HP Scitex FB950 User's Guide
HP Scitex FB950 Printer
User Guide
© Copyright 2008–2009 Hewlett-Packard
Development Company, L.P.
The information contained herein is subject
to change without notice. The only
warranties for HP products and services are
set forth in the express warranty statements
accompanying such products and services.
Nothing herein should be construed as
constituting an additional warranty. HP shall
not be liable for technical or editorial errors
or omissions contained herein.
Part number 0706455 Revision B
Table of contents
1 Getting started
Operating requirements .................................... ... ....... ...... .. ....... ...... .. ....... ...... .... ..... ...... .... ................... 2
Electrical ............................................................... ............................................................... 2
Environmental ...................................................................................................................... 2
Connect the RIP ................................................................................................................................... 3
Install the VideoNet cable .................................................................................................... 3
Install the VideoNet protocol ................................................ ................................................ 3
Install the RIP software ........................ ................................................................................ 4
Install a language file ........................................................................................................... 4
Important operating notes .................................................................................................................... 5
Safety warnings .............................. ..... ... ..... ..... .. ..... ..... ... ..... ..... .. ..... ..... ... ..... ..... ... ..... .......... ................ 6
Workflow overview ............................................................................................................................... 7
Quick tour .............................. .. .... ..... . ..... .... ... .... ..... .. .... .... .. ..... .... ... ... ...... . ..... .... .. ..... ............................ 8
Special features ...................................... ... ....... ...... .. ....... ...... .... ..... ...... .... ..... ....... ... ........................... 10
Printheads .......................................................................................................................... 10
Ink system .......................................................................................................................... 10
Media handling .................................................................................................................. 10
Calibration .......................................................................................................................... 10
Performance and ease-of-use ........................................................................................... 11
2 Printing
Configure printing ........................... .... .... .. ..... .... . ..... .... .. ..... ... ... .... .... ... .... .... .. .... ..... .. .... ................ ...... 14
Equivalent print modes ...................................................................................................... 17
Configure media ........................................................................................................ ......................... 19
Media Wizard ........................ ... .............................. ............................................................ 20
Load and print on rigid media ............................................................................................................. 21
Quick Load ................................... ... ...... ...... ... ..... ....... .. ...... ...... ... ...... ...... ... ..... ....... . ........... 22
Multi-sheet N-UP ............................................................................................................... 22
Margins ............................................................................................................. 23
Using the camera to locate the sheets .............................................................. 23
“Incomplete” rows ............................... ... ..... ...... .. ...... ..... .. ..... ..... ... ..... ...... ... ..... .. 24
Load and print on roll-fed media ......................................................................................................... 25
New load .................................................................................................................... ........ 26
Restore loaded state ...................................................................... .................................... 27
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Stored jobs ......................................................................................................................................... 29
Load ink ........................................................................................................................................ ...... 31
Printing tips ................................ ......................................................................................................... 33
3 Control panel
Overview ............................................ ........................................................... ..................................... 36
Front Page .......................................................................................................................................... 37
Menu Tree .............................. ... .... .... ... ... ...... . ..... .... .. ..... ... ... .... ..... .. .... ..... . ..... .... .. ..... ......................... 40
Menus ................................................................................................................................................. 43
Measure media options ..................................................................................................... 28
Unload an empty ink box ................................................................................................... 31
Load a full ink box .............................................................................................................. 31
Pause-swapping ink ....................................... ... ....... ..... ... ..... ...... ... ...... ..... .... ..... ...... .. ....... . 33
Calibrate Printer ............................... ..... ....... ....... ..... ....... ....... .... ....... ....... .... ....... ....... ........ 43
Printer Settings .................................................................................................................. 44
Tools .................................................................................................................................. 47
Warnings & Actions ........................................................................................................... 48
Service Printer ................................................................................................................... 48
Print Menus ...................................... .. ....... ..... ... ..... ....... ... ..... ..... .... ...... ..... .... ..... ...... .. ........ 48
4 Calibration
When to calibrate ............................................................................................................................... 50
AutoJet ............ ........................ .................................................. ......................................................... 51
AutoTune ............................. ................................. .................................................................... .... ...... 52
Auto calibrations ................................. . ..... ...... ... ..... .... ... ..... ..... .. ..... ..... ... ..... ..... .. ..... ..... ...................... 53
Manual calibrations ............................................................................................................................ 54
Linearization ...................................................................................................... ................................. 63
Quality Check .................................................................................................................... 52
Media Feed Calibration ...................................................................................................... 54
Manual BiDi Registration ................................................................................................... 55
Printhead X Calibration ...................................................................................................... 57
Manual Jet Mapping .......................................................................................................... 58
Report Individual Bad Jets ................................................................................ 59
Clear Individual Bad Jets .................................................................................. 60
View Current Bad Jets ...................................................................................... 60
Clear All Bad Jets for a Head ............................................................................ 60
Clear All Bad Jets .............................................................................................. 61
Print Jet-Out Lines ............................................................................................................. 61
Default Registration Data ........................... ........................................................................ 62
5 User cleaning
