while editing a subfile).

The printing is started in the following way. In the main MENU select the PRINTING item and then the START PRINT item.

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You are prompted to specify a text file name. Type in an up to 8-character name and confirm, or alternatively, you can press the

The display shows the text file library from which you should select the name of a text

file to be printed (selection facilities are described in section 4.4.1.1 General

Information on Text Files).

If the printer is ready to print (the stop mode) and the name of a text file is selected, then high voltage is applied (the green PRINT ON/OFF lamp on the main pad of the external panel and the red HV ON lamp on the internal panel come on) and the printing starts. The printer switches to the print mode.

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¨ key.

NOTE:

• If the START PRINT command is followed by the UNIT NOT ACTIVE message, this means that the initial heating up process has not been completed (after the unit has been switched on) or that the unit waits for the stabilisation of ink parameters (after an error has occurred). Then wait until the READY lamp stops blinking and repeat the START PRINT command.

• If the START PRINT command is followed by the CHANNEL ACTIVE message, this means that the unit is in the

STOP PRINTING or QUICK STOP commands) and repeat the START PRINT command.

• If the START PRINT command and the selection of a text name are followed by the TEXT NAME DOES NOT EXIST message, this means that no text file with the specified name exists in the text file library.

print mode. Then stop the printing (with the

• If the START PRINT command is followed by a message TEXT TOO HIGH, it

means that you have tried to print a text whose maximum height (in pixels) is greater than the height Hmax of the maximum vertical row that the printer is able to print.

• If the START PRINT command is followed by a message

PRINT SPEED TOO HIGH, it means that the setting of the print rate is too large

or the setting of the distance between prints is too small for a given print rate.

• If the START PRINT command is followed by a message FAST & TEXT TOO HIGH, it means that you have tried to print a text whose maximum height (in pixels) is greater than 16 for Speed=FAST.

4.4.3.3. Quick Stopping the Printing

If the printing is stopped in the regular mode, the current print job is always finished to the end. However, a need may arise to stop printing immediately regardless of the state of the print job.

The printing is interrupted in the following way. In the main MENU select the

PRINTING item and then the QUICK STOP item.

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High voltage is disconnected. The green PRINT ON/OFF lamp on the main pad of the external panel and the red HV ON lamp on the internal panel go out. The printer switches to the stop mode.

If the printing is to be stopped but the current print job is to be finished, use the STOP PRINTING command.

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4.4.3.4. Suspending printing, editing the text and resuming the printing

While defining the contents and parameters of a text file to be printed and while defining printing parameters for this text file you frequently need to perform the following sequence of operations:

• suspending printing,

• editing the text file the printing of which you have just stopped,

• resuming the printing.

The text you are printing can be edited without the need for stopping printing. You can just use a new command, EDIT & PRINT CURRENT TEXT, while you are still in the PRINTING menu.

4.4.3.5. Print Parameters

With EBS printers you can make overprints on objects with a wide range of shapes and sizes. The objects can be moved in their normal position or “upside down”, automatically or manually, in front of the print head at various speeds and in any direction (left or right). Character height, width, thickness, number of repetitions and many other print parameters can be modified to fit your print requirements.

The following parameters can be modified:

Vertical Direction, Initial Distance, Number of Repetitions, Distance Between Overprints, Horizontal Direction, Print Height, Date Offset 1, Date Offset 2, Counter Increment, Row Repetition,

The printer uses so called current parameters for printing. Unlike the library-stored blocks of parameters (see section 4.4.2 Using Print-Parameter Blocks), the current parameters have direct impact on the printing result.

The current parameters (called “the parameters” hereafter) can be modified in the following way:

 Before selecting the START PRINT command (in the stop mode) you can modify

all parameters which are available for the PRINTING PARAMETERS command

in the PRINTING submenu.

parameter block.

 During printing (on selecting the START PRINT command in the print mode) you

can modify the major part of the parameters (but not all of them), which are

available via the PRINTING PARAMETERS command.  After a text file together with a parameter block associated with it have been

selected in the START PRINT command, print parameters are set with the

settings available in the selected block. Such parameters can be modified during

the printing.

The file to be printed cannot be linked with any

Print-Rate Mode, Print Rate, Interleaving, Timing Mode, Print Resolution, Travel Speed (for an internal

generator) or Number of Pulses

Generated by External Encoder (for

an external SHAFT-ENCODER).

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Modifying Print Parameters

The following keys help you to move along the parameter list or modify settings:

 the ¤ and £ keys to move the cursor to parameter boxes,  the Y¢ (HOME) or Y£ keys to position the cursor on the first

parameter setting,  the Y¡ (END) or Y¤ keys to position the cursor on the last parameter

setting.

The setting of each of the parameters can be modified with the ¡ and ¢ keys. The setting of a numerical parameter can also be input directly from the keypad and confirmed with the V key.

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A detailed description of the print parameters below) is give further in this document.

Parameter name

2 Range of settings 3 Default setting

displayed in the

parameter menu

A description of the print parameter

Can it be modified

during printing?

Vertical Direction

2 UP,DOWN

4 YES

Vert. direct.

The parameter defines two modes of printing in the vertical direction: normal or "upside down". It is useful when the object labelled is reversed.

VERTICAL (UP) DIRECTION OF PRINTING

(according to pattern shown in the table

PRINT HEAD

Fig. 4.4.3.5.1.

Initial Distance

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0,0 ; 0,1 ; ... ; 6553,5

3 2,0 mm

4 YES

Space

The parameter defines the distance given in millimetres, from the point where the photo detector has been activated to the point where printing of a text file should start. During printing the distance is measured off properly provided that the settings of the Cnv spd m/min parameter (for Generator=GEN) and the Enc const p/m parameter (for Generator=SHAFT) correspond to real measurements taken at the print place. It enables a user to adjust the print position in relation to the edge of the object to be labelled.

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Number of Repetitions

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3 1

4 YES

NOTE:

If the distance between labels has been set to 0 (zero) with the Rpt.dist. parameter, then the number of repetitions (the Text rpt. parameter) is limited to 6 (even if the setting of the

Text rpt. parameter is greater than 6).

Text rpt.

1, 2, 3, ... , 65534,

CONTIN.

The parameter defines how many times the overprint is to be made after the photo detector has been activated, from the point where the overprint begins. It is used to print a subfile on an object many times. For continuous objects such as cables, hoses or pipes you can set continual printing. Distance between consecutive overprints is defined with the Rpt.dist. parameter - see below.

Distance Between Overprints

3 30.0 mm

4 YES

Rpt.dist.

0.0 ;0.1 ; ... , 6553.5 mm

The parameter defines the distance given in millimetres between the beginnings of texts repeatedly (Text rpt.>1). During printing the distance is measured off properly provided that the settings of the

Cnv spd m/min parameter (for Generator=GEN) and the Enc const p/m parameter (for Generator=SHAFT) correspond

to real measurements taken at the print place.

when they are printed

NOTE:

• If the distance set with the Rpt.dist. parameter is smaller than the text length, the

overprints are separated with four blank rows.

• If the distance set with the Rpt.dist. parameter is 0 (zero), the overprints boarder each other, but the number of repetitions (Text rpt.) is limited to 6 (even if the setting for the Text rpt. parameter is greater than 6).

Horizontal Direction

2 LEFT,RIGHT

4 YES

Direction

LEFT

The parameter defines in which direction, left or right, objects move in front of the print head. With this setting, the printer makes overprints in the horizontal direction to ensure the overprints are clearly visible. The direction is defined when looking from the head.

PRINT HEAD

OBJECTS MOVE "LEFT"

Fig. 4.4.3.5.2.

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Print Height

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4 YES

NOTE:

The print height can be adjusted continuously by changing the distance between the print head and an object. With this type of adjustment you need to take into account the risk to get lower quality overprints over greater distances.

Height

SMALL, MIDDLE,

LARGE LARGE

The parameter defines the height of overprints. When the distance from the print head to an object is constant, labels of three different heights can be printed. The print height setting applies to the entire text, no matter how the text has been created in the word processor and what its contents are.

Date Offset

2 0, 1, 2, 3, ... , 9999

3 1

4 YES

Offset, Offset2

The parameter defines the number of days to be added to the current date in order to calculate the so-called expiry date. There are two date offset parameters: Offset and Offset2. The

expiry date is set with the Date+offs. or Date+offs.2, special

registers where the above mentioned parameters are used -

see also section 4.4.1.10 Using Special Registers.

Counter Increment

2 1, 2, 3, ... , 9

3 1

4 YES

Counter delta

The parameter is a number added to an incremental counter or subtracted from a decremental counter. The incremental or decremental counters are special registers where the Counter delta parameter is used - see also section

4.4.1.10 Using Special Registers.

Row Repetition

2 1, 2, 3, ... , 10

3 1

4 NO

NOTE:

An increase in the number of rows to be printed causes the width of the entire print to increase. If you wish to maintain the previous width of your print and keep the object’s feed rate unchanged, then each time you set the parameter Row repetit. at a higher value you should increase the print rate, i.e. the setting of the parameter Cnv spd m/min, or increase the setting of the parameter Resol. dot/cm.

Row repetit.

The parameter defines how many times each vertical row should be printed to get the overprint. It applies to the entire text file, no matter how the file has been created, what its contents are and how many times individual subfiles are to be repeated.

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Print-Rate Mode

The print rate is timed by an internal generator or a shaft-

2 NORMAL, FAST

4 NO

NOTE:

• If the Speed parameter is set to FAST and the adjustment of frequency of the internal generator (or transmission of the shaft-encoder) are not sufficient to obtain proper and visible overprints, the printing can still be sped up by setting the print-rate mode to FAST.

• When the print rate is set to its maximum (the Mode parameter is set to FAST), the internal generator and shaft-encoder have no effect on the print rate.

Mode

NORMAL

encoder as standard. The internal generator (or shaft-encoder) determines the timing of the printing of vertical rows. When the print rate reaches its high level, the quality of print lowers. The reason for the lower quality is that the print control system needs to react to pulses coming from the internal generator (shaft-encoder) and to synchronise with them. If the pulse processing system is turned off, the print control system switches to timing by itself in the optimal (in this case - the fastest) way.

If the Mode parameter is set to FAST, the print control system ensures that the prints are made at the maximum possible rate. Note that the internal generator or shaft-encoder are turned off, and if the travel speed changes, the print width may vary.

