Epson TM-FX2180 User Manual

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9 Pin Impact Dot Printer

EPSON FX-2180

TM-FX2180

EPSON FX-2180 Service Manual

FCC COMPLIANCE STATEMENT

FOR AMERICAN USERS

This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B digital device, pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against har mful interference in a residential inst al lation. This equipment generates, uses, and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with the instructions, may cause harmful i nt erference to radio and television reception. However, there is no guarantee that interference will not occur in a particular installation. If this equipment does cause interference to radio and television reception, which can be determined by turning the equipment off and on, the user is encouraged to try to correct the interference by one or mor e of the foll owi ng measures:

• Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna.

• Increase the separation between the equipment and receiver.

• Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit different from that t o whic h t he receiver is connected.

• Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician for help.

WARNING

The connection of a non-shielded equipment interface cable to this equipm ent will invalidate the FCC Certification of this device and may cause interference levels that exceed the limit s established by the FCC for this equipment. I t is the responsibility of the user to obtain and use a shielded equipment int erface cable with this device. If t hi s equipment has more than one interface connector, do not leave cables connected to unused interfaces.

Changes or modifications not expressly approved by the manufact ur er could voi d t he user's authorit y t o operate the printer.

FOR CANADIAN USERS

This Class B digital appar atus meets all requirements of the Canadian Interference-Causing Equipment Regulations. Cet appareil numérique de la classe B respecte toutes les exigences du Règlement sur le mat eriel brouilleur du Canada.

All rights r eserved. No part of this publ ication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or t r ansmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the writ t en permi ssi on of Epson America, Inc. No patent liability is assumed with respect to use of the information contained herein. Neither is any liability assumed for damages resulting from the use of the information contained herein. While every precaution has been taken in the preparation of t his book, Epson America, Inc. assumes no responsibility for errors and omissi ons.

Neither Epson America, Inc., nor its affiliates shall be liable to the purchaser of this product or third parties for dam ages, losses, costs, or expenses incurred by purchaser or third parties as a result of: accident, misuse, or abuse of this product or unauthor ized modifications, r epairs, or alterations to this product.

Epson America, Inc., shal l not be liable against any damages or probl em s ar i sing from the use of any options or any consumable products other than those designated as Original EPSON Products or EPSO N-Approved Products by Seiko Epson Corpor ation.

EPSON FX-2180 Service Manual

TRADEMARKS

EPSON General Notice: O ther product names used herein are for identificat ion purposes only and may be tradema r ks of their respective companies. EPSON disclaims any and all rights in

20770 Madrona Avenue Torrance, CA 90503

and ESC/P® are registered trademarks of Seiko Epson Corporation.

EPSON FX-2180 Service Manual

PRECAUTIONS

There are cautionary notes throughout the text to help you avoid personal injur y or equipment damage.

WARNING

Signals a precaut ion which, if ignored, could result in seri ous or fatal personal injury. Great cauti on shoul d be exercised in performing proc edur es preceded by a WARNING heading.

CAUTION

Signals a precaut ion which, if ignored, could result in damage to equipm ent. Always observe the measures listed below when performing repai r or maintenance proc edur es.

WARNING

1. Always disconnect the produc t from both the power source and host computer before perf or ming any m aintenance or repair pr oc edure.

2. No work should be performed on the unit by per sons unf amiliar with basic safety measures dictated for all electronics technicians in their line of work.

3. In perfor ming testi ng described in thi s manual, do not connect the unit to a power source until instructed to do so. W hen the power supply cable must be connected, use extrem e c aution in working on t he power supply and other electronic components.

CAUTION

1. Repairs on EPSON products should be perform ed only by an EPSON-certified repair techni cian.

2. Make certain that t he source voltage is the same as the rated v oltage listed on t he seri al number/rating plate. I f the EPSON product has a primary A C r ating different from the avail able power source, do not connect i t to the power source.

3. Always verify that the EPSON product has been disconnected from the power source before removing or replacing printed circuit boards and/or individual chi ps.

4. To protect sensit ive microprocessors and circ uitry, use stati c discharge equipment , such as anti-static wri st str aps, when accessing int er nal components.

Replace malfunctioning com ponents only with those components recommended by the manufac turer; intr oduc tion of second-source I Cs or other nonapproved components may damage the product and void any applicable EPSON warranty.

EPSON FX-2180 Service Manual

PREFACE

This manual describes the basic f unc tions, theory of electrical and mec hanical operations, and maintenanc e and r epair procedures of the EPSON FX-2180. The instr uc tions and procedures included her ein are intended for the exper ienced repair tec hnicians, and attention should be given to the precautions on the preceding page. T he c hapters are organized as follows:

Chapter 1. Product Description

Provides specific ations and a general overview of the printer.

Chapter 2. Operating Principles

Describes the elect r ic al and m ec hanic al oper ation of the printer.

Chapter 3. Troubleshooting

Provides step-by-step troubleshooting procedures.

Chapter 4. Disassembly and Assembly

Provides step-by-step instructions on disassembling and assembling t he printer.

Chapter 5. Adjustments

Provides Epson-approv ed adjus tment methods.

Chapter 6. Maintenance

Provides preventiv e m aintenance procedures and lists the Epson-approved lubricants and adhesives r equir ed for servicing the printer.