Schedule of tasks ...................................................................................................... ......................... 66
Clean and oil rail carriage-wheel strips (bi-weekly) ............................................................................ 68
iv ENWW
Clean the rail encoder strip (bi-weekly) .............................................................................................. 70
Manually clean the printheads (bi-weekly) ......................................................................................... 71
Clean and grease the service station wiper slide rails (monthly) ......................................... .............. 73
Clean service station wiper (monthly) ............................ ....................................... ............................. 75
Clean carriage wheels (monthly) ........................................................................................................ 76
Clean bottom of carriage (monthly) .................................................................................................... 78
Clean the home sensor (monthly) ...................................................................................................... 79
Replace the UV lamp filters (quarterly) .................................................. ..... ... ....... ..... ... ....... ..... ......... 81
Replace the carriage-cover fan filters (quarterly) ............................................................................... 82
Clean the electronics box fan filter (quarterly) .................... ............................. ................................... 84
Replace the service station wipers (quarterly) ........................................ ..... ....... ... ..... ....... .. ...... ........ 86
Clean ionizer needles (quarterly) ........................................... .... ..... ....... ... ....... ..... ... ....... ..... ... ........... 87
Drain waste ink from service station (quarterly) ................................................................................. 88
Clean media thickness sensor roller (quarterly) ................................................................................. 89
Appendix A Specifications
Specifications ........................................................................................................... .......................... 92
Appendix B Troubleshooting
Troubleshooting checklist .................................... ......... .......... ....... .......... .......... ....... .......... ............... . 96
Warranty claims ............................................ ... ...... ...... .... ..... ...... .... ..... ...... .... ..... ...... .... ...................... 98
HP Customer Care ....................... .. ............................................................................. ....................... 99
North America .................................................................................................................... 99
Europe, Middle East, and Africa ........................................................................................ 99
Asia and Pacific ................................................................................................................. 99
Latin America ..................................................................................................................... 99
Appendix C Image quality tips
Overview ............................................................................................................................ .............. 102
Startup and check jet health ............................................................................................................. 103
Start with the printer in good working order ..................................................................... 103
Load media correctly ....................................................................................................... 103
Check jet health ............................................................................................................... 104
Printer settings ................................................................................................................................. 105
Select print mode ............................................................................................................ . 105
Select Plus or normal mode ....................................................................... ...................... 106
Select detail and edge quality options ............................................................................. 106
Adjust gloss ..................................................................................................................... 106
RIP settings ..................................................................................................... ................................. 109
Choose a resolution ......................................................................................................... 109
Choose a color profile ...................................................................................................... 109
Troubleshoot image quality problems .............................................................................................. 110
Ensuring high-quality documents and images ................................................................. 110
ENWW v
Wide banding ........................ ... ............................... ......................................................... 110
Thin banding .................................................................................................................... 111
Grainy .............................................................................................................................. 112
Not enough saturation or contrast ................................................................................... 112
Inaccurate or unexpected colors ...................................................................................... 113
Examples ......................................................................................................... ................................. 114
Saturated photograph with dark areas ............................................................................. 114
Event signage .................................................................................................................. 114
Flexible banner ................................................................................................................ 115
Image quality flow chart .................................................................................................. .................. 116
Index ................................................................................................................................................................. 117
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1 Getting started
This chapter shows you how to get started using your prin te r. It includes these topics:
Operating requirements
●
Connect the RIP
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Important operating notes
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Safety warnings
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Workflow overview
●
Quick tour
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Special features
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ENWW 1
Operating requirements
Electrical
Make sure the line voltage meets the requirements. See
●
Use the supplied power cord. Plug it directly into a grounded electrical outlet. Do not lengthen the
●
power cord with an extension cord; the resulting drop in voltage could damage the printer.
To maintain vacuum to the printheads during printer power-down or unexpected power outages,
●
use the auxiliary 24 volt power supply (included in the accessory kit with universal power adapters).
Connect the 24 VDC jack on the vacuum/pressure assembly to either of two options:
◦
◦
Connect printer to its own electrical circuit. Do not connect the RIP, auxiliary power supply, or UPS
●
into the same circuit as the printer.
Environmental
Make sure the room is well ventilated, with a temperature and relative humidity within spe cifications.
●
Optimal printing occurs within these ranges. See
The high power UV light emitted by the curing lamps reacts with oxygen and produces ozone. This
●
formation tends to be greatest during lamp start-up. The printer should be operated in a wellventilated area to avoid minor effects such as headaches, fatigue, and dryness of the upper
respiratory tract. Normal air movement will mix the ozone with fresh air, causing it to revert back
to oxygen.
Specifications on page 92 for details.
UPS — customer-supplied uninterruptable power supply, output 100-240 VAC, 50/60 Hz,
minimum of 15 watts of power, provides battery backup to the vacuum system in the event of
a power failure.
Wall outlet — 100-240 VAC, 50/60 Hz, provides temporary power to the vacuum system when
it is necessary to power down the printer for service. See Appendix A, Technical
Specifications, for details.
Specifications on page 91 for details.
Store media and ink in an area with similar temperature and humidity conditions as the printer.
●
Locate the printer so that it can be connected to the print server (RIP) with the included cable.
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Locate the printer on a flat, level floor.
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Locate the printer where its normal operating noise will not disturb quiet work areas.
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DO NOT install the printer near humidifiers, refrigerators, fans, water faucets, heaters or similar
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equipment.
