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GERBER SOLARA UV2™
Ink Jet Printer
Owner's Guide
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Copyright Notice
COPYRIGHT 2007 Gerber Scientific International, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
This document may not be reproduced by any means, in whole or in part, without written
permission of the copyright owner.
This document is furnished to support the GERBER SOLARA UV2 Ink Jet Printer. In
consideration of the furnishing of the information contained in this document, the party to
whom it is given assumes its custody and control and agrees to the following:
The information herein contained is given in confidence, and any part thereof shall not be
copied or reproduced without written consent of Gerber Scientific International, Inc.
This document or the contents herein under no circumstances shall be used in the manufacture
or reproduction of the article shown and the delivery of this document shall not constitute any
right or license to do so.
Information in this document is subject to change without notice.
Printed in USA
GERBER SOLARA UV2, GSP, FastFacts, ImageRIP, OMEGA, QUANTUM, Support First, and Matched
Technology System are trademarks of Gerber Scientific Products. Onyx, Production House and Poster
Shop are registered trademarks of Onyx Graphics. Adobe, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe
Acrobat, and Adobe Reader are registered trademarks of Adobe Systems Inc. X-ACTO is a registered
trademark of Hunt Corporation. Scotch-Blue is a trademark of 3M. Microsoft, Windows, and Windows
XP are registered trademarks of Microsoft in the USA and other countries.
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FCC Compliance
Warning: Changes or modifications to this unit not expressly approved by the party responsible
for compliance could void the user’s authority to operate the equipment.
Note: This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class A digital
device, pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable
protection against harmful interference when the equipment is operated in a commercial
environment. This equipment generates, uses, and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if
not installed and used in accordance with the instruction manual, may cause harmful
interference to radio communications. Operation of this equipment in a residential area is likely
to cause harmful interference in which case the user will be required to correct the interference
at his own expense.
This Class A digital apparatus complies with Canadian ICES-003.
Cet appareil numérique de la classe A est conforme à la norme NMB-003 du Canada.
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Contents
Quick Print Checklist...................................................................................................................7
Chapter 1: Introduction........................................................................................................... 11
In this manual..............................................................................................................................................12
Conventions used in this booklet .............................................................................................................12
Safety information ......................................................................................................................................13
Electrical...............................................................................................................................................13
Ink handling and disposal.................................................................................................................13
Printer ventilation...............................................................................................................................13
Personal precautions ..........................................................................................................................13
Customer support.......................................................................................................................................14
Additional sources of information ...................................................................................................14
Chapter 2: Product Overview ................................................................................................. 15
General requirements.................................................................................................................................15
Size and weight...................................................................................................................................15
Ambient conditions ............................................................................................................................15
Power supply ......................................................................................................................................16
Computer and software.....................................................................................................................16
UV bulb technology....................................................................................................................................17
UV ink technology......................................................................................................................................17
Storing inks and materials.........................................................................................................................18
UV Ink storage ....................................................................................................................................18
Material storage ..................................................................................................................................18
GERBER SOLARA UV2 control panel.....................................................................................................18
Exploring the MAIN MENU.....................................................................................................................20
F1, Start-Job, Pause-Job, or blank......................................................................................................20
F2, Mode...............................................................................................................................................20
F3, Setup...............................................................................................................................................20
F4, Operate...........................................................................................................................................21
Job Status..............................................................................................................................................21
Starting the printer .....................................................................................................................................21
Firmware startup and internal diagnostics.....................................................................................22
Automatic material check..................................................................................................................22
Automatic ink level check .................................................................................................................22
UV lamp cool-down ...........................................................................................................................22
Warming the print heads...................................................................................................................23
Chapter 3: Setting up the GERBER SOLARA UV2............................................................... 25
Networking your GERBER SOLARA UV2 printer................................................................................25
Using DHCP to assign network addresses......................................................................................25
Resetting the IP Source to Automatic (DHCP) ...............................................................................26
Setting fixed (static) network addresses..........................................................................................27
Setting the IP Address and Subnet Mask of your computer.........................................................29
Assigning a network name for the printer......................................................................................31
Checking network connections.........................................................................................................32
Viewing the current network settings......................................................................................................32
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Activating your GERBER SOLARA UV2 printer...................................................................................34
Unlimited activation...........................................................................................................................36
Print-hour activation ..........................................................................................................................36
Entering activation codes...................................................................................................................36
Chapter 4: Loading Inks and Materials ............................................................................... 39
Loading the inks .........................................................................................................................................39
Replacing empty ink cartridges (when ink remains in the reservoir) .........................................40
Replacing ink cartridges when the reservoir is empty..................................................................40
Manually starting an ink refill ..........................................................................................................41
Checking ink levels.............................................................................................................................41
Loading the material ..................................................................................................................................42
Manually controlling the hold down fans.......................................................................................42
Choosing a material type...................................................................................................................42
Compatible material...........................................................................................................................43
Normalizing material.........................................................................................................................43
Cleaning material................................................................................................................................43
Adjusting the pinch wheel force.......................................................................................................44
Adjusting the UV lamp position.......................................................................................................44
Adjusting the UV shields...................................................................................................................46
Loading vinyl material...............................................................................................................................49
Using the material roller....................................................................................................................50
Loading roll material into the printer..............................................................................................52
Using the winding unit......................................................................................................................56
Removing material from the winding unit .....................................................................................59
Loading rigid material ...............................................................................................................................60
Using the material tables ...................................................................................................................60
Calibrating the material guide..........................................................................................................62
Loading rigid material into the printer............................................................................................63
Detecting material width...........................................................................................................................67
Manually setting the material width................................................................................................67
Printing margins .................................................................................................................................68
Manually initiating a material width scan ......................................................................................69
Viewing scanned material width......................................................................................................70
Troubleshooting material scans........................................................................................................71
Chapter 5: Printing Jobs on the GERBER SOLARA UV2 .................................................... 75
Using RIP software and profiles...............................................................................................................75
Print quality options...................................................................................................................................75
UV lamp operations ...................................................................................................................................75
UV lamp automatic shut-off (60 seconds) .......................................................................................76
UV lamp cool-down (3 minutes) ......................................................................................................76
UV lamp warm-up (60 seconds).......................................................................................................76
UV lamp extension (3 minutes) ........................................................................................................77
Material preheating ............................................................................................................................78
Choosing a print mode ..............................................................................................................................78
Printing a single job............................................................................................................................79
Printing multiple jobs.........................................................................................................................81
Pausing, restarting, and canceling jobs....................................................................................................83
Pausing a job due to data starvation................................................................................................83
Pausing a job due to ink starvation..................................................................................................84
Viewing job information............................................................................................................................84
Choosing print job justification.................................................................................................................85
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Printing full bleed on rigid material ........................................................................................................86
Printing one-sided, full bleed on rigid material .............................................................................86
Printing two-sided full bleed on rigid material..............................................................................91
Chapter 6: Routine Printer Maintenance ............................................................................ 97
Daily maintenance......................................................................................................................................97
Priming the print heads .....................................................................................................................97
Printing the NozzleJob test print....................................................................................................101
Wiping the print head to prevent ink build up ............................................................................103
Resetting the head cleaning timer ..................................................................................................103
Weekly/monthly maintenance...............................................................................................................104
Cleaning the outside of the GERBER SOLARA UV2...................................................................104
Cleaning the grit wheels ..................................................................................................................104
Cleaning the exhaust fans................................................................................................................104
Cleaning the platen...........................................................................................................................104
Cleaning the material bumpers.......................................................................................................104
The SOLARA UV2 web pages ................................................................................................................105
Accessing the SOLARA UV2 web pages.......................................................................................105
Home page.........................................................................................................................................106
Ink Levels page .................................................................................................................................107
Head Status page ..............................................................................................................................108
Carriage Status page.........................................................................................................................109
Sensor Status page............................................................................................................................110
Firmware Versions page..................................................................................................................111
UV Lamps page.................................................................................................................................112
Recent Errors page............................................................................................................................114
Activation page .................................................................................................................................115
Find Printers page.............................................................................................................................116
Downloader page .............................................................................................................................117
Loading firmware upgrades ...................................................................................................................117
Downloader Error messages ...........................................................................................................121
UV lamp assembly maintenance ............................................................................................................123
Viewing the estimated remaining bulb life...................................................................................124
Replacing the UV lamp cartridge ...................................................................................................124
Viewing and printing UV lamp cartridge replacement history.................................................129
Adjusting the Low Lamp Life warning hours..............................................................................131
Cleaning the UV quartz plates........................................................................................................131
Chapter 7: Troubleshooting.................................................................................................. 135
Calibration issues..............................................................................................................................135
RIP software issues...........................................................................................................................135
Determining the category of problems..................................................................................................135
Printer issues .............................................................................................................................................136
Printer will not turn on ....................................................................................................................136
Job will not print ...............................................................................................................................136
Winder does not roll up the material.............................................................................................136
Material jams .....................................................................................................................................137
Quality of printed output ........................................................................................................................137
The print is blurred...........................................................................................................................137
Banding in the print..........................................................................................................................138
Smearing or fading in the print.......................................................................................................138
Objects are printing in the wrong place.........................................................................................139
Ink not curing....................................................................................................................................139
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The ink forms small puddles on the print.....................................................................................139
Job data errors ...........................................................................................................................................139
Data errors and interruptions during printing.............................................................................139
Color balance is different between software and print ...............................................................140
The printer pauses between passes................................................................................................140
Purging an ink line to remove air...........................................................................................................141
Messages ....................................................................................................................................................146
Menu Tree – Main Menu....................................................................................................... 153
Menu Tree – Ink Menu .......................................................................................................... 154
Menu Tree – Lamp Menu...................................................................................................... 155
Menu Tree – Setup Menu ..................................................................................................... 156
Menu Tree – Network Configure Menu.............................................................................157
Menu Tree – Calibration Menu ...........................................................................................158
Index .......................................................................................................................................... 160
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Quick Print Checklist
After you have setup your GERBER SOLARA UV2 for the first time, use this checklist
to help guide you through the steps required for getting the machine ready for printing.
Refer to the page numbers provided next to each step for more information.
1 Turn on the printer. (Wait for Main Menu to appear)
2 Check the ink levels.
(Replace ink cartridges if necessary)
3 Prime and clean the heads. (Repeat every 4 hours of printing)
4 Attach or remove the material tables.
5 Prep the material.
(Normailize and clean for best results)
(For use with rigid material only)
6 Load the material. (Vinyl or Rigid)
7 Adjust UV lamp height.
8 Adjust Pinch wheel force.
9 Adjust UV shields.
10 Set beam height.
(Clockwise to raise, Counterclockwise to lower)
11 Close covers and select material type.
12 Choose a print mode.
(High or Low)
(High or Low)
(Overlap for vinyl, Gap for rigid)
(Printer will auto-scan material)
(Single or Multi job)
Using your selected RIP software
13 Open, adjust, and arrange your image(s).
14 Select the appropriate material profile and page size.
15 Select the print quality.
(3 pass or 6 pass)
16 Send the job to the printer.
17 Press F1 to begin printing your job.
18 Reminder message appears.
19 UV Lamp warm-up.
(This may take a minute if the lamps are not on)
(Check settings then press any key)
20 Job will begin printing.
Note: To Pause a job, press F1. Press again to resume printing.
To Cancel a job, press the
CANCEL button on the control panel.
p. 21
p. 41
p. 97
p. 60
p. 43
p. 49 or 60
p. 44
p. 44
p. 46
p. 42
p. 67
p. 78
p. 75
p. 75
p. 75
p. 16
p. 20
p. 75
p. 76
p. 78
p. 83
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Chapter 1: Introduction
Thank you for purchasing the GERBER SOLARA UV2™, an outdoor-durable, UV-cured ink jet
printer. With six color printing on a variety of materials, the GERBER SOLARA UV2 can
produce quality output including: outdoor posters or banners, backlit signage, durable indoor
graphics, POS displays, and more.
The GERBER SOLARA UV2 prints on diverse uncoated materials from 18" to 60" (46 cm to 152
cm) wide and up to ½" (13mm) thick, with a maximum print width of 59" (150 cm) on vinyl or
roll material, and up to 59.5” (160 cm) on rigid or flat material in normal print mode. Rigid
material may also be printed full bleed using the special Rigid Bleed setting.
The GERBER SOLARA UV2’s versatile and distinct printing methods allow shops to meet
diverse customer needs. For applications that require printing on flexible materials, such as
banner, vinyl, and backlit materials, shops can print via the roll-to-roll configuration. When
applications require rigid material, such as foam board, corrugated plastic, polycarbonate,
expanded PVC, aluminum and MDO, shops can utilize the GERBER SOLARA UV2 flatbeds.
The GERBER SOLARA UV2 prints at a resolution of 300 x 360 dpi (up to 600 dpi apparent).
When printing in Production or High Quality mode, the GERBER SOLARA UV2 uses multipledrop technology to provide vivid colors and expanded color gamut. The throughput rate varies
based on the print direction and the chosen material profile as determined by the RIP software.
Gerber’s exclusive ultraviolet ink set includes six colors - Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black, Green,
and Violet - for an expanded color gamut and brilliant colors. With their ultraviolet properties,
the inks form a mechanical bond to the substrate, eliminating vinyl adhesion loss and providing
better abrasion resistance.
The GERBER SOLARA UV2 inkjet printer is part of Gerber’s Matched Technology System™
which provides users with a complete, integrated solution, start-to-finish.
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CHAPTER 1
Introduction
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In this manual
The following chapters introduce you to the GERBER SOLARA UV2, describe the printing
process, and show you how to maintain your printer for maximum quality output.
Chapter 1: Introduction provides details on how to use this manual and important customer
service and safety information.
Chapter 2: Product Overview provides details of the general product features and requirements
and describes the control panel and menu structure as well as the startup sequence.
Chapter 3: Setting up the GERBER SOLARA UV2 directs you in setting up the GERBER
SOLARA UV2 to run on a network and other user controlled options.
Chapter 4: Loading Inks and Materials directs you in loading the GERBER SOLARA UV2 ink
cartridges and both flexible and rigid materials.
Chapter 5: Printing Jobs on the GERBER SOLARA UV2 describes how to print on either flexible
or rigid material (including rigid bleed) with RIP software.
Chapter 6: Routine Printer Maintenance details the cleaning of internal and external GERBER
SOLARA UV2 components, the replacement of UV lamp cartridges, and updating the firmware.
Chapter 7: Troubleshooting highlights potential printing problems and provides possible
solutions. The Messages section list common messages that may display on your control panel
and their meaning.
Menu Trees provide a visual layout of the GERBER SOLARA UV2 control panel menus.
Conventions used in this booklet
The following conventions are used in this booklet:
Tip: A tip contains a suggestion to make your task easier or to remind you of something that
may appear elsewhere in the booklet.
Note: A note contains important information that affects the successful completion of a task.
CAUTION: A caution statement contains information which, if not followed, could
result in equipment damage.
WARNING: A warning statement contains information which, if not followed,
could result in personal injury.
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CHAPTER 1
Introduction
Safety information
WARNING: Observe these general safety precautions when operating the GERBER
SOLARA UV2 Ink Jet Printer.
Electrical
Use the supplied line conditioner to obtain the specified voltage:
Domestic: 208-220 V AC 10%, 60 Hz 5%, 7.9 amp nominal (11.9 amp peak).
International: 230 VAC 10%, 50 Hz 5%, 7.1 amp nominal (11.1 amp peak).
Use the correct power cord; do not use a damaged power cord.
Use an outlet with a ground terminal or electric shock can occur.
Turn printer off and unplug it from the power source before servicing.
Unplug any communications cables before servicing.
Never open covers affixed by screws unless directed by Gerber service personnel. Doing
so may result in electric shock or damage to the printer.
13
Remove any electrostatic charge from your clothing or body by touching a metal part of
the printer before servicing. Electronic components (such as memory) may malfunction
if exposed to electrostatic charge.
Ink handling and disposal
Do not use inks other than GERBER SOLARA UV2 Inks. Using other inks will void the
warranty and will damage the printer.
Consult the GERBER SOLARA UV2 Ink MSDS for proper handling, disposal, and safety
recommendations. Also consult local requirements.
When handling ink cartridges and waste ink, be careful that the ink does not get on your
skin or in your eyes. If it does, rinse your eyes with copious amounts of water and wash
your skin with soap and water. Seek medical attention if irritation persists.
