Oki Microline 3390, Microline 3391 User Manual

People to People Technology

MICROLINE

3390/3391

IBM-/EPSON-compatible

User Manual

Accessories

Roll Paper Stand (narrow version only)

Cut Sheet Feeder, CSF

(1-Bin, 2-Bin; narrow, wide version)

Bottom Tractor (narrow, wide version),

Tractor feet

Pull Tractor (narrow, wide version)

Serial Interfaces Cards:

RS-232C, RS-232C / Current Loop,

RS-422A

I

II

Legal note

The information contained in this manual is as complete, accurate
and up-to-date as possible. Provided legally permissible, we shall
accept no liability for consequential damage in connection with the
use of this manual. Otherwise, we shall only be liable for intent or
gross negligence. We make no guarantee that alterations to the soft­ware programs and devices of other manufacturers referred to in
this manual will not affect the usability of the information con­tained in this manual.

The author reserves all rights. The manual may not be duplicated
completely or in part in whatever form without the consent of the
author.

The content of this manual is subject to alteration without notice.
Please also read the information following the table of contents.

III

Guidance through the manual

The first part of this manual is directed largely at users who have no
or very little technical knowledge. Experienced users, suppliers
and technicians will find additional technical information in the
"Programming" part and in the appendices.

There are three ways of accessing the information in this manual:

● You can read the text in the order in which the manual is

arranged.

● You can find the passages you are looking for under the head-

ings below or the table of contents.

● The index in appendix F will guide you to the passages in the

manual relating to specific printer terms and messages.

Assembling, Setting Up

Chapter 1, 2

Daily Printer Operation

Chapter 3 - 6

Accessories

Chapter 7

Troubleshooting

Chapter 8

Programming

Chapter 10 - 17

Technical Data

Appendix A - D

Paper Formats

Appendix E

Short Reference

Appendix H

IV

Chapter 1: Assembling and setting up the printer 1
Chapter 2: A guided tour of the printer 2
Chapter 3: Paper handling 3
Chapter 4: Printer menu settings 4
Chapter 5: Printer control 5

OperationProgramming

Chapter 6: Consumables and cleaning 6
Chapter 7: Accessories 7
Chapter 8: T roubleshooting 8
Chapter 9: Packing the printer for transportation 9
Chapter 10: IBM - Standard functions 10
Chapter 11: IBM - Graphics 11
Chapter 12: IBM - Control code tables 12
Chapter 13: IBM - Characters sets 13
Chapter 14: Epson - Standard functions 14
Chapter 15: Epson - Graphics 15
Chapter 16: Epson - Control code tables 16
Chapter 17: Epson - Characters sets 17

V

VI

Appendix A: Technical Data A
Appendix B: Code pages B
Appendix C: Bar codes C
Appendix D: Interface data D
Appendix E: Paper formats and printing areas E

Appendices

Appendix F: Index / Glossary F
Appendix G: T rademarks G
Appendix H: Short reference H

VII

Table of contents

III Legal note
IV Guidance through the manual
XV Safety advice
XVI Servicing / maintenance
XVII Advice and warning symbols
XVIII Meaning of text styles in the manual
XVIII Consumables / accessories
XIX Machine-readable fonts
XIX Further information

Chapter 1: Assembling and setting up

1-1 Unpacking the printer
1-1 Checking the items supplied
1-2 Assembling the printer
1-2 Location
1-2 Power supply
1-3 Setting up the printer
1-3 Removing the transport packing
1-4 Inserting the ribbon cassette
1-5 The paper support
1-5 Fitting the paper support
1-6 Raising the paper support
1-7 Removing the paper support
1-7 The paper separator
1-8 Removing the paper separator
1-8 Fitting the paper separator
1-9 Connecting the printer to the computer
1-10 Connecting the printer to the power supply
1-11 Emulation / printer drivers

Chapter 2: A guided tour of the printer

2-1 The printer and its components
2-1 Front view
2-2 Inside view
2-3 Rear view
2-4 The operator panel
2-4 The indicator lamps
2-5 The buttons
...