DO NOT install the printer in areas where the temperature changes abruptly, such as near air
●
conditioners, in the path of direct sunlight, or near open doors or windows.
DO NOT expose the printer to flames or dust.
●
2 Chapter 1 Getting started ENWW
Connect the RIP
The printer receives print jobs from a raster image processor (RIP), from either HP or a supported thirdparty manufacturer.
To connect the printer to the HP RIP Software, refer to its User Guide for detailed instructions.
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To connect the printer to a third-party RIP, follow this procedure:
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Install the VideoNet cable
1. Power off the computer you will be using to run the RIP.
2. Connect the printer to the RIP comput er 's Ethernet port using the included cab le.
NOTE: The included cable is 7.62 m (25 ft) in length. If necessary, you can use a crossover
Category 5 (or higher) 10/100Base-T cable , u p to 38 .1 m (12 5 ft ) in le ng th .
3. Connect the user workstation(s) to the RIP.
You can connect your workstation to the RIP via a local area network or directly using a single
cable.
To connect to the print server via a network hub, use a standard straight-through Category 5,
●
10/100Base-T cable.
To connect a single workstation to the RIP without a network, use a Category 5, 10/100Ba se-
●
T crossover cable, such as the VideoNet cable, part number 0582323.
4. Turn on the computer power.
Install the VideoNet protocol
The following procedure is for Microsoft Windo w s Vista (32–bit). Other operating system versions are
not supported.
1. Open Network Connections by clicking the Start button > Control Panel > Network and Internet >
Network and Sharing Center > Manage Network Connections.
2. Right-click the local area connection that corresponds to the VideoNet card, then click Properties.
(Type the password or provide confirmation if prompted.)
3. Click Install.
4. In the Select Network Feature Type dialog box, click Protocol, and then click Add.
5. Browse to the folder on the hard drive or HP softwa re disc th a t co nta i ns t he Vide oNet protocol
(videonet.inf).
6. Follow the prompts to complete the installation of the VideoNet protocol.
It can be difficult to determine which icon represen ts which connection. One way to determine this
is to unplug the VideoNet cable and observe which icon shows a red “X”.
To avoid confusion in the future, rename the VideoNet icon to “VideoNet.”
ENWW Connect the RIP 3
Install the RIP software
Install and configure the RIP software as outlined in the documentation supplied with it.
▲
Install a language file
The printer's control panel interface optionally can be switched b etween English and one other language.
To install this option, refer to the instructions provided with the second language software files. These
files can be downloaded from the HP Graphic Arts web site at
http://www.hp.com/go/graphic-arts.
4 Chapter 1 Getting started ENWW
Important operating notes
UV CURE INK IS PERISHABLE. Unlike other inks used in wide format printing, UV cure ink has a
●
limited shelf life. Plan to rotate your ink stock and use it promptly by the date printed on the ink box.
CAUTION: When the UV lamps are switched off, they undergo a controlled cool-down cycle. Sudden
removal of power from hot lamps, such as disconnecting the power cord or from a power outage, can
result in overheating and permanent damage. The lamp s sh ou ld b e sw itch ed off only via the printer
software.
The maximum diameter allowed on the optional takeup spool is 178 mm (7.0 in) on a 76 mm (3 in)
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core. The supply-takeup system can support rolls of up to approximately 56.7 kg (125 lb).
The media supply may be wound either printed-side-ou t or printed-side-in, but the optional takeup,
●
if used, must be loaded printed-side-in.
The default head height set to 2.159 mm (0.085 in) above the media. (The space below the carriage
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will measure 1.778 mm (0.070 in) due to the printhead protection frame around the outside of the
carriage.) The head height can be adjusted up or down at the control panel (Printer Settings >
Head Height Off Media).
The Media Wizard stores a set of operational parameters for predefined and user-defined media
●
types. When you load a new media type, select an existing Media Wizard set, or create a custom
set. Media Wizard parameter sets can be selected at any time from the control panel.
Enable AutoTune during long periods of unattended printing on roll-fed media. AutoTune runs
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AutoJet at user-defined intervals to ensure that all jets are either working or substituted with working
jets.
Wear cotton gloves when loading media to prevent fin gerprints that co uld show after printing. You
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can use isopropyl alcohol (IPA) to clean fingerprints and reduce static electricity on synthetic medi a.
DO NOT reprint over any output that has not completely cured (for example, due to a UV lamp
●
malfunction).
DO NOT rest or store a media roll on end, or you could ca use edge creases that could strike the
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printheads during printing. To avoid bowing, store sheet-fed media flat, not standing on end.
DO NOT set heavy objects on the power cord or printer cable; do not bend the cables or force them
●
into contorted positions.
DO NOT place heavy objects anywhere on th e printer.
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ENWW Important operating notes 5
Safety warnings
UV light — the ultraviolet (UV) curing lamps emit high power UV light. The printer must be operated
●
with all safety shielding installed to protect the operator from eye and skin damage. When operate d
according to manufacturer’s instructions, safety glasses or other protective clothing are not
necessary.
Mechanical hazards — Keep fingers away from carriage and media path. Do not exceed the
●
maximum weight load of the input or output tables, as prin ted on the label.