Do not disassemble cartridges. Ink could get on your skin or in your eyes.
Dispose empty ink cartridges, waste ink, lint-free wipes, and used swabs according to
local laws and regulations.
Printer ventilation
Do not obstruct printer exhaust fans.
Personal precautions
Be careful when reaching into the printer to open the head shutter or swab the print
head. The UV lamp assemblies and interior surfaces of the printer may be hot.
Be careful not to pinch fingers in covers, pinch wheels, and material feed system.
Use caution when lifting heavy rolls of material.
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CHAPTER 1
Introduction
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Customer support
If you have questions regarding using, maintaining, or troubleshooting the GERBER SOLARA
UV2 please contact your Gerber distributor or GSP Service.
phone: 800-828-5406 / 860-644-6971
fax: 860-871-3862
e-mail: gspservice@gspinc.com
www.gspinc.com
Additional sources of information
Gerber FastFacts provides answers to technical and service questions. FastFacts are
available on the Gerber web site: www.gspinc.com under “Support.”
If you are a Support First member, use your toll-free assistance number (for more
information about Support First, call 860-644-6971).
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Chapter 2: Product Overview
General requirements
A complete list of requirements and installation instructions can be found in the GERBER
SOLARA UV2 Unpacking, Packing, and Installation Guide. The following sections provide an
overview of GERBER SOLARA UV2 size, weight, and recommended operating conditions.
Size and weight
You must have enough room to maneuver the packed GERBER SOLARA UV2 to its final
location where you can unpack it. Alternately, you can unpack the GERBER SOLARA UV2 and
then wheel it to its final location.
WARNING: The GERBER SOLARA UV2 is packaged in a crate that is 120" long x
60" wide x 68" high (305 cm x 152 cm x 173 cm) and weighs 1650 lbs. (750 kg).
Confirm the lifting capacity of your forklift and the availability of 8 ft (2.5 m)
extended forks before the arrival of the GERBER SOLARA UV2. If the extended
forks are less than 8 ft (2.5 m) you will need the assistance of riggers to move the
crate. Riggers or special moving equipment are the responsibility of the customer.
Crated Size Crated
Weight
120" long x 60" wide x 68" high
305 cm x 152 cm x 173 cm
1,650 lbs.
750 kg
Uncrated Size Uncrated
105" long x 33" wide x 57" high
267 cm x 102 cm x 145 cm
Ambient conditions
The operating and storage environment must meet the following conditions:
Temperature: 65°F to 85°F (18°C to 29°C) Variation within 4°F/2°C per hour
Humidity: 40% - 60%, non-condensing Variation within 5% per hour
Altitude: up to 8,000 ft (2,438 m)
Ventilation: no special ventilation required
Weight
650 lbs.
295 kg
Floor level: within ¼" (6mm) from left side of printer to right side of printer
Avoid using printer near open windows, outside doors, or heating or cooling systems
Protect printer and ink cartridges from moisture, dust, drafts, and direct sunlight
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CHAPTER 2
Product Overview
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Power supply
The GERBER SOLARA UV2 comes with an external Line Conditioner and Winding unit (used
for roll-to-roll configuration). The Line Conditioner is needed to ensure constant and regulated
power for the system. See instructions enclosed with the unit for proper installation.
WARNING: Make sure to connect the power cable only after all of the steps of the
installation procedure have been completed.
WARNING: Use caution when lifting the line conditioner. It is very heavy.
(Approximately 90 lbs. (41 kg))
Line conditioner (Invensys Powerware 9120-2000i)
Voltage: 208-240 VAC/1640 W, single phase
Frequency: 50/60 Hz
Current: 7.5 Amps nominal (11.1 Amps peak)
Winding unit
Voltage: 110/240VAC
Frequency: 50/60 Hz
Domestic
The Line Conditioner’s power cord comes with a NEMA 6-15P plug
and requires the matching NEMA 6-15R receptacle. The Winder’s
power cord comes with a NEMA 5-15P plug.
International
The Line Conditioner and the Winder use the same type power cord. It
comes with a European CEE 7/7 plug and requires the matching CEE
7 receptacle. These connectors can be changed to meet local standards.
Computer and software
The customer’s computer must have a compatible RIP software installed to send print jobs to
the GERBER SOLARA UV2. If the computer is not configured properly, if it does not have a
network card, or if the proper data cable is not used, you can run a test print on the GERBER
SOLARA UV2 but you cannot send jobs from the computer.
You can communicate with the GERBER SOLARA UV2 using a compatible RIP program
including the following:
Production House by Onyx®
ImageRIP™ by Onyx (Pro or Plus)
GERBER SOLARA UV2 Onyx Driver (for existing Onyx owners)
Note: If you already own an Onyx RIP (version 6.5 or higher), a driver or upgrade is necessary
to ensure compatibility with the GERBER printer.
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Product Overview
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UV bulb technology
The GERBER SOLARA UV2 uses UV technology to instantly and safely cure inks. A cover lock
prevents the user from opening the protective cover when printing or when the lamps are on.
You must wait until printing ends and the lamps turn off to release the cover.
When you first turn on the printer, the UV bulbs begin a three minute cool down sequence
(even if the bulbs have not been recently lit) to ensure that the bulbs are ready to strike (light).
After striking, the UV bulbs require a 60 second warm-up cycle. When the lamps reach their
operating temperature, the cooling fans automatically turn on to maintain the proper
temperature.
After turning off the GERBER SOLARA UV2, the bulbs can not be used again until they have
sufficiently cooled down. The cool down period lasts up to three minutes, during which time
display reads
completion of a job to facilitate the beginning of a new job without re-striking the bulbs.
LAMP COOL-DOWN. During use the UV bulbs remain lit for one minute after the
Note: Avoid unnecessary lamp on/off cycles. Each lamp on/lamp off cycle reduces bulb life by
approximately three hours. Lamps are automatically turned off one minute after a job completes
unless another job is started during that period. Queue multiple jobs to extend lamp life.
The UV lamps are rated for 1,700 hours of usage which may equate to approximately 500
printing hours depending on usage cycle. The GERBER SOLARA UV2 tracks bulb life and
calculates the hours used and the number of on/off cycles. When the bulbs near the end of their
usable life, a
MENU. See “Replacing the UV lamp cartridge” on page 124.
LAMP LIFE LOW warning message displays in the Job Status line of the MAIN
MAIN MENU
Start-Job Setup
Mode: Single Operate
LAMP LIFE LOW
UV ink technology
GERBER SOLARA UV2 ultraviolet inks have very little odor and require no special ventilation.
Due to the UV-cure technology, the ink dries immediately and the printed material may be
handled or cut directly after printing.
GERBER SOLARA UV2 inks are specifically designed for use with the GERBER SOLARA UV2
printer. The inks come in six colors: Yellow (Y), Green (G), Magenta (M), Cyan (C), Violet (V),
and Black (K). They are supplied in 250 gram cartridges that are used to refill the GERBER
SOLARA UV2 ink reservoirs. Cartridge slots are color-coded to match the ink cartridges.
CAUTION: Use only GERBER SOLARA UV2 inks. Substituting any other inks
will void the warranty. Each color ink cartridge must be installed into the
corresponding colored slot.
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CHAPTER 2
Product Overview
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Storing inks and materials
Store GERBER SOLARA UV2 inks and qualified materials as instructed for the best quality
output when printing. Improper storage of inks or materials will effect overall output quality.
UV Ink storage
Certain inks have a shelf life of approximately nine to twelve months from date of manufacture
when stored as recommended.
Temperature: 65°F to 85°F (18°C to 29°C)
Humidity: 30% - 70% non-condensing
Material storage
See material-specific documentation for recommended handling and storage requirements.
General material storage and handling suggestions follow:
Do not discard the original packaging. Use the box or plastic bag for material storage.
Store material in a dry environment avoiding high temperature, high humidity, or
direct sunlight.
The size of the material can change according to the temperature and/or humidity
changes of the working environment. Before using sheet material, “normalize” it in
the working environment for at least 30 minutes.
Printing before the material is normalized may cause jams due to material distortion
and affect output quality.
Do not use creased, damaged, torn, curled, bowed, or warped material.
Material may have a printable side and a non-printable side. If you print on a non-
printable side, blurring may occur.
Do not touch the printable side of material. Moisture or oil from hands can affect the
printing quality.
Do not leave material loaded in the printer for an extended period of time. The pinch
wheels may damage it or the material may curl resulting in misalignment, jams, or
decreased printing quality.
Tip: Gerber recommends cleaning rigid material with 99% Isopropyl Alcohol and wiping it away
evenly. This cleans the surface and improves the output quality of the print.
GERBER SOLARA UV2 control panel
The GERBER SOLARA UV2 control panel provides functional keys and status displays.
The control panel consists of:
An LCD (liquid crystal display)
four menu selection function keys (F1, F2, F3, F4)
two control keys (ENTER and CANCEL)
two material slew keys
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CHAPTER 2
Product Overview
F1
F2
Menu item
Menu item
Title
Instructions
Menu item
Menu item
19
F3
F4
ENTER
CANCEL
The LCD shows menus, instructions, system and job status, and messages.
Each menu has a title (for example, MAIN MENU). To navigate through
menus, press the function keys.
F1
F2
F3
F4
The F1, F2, F3, and F4 function keys select other menus and change parameter
values or settings. Their function is based on the text in the display associated
with each function key.
In the settings menu, the ENTER key typically saves settings.
From a submenu (Setup or Operation), or from a message screen, it returns to
the MAIN MENU.
If one job is ready but not running: CANCEL key clears the job from
printer.
If several jobs are sent to the printer: CANCEL clears one job at a time,
starting with the first one received.
Tip: For an outline of the menu structure, refer to the appendix at the end of this manual.
If a job is running: CANCEL stops all printer motion, ends
the job, and clears it from printer.
If you start to change a setting when
a job is running and have not yet
accepted the changes:
Use the slew keys to move the material. Quickly pressing and releasing a slew
key produces small movements of material. Holding the slew keys down
produces continuous material movement.
(The material can only be moved when all covers are closed)
Slew Key
Up
Down
Movement
Material backward
(toward the back and out of the printer)
Material forward
(toward the front and through the printer)
CANCEL discards the changes and
returns the previous menu. To end a
job, you must press CANCEL again.
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Product Overview
20
Exploring the MAIN MENU
The MAIN MENU of the control panel displays after the start-up sequence when the printer is
idle. From the MAIN MENU you can access the menus and commands used to operate the
GERBER SOLARA UV2.
MAIN MENU
F1 Setup F3
F2 Mode: Single Operate F4
Job Status: No Job
F1, Start-Job, Pause-Job, or blank
The F1 line of the MAIN MENU changes depending on the state of the GERBER SOLARA UV2.
It is blank when the printer is idle in Single mode, it displays
Ready, or changes to Pause-Job when the Job Status is Running and printing is suspended.
Job Status F1 Message Function
No Job
Ready
Paused
Running
Blank None
Start-Job Begin job
Start-Job Resume job
Pause-Job Stops printing
Start-Job when the Job Status is
F2, Mode
The F2, Mode command of the MAIN MENU sets the printing state to Single or Multi. See
“Choosing a print mode” on page 75 for details.
F3, Setup
The F3, Setup command of the MAIN MENU opens the SETUP MENU where you can access
the following printer controls:
SETUP MENU
F1 Network Calibrate F3
F2 Diag Vacuum F4
ENTER for Main Menu
F1, Network to view the current network addresses or configure different addresses of
the printer.
F2, Diagnostics to view the current firmware versions, set language, and adjust
calibration values.
F3, Calibrate to adjust calibration values. (Calibration printing is initiated by external
jobs or by Test Jobs in the Diagnostic menu.)
F4, Vacuum to manually enable or disable the vacuum fans. The vacuum is on by
default, but can be disabled for light-weight materials.
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F4, Operate
The F4, Operate command in the MAIN MENU opens the OPERATION menu which contains
job-related functions and UV lamp information including the following controls:
OPERATION
F1 Material Lamps F3
F2 Ink Job F4
ENTER for Main Menu
F1, Material to view the current material width, reload material or manually set the
material width.
F2, Ink to view ink levels, initiate an ink fill, or prime the print heads. In addition you
can access the INK SERVICE menu (via the Service selection) where you can perform a
Dry Load, clear ink lines, purge an ink line, or reset the Head Clean timer.
F3, Lamps to view the estimated remaining lamp life, adjust the threshold for low lamp
life warning, or to manually turn off the lamps.
F4, Job to open the JOB OPERATION menu where you can justify a job (left, right, or
center), activate your printer, or view job information. Job information is valid after
sending a job or during printing and includes the material requested for the job by the
RIP software, the size of the job (in inches and centimeters), and any comments.
Job Status
The Job Status line located on the bottom line of the Main Menu shows the current state of the
GERBER SOLARA UV2. The function key choices depend on the Job Status as shown in the
table below.
Job Status Plotter Status Possible Action
No Job
No job data in printer memory. SETUP or OPERATION
Menu
Ready
Job Name
and
Messages
Paused
Printer is waiting for user to start the job. Job
name and material requested alternate with
Start-Job, Cancel, SETUP or
OPERATION Menu
any important messages.
Job is temporarily suspended. Start-Job, Cancel, SETUP or
OPERATION Menu
Starting the printer
The power switch is located on the front right side of the printer.
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Power switch
22
When the power switch is turned on the GERBER SOLARA UV2 will automatically initiate
the following procedures during startup:
Firmware startup and internal diagnostics
Check if material is loaded
Check ink levels and fill as needed
UV Lamp cool-down
Print head warming
Firmware startup and internal diagnostics
When the GERBER SOLARA UV2 is turned on the internal firmware starts up just like a
computer. The LCD display on the left side of the printer will display the name of the printer
and the firmware version that is currently installed. The printer will then proceed with a series
of internal diagnostics to test the operation of various components including sensors, fans, ink
system, lamps and network connections. The display will list off each of the internal diagnostics
as it is being preformed. If there are any internal issues, a message will be displayed after
startup is complete. See “Messages” on page 146.
Automatic material check
If there is no material loaded when the printer is turned on, you will be prompted to load
material. After loading the material, lowering the pinch wheels and adjusting the beam height, a
material width scan is performed. If the printer is powered up with previously loaded material
in place, the printer will automatically enter the Material Setup menu and prompt you to adjust
the beam height for the material loaded. See “Loading the Material” on page 42.
Automatic ink level check
After checking for material the printer will check the ink levels in each of the six ink reservoirs.
If any of the reservoirs are low, the printer will automatically fill them upon startup, or when
Start Job is selected. If an ink cartridge is empty a message will be displayed after startup is
complete. See “Loading the Inks” on page 39.
UV lamp cool-down
When you first turn on the printer, the UV bulbs begin a three minute cool down sequence to
ensure that the bulbs are ready to strike. After striking, the UV bulbs require a 60 second warmup cycle prior to use. When they have reached their operating temperature, the cooling fans
automatically turn on to maintain the proper temperature.
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Tip: You can load the material, send the job, and press F1, Start-Job before the UV lamps
complete their startup sequence. The GERBER SOLARA UV2 will begin printing once the
startup sequence completes.
Warming the print heads
When initially powering up the printer or when coming out of idle mode, the print head
temperatures may not be at the proper temperature. If so, a
Pending message displays. If a job is sent to the printer at this time, it will pause, wait until the
print heads are warmed to the proper temperature, and then begin automatically.
PRINT HEAD WARMING UP! Printing
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Chapter 3: Setting up the GERBER SOLARA UV2
This chapter describes general information on setting up your GERBER SOLARA UV2
including how to connect the printer to the network and other user selected options.
Networking your GERBER SOLARA UV2 printer
The GERBER SOLARA UV2 is a network device and your computer must have a 10/100 Mbps
auto-switch network interface board installed to communicate with the printer. Gerber supplies
two Ethernet cables to connect the printer to the network:
Standard RJ45 CAT 5 Ethernet cable for connection to standard network hubs
Crossover RJ45 CAT 5 Ethernet cable for direct connection to a computer
(should be labeled “crossover”)
Tip: If your computer is not on a network you can create your own network with a separately
purchased network switch and connect one or more devices to your computer. Your computer
must have a 10/100 Mbps auto-switch network interface board and you will need to obtain a
10/100 Mbps Ethernet switch with several ports. Use straight-through Category 5 Ethernet
cables with RJ45 connectors: one to connect the GERBER SOLARA UV2 and the switch, and
one to connect the computer and the switch. The Ethernet switch, network interface board,
and additional cables are readily available at local computer stores.