Print Rate

4 NO

Speed

SLOW, MIDDLE,

FAST

SLOW

Interleaving

4 NO

Interleave

NO, STANDARD,

MULTILINE

STANDARD

Timing Mode

1 2 GEN, SHAFT

4 NO

Generator

GEN

The parameter defines the maximum rate at which an overprint is made. According to the setting of the Speed parameter, different sequences of dots are used for printing. It is recommended that the print rate be as low as possible (the lower the print rate, the better the print quality).

Rows can be printed with or without the interleaving of dots. If no interleaving is used, dots are printed one by one starting from the lowest one, to produce a row. In interleaved printing, first all odd, and then all even dots are jetted. The objective of interleaved printing is to reduce interaction between dots which lowers print quality.

The print rate is controlled by an internal generator or a shaftencoder. The internal generator (or shaft-encoder) determines the timing of the printing of vertical rows. The Generator parameter is used to select the source of timing pulses - see

also section 4.6 Adjusting the Print Rate.

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Print Resolution

2 1, 2, 3, ... , 100

3 30

4 YES

Resol. dot/cm

Travel Speed

2 0,1 ; 0,2 ; ... ; 2500

3 10,0

4 YES

Cnv spd m/min

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The parameter affects the print rate. It defines the resolution (number of dots/centimetre) at which a text is to be printed. In other words, the visual effect of a change in the Resol. dot/cm parameter is a change in the width of characters and the length

of the entire overprint - see also section 4.6 Adjusting the

Print Rate.

In order to produce clear overprints, match the rate at which vertical rows are printed with the speed at which objects travel in front of the print head. The matching is ensured by setting the Cnv spd m/min print parameter to the conveyor travel speed (number of metres/minute).

The travel speed can be measured with the CONVEYER MEASUREMENTS service command - see also

sections 4.4.4.11 Defining Some Print Parameters by

Measuring Conveyor Travel Speed and 4.6 Adjusting the Print Rate.

Number of Pulses Generated by External Encoder

3 10000

4 YES

NOTE:

Boundary limits are defined for the Resol. dot/cm and Cnv spd m/min print parameters. Current settings of the parameters are monitored by the control program and can be limited by the settings of other print parameters and the actual row height (of 7, 16, 25 or 32 dots). The parameter is automatically protected against the setting of too high a print rate. Therefore some settings may not be accepted.

Enc const p/m

50, 51, 52, ... ,

300000

The shaft-encoder, a travel speed indicator, is mechanically coupled with the conveyor and generates timing pulses for printing vertical rows. The number of timing pulses depends on the type of encoder and mechanical transmission gear between the encoder and the conveyor. The Enc const p/m print parameter defines the number of pulses generated by the encoder while objects are moving over a unit distance (1 metre). The quantity can be measured with the CONVEYER MEASUREMENTS service command - see also

section 4.4.4.11 Defining Some Print Parameters by

Measuring Conveyor Travel Speed and 4.6 Adjusting the Print Rate.

4.4.3.6. Saving Current Parameters in a Block

You can modify some print parameters during printing to customise them to your needs. The modified parameters can be input to the block library with their names and saved in the printer’s memory. In the main MENU select the PRINTING item and then the SAVE CURRENT PARAM. item.

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You are prompted to specify the name of a block where the parameters are to be saved. Type in an up to 8-character block name and confirm, or alternatively, you can press the

The display shows the parameter block library from which you should select the name of a parameter block and save the parameters under this name (for a description of

block selection facilities see section 4.4.1.1 General Information on Text Files).

On selecting an existing name you have to decide whether you wish to overwrite the existing block or not.

¨ key.

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NOTE:

• If the TEXT SERVICE submenu is protected with a user password, the SAVE CURRENT PARAM. command is followed by a prompt to type in the

password. For details on using a user password see section 4.4.1.9 Using the

Password.

• When the name of a nonexistent block is typed in, a new block is created.

• When the name of an existent block is selected, the block is replaced with new

parameters (after the selection has been confirmed).

4.4.3.7. Monitoring the Counting

The printer can count the objects it labels. Each time the photo detector is activated, the object counter is incremented by 1. The counter can be reset or set to any initial setting at any time.

The printer is supplied with two separate object counters.

A change counter, which can be viewed at any time, but can be protected with

a user password against unauthorised modifications. Any modification (in particular resetting to zero) does not affect the global counter.

A global counter, which can be protected with a user password against

unauthorised access or modifications. Any modification (in particular resetting to zero) does not affect the change counter.

Accessing Object Counters

In order to access an object counter follow the procedure below. In the main MENU select the PRINTING item and then the SHIFT COUNTER or the GLOBAL COUNTER item.

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The current setting of an object counter is displayed. Each time the photo detector is activated during printing, the object counter setting is increased by 1 and this can be viewed on the display. Press any key to get back to the main menu.

Modifying Object Counters

In order to modify an object counter follow the procedure below. In the main MENU select the PRINTING item and then the SET SHIFT COUNTER or the SET GLOBAL COUNTER item.

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The current setting of the object counter is displayed. Each time the photo detector is activated during printing, the object counter setting is increased by 1 and this can be viewed on the display.

Enter a new setting and confirm it or press any key, except numerical keys, if you wish to leave the counter unchanged.

In particular, if you enter 0 (zero), the counter is cleared.

NOTE: If the TEXT SERVICE submenu is protected with a user password, then the prompt to type in the password appears before the global counter setting is displayed or before the global or change counters are made available to modifications.

For details on using a user password see section 4.4.1.9 Using the Password.

4.4.3.8. Monitoring the Print Rate

The print rate is regulated by an internal generator or shaft-encoder. The internal generator (or shaft-encoder) determines the timing of the printing of vertical rows. The

timing rate or print rate can be measured - see also section 4.6 Adjusting the Print

Rate.

The print rate is measured in the following way. In the main MENU select the PRINTING item and then the ROWS SPEED item.

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The display shows the print rate determined by the internal generator or shaft-encoder, according to the setting of the Generator parameter in the PRINTING PARAMETERS command.

If the Generator print parameter is set to GEN, the print rate depends on the Resol. dot/cm and Cnv spd m/min print parameters. If the Generator print parameter is set to SHAFT, the print rate depends only on the rotational speed of the shaft-encoder axle.

4.4.3.9. Printing with the Use of a Code Switch

In order to exchange the text while it is printed use the following procedure as standard: select the STOP PRINTING command, then the START PRINT command and type in the name of a file to be printed.

If you need to replace text files frequently, a special feature has been developed for EBS series printers to exchange text files easily and quickly. This feature is a Code Switch. The device is offered in two versions:

(1). The standard Code Switch consists of a code switch emulated by the printer’s

terminal. It is started by pressing the

text-file name via keypad and press the

wish to exchange the file.

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Ink-Jet Systems

terminal key. Enter a four-character

V key at the moment when you

(2). The optional Code Switch consists of an external unit manufactured by EBS. It is

plugged into a female connector on the printer housing and equipped with

a simple keypad and a display. The unit offers many additional functions apart

from the basic functions of a typical Code Switch.

More information about printing with the use of a Code Switch is given in a separate document.

4.4.3.10. Viewing Files on the Terminal Display

You can view the text file being printed. In the main MENU select the PRINTING item

and then the DISPLAY PRINTED TEXT item.

The terminal display shows the text file that is printed, for example the ABCD file:

NOTE:

• The DISPLAY PRINTED TEXT command is available only when the printer is in

the print mode.

• If a complex text file is printed at a high rate, it may happen that the current values of special registers contained in the text file are not displayed. The reason for this is that the processor time priority for this command is lower than for printing and therefore some print data are not displayed.

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4.4.4. Servicing the Head

4.4.4.1. Service Mode

In the main MENU select the SERVICE item and then the SERVICE item.

The command is used to switch the printer to the service mode (see section

4.3 Print Head Status). No alarm is indicated if a phasing error occurs. Service

operations can be performed within the head because phasing errors are ignored.

The START PRINT command makes the printer exit the service mode and enables

the indication of alarms if a phasing error occurs.

4.4.4.2. Sucking Ink/Solvent

In the main MENU select the SERVICE item and then the CLEAN NOZZLE item.

This command is used to clear the nozzle by sucking out ink from the nozzle and the gun (for about 2 seconds). Then the system returns to its previous condition. The green lamp indicator V1 on the external panel emits light during the operation. The CLEAN NOZZLE command should be used, if the ink jet fails to reach the gutter after the ink flow has been turned on or if the nozzle has clogged during the operation. If the ink flow has been stopped intentionally with the INK OFF or FAST OFF command, the command is ignored.

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NOTE:

• The command is not executed during printing.

• After the command has been executed, the printer switches to the restart mode

for about 1 minute.

4.4.4.3. Closing and Opening the Ink Valve

The V0 valve opens/closes the ink flow towards the head. The valve open and

close commands are used to clear the nozzle or ink filter inside the gun. The commands do not cause the ink to be sucked out of the nozzle and the gun and therefore any impurities gathered on the ink filter or in the nozzle are not pulled back. The ink valve can be closed and opened in two parallel and independent ways:

• With commands entered via the terminal,

• With the INK ON/OFF key on the main pad of the external panel (the V0 OFF and

V0 ON commands are executed consecutively as the key is pressed). The key can be used regardless of where the cursor position within the whole control menu is (for example, the valve can be closed/opened during the edition of a text file).

In the main MENU select the SERVICE item.

Closing the V0 Valve

Select the V0 OFF option and confirm the selection or press the INK ON/OFF key on the main pad of the external panel. After the command has been executed, the V0 valve is closed and the green lamp indicator V0 on the internal panel goes out.

If the ink flow is stopped, the following warning message is displayed:

IN 15 MIN. THE INK STREAM HAS TO BE ON !!!!

The objective is to warn the printer operator that the V0 valve has been closed. If the V0 valve remains closed for too long, the gun may dry up and the nozzle get clogged

or even the entire ink system may dry up. If the ink flow is not turned on during the indicated period, an alert signal is generated and another warning message is displayed:

OPEN V0 OR THE PRINTER WILL BE SWITCHED IN 1 MIN. OFF !!!

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The warning message can be cleared only by opening the V0 valve. If this message is ignored, the printer switches off automatically and the head is not rinsed.

Opening the V0 valve

Select the V0 ON option and confirm the selection or press the INK ON/OFF key on the main pad of the external panel. After the command has been executed the V0 valve opens, and the green lamp indicator V0 on the internal panel comes on.

The V0 ON command is used exclusively for service purposes, and it follows the

V0 OFF command.

NOTE:

• The V0 OFF and V0 ON commands are ignored during printing.

• After the V0 ON command has been executed, the printer remains in the restart

mode for about 1 minute.

• The V0 ON command must not follow the INK OFF or FAST OFF command because ink starts flowing to the head through the open V0 valve under pressure and may flood the head and a phasing error may occur.