Ink — read and practice safety guidelines as outlined in the Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS)
●
for the ink, and post the document in the work area as required by prevailing law. Avoid any contact
with skin and eyes. Provide adequate general and local exhaust ventilation. Avoid breathing
vapors. Respirator protection may be required under exceptional circumstances when excessive
air contamination exists. None of the component substances have established exposure standards
per OSHA, NIOSH or ACGIH. Collect waste ink in container provided. Dispose of ink according to
MSDS and local regulations. Keep the waste-ink spigot closed during printing.
Electrical — WITH THE POWER SWITCH IN THE OFF POSITION, POWER MAY STILL BE
●
SUPPLIED TO THE PRINTER COMPONENTS. To completely cut power from the printer, you
must unplug the power cord from the power outlet.
Ozone — the high power UV light emitted by the curing lamp s re act s with oxyg e n a nd pro d uce s
●
ozone. This formation tends to be greatest durin g lamp start-up. The printer sh ould be operated i n
a well-ventilated area to avoid minor effects such as headaches, fatigue, and dr yness of the upp er
respiratory tract. Normal air movement will mix the ozone with fresh air, causing it to revert back
to oxygen.
Hazardous waste — THE PRINTER ELECTRONICS ASSEMBLY CONTAINS A LITHIUM
●
BATTERY DEVICE. THERE IS A DANGER OF EXPLOSION IF THE BATTERY IS
INCORRECTLY REPLACED. The battery must be replaced only by authorized service providers,
and must be replaced only with the same or equivalent type. Disp ose of this lithiu m battery device
in accordance with local, state (or province), and Federal (or country) solid waste requirements.
6 Chapter 1 Getting started ENWW
Workflow overview
When the printer is connected to the HP RIP Softwa re, here is how a typical print job progresses from
the client workstation to the printer. If you are using a non-HP RIP, refer to the documentation that
accompanies it for details.
1. The operator sends a file to be printed from a client workstation.
2. The print job is received by the print server.
Once it reaches the print server, the print job may be reprioritized, combined with other jobs, rerouted, or otherwise manipulated. Refer to the print server online help or manual for instructions.
3. The print server RIPs the job.
The raster image processing (RIP) process translates the PostScript language data th at comprises
the print job into the data required by the printer.
4. The server sends the image to the printer for printing.
In most cases, the printer’s automated jet maintenance makes manual jet recovery unnecessary,
even after the printer has been idle overnight. Banding in printed output may in dicate cl ogged jets
or the need for calibration.
Since automatic head maintenance cannot occur when the printer is powered down, ke ep th e printer
powered on at all times if possible. If automatic head maintenance does not occur for an extended period,
manual purging may be necessary to restore the printheads to working condition.
Specifications on page 92 for information on using the included auxiliary power supply for the
See
vacuum/pressure system.
The printer will automatically enter a Sleep mode when it has been idle for a user-defined period of time
(see
Front Page on page 37 for details).
ENWW Workflow overview 7
Quick tour
1. Touch-screen control panel
2. UV-filtered observation windows
3. Emergency stop button (2 places)
4. Exhaust vents
5. Rigid media alignment pins
6. Electronics box (inside enclosure)
7. Data ports
8. VideoNet port
9. Port for optional foot switch
10. Main power switch
11. (Under the media drive belt assembly on the electronics cabinet) Main power, supply/takeup
system power inlet ports, serial number and regulatory label
12. Media drive belt
13. Media supply brackets
14. Media input roller (inside cover)
15. Media alignment bar (inside cover)
16. Media output roller (inside cover)
8 Chapter 1 Getting started ENWW
17. Ink supply rack
18. Ink connections
19. Profiler docking station
20. Vacuum/Pressure system auxiliary power inlet
21. Vacuum adjustment knob
22. Service station (inside enclosure)
23. Printhead maintenance vacuum (inside enclosure)
24. Waste ink spigot
ENWW Quick tour 9
Special features
Printheads
Printheads — variable drop size, piezoelectric printheads.
●
Ink system
Off-Head System (OHS) — bulk ink boxes with integrated filters. No-drip quick connectors simplify
●
ink box replacement.
Onboard vacuum/pressure (VP) system — provides vacuum to maintain negative printhead
●
pressure, and air pressure to purge the printheads or ink tubes without removing them from the
printer.
Patent-pending automated printhead service station — fully maintains the hea lth of the printheads
●
while idle or in service, without operator intervention.
Media handling
Automatic head height — automatic head height adjustment and patent-pending shuttered UV
●
lamp system allow the printer to accept rigid sheet-fed media up to 6.35 cm (2.5 in) thick.
Automatic media width sensing — automaticall y detects the width and position of the media loade d,
●
for precise image placement.
●
●
Calibration
The Advanced Automation Eye uses a high-resolution d igital imaging sensor (camera), photodiode, and
embedded software to align the printheads, detect and replace missing jets, linearize output, and
characterize media (with supported RIP).
●
●
●
●
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Built-in static charge abatement — ionizer bars help dissipate static electric charge from synthetic
media.
AutoEdge — automatically aids the loading of rigid sheets by detecting the leading edge.
AutoSet calibration — automatically aligns printheads bidirectionally for precise positi oning of inkjet
pixels, and runs AutoJet.
AutoJet calibration— compensates for lost or misfiring jets by locating them and using substitute
jets without slowing printing speed.