VIII

2-5 Button functions in ON LINE / OFF LINE mode
2-7 Button functions in menu mode
2-7 Print functions
2-8 PRINT QUALITY
2-8 CHARACTER PITCH
2-9 RESET

Chapter 3: Paper handling

3-1 Notes on paper types
3-2 Paper lever
3-2 Adjusting for the paper thickness
3-2 Print head lever
3-3 Adjusting the print head gap
3-7 Paper feed: cut sheets
3-8 Paper feed: continuous paper
3-8 Feeding continuous paper from the rear
3-11 Feeding continuous paper from the bottom
3-11 Switching between continuous paper and cut sheets
3-11 From continuous paper to cut sheets
3-11 From cut sheets to continuous paper
3-13 Setting Top of Form
3-13 Changing Top of Form
3-14 Indicating or changing print position
3-15 Automatic advance to Form Tear-Off position
3-16 Checking Top of Form
3-16 Changing the Tear-Off position

Chapter 4: Printer menu settings

4-1 The printer menu
4-1 Activate menu mode
4-1 Print menu settings
4-2 Changing the menu settings
4-3 End menu mode
4-4 Layout of the printer menu
4-9 Explanation of menu items
4-9 Printer Control
4-9 Font
4-9 Symbol Sets
4-10 Rear Feed, Bottom Feed, Top Feed
4-11 Set-Up
4-14 Parallel I/F
4-14 Serial I/F

IX

Chapter 5: Printer Control

5-1 Emulation
5-1 Printer drivers
5-3 Characters and control characters
5-3 Printing under DOS
5-5 Printing under DOS with serial interface
5-6 Troubleshooting

Chapter 6: Consumables and cleaning

6-1 Changing the ribbon cassette
6-2 Inserting a new ribbon cassette
6-3 Cleaning

Chapter 7: Accessories

7-1 Cut sheet feeder
7-2 Checking the items supplied
7-2 Adjusting the length of the feed rail
7-3 Installing the feed rail
7-5 Installing the cut sheet feeder
7-7 Paper feed
7-8 Automatic paper feed
7-9 Manual paper feed
7-10 Feeding of cut sheets and continuous paper
7-10 Print area
7-10 Selecting the paper tray
7-10 Removing the cut sheet feeder

from the printer
7-11 Adjusting the mounting bracket
7-12 The pull tractor
7-12 Checking the items supplied
7-13 Installation
7-15 Feeding continuous paper
7-17 Removing the tractor feed
7-18 The bottom tractor
7-18 Checking the items supplied
7-18 Fitting the bottom tractor feet
7-20 Installing the tractor feet
7-22 Feeding continuous paper
7-24 Changing between formats of

continuous paper formats

...

X

7-25 The roll paper stand
7-25 Checking the items supplied
7-25 Installation
7-26 Paper feed
7-28 Interface cards
7-28 Installation

Chapter 8: Troubleshooting

8-1 Possible faults
8-4 Fault tables
8-6 Major faults
8-7 Testing options

Chapter 9: Packing the printer for transportation

Chapter 10: IBM - Standard Functions

10-1 Print quality
10-3 Print modes
10-6 Print attributes
10-7 Multifunction commands
10-10 Tabulators
10-12 Positioning
10-16 Page formatting
10-18 Line spacing
10-18 Paper feed
10-20 Control of the Cut Sheet Feeder
10-21 Character sets
10-26 Other commands

Chapter 11: IBM - Graphics

11-1 Bit image graphics
11-4 Graphics of high resolution
11-6 Programming graphics
11-8 Graphics of low resolution
11-8 Graphics densities
11-10 Aspect ratio
11-15 Print alignment

Chapter 12: IBM - Control Code Tables

XI

Chapter 13: IBM - Character Sets

13-1 IBM Character Sets
13-1 National Character Sets
13-2 Code Pages

Chapter 14: Epson - Standard Functions

14-1 Print quality
14-2 Print modes
14-6 Print attributes
14-8 Multifunction commands
14-9 Tabulators
14-12 Positioning
14-15 Page formatting
14-17 Line spacing
14-18 Paper feed
14-19 Control of Cut Sheet Feeder
14-20 Character Sets
14-22 Other commands
14-27 Additional ESC/P2 commands
14-27 Step size and character spacing
14-31 Vertical print position
14-33 Print area
14-35 Select font
14-41 Character sets and code pages