Tip: When a live network cable is plugged into the computer, the RJ45 jack LEDs will light.
Using DHCP to assign network addresses
DHCP (dynamic host configuration protocol) is the default setting for the GERBER SOLARA
UV2 when it arrives from the factory. If the setting has been changed to Fixed, you can
reactivate DHCP from the GERBER SOLARA UV2 control panel. See “To reset the GERBER
SOLARA UV2 to Automatic (DHCP)” in the following section.
If your server is equipped with DHCP you can have it automatically assign the IP Addresses to
the computer and other devices on the network including the GERBER SOLARA UV2. When
you turn the computer or printer on it will load the proper TCP/IP settings provided by the
server. The DHCP server automatically allocates an unused IP Address from the IP Address
pool.
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26
To connect the GERBER SOLARA UV2 to computer on a network using DHCP
1 If not already connected, connect the computer to your network hub or Ethernet
switch using a straight though RJ45 cable.
2 Connect the GERBER SOLARA UV2 to your network hub or Ethernet switch using the
supplied straight-through RJ45 cable. Install one end into the RJ45 jack on the back of
the GERBER SOLARA UV2 and the other end in the hub or switch.
3 Power on the GERBER SOLARA UV2. The DHCP server will automatically search for
and assign the proper TCP/IP Settings to the printer.
4 You may view the network settings including the IP Address of the printer from the
Network Info menu. See “Viewing the current network settings” on page 32.
Resetting the IP Source to Automatic (DHCP)
The GERBER SOLARA UV2 ships from the factory with DHCP as the default network setting.
In the event that it has been changed to Fixed and needs to be reset, you can change it in the
NETWORK CONFIGURE menu.
To reset the GERBER SOLARA UV2 to Automatic (DHCP)
1 From the MAIN MENU press F3 to open the SETUP MENU.
SETUP MENU
F1 Network Calibrate
Diag Vacuum
ENTER for Main Menu
2 Press F1, Network to open the NETWORK INFO menu.
NETWORK INFO
IP Address Configure F3
MAC Address
SOLARA UV2-A1
3 Press F3, Configure to open the NETWORK CONFIGURE menu.
NETWORK CONFIGURE
F1 IP Settings Name
SOLARA UV2-A1
4 Press F1, IP Settings to open the IP Source menu.
IP Source:
F1 Fixed Gateway
IP Address Subnet
ENTER = Save Changes
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27
5 Press F1, Fixed to change the IP Source setting to Automatic (DHCP). The display
changes to:
IP Source:
F1 Automatic (DHCP)
ENTER = Save Changes
6 Press ENTER to save the IP Source setting and return to the previous menu.
Setting fixed (static) network addresses
If your network is not equipped with DHCP, or if you are using direct connection to the
computer via a cross-over cable, you will install the GERBER SOLARA UV2 using fixed (static)
network addresses. You will need to obtain and assign the correct addresses in order for the
computer to be able to communicate with the printer. The network addresses are set in the
NETWORK CONFIGURE menu. If necessary, you will also configure your computer's IP
Address and Subnet Mask as described in “Setting the IP Address and Subnet Mask of your
Computer” on page 29.
The IP Address of the computer and GERBER SOLARA UV2 should be unique. The Subnet
Mask should be identical for the computer and the printer. In a single LAN environment leave
the Gateway address as the default setting (000.000.000.000)
CAUTION: Use care when entering addresses for the equipment. Entering incorrect
addresses could damage the network. In a large existing network, obtain the correct
addresses for the computer and the GERBER SOLARA UV2 from the network
administrator or IT Professional.
CAUTION: The device ID number (last octet or last two octets depending on the
type of network) of each device's IP Address must be unique. It can not be the same
address as any other computer or equipment in the network or it will cause
problems for the network.
Tip: The Default setting in the network address submenus returns the addresses to the
factory set values. The default settings are: IP Address: 169.254.000.002, Gateway:
000.000.000.000, and Subnet: 255.255.000.000.
To set the network addresses of the GERBER SOLARA UV2
1 From the MAIN MENU press F3 to open the SETUP MENU.
SETUP MENU
F1 Network Calibrate
Diag Vacuum
ENTER for Main Menu
2 Press F1, Network to open the NETWORK INFO menu.
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IP Address Configure F3
MAC Address
28
NETWORK INFO
ENTER for Main Menu
3 Press F3, Configure to open the NETWORK CONFIGURE menu.
NETWORK CONFIGURE
F1 IP Settings Name
SOLARA UV2-A1
4 Press F1, IP Settings to open the IP Source menu. The GERBER SOLARA UV2 is set to
Automatic as the default setting from the factory. Press F1 to toggle it to Fixed and
press ENTER to save the setting.
IP Source:
F1 Fixed Gateway
F2 IP Address Subnet
ENTER = Save Changes
5 Press F2, IP Address to open the SET IP ADDRESS menu.
SET IP ADDRESS
Default + F3
F2 = = = – F4
1 6 9 . 2 5 4 . 0 0 0 . 0 0 2
6 Press F2 to move the = = = designation to the octet that you want to change. When the
= = = is over the octet, use F3, + or F4, – to change the value. Press ENTER to save the
changes and return to the IP Source menu.
IP Source:
Fixed Gateway F3
IP Address Subnet
ENTER = Save Changes
7 Press F3, Gateway to open the SET GATEWAY ADDRESS menu.
SET GATEWAY IP ADDR
Default + F3
F2 = = = – F4
0 0 0 . 0 0 0 . 0 0 0 . 0 0 0
8 The Gateway address can be left at the default setting of 000.000.000.000 in a single
LAN environment. If you are connected across multiple LANs, contact your network
administrator for the correct address. To change the Gateway address, press F2 to
move the = = = designation to the octet that you want to change. When the = = = is
over the octet, use F3, + or F4, – to change the value. Press ENTER to save the changes
and return to the IP Source menu.
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Fixed Gateway
IP Address Subnet F4
29
IP Source:
ENTER = Save Changes
9 Press F4, Subnet to open the SET IP SUBNET MASK menu.
SET IP SUBNET MASK
Default + F3
F2 = = = – F4
2 5 5 . 2 5 5 . 0 0 0 . 0 0 0
10 The default Subnet Mask of 255.255.000.000 is normally acceptable for most networks.
The Subnet Mask should be the same for the computer and the printer. To change the
Subnet Mask address, press F2 to move the = = = designation to the octet that you
want to change. When the = = = is over the octet, use F3, + or F4, – to change the value.
Press ENTER to save the changes and return to the IP Source menu.
Setting the IP Address and Subnet Mask of your computer
When using Fixed network settings, the default IP address of the GERBER SOLARA UV2 is:
169.254.000.002 and the default Subnet mask is 255.255.000.000. The following procedure uses
169.254.000.001 for the computer's IP address and 255.255.000.000 for the Subnet mask.
CAUTION: Use care when entering addresses for the equipment. Entering incorrect
addresses could damage the network. In a large existing network, obtain the correct
addresses for the computer and the GERBER SOLARA UV2 from the network
administrator or IT Professional.
To set the IP Address and Subnet Mask for Windows® XP
1 Click Start > Settings > Control Panel.
2 Double-click the Network Connections icon.
3 Double-click the Local Area Connections icon to open the Local Area Connections
Properties dialog box.
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4 Click Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) in the list.
5 Click Properties to open the Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) Properties dialog box.
30
6 Click Use the following IP address:
7 Enter 169.254.0.1 for IP Address.
8 Press Tab to automatically enter the correct Subnet Mask (255.255.0.0).
9 Do not enter a Default Gateway if using direct connection, or unless instructed by your
network administrator.
10 Click OK to save the settings and exit the Properties dialog box.
To set the IP Address and Subnet Mask for Windows 2000
1 Click Start > Settings > Control Panel.
2 Double-click the Network and Dial up Connections icon.
3 Right-click the Local Area Connection icon and choose Properties from the context
menu.
4 Click Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) in the list.
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5 Click Properties to open the Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) Properties dialog box.
31
6 Click Use the following IP address:
7 Enter 169.254.0.1 for IP Address.
8 Press Tab to automatically enter the correct Subnet Mask (255.255.0.0).
9 Do not enter a Default Gateway if using direct connection, or unless instructed by your
network administrator.
10 Click OK to save the settings and exit the Properties dialog box.
Assigning a network name for the printer
You can assign a name for your GERBER SOLARA UV2 printer to help you distinguish it from
other GERBER SOLARA UV2s on your network. This is helpful when DHCP is activated as the
printer's IP address may change.
Note: The default name of each printer is SOLARA UV2-##, where “##” refers to the last two
digits of the printers unique MAC address. The Default option in the SET NETWORK NAME
menu will restore this network name.
To assign a network name
1 From the MAIN MENU press F3, Setup to open the SETUP MENU.
SETUP MENU
F1 Network Calibrate
Diag Vacuum
ENTER for Main Menu
2 Press F1, Network to open the NETWORK INFO menu.
NETWORK INFO
IP Address Configure F3
MAC Address
ENTER for Main Menu
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3 Press F3, Configure to open the NETWORK CONFIGURE menu.
NETWORK CONFIGURE
IP Settings Name F3
SOLARA UV2-A1
32
4 Press F3, Name to open the SET NETWORK NAME menu.
SET NETWORK NAME
Default + F3
= –
S O L A R A U V 2 – A 1
5 To change the name of the printer on the network, press F2 to move the = designation
to the letter that you want to change. When the = is over the letter, use F3, + or F4, – to
scroll through the alphabet. Continue to move the = designation to the right to spell
out the network name one letter at a time. Press ENTER to save the changes.
Checking network connections
You can check the network connections to be sure that the computer and GERBER SOLARA
UV2 can communicate. If you experience any difficulty with network communications,
disconnect and reconnect the network cables to ensure that they are seated properly before
continuing with this procedure.
Tip: When a live network cable is plugged into the computer, the RJ45 jack LEDs will light.
To check network connections
1 In Windows XP click Start > Programs > Accessories > Command Prompt to open the
Command Prompt window. The display shows
your hard drive.
C:\WINDOWS where C is the letter of
2 Type
ping followed by the IP address of the GERBER SOLARA UV2 and press enter.
Do not type any leading zeros that may be in the address. For example, to test a
GERBER SOLARA UV2 connected directly to a computer you would type:
ping 169.254.0.2
3 If the network connection is working you will see a reply from the GERBER SOLARA
UV2's network address
Reply from 169.254.0.2 bytes=32 Time<1Oms TTL=225. (Your IP
address and time may vary.) If there is a problem with the network connection you
will see the message
Destination host unreachable. Check that the network cables are
properly attached and that you have entered the correct IP Address, Network Mask
and Gateway.
Viewing the current network settings
You can view the current network settings (IP Address, Gateway, and Subnet Mask) and the
factory assigned MAC (media access control) address for the GERBER SOLARA UV2 from the
NETWORK INFO menu. From this menu you can also access the NETWORK CONFIGURE
menu to change the settings. See “Setting fixed (static) network addresses” on page 27.
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To view the current network settings
33
1 Press F3, Setup from the MAIN MENU to open the SETUP MENU.
SETUP MENU
F1 Network Calibrate
Diag Vacuum
ENTER for Main Menu
2 Press F1, Network to open the NETWORK INFO menu.
NETWORK INFO
F1 IP Address Configure
MAC Address
ENTER for Main Menu
3 Press F1, IP Address to display the network addresses for the IP Address, Gateway,
and Subnet Mask.
IP: 169.254.000.002
GWAY: 000.000.000.000
MASK: 255.255.000.000
Press any key.
4 Press any key to return to the MAIN MENU.
To view the MAC address
1 Press F3, Setup from the MAIN MENU to open the SETUP MENU.
SETUP MENU
F1 Network Calibrate
Diag Vacuum
ENTER for Main Menu
2 Press F1, Network to open the NETWORK INFO menu.
NETWORK INFO
IP Address Configure
F2 MAC Address
ENTER for Main Menu
3 Press F2, MAC Address to open the MAC Address menu and view the address.
MAC Address:
01-23-45-67-89-A1
Press any key
4 Press any key to return to the MAIN MENU.
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34
Activating your GERBER SOLARA UV2 printer
This page is for activating or adding hours of print time to GERBER SOLARA UV2 printers that
are being financed, leased or under other restrictions. For most owners no activation should be
necessary and the printer should be set to unlimited hours of operation.
Tip: You can check the current activation status using the GERBER SOLARA UV2 control
panel or web pages, but you can only change the activation settings using the web pages.
(For more information see “The SOLARA UV2 web pages” on page 105.)
To check the activation status (via the control panel)
1 From the MAIN MENU press F4, Operate to open the OPERATION menu.
OPERATION
Material Lamps
Ink Job F4
ENTER for Main Menu
2 Press F4, Job to display the JOB OPERATION menu.
OB OPERATION
Justify
F3 Activation Job Info
ENTER for Main Menu
3 Press F3, Activation to display the current activation status.
Displays current activation status
and available print-hours left
Details-
OB ACTIVATION TIME
Displays brief instructions for
activating printer via the web pages
Hrs Left: INFINITE
Press F3 or ENTER
4 Press any key to return to the MAIN MENU.
To check the activation status (via the web pages)
1 Verify that there is a computer with an internet browser either directly connected to
the printer or connected to a network which is connected to the printer. (See section
“Networking the SOLARA UV2” for more information). The computer does not have
to be connected to the internet to access the printer web pages.
2 Open a web browser menu on a computer connected to the printer.
(The internet connection does not have to be active.)
3 Enter the IP Address for the specific GERBER SOLARA UV2 you wish to access as the
web address in the web browser and press enter. (Do not use any slashes or colons.)
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35
4 If done correctly the Home page should appear on your web browser. There is a list of
links on the right side of the screen to the other pages in the program. (See “Web page
listing” on page 106 for more information.)
5 Click on the Activation link to access the GERBER SOLARA UV2 Activation page.
You should see one of the following displays in the activation menu:
Unlimited activation:
The printer has been activated without any printing limitations.
Print-hour activation:
The printer has been activated and has a set number of print-hours to run.
Activation expired:
This printer is set up for print-hour activation, but the allotted number of
hours has expired or has not been added. New or initial activation is required.
Note: You can still print internal test jobs even if the printer activation has expired.
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36
Unlimited activation
For most GERBER SOLARA UV2 owners the activation settings will be set to “unlimited” hours
of operation and it is not necessary to access the activation page again. If your activation
settings are already set to unlimited, you do not need to activate the GERBER SOLARA UV2
and can begin printing without limitations.
Print-hour activation
Print-hour activation means that the GERBER SOLARA UV2 is setup for only a set amount of
print time. This only refers to hours of print time, not hours of operation. All functions and
features of the GERBER SOLARA UV2 are still available, however the machine will not allow
the start of another job after the activations hours have expired.
To add hours of operation to your GERBER SOLARA UV2, enter the appropriate activation
code in the space provided in the Activation web page. Activation codes are available from
Gerber and licensed Gerber Distributors.
Entering activation codes
Activation codes can add hours to the remaining print-hours you have on your machine or set
the allotted hours to a specific value. Each activation code is specific to your individual printer
and the same code cannot be used more than once. Activation codes are available from Gerber
and licensed Gerber Distributors.
When requesting an activation code you will need to provide the following information which
can be found on the GERBER SOLARA UV2 Activation web page:
Printer
network name
Printer
Serial numbe
MAC address
Sequence code
Note: The printer name, serial number and other information vary with each individual
machine. Your activation page may look slightly different from the example shown above.
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37
To enter an activation code
1 Obtain a valid activation code from Gerber or a licensed Gerber Distributor.
Activation codes consist of twelve rows of alphanumeric combinations.
2 Open a web browser menu on a computer connected to the printer.
(The internet connection does not have to be active.)
3 Enter the IP Address for the specific GERBER SOLARA UV2 you wish to access as the
web address in the web browser and press enter. (Do not use any slashes or colons.)
4 If done correctly the Home page should appear on your web browser. Click on the
Activation link to access the GERBER SOLARA UV2 activation page.
5 Copy and Paste (or re-type) all twelve rows of code into the appropriate text box on
the Activation web page. (Do not include any other words or any extra spaces)
6 After you have entered the code, click on the SUBMIT CODE button. The web page
should refresh and display one of the following messages:
ACTIVATION COMPLETE
This means the code has been accepted and the amount of print-hours has been
updated accordingly. Close the web browser to exit and begin printing.