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4.4.4.4. Turning the Head off Quickly

In the main MENU select the SERVICE item and then the FAST OFF item.

This command is used for quick-turning off the head without rinsing. It is effective when the ink or solvent flow inside the head is turned on. The command causes ink/solvent to be sucked from the nozzle and the gun (for about 2 seconds) and the V0 ink valve or the V6 solvent valve are closed. The execution of the command is completed, when the lamp indicators V0, V1, V6 go out.

This command can be applied in the following situations:

• When the head stops working after the printer has been turned on (before ink is supplied to the head); the command should be used immediately after the printer has been turned on,

• In order to suppress temporarily (for a few minutes) the flow of ink or solvent to the head (to perform a service operation, for example).

NOTE:

• The command can be executed safely many times with no risk of thinning the ink.

• The command is ignored during printing.

• After the command has been executed, the printer switches to the restart mode.

4.4.4.5. Turning the Ink Flow on

In the main MENU select the SERVICE item and then the INK ON item.

The command is used to turn on the head (the flow of ink within the head) after the

following commands have already been executed:

• FAST OFF,

• INK OFF,

• SOLVENT.

NOTE:

• The command is ignored during printing.

• After the command has been executed, the printer switches to the restart mode

for about 2 minutes.

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4.4.4.6. Turning the Head off

In the main MENU select the SERVICE item and then the INK OFF item.

This command is used to turn the head off completely. The complete turning off consists of giving the pipes, gun and nozzles a thorough rinse (as during the switch off procedure) and of isolating the head from the ink system and electronic printing system. The execution of the command is finished when the lamp indicators V0, V1, V6 go out.

This command can be applied when the unit is to be switched on but you do not want ink to circulate within the head. It is used more intensively for printers with many heads.

NOTE:

• If the flow of solvent is turned on within the head, the command operates in a simplified way, as the FAST OFF command does (solvent is sucked from the nozzle and gun for about 2 seconds and the V6 solvent valve is closed.

• The INK OFF command must not be executed many times over a short period. Otherwise the ink is thinned excessively. The command should not be executed more frequently than every 2 working hours.

• The command is ignored during printing.

• After the command has been executed the printer switches to the restart mode.

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4.4.4.7. Turning the Flow of Solvent On

In the main MENU select the SERVICE item and then the SOLVENT item.

This command is used to turn on the flow of solvent to the head. When the flow is on the green lamp indicator V6 on the internal panel comes on. The following ink-related commands can be executed when the flow of solvent is turned on:

• CLEAN NOZZLE,

• FAST OFF, this applies to solvent,

• INK ON.

NOTE:

• The command is ignored during printing.

• After the command has been executed the printer switches to the restart mode.

• If the flow of solvent lasts too long, then the printer’s ink system may be overfilled.

4.4.4.8. Adjusting the Ink Jet Path

In the main MENU select the SERVICE item and then the SET INK STREAM

item.

NOTE:

The SET INK STREAM command is strictly a service command. It can only be used by a qualified service person. The use of the command for purposes different from those it has been designed for may result in splashing the head and other objects with ink!!! After the SET INK STREAM command has been selected, a coherent jet of ink drops starts flowing out of the head.

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Head – side view

Slide

Gun

EBS

Ink-Jet Systems

Head

window

Nozzle Gutter

EBS

Plate Screw V3

Screw V4 Slide

Fig. 4.4.4.8.1.

The path of the ink jet in relation to the immovable gutter can be adjusted with two V screws. If you drive in screw V3 clock wise, the jet path goes down in the gutter. If you drive in screw V4, the jet path goes up in the gutter. Make the adjustment with both screws at the same time so that the gun plate bends. The screws need to be locked in their positions after the adjustment, i.e. the screw V3 driven into the head slide should rest with its end on the plate, and the screw V4 going through the plate and driven into the slide should rest with its head on the plate.

Adjust the ink jet path (with the V screws) so that distances X and Y shown in

Fig. 4.4.4.8.3 are the same. The adjustment is made with the SET INK STREAM

command.

The SET INK STREAM command is a service command for adjusting the ink-jet path in the vertical direction for various high voltage settings so that unused ink drops fall into the gutter. The path adjustment in the vertical direction is needed each time

the high voltage setting is modified or when the nozzle, the gutter, the gun or components of the gun suspension system are replaced or the position of head components needs to be re-adjusted.

The execution of the SET INK STREAM command involves the following steps:

1) Switch the printer on and wash the head (especially the gutter) carefully.

2) Wait until the READY lamp on the internal panel comes on.

3) Create a text file (for each of the maximum heights of 7, 16, 25 or 32 dots at the best) and set print parameters with the PRINTING PARAMETERS command.

4) Select the START PRINT command to print the previously created text file, and

then select the QUICK STOP command. The objective of this operation is to make the print parameter settings effective before the SET INK STREAM command is selected.

5) Check whether the ink jet falls into the middle of the gutter horizontally.

6) Place the head in the microscope holder to observe the ink jet falling down into

the gutter (see Fig. 4.4.4.8.2). Plug the stroboscope connector into the female connector ST15 on the head control card, which is available on opening the upper door (with the external panel on it) - see Fig. 4.4.4.8.4. When the

connector is plugged in properly, the stroboscope LED comes on. Reverse connection does not cause any damage.

NOTE:

If no microscope is available, you can follow the steps below by observing the ink jet falling into the gutter against a background, whose colour contrasts with the colour of ink. A magnifying glass can also be used but it is not likely to contribute to accurate adjustment.

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Microscope

with scale

Watching the

gutter with

microscope

Print head

Fig. 4.4.4.8.2.

7) Cover the head outlet with a paper tissue as the ink starts flowing out of the head after the command has been executed!!!!

8) Execute the SET INK STREAM command.

9) The following message is displayed on the terminal:

Type in:

Y to confirm, if the print parameter settings are effective - see point 4), N to cancel if the print parameter settings are not effective.

If the operation is confirmed, ink starts flowing out of the head. This takes about 15 seconds, and the following messages are displayed on the terminal:

Press the

U key to interrupt the execution of the SET INK STREAM

command. Press the

V key to resume the execution of the command after it has been

stopped automatically for a short time. Use any keys apart from the above mentioned ones in order to change the position of drops in relation to the gutter in horizontal direction during the execution of the command - see the NOTE below.

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phase

Deflecting electrode (HV)

=-6,5 V

Microscope scale

Fig. 4.4.4.8.3. Adjusting the ink-jet position in relation to the gutter

g=0.15 mm (0.6 deg) - thickness of the gutter wall, d=0.125 mm (0.5 deg) - drop diameter, P=about 2 mm (8 deg) - outer diameter of the gutter.

EBS

Ink-Jet Systems

Printing

g=0,15mm=0,6deg

(X=Y)≥1deg

Z≥1deg

V≥1deg

d=0,125mm

Phasing

Gutter

Neutral

10) Five ink jets A, B, C, D, E (see Fig. 4.4.4.8.3) can be observed with

a microscope (grey dots - see the Note below). Adjust the gun position (screws V3 and V4) so that margins X and Y are the same. The following conditions need to be met at the same time: (X=Y)≥1 deg, Z≥1 deg and V≥1 deg, where 1 deg = 0.25 mm stands for one microscope scale degree. Z is the distance between the lowest phasing drops (for U

=-6.5V) and the lower inner edge of

phase

the gutter. V is the distance between the most deflected drops used for printing and the upper edge of the deflecting electrode.

NOTE:

• The operation of the SET INK STREAM command is limited to about

15 seconds in order to provide protection against the consequences which might be suffered if the command is issued by mistake and because the phase determined by the phasing circuit may change. Press the

V key to resume

the operation of the command.

• High-contrast dots can be observed with a microscope, if the SET INK STREAM command precedes the STROBOSCOPE command - see section

4.4.4.9 Switching the Stroboscope Over.

• In addition, when the stroboscope LED is synchronized on the basis of rows

, the

position of the drops observed can be shifted horizontally in relation to the gutter during the execution of the SET INK STREAM command, by pressing any terminal key except the

U and V keys.

11) Press the U terminal key to terminate the execution of the SET INK STREAM

command.

12) Wait at least 30 seconds until the phasing stabilizes.

13) Repeat the SET INK STREAM command only to check whether margins X and Y are the same for other automatically determined phases and whether ink drops reach the gutter without catching on it from inside or outside.

14) Press the

U terminal key to terminate the execution of the SET INK STREAM

command.

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Stroboscope connector

ST15 connector on the JET1-4 Board

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4.4.4.9. Switching the Stroboscope Over

NOTE:

The STROBOSCOPE command is strictly a service command that works with the

SET INK STREAM command.

In the main MENU select the SERVICE item and then the STROBOSCOPE item.

High-contrast dots can be observed with a microscope, if the STROBOSCOPE command precedes switches the source of the synchronisation of the stroboscope LED light in the microscope. The LED can flicker at the drop-break or row-print frequency. The STROBOSCOPE command switches sequentially between the "dot-based synchronisation" to "raw-based synchronisation". If the SET INK STREAM command is preceded by the STROBOSCOPE command, the completion of the adjustment of the gutter height should be followed by the STROBOSCOPE command in order to ensure that the "dot-based synchronisation" is switched to.

LED blinks at the drop-break

frequency

the SET INK STREAM command The command electronically

LED blinks at the row-point

frequency

Fig. 4.4.4.8.4.

Gutter

Fig. 4.4.4.9.1. Position of ink drops in relation to the gutter for two settings of the stroboscope light synchronisation

4.4.4.10. Monitoring High Voltage during Printing

In the main MENU select the SERVICE item and then the

HV VALUE,PHOTO,SHAFT,AirP state item.

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In the print mode, the START PRINT command is followed by the application of high voltage (HV) to the head. HV is needed to deflect a jet of ink drops. The actual

voltage value is displayed on the terminal with the HV VALUE,PHOTO,SHAFT,AirP state command. The command helps diagnose some faults resulting from poor print quality and high voltage errors.

If the printer is not in the print mode, the HV VALUE,PHOTO,SHAFT,AirP state command results in displaying the figure 0.00.

EBS

Ink-Jet Systems

4.4.4.11. Defining Some Print Parameters by Measuring Conveyor Travel Speed

In the main MENU select the following items in turn: SERVICE,

SERVICE COMMANDS and CONVEYER MEASUREMENTS.