Appendix

Provides the following additional reference information:

• Connector pin assignments

• Circuit board components lay outs

• Circuit board schemat ic s

• Exploded diagrams

EPSON FX-2180 Service Manual

1. Product Description.............................................................................................................1-1

1.1 Specifications.........................................................................................................1-1

1.1.1 Printing Specifications.............................................................................1-1

1.1.2 Print Speed and Printable Columns........................................................1-1

1.1.3 Resolution...............................................................................................1-2

1.1.4 Printable Area .........................................................................................1-2

1.1.5 Paper Feed Specifications......................................................................1-5

1.1.6 Paper Specifications ...............................................................................1-5

1.1.7 Interface Specifications...........................................................................1-8

1.1.8 Software Specifications ...........................................................................1-8

1.1.9 Environmental Conditions ....................................................................... 1-9

1.1.10 Electrical Specifications.........................................................................1-9

1.1.11 Physical Specifications..........................................................................1-9

1.1.12 Reliability...............................................................................................1-9

1.1.13 Safety Approvals.................................................................................1-10

1.1.14 CE Marking..........................................................................................1-10

1.1.15 Acoustic Noise.....................................................................................1-10

1.1.16 Ribbon Cartridge.................................................................................1-10

1.2 Operation.............................................................................................................1-10

1.2.1 Control Panel ........................................................................................1-10

1.2.1.1 Buttons ...................................................................................1-10

1.2.1.2 LEDs.......................................................................................1-11

1.2.1.3 Beeper....................................................................................1-12

1.2.2 Paper Release Lever Positions.............................................................1-12

1.2.3 Paper Thickness Lever Positions..........................................................1-13

1.3 Special Functions ................................................................................................1-13

1.3.1 Printing a Self Test................................................................................1-13

1.3.2 Turning on the Double-strike Mode.......................................................1-13

1.3.3 Using the Bidirectional Adjustment Mode..............................................1-14

1.3.4 Changing Default Settings ....................................................................1-14

1.3.5 Printing a Hex Dump.............................................................................1-15

1.3.6 Clearing the EEPROM...........................................................................1-15

1.3.6.1 Clearing the Ribbon Cartridge Replacement Counter.............1-15

1.4 Consumables and Options...................................................................................1-15

1.4.1 Consumables........................................................................................1-15

1.4.2 Options..................................................................................................1-15

EPSON FX-2180 Service Manual

2. Operating Principles............................................................................................................ 2-1

3. Troubleshooting...................................................................................................................3-1

4. Disassembly and Assembly.................................................................................................4-1

2.1 Overview................................................................................................................2-1

2.1.1 Printer Mechanism...................................................................................2-1

2.1.2 Power Supply Circuit...............................................................................2-2

2.1.2.1 Power Supply Circuit Operation................................................2-2

2.1.3 Control Circuit..........................................................................................2-3

2.1.3.1 Control Circuit Operation ..........................................................2-3

3.1 Overview................................................................................................................3-1

3.2 Troubleshooting Information..................................................................................3-1

3.2.1 Print Head............................................................................................... 3-1

3.2.2 Sensors...................................................................................................3-2

3.2.3 Motors..................................................................................................... 3-3

3.2.4 Error Conditions ......................................................................................3-3

3.3 Unit Level Troubleshooting.................................................................................... 3-4

3.4 Repairing the Power Supply Board........................................................................3-7

3.5 Repairing the Main Board Assembly......................................................................3-9

3.6 Repairing the Printer Mechanism.........................................................................3-11

4.1 Overview................................................................................................................4-1

4.1.1 Precautions.............................................................................................4-1

4.1.2 Tools .......................................................................................................4-1

4.1.3 Specifications for Screws........................................................................4-2

4.1.4 Service Check After Repair.....................................................................4-3

4.2 Disassembly and Assembly................................................................................... 4-4

4.2.1 Preparing to Disassemble the Printer......................................................4-5

4.2.2 Removing the Panel Board Assembly.....................................................4-6

4.2.3 Removing the Print Head ........................................................................4-7

4.2.4 Removing the HP Sensor........................................................................4-8

4.2.5 Removing the PW Sensor Assembly ......................................................4-8

4.2.6 Removing the Ribbon Mask ....................................................................4-9

4.2.7 Removing the Upper Housing Assembly...............................................4-10

4.2.8 Removing the Platen Assembly.............................................................4-11

4.2.9 Removing the Platen Gear.................................................................... 4-12

4.2.10 Removing the Case Open Sensor Assembly......................................4-12

4.2.11 Removing the Printer Mechanism........................................................4-13

4.2.11.1 Removing the CR Motor Assembly.......................................4-15

4.2.11.2 Removing the PF Motor Assembly........................................4-16

4.2.11.3 Removing the PG Sensor Assembly.....................................4-17

4.2.11.4 Removing the Right Sub Frame Assembly...........................4-18

4.2.11.5 Removing the Right Frame Assembly...................................4-18

EPSON FX-2180 Service Manual

5. Adjustments.........................................................................................................................5-1

6. Maintenance........................................................................................................................6-1

Appendix................................................................................................................................ A-1

4.2.11.6 Disassembling the Right Frame Assembly............................4-19

4.2.11.7 Removing the Left Frame Assembly.....................................4.21

4.2.11.8 Removing the Ribbon Drive Assembly..................................4-22

4.2.11.9 Removing the CR Assembly.................................................4-23

4.2.11.10 Removing the Rear PE Sensor Assembly ..........................4.25

4.2.11.11 Removing the Front PE Sensor Assembly..........................4-26

4.2.11.12 Removing the Main Board Assembly..................................4-26

4.2.11.13 Removing the Power Supply Board Assembly....................4-28

5.1 Adjustment Overview.............................................................................................5-1

5.1.1 Required Adjustments.............................................................................5-1

5.1.2 Adjustment Tools.....................................................................................5-1

5.2 Adjusting and Resetting the Printer .......................................................................5-2

5.2.1 Platen Gap/Parallelism Adjustment.........................................................5-2

5.2.2 Bidirectional Print Alignment (Bi-d) Adjustment.......................................5-4

5.2.2.1 Performing the Bi-d Adjustment Using the Settings Diskette....5-5

5.2.2.2 Performing the Bi-d Adjustment from the Control Panel...........5-6

5.2.3 Factory Settings......................................................................................5-7

5.2.4 TPE Level Reset.....................................................................................5-8

6.1 Preventive Maintenance ........................................................................................6-1

6.2 Lubrication.............................................................................................................6-1

A.1 Connector Summary.............................................................................................A-1

A.2 Circuit Board Component Layout Diagrams......................................................... A-5

A.3 Circuit Board and Exploded Diagrams..................................................................A-7

PRODUCT DESCRIPTION

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EPSON FX-2180 Service Manual Chapter 1 Product Description

1.1 Specifications

This section provides detailed specifications for the EPSON® FX-2180 impact dot matrix printer. The FX-2180 is based on the FX-2170 printer, and its main components are very similar to those of the FX-2170. However, the FX-2180 provides a faster printing speed, better multi-part form printing, and other enhancements.