ACTIVATION INVALID
This means the submitted code was not valid or not entered correctly. Click the
Refresh Status button and re-enter the code. (Do not include any extra spaces)
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39
Chapter 4: Loading Inks and Materials Loading Inks and Materials
This chapter describes how to load the six ink colors and various types of material both flexible
This chapter describes how to load the six ink colors and various types of material both flexible
and rigid into the GERBER SOLARA UV2.
and rigid into the GERBER SOLARA UV2.
Loading the inks Loading the inks
WARNING: Do not disassemble the ink cartridges. If you come in contact with
WARNING: Do not disassemble the ink cartridges. If you come in contact with
uncured ink, remove any contaminated clothing and wash them separately with
uncured ink, remove any contaminated clothing and wash them separately with
soap and water. If you get ink in your eyes, rinse for several minutes under running
soap and water. If you get ink in your eyes, rinse for several minutes under running
water and consult a physician.
water and consult a physician.
WARNING: Waste ink, empty cartridges, used swabs, and lint-free wipes must be
WARNING: Waste ink, empty cartridges, used swabs, and lint-free wipes must be
disposed according to local laws and regulation. Consult the MSDS sheets and local
disposed according to local laws and regulation. Consult the MSDS sheets and local
codes for proper disposal.
codes for proper disposal.
GERBER SOLARA UV2 uses six inks colors: Yellow (Y), Green (G), Magenta (M), Cyan (C),
GERBER SOLARA UV2 uses six inks colors: Yellow (Y), Green (G), Magenta (M), Cyan (C),
Violet (V), and Black (K) supplied in 250 gram (230 ml) cartridges. The ink cartridges are
Violet (V), and Black (K) supplied in 250 gram (230 ml) cartridges. The ink cartridges are
installed in color-coded cartridge slots that fill the six internal reservoirs. The ink cartridges are
installed in color-coded cartridge slots that fill the six internal reservoirs. The ink cartridges are
installed in either direction with the outlet valve facing down.
installed in either direction with the outlet valve facing down.
Ink cartridge
Internal Reservoir –
Reserve Ink
Print heads
Note: Inks should also be replaced when they are nine to twelve months beyond their
manufacture date whether or not they are installed in the GERBER SOLARA UV2.
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Replacing empty ink cartridges (when ink remains in the reservoir)
When the cartridge becomes empty and is unable to refill the reservoir to the Full level, the
GERBER SOLARA UV2 displays
cartridge to allow automatic refilling and uninterrupted printing. If the ink cartridge is not
replaced immediately, when the next job is started the following warning message displays:
F2 = Details
Press F2 to display the INK LEVEL DISPLAY to view which cartridge is empty. In the following
illustration, the Violet, Cyan and Magenta cartridges are empty as indicated by an
INK LEVEL DISPLAY
COLOR: K V C M G Y
LEVEL: F e e E F F
(Press a key)
Ink Cartridge Empty! on the Job status line. Replace the ink
ARNING:
INK CARTRIDGE EMPTY
(Press a key)
e or E.
Full
Ink Cartrid
e
Ink Reserve and Cartridge empty
E
e empty
Press a key to begin printing. The printer will continue printing as long as the reservoir remains
above the Low ink level. Replace the empty ink cartridge with a full cartridge of the same color
and manually begin the fill cycle in the INK MENU which can be done during printing.
See “Manually starting an ink refill” on page 41. (Refilling also automatically takes place after a
printer on/off power cycle.)
CAUTION: Always match the color of the ink cartridge to the color-coded ink slot.
Replacing ink cartridges when the reservoir is empty
If the empty cartridge is not replaced and the reservoir level falls below the Low ink level, the
printer displays the following message and pauses until a new ink cartridge is installed.
* INK RESERVE EMPTY *
Job Halted
F2 = Details
(Press a key)
Press F2 to display the INK LEVEL DISPLAY to see which reservoir is empty. In the following
illustration, the Magenta ink reserve (reservoir) and cartridge are empty as indicated by an
INK LEVEL DISPLAY
COLOR: K V C M G Y
LEVEL: F e e E F F
(Press a key)
Full
Ink Cartrid
e
Ink Reserve and Cartridge empty
E
e empty
E.
Replace the cartridge and manually start the refill in the INK MENU. Printing can commence
when the reservoir level reaches between Low and Full. (Refilling also automatically takes place
after a printer on/off power cycle.)
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41
Manually starting an ink refill
You must start an ink refill to replenish the reservoir after installing a new ink cartridge. You
can start an ink fill while printing. The Start Refill command is located in the INK MENU.
1 From the MAIN MENU press F4, Operate to open the OPERATION menu.
OPERATION
Material Lamps
F2 Ink Job
ENTER for Main Menu
2 Press F2, Ink to open the INK MENU.
INK MENU
Levels Service INK Refilling
F2 Start Refill Prime Has started!
ENTER for Main Menu
3 Press F2, Start Refill to begin the refill cycle. The display briefly shows the message
above, and then returns to the previous menu.
Checking ink levels
When preparing to print you can see the amount of ink in the reservoirs and if an ink cartridge
is empty by using the INK LEVEL DISPLAY menu.
1 From the MAIN MENU press F4, Operate to open the OPERATION menu.
OPERATION
Material Lamps
F2 Ink Job
ENTER for Main Menu
2 Press F2, Ink to open the INK MENU.
INK MENU
F1 Levels Service
Start Refill Prime
ENTER for Main Menu
3 Press F1, Levels to open the INK LEVEL DISPLAY menu. The ink levels display
according to the key. In the following illustration, the Violet cartridge is empty and the
Magenta ink reservoir and cartridge are empty.
INK LEVEL DISPLAY
COLOR: K V C M G Y
LEVEL: F e F E F F
(Press a key)
Full
Ink Cartrid
e
Ink Reserve and Cartridge empty
E
Fault (Service Required)
?
e empty
4 Press any key to return to the MAIN MENU.
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42
Loading the material
The GERBER SOLARA UV2 is a friction fed printer that uses six moveable pinch wheels and a
series of grit wheels to grip and move the material. When loading material, the pinch wheels are
aligned with rollers located at standard material widths between 18" and 60" (46 and 152 cm).
Two sensors at the left end of the printer (front and back) detect if material is loaded. When
material is loaded and the rear sensor is triggered, the printer will display the Material Setup
menu to setup the material. After engaging the pinch wheels and selecting the material, the
GERBER SOLARA UV2 automatically scans the material to determine the material width.
Note: If you have powered down the printer with material loaded, the printer will display the
Material Setup menu during the power-up sequence.
When printing, fans under the platen create a vacuum to hold the material firmly against the
platen and maintain its position during movement.
Manually controlling the hold down fans
You can choose to turn off the hold down fans for certain lightweight materials such as
scrimless banner. The control is located in the Setup menu.
1 From the MAIN MENU press F3, Setup to open the SETUP menu.
SETUP MENU
Network Calibrate
Diag Vacuum
F3
ENTER for Main Menu
2 Press F4, Vacuum to open the HOLD DOWN FANS menu.
HOLD DOWN FANS
Select +
DISABLE -
F3
F4
ENTER Key to Accept
3 Press F3 or F4 to toggle between ENABLE and DISABLE. Press the Enter key to accept
the selection.
Choosing a material type
The GERBER SOLARA UV2 is a versatile hybrid printer capable of printing on both traditional
vinyl roll or sheet material and on a variety of rigid substrates up to ½” (13mm) thick and 60"
(152 cm) wide. With only a small conversion process, the GERBER SOLARA UV2 can easily
switch between material types to run the full gamut of media to meet your graphic needs.
Note: Printing problems that may occur due to use of materials other than those recommended
by Gerber are not covered by the GERBER SOLARA UV2 warranty. See the Gerber web site,
www.gspinc.com, for a complete list of approved materials.
GERBER SOLARA UV2 compatible materials are divided into two categories:
Vinyl (which refers to roll or sheet material) or Rigid (which refers to a flat substrate). In
addition, when printing on rigid substrates you have the option of printing Rigid Bleed which
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43
allows the printer to print a job larger than the sign blank, resulting in the printed area
extending beyond the edges of the material. See “Printing Full Bleed on rigid materials” on
page 86 for detailed instructions.
Loading “Vinyl” material
When printing on vinyl material it is recommended that you use the
roll-to-roll configuration, which makes use of both the roll material
loader bar at the rear of the machine and the automatic winder unit
in the front. These components come pre-assembled and do not
need to be attached or removed from the printer.
Loading “Rigid” material
When printing on rigid or flat material it is recommended that you
use the rigid configuration, which makes use of front and rear
material tables that can be easily setup and attached to the printer.
These components are collapsible for easy storage and relocation.
Compatible material
The GERBER SOLARA UV2 prints on a variety of uncoated materials from up to 60" (152 cm)
wide and ½" (13mm) thick to meet your graphic needs including outdoor signage, indoor
signage, Point of Purchase displays, banners, backlit displays, and reflective signage.
Note: It is recommended that you use only Gerber-approved materials for the GERBER
SOLARA UV2. See the Gerber web site, www.gspinc.com, for a complete list of approved
materials. Printer problems that may occur due to use of materials other than those
recommended by Gerber are not covered by the GERBER SOLARA UV2 warranty.
Normalizing material
The size of material can change depending on the temperature and/or humidity of the working
environment. For the best color-to-color and print-to-cut registration, “normalize” the material
in the working environment for at least 30 minutes before printing.
Cleaning material
Note: Only use blank un-printed material or slew the material forward before printing.
The printer may not properly register the material if it is not clean or has already been used.
When using rigid material it is recommended that you clean the surface to be printed on to
remove dust or debris. Gerber recommends liberally spraying the surface of the material with
99% isopropyl alcohol and wiping it off evenly. This will create a better adhesion bond between
the inks and substrate.
Note: Gerber does NOT recommend using 60% rubbing alcohol, 70% isopropyl alcohol, or
other common cleaners because they may leave a residual film on the substrate.
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44
Adjusting the pinch wheel force
The GERBER SOLARA UV2 contains six movable pinch wheels that help hold the material
against the grit wheels to move it across the platen. The force of the pinch wheels can be
adjusted depending on the type pf material being used. Vinyl material almost always uses
High force, but some softer rigid materials require Low force. The recommended force settings
are displayed in the material profile in your RIP software. Specific details on adjusting the pinch
wheels can be found in the individual load procedures for vinyl and rigid.
Turn counterclockwise a half turn for LOW force.
Turn clockwise a half turn for HIGH force.
LOW FORCE
HIGH FORCE
Adjusting the UV lamp position
Depending on the type of material you choose to print with you will have to align the UV lamps
in either the HIGH or LOW position for optimum printed output.
For most VINYL material, the lamps should be in the LOW position.
For most RIGID material, the lamps should be in the HIGH position.
WARNING: UV bulbs are hot when operating. Before adjusting the UV lamp
assembly, ensure that the system has had adequate time to cool.
To raise or lower the UV lamp position
1 Open the front cover fully and move the carriage away from the home position toward
the center of the platen by reaching inside the printer and pulling horizontally on the
cable track.
Cable track
Encoder strip
Carriage
COVERS ON COVERS OFF
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45
CAUTION: When reaching inside the printer avoid contact with the printer
Encoder Strip
as this component is very delicate and easily damaged.
CAUTION: Do NOT pull on the lamp assembly to move the carriage.
INCORRECT INCORRECT
2 Move the lamp assembly from the LOW position to the HIGH position by lifting up
and back on the lamp handle until the lamps rest evenly into position.
Lamp handle
LOW position
HIGH position
3 Move the lamp assembly from the HIGH position to the LOW position by lifting up
and forward on the lamp handle until the lamps rest evenly into position.
HIGH position
LOW position
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4 Verify that the lamps are level with the platen. If the lamps are not level, then the
assembly is not resting correctly on the carriage. See following picture.
5 Move the carriage assembly back into the home area using the cable track.
6 Close the front cover. The carriage will automatically move to the home position.
46
Adjusting the UV shields
The GERBER SOLARA UV2 comes with two UV shields that are positioned on either end of the
platen to protect the internal elements of the printer from over exposure to UV light. They also
serve as material hold down devices for vinyl and other non-rigid materials. Proper positioning
of these devices is essential for proper printer performance and to help insure the longevity of
your print heads and UV lamps.
Positioning the UV shield varies depending on what type of material you have loaded.
You can use the following as a quick reference guide but refer to the instructions detailed in
each material loading section for more information.
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To position the UV shields for vinyl material
Once the vinyl material is loaded across the platen, position the UV shields over the
material so that the material fills half of each the holes in the side of both shields. This will
position the shields ¼" (6mm) over each side of the material and allow the shields to hold
down the material edges during printing so they do not curl or bend.
VINYL MATERIAL
47
¼”
(6mm)
¼”
(6mm)
To position the UV shields for rigid material
Once the rigid material is loaded across the platen, position the UV shields ¼"- ¾" (6-20mm)
away from each edge. The shields will not be used to help hold down the material when
printing but will still protect the printer against over-exposure to UV light.
RIGID MATERIAL
¼” – ¾”
(6 - 20mm)
¼”- ¾”
(6 - 20mm)
The UV shields require a very precise degree of calibration to work properly. If they are bent or
damaged and become misaligned, they could damage other parts of the machine. To minimize
risk of misalignment, only move the UV shields as instructed below.
To adjust the left UV shield
The left UV shield only has two adjustable positions. Move the left shield all the way to the
right when loading vinyl material, or move it all the way to the left when loading rigid
material. This shield is only able to be adjusted ¾" (19mm) along the beam.
CAUTION: To prevent damage and misalignment of the UV shields, only move the
UV shields by touching the brackets as shown in the following picture.
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Move the UV shield by
grabbing the shield
bracket here
48
DO NOT TOUCH
DO NOT TOUCH
To adjust the right UV shield
The right UV shield can move up and down the entire length of the carriage beam over the
platen to adjust to any material width. The shield shares the carriage beam with the pinch
wheels, so it may be necessary to move the pinch wheels in order to get the shield to the
desired location. Pinch wheels should always be placed over a corresponding grit wheel
when loading material. If working with material that has a width smaller then 36" (92cm) it
may be necessary to remove the right shield and move it around other pinch wheels.
(See following procedure)
CAUTION: To prevent damage and misalignment of the UV shields, only move the
UV shields by touching the brackets as shown in the following picture.
Move the UV shield by
grabbing the shield
bracket here
DO NOT TOUCH
DO NOT TOUCH
To move the right UV shield assembly
1 Turn the Material Wheel clockwise to raise the beam height to provide ample room to
remove the UV shield assembly from the beam.
2 Loosen the center screw (5mm) on the top section of the bracket until it widens enough
to slip out of the notches in the carriage beam and remove.
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49
3 Position the pinch wheels to the right or left of the area you plan to re-install the
shield.
4 Position the front and rear panels of the UV shield assembly so they are over the
notches in the carriage beam and tighten the center screw (5mm). When the screw is
fully tightened the shield assembly should move with relative ease across the beam.
5 Move all remaining pinch wheels that are right of the shield to the far right end of the
carriage beam so that they do not interfere with the shield when loading material.
Note: The UV shield assembly should not need to be calibrated if you are simply moving the
position as detailed in the above procedure. If the shield has been bumped or bent, contact
Gerber Service to verify the shield height is still calibrated correctly.
CAUTION: This is a critical operating component that requires very precise
calibration. If these components are not calibrated correctly, they could damage the
machine. Do not install parts that are bent or warped in any way.
Loading vinyl material
Vinyl material refers to rolled or sheet material. The rolled or
sheet material does not necessarily need to be made of vinyl
as long as is has been qualified for use with the GERBER
SOLARA UV2. When printing on vinyl material it is
recommended that you use the roll-to-roll configuration.
Loading vinyl material effectively involves the following steps:
Loading roll material onto a material roller
Loading roll material into the printer
Loading and removing material from the winding unit
Note: The GERBER SOLARA UV2 does not detect sheet length. When loading sheet material,
you must verify that there is sufficient material for the completion of the job.
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50
Using the material roller
When loading roll material onto a material roller, place the roll on a flat surface. Never load a
roll of material onto a roller standing on end as it can damage the material and the roller.