Place two objects on a factory conveyor at the distance of one meter other and let them move in front of the photo detector after the CONVEYER MEASUREMENTS command has been selected. The results of measurements of the following parameters are displayed on the terminal:

 Travel speed (a number of metres/minute [m/min]) at which objects move in front

of the print head. The figure can be utilised directly or used to determine the setting for the Cnv spd m/min print parameter,

 Number of pulses generated by the external encoder per distance unit (pulses/

metre, p/m). It is called the encoder constant. The figure can be utilised directly or used to determine the setting for the Enc const p/m print parameter.

NOTE:

• In order to determine the encoder constant properly, the Generator print parameter needs to be set to SHAFT and the encoder axle needs to rotate during the measurement.

• If the Generator print parameter is set to GEN, the encoder constant is 0 (zero).

• Objects can be placed on the conveyor at a distance smaller or greater than

1 m. Then the figure displayed on the terminal needs to be divided by the multiple of 1 metre. For example, if the distance between the objects is 0.2 m, then the resulting encoder constant is five times greater than that indicated on the terminal.

(1m) from each

4.4.4.12. Other Commands

The OTHERS option can also be selected from the SERVICE menu. It gives

the service person or a qualified person access to an extended list of service commands (after the service password has been typed in).

4.4.5. Auxiliary Commands

4.4.5.1. System Data

In the main MENU select the AUX. COMMANDS item and then the OPTIONS

item. The display shows the general information menu including the following data:

• the printer’s serial number (the latter part of the number engraved on the front wall between the doors) and a number of pixels meaning the maximum height of the vertical row,

• the settings for the printer’s various options and parameters,

• the version numbers of control programs for each of the printer’s functional blocks.

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4.4.5.2. Accessing Alarm Messages

When an error or failure and an alarm occur, you can try to interpret the type of

error by selecting the DISPLAY ERRORS command from the AUX. COMMANDS submenu. An error message is displayed on the terminal in response (for example, after a phasing error has occurred). If a few errors have occurred at the same time, the error messages can be displayed consecutively by pressing the V key until the OK message is displayed.

NOTE: No message is displayed if the alarm has been cleared with the yellow key on the external panel or with the CLEAR ERRORS command from the

AUX. COMMANDS submenu.

4.4.5.3. Clearing Alarms

Alarms are associated with errors, i.e. irregular situations in which an operator's intervention is required. Every error is indicated with sound and light signals. After the reason for an alarm has been interpreted, the alarm can be cleared with the yellow

CLR. ALARM

key on the main pad of the external panel or with the equivalent command from

the terminal.

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CLR. ALARM

The alarm clearing command is selected in the following way: In the main MENU select the AUX. COMMANDS item and then the CLEAR ERRORS item. The command results in turning the sound alarm off and clearing the errors and in resuming normal operation of the printer.

4.4.5.4. Accessing Error Reports

Every error indicated by an alarm is logged in the printer’s memory in the form of a report. The report includes data such as the type of error and the date and time of occurrence. It enables the operator to review printer operation by studying untypical events.

The error report is accessed in the following way. In the main MENU select the AUX. COMMANDS item and then the READ ERRORS REPORT item. Most recent errors are shown successively in the operating window on the terminal.

A precise description of an error report is given in a separate document (Accessing

Error Report in EBS-1500 & EBS-6000 Series Printers via the

READ ERRORS REPORT command).

4.4.5.5. Setting Date and Time

The printer is equipped with a real-time clock, which operates even if the power supply is off. It is possible for the user to set the date and clock time, however, the modification of the date is protected with a special service password.

In the main MENU select the AUX. COMMANDS item and then the TIME AND DATE item.

Then, the date and time indicated by the clock are displayed in the working window on the terminal where they can be modified. The date can be modified in the

SERVICE submenu after the special service password has been specified.

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In the main MENU select the SERVICE item and then the OTHERS item. On typing in the service password, select the SET TIME AND DATE item. In this place you can confirm or modify the time and date settings that are displayed consecutively.

NOTE:

• The date must not be set back!

• If the date has been set back, the following message is displayed on the

terminal: DATE IS SET BACKWARD !! and it is impossible to start the printing with the START PRINT command, which,

when selected, is followed by the error message.

EBS

Ink-Jet Systems

4.4.5.6. Viewing Printer Operation Time

The printer operation time is measured with a separate clock that is based on the printer’s built-in clock. The clock measures how much time the printer has been in the

ON state since the operation time limit expires, if such a limit has been set (see section

4.4.5.8 Releasing Protections).

In the main MENU select the AUX. COMMANDS item and then the ACTIVITY TIME item.

key was pressed and the time period left until the printer’s

The printer operation time is displayed in the operating window of the terminal in the format of hours:minutes.

4.4.5.7. Selecting a Language

You can specify the language in which the control MENU and all messages are displayed on the terminal.

In the main MENU select the AUX. COMMANDS item and then the LANGUAGE item.

The list of languages available for the user to communicate with the printer is displayed in the operating window of the terminal.

After a language has been selected, the control menu is immediately displayed in the selected language.

NOTE:

If you have selected a language that you do not understand, you can set the printer back to the ENGLISH language by pressing the following key sequence on the

terminal: and confirming the selection.

UUUUU 5 V 7 V, then selecting the language

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4.4.5.8. Releasing Protections

The following protections are applied in the printer:

1) Protected access to the following commands called protected commands:

 all commands in the TEXT SERVICE submenu,

 all commands in the PARAMETERS SERVICE submenu,

 commands in the PRINTING submenu, such as:

• SAVE CURRENT PARAM.,

• SET SHIFT COUNTER,

• GLOBAL COUNTER,

• SET GLOBAL COUNTER.

The above submenus can be protected with a user-defined password. If you

forget the password, the protection can be released by cancelling the user

password.

2) An operation time limit assigned to a user by the manufacturer (or distributor

under a separate agreement). When the limit expires, the printer stops working

automatically. Then the printer stops responding to user commands. Only the

release protection command can be executed. The assigned time limit can be

prolonged by 50, 100 or 200 hours, or possibly the limit can be cancelled and the

unit released from any operational constraints.

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In the main MENU select the AUX. COMMANDS item and then the UNLOCK PROTECTION item.

For releasing the protection, contact the manufacturer (distributor) by phone and describe what kind of protection is to be released.

The UNLOCK PROTECTION command is followed by a 9-digit code that is displayed in the terminal operating window. The code helps calculate the password to release the protection.

Reveal the code to the manufacturer’s representative but do not exit the command or press any keys (especially the printer off key). The manufacturer uses the code to produce the password that is required for releasing the protection. Type in the password and press the V key. If you make a mistake or type in a wrong code, you still have a chance to improve yourself as the printer allows you to make ten attempts before you have to contact the manufacturer or distributor. After ten unsuccessful attempts the message Switch the PRINTER off and on is displayed and the protections remain active.

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If the proper code is typed in, the printer confirms this fact by displaying the **OK** message and the user-indicated security feature is disabled.

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NOTE:

If you exit the command while waiting for the password and repeat the UNLOCK PROTECTION command, then the password received is not valid any longer and the protection is not released. The protection is released only after the right password has been typed in directly after the original code during the execution of the UNLOCK PROTECTION command.

EBS

Ink-Jet Systems

4.4.6. Ink and Solvent Bottle Monitoring System

General Information

Every bottle of ink or solvent is equipped with a transponder (an electronic circuit where bottle identification data are stored and can be accessed with no need for wire contact or additional power supply). The information is scanned from the transponder with a built-in Ink Monitoring System (the abbreviation IMS shall be used hereinafter) that uses two aerials situated at the bottom of the bottle chamber.

bottle niche in the

Ink system door

IMS aerials for

solvent ink

Fig. 4.4.6.1

The Ink Monitoring System ensures that:

1) The bottle is identified explicitly.

2) The printer is checked for appropriate ink (solvent). It prevents the application by

mistake of ink (solvent) that is different from that originally used in the printer’s ink system. The type of consumable and service life are checked.

3) Ink and solvent distribution and monitoring are improved as the information is

coded and validated electronically in every transponder.

Each bottle can be only used in the printer for which it was accepted by IMS. Approved bottles cannot be moved to other printers and other bottles cannot be replenished with fluid from an approved bottle. The approved bottle should remain in the printer until the fluid is consumed.

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If IMS messages concerning a specific bottle are displayed on the terminal, they are always preceded by an indication of which bottle they relate to:

• If IMS messages concerning the ink bottle

• If IMS messages concerning the solvent bottle

the terminal display, they are preceded by the indication “INK:”, whereas if they are displayed in the printer status window, they are preceded by the first letter of the indication, that is “I:”.

on the terminal display, they are preceded by the indication “SOLVENT:”, whereas if they are displayed in the printer status window, they are preceded by the first letter of the indication, that is “S:”. For example:

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 Paragraph 4 - Operating the Printe

are displayed in the main window on

are displayed in the main window

Replacing the Bottle of Ink (Solvent)

The empty bottle condition is normally indicated with a sound alarm (and possibly a light

signal) and the following terminal message:

INK: EMPTY BOTTLE for the bottle of ink or

SOLVENT: EMPTY BOTTLE for the bottle of solvent.

For example:

This is the right time to replace the empty bottle with a full one. In some emergency situations the messages INK LACK can occur although the ink bottle is

not empty or the messages SOLVENT LACK although the solvent bottle is not empty. The occurrence of such messages indicates some inefficiency in the ink (solvent) suction system.

In order to avoid trouble while replacing empty ink (solvent) bottles, follow the procedure below:

1. Remove the empty bottle from the container - the following message can be displayed on the terminal: INK: NO BOTTLE for the bottle of ink or

SOLVENT: NO BOTTLE for the bottle of solvent.

2. Place a new sealed bottle (but do not insert a suction pipe into the bottle). One or more

3. If the message BOTTLE ACCEPTED is displayed within 10 seconds, this means that the

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messages may be displayed. If this is the proper bottle, that is, a new bottle that has never been used (or approved) before, the following message should appear at first:

BOTTLE VERIFYING: WAIT 10 SECONDS PLEASE

bottle is right for a given printer. Remove the bottle and unseal it. Then insert a suction pipe tipped with a filter into the bottle and screw the bottle in (the message NO BOTTLE can occur at that time).

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4. Put the bottle in place - if no bottle error occurs, the normal status indication should be displayed in the printer status window.

With this the replacement procedure finishes.

NOTE:

• Do not refill an empty bottle with ink (solvent), as IMS will consider the bottle unsuitable anyway. Every new bottle is assigned a time limit and after the expiration of the time limit the bottle is considered unsuitable even if it is not empty - see section 4.4.6.2 Printer

Operation Time vs. Solvent Consumption Time Limit. During the normal operation of

the printer the bottle is always emptied before the time limit expires.

CLR.