Roll-feed AutoTune scheduling — runs AutoJet at user-de fined intervals, for highest quality during
unattended roll-fed printing. Optionally, if unsubstituted non-working jets are found, printing stops
until the problem is corrected.
Automatic color calibration — linearizes output over the entire density range (with RIP support).
Color profiling — creates custom color profile s for third-party media (with RIP support).
10 Chapter 1 Getting started ENWW
Performance and ease-of-use
Media Wizard — stores and recalls a set of operating parameters by media type and print mode,
●
for optimal printing performance. Includes a set of predefined settings for standard media; user
may add settings for other media.
Speed/quality print modes — provided to meet speed and quality requirements.
●
Edge-to-edge printing — margins on rigid media can be set to zero for edge-to-edge printing,
●
providing “full bleed” prints without trimming.
Fine Text — prints at half the normal head speed to improve the output qu ality of fine text and line
●
art.
Sharp Edge — reduces overspray at the edges of images and blocks of color.
●
Simplified control panel interface — touch-screen control panel with graphical Fron t Page interface
●
presents frequently-used functions. A menu provides access to less-frequently used functions and
troubleshooting help.
User assistance — control panel features online help, interactive procedures, and diagnostics to
●
assist the user, reducing training and troubleshooting time.
ENWW Special features 11
12 Chapter 1 Getting started ENWW
2Printing
This chapter shows you how to set print mode and media options, load media, and print:
Configure printing
●
Configure media
●
Load and print on rigid media
●
Load and print on roll-fed media
●
Stored jobs
●
Load ink
●
Printing tips
●
ENWW 13
Configure printing
The printer can print in several different modes for the combination of quality, resolution , and speed that
you require.
The resolution is determined by the resolution at which the job was rasterized by the external RIP. The
Print Mode is selectable at the control panel. The actual print speed is determined by the combination
of output quality, print length and width, and printing delay selected at the control panel (described
below).
Table 2-1 Typical print speeds by mode
Resolution
1200 x 600 Standard: 5 / 56
600 x 600 Standard: 10 / 113
600 x 300 Standard: 21 / 227
Bidirectional print mode (m2 per hour/ft2 per hour)
High Quality Production Billboard
Plus: 5 / 53
Plus: 10 / 106
Plus: 19 / 203
Standard: 10 / 113
Plus: 10 / 106
Standard: 21 / 229
Plus:19 / 202
Standard:42 / 456
Plus: 34 / 366
Standard: 21 / 229
Plus: 19 / 202
Standard: 42 / 456
Plus: 34 / 363
Standard: 80 / 858
Plus: 55 / 596
Jet replacement refers to the printer’s ability to locate and replace inkjets that are clogged or misfiring.
High Quality mode has the best jet replacement, Billboard Quality mode has the highest speed, but
without jet replacement.
The current print mode is shown in the top center of the control panel. To change the print mode, follow
these instructions.
1. On the control panel, press the Print Mode key.
The print mode menu appears, with these options:
Billboard Quality
●
Production Quality
●
High Quality
●
2. Press a print mode to select it.
A menu appears with these options:
Bidirectional
●
Unidirectional - Print From User (1) to Service (2) Side (prints only when the carriage is moving
●
away from the control panel)
Unidirectional - Print From Service (2) to User (1) Side (prints only when the carriage is moving
●
toward the control panel)
14 Chapter 2 Printing ENWW
The printer can print in both directions (bidirectional) or in one direction only (unidirectional).
Unidirectional printing can occur in either direction. Printing occurs at about half the speed of the
corresponding bidirectional print mode. Unidirectional printing eliminates the bidirectional
misalignment that occurs when printing on media that is not perfectly flat.
3. Press a direction option to select it.
In Production and High Quality modes, a menu appears with these options:
Normal — prints at full speed.
●
Plus — provides reduced horizontal gloss banding when printing bidirectionally in large image
●
areas or solid colors.
Normal Fine Text — prints at half the normal head speed to improve the output quality of fine
●
text and line art by eliminating overspray.
Plus Fine Text — provides reduced gloss banding and improved fine text and line art.
●
Sharp Edge — improves the appearance at the ed ges of larger text, colored borders, graphics,
●
and images by directing the inkjet overspray into the printed area. This mode requires an
additional print pass than Normal mode. (Not available with unidirectional printing or in
Billboard or Plus mode.)
CAUTION: Printing in Fine Text mode, which prints at 50% of the speed of the "normal"
Production and High Quality modes, may expose the media to excessive heat from the UV lamps,
which could result in bowing of the center of the media, and possible contact with the printheads.
Thinner rigid media such as fluted polypropylene (Coroplast) are susceptible. To avoid warping,
set a media delay in Printer Settings > Printing Delay, or in a custom Media Wizard parameter
set for Fine Text printing.
This could also be an issue with Sharp Edge and Plus mode printing, although these modes print
at 80% speed, so they are less susceptible to excessive heat buildup.
4. Press an option to select it.
The media settings screen appears.
5. Press the Media Settings button under any of the resolutions in the table to change the settings
for that resolution.
ENWW Configure printing 15
A menu appears that enables you to change any of the se settings:
Printing Delay
●
Lamp Mode
●
Shutter Aperture
●
These settings are explained in the following sections.
NOTE: You can change the settings for a standard media type temporarily. To save the changes
permanently, copy the standard media type into a new media type, and save its settings.