WARNING: Material rolls can be heavy. Maximum roll weight is 100 lbs./45.36 Kg.
Take care when lifting and loading the material rolls.
WARNING: Be careful not pinch your fingers in roll feed system when loading
rolls of material.
To load roll material onto the material roller
1 Loosen the white thumb screw and remove the adjustable core flange from the left end
of the material roller.
Core flange
Thumbscrew
2 Lay the roll of material on a flat surface and insert the roller as shown. Insert the roller
until the material tube fits firmly against the fixed core flange of the roller.
Note: Make sure that the material is properly oriented when inserting the roller so that the
material enters the printer print side up. From the back of the printer, the adjustable flange will
be at the left end of the roll.
3 Insert the core flange onto the roller until it fits firmly against the material tube.
4 Tighten the white thumbscrew to hold the flange in place. Do not over-tighten the
thumbscrew.
5 Standing behind the printer, hold the material roll loaded on the roller with the
adjustable flange to the left.
6 Insert the fixed flange end of the roller into the right receiver. The roller has two metal
rings that position it correctly in the receiver.
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Metal rings
7 Insert the left (adjustable core flange) end of the roller into the left receiver.
Dancer Bar
Torque Bar (Do not wrap
material around this bar;
it is not part of the
material path.)
51
8 Wrap the material under the dancer bar and into the printer with the printable surface
facing up as shown in the illustration. Do not wrap the material around the lower
torque bar; it is not part of the material path. Continue with the procedure “Loading
roll material into the printer.”
Dancer Bar
Note: The material on the supply roll must not be slack to insure proper media feed. Re-roll
around the supply roll if necessary. Also check the tension on the feed roll brake.
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52
Loading roll material into the printer
When loading the roll material the UV shields will be positioned to both protect internal printer
elements from over exposure and act as material hold-down devices to keep the edges of the
material from curling or interfering with carriage motion. The following procedure applies to
both sheet and roll fed material.
Note: The GERBER SOLARA UV2 does not detect sheet length. When loading sheet material,
you must verify that there is sufficient material for the completion of the job.
To load roll material into the printer
1 Open the front cover.
2 Verify that the UV lamps on either side of the carriage are in the LOW position.
See “Adjusting the UV lamp position” on page 44.
3 While standing in front of the printer, pull the material load lever out to raise the
pinch wheels. When standing in back of the printer, push the load lever in to raise the
pinch wheels.
From the front, pull the
material load lever out to
raise the pinch wheels.
4 Turn the dials on each pinch wheel clockwise a half turn until they lock into place.
This is the HIGH FORCE setting used for printing on vinyl material.
HIGH FORCE LOW FORCE
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53
5 Look at the gap between the pinch wheels and the platen. Adjust the beam height so
there is enough of a gap for the material to pass through by turning the Material
Wheel clockwise.
UP
Material Wheel
6 Slide the pinch wheels to the left or right until they are evenly positioned over the
width of the material and each pinch wheel is over a grit wheel roller in the platen.
Pinch wheel
Grit wheel
Note: You do not have to use all six pinch wheels if you are printing on narrow material, but
the more pinch wheels over the material the better.
7 The right-most pinch wheel should be located over the roller nearest the right edge of
the material. The right edge of the material should be no more than 0.25" (7 mm)
beyond the edge of the right pinch wheel.
Note: If you position the material too far to the right of the right-most pinch wheel you will see
the following message:
ERROR: Material too far to the right after a material scan. Reposition the
material then run a manual material scan. You must do a manual material scan before the job
is allowed. See “Detecting material width” on page 67.
8 Feed the material with the printable side facing up through the back of the GERBER
SOLARA UV2 over the platen and under the pinch wheels so that it extends about 12
inches (30 cm) in the front. (See following pictures)
Note: Once you cover up the rear material sensor the printer will produce an audible signal.
This sound simply means that the beam height needs to be adjusted. It is important to finish
aligning the material in the printer before adjusting the beam height.
Feed the material into
the back of the printer
over the platform
Wrap the material
(printable side up)
around the dancer bar.
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Allowing the material
to extend about 12"
(30 cm) in front of the
printer makes it easier
to load.
Note: The material on the supply roll must not be slack to insure proper media feed. Re-roll
around the supply roll if necessary. Also check the tension on the feed roll brake.
9 Align the left edge of the material with the edge guideline located on the platen.
54
10 Position the UV shields over the material so that the material fills half of each of the
holes in the side of both shields. This will position the shields ¼” (6mm) over each side
of the material and allow the shields to hold down the material edges during printing
so they do not curl or bend.
VINYL MATERIAL
¼”
(6mm)
¼”
(6mm)
Edge guideline
Left edge of
material
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55
11 Holding the material in position, push in the material load lever to engage the pinch
wheels.
From the front, push the
material load lever in to
lower the pinch wheels.
12 When you load material into the printer, if the beam height needs to be adjusted the
following message will be displayed:
MATERIAL SETUP:
Adjust Beam Height
Or Press CANCEL for
Main Menu
13 Adjust the beam height by turning the Material Wheel.
Turn the Material Wheel clockwise to raise the beam height.
Turn the Material Wheel counterclockwise to lower the beam height.
DOWN UP
14 Turn the Material Wheel to slowly lower the pinch wheels. When the pinch wheels are
at the correct height above the material the audible signal will stop and the material
hold-down fans will turn on.
15 Continue to lower the pinch wheels until the single starts again. As soon as it starts,
turn the Material Wheel clockwise very slowly until the signal stops again. From this
point, turn the wheel one complete revolution clockwise. The height is now correct.
Turn Counterclockwise Turn Clockwise
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16 After the beam height has been adjusted correctly, the GERBER SOLARA UV2
displays the following message if the front cover or the shutter door is open:
MATERIAL SETUP:
Close Front Cover
And Shutter or Press
CANCEL for Main Menu
17 Once the front cover and the shutter door are closed, the GERBER SOLARA UV2
displays the following message:
Select material type
Rigid Bleed- F3
F2 -Vinyl Rigid- F4
(CANCEL to Abort)
18 Press F2 to select VINYL material type.
19 The GERBER SOLARA UV2 will automatically home the carriage and scan the
material to determine its width.
Note: Once the beam height is set for a given material, readjustment should not be required if
the material is moved, realigned, or reloaded.
56
Using the winding unit
The GERBER SOLARA UV2 is equipped with a roll feed/take-up roll system to maintain
proper positioning of the material during printing. Due to the UV-curable technology there are
no pre- or post-heaters required to dry inks. Printed material may be immediately wound onto
a take-up roll making unattended operation possible.
The winding unit requires standard 110V power.
GERBER SOLARA
UV2 stand
Direction and
Rotation switches
Take-up roller
Winding unit
Take-up roller hub
Material sensor
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57
Once material is loaded, the winding unit operates automatically during printing. A material
sensor monitors the length of printed material and activates the winding unit as required. When
the printed material loop passes in front of the sensor, the winding unit turns on and winds the
excess material onto the take-up roll.
Material sensor
Front view of winding unit Back view winding unit
To load material on the winding unit
1 Turn on the winding unit. The power switch is located on the left side of the winding
unit as shown in the following photo.
Power switch
2 Position the take-up roller in the right and left winding receptacles. Ensure that the
take-up roller hub is correctly located on the drive roller on the winding unit.
Take-up roller hub
in the drive position
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58
3 Load the material in the printer and align it on the platen as described in “Loading roll
material into the printer” on page 51.
4 Align the material to the take-up roll so that the leading edge is parallel to it while
maintaining alignment on the platen.
Align material parallel with
take-up tube.
Secure center of material
first.
Secure either end of
material.
5 Secure the material to the take-up roll with tape. Attach the material to the roll in the
center first, and then at either end.
6 Set the direction switch on the winding unit to the forward position (), and then press
and hold the rotate switch until the material is wound approximately one and a half
times around the roll.
Direction switch
Power switch
Rotate switch
(forward/backward)
Roller hub
Idler roller
Winding Unit Controls
7 Continue printing as normal. The material will form a loose loop as printing continues.
The winding unit automatically activates when the loop of material passes in front of
the sensors. When the slack material is wound around the take-up roll, the winding
unit automatically stops.
Loop of material
passes in front of the
sensor and activates
the winding unit to roll
up the material
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59
Removing material from the winding unit
The winding unit is equipped with a free-wheeling mode that allows easy removal of wound
material from the take-up roll.
To remove the material from the winder
1 Carefully cut the printed material off of the supply roll.
2 Lift the left end of the material take-up roll and slide it to the right so that the take-up
roller hub rests on the idler roller. This allows the take-up roll to move freely.
Take-up roll hub
Idler roller
3 Unwind the material from the take-up roll.
4 After removing the material, return the take-up roll to the drive roller position.
Take-up roller
hub in drive
position
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60
Loading rigid material
When printing on rigid or flat material it is recommended
that you use the rigid configuration, which makes use of
front and rear material tables that can be easily setup and
attached to the printer. These components are collapsible
for easy storage and relocation when not in use. Loading
rigid substrates effectively involves the following steps:
Setting up the material tables
Calibrating the material guide
Loading rigid material into the printer
Note: The GERBER SOLARA UV2 does not detect sheet length. When loading sheet material,
you must use a sufficient length of material for the job.
Using the material tables
Rigid or flat materials need to be level with the platen when entering and exiting the printer.
The GERBER SOLARA UV2 comes with two material tables to provide a level work surface for
delivering material and receiving printed output. Both tables are identical however the rear
table comes with a material guide on the right side for alignment when loading the printer.
WARNING: Due to the size and weight of the material tables, two people are
required to move them into position.
To set up the material tables
1 Make sure there is enough space in front of and in back of the GERBER SOLARA UV2
to place the material tables once they are upright.
Note: With the material tables attached, the total length of the printer becomes approximately
15 feet. It is recommended that you allow an additional 3 feet (1m) around the perimeter of the
machine for loading and receiving material.
2 Collapse the legs of the tables by pressing the button on the leg locking bracket.
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61
3 Identify which table is the front table and which is the rear. The rear table will have a
metal material guide on the right side.
Rigid material
Material guide
4 Roll the tables into position in front of and in back of the printer using the auxiliary set
of wheels at the bottom of the folded tables.
5 Fold out the table legs and lock into place. The legs should be pointed toward the
printer.
6 Move the tables into position and angle the table brackets into the slits on either end of
the platen, hooking them over the metal knobs.
7 Lower the two material table latches over the metal knobs on the printer and tighten
the set screw (5mm) for each.
8 Verify that both tables are level with the printer platen before loading material. Adjust
the casters at the bottom of each table leg as necessary.
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62
Calibrating the material guide
Use the following procedure to verify that the material guide is correctly aligned with the
printer. This will insure that rigid material is loaded straight.
For this procedure you will need the following tools:
5mm Allen wrench
4’ x 6’ rigid material sample (or comparable standard size)
Note: It is recommended you calibrate the material guide before using the tables for the first
time or when taking them out of storage.
To calibrate the material guide
1 Attach the rear table (the one with the material guide) onto the back of the printer.
(See “Using the material tables” on page 60 for more information)
2 Verify that the table is level with the printer platen. Adjust the casters at the bottom of
each table leg as necessary.
3 Raise the beam height by turning the material wheel clockwise so there is enough
room to load the rigid material sample into the back of the printer.
4 Align material with the printer by squaring the
front-left corner of the material with the edge
guideline and the front edge of the platen.
Note: The edges of the material must be straight and
square for the material guide to be calibrated correctly.
Edge guideline
Front end of
the platen
5 Loosen the 2 screws (6mm) on either end of the material guide and align it with the
edge of the material. Make sure the material does not move when adjusting the guide.
6 Tighten the screws when you are finished and remove the material.
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63
Loading rigid material into the printer
When loading rigid material it is recommended that you properly prepare the material by
making sure it contains no rough edges and that the surface to be printed on has been wiped
clean of any dust and debris. Material should be flat within 0.03". Warped material may jam in
the printer.
This section describes loading rigid material that will be printed within a 1/4" perimeter of the
edges. There are special instructions for loading rigid material when printing jobs that bleed
beyond the sign material. See “Printing full bleed on rigid materials” on page 86 for details.
Note: The GERBER SOLARA UV2 does not detect sheet length. When loading sheet material,
you must verify that there is sufficient material for the completion of the job.
To load rigid material into the printer
1 Open the front cover.
2 Verify that the UV lamps on either side of the carriage are in the HIGH position.
This is the default position for most rigid materials. See “Adjusting the UV lamp
position” on page 44.
Note: The UV lamp position may very depending on the type of rigid material you choose.
Check the material profile in the RIP software to check the recommended position.
If you are unsure, you will be prompted to adjust the position before printing a job.
3 While standing in front of the printer, pull the material load lever out to raise the
pinch wheels. When standing in back of the printer, push the load lever in to raise the
pinch wheels.
From the front, pull the
material load lever out to
raise the pinch wheels.
4 Turn the dials on each pinch wheel counterclockwise a half turn until they lock into
the LOW FORCE position. This is the default position for most rigid materials.
(See following picture)
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Note: The pinch wheel force may very depending on the type of rigid material you choose.
Check the material profile in the RIP software to check the recommended setting.
If you are unsure, you will be prompted to adjust the setting before printing a job.
64
LOW FORCE HIGH FORCE
5 Look at the gap between the pinch wheels and the platen. Adjust the beam height so
there is enough of a gap for the material to pass through by turning the Material
Wheel clockwise.
Material Wheel
UP
6 Place the material on the rear material table and line up the edge with the material
guide on the right side.
Rigid material
Material guide
Note: Gerber recommends cleaning the surface of rigid material by spraying the surface to be
printed on with 99% Isopropyl Alcohol and wiping it away evenly. This improves the output
quality and durability of the print.
7 Slide the pinch wheels to the left or right
until they are evenly spread over the
material and each pinch wheel is over a
grit wheel roller in the platen.
Note: You do not have to use all six pinch
wheels if you are printing on narrow material,
but the more pinch wheels positioned over the
material the better.
Pinch wheel
Grit wheel
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65
Note: Once you cover up the rear material sensor the printer will produce an audible signal.
This sound simply means that the beam height needs to be adjusted. It is important to finish
aligning the material in the printer before adjusting the beam height.
8 Feed the material with the printable side facing up through the back of the printer over
the platen and under the pinch wheels so that it extends past the material line.
Pinch wheel
Material line
Material
Note: In order to print to within ¼” (6mm) of the leading edge of the rigid material, position
the material past the material line but do NOT cover the front material sensor when loading.
Prior to scanning the width, the printer will index the material over the sensor, scan the width,
then index the material back to the appropriate starting point.
9 The right-most pinch wheel should be located over the grit wheel roller nearest the
right edge of the material. The right edge of the material should be no more than ¼"
(6mm) beyond the edge of the right pinch wheel.
10 Position the UV shields ¼"- ¾" (6-20mm) away from each edge. The shields will not be
used to help hold down the material when printing but will still protect against overexposure to UV light.
RIGID MATERIAL
¼” – ¾”
(6 - 20mm)
¼”- ¾”
(6 - 20mm)
11 Holding the material in position, push in the load lever to engage the pinch wheels.
From the front, push the
material load lever in to
lower the pinch wheels.
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12 When you load material into the printer, the GERBER SOLARA UV2 displays the
following message:
MATERIAL SETUP:
Adjust Beam Height
Or Press CANCEL for
Main Menu
13 Adjust the beam height by turning the Material Wheel.
Turn the Material Wheel clockwise to raise the beam height.
Turn the Material Wheel counterclockwise to lower the beam height.
66
DOWN UP
14 Turn the Material Wheel to slowly lower the pinch wheels. When the pinch wheels are
at the correct height the signal will stop and the material hold-down fans will turn on.
15 Continue to lower the pinch wheels until the single starts again. As soon as it starts,
turn the Material Wheel clockwise very slowly until the signal stops again. From this
point, turn the wheel one complete revolution clockwise. The height is now correct.
Turn Counterclockwise
Turn Clockwise
16 After the beam height has been adjusted correctly, the GERBER SOLARA UV2
displays the following message if the front cover or the shutter door is open:
MATERIAL SETUP:
Close Front Cover
And Shutter or Press
CANCEL for Main Menu
17 Once the front cover and the shutter door are closed, the GERBER SOLARA UV2
displays the following message:
Select material type
Rigid Bleed-
F2 -Vinyl Rigid- F4
(CANCEL to Abort)
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18 Press F4 to select RIGID material type.