• The empty bottle alarm cannot be cleared with the clear alarm

ALARM

key. The alarm is

cleared automatically only after the empty bottle has been replaced with a new one and the new bottle has been approved by IMS.

• If no new bottle has been approved within 30 minutes since the empty bottle alarm was indicated, the printing ceases and the following message is displayed:

REPLENISHMENT ERROR.

Replace the bottle with a new one and clear the alarm with the clear alarm key.

• The above message is also displayed, if the printer is unable to suck any ink (solvent) after a new bottle has been supplied and approved (because the user has forgotten to put the sucking pipe into the bottle, an ink system failure has occurred or for another reason).

Ensure that ink (solvent) is sucked properly and clear the alarm with the clear alarm key.

• Do not remove the bottle while it is being validated by the system (about 10 seconds).

• Every bottle can be used only in the printer where it has been approved by IMS. The

approved bottles must not be moved to other printers or used to refill other bottles. The bottle approved should remain in the printer container until the ink is consumed.

4.4.6.1. Checking the Validity Date

Ink is fit for use over a limited time and the expiration of the time limit is indicated

on the terminal:

From that moment till the moment the ink bottle is replaced with a new one, no printing is possible in order to avoid any damage to the ink system.

The service life is coded in the transponder and can be displayed and viewed on the terminal at any time in the following way.

In the main MENU select the BOTTLE INFORMATION item and then the INK EXPIRE DATE item. The message indicating the expiry date for ink contained in the bottle that is attached to the ink system is then displayed on the terminal.

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The validity date can be checked provided that the current date has been set in the printer properly. If the date has been set back, no printing can be made. Any attempt to start printing results in an error message.

NOTE:

• After the date has been set back, all bottles are ignored! No validation or

• Do not set the date ahead because any subsequent attempt to set the proper

printing can be resumed until the proper date is set in the printer.

date will be recognised as setting back with the above mentioned consequences.

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4.4.6.2. Printer Operation Time vs. Solvent Consumption Time Limit

Every new bottle of solvent is assigned a time limit and after the expiration of the

time limit the bottle is considered unsuitable even if it is not empty. Therefore do not refill an empty bottle with solvent, as IMS will soon consider the bottle unsuitable anyway. During the normal operation of the printer the bottle is always emptied before the time limit expires.

In order to check how much time remains until the time limit expires, follow the procedure below. In the main MENU select the BOTTLE INFORMATION item and then the SOLVENT - TIME TO WORK item.

The terminal shows the time (a number of hours and minutes) till the expiry of the solvent consumption time limit.

If the time limit is exceeded, the no solvent condition is observed in the printer.

4.4.6.3. Accessing Ink Monitoring System Data

You sometimes need to access information that is stored and validated by the Ink

Monitoring System (IMS). Such a need occurs especially with clients who operate EBS printers with various inks and/or ink systems.

In the main MENU select the BOTTLE INFORMATION item and then the PRINTER/INK/SOLV. TYPE item. The terminal operating window displays the table containing all information by type of printer and consumable, e.g.:

Characters – – mean that the parameter is undefined. An error may be indicated, if ink and solvent parameters mismatch the corresponding printer parameters.

Data on recently validated ink and solvent bottles only are available. A bottle is validated only when the following message has been displayed for it:

BOTTLE VERIFYING: WAIT 10 SECONDS PLEASE

4.4.6.4. Checking How Many Text Files Can be Printed with 1 litre of Ink

Sometimes there is the need to evaluate the number of given text files that can be printed with 1 litre of ink. The number can be used to determine the approximate ink consumption and thereby the time that remains till the ink bottle is emptied. However you should remember to set the parameters that impact on ink consumption, namely Char. set, Typeface, Row repetit..

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In the main MENU select the BOTTLE INFORMATIONN, item and then the No. OF TXT/1l item.

Then the number of current text files that can be printed with 1 litre of ink is displayed in the working window. When the command is selected, the printer has to be in the

print state. Otherwise only characters --- are displayed. If you select the command No. OF TXT/1l and characters vvv appear in the working window, it means that an

operation of division resulted in an overflow. In such a case you should elongate the text. Then, if you print your text n times (for example 3 times), you should multiply the result you have obtained by n (in this case n=3) in order to get the result for the original text (from before elongation).

The command can also be used to calculate the number of characters that you can print with 1 litre of ink. A better accuracy can be obtained if you build a text consisting of several characters (for example, 10 characters). In such a case you should multiply the number of texts displayed in the working window by the number of characters in the text.

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4.4.6.5. Printer Operation Problems During the Replacement of Ink and Solvent Bottles

Ink Monitoring System Flow Diagram

The block diagram given below shows the operation of the ink monitoring system, errors that may occur and a user’s actions to be taken after the errors have occurred.

The following message is displayed after t he bottle has been emptied:

INK: EMPTY BOTTLE

Detach and remove the empty bottle. Replace it with a new bottle of ink (solvent). DO NOT INSERT ANY SUCTION PIPE INTO THE BOTTLE!!!

The following message is displayed:

BOTTLE VERIFYING:

WAIT 10 SECONDS PLEASE

in the maximum

press the V key

of 10 seconds

SOLVENT: EMPTY BOTTLE

The message:

BOTTLE TOO OLD

The message:

BOTTLE ALREADY CANCELLED

The bottle has already been validated in this or other printer

The message:

WRONG BOTTLE

The message:

BOTTLE ACCEPTED

Remove the bottle, insert a suction pipe and re-place the bottle. NOTE: If an alarm is generated and the message

NO BOTTLE

displayed after the bottle has been removed, cle ar the message by pressing the automatically after the bottle has been put in place.

The message:

WRONG COLOUR

The message:

WRONG BASE LIQUID or SUBTYPE

The message:

PIGMENTED/NOMPIGM MISMATCHED

The message:

BOT. FOR OTHER PRNTER TYPE

press the V key

V key and the sound alarm goes out

The message:

WRONG SOLV FOR ECON.PRINTER

Wrong type of ink (solvent).

Put a new bottle with the right type of i nk (solvent) and clear the message by pressing the

V key.

4.5. Alarms, Errors and Indications

An alarm condition is indicated with an audible signal generated by an signalling device

and the red ERROR lamp that is next to the CLR. ALARM key on the external panel. The reason for an alarm can be identified in a variety of ways:

1. The main window of the terminal display shows the message describing the reason for an

alarm no matter what operation you perform at a given time (e.g. you may be editing

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a text file). If you press the V key, the message is cleared but none of the indications specified at points 2 and 3 are generated.

2. Light signals are generated with the following lamps:

• the red lamp ERROR on the external panel flickers,

• the green lamp ALARM (a duplication of the ERROR

lamp) on the internal panel flickers,

• the red lamp on the internal panel designed for

indicating the reason comes on or flickers. The internal panel is on the main electronic board of the printer. It is available after the upper door has been opened.

3. The sound alarm is generated with a built-in buzzer.

4. The interpretation of the reason for an alarm is available with the DISPLAY ERRORS command from the AUX. COMMANDS submenu.

NOTE:

The printer can optionally be equipped with a unit that is designed for:

• controlling a big light signalling device installed on an outrigger,

• controlling other pieces of user equipment (after a fatal error has occurred and further printing has been disabled) via built-in relays, in order to, for example, automatically stop a factory conveyor and the printing.

Fig. 4.5.1

The table below describes alarms and indications appearing on the internal panel and on the terminal display. The icons have the following meaning:

EBS-6000

A message shown above the arrow is displayed on the terminal display for

a given alarm.

LED

A LED lamp comes on for the above alarm. A description of the lamp is given on its

right-hand side.

Other icons - see paragraph 1 General Information.

Alarm LED

Description

Message on the terminal display

LED

300V ERR !!

300V ERR.

EBS-6000

A +300V power failure.

The failure occurs when no 300V has been applied

EBS

although the printer has been switched on, or a voltage decay occurred during the printer operation. If no 300V is applied, the head is disabled. The failure can be removed

LED

CHK V.ER.

LEAKS CHECK VALVE IN THE HEAD !!!

EBS-6000

by a qualified person. Contact a service point.

A non-return valve failure inside the head.

An error does not exist.

EBS

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Alarm LED

Message on the terminal display

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 Paragraph 4 - Operating the Printe

Description

LED

V1/V7 ERR.

EBS-6000

LED

FILL.ERR./ PRESS.DROP

INK PRESSURE DROP

EBS-6000

LED

SOLV. BAD

NO SLV TO CLEAN

EBS-6000

A V1 valve failure (the valve does not close completely) in

EBS

printers whose ink system is equipped with a pump. The valve needs replacing or repairing. Contact a service point.

A time-out error while setting the nominal pressure of ink in the ink system or a sudden pressure drop below its nominal setting (PRESS.DROP).

The failure can be caused by the following:

• The main ink filter is dirty - replace the filter - the operation can be performed by the user with no service assistance.

EBS

• A leakage in the ink system, damaged ink pump or elements of pump control. Contact a service point.

An error does not exist.

LED

INK: EMPTY BOTTLE

INK LACK

EBS-6000

No ink can be sucked from the ink bottle.

Supply ink by replacing the empty bottle with a full one. If no new bottle is validated within 20 minutes of the indication of the error, the printing stops and the following message is displayed:

REPLENISHMENT ERROR

REPLENISHMENT ERROR and INK LACK

EBS-6000

Replace the empty ink bottle with a new full one.

No ink can be sucked by the system although a new bottle of ink has been validated. The message can be generated for the following reasons:

• the operator has not inserted any filter-tipped suction

• leaky pipes or clogged ink filter at the tip of the suction

• leakage or damage to other elements that are

EBS

pipe into the bottle and has not screwed the bottle in place,

pipe,

responsible for refilling the system with ink from the bottle.

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Alarm LED

Message on the terminal display

Description

EBS

Ink-Jet Systems

LED

SOLVENT: EMPTY BOTTLE

SOLV LACK

EBS-6000

No solvent can be sucked from the solvent bottle.

Supply solvent by replacing the empty bottle with a full one. If no new bottle is validated within 20 minutes of the indication of the error, the printing is stopped and the following message is displayed:

REPLENISHMENT ERROR

REPLENISHMENT ERROR and SOLVENT LACK

EBS-6000

Replace the empty solvent bottle with a new full one.

No solvent can be sucked by the system although a new bottle of solvent has been validated. The error indication can occur for the following reasons:

• the operator has not inserted any filter-tipped suction

• leaky pipes or clogged solvent filter at the tip of the

• leakage or damage to other elements that are

EBS

LED

MAX INK PRESSURE EXCEEDED

PRESS.LACK

EBS-6000

The ink pressure has exceeded the nominal value.