6. To set a printing delay, press the Printing Delay option in the Media Settings menu.
The Printing Delay screen appears. Increase the printing delay to allow more heat to dissipate fro m
the media between print passes. Decrease the delay to increase throughput.
7. Increase or decrease the delay by pressing the ▲ or ▼ keys.
8. Press Proceed (►) to save your changes, or Cancel to discard them.
9. To set the lamp mode, press the Lamp Mode option in the Media Settings menu.
The Lamp Mode screen appears.
10. Configure the UV lamps operation by touching the option for the leading and trailing lamps. Buttons
will appear or disappear to present only valid combinatio ns (for example, you cannot set both lamps
to Shuttered).
For standard media listed in the Media Wizard, leave the la mp settings at their default values,
●
then adjust as needed.
Faster print modes require higher lamp settings to ensure sufficient curing.
●
If the ink is not curing, increase the setting. The lamps will gradually lose curing effectiveness,
●
so increasing the setting eventually may become necessary.
If the media is wrinkling or warping from the heat of the lamps, lower the setting.
●
11. To set the aperture settings, press the Shutter Aperture option in the Media Settings menu.
The aperture settings screen appears.
12. Adjust the shutter apertures, or press Proceed (►) to continue.
You can select the aperture (opening amount) for each shutter, and/or completely close one of the
shutters, during printing. This enables you to reduce the warping of rigid media by reducing the
amount of light and heat emitted by the lamps. The aperture can also be set by touching the UV
lamps info panel.
The UV lamp shutters are vertical when completely opened, and rotate to cha nge the aperture. An
aperture setting of 0 degrees is completely open; 20 degrees is half open, “Closed” is completely
closed. You cannot set both shutters to closed while printing. During printing, the lamp icons on
the control panel are dynamically shaded to indicate the aperture setting. The icons will change as
the carriage direction changes if the leading and trailing aperture settings are different from each
other.
13. Press Proceed (►) to save the settings and return to the Front Page, or Cancel to restore the
previous print mode settings.
16 Chapter 2 Printing ENWW
Equivalent print modes
From the standpoint of UV curing and temperature, all print modes fall into one of five print speed groups:
A, B, C, D, or E. If you change the Printing Delay, Lamp Mode, or Shutter Aperture for any print mode,
the changes apply to all print modes within that group. The group for each print mode is shown in the
Media Settings screen.
The following table shows the print modes by print speed group.
Table 2-2 Print modes by group
Quality Direction Resolution Overspray Group
High Quality BiDi 600 x 600 FineText A
High Quality BiDi 1200 x 600 FineText A
High Quality BiDi 1200 x 600 Normal A
High Quality BiDi 1200 x 600 Sharp Edge A
High Quality Uni 600 x 600 FineText A
High Quality Uni 1200 x 600 FineText A
High Quality Uni 600 x 600 Normal A
High Quality Uni 1200 x 600 Normal A
High Quality Plus BiDi 600 x 600 FineText A
High Quality Plus BiDi 1200 x 600 Normal A
High Quality Plus BiDi 1200 x 600 FineText A
Production BiDi 1200 x 600 FineText A
Production Uni 1200 x 600 FineText A
Production Uni 1200 x 600 Normal A
Production Plus BiDi 1200 x 600 FineText A
High Quality BiDi 600 x 300 FineText B
High Quality BiDi 600 x 600 Normal B
High Quality BiDi 600 x 600 Sharp Edge B
High Quality Uni 600 x 300 FineText B
High Quality Uni 600 x 300 Normal B
High Quality Plus BiDi 600 x 600 Normal B
High Quality Plus BiDi 600 X 300 FineText B
Production BiDi 600 x 600 FineText B
Production BiDi 1200 x 600 Normal B
Production BiDi 1200 x 600 Sharp Edge B
Production Uni 600 x 600 FineText B
Production Uni 600 x 600 Normal B
Production Plus BiDi 1200 x 600 Normal B
ENWW Configure printing 17
Table 2-2 Print modes by group (continued)
Quality Direction Resolution Overspray Group
Production Plus BiDi 600 x 600 FineText B
Billboard Uni 1200 x 600 Normal B
High Quality BiDi 600 x 300 Normal C
High Quality BiDi 600 x 300 Sharp Edge C
High Quality Plus BiDi 600 x 300 Normal C
Production BiDi 600 x 300 FineText C
Production BiDi 600 x 600 Normal C
Production BiDi 600 x 600 Sharp Edge C
Production Uni 600 x 300 FineText C
Production Uni 600 x 300 Normal C
Production Plus BiDi 600 x 600 Normal C
Production Plus BiDi 600 x 300 FineText C
Billboard Plus BiDi 1200 x 600 Normal C
Billboard BiDi 1200 x 600 Normal C
Billboard Uni 600 x 600 Normal C
Billboard Plus BiDi 1200 x 600 Normal C
Production BiDi 600 x 300 Normal D
Production BiDi 600 x 300 Sharp Edge D
Production Plus BiDi 600 x 300 Normal D
Billboard BiDi 600 x 600 Normal D
Billboard Uni 600 x 300 Normal D
Billboard Plus BiDi 600 x 600 Normal D
Billboard BiDi 600 x 300 Normal E
Billboard Plus BiDi 600 x 300 Normal E
18 Chapter 2 Printing ENWW
Configure media
Before the printer will accept a print job, it must be configured for a specific media type. The currentlyconfigured media type, if any, is displayed in the upper left corner of the control panel.