Figure 1-1. Exterior View of the FX-2180

1.1.1 Printing Specifications

Print method: Impact dot matrix Number of pins: 18 Print pin arrangement: 9 × 2 Print pin diameter: 0.0114 inch (0.29 mm) Color: Black Print direction: Bidirectional with logic seeking

1.1.2 Print Speed and Printable Columns

Table 1-1. Print Speed and Printable Columns

Printing

Mode

High speed draft Draft

condensed Draft

emphasized NLQ

* Paper thickness lever set to 3. ** Paper thickness lever set to 4 or more.

Note:

When the power supply voltage drops to the lower limit, the printer stops



printing, and then starts printing again on the same line at a slower speed.

When the print head temperature rises to the upper limit, the printer



stops printing. When the head temperature returns to the normal level, the printer starts printing again at a slower speed.

Character

Pitch (cpi)

10 136 506 439 337

10 136 380 330 284 12 163 455 396 341 15 204 380 285 285 17 233 325 282 244Draft 20 272 380 330 284 10 136 190 165 142

10 136 95 82 71 12 163 114 99 85 15 204 94 71 31

Printable Columns Normal Copy 1* Copy 2**

Printing Speed (cps)

1-1

EPSON FX-2180 Service Manual Chapter 1 Product Description

Table 1-3. Printable Area for Single Sheets

1.1.3 Resolution

Single Sheets Single-sheet Multi-part

Table 1-2. Resolution

Printing Mode Horizontal

Density (dpi)

Vertical

Density (dpi)

Adjacent Dot

Printed

High speed draft 90 72 No Draft 120 72 No Draft condensed 240 720 No Draft emphasized 120 72 Yes NLQ 240 144 No

60, 72, 80, 90,

72 YesBit image

or 120

120 or 240 72 No

1.1.4 Printable Area

 Single sheets

PW (width) See Table 1-8 See Table 1-9 PL (length) See Table 1-8 See Table 1-9 LM (left margin)

RM (right margin)

TM (top

0.12 in. (3 mm) or more

(PW ≤ 14.33 in. or 364 mm)

0.98 in. (25 mm) or more

(PW = 16.5 in. or 420 mm)

0.12 in. (3 mm) or more

(PW ≤ 14.33 in. or 364 mm)

0.98 in. (25 mm) or more

(PW = 16.5 in. or 420 mm)

0.17 in. (4.2 mm) or more 0.17 in. (4.2 mm) or more

0.12 in. (3 mm) or more

(PW ≤ 14.33 in. or 364 mm)

0.98 in. (25 mm) or more

(PW = 16.5 in. or 420 mm)

0.12 in. (3 mm) or more

(PW ≤ 14.33 in. or 364 mm)

0.98 in. (25 mm) or more

(PW = 16.5 in. or 420 mm)

margin) BM

0.17 in. (4.2 mm) or more 0.17 in. (4.2 mm) or more (bottom margin)

Note: The maximum horizontal printable area is 13.6 inches (345.2 mm).

Forms

printable area

Figure 1-2. Printable Area for Single Sheets

1-2

EPSON FX-2180 Service Manual Chapter 1 Product Description

 Continuous paper

Figure 1-3. Printable Area for Continuous Paper

Table 1-4. Printable Area for Continuous Paper

printable a re a

 Envelopes

printable area

Figure 1-4. Printable Area for Envelopes

Table 1-5. Printable Area for Envelopes

Envelopes

PW (width) See Table 1-10 PL (length) See Table 1-10 LM (left margin) 0.12 in. (3 mm) or more RM (right margin) 0.12 in. (3 mm) or more TM (top margin) 0.17 in. (4.2 mm) or more BM (bottom margin) 0.17 in. (4.2 mm) or more

Continuous Paper

PW (width) See Table 1-12 PL (length) See Table 1-12 LM (left margin) 0.12 in. (3 mm) or more RM (right margin) 0.12 in. (3 mm) or more TM (top margin) 0.17 in. (4.2 mm) or more BM (bottom margin) 0.17 in. (4.2 mm) or more

1-3

EPSON FX-2180 Service Manual Chapter 1 Product Description

 Postcards

printable area

Figure 1-5. Printable Area for Postcards

Table 1-6. Printable Area for Postcards

Postcards

PW (width) See Table 1-11 PL (length) See Table 1-11 LM (left margin) 0.12 in. (3 mm) or more RM (right margin) 0.12 in. (3 mm) or more TM (top margin) 0.17 in. (4.2 mm) or more BM (bottom margin) 0.17 in. (4.2 mm) or more

 Roll paper

PW (width) See Table 1-14 PL (length) See Table 1-14 LM (left margin) 0.12 in. (3 mm) or more RM (right margin) 0.12 in. (3 mm) or more TM (top margin) 0.17 in. (4.2 mm) or more BM (bottom margin) 0.17 in. (4.2 mm) or more

printable area

Figure 1-6. Printable Area for Roll Paper

Table 1-7. Printable Area for Roll Paper

Roll Paper

1-4

EPSON FX-2180 Service Manual Chapter 1 Product Description

1.1.5 Paper Feed Specifications

Standard feeding Friction front, rear methods: Push tractor front, rear

Pull tractor front, rear, bottom Push and pull tractor front, rear

Optional feeding Cut-sheet feeder (CSF), methods: bin 1 or bin 2 rear (top)

Roll paper holder rear

Paper paths: Manual insertion front or rear in; top out

CSF rear in; top out Tractor front, rear, or bottom in;

top out

Feed speed: Normal 61 ms for 1/6-inch line

feed

5.0 ips or 0.127 mps (continuous paper)

Copy mode 83 ms for 1/6-inch line

feed

3.1 ips or 0.078 mps (continuous paper)

1.1.6 Paper Specifications

 Single sheets

Table 1-8. Specifications for Single Sheets

Front Entry Rear Entry

Minimum Maximum Minimum Maximum

Width

(inches) (mm)

Length

(inches) (mm)

Thickness

(inches) (mm)

Weight

(lb) (g/m2)

Quality Plain or recycled paper;

3.9

100

5.8

148

0.0025

0.065

14 52

not curled, folded, or crumpled

0.0055

16.5 420

0.14

24 90

3.9

100

3.9

100

0.0025

0.065

52 Plain or recycled paper; not curled, folded, or crumpled

16.5 420

0.0055

0.14

24 90

Note: Use recycled paper only under normal temperature and humidity conditions.