EBS

Ink pump control system or pressure transducer are damaged. Contact a service point.

pipe into the bottle and has not screwed the bottle in place,

suction pipe,

responsible for refilling the system with solvent from the bottle.

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Alarm LED

Message on the terminal display

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 Paragraph 4 - Operating the Printe

Description

LED

PH. ERR.

PHASE ERROR

EBS-6000

Head phasing error.

There are the following major reasons for a phasing error (no monitoring signal from the gutter):  the nozzle is partially or completely clogged - clear the

nozzle,

 ink drops fail to fall into the gutter (a risk of flooding

the head occurs) - adjust the ink jet path,

 the gutter is soiled with fluid ink or a thick layer of dry

ink - wash the gutter with solvent; sometimes it may be required to dry the gutter with a jet of air,

 very strong electromagnetic interference in the vicinity

of the head - screen the head, i.e. check whether metal screens are installed at the bottom of the head and whether the metal casing of the head is electrically connected with the head casing via a fixing screw; check whether the yellow and green earth wire is well connected to the head casing on one end and to the printer housing (the printer’s earth) on the other,

 the hose connecting the head with the printer is

subject to vibration or periodical shocks - fix the hose,

 the ink filter inside the gun or the main ink filter are

clogged - replace the filter,

 unsuitable ink pressure in the system - set the rated

pressure inside the ink system,

 ink viscosity is outside the range between -5 and +15

(ink is too thin or too thick), see paragraph 4.3 Print

Head Status,

 partial vacuum is too low for the following reasons:

• the outlet of consumed air is clogged or necked

down (NOTE: there is a risk of flooding the printer with ink!!!), clear the outlet,

• the partial pressure generation pump is soiled or

damaged - dismantle the pump and wash it with

EBS

solvent or replace,

• some valves are damaged - replace the damaged

valves.

 the phasing signal cable or phasing electronic circuit

are damaged,

 damage in the breaking circuit - ink is not broken into

droplets properly,

 damage in the charging circuit - ink drops are not

charged properly.

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Alarm LED

Message on the terminal display

NOTE: If the phasing error occurs only after high voltage has been applied (i.e. it follows the START PRINT command), the reasons may be as follows:  the ink jet path is wrongly adjusted in relation to the

gutter - see section 4.4.4.8 Adjusting the Ink Jet

Path,

 the high voltage setting is too high,  a high voltage earth fault has occurred in the head;

this might have resulted from:

• the failure to tighten up the screws or a damage to

EBS

• a damage to the insulation cover or cable of the

• the soiled head.

Description

the sealing of the HV electrode,

HV electrode,

EBS

Ink-Jet Systems

LED

HV ON

**HV-ERROR**

EBS-6000

It has two meanings:

 the LED lamp emits a steady light - high voltage has

been applied to the head – a regular condition if the

printer is in the print mode,

 the LED lamp flickers - high voltage has decayed or

cannot be maintained at the required level.

The error occurs when high voltage has not been applied after the START PRINT command, it has decayed during the printing or the HV circuit cannot supply high voltage of the required amplitude. The major reasons for the HV ON error are as follows:

• an earth fault of the deflecting electrode due to a thick layer of dry ink (NOTE: a risk of the ignition of ink within the head) - wash the head with solvent,

EBS

• an earth fault of the HV cable,

• a breakdown in the HV circuit,

• a HV monitoring and control circuit failure,

• a problem with the memory cell where the HV setting

is stored (when the printer has not been used for a long time and the back-up battery has discharged) - select the SERVICE option from the OTHERS submenu, type in the service password, select the ADJUSTMENTS option and confirm the selection with the

V key. Then move to the

High voltage option and set the HV rated value.

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The failure can be removed by a qualified person only. Contact a service point.

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Alarm LED

Message on the terminal display

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 Paragraph 4 - Operating the Printe

Description

LED

St3-OVER

R3 OVERFILLED

EBS-6000

4.5.1. Clearing Alarms

Clear-Alarm key

The high-level indicator in the ink cylinder R3 has two meanings:

 the LED lamp flickers - the cylinder R3 is overfilled

temporarily (due to ink surge in the cylinder, for example), clear the alarm and resume regular operation.

 the LED lamp emits a steady light - the cylinder R3 is

EBS

overfilled permanently – a failure. The failure can be removed by a qualified person only. Contact a service point.

Alarms are cleared by pressing the CLR. ALARM key (on the main pad of the external panel) or by selecting the CLEAR ERRORS command from the

AUX. COMMANDS submenu.

NOTE:

No alarm should be cleared until a reason for it is identified.

Fig. 4.5.1.1.

4.6. Adjusting the Print Rate

The print head is motionless during printing. Overprints are made on objects that move in front of the head. The range of print rates varies according to application. Therefore the printer has been equipped with a feature that enables you to adjust the rate to make clear and legible overprints in every condition. The printing of vertical rows of print is timed with pulses that are generated by two sources:

 the printer’s program-controlled internal generator,  an external encoder connected to the printer via the appropriate connector to convert

rotational speed to pulse frequency.

If you increase or decrease the pulse frequency, you change the print rate.

4.6.1. Internal Generator

After the alarm has been cleared, the error indicators are reset - the indication lamps go out, the buzzer stops generating sound and no information on the reason can be obtained after the DISPLAY ERRORS has been selected. The only trace of the occurrence of an alarm remains in the error report - see section

4.4.5.4 Accessing Error Reports.

the print head. That is why it is used with conveyors whose travel rate is specified and stable.

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The internal generator operates regardless of the rate at which objects travel in front of

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The pulse frequency generated by the internal generator (and thereby the print rate) is influenced by two print parameters (available with the PRINTING PARAMETERS command from the PRINTING submenu):

 The Cnv spd m/min (see section 4.4.3.5 Print Parameters) parameter adjusts the print

rate (in rows) to the conveyor travel speed (m/min). If the setting of the Cnv spd m/min

parameter does not change and you reduce the travel speed, the density of characters

printed increases.

The setting for the Cnv spd m/min parameter can be determined by measuring travel

speed with the CONVEYER MEASUREMENTS service command - see section

4.4.4.11 Defining Some Print Parameters by Measuring Conveyor Travel Speed.

 The Resol. dot/cm (see section 4.4.3.5 Print Parameters) parameter defines image

resolution. The resolution is given as a number of dots/centimetre. The visual effect of

a change to the parameter is a change in the width of characters (graphic images) and

the length of the entire text file.

NOTE:

Extreme setting ranges are specified for Resol. dot/cm and Cnv spd m/min print parameters. The settings are monitored by the control program on an on-going basis and may be limited by the settings of other print parameters and setting of the print height (7, 16, 25 or 32 dots). The system is protected automatically against an excessive print rate setting. Therefore some settings may not be accepted.

EBS

Ink-Jet Systems

Below you can see a sample print "ABCD" which differs for various settings of the Resol. dot/cm parameter; the travel speed is constant (NOTE: in order to make the

overprint legible, it is not shown to scale):

Resol. dot/cm:24

Resol. dot/cm:12

Resol. dot/cm:6

Rough measurements of the timing frequency (print rate) can be taken with the ROWS SPEED command from the PRINTING submenu. The result of the measurement depends on the settings of the Speed, Generator, Resol. dot/cm and Cnv spd m/min print parameters from PRINTING.

4.6.2. Shaft-encoder

The shaft-encoder is an electromechanical indicator of rotary speed. The shaft-encoder axle is coupled mechanically with an object that moves on a factory conveyor, for example. Pulses are generated at the shaft-encoder output. The pulse frequency is proportional to the rotational speed of the axle. The pulses determine the moments at which rows of overprints are to be printed. Therefore the pulse frequency depends on the travel speed, the transmission ratio of a mechanical gear between the moving product, the shaft-encoder's axle and the type of encoder, i.e., the number of pulses per rotation. That is why an external encoder is applied for timing when variable or unstable speed conveyors are used.

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Pulses for slow rotation of the SHAFT-ENCODER axle

Pulses for fast rotation of the SHAFT-ENCODER axle

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 Paragraph 4 - Operating the Printe

This manual does not contain any description of the types of mechanical gear to be used to couple mechanically encoders with conveyors. A variety of solutions is available and specific user

Signal cable

requirements can fully be met.

Fig. 4.6.2.1. Shaft-encoder

SHAFT-ENCODER axle

The timing frequency (print rate) is influenced by two print parameters (available with the PRINTING PARAMETERS command from the PRINTING submenu):

 The Enc const p/m parameter (see section 4.4.3.5 Print Parameters) parameter defines

the number of pulses generated by the shaft-encoder while the object covers a distance

of 1m. If the shaft-encoder is used for timing purposes and the Enc const p/m parameter

is set to a constant value, no increase or decrease in the conveyor travel speed has any

impact on the characters width.

The setting for the Enc const p/m parameter can be determined by measuring the

encoder constant with the CONVEYER MEASUREMENTS service command - see also

section 4.4.4.11 Defining Some Print Parameters by Measuring Conveyor Travel

Speed.

 The Resol. dot/cm parameter (see section 4.4.3.5 Print Parameters) parameter defines

image resolution. The resolution is expressed as a number of dots/centimetre. The visual

effect of a change to the parameter is a change in the width of characters (graphical

images) and the length of the entire text file.

Below you can see a sample print "ABCD" which looks different for various settings of the

Resol. dot/cm parameter; the travel speed is constant (NOTE: in order to make the

overprint legible, it is not shown to scale):

Resol. dot/cm:24

Resol. dot/cm:12

Resol. dot/cm:6

Rough measurements of the timing frequency (in Hz) can be taken with the ROWS SPEED command from the PRINTING submenu. When the settings are displayed with the application of the ROWS SPEED command, you can change the rotational speed of the encoder axle (by changing the transmission ratio) and observe the changes on the terminal display. The command can also be used when the system works with an internal generator.

As the printer cannot control the frequency of pulses generated by the external encoder, the

allowable settings can be exceeded and the overprint deformed - see section 6.3.9 Some

vertical rows of the print are . In order to avoid such deformation, the timing frequency

should be chosen in such a way that the settings offered by the ROWS SPEED command do not exceed the maximum print rate. The rate (given in m/min) depends on the font applied and on print parameters such as Speed, Height, Interleave, Resol. dot/cm. For example, if

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you wish to print fast (Speed : FAST) and produce 7-dot single-row prints, this frequency should be 8920 Hz. For more information refer to 4.6.3 Defining the Maximum Print Rate

for a Given Text File, 4.6.4 Information for advanced users and 4.6.5 Problems with reaching the maximum print rate when a shaft-encoder is used.