Note: The Rigid Bleed material type sets the printer to print jobs larger than the sign blank
that will bleed off one or more edges. See “Printing full bleed on rigid materials” on page 86 for
detailed instructions.
19 The GERBER SOLARA UV2 will automatically home the carriage and scan the
material to determine its width.
CAUTION: Do not leave the pinch wheels engaged over soft rigid material when
not printing. The pressure from the wheels may indent the material causing the
height adjustment to be inaccurate.
Detecting material width
The GERBER SOLARA UV2 automatically determines material width available for printing by
scanning the material loaded in the printer. After loading the material, you must engage the
pinch wheels, position the UV shields, and close the cover to initiate material scanning. The
carriage scans the material from left to right detecting the edges of the material and the UV
shields to determine the width available for printing.
Manually setting the material width
If you are using clear materials, the material width sensor will not be able to detect the material
edges. You must set the material width manually.
To manually set the material width
1 Load the material in the printer. See “Loading the material” on page 42.
2 From the MAIN MENU press F4, Operate to open the OPERATION menu.
3 Press F1, Material to open the MATERIAL menu.
4 Press F4, Set Width to open the SET MATERIAL WIDTH menu.
OPERATION
F1 Material Lamps
Ink Job
ENTER for Main Menu
MATERIAL
Width Info.
Reload Set Width F4
ENTER for Main Menu
SET MATERIAL WIDTH
Set Width +
F3
60 - F4
ENTER Key to Accept
5 Press F3 or F4 to change the material width measurement and press the Enter key to
accept the width setting.
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Printing margins
The GERBER SOLARA UV2 is able to print on a wide variety of materials at widths ranging
from 18" to 60" (46 to 152 cm). When scanning the material width the GERBER SOLARA UV2
will also automatically apply a ¼" (6mm) printing margin to either side of the material. It is
possible to print to the edges of rigid material by choosing Rigid Bleed as the material type and
following the instructions in “Printing full bleed on rigid materials” on page 86.
The printing margins vary depending on the type of material used. For vinyl material, the UV
shields are installed ¼" (6mm) over the material to both protect from excess UV light and also to
act as material hold-down devices to kept the edges from curling during printing. The
automatic printing margin of ¼" (6mm) is added from the edge of the shield, making the total
margin ½" (12mm) on each side. For rigid material, the UV shields are not used as material
hold-downs, so only the automatic ¼" (6mm) margin is applied. See the following chart for
more information.
Vinyl material
Total material used
in printing margins:
1 inch (25mm)
Rigid material
Total material used
in printing margins:
0.5 inch (12mm)
UV SHIELD
LEFT
UV SHIELD
LEFT RIGHT
½” (12mm)
Total Margin
¼” (6mm)
Total Margin
VINYL
MATERIAL
AUTOMATIC
PRINTING
MARGIN
RIGID
MATERIAL
AUTOMATIC
PRINTING
MARGIN
UV SHIELD
¼” + ¼” = ½”
6mm + 6mm = 12mm
RIGHT
UV SHIELD
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Manually initiating a material width scan
There are several reasons why you may need to manually initiate a material width scan:
The UV shields are not positioned correctly or you have a material scan error message:
ERROR: MATERIAL SCAN
RT Shield Gap Large
Move Shield Closer
(Press any key)
If the material is loaded too far beyond ¼" (6mm) to the right of the right-most pinch
wheel and you have received the following message:
ERROR: Material too
far to the right.
Reposition material
then do MATL SCAN.
To manually initiate a material width scan
69
1 Load material in the printer. See “Loading the material” on page 42.
2 From the MAIN MENU press F4, Operate to open the OPERATION menu.
OPERATION
F1 Material Lamps
Ink Job
ENTER for Main Menu
3 Press F1, Material to open the MATERIAL menu.
MATERIAL
Width Info.
F2 Reload Set Width
ENTER for Main Menu
4 Press F2, Reload to open the Select Material Type menu.
Select Material Type
Rigid Bleed-
F2 -Vinyl Rigid- F4
(CANCEL to Abort)
5 Press F2 if vinyl material is loaded, or press F4 if rigid material is loaded. The GERBER
SOLARA UV2 will automatically home and scan the material.
Note: If the GERBER SOLARA UV2 fails to detect the material width after a scan, see the
troubleshooting chart at the end of this section.
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70
Note: If the GERBER SOLARA UV2 fails to scan rigid material after indexing the material to
the front sensor, the printer will NOT index the material back to the starting point. The user
must manually slew the material back to the intended starting point using the slew keys on the
control panel and then repeat the scan process.
Viewing scanned material width
After the GERBER SOLARA UV2 has scanned material it will record the material width and
calculate the maximum possible job width. You can view this information by accessing the
Material Menu from the control panel.
To view scanned material width
1 From the MAIN MENU press F4, Operate to open the OPERATION menu.
OPERATION
F1 Material Lamps
Ink Job
ENTER for Main Menu
2 Press F1, Material to open the MATERIAL menu.
MATERIAL
F1 Width Info.
Reload Set Width
ENTER for Main Menu
3 Press F1, Width Info to open the MATERIAL WIDTH menu. The material width and
the maximum job width in the nearest inch and cm are displayed.
MATERIAL WIDTH:
48.52 in 123.2 cm
MAX JOB WIDTH
48.02 in 122.0 cm
4 Press ENTER to return to the MAIN MENU.
Note: The printer will automatically apply the printing margins based on the material type
selected when loading material and give two values, one for the actual material width and
another for the maximum printable job width.
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71
Troubleshooting material scans
Most material scan errors can be resolved simply by adjusting the UV shields on either side of
the material. If you receive a ERROR: MATERIAL SCAN message after attempting a material
scan, use the following charts to determine the cause of the problem and the possible solution. If
the error messages continue after attempting the remedy, call Gerber Service for assistance.
Note: Slew the material forward so that only fresh un-printed material is over the platen to
insure the most accurate material scan.
Error Message Material Possible Causes and Solutions
ERROR: MATERIAL SCAN
No Shield Hole Left
Adjust LF Shield Pos
(Press a Key)
ERROR: MATERIAL SCAN
LF Shield Hole Small
Clean LF Hole Debris
Vinyl
or
Rigid
Vinyl
or
Rigid
Carriage scanned more than 12” from Home without finding the hole in
the LEFT shield. Check LEFT shield alignment. Check for dust, debris,
and/or obstructed shield hole and/or slot in platen. Check for proper
alignment of material edge sensor.
Carriage located LEFT shield hole, but the hole was less than ¼” in
width. Check for dust, debris, and/or partially obstructed shield hole
and/or slot in platen.
ERROR: MATERIAL SCAN
LF Shield Hole Large
Clean Shield Surface
ERROR: MATERIAL SCAN
LF Hole Near Edge
Clean Holes/Surface
ERROR: MATERIAL SCAN
No LF Shield Gap
Move Shield .25-.5"
ERROR: MATERIAL SCAN
LF Shield Gap Small
Move Shield .25-.5"
ERROR: MATERIAL SCAN
LF Shield Gap Large
Move Shield Closer
ERROR: MATERIAL SCAN
LF Matl Not Found
ReLoad Matl to Left
Vinyl
or
Rigid
Vinyl
or
Rigid
Rigid
Rigid
Rigid
Rigid
Carriage located LEFT shield hole, but the hole was larger than ½” in
width or the edge of the hole was not found after looking ¾”. Check for
dust or debris on shield surface. Check LEFT shield alignment. Check for
proper alignment of material edge sensor.
The edge of the LEFT shield was found too close to the hole in the
shield. Check for dust or debris on shield surface. Check for dust, debris,
and/or partially obstructed shield hole and/or slot in platen. Check for
proper alignment / installation of material edge sensor.
No gap was found between the LEFT shield edge and the material edge
after searching for 2”. Adjust the LEFT shield and/or the material such
that the gap is between ¼” and ¾” wide. Check for dust, debris, and/or
partially obstructed slot in platen.
The gap between the LEFT shield and the edge of the material is less
than ¼”. Adjust the LEFT shield and/or the material so that the gap is
between ¼” and ¾” wide. Check for dust, debris, and/or partially
obstructed slot in platen.
The gap between the LEFT shield and the edge of the material is more
than ¾”. Adjust the LEFT shield and/or the material such that the gap is
between ¼” and ¾” wide. Check for proper alignment / installation of
material edge sensor.
The material edge was not found after scanning 2”. Check material
loading placement. Adjust the LEFT shield and/or the material so that
the gap is between ¼” and ¾” wide. Check LEFT shield alignment.
Check for proper alignment of material edge sensor.
ERROR: MATERIAL SCAN
Undetected RT Shield
Clean RT Hole Debris
Rigid
The carriage traveled to the end of travel. No RIGHT gap or RIGHT shield
hole was found. Check for dust, debris, and/or partially obstructed
shield hole and/or slot in platen. Check for proper alignment or
installation of material edge sensor.
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Error Message Material Possible Causes and Solutions
ERROR: MATERIAL SCAN
RT Shield Gap Small
Move Shield .25-.5"
Rigid
72
The gap between the RIGHT shield and the edge of the material is less
than ¼”. Adjust the RIGHT shield and/or the material so that the gap is
between ¼” and ¾” wide. Check for dust, debris, and/or partially
obstructed slot in platen.
ERROR: MATERIAL SCAN
RT Shield Gap Large
Move Shield Closer
ERROR: MATERIAL SCAN
RT Hole Near Edge
Clean RT Hole Debris
ERROR: MATERIAL SCAN
RT Hole From Edge
Clean Shield Surface
ERROR: MATERIAL SCAN
Undetected RT Shield
Clean Shield Surface
ERROR: MATERIAL SCAN
RT Shield Hole Large
Adjust Right Shield
ERROR: MATERIAL SCAN
RT Shield Hole Small
Clean RT Hole Debris
Rigid
Rigid
Rigid
Rigid
Rigid
Rigid
The gap between the RIGHT shield and the edge of the material is more
than ¾”. Adjust the RIGHT shield and/or the material so that the gap is
between ¼” and ¾” wide. Check for proper alignment or installation of
material edge sensor.
The edge of the RIGHT shield appears to be too close to the hole in the
shield. Check for dust or debris on shield surface. Check for dust, debris,
and/or partially obstructed shield hole and/or slot in platen. Check for
proper alignment / installation of material edge sensor.
Carriage located RIGHT shield hole, but the hole was larger than ½” in
width or the edge of the hole was not found after looking ¾”. Check for
dust or debris on shield surface. Check RIGHT shield alignment. Check
for proper alignment of material edge sensor.
The carriage scanned 1.5” past the edge of the RIGHT shield and did not
find the hole in the shield. Check for dust or debris on shield surface.
Check for dust, debris, and/or partially obstructed shield hole and/or
slot in platen. Check for proper alignment or installation of material
edge sensor.
Carriage located the RIGHT shield hole, but the hole was larger than ½”
in width or the edge of the hole was not found after looking ¾”. Check
for dust or debris on shield surface. Check RIGHT shield alignment.
Check for proper alignment of material edge sens
Carriage located the RIGHT shield hole, but the hole was less than ¼” in
width. Check for dust, debris, and/or partially obstructed shield hole
and/or slot in platen.
or.
ERROR: MATERIAL SCAN
Undetected RT Shield
Adjust Left Shield
ERROR: MATERIAL SCAN
Undetected LF Shield
Adjust Left Shield
ERROR: MATERIAL SCAN
Undetected RT Shield
Adjust Right Shield
ERROR: MATERIAL SCAN
Undetected Shield RT
Adjust Right Shield
ERROR: MATERIAL SCAN
RT edge too far away
Adjust Right Shield
Rigid
Vinyl
Vinyl
Vinyl
Vinyl
Carriage scanned to the end of travel without finding the hole in the
RIGHT shield. Check RIGHT shield alignment. Check for dust, debris,
and/or obstructed shield hole and/or slot in platen. Check for proper
alignment of material edge sensor.
Carriage scanning found a hole within 3” of the LEFT hole, where
material is expected. Check for proper placement of material. Check
LEFT shield alignment.
Carriage scanning found a hole between 3” and 12” of the LEFT hole,
where material is expected. Check for proper minimum width material.
Check for proper placement of material. Check LEFT and RIGHT shield
alignment.
The carriage traveled to the end of travel. No RIGHT shield hole was
found. Check for dust, debris, and/or partially obstructed shield hole
and/or slot in platen. Check for proper alignment / installation of
material edge sensor.
Based on the position of the shields, the material width exceeds the
maximum allowed width. Check width of the material. Check for proper
placement of material. Check LEFT and RIGHT shield alignment.
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Error Message Material Possible Causes and Solutions
ERROR: MATERIAL SCAN
RT Shield Hole Small
Clean RT Hole Debris
Vinyl
73
Carriage located RIGHT shield hole, but the hole was less than ¼” in
width. Check for dust, debris, and/or partially obstructed shield hole
and/or slot in platen.
ERROR: MATERIAL SCAN
RT Shield Hole Large
Clean RT Hole Debris
ERROR: MATERIAL SCAN
Undetected RT Shield
Adjust Right Shield
ERROR: MATERIAL SCAN
RT Shield Gap Found
Adjust Right Shield
ERROR: MATERIAL SCAN
LF edge too far away
Adjust Left Shield
ERROR: MATERIAL SCAN
RT Edge Too Near LF
Adjust Right Shield
ERROR: MATERIAL SCAN
Motor Travel Error
Vinyl
Vinyl
Vinyl
Vinyl
or
Rigid
Vinyl
or
Rigid
Vinyl
or
Rigid
Carriage located RIGHT shield hole, but the hole was larger than ½” in
width or the edge of the hole was not found after looking ¾”. Check for
dust or debris on shield surface. Check RIGHT shield alignment. Check
for proper alignment of material edge sensor.
Carriage scanned to the end of travel without finding the hole in the
RIGHT shield. Check RIGHT shield alignment. Check for dust, debris,
and/or obstructed shield hole and/or slot in platen. Check for proper
alignment of material edge sensor.
Carriage scanning found a gap between the RIGHT shield and the
material edge. Check for proper placement of material. Check RIGHT
shield alignment.
The LEFT edge of the material has been calculated to be more than 10”
from the left edge of the printable area of the printer. Check for proper
placement of material.
The distance between the LEFT and RIGHT edges of the material have
been calculated to be less than 12”. Check minimum width of the
material. Check for proper placement of material. Check LEFT and RIGHT
shield alignment.
The motor system reported an error. Check for material jams. Check for
opened main cover or shutter. Check for loss of 48 volts. Run the
MotionJob and the EncoderJob diagnostics.
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75
Chapter 5: Printing Jobs on the GERBER SOLARA UV2
This chapter describes how to print jobs on the GERBER SOLARA UV2 including choosing the
print mode, determining material width, and starting, stopping, and pausing jobs.
Using RIP software and profiles
The quality of the RIP (raster image processing) software can be very important when printing
photo-realistic images. ImageRIP™ by Onyx® software has been designed to work with the
GERBER SOLARA UV2 and Gerber inks and materials. See the software documentation for
complete instructions.
ImageRIP Pro employs carefully engineered color profiles to produce crisp images and smooth
tonal transitions. Be sure to choose the correct device profile for the material and print quality
that you have chosen. Using the wrong device profile can result in shifting colors and
unsatisfactory results. If you are using a material that does not have a profile available, use a
profile for a similar material. It is recommended that you print a small “test” job to verify
results before printing large jobs.
Print quality options
The GERBER SOLARA UV2 can be set to three different levels of print quality from the RIP
software program: Draft, Production, and High Quality which can be printed in either Unidirectional or Bi-directional mode. (Values shown refer to vinyl material)
Draft Bi-directional mode (2 pass): 75 ft²/h (7 m²/h)
Draft Uni-directional mode (2 pass): 38 ft²/h (3.5 m²/h)
Production Bi-directional mode (3 pass): 50 ft²/h (4.5 m²/h)
Production Uni-directional mode (3 pass): 25 ft²/h (2.3 m²/h)
High Quality Bi-directional mode (6 pass): 25 ft²/h (2.3 m²/h)
High Quality Uni-directional mode (6 pass): 13 ft²/h (1.2 m²/h)
When choosing the print quality, you make a choice of speed vs. quality. The highest quality
printing uses the slowest speed. Choosing the correct print quality for the job is dependent on
the type of results that you require.