1-5

EPSON FX-2180 Service Manual Chapter 1 Product Description

 Single-sheet multi-part forms

Table 1-9. Specifications for Single-sheet Multi-part Forms

Front Entry Rear Entry

Minimum Maximum Minimum Maximum

Width

(inches) (mm)

3.9

100

16.5 420

3.9

100

16.5 420

Length

(inches) (mm)

5.8

148

16.5 420

3.9

100

16.5 420

Copies 1 original + 5 copies 1 original + 5 copies Total thickness

(inches) (mm)

0.0047

0.012

0.018

0.46

0.0047

0.012

0.018

0.46

Weight

(lb)

(g/m

)

Quality Plain or recycled paper; not

Binding A line of glue at the top or

12 40

15 58

curled, folded, or crumpled

on one side of the form

12 40

58 Plain or recycled paper; not curled, folded, or crumpled A line of glue at the top of the form

 Envelopes

Table 1-10. Specifications for Envelopes

Rear Entry

Minimum Maximum

No. 6 envelopes Width

(inches) (mm)

6.5

165

Length

(inches) (mm)

3.9 92

No. 10 envelopes Width

(inches) (mm)

9.5

241

Length

(inches) (mm)

Total thickness (inches)

(mm)

Weight (lb)

(g/m2)

0.0063

0.16 12 40

4.1

105

0.020

0.52 15 58

Quality Bond, plain, or airmail paper; not

curled, folded, or crumpled

Note:

Load envelopes using the rear (top) slot only; do not load envelopes in



the front slot. Insert the envelope into the printer with the flap side on top and the



printable side down. Before printing on envelopes, set the paper thickness lever to a



minimum of position 4 or 5 and turn on the card mode by pressing the Tear Off/Bin button until both Tear Off/Bin lights are on. After you finish printing on envelopes, press the Tear Off/Bin button once to exit the card mode.

Use envelopes only under normal temperature and humidity conditions.



1-6

EPSON FX-2180 Service Manual Chapter 1 Product Description

 Postcards

Table 1-11. Specifications for Postcards

Front Entry Rear Entry

Minimum Maximum Minimum Maximum

Width

(inches) (mm)

3.9

100

5.83 148

3.9

100

5.83

Length

(inches) (mm)

5.83 148

3.9

100

5.83

Thickness

(inches) (mm)

0.0087

0.22

Weight

(lb) (g/m2)

192

Note:

Before printing on postcards, set the paper thickness lever to position 3



or higher and turn on the card mode by pressing the Tear Off/Bin button until both Tear Off/Bin lights are on. After you finish printing on envelopes, press the Tear Off/Bin button once to exit the card mode.

Use postcards only under normal temperature and humidity conditions.



148

 Continuous paper

Table 1-12. Specifications for Continuous Paper

Front Entry Rear Entry Bottom Entry

Min. Max. Min. Max. Min. Max.

Width

(inches) (mm)

101.6

406.4

101.616406.44101.616406.4

Length

(inches) (mm)

Copies* 1 original + 5

101.6

copies

558.8

101.622558.84101.622558.8 1 original + 5

copies

1 original + 5

copies

Total thickness

(inches) (mm)

0.0025

0.065

0.018

0.046

0.0025

0.065

0.018

0.046

0.0025

0.065

0.018

0.046 Weight (ordinary page)

(lb) (g/m

)

12 52

22 82

12 52

22 82

12 52

82 Weight (one sheet of a multi-part form)

(lb) (g/m2)

12 40

15 58

12 40

15 58

12 40

58 Quality Plain or recycled paper, carbonless multi-part forms Binding Dots of glue or paper staples on both sides (front,

bottom, or rear entry) or dots of glue on only one side (rear entry)

* To print 1 original + 6 copies, you must use the pull tractor along with

the front or rear tractor.

1-7

EPSON FX-2180 Service Manual Chapter 1 Product Description

 Continuous paper with labels

Table 1-13. Specifications for Continuous Paper with Labels

Front Entry Bottom Entry

Minimum Maximum Minimum Maximum

Label size

(inches) (mm)

15/16 × 2.5

23.8 × 63.5

15/16 × 2.5

23.8 × 63.5

Width

(inches) (mm)

101.6

406.4

101.6

406.4

Length

(inches) (mm)

101.6

558.8

101.6

558.8 Backing sheet thickness

(inches) (mm)

0.0028

0.07

0.0035

0.09

0.0028

0.07

0.0035

0.09

Total thickness

(lb) (g/m2)

0.16

0.0063

0.19

0.0075

0.16

0.0063

0.19

0.0075

Label weight

(lb)

(g/m

)

Quality Avery continuous form

labels, Avery mini-line labels, or equivalent quality labels

17 68

68 Avery continuous form labels, Avery mini-line labels, or equivalent quality labels

Note:

Use only continuous labels; do not use labels with single-sheet backing



paper.

 Roll paper

Table 1-14. Specifications for Roll Paper

Rear Entry

Minimum Maximum

Width (inches)

(mm)

Length (inches)

8.5

216



(mm)

Thickness

(inches) (mm)

Weight (lb)

(g/m2)

0.0028

0.07 14 52

0.0035

0.09 22 82

Quality Plain paper; not curled, folded, or crumpled

1.1.7 Interface Specifications

Standard: Bidirectional parallel interface

(IEEE-1284 nibble mode supported)

Optional: Type B interface, level 2

1.1.8 Software Specifications

Control codes: ESC/P

IBM® 2381 Plus emulation

Fonts: 1 draft bitmap and 2 LQ typefaces

8 barcode fonts

Character tables: Standard version: 11 tables

NLSP version: 20 tables

Input buffer: 64 KB

Load continuous paper with labels only in the front or bottom slot; do not



load labels in the rear slot.