4.6.3. Defining the Maximum Print Rate for a Given Text File

Irrespective of whether the printer works with an internal generator or a shaft-encoder, you should follow the procedure given below in order to define the maximum print rate for a text file with selected fonts (also called the generators or character matrices):

1. In the TEXT SERVICE submenu to create a text file using the font for which the maximum

print rate is to be determined.

2. Use the PRINTING PARAMETERS command from the PRINTING submenu to set the

required print parameters, especially the Speed, Interleave and Resol. dot/cm

parameters and also to set:

• Mode to NORMAL,

• Generator to GEN,

• Cnv spd m/min to a relatively small value (e.g. close to the minimum setting).

3. Start printing the text file with the START PRINT command from the PRINTING submenu.

4. Check on the terminal display in the printer status window (after "/") whether the height of

the vertical row matches the height of the selected font.

5. Move back to the PRINTING PARAMETERS command and the Cnv spd m/min option.

6. Press the ¡ key and hold it down until the value of the Cnv spd m/min parameter stops

increasing. After the maximum travel speed has been achieved, this value stops

increasing. This is the maximum print rate for the selected font and for the

Speed, Interleave, Resol. dot/cm print parameters and for other parameters.

EBS

Ink-Jet Systems

NOTE:

• The above procedure can only be applied when timing pulses are generated by an

internal generator (not by the shaft-encoder). When the shaft-encoder is used, the print

rate cannot be controlled automatically as the control program has no impact on the

frequency of pulses generated by the shaft-encoder.

• In order to determine resolution (number of characters per centimetre or characters per

inch) of the overprint, use the following formula:

chr/cm

CHARACTER WIDTH + DISTANCE

dot/cm

chr/in

2.54 * R

CHARACTER WIDTH + DISTANCE

dot/cm

where:

R R R

- resolution defined as a number of characters per centimetre,

chr/cm

- resolution defined as a number of characters per inch,

chr/in

- resolution defined as a number of dots per centimetre; it is the same

dot/cm

as the setting of the Resol. dot/cm print parameter, CHARACTER WIDTH - width (number of dots) of a character for the selected font, DISTANCE - a distance (number of dots) between characters; it is defined by the

Distance subfile parameter. For example, if you select Latin 16x10, the character width is 10. If Distance=2 and

Resol. dot/cm=24, the resolution is 2 characters/cm or 5,08 characters/inch.

On determining the maximum print rate for the printer which works with a shaft-encoder, you should stop printing and modify the setting of the Generator parameter to SHAFT. See also

section 4.6.4 Information for advanced users and 4.6.5 Problems with reaching the

maximum print rate when a shaft-encoder is used.

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4.6.4. Information for advanced users

The printer’s maximum rate is limited only by the time that is needed to jet ink drops to

print a vertical row. This time depends on the following:

1. Ink-drop generation frequency. For the standard frequency of 62.5kHz, such drops are

generated every 16µs.

2. The number of drops per one vertical row (the drops are always counted as if all of them

were printed). The number includes the following:

● All drops for a given font size (e.g. for the 16x10 font there are 16 drops in one vertical row),

● All drops which are jetted between the useful drops but always directed to the gutter irrespective of what pattern is printed. For example, for the 16x10 font and a low print rate (Speed : SLOW) every printable drop is followed by 3 drops which are directed to the gutter. As a result, one vertical row consists of 64 drops (16+3*16) and it takes

=1024µs (64*16µs) in total to print it. If 7-dot prints are made at a high speed,

tot

none of the drops is directed to the gutter and therefore T

In the printer, the above parameters depend on the font you have selected and on print parameters such as Interleave, Height, Speed.

The printing of another vertical row cannot start until the printing of the previous row is completed. This means that the time interval at which vertical rows are released for printing cannot be shorter than the printing time referred to above.

 Paragraph 4 - Operating the Printe

=7*16µs=112µs.

tot

The row release interval depends on the conveyor travel speed and resolution.

The user does not need to determine the period of time after which another vertical row

should be printed. Instead it should specify the following natural parameters:

● When an internal generator is used: Resolution, which is given as a number of dots per centimetre (the Resol. dot/cm parametr) and conveyor travel speed, which is given as a number of metres per minute (the Cnv spd m/min parameter). They are used by the printer to calculate the time interval at which a row release pulse should be generated to start printing another vertical row. If the interval is smaller than the time needed to generate all drops to print a vertical row (see points 1, 2 above), then the printer indicates an error. If the conveyor starts moving at the speed that is greater than declared, then the print will stretch proportionally.

● When a shaft-encoder is used: Resolution, which is given as a number of dots per centimetre (the Resol. dot/cm parameter) and encoder constant, which is given as a number of pulses per metre (the Enc const p/m parameter). In this configuration the printer “does not know” when it is likely to receive a row release pulse to start printing another vertical row. If the pulse is generated before the printing of the previous vertical row is completed, it must be ignored. Such a situation occurs only when the maximum print rate is exceeded. And this occurs when greater spaces between some rows appear.

The print rate is defined by the following formula:

where:

V=6*10

*(R*

-1

[m/min],

R – actual resolution [dots/cm], t – time between successive vertical rows [µs/dot].

From the above, it appears that the maximum print rate for a given resolution, R, and the total time, T

The value is the same irrespective of whether an internal generator or a shaft-encoder is used.

20070529#20.5

, which is needed to print a row, is defined as:

tot

=lim 6*10

max

t->Ttot

*(R*

-1

[m/min].

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When the printer works with an internal generator, it is very easy to reach the maximum print rate because printing is controlled by the printer’s computer which uses a common, very accurate, quartz oscillator to generate ink drops and release printing of successive rows. Therefore the two processes are absolutely synchronous and cophasal.

When the printer works with a shaft-encoder, it is much more difficult to reach the maximum print rate because two asynchronous generators need to be used. The first one is a quartz oscillator and the other is the shaft-encoder. In addition the pulses from the shaft-encoder are unstable and in no way are they synchronous with the pulses generated by the oscillator.

The symptoms of speeding are also different:

● When an internal generator is used, successive rows are timed at the same time intervals. A change in the conveyor speed results in a change of the distance between the vertical rows and the change is proportional to the change of the conveyor speed. If the maximum speed is exceeded slightly, the effect is hardly visible.

● When a shaft-encoder is used, the symptoms of speeding depend on the versions of the software that is installed on the printer. For version 20_0A or later, each time the print rate is exceeded rows of print are spaced widely, as it is the case when an internal generator is used. For earlier versions, the subsequent vertical row is shifted significantly and visibly, because no printing of a subsequent row can start until the previous row is printed completely.

EBS

Ink-Jet Systems

4.6.5. Problems with reaching the maximum print rate when a shaftencoder is used

The description given below is a case study of the maximum print rate. If the rates are

smaller than the maximum (with a tolerance specified below) no problems occur. The

printers on which software version 20_0A or later is installed switch automatically to printing at the maximum (constant) rate when this maximum rate is exceeded.

The encoder constant.

If the shaft-encoder constant is too small, it will be difficult to reach a set resolution - the real resolution will be rather distant from the setting. The shaft-encoder constant, S, is given as a number of pulses generated when the conveyor travels over a distance of one metre. For a given resolution r the printer sets the value of the system divider, D, which matches the two quantities with each other. The divider can be set to integral values only according to the following formula:

D=[(S/(100*r))+0.5],

where:

S – encoder constant,

r – given resolution.

The real resolution is determined from the following formula:

R=S/(100*D).

 92

Example

The shaft-encoder constant S is 8820 and resolution r is 19. The divider value D is calculated in the following way: D=[(S/(100*r))+0.5]=[(8820/(100*19))+0.5]=[4.64+0.5]=5 (in round figure). The real resolution is R=S/(100*D)=8820/(100*5)=17.64.

If the resolution is r=20, 21, 22, 23 and 24, the divider value D is always the same (as it is given in round figure) and amounts to D=4. This value corresponds to the real resolution of R=22.05. If r=20 is chosen out of the above range, the error is 100%*((22.05/20)-1)=10.25%. The maximum rate to be obtained corresponds to the resolution of R=22.05 and not to the given value of r=20. Therefore for T

=1024µs the maximum rate is 26.573 m/min. If

tot

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Ink-Jet Systems

a better shaft-encoder is used, a higher rate is reached - see the consideration for the shaft-encoder constant of 44000 below.

In order to ensure that the real resolution of a diversified value is obtained in practice for each of the resolutions r specified above, you need to choose a better shaft-encoder whose constant is for example 44000.

NOTE:

If the shaft-encoder constant is increased by decreasing the diameter of the roll travelling on the conveyor, the spread of the parameter values is usually greater.

The following values can be obtained for the shaft-encoder constant of S=44000:

If the shaft-encoder with the constant of S=44000 is used, the maximum rate of 29.296 m/min can be obtained for the given resolution of r=20 and T

rate is much higher than for the shaft-encoder whose constant is S=8820. The above data show that it may appear that the real resolution is greater than required and the maximum rate given in metres per minute corresponds to the real resolution and not to the given value. The percentage error Us increases along with an increase in the

encoder constant.

r D R

20 22 20.00 21 21 20.95 22 20 22.00 23 19 23.16 24 18 24.44

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 Paragraph 4 - Operating the Printe

=1024µs. This maximum

tot

1. Stability of the conveyor’s travel speed.

Every real installation suffers from conveyor vibration. The actual speed varies, sometimes it is higher and sometimes it is lower. Therefore the real, temporary speed of the conveyor is V(1+/-∆V). If the maximum print rate is not to be exceeded, it must not be exceeded at any moment of time. It is not enough to measure the average conveyor speed. The higher the vibration (instability) of conveyor travelling, the lower the maximum achievable conveyor speed. The percentage error is Ut=∆V*100%.

2. Accuracy of measurement of the shaft-encoder constant and conveyor travel speed.

Every measurement involves a measuring error which depends on the class of measuring equipment and the experience of the person who takes the measurement. The pooled percentage errors of the measurement are marked as Up. It may appear that the real

print rate is greater than that determined by measurement due to measuring inaccuracy.

3. Spread of the shaft-encoder constant vs. angle of rotation.

While measuring the shaft-encoder constant we measure the average value. The measurement usually consists of counting of (many thousand of) pulses for a number of full shaft-encoder rotations. Whereas the real printer reacts to a distance between successive pulses and not to the average value. Thus the accuracy of the manufacture of the shaft-encoder (the spread between successive pulses) and the spread of the radius of the shaft-encoder roll running along the conveyor make the distance timed by successive shaft-encoder pulses vary. And also the print rate varies even if the conveyor speed is stable as perfectly as possible.

