Epson DFX-5000+, FX-1050, FX-1170, FX-1180+, FX-2170 Technical Brief

Contents

This technical brief provides detailed information on the following topics, related to all EPSON impact
printers:

Functionality

Versatility

Reliability

▼

Printing technology

▼

Control code/emulation

▼

Paper handling

▼

SmartPark™ settings

▼

Flexible interfacing

▼

Built-in fonts

▼

Computer-based set-up

▼

Ribbon quality

▼

Ribbon cartridge reliability

▼

Total Print Volume vs. MTBF

▼

Off-carriage motor assembly

Functionality—Printing technology

Why buy an impact printer? An impact printer has several advantages over any other type of printer:

▲▲

Low cost — both in purchase price and low cost of ownership
Flexible paper handling — only impact printers can handle multi-part forms and multiple paper paths
that can all have paper loaded and waiting.

▲

Reliability — EPSO N impact printers are renowne d for their reliability with tireless printhea ds and
superior quality ribbons.

Impact printers are eithe r 9- or 24-pin, which determines the type of printing and the number of multi-part
forms that the printer are cap a ble of printing.

Nine-pin impact printers — These printers have the sturdiest printhead pins which:

▲▲

Hit the paper hard to m a ke impressions through the thickest multi-part forms

▲

Offer the fastest print speeds
Print from High Speed D raft up to Near Letter Quality

Twenty-four-pin impact printers

▲▲▲

Hit the paper less hard to make imp r essions through most multi-part forms

— These printers have finer printhead pins which:

Offer finer Letter Quality printing
Print from High Speed D raft up to Letter Quality

The name of an EPSON's impact printer tells you if it is a 9- or a 24-pin printer, and whether it has a narrow
or wide carriage:

▲▲

Nine-pin printers all begin with FX, LX, or DFX

▲▲

Twenty-four pin printers all begin with LQ

FX-980—Nine-pin
narrow carriage

Wide carriag e printers have 4 number in their names
Narrow carriage printers have 3 numbers in their names

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Technical Brief—Mu lt im edia projectors Page 2

Functionality—Control code/emulation

All EPSON impact printers utilize EPSON Standard Code (ESC/P and ESC/P 2) printer control language, which is
the industry standard for simple, efficient operation of impact printers.

EPSON 9 -pin impact p rinters utilize ESC/P, the original printer control language.

EPSON 2 4-pin impact printers u t ilize ESC/P 2, which inc ludes these additional features:

▲▲

Proportionally-spaced s
Enhanced graphics printing which prints with 360 dpi in a
single pass of the pr int head and enhance s printing with
Windows applications.

Most EPSON impact printers also offer an IBM emulation, which allows more connectivity compatibility.

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b

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c

a

fonts

a

Functionality—Paper handling

Versatile paper handling allows EPSON impact printers to handle several different types of paper — many
at the same time.

Tractor paper paths:
EPSON impact printers all include a rear tractor. In some models this tractor is moveable, and in some it is

fixed. Some EPSON impact printers also include additional tractor units, and all of EPSON's impact printers
have optional tractor units available.

The following chart explains the best use for the push tractor, pull tractor, and push/pull tractor
combinations:

Push tractor Pull tractor Push/Pull tractor

Best for reports, forms, etc.,
and allows you to achieve
zero tear-off and top of form
adjustment (which allows you
to tear off the printed
document or form without
wasting a sheet.)
Available in front and rear
paper paths.

Front push paper path

Gives you better control
when printing on multi-part
forms by ensuring that the
forms stay properly aligned.
Available in front, bottom and
rear paper paths.

Bottom pull paper path

Gives you the greatest control
when printing on multi-part
forms by ensuring that the
forms stay properly aligned
and do not get jammed or
misfed.

Two tractors hold the forms
securely.

Rear push/pull

Front push/pull

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Single sheet paper paths:
EPSON impact printers all can handle single sheet paper and single sheet multi-part forms, many EPSON

impact printers have both front and top paper pa ths:

Front paper path

The front pape r path has an
almost straight-through paper
path, whic h he lp s eliminate
paper jams and minimizes
misfeeds, especially
when printing on multi-part
forms.

Paper feed method
Front Paper Guide

Paper thickness adjustment:

▲▲

Most EPSON impact printers have a Paper Thickness Lever
that allows the printer to acco mmodate various thickne sse s
of paper.
The DFX series EPS ON impact printers have an Automatic
Platten Gap Adjustment which automatically adjusts the
platten to the thickness of the paper.

Type of paper

Single sheets, single
sheet labels, top- or
side-bound single
sheet multi-part
forms

Top paper path

The top paper path
accommoda tes sin g le sh eets ,
envelopes or postcards and
optional cut sheet feeders.

Paper feed method
Top friction feed (standard

paper guide)
Optional high-capacity cut­sheet feeder
Optional second-bin cut­sheet feeder

Type of paper
Single sheets,

envelopes, or
postcards.

Paper
Thickness
Lever

-

1

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

Paper rele ase lever positions:

▲

You can load continuous paper in the printer from various
paper sources, such as the rear or front push tractors and
use the paper release lever to indicate the paper source you
want to use.

Sample paper release lever chart

Paper release Description
lever position

CUT

FF

PUSH

FF

PULL

Single-sheet position
For loading single sheets from the top or front slot.

Rear push tractor position
For loading continuous paper from the tractor in the read push position. Set the

lever to this positio n when us ing the rea r push and pull tractor in com b ina tion.
Front push tractor position
For loading continuous paper from the tractor in the front push position. Set the

lever to this positio n when us in g the front push and pull tractors in com b ina tion.
Pull tractor position
For loading continuous pape r from the tractor on top of the printer in the pul l

position. When the tractor is in the pull position, you can load paper in the front,
rear, or bottom slot.

Paper
Release
Lever

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