1-8

EPSON FX-2180 Service Manual Chapter 1 Product Description

Power consumption: Approx. 46 W (ISO/IEC 10561 letter pattern)

1.1.9 Environmental Conditions

Temperature

Operating: 41° to 95° F (5° to 35° C) When using recycled paper, envelopes, labels, or roll paper: 59° to 77° F (15° to 25° C) Non-operating (storage): −22° to 140° F (−30° to 60° C)

Humidity

Operating: 10% to 80% RH When using recycled paper, envelopes, labels, or roll paper: 30% to 60% RH Non-operating (storage): 0% to 85% RH

1.1.10 Electrical Specifications

120 V model

Rated voltage: 120 VAC Input voltage range: 99 to 132 VAC Rated frequency range: 50 to 60 Hz Input frequency range: 49.5 to 60.5 Hz Rated current: 1.0 A (1.8 A maximum) Power consumption: Approx. 46 W (ISO/IEC 10561 letter pattern)

Energy Star compliant

Insulation resistance: 10 MΩ minimum (between AC line and

chassis, 500 V)

Dielectric strength: 1000 VAC rms. 1 minute or 1200 VAC rms.

1 second (between AC line and chassis)

220 to 240 V model

Rated voltage: 220 to 240 VAC Input voltage range: 198 to 264 VAC Rated frequency range: 50 to 60 Hz Input frequency range: 49.5 to 60.5 Hz Rated current: 0.5 A (0.9 A maximum)

Insulation resistance: 10 MΩ minimum (between AC line and

Dielectric strength: 1500 VAC rms. 1 minute (between AC line

UPS (Universal Power Supply) model

Rated voltage: 100 to 120 VAC or 220 to 240 VAC Input voltage range: 90 to 132 VAC or 198 to 264 VAC Rated frequency range: 50 to 60 Hz Input frequency range: 49.5 to 60.5 Hz Rated current: 1.1 A (2.2 A maximum) or 0.6 A (1.1 A

Power consumption: Approx. 46 W (ISO/IEC 10561 letter pattern)

Insulation resistance: 10 MΩ minimum (between AC line and

Dielectric strength: 1500 VAC rms. 1 minute (between AC line

1.1.11 Physical Specifications

Dimensions: 25.16 in. (W) × 15.83 in. (D) × 10.12 in (H)

(with CSF bin 1): 25.16 in. (W) × 18.46 in. (D) × 14.96 in (H)

(with CSF bin 2): 25.16 in. (W) × 23.54 in. (D) × 16.18 in (H)

Weight: Approx. 28.66 lb (13 kg) (with CSF bin 1): Approx. 35.94 lb (16.3 kg) (with CSF bin 2): Approx. 37.92 lb (17.2 kg)

1.1.12 Reliability

Total print volume: 7.5 million lines (except print head) MTBF: 10,000 power-on hours (POH) Print head life: Approx. 300 million characters

Energy Star compliant

chassis, 500 V)

and chassis)

maximum)

Energy Star compliant

chassis, 500 V)

and chassis)

639 mm (W) × 402 mm (D) × 257 mm (H)

639 mm (W) × 469 mm (D) × 380 mm (H)

639 mm (W) × 598 mm (D) × 411 mm (H)

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EPSON FX-2180 Service Manual Chapter 1 Product Description

1.1.13 Safety Approvals

120 V model

Safety standards: UL1950

CSA C22.2 No. 950

EMI: FCC part 15 subpart B class B

CSA C108.8 class B

220 to 240 V model

Safety standards: EN 60950 (TÜV, NEMKO) EMI: EN 55022 (CISPR pub. 22) class B

AS/NZS 3548 class B

UPS model

Safety standards: UL1950

CSA C22.2 No. 950 EN 60950 (TÜV, NEMKO)

EMI: FCC part 15 subpart B class B

CSA C108.8 class B EN 55022 (CISPR pub. 22) class B AS/NZS 3548 class B

1.1.16 Ribbon Cartridge

Type: Fabric Color: Black Ribbon life: Approx. 12 million characters

(draft, 10 cpi, 14 dots/character)

1.2 Operation

This section provides detailed information about the control panel buttons and LEDs, and explains the printer’s beep patterns.

1.2.1 Control Panel

The control panel contains seven non-locking pushbuttons and nine LEDs, as shown below.

1.1.14 CE Marking

220 to 240 V and UPS models

Low Voltage Directive 73/23/EEC: EN60950 EMC Directive 89/336/EEC: EN55022 class B

EN61000-3-2 EN61000-3-3 EN50082-1

IEC801-2 IEC801-3 IEC801-4

1.1.15 Acoustic Noise

Level: Approx. 55 dB(A), according to ISO 7779

pattern

1.2.1.1 Buttons

WARNING

Figure 1-7. Control Panel

The power switch is wired in the secondary circuitry of the power supply board. Therefore, the power supply’s primary circuitry remains live even after the printer is turned off.

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EPSON FX-2180 Service Manual Chapter 1 Product Description

Table 1-15. Button Functions

Button Function

Operate Turns the printer on and off. The printer is off when the top

of this button is even with the button protectors.

Pause

Load/Eject • Loads continuous paper from the standby position.

LF/FF

Tear Off/Bin

Font Selects one of the following fonts: Draft, Roman, or Sans

Pitch Selects one of the following font widths: 10 cpi,

Micro Adjust ↑ / ↓

• Stops printing temporarily, and resumes printing when pressed again. (Selects on line or off line status.)

• When held down for three seconds when the printer is in the standby state, enters the micro adjust mode. When pressed again, exits the micro adjust mode.

• Feeds continuous paper backward to the standby position.

• Loads a single sheet of paper from the paper entry slot.

• Ejects a single sheet of paper if a sheet is loaded.

• When pressed, executes a line feed.

• When held down, executes a form feed. This advances

continuous paper to the next top-of-form position or ejects a single sheet.