In addition, if the shaft-encoder constant is to be increased (doubled) (which is vital – see

point 1 above), the electronic circuitry of the printer will react to both rising and falling edges of shaft-encoder pulses (series I in the drawing below) by using them to generate series J. If the duty factor of pulses from the shaft-encoder (measured at the input to the XILINX circuit) differs by 50%, then there is an additional error ∆b which appears only for odd values of the divider D.

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a a±

∆a

EBS

Ink-Jet Systems

b b±

∆b

Fig. 4.6.5.1.

Thus, if D=4 (see point 1 above) measured distance A4 (see Fig. 4.6.5.1) can be biased with error ∆a, and for D=5, measured distance A5 can be biased with error ∆a+∆b.

The maximum percentage error described in this section is Ur=((∆a+∆b)/a)*100%.

The maximum error which may occur under such conditions provided that the above errors are not significant, can be expressed approximately as:

U=Us+Ut+Up+Ur

In the most adverse case, we can obtain the maximum rate that is by U% smaller than the theoretical value. The values of the above errors depend on specific installation and can vary extremely for various applications. Therefore every case needs to be considered on an individual basis. For more information on the above you can contact an experienced serviceperson.

4.6.6. The Maximum Print Rate vs. Resolution Settings

The table below shows the maximum print rate vs. the settings of the Resol. dot/cm print

parameter for various print rates (set with the Speed print parameter) and various print heights (7, 16, 25, 32 dots).

Maximum Print Rate [m/min]

The

parameter

Resol. dot/cm

9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24

Speed=SLOW MIDDLE FAST

Print Height [dots] Print Height [dots] Print Height [dots]

32 25 16 7 25 16 7 16 7

42 55 65 148 55 130 297 245 595 37 50 58 133 50 117 267 220 535 34 45 53 121 45 106 243 200 487 31 41 48 111 41 97 223 183 446 29 38 45 103 38 90 206 169 412 27 35 41 95 35 83 191 157 382 25 33 39 89 33 78 178 147 357 23 31 36 83 31 73 167 137 334 22 29 34 78 29 68 157 129 315 21 27 32 74 27 65 148 122 297 19 26 30 70 26 61 140 116 281 18 25 29 66 25 58 133 110 267 18 23 27 63 23 55 127 105 255 17 22 26 60 22 53 121 100 243 16 21 25 58 21 50 116 95 232 15 20 24 55 20 48 111 91 223

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 Paragraph 4 - Operating the Printe

Maximum Print Rate [m/min]

The

parameter

Resol. dot/cm

25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40

Speed=SLOW MIDDLE FAST

Print Height [dots] Print Height [dots] Print Height [dots]

32 25 16 7 25 16 7 16 7

15 20 23 53 20 46 107 88 214 14 19 22 51 19 45 103 84 206 14 18 21 49 18 43 99 81 198 13 17 20 47 17 41 95 78 191 13 17 19 46 17 40 92 76 184 12 16 18 44 16 39 89 73 178 12 16 18 43 16 37 86 71 172 11 15 17 41 15 36 83 68 167 11 15 17 40 15 35 81 66 162 11 14 16 39 14 34 78 64 157 10 14 16 38 14 33 76 63 153 10 13 15 37 13 32 74 61 148 10 13 15 36 13 31 72 59 144

9 13 15 35 13 30 70 58 140 9 12 14 34 12 30 68 56 137 9 12 14 33 12 29 66 55 133

A sample print for Distance=1

12345678910 11 1213 1415 16 17 1819 2021

1cm

Resol. dot/cm=20

NOTE:

If the conveyor travel speed is constant

, the Speed print parameter is set and the

Cnv spd m/min print parameter is adjusted to the conveyor travel speed, bear in mind the following hints:

• In order to get proportional

characters (i.e. of the same amounts of dots in the vertical

and horizontal directions), you can use only two parameters: the print height (number of units of length, e.g. millimetres) and the horizontal resolution (the Resol. dot/cm print parameter).

• The print height can be changed by changing the distance between the product to be

labelled and the head and/or the setting of the Height print parameter and/or (exceptionally) high voltage.

• Please note that there is a difference between the print height measured in units of length (e.g. mm) and the print height given as a number of dots. If the print height is defined by a number of dots, we take into consideration character matrices, a layout of subtexts within the print, dot-route corrections and the related constrains. If the print height is given in length units, we mainly think of the appearance of an overprint.

• If the print height changes, the vertical resolution changes and in order to get proportional characters, you need to modify the Resol. dot/cm or Cnv spd m/min print parameter.

4.7. Synchronizing Print Heads

The EBS-6100 printer has only one head, so no synchronisation is required.

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5. Examples of How to Operate the Printer

NOTE:

It has been assumed that the user has become familiar with the manual or has at least read

chapter 4 Operating the Printer.

5.1. How to Print the First Sample Text File

This chapter contains a description of how to prepare the EBS-6100 printer for operation and how to print a simple text file. The example covers instructions on how to install a new machine, switch it on, set major parameters and print a text file that has been input via a terminal.

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Ink-Jet Systems

1) If the printer is installed by the Manufacturer or authorized service staff, this section can be omitted. Otherwise the procedure below needs to be followed to install the printer:

 Read section 2.1 Safety Requirements.  Follow the instructions given in section 2.3 Installing the Printer.

2) Place the print head in a holder in such a position that nobody or nothing can be splashed with ink accidentally. Therefore position the head horizontally at first and

place a shallow ink dish under it.

NOTE: If a sound alarm occurs while the below specified procedure is followed, try to find

the reason for the alarm by studying the indications.

3) Switch the printer on by pressing the green

4) Check whether the partial vacuum pump operates - the usual whirr is heard when the

lamp V91 on the internal panel comes on. The pump turns on and off in cycles.

5) About 3 minutes after switching the printer on check for proper phasing by viewing the head status. See section 4.3 Print Head Status.

NOTES:

• The head status referred to may vary frequently over the first 3 minutes after the unit

has been switched on, because ink of varying density flows into the head from supply pipes.

• If the phasing fails to reach right results within about 3 minutes of the switching on,

a phasing error occurs.

6) Use the terminal keypad to create a text file to be printed.

key on the external panel.

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In the main MENU select the TEXT SERVICE item and then the CREATE NEW TEXT item.

After the text file name, e.g. TXT1, has been specified, the text processor starts running. Now you can use the keypad to input what is to be printed. A description of the processor

control keys is given in section 4.4.1.1 General Information on Text Files, paragraph

WORD PROCESSOR - A Description of Control Keys.

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Use terminal keys to type in text COFFEE, which is then stored in the printer’s memory after it has been confirmed with the

7) Set print parameters.

 Paragraph 5 - Examples of How to Operate the Printe

 EBS-6100 Printer User's Manual

V key.

All options are normally preset by the Manufacturer to meet user requirements. Print parameters are set to their default the source of timing pulses: a shaft-encoder (travel speed indicator) or an internal generator. If the head is set to work with the shaft-encoder, it will make overprints only when the shaft-encoder axle rotates. If the head is set to work with the internal generator, the overprints are made at a fixed rate no matter how fast the objects move (even if the object does not move). The option can be modified with the Generator print parameter and either GENerator or SHAFT- encoder can be set.

In the main MENU select the PRINTING item, item.

For how to modify print parameters see section 4.4.3.5 Print Parameters.

The parameters should be set to the following values:

settings. The only important thing in making print is

and then the PRINTING PARAMETERS

Enc const p/m : 10000 only for Generator=SHAFT.

8) Start printing the text file TXT1 you have just created.

In the main MENU select the PRINTING item,

Printing starts after the name TXT1 has been typed in and confirmed. If you want to stop the printing, select the STOP PRINTING command from the

PRINTING submenu.

NOTES:

 The START PRINT command is followed by the application of high voltage (the green

lamp PRINT ON/OFF on the main pad of the external panel and the red lamp HV ON on

the internal panel detector is activated. Therefore place a product or sheet of paper in front of the head at a distance smaller than 20 mm (to get good quality prints). The proper operation of the photo detector is indicated by a red LED indicator at the back of the photo detector. If a product has been detected, the lamp goes out. While conducting print tests cover the photo detector with your hand for a while to release its operation.

Default value – a preliminary value defined by the Manufacturer.

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emit a steady light) and an overprint is made each time the photo

and then the START PRINT item.

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 After the photo detector has been activated, the printing starts. The procedure varies,

however, according to the timing mode:

• If the printing is timed by an internal generator, overprints are made no matter whether the product(s) move or not. If the product does not move, a very narrow overprint is made and a single vertical row is printed only (!).

• If the printing is timed by an shaft-encoder, overprints are made only when the shaft-encoder axle rotates.

 If the width of characters is incorrect, adjust the print rate following the instructions given

in section 4.6 Adjusting the Print Rate.

 If prints are made too fast, the print quality tends to be poor. You can recognize it easily

by discontinuous print as the print rate control system ignores some of the timing pulses.

In effect the character width may get out of proportion. See also section 4.6 Adjusting

the Print Rate.

 If the STOP PRINTING command is selected during the printing, the current overprint is

finished and the operation stops (high voltage is turned off). In the event the shaft-encoder is used, this stage may take longer (especially when long print is made and the shaft-encoder axle stops rotating after the conveyor has been stopped). Some commands may not be accepted then (and the message CHANNEL ACTIVE is shown on the terminal display). To speed the process up, move the shaft-encoder axle a little to complete the overprint.

EBS

Ink-Jet Systems

5.2. Creating and Printing Various Text Files

NOTE:

The following notation is used in the examples below:

 represents one space character,

text means text-file contents to be input via the terminal keypad.

5.2.1. How to Print the Current Date and Time

Assumption: It is 25th July 2003, 10:34 hours; the overprint should look like as follows:

1) Define four TEXT - ASCII characters type subfiles, including two subfiles that are special

registers Date and Time. See section 4.4.1.10 Using Special Registers.

 In the main MENU select the TEXT SERVICE item and then the

CREATE NEW TEXT item.

 You are prompted to type in a text-file name. Input a name, e.g. DATI and confirm.

Type : Text Char. set : Latin 7x5 Typeface : Normal Distance : 2 Rotation : None Spec.reg. : None

• Set parameters for the first subfile (the and confirm.

• Input contents for the first subfile: DATE :.

• Press the the right of the previous one.

« ¡ keys to create a new subfile to

§ key)

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EBS EBS-6100 User Manual

Specifications and Main Features

Frequently Asked Questions

User Manual