UV lamp operations
There are some behavioral characteristics of the GERBER SOLARA UV ultraviolet lamps that
you should be aware of before printing a job. Some of these UV lamp operations are automatic
and some can be changed or set by the user.
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76
UV lamp automatic shut-off (60 seconds)
The UV lamps are designed to automatically turn off after the carriage sits at the home position
for one minute. While printing, the lamps will remain on for the duration of the job(s). After
finishing a job (or jobs) the UV bulbs remain lit for one minute after the completion to facilitate
the beginning of a new job without re-striking the bulbs. A lamp shut-off timer is displayed in
the bottom of the main menu showing the time remaining until the lamps turn off.
MAIN MENU
Setup
Mode: Single Operate
LAMPS OFF IN: 59 sec
Note: Avoid unnecessary lamp on/off cycles. Each lamp on/lamp off cycle reduces bulb life by
three hours. Queue multiple jobs to extend lamp life.
UV lamp cool-down (3 minutes)
When you first turn on the printer, the UV bulbs begin a three minute cool down sequence
(even if the bulbs have not been recently lit) to ensure that the bulbs are ready to strike (light).
When the lamps are in the cool-down phase the following message will appear in the bottom of
the Main Menu:
MAIN MENU
Setup
Mode: Single Operate
LAMP COOL-DOWN
You can access the Main Menu and perform other printer functions during the cool-down
phase. The lamps will not turn on until you are ready to start printing a job. If you send a job to
the printer and start the job, the lamp warm-up sequence will begin as soon as the cool-down is
finished. The job will begin printing after that.
UV lamp warm-up (60 seconds)
The lamps are turned on only before starting a job. The UV bulbs require a 60 second warm-up
cycle every time they are turned on before they are ready to be used. When the lamps are in the
warm-up phase the following message will appear in the bottom of the Main Menu:
MAIN MENU
Start-Job Setup
Mode: Single Operate
LAMP WARM-UP
When they have reached their operating temperature, the cooling fans automatically turn on to
maintain the proper temperature. The warm up cycle will not start until the three minute cooldown sequence is complete.
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77
UV lamp extension (3 minutes)
The UV lamps are designed to automatically turn off after the carriage sits at the home position
for one minute. You can extend the time the UV lamps remain on for an additional 3 minutes by
using the UV lamp extension option. This will give the user more time to send additional jobs or
change material without having the lamps turn off and have to cool down. You can only use the
3 minute extension option once between jobs.
Note: You can only use the 3 minute extension option ONCE between jobs. This is to keep the
UV lamps and internal components of the printer at optimum operating temperature.
To enable 3 minute lamp extension
1 From the MAIN MENU press F4, Operate to open the OPERATION menu.
OPERATION
Material Lamps F3
Ink Job
ENTER for Main Menu
2 Press F3, Lamps to display the UV LAMPS menu.
You will see 1 of 3 possible displays. All options in parentheses ( ) are disabled.
Lamps OFF
Extension
unavailable
Extension available
Lamps ON
Lamps ON
Extension
unavailable
Life Low Life Used
(Turn Off) (EXTEND)
Life Low Life Used
Turn Off EXTEND F4
Life Low Life Used
Turn Off (EXTEND)
UV LAMPS
LAMPS OFF
UV LAMPS
LAMPS ON
UV LAMPS
LAMPS ON
The lamps are
currently OFF,
therefore the
EXTEND option
has been disabled.
The lamps are
currently ON,
Press F4 to activate
the 3 minute lamp
extension.
The lamps are
currently ON,
however the
3 minute lamp
extension has
already been used
once so the option
has been disabled.
Note: All options in parentheses ( ) are currently disabled.
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78
Material preheating
The GERBER SOLARA UV2 has the option of performing a series preheating carriage passes
over the material with the lamps on before applying ink. When enabled the preheating
operation will move the lamps over the material 14 times, thus normalizing it before the job is
printed. This option is off by default but can be turned on using the following procedure.
To enable the material preheat
1 From the MAIN MENU press F4, Operate to open the OPERATION menu.
OPERATION
Material Lamps F3
Ink Job
ENTER for Main Menu
2 Press F3, Lamps to display the UV LAMPS menu.
UV LAMPS
Life Low Life Used F3
Turn Off EXTEND
LAMPS ON
3 Press F3, Life Used to display the UV LAMP HOURS USED menu.
UV LAMP HOURS USED
LEFT RIGHT
F2 + ENTER -500 500-
* PREHEAT ENABLED *
4 Press F2 and ENTER together to enable the material preheat option. The message
* PREHEAT ENABLED * will appear at the bottom of the menu.
5 Press F2 + ENTER again to toggle the preheat option off.
Choosing a print mode
Upon receipt of a job sent to the printer, the Job Status field in the MAIN MENU display
changes from
There are two modes for printing jobs: Single and Multi. In Single mode, the GERBER SOLARA
UV2 waits for you to start the job after it is received (see “Printing a single job” on page 79).
In Multi mode, you must press Start-Job to begin the first job, and subsequent jobs start without
operator initiation when they are received (see “Printing multiple jobs” on page 81).
Start-Job Setup Start-Job Setup
Mode: Single Operate Mode: Multi Operate
Job Status: Ready Job Status: Ready
No Job to Ready, and Start-Job blinks.
MAIN MENU MAIN MENU
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A
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79
Printing a single job
Use Single mode to run one job at a time. Single mode allows you to:
Change material between jobs
Advance the material before the next job
After a job prints, the GERBER SOLARA UV2 waits for you to press F1, Start-Job again to begin
the next job once it is received at the printer.
Tip: You can print a job in Single mode to verify print output, and then switch to Multi mode
once the first job is finished to continue printing multiple jobs if you plan to use the same
material.
To run a single job
1 Press F2, Mode to toggle between Single and Multi mode. Choose Single.
IN MENU
M
Setup
F2 Mode: Single Operate
Job Status: No Job
2 Load the material in the printer. See “Loading the material” on page 42.
3 Send the job from your RIP software to the printer. When the job is received at the
printer, the Job Status changes to
Ready, and Start-Job blinks (indicated by the dotted
box in the following diagram).
MAIN MENU
F1 Start-Job Setup
Mode: Single Operate
Job Status: Ready
4 Verify that the correct material is loaded in the printer and press F1, Start-Job.
5 Before the job starts to print a reminder window will appear reminding you to check
the settings for the lamp height and the pinch wheel force depending on the type of
material you loaded and the profile being used.
REMINDER: Set/Check REMINDER: Set/Check
Lamp Height: LOW POS
Lamp Height: HIGH POS
Wheels: HIGH FORCE Wheels: LOW FORCE
(Press a Key) (Press a Key)
Default setup for vinyl material Default setup for rigid material
Check to make sure these setting are correct and press any key to start printing the job.
If you need to make adjustments use the following guidelines.
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80
To make adjustments before printing
1 Open the front cover. This will not cancel the job because it hasn’t started printing yet.
(You cannot open the front cover if the UV lamps are currently on)
2 Move the carriage assembly out over the platen and adjust the UV lamp height
according to your material profile (LOW position or HIGH position).
When you are finished, move the carriage back into the home position.
See “Adjusting the UV lamp position” on page 44.
3 Turn the dial on each pinch wheel to adjust
the force according to your material profile.
Turn counterclockwise a half
turn for LOW force.
Turn clockwise a half turn for
HIGH force.
LOW FORCE
HIGH FORCE
4 Once you are finished making adjustments return close the front cover. The
GERBER SOLARA UV2 will ask you to select the material type again. Press
F2, VINYL, F3, RIGID BLEED, or F4, RIGID material.
5 The GERBER SOLARA UV2 will automatically home the carriage and re-scan the
material then begin printing after the lamps have warmed up.
6 When the job begins to print, the Job Status line alternately displays both the job name
and job status (running or paused).
MAIN MENU MAIN MENU
F1
Pause-Job Setup
Pause-Job Setup
Mode: Single Operate Mode: Multi Operate
Job Status: My Job Job Status: Running
Note: Do not turn off the GERBER SOLARA UV2 or attempt to open the front cover while a
job is printing or it will terminate the job.
Tip: To pause the job press F1. To re-start the job, press F1 again. The printer resumes printing
where it left off and then F1 line of the display returns to Pause-Job. If the job is paused for
more than one minute the lamps will turn off. When the job is resumed the lamp warm-up
sequence occurs before printing begins. See “Pausing, restarting, and canceling a job” on
page 83 for details.
7 After completing the job, the Job Status returns to
GERBER SOLARA UV2, the Job Status displays
No Job. If you send another job to the
Ready when the next job is received,
and you will need to press F1, Start-Job to begin printing.
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Printing multiple jobs
Multi mode lets you run several jobs without having to press Start-Job between each one. When
one job finishes, the next job begins immediately on the same material loaded in the printer.
When all jobs that have been sent are completed, the printer waits for another job and begins
printing as soon as it is received. Multi mode is designed for printing multiple jobs that use
the same material.
Tip: Printing jobs in multi mode is the most efficient use of lamp life since the next job starts
before the one minute lamp time-out occurs.
To print multiple jobs
1 Press F2, Mode to toggle between Single and Multi mode. Choose Multi.
MAIN MENU
Setup
F2 Mode: Multi Operate
Job Status: No Job
2 Load the material in the printer. See “Loading the material” on page 42.
Tip: If the printer is in a remote location and not near the computer, you can press F1
(Start-Job) on the printer before you send the jobs from the computer. The first job will
start immediately after it is received.
3 Send the jobs from your computer to the printer. When the first job is received at the
printer, Job Status changes to
Ready, and Start-Job blinks.
MAIN MENU
F1 Start-Job Setup
Mode: Multi Operate
Job Status: Ready
4 Verify that the correct material for all the jobs you wish to print is loaded in the
GERBER SOLARA UV2 and press F1, Start-Job.
5 Before the job starts to print a reminder window will appear reminding you to check
the settings for the lamp height and the pinch wheel force depending on the type of
material you loaded.
REMINDER: Set/Check REMINDER: Set/Check
Lamp Height: LOW POS
Lamp Height: HIGH POS
Wheels: HIGH FORCE Wheels: LOW FORCE
(Press a Key) (Press a Key)
Default setup for vinyl material Default setup for rigid material
Check to make sure these setting are correct and press any key to start printing the job.
If you need to make adjustments use the following guidelines.
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To make adjustments before printing
1 Open the front cover. This will not cancel the job because it hasn’t started printing yet.
(You cannot open the front cover if the UV lamps are currently on)
2 Move the carriage assembly out over the platen and adjust the UV lamp height
according to your material profile (LOW position or HIGH position).
When you are finished, move the carriage back into the home position.
See “Adjusting the UV lamp position” on page 44.
3 Turn the dial on each pinch wheel to adjust
the force according to your material profile.
Turn counterclockwise a half
turn for LOW force.
Turn clockwise a half turn for
HIGH force.
LOW FORCE HIGH FORCE
4 Once you are finished making adjustments return close the front cover. The
GERBER SOLARA UV2 will ask you to select the material type again. Press
F2, VINYL, F3, RIGID BLEED, or F4, RIGID material.
5 The GERBER SOLARA UV2 will automatically home the carriage and re-scan the
material then begin printing after the lamps have warmed up.
6 When the job begins to print, the Job Status line alternately displays both the job name
and job status (running or paused).
Note: Do not turn off the GERBER SOLARA UV2 or attempt to open the front cover while a
job is printing or it will terminate the current job as well as all the jobs in queue.
7 If you send another job to the printer, it will begin as soon as the current job is done.
Note: If you do not send a job within one minute after the last job is finished printing, the
lamps will turn off. If a job is sent after this point, the lamp warm-up sequence occurs before
printing will resume.
If a job does not start when running in multi mode
When the GERBER SOLARA UV2 is printing in multi mode, the next job will not begin if one of
the following conditions occurs:
The CANCEL key is pressed
An ink cartridge needs to be replaced
A system error occurs
The printer mode is switched to Single and then back to Multi
If any of the above conditions occur, press F1, Start-Job to begin the job. The GERBER SOLARA
UV2 will begin printing when it receives the job as long as there is material loaded and the ink
reservoirs are full.
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Pausing, restarting, and canceling jobs
Pausing a job suspends it temporarily. You can pause a job by pressing F1, Pause-Job while the
job is running. The printer will stop at the next available break point. The slew keys are not
operational when a job is running or paused.
If you pause a job for more than 60 seconds, the lamps turn off and begin the three-minute cooldown. When F1, Start-Job is pressed to resume printing, the lamps automatically begin the oneminute warm-up sequence before proceeding. Each lamp on/off cycle reduces the usable lamp
life by three hours.
Note: Performing any of the following action while the printer is paused will terminate the job.
Moving the material load lever and raising the pinch wheels
Turning the material wheel and adjusting the beam height
Pressing the CANCEL button.
To pause a job and restart a job
1 To pause a job, press F1, Pause-Job while the job is running. The F1 line changes from
Pause-Job to Start-Job and the Job Status is: Paused.
MAIN MENU
F1 Start-Job Setup
Mode: Single Operate
Job Status: Paused
2 To restart the job, press F1, Start-Job. The printer resumes printing. The F1 line of the
display returns to
Pause-Job and the Job Status is: Running.
To cancel a job
To cancel a job, press the CANCEL key. The
JOB CANCELED message appears briefly, then the
printer finishes the current pass and then stops and the display returns to the MAIN MENU.
Multiple jobs sent to the printer are cleared one at a time by repeatedly pressing CANCEL
when the jobs are received.
Pausing a job due to data starvation
If job data is slow to arrive at the printer from the computer, the printer will move the carriage
to the home position temporarily. When sufficient data is received, printing will automatically
resume. If the data delay last more than 60 seconds, the lamps will turn off and begin their
three-minute cool-down cycle. Printing will not begin again until after the lamps cool down, restrike, and then warm up again.
Some causes of data starvation include: slow computer processing of data, busy network traffic,
slow network connection, and excessive processing on the computer during data transmission.
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Pausing a job due to ink starvation
If an empty cartridge is not replaced and the reservoir falls below the Full ink level when
printing, the following message is displayed and the job pauses until a new ink cartridge is
installed and the ink reservoir is full again.
* INK RESERVE EMPTY*
Job Halted
F2 = Details
(Press a key)
Press F2 to display the INK LEVEL DISPLAY to see which reservoir is empty. In the following
illustration, the Magenta ink reserve (reservoir) and cartridge are empty as indicated by an
INK LEVEL DISPLAY
COLOR: K V C M G Y
LEVEL: F F F E F F
(Press a key)
Full
Ink Cartrid
e
Ink Reserve and Cartridge empty
E
e empty
Replace the cartridge and manually start the refill in the INK MENU. Printing can commence
when the reservoir reaches the Full level.
E.
Viewing job information
You can view information about your job sent from the RIP software including the name,
requested material, and size in inches and centimeters. Job information is only valid after the job
is sent to the printer or during printing.
To view job information
1 From the MAIN MENU press F4, Operate to open the OPERATION menu.
2 Press F4, Job to display the JOB OPERATION menu.
3 Press F4, Job Info to display the job name, requested material, and size.
Measurement in inches
Job name
Material type
and centimeters
OPERATION
Material Lamps
Ink Job F4
ENTER for Main Menu
OB OPERATION
Justify
Activation Job Info F4
ENTER for Main Menu
My Job
ImagePerfect 5700 WG
30 x 45 in
76.2 x 114.3 cm
4 Press any key to return to the MAIN MENU.
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Choosing print job justification
The GERBER SOLARA UV2 gives you the option to position or “justify” your image. You can
select where on the material you would like to position the print job: the left side, the right side,
or in the center.
Note: You can also justify you image(s) using your image RIP software. It is recommended that
you use the same setting in both the RIP software and the printer.
To choose an alignment
1 From the MAIN MENU press F4, Operate to open the OPERATION menu.
OPERATION
Material Lamps
Ink Job F4
ENTER for Main Menu
2 Press F4, Job to display the JOB OPERATION menu.
OB OPERATION
F1 Justify
Activation Job Info
ENTER for Main Menu
3 Press F1, Justify to display the JUSTIFY JOB menu and the current alignment.
USTIFY JOB
+ F3
LEFT - F4
ENTER key to Accept
4 Choose between three different alignment options (LEFT, RIGHT, and CENTER) using
the F3 and F4 keys.