• Feeds continuous paper forward to the tear-off position.

• Feeds continuous paper backward from the tear-off

position to the top-of-form position.

• Selects a cut-sheet feeder bin when the cut-sheet feeder is installed.

• Enters the card mode to print on postcards and envelopes.

Serif.

12 cpi, 15 cpi, 17 cpi, 20 cpi, or PS (proportional spacing). In the micro adjust mode, executes a micro feed (moves the paper forward or backward 1/216 inch). Depending on the position of your paper, you can use this button to adjust the top-of-form or tear-off position.

1.2.1.2 LEDs

Table 1-16. LED Indicators

LED(s) Color Description

Pause Orange • On when the printer is paused.

• Off when the printer is on line.

• Flashes when the printer is in the micro

adjust mode or the print head is overheated.

Paper Out Red

Tear Off/Bin Green • o o when continuous paper is not in the

Font Green Indicates which font is selected. Pitch Green Indicates which font size is selected.

• On when no paper is loaded or paper is not loaded correctly in the selected paper source.

• Off when paper is loaded correctly in the selected paper source.

• Flashes when paper has not been fully ejected or a paper jam has occurred.

tear-off position.

• f f when continuous paper is in the tear- off position.

• o n when bin 1 of the optional cut-sheet feeder is selected.

• n o when bin 2 of the optional cut-sheet feeder is selected.

• n n when the printer is in the card mode.

n = on o = off f = flashing

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EPSON FX-2180 Service Manual Chapter 1 Product Description

1.2.1.3 Beeper

The printer beeps during the error conditions described in Table 1-17.

Table 1-17. Error Conditions

Error Beep Pattern

Paper out ❍ ❍ ❍ Cover open Paper release lever operation ❍ ❍ ❍ ❍ ❍ Illegal panel operation

❍ indicates the beeper sounds for approximately 100 ms with an interval of approximately 100 ms.

❍ ❍ ❍

❍

1.2.2 Paper Release Lever Positions

Use the paper release lever to select which paper path you want the printer to load paper from. The table below shows the corresponding paper path(s) for each paper release lever position.

Table 1-18. Paper Release Lever Positions

Lever Position Description

Single-sheet For loading single sheets from the top or

front slot.

Rear push tractor For loading continuous paper from the

tractor installed in the rear push position. Also set the lever to this position when using the rear push and pull tractors in combination.

Front push tractor For loading continuous paper from the

tractor installed in the front push position. Also set the lever to this position when using the front push and pull tractors in combination.

Pull tractor For loading continuous paper from the

tractor installed on top of the printer in the pull position.

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EPSON FX-2180 Service Manual Chapter 1 Product Description

1.2.3 Paper Thickness Lever Positions

You need to set the paper thickness lever for the type of paper you are using, as shown in the table below.

Table 1-19. Paper Thickness Lever Positions

Paper Type Lever Position

Ordinary paper (single sheets or continuous paper) 0 Carbonless multi-part forms with:

2 parts (original + 1 copy) 3 parts (original + 2 copies) 4 parts (original + 3 copies) 5 parts (original + 4 copies) 6 parts (original + 5 copies)

7 parts (original + 6 copies) Thin paper -1 or 0 Continuous paper with labels 2 Envelopes 4 or 5 Postcards 3

1 3 4 5 6 6

1.3 Special Functions

You can access the printer’s special functions by holding down the button indicated while turning on the printer.

1.3.1 Printing a Self Test

To perform a self test, follow these steps:

Make sure paper is loaded and the printer is turned off.

To run the t you press the using

the

button while you turn on the printer.

using the draft font, hold down the

est

Operate

printer’s near letter-quality fonts, hold down the

button to turn on the printer. To run the test

LF/FF

button while

Load/Eject

To end the self test, press the page remains in the printer, press the Then turn off the printer.

Pause

button to stop printing. If a printed

Load/Eject

button to eject it.

1.3.2 Turning on the Double-strike Mode

If the printing on the bottom copies of your thick multi-part forms is faint, turn on the double-strike mode as described below. In the double-strike mode, the printer prints draft and bitmap images using double-strike printing. The printer does not use two-pass printing in this mode.

Note:

The double-strike mode is available only when the paper thickness lever



is set to position 4 or higher and the paper release lever is set to the pull tractor position.

Always turn on the double-strike mode before printing on multi-part



forms with seven parts. Use double-strike mode only under normal temperature and humidity



conditions. When the printer is in the double-strike mode, the print speed is



reduced.

Load your multi-part forms on the pull tractor.

Make sure the printer is turned off.

While holding down the on the printer. The printer beeps twice to indicate double-strike mode is on.

To exit the double-strike mode, turn off the printer, then hold down the button and press the beeps once to indicate double-strike mode is off.

Font

Operate

button, press the

button to turn the printer back on. The printer

Operate

button to turn

Font

After a few seconds, the printer loads the paper automatically and begins printing the self test. A series of characters is printed.

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EPSON FX-2180 Service Manual Chapter 1 Product Description

1.3.3 Using the Bidirectional Adjustment Mode

If the vertical lines in the printout are not properly aligned, you can use the printer’s bidirectional adjustment mode to correct this problem. See Chapter 5 for instructions on performing the bidirectional adjustment.

1.3.4 Changing Default Settings

You can change the printer’s default settings using the default-setting mode. To enter the default-setting mode, hold down the press the language selection instructions. Select the language you want, and then press the printed instructions list the settings you can change, describe how to change them, and show you how the control panel lights help you make settings.

Table 1-20 summarizes the default settings and options. Factory settings are bold.

Operate

Font

button to turn on the printer. The printer prints the

button to print the default-setting mode instructions. The

Pitch

button and

Table 1-20. Default Settings

Setting Options

Page length for front tractor* Length in inches: 3, 3.5, 4, 5.5, 6, 7, 8,

8.5, 11, 70/6, 12, 14, 17

Page length for rear tractor* Length in inches: 3, 3.5, 4, 5.5, 6, 7, 8,

8.5, 11, 70/6, 12, 14, 17 Skip over perforation Auto tear-off Auto line feed Print direction I/F (interface) mode Auto I/F (interface) wait time Software 0 slash High speed draft Off, Input buffer Off, Buzzer Off, Auto CR (IBM 2381 Plus)** IBM character table** Character table Standard model: Italic, PC

International character set for Italic table

* The options available vary depending on the country. ** These settings take effect only when IBM 2381 Plus emulation is

selected.