1. If the control panel displays the media type you intend to print, press the Load key an d go to
and print on rigid media on page 21. Otherwise, continue to the next step.
2. From the Front Page screen, press the Configure key.
The Select Media to Load menu appears. The list of media ends with the option Create Media
Type.
TIP: Start by using one of the standard media types. If you are not using a standard media type,
select the standard media type that most closely mat che s th e me dia you are using. Then only if
necessary, create a new media type using the standard type yo u selected a s a starting poin t, and
adjust it as needed.
3. Press a media name, or Create Media Type.
If you pressed a media name, a list of settings appears.
●
Next, if you pressed Create Media Type , th e con tro l pa ne l disp lays a list of settings for you
●
to configure.
For each media type, the Media Wizard stores the following settings (as indicated, some settings
apply to either roll-fed or cut sheet media only):
Media Name — for user-defined media, use the alp habetic keyboard displayed on the control
●
panel to enter the media name. (Standard media names cannot be changed.)
Feed Method — Rollfed (with optional media handler installed) or Cut Sheet.
●
Load
Rollers — sets whether the Input and Output media rollers are used (yes) or not used (no)
●
with the Flat Media setting (see
the rollers will move up or down as needed to be just above the surface of the media. When
set to No, the rollers will move to their highest point and remain there.
Weight — sets the media belt drive motor and media advance amount to handle Light (up to
●
22 kg (50 lb)) or Heavy (22-113 kg (50-25 0 lb )) media.
CAUTION: The input and output tables are rated at a maximum load of 56.7 kg (125 lb). Do not
exceed this maximum load.
NOTE: The printer senses the weight of the media before printing begins. If a heavy board is
detected while the printer is set to Light, the printer automatically switches to the Heavy setting.
This cannot be changed during printing. Printing in Heavy mode is slower than in Light mode due
to the slower belt and carriage speeds, bu t re duce s the ch ance of da mag e to the med ia belt d rive
motor.
Visible to Printer — if Yes, the media sensor and image sensor will be used. If No, the media
●
sensor and image sensor will not be used (with clear films, for example).
Print Mode — quality and direction settings (see
●
UV Lamps — the intensity and shutters for each lamp can be changed to accommodate
●
different media requirements and bulb life.
Load and print on rigid media on page 21). When set to Yes,
Configure printing on page 14).
ENWW Configure media 19
●
●
4. Press Proceed to load the media, or press Cancel to discard your changes.
Media Wizard
To view or delete settings for an existing media type, press the Media Wizard key. The Media Wizard
also lets you create a media type without configuring it as the currently-loaded media.
Vacuum — this option turns on the vacuum fans, and displays ▲ and ▼ arrow keys on the
control panel. Press the ▲ and ▼ arrow keys to raise or lower the fan speed for each zone
(input zone, between the pinch rollers, and print zone). Observe the media as the fan speed
changes. If the media is lifting off the belt, increase the fan speed. If the media advance seems
impeded by the vacuum, decrease the fan speed.
Printing Delay — press the ▲ and ▼ arrow keys on the control panel to increase or decrease
the delay (seconds per print swath). To increase throughput, decrease the delay.
20 Chapter 2 Printing ENWW
Load and print on rigid media
NOTE: The minimum length of rigid media that can be loaded and pr inted by the printer is 33 cm (13
in).
1. At the end of the Configure Media process (see Configure media on page 19), press the
Proceed key on the control panel:
OR
from the Front Page screen, press the Load Media key.
Before you can load, you must configure the media as explained in
2. On the control panel menu, press one of the following media rollers options:
Flat Media — if the rollers were set to “Yes” in the media configuration (see
●
media on page 19), the rollers will move up or down as needed to be just above the surface
of the media. If the rollers were set to “No”, the rollers will remain at their highest point and
will not be used. In either case, the full imageab le length of the sheet i s availa ble for printing.
Warped Media, Hold Down — when a sheet is loaded, the leading edge is advanced so that
●
it is underneath the output roller. Printing is allowed only until the trailing edge of the sheet
has reached the input roller. The imageable area of the sheet is reduced by 65.4 cm (25.76
in) from both the leading and trailing edges.
Short Media — enables printing on sheets that are not long enough to rea ch th e outp ut roller
●
and thickness sensor at the same time. The media length can be less than 33 cm (13 in) but
at least 11 cm (4 in).
NOTE: The media rollers are not lowered onto the media with any force or pressure, other than
their own weight. They are designed to hold down lighter weight media with at most a moderate
amount of warping. They may have no effect on heavier, badly warped media. For best results,
use the flattest available media.
3. On the control panel, enter the approximate thickness of the media you are loading.
4. Load the sheet of media onto the input table, sliding it forward against the media alignment bar
(under the printhead carriage rail), then left a long the media a lignment bar until the med ia touches
the media fence.
Configure media on page 19.
Configure
5. Press the Sheet Ready foot pedal or button on the control panel, or Cancel to cancel the media
load process.