5 Press ENTER to save your new alignment setting. Press CANCEL to return to the
Main Menu without changing the current alignment.
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Printing full bleed on rigid material
Jobs that are wider and longer than the material stock can be sent to the GERBER SOLARA UV2
using the following procedure. Jobs that exceed the size of the material will bleed off one or
more edges and result in ink over spraying the edges of the rigid material onto the platen. To
protect the GERBER SOLARA platen from ink overspray you will need the following items:
Scotch-Blue™ Painter's Tape for Delicate Surfaces #2080.
Note: It is NOT recommended to you use standard blue painter's tape which can have too
much adhesive.
Tip: Scotch-Blue Painter's Tape for Delicate Surfaces #2080 is available in 1" and 2" widths
from most hardware stores or on the internet.
Leading and trailing edge extension pieces cut from the same material as the sign
blank. The leading edge piece should be at least 1" (25.4mm) long and the same width
as the material. The trailing edge piece should be at least 6" (152.4mm) long and the
same width as the material.
Rigid sign blank material which is flat within 0.03" (0.76mm). Warped material may
jam in the printer. Material that is bowed downward will scrape the tape off the
platen. Material that is bowed upward will contact the print carriage.
Printing one-sided, full bleed on rigid material
To prepare the printer and the material
1 Cut a leading edge extension and a trailing edge extension from the same sign blank
stock. The leading piece should be at least 1" (25.4mm) long and the same width as the
material. The trailing piece should be at least 6" (152.4mm) long and the same width as
the material.
2 Attach the extension pieces to the sign blank using Scotch-Blue Painter's Tape #2080 on
the underside of the material. The joint between the sign blank and the extension
should be tight – no more than 1/8" (3mm) or the grit wheels may not function
correctly.
Note: Make note of the length of the leading edge piece as the value will be entered as the “Top
Offset” in ImageRIP Plus or Pro when sending the job.
Tip: When using clear acrylic material, use a white leading edge extension of the same thickness
as the sign blank and is at least 7"/177.8mm long. The material sensor cannot detect clear
material. Alternately you can manually enter the material width. See the Tips and Tricks
document entitled “Printing on clear material” located on the SOLARA page of the GSP web
site: www.gspinc.com/products/printers/Solara.
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Attach the pieces to the
sign blank using ScotchBlue Painter's Tape for
Delicate Surfaces #2080
on the underside of the
material.
The joint between the sign
blank and the extension
should be tight – no more
than 1/8" (3mm)
3 Load the material into the GERBER SOLARA UV2 with the leading and trailing
extension pieces attached. Align the left edge of the material to the material guide on
the rear table. Make sure the front edge of the material is not covering the front
material sensor.
4 Adjust the left and right UV shields until they are 1/2" (12.7mm) away from the
material.
Note: Ensure that the left and right UV shields are spaced the same amount away from the
material on both sides or the print will not be centered.
5 Engage the pinch wheels and close the main cover. Adjust the beam height as
required.
6 Press F4, Rigid Bleed from the SELECT MATERIAL TYPE MENU that displays on the
GERBER SOLARA UV2.
Select material type
Rigid Bleed- F4
-Vinyl Rigid-
(CANCEL to Abort)
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7 The following reminder message to apply tape to the platen displays. Press Enter to
continue.
*** REMINDER ***
INSTALL OVERSPRAY
TAPE ON PLATEN
LEFT/RIGHT MARGINS
8 Apply tape to the platen to keep the ink from adhering to the platen and entering the
vacuum holes. Gerber recommends Scotch-Blue Painter's Tape for Delicate Surfaces
#2080.
9 Apply the tape under the left and right side of the material width so that the material
overlaps the tape 1/4" to 1/2" (6.35mm to 12.7mm). The used tape must be removed
and new tape applied for each print job or the build-up of ink can contact the print
carriage.
Scotch-Blue
Painter's Tape
for Delicate
Surfaces #2080
10 On the SOLARA UV2 keypad set center justification for the job. From the MAIN
MENU press F4, Operate to open the JOB OPERATION menu.
OB OPERATION
F1 Justify
Activation Job Info
ENTER for Main Menu
11 Press F1, Justify to open the JUSTIFY JOB menu.
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USTIFY JOB
+ F3
CENTER - F4
ENTER for Main Menu
12 Press F3 or F4 to toggle through the choices of LEFT, CENTER, or RIGHT until
CENTER displays. Press the ENTER key to accept.
To prepare the job file
1 In your design software (such as OMEGA™ or Adobe Illustrator®), create a job in
which the background is 1/2" (12.7mm) longer and wider than the sign blank (not
including the extensions).
Note: The following instructions are for ImageRIP Plus or Pro by Onyx. If you use another
RIP software your instructions will vary. Consult your software manual.
2 In ImageRIP Plus or Pro RIP-Queue, click Configure Printer to open the Configure
Printer dialog box and choose the Page Sizes tab.
3 Click Add to open the Add Page Size dialog box where you can create a custom
material size to match your sign blank.
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4 Give the custom material a name and enter the width of the sign blank plus
0.5"/12.7mm (for the bleed margin) in the Width box. Leave the default height as is
(3937.0"). Choose Sheet as the material Type. Click OK.
5 Select the printer to which the job will be sent and click the Change… button to
display the Change Media and Placement dialog box.
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6 Choose the Media Configuration Name (color profile), Media type, and page size that
matches the custom material you previously created.
7 Select Print Jobs Individually from the Placement drop-down menu and click the
Setup button to open the Placement Strategy dialog box.
8 Turn off Automatically start printing and select Right Justification. In the Top field of
the Offset box, enter the length of the leading edge extension piece. This instructs the
printer to print nothing (white space) on the extension. Click OK to close the dialog
box.
9 Print the job as you normally would.
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10 Remove the tape on the platen when the job is complete. Apply new tape to the platen
if you are printing another full bleed job.
Note: You must remove any tape after printing. Reusing the tape can cause the ink build-up to
contact the print head.
11 Remove the tape from the back of the sign blank and clean any adhesive residue with
99% isopropyl alcohol and a lint-free wipe.
Printing two-sided full bleed on rigid material
To print two-sided full bleed on rigid material
1 Follow the previous instructions for one-sided full bleed printing.
Note: Remove any tape applied to the platen during first side printing and apply new tape as
described previously. Reusing the tape can cause the ink build-up to contact the print head
carriage.
2 Remove the leading and trailing edge extensions and clean any adhesive residue from
the back side of the sign material by wiping with a lint-free wipe moistened with 99%
isopropyl alcohol.
3 Wait at least 15 minutes to allow the ink to fully cure.
4 Reattach the leading and trailing edge extensions to the printed side of the material
using Scotch-Blue Painter's Tape for Delicate Surfaces #2080.
5 Apply Scotch-Blue Painter's Tape for Delicate Surfaces #2080 the full length of the
printed image side (including the leading and trailing extensions) at the grit wheel
locations. This will protect the printed image from being damaged by the grit wheels.
Tip: The following chart provides the locations of the grit wheels to assist you in applying the
tape to the printed side of the job. The distance is measured from the scribe line on the left of
the SOLARA UV2 platen to the left edge of each of the ten grit wheels. Each grit wheel is
0.5"/12.7mm wide.
Grit Wheel
1 0.25" / 6.35mm 6 35.25"/ 895.35mm
2 7.25" / 184.15mm 7 44.25" / 1123.95mm
3 14.25" / 361.95mm 8 47.25" /1200.15mm
4 23.25" / 590.55mm 9 53.25" / 1352.55mm
5 29.25 / 742.95mm 10 59.25" / 1504.95mm
Distance from left scribe line (in/mm)
Grit wheel
Distance from left scribe line (in/mm)
6 Load the material and print from ImageRIP Plus or Pro as previously described.
7 When printing completes, carefully remove all tape from the printed material and the
GERBER SOLARA UV2. Clean any adhesive residue from the print and the machine
using a lint-free wipe moistened with 99% isopropyl alcohol.
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Creating a jig for full bleed/double sided printing
If you are printing a quantity of full bleed or double-sided prints, it may be helpful to construct
a jig using a router. To construct a jig you will need the following items:
Solid material for the jig carrier layer. Size should be larger than the sign blank
including a 3/8" (9.27mm) leading edge margin and a 6" (152.4mm) trailing edge
margin. Total thickness of the carrier layer and the jig pocket layer should not exceed
1/2" (12.7mm).
Solid material for the jig pocket layer. Thickness must be the same as the sign blank
thickness. Size should be larger than the sign blank including a 3/8" leading edge
margin and a 6" (152.4mm) trailing edge margin. Total thickness of the carrier layer
and the jig pocket layer should not exceed 1/2" (12.7mm).
Double-sided tape or glue to bond the jig pocket layer to the jig carrier layer.
Rigid sign blank material which is flat within 0.03" (0.76mm). Warped material may
jam in the printer. Material that is bowed downward will scrape the platen. Material
that is bowed upward will contact the print carriage.
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To prepare the jig
1 In a design program such as OMEGA, create the vector art for the jig pocket layer.
Locate the sign blank pocket on an oversized pocket layer so that there is at least a
3/8" (9.27mm) leading edge margin and a 6" (152.4mm) trailing edge margin. The side
margins should be least 1/2" (12.7mm) thick. All dimensions can be larger than the
minimum requirements as long as the jig fits within the Solara maximum dimensions
of 60" (1524mm) wide. The pocket should be sized to hold the sign blank without
shifting. Make note of all dimensions.
Tip: When creating a pocket for the sign blank, it is a good idea to cut finger access holes in
the corners of the pocket. This allows you to remove the printed sign easily.
2 Create a carrier layer (rectangle) that has the same exterior dimensions of the pocket
layer.
3 In the router software, assign the appropriate tool paths to cut the pocket layer and the
carrier layer of the jig.
4 Load material of the same thickness as the sign blank on the router and cut the pocket
layer.
5 Load material for the carrier layer on the router. 1
Note: The total combined thickness of the pocket layer and carrier layer cannot exceed 1/2"
(12.7mm).
6 Cut out the carrier layer using the router.
7 Use double-sided tape or glue to bond the pocket layer to the carrier layer.
8 Insert the sign blank into the pocket and clean it in preparation for printing.
9 Load the jig into the GERBER SOLARA UV2.
To prepare the job file
1 In your design software (such as OMEGA™ or Adobe Illustrator®), create a job in
which the background is 1/2" (12.7mm) longer and wider than the sign blank (not
including the size of the jig).
Note: The following instructions are for ImageRIP Plus or Pro by Onyx. If you use another
RIP software your instructions will vary. Consult your software manual.
2 In ImageRIP Plus or Pro RIP-Queue.
3 Click Configure Printer to open the Configure Printer dialog box and choose the Page
Sizes tab.
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4 Click Add to open the Add Page Size dialog box where you can create a custom
material size to match your sign blank.
94
5 Give the custom material a name and enter the width of the sign blank plus
0.5"/12.7mm (for the bleed margin) in the Width box. Leave the default height as is
(3937.0"). Choose Sheet as the material Type. Click OK.
6 Select the printer to which the job will be sent and click the Change… button to
display the Change Media and Placement dialog box.
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7 Choose the Media Configuration Name (color profile), Media type, and page size that
matches the custom material you previously created.
8 Select Print Jobs Individually from the Placement drop-down menu and click the
Setup button to open the Placement Strategy dialog box.
9 Click the Setup button to open the Placement Strategy dialog box.
10 Turn off Automatically start printing and select Right Justification.
11 In the Left field of the Offset box, enter the jig's side margin.
12 In the Top field of the Offset box, enter the length of the leading edge margin. This
instructs the printer to print nothing (white space) on the leading edge and side
margin. Click OK to close the dialog box.
13 Print the job as you normally would.
14 If you are printing two-sided, lift out the sign blank and reinsert it printed side down.
15 Repeat the printing procedure described previously.
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Chapter 6: Routine Printer Maintenance
This chapter describes required daily print head maintenance, how to check remaining bulb life,
and the cleaning or replacing of the UV lamp cartridges.
Daily maintenance
CAUTION: Throughout the day you must wipe the print heads with a swab
moistened with GERBER SOLARA UV2 Cleaning Solution to prevent ink build up.
Perform this simple maintenance procedure to maximize print head life.
Follow this daily maintenance schedule:
At the beginning of each day, prime and wipe the print heads. Print a
Nozzle Out test print to check for missing nozzles and prime again if
necessary. Reset the head cleaning timer
After every FOUR hours of printing, prime and wipe the print heads with a
swab moistened with GERBER SOLARA UV2 Cleaning Solution. Reset
the head cleaning timer.
End of each day wipe the print heads with a swab moistened with
GERBER SOLARA UV2 Cleaning Solution. Reset the head cleaning timer.
Priming the print heads
At the beginning of each day or if you notice missing nozzles in the NozzleJob test print, prime
the print head to clear the nozzles by pushing a small quantity of ink through the print head
nozzle plate. The UV bulbs must be off and cool and the head must be in the home position
before priming can begin. The PRIME command is located in the INK MENU.
After priming the print head and wiping the nozzle plates with a moist swab, print a NozzleJob
test print to verify that all of the nozzles are functioning. If there are missing (clogged) nozzles
you can prime the print head again. See “Printing the NozzleJob test print” on page 101. When
the print heads are clean, reset the head cleaning timer in the HEAD CLEAN menu so that the
cleaning cycles can be timed accurately. See “Resetting the head cleaning timer” on page 103.
Note: Avoid unnecessary lamp on/off cycles when able. Each lamp on/lamp off cycle reduces
bulb life by three hours.
CAUTION: If you choose to disable the UV lamps when running a test job, the ink
will not cure on the material. Wipe off uncured ink and dispose of appropriately.
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To prime the print heads
98
1 From the MAIN MENU, press F4, Operate to open the OPERATION menu.
OPERATION
Material Lamps
F2 Ink Job
ENTER for Main Menu
2 Press F2, Ink to open the INK MENU.
INK MENU
Levels Service
Start Refill Prime F4
ENTER for Main Menu
3 Press F4, Prime. This procedure pushes a small quantity of ink through the print head
to clear the nozzles. The display changes to:
Close ink lines for
All ink colors which
are NOT to be primed.
ENTER when done
4 Close the Ink Bypass valves located at the back of the printer for the print heads that
will NOT be primed. The color that is to be primed should be switched open to allow
it the ink to flow through.
Press ENTER when done. The display changes to:
Open Outer Primin
door and install
lint-free wipe
ENTER when done
Valve open for
color to be primed
(black)
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CAUTION: Use caution when reaching inside the printer to install a lint-free wipe
(absorbent pad), open the inner head shutter, or swab the heads. The UV lamps and
printer body may be hot.
99
Head shutter handle in
closed position. Slide
backward to open.
Lint-free wipes in tray
Outer priming door
5 Open the priming door at the left side of the printer and install a lint-free wipe (to
absorb any waste ink) in the tray. Press ENTER when done. The display changes to:
OPEN INNER
Head Shutter.
ENTER when done
6 Open the inner head shutter by sliding it back to expose the print heads. Press ENTER
when done. The Prime cycle begins automatically and the display changes to:
Primin
In Progress
7 During the Prime cycle, ink will drip from the print head that is being primed onto the
lint-free wipe. When complete the display changes to:
Gently swab the
bottom of the heads
with the swab tool.
ENTER when done
8 Moistened a swab with several drops of GERBER SOLARA UV2 Cleaning Solution
and blot off excess using a lint-free cloth. Gently wipe the primed print head from
back to front one time. Repeat the swabbing procedure using a new swab moistened
with Cleaning Solution for each print head that has been primed. Dispose of used
swabs according to local laws and regulations. (See following picture)
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9 Press ENTER when done and the display changes to:
Swab the print heads one at a
time from back to front
Shutter door slid back to
reveal print head nozzle plates
100
CLOSE Inner
Head Shutter
ENTER when done
10 Close inner head shutter by sliding it forward until it clicks into place. Press ENTER
when done and the display changes to:
Remove lint-free
Wipe and Close
Outer Priming Door.
ENTER when done
11 If lint-free wipe (absorbent pad) is saturated, remove it and dispose according to local
laws and regulations. Press ENTER when done and the display changes to:
OPEN
ALL ink lines for
ALL ink colors.
(ENTER when done)
12 Switch all ink bypass valves to the OPEN position. Press ENTER to return to the
MAIN MENU.
All valves in OPEN
position to let ink
flow through
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