Off

, On

Off

, On

Off

, On

Bi-D

, Uni-D

Auto

, Parallel, Optional

10 seconds ESC/P Off

, On

On On On

Off

, On

Table 2

850, PC 860, PC 863, PC 865, PC 861, BRASCII, Abicomp, Roman 8, ISO Latin 1

Italic U.S.A.

Germany, Italic U.K., Italic Denmark 1, Italic Sweden, Italic Italy, Italic Spain 1

, 30 seconds

, IBM 2381 Plus

, Table1

, Italic France, Italic

437

, PC

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EPSON FX-2180 Service Manual Chapter 1 Product Description

1.3.5 Printing a Hex Dump

You can print a hexadecimal dump to isolate communication problems between the printer and a software program. To enter hex dump mode, hold down both the

Operate

send a print job to the printer.

Your printer prints all the codes it receives in hexadecimal format. If characters are printable, they appear in the right column as ASCII characters. Nonprintable codes, such as control codes, are represented by dots.

To exit hex dump mode, press the

Load/Eject

button to turn on the printer. Then open a software program and

button to eject the printed page. Then turn off the printer.

LF/FF

Load/Eject

and

Pause

buttons while you press the

button to stop printing and the

1.3.6 Clearing the EEPROM

To clear the EEPROM, hold down the while you press the EEPROM area 1 are reset to the factory defaults, with the exception of the counters that provide the following information:

 Total lines printed since production  Total power-on hours (in minutes)  Total lines printed since a new ribbon cartridge was installed  Starting year, month, and date. This is the date of printer production,

and helps you determine if it is better for the user to repair or replace the printer.

Operate

button to turn on the printer. The settings in

Font

Tear Off/ Bin

and

buttons

1.3.6.1 Clearing the Ribbon Cartridge Replacement Counter

To reset the EEPROM’s ribbon cartridge replacement counter to zero, hold down the button to turn on the printer.

LF/FF

Tear Off/Bin

and

buttons while you press the

Operate

1.4 Consumables and Options

1.4.1 Consumables

Ribbon cartridge: S015086 Ribbon pack: S010033

1.4.2 Options

Paper Handling Options

High-capacity cut-sheet feeder (bin 1): C806731 Second-bin cut-sheet feeder (bin 2): C806741 Pull tractor: C800321 Roll paper holder: #8310

Optional Interface Cards

Serial I/F card: C823051 32KB intelligent serial I/F card: C823071 Coax I/F card: C823141 Twinax I/F card: C823151 Type B IEEE-1284 bidirectional parallel I/F card: C823452 Multi-protocol Ethernet print server I/F card: C823572

See the FX-2180 specifications for more information.

CAUTION

The printer stores the values for the total lines printed since production, total power-on hours, total lines printed since ribbon cartridge replacement, and starting year, month, and date in the EEPROM on the main board.

1-15

OPERATING PRINCIPLES

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EPSON FX-2180 Service Manual Chapter 2 Operating Principles

2.1 Overview

The printer’s main components include the printer mechanism, power supply circuit, control circuit, control panel, and housing. This chapter describes the operating principles of the main components.

2.1.1 Printer Mechanism

The printer mechanism consists of the following parts:  Print head

The print head prints dots on paper using the ink ribbon. Print data comes from the control circuit.

 Carriage mechanism

The main parts of the carriage mechanism are the carriage unit, carriage (CR) motor, timing belt, driven pulley, and CR guide shaft. The carriage unit contains the print head. The carriage mechanism moves the carriage unit along the CR guide shaft between the left and right ends of the printable area.

 Platen gap mechanism

The platen gap is the gap between the platen and the print head. You adjust the platen gap to maintain print quality when using paper of different weights or thicknesses. The platen gap mechanism consists of the CR guide shaft, the platen gap adjustment bushing, and the platen gap (PG) adjustment lever. The platen gap mechanism moves the print head toward or away from the platen, depending on the position of the PG adjustment lever.

 Paper feed mechanism

The main components of the paper feed mechanism are the paper feed (PF) motor, the rear or front tractor, and the platen. Using the PF motor, the paper feed mechanism picks up continuous or single-sheet paper, moves it to the print head for printing, and ejects it from the printer after the page has been printed.

 Disengage mechanism

The disengage mechanism consists of two disengage gears. It switches the paper feed torque from the PF motor to the tractor(s) or the paper feed rollers depending on the selected paper feed method (friction, front push tractor, rear push tractor, pull tractor, or push-pull tractor feeding).

 Ribbon advance mechanism

The main components of the ribbon advance mechanism are the ribbon feed roller and the driven pulley. The ribbon advance mechanism winds the ink ribbon in one direction. This allows the printer to use a fresh ribbon surface for printing.

CR guide shaft

timing belt

driven pulley

ribbon feed roller

ink ribbon

platen

print head

front tractor

rear tractor

carriage unit

disengage gear 1

PF motor

PG adjustment bushing

CR motor

disengage gear 2

Figure 2-1. Printer Mechanism

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EPSON FX-2180 Service Manual Chapter 2 Operating Principles

When AC power enters the printer from an external power source, the filter

2.1.2 Power Supply Circuit

The printer can be powered by one of the following three power supply boards: C166 PSB (120 V), C166 PSE (220 – 240 V), or C244 PSH (120 V / 220 – 240 V). The boards function in the same way, except each board has a different primary circuit. The table below lists the input voltages and fuse ratings of the boards.

circuit removes the noise. Then the AC voltage undergoes full-wave rectification and is smoothed to produce direct voltage. In the C244 PSH board, the AC voltages undergo voltage doubler rectification in the automatic switching IC and are smoothed to produce direct voltage. The voltage is fed to the gate port for switching FET Q1 through resistors R18 and R31. Then the switching circuit operates.