At this point you can also adjust the vacuum fans in each zone, and th e printhead height clearance
from the media. If the sheet is warped or not being held down, you may want to increase the vacuum
or raise the head height. A lower head height reduces overspray, but increases the chance of the
carriage or printheads striking the media.
TIP: To begin printing faster, initiate the UV lamps startup cycle by pressing the Turn On
Lamps key on the control panel Front Page screen.
6. Select the media length from the list.
The control panel asks for the number of sheets to feed.
ENWW Load and print on rigid media 21
7. Enter the number of sheets:
●
●
The control panel displays a summary screen of the settings you specified.
8. Press the Proceed (►) key.
The control panel displays a confirmation message.
9. Press the Proceed (►) key.
The Front Page screen appears.
10. Press the Go Online key.
11. Send a print job from the RIP.
For multiple copy jobs ejected to the output side of the printer, the printer control panel wil l prompt
for the next sheet a short time before the previous sheet is done printing. Load the subsequent
sheet against the media alignment bar, and press the Sheet Ready foot pedal or control panel
button. The printer prints on the next sheet and will use the same option settings on all of the copies
in the print job.
Quick Load
Single sheet
N-UP — for two or more sheets loaded at once across the width of the printer
If printing completes and the Front Page screen is displayed, you can still reload a sheet of the same
media type and dimensions without reconfiguring the media. Use Quick Load or Load:
1. Press the Load key on the Front Page screen.
The control panel displays a menu with a Quick Load and Load option.
To load a sheet of media with the same media type with th e same dimensions as the previous
●
job, press the Quick Load key.
To load a sheet of media with the same media type with th e same dimensions as the previous
●
job, but different flatness, thickness, or number of N-UP sheets, press the Load key. The
control panel allows you to respecify these options.
2. Place the media onto the media drive belt, and pus h it flush again st the media alignment bar, the n
left along the media alignment bar until it touches the media fence.
At this point, the control panel allows you to adjust the vacuum fans and head height off the media.
3. Press the Sheet Ready foot pedal or Sheet Ready button on the co ntr ol p anel.
The printer is ready to receive the next job from the RIP.
To load a new type of media, or a sheet with different dimensions, number of N-UP sheets, or other
parameters, press the Configure & Load key on the Front Page screen.
Multi-sheet N-UP
Multi-sheet N-UP allows you to print a multiple-copy job on multiple sheets across the belt, and multiple
rows of sheets, until the job is complete.
22 Chapter 2 Printing ENWW
To print multi-sheet N-UP, load multiple sheets on the printer, then send a print job from the RIP with a
quantity greater than or equal to the number of sheets you loaded. The printer will prompt you to load
more sheets until the number of copies you specified has been printed. You can a lso print Sto red Jobs
as multi-sheet N-UP (see
This type of printing works best with an image that has wid e margins on all four edges, but edge-to-edge
printing is also possible with the appropriate printer settings, and by carefully matchin g the dime nsions
of the image to the dimensions of the media sheets.
Stored jobs on page 29 for details).
Margins
When printing a multi-sheet N-UP job, the imag e is positioned horizontally (left-right) as d ef i ne d un de r
the menu option: Printer Settings > Margin Settings> Margins.
Using the camera to locate the sheets
The on-carriage camera (digital imaging sensor) is used to locate the position of each sheet as part of
the load process. To specify load options:
1. On the Front Page screen, press the Settings key.
2. From the Settings menu, press the Measure Media option.
The Measure Media Frequency menu appears:
Measure only on first load — only the first row is measured, and those measurements are
●
used for all subsequent rows. Use the alignment pins to locate the shee ts in subsequent rows.
This speeds throughput by eliminating the measurement step for each row.
Measure on all loads — each sheet in every row of sheets will be measured, and reported to
●
the server. This aids in accurate placement of edge-to-edge images. In this mode, use of the
alignment pins is unnecessary.
Don't measure media — does not measure the shee ts, for fastest thr oughput. Use only if there
●
are wide margins on all four sides. Use the alignment pins to locate the sheets.
3. Press a Measure Media option.
When you select a Measure Media option, the Measure Media Typ e menu appears. This enables
you to select a trade-off between image placement accuracy and throughput.
Minimal — measures the media width once, locates leading edge near the user side on
●
subsequent loads.
Standard — measures the media width once, estimates skew by locating the leading edge
●
near the user rand service sides on subsequent loads.
One Edge — measures the media width once, locates the left edge on subsequent loads.
●
Maximal — on every load, measures the media width at two points to estimate skew, finds
●
the leading edge near the user side.
If the print job has wide margins, you can increase thro ughput with Minimal or One Edg e. For edgeto-edge printing, increase accuracy by selecting Standard or Maximal.
4. Press a Measure Media Type option.
After you select a Measure Media Type option, the Printer Settings menu reappears.
ENWW Load and print on rigid media 23
“Incomplete” rows
You can print any number of copies in a multi-sheet N-UP job, even if the total number does not divide
evenly into the number of sheets per row. Only the last row may have a different number of sheets.
For example: in a twenty-sheet job, you might be able to fit three sheets in each row, so yo u might print
six rows of three sheets, plus one row of two sheets (6x3=18, 1x2=2, 18+2=20). If th e last row is a partial
row, load the sheets from the user end toward the service end.
24 Chapter 2 Printing ENWW
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