Table 2-1. Power Supply Board

Board Input Voltage Fuse F1 Rating

C166 PSB 103.5 – 132 V 3.15 A / 125 V C166 PSE 198 – 264 V T 2.0 AH / 250 V C244 PSH 85 – 138 V / 187 – 276 V 5HT4

2.1.2.1 Power Supply Circuit Operation

The power supply board has two DC power outputs: one for the control circuit and one for the printer mechanism. The table below lists the applications of the output voltages.

Table 2-2. Power Supply Output Applications

Output Voltage Applications

+5 VDC • Control circuit board logic

• Sensors

• Control panel LEDs

+35 VDC

• CR motor

• PF motor

• Print head

The secondary smoothing circuit produces a stepped down +35 VDC voltage. The +5 VDC voltage is generated and stabilized by feeding the +35 VDC voltage through the +5 VDC power supply circuit. The power supply circuit includes a ZC-RCC (zero cross-ringing choke converter), which contributes to the power supply circuit’s high stability, efficiency, and portability.

The secondary circuit system of the power supply circuit includes the

Operate

control panel and controls the power supply circuit.

A +35 V line constant voltage control circuit and over-current/over-voltage protection circuits are provided to protect the printer and control circuits.

(power) button. The

Operate

button is located on the printer’s

2-2

EPSON FX-2180 Service Manual Chapter 2 Operating Principles

The figure below shows the power supply circuit block diagram.

AC input

filter circuit

full-wave rectification circuit

C244 PSH only voltage

doubler rectification automatic switching circuit

primary circuit

smoothing circuit

switching circuit

photocoupler

smoothing circuit

secondary circuit

+5 V switching regulator

+5 V constant voltage control circuit

+5 V over-current protection circuit

+35 V line overload detector circuit

+35 V line constant voltage control circuit

+35 V line over-voltage protection circuit

+5 V line over-voltage protection circuit

+35 V line over-current protection circuit

Figure 2-2. Power Supply Circuit Block Diagram

+5 VDC

+35 VDC

CPU port 20

Operate (power) button

type B I/F

parallel I/F

control panel buttons & LEDs

Operate button

PSC

PWDN

power supply board

5 V GL 35 V GP

EPROM

IC5

IC1

gate array

E05B50**

IC12

PF driver CR driver

UDN2917EB

IC9

SLA7024M

IC3

IC8 serial EEPROM

IC15

reset IC

PS-RAM or SRAM

CSF driver

IC2

CPU

TMP96C141BF

CSF sensor

Q2-Q19

print head driver

print head temperature sensor

+35 V voltage sensor

rear PE sensor

front PE sensor

TOP sensor

home position sensor

paper release lever sensor

platen gap lever sensor

2.1.3 Control Circuit

The printer’s control circuit consists of the C244 MAIN control board and the control panel board.

2.1.3.1 Control Circuit Operation

The control circuit includes a TMP96C141BF CPU that runs at 17.20 MHz, an E05B50** gate array, a 2 Mbit PROM (or 2 Mbit / 4 Mbit flash ROM), a 1 Mbit / 4 Mbit PS-RAM (or SRAM), a serial (or parallel) EEPROM, and other circuits. The control circuit controls all the printer’s components. Figure 2-3 shows the control circuit block diagram.

: data bus

: address bus

Figure 2-3. Control Circuit Block Diagram

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EPSON FX-2180 Service Manual Chapter 2 Operating Principles

The table below identifies and describes the main components of the control circuit on the C244 MAIN board.

Table 2-3. Main Components of the Control Circuit

Component IC Function(s)

Gate array (E05B50**) CPU (TMP96C141BF)

1 Mbit / 4 Mbit PS-RAM 2 Mbit PROM IC5 Contains the character tables and the

Serial EEPROM (AT93C46)

SLA7024M IC9 Driver circuit for the CR motor A2917SEB IC12 Driver circuit for the PF motor Reset IC (BH6150F)

IC1 • System control

• Peripheral device control

IC2

IC3 Contains the buffer and the working

IC8 Contains data including:

IC15 Generates the reset signal at power on

• Receives data from the host computer and sends it to the input buffer in RAM

• Extends the input data held in the buffer to create image data

• Loads image data to the image data buffer

• Transfers image data to the print head

area

program that runs the CPU

• Default setting values

• Market data

• Mechanism and print head

parameters

and power down, and resets the CPU and the gate array

2-4

TROUBLESHOOTING

&+$37(5



+ 73 hidden pages

Epson TM-FX2180 User Manual

FCC COMPLIANCE STATEMENT

PRECAUTIONS

PREFACE

Table of Contents

1.1 Specifications

1.1.1 Printing Specifications

1.1.2 Print Speed and Printable Columns

1.1.3 Resolution

1.1.4 Printable Area

1.1.5 Paper Feed Specifications

1.1.6 Paper Specifications

1.1.7 Interface Specifications

1.1.8 Software Specifications

1.1.9 Environmental Conditions

1.1.10 Electrical Specifications

1.1.11 Physical Specifications

1.1.12 Reliability

1.1.13 Safety Approvals

1.1.16 Ribbon Cartridge

1.2 Operation

1.2.1 Control Panel

1.1.14 CE Marking

1.1.15 Acoustic Noise

1.2.1.1 Buttons

1.2.1.2 LEDs

1.2.1.3 Beeper

1.2.2 Paper Release Lever Positions

1.2.3 Paper Thickness Lever Positions

1.3 Special Functions

1.3.1 Printing a Self Test

1.3.2 Turning on the Double-strike Mode

1.3.3 Using the Bidirectional Adjustment Mode

1.3.4 Changing Default Settings

1.3.6 Clearing the EEPROM

1.3.6.1 Clearing the Ribbon Cartridge Replacement Counter

1.4 Consumables and Options

1.4.1 Consumables

1.4.2 Options

2.1 Overview

2.1.1 Printer Mechanism

2.1.2 Power Supply Circuit

2.1.2.1 Power Supply Circuit Operation

2.1.3 Control Circuit

2.1.3.1 Control Circuit Operation