XII

Chapter15: Epson - Graphics and downloadable characters

15-1 Bit image graphics
15-4 Graphics of high resolution
15-5 Programming graphics
15-8 Graphics of low resolution
15-9 Programming graphics
15-11 Print alignment
15-12 Downloadable characters
15-15 Generate downloadable characters
15-17 Additional ESC/P2 commands
15-17 Raster graphics

Chapter 16: Epson - Control Code Tables

Chapter 17: Epson - Character Sets

17-1 Epson Character Sets
17-1 National Character Sets
17-2 Code Pages

Appendix A: Technical Data

Appendix B: Code Pages

B-1 Overview
B-2 Conversion table
B-3 Code pages

Appendix C: Bar Codes

C-2 Bar code types
C-2 Positioning
C-3 Selection of type and size of Bar code
C-8 Printing of a 24 pin Bar code
C-17 Examples
C-18 Zip Code
C-20 Setting the print position

Appendix D: Interface Data

D-1 Parallel Interfacing (Centronics)
D-2 Pin Description
D-3 Signal levels
D-4 Timing
D-4 Interface test
D-5 RS-232C Serial Interface
D-6 Pin Description
D-7 Signal levels
D-8 Interface wiring
D-10 Interface test
D-11 RS-422A Serial Interface
D-12 Pin Description
D-13 Signal levels
D-14 Menu options of serial interfaces
D-15 Transmission protocols
D-16 Connections of the RS-422A Interface
D-17 Diagrams
D-21 Interface test
...

XIII

D-22 Coresident RS-232C/Current Loop Interface
D-22 Technical Data
D-23 Pin description
D-24 Interface selection
D-26 Transmission protocols
D-29 Connections of the Current Loop Interface
D-30 Diagrams
D-37 Interface test

Appendix E: Paper formats and print areas

E-1 Continuous paper
E-1 Format
E-2 Weight
E-2 Thickness
E-2 Perforation
E-4 Further information
E-4 Cut sheet paper
E-4 Format
E-5 Weight
E-5 Labels (on single sheet)
E-6 Format
E-6 Weight
E-6 Further information
E-6 Labels (on continuous paper)
E-7 Format
E-7 Weight
E-7 Further information

Appendix F: Index / Glossary

Appendix G: Trademarks

Appendix H: Short reference

XIV

Safety advice

Your printer has been developed with the utmost care to ensure
safe, reliable operation over many years. Like all electrical devices,
there are a few basic precautions you need to observe. These pre­cautions are necessary in the first instance for your own safety but
also protect the printer against any damage. Please read through
the manual carefully and keep it handy.

Make sure...

● the printer is standing on a stable, flat surface. To prevent over-

heating, there should be free space all around the printer; open­ings should not be covered. Never place the printer directly next
to a radiator or the air outlet of an air-conditioning system. Do
not expose the printer to direct sunlight;

● the printer does not come into direct contact with liquids.

● no objects are pushed into the ventilation slots of the printer as

you run the risk of an electrical shock or could cause a fire;

● you only perform the routine maintenance on the printer de-

scribed in the manual. Opening the case can result in an electri­cal shock or other harm. Make sure you always remove the plug
from the mains socket before opening the printer case. Do not
alter the printer in any way not described in the manual - this
may cause damage to the printer and result in repairs for which
you will be liable.

Like all electronic devices, the printer can be damaged by electro­static charges. Static charges can form when walking on unsuitable
floor coverings, for example, and are then transferred to the device
by touching the case. Bear this in mind when choosing the location
for the printer.

Setting up the
printer

XV

Power supply

Ensure yourself ...

● that the ratings of the power supply match the ratings shown on

the back of the printer. If in doubt, ask your supplier;

● that the printer is connected to an earthed mains socket with the

cable supplied;

● when using an extension cable or multiple socket that you do

not exceed the maximum electrical load for this;

● all reasonable precautions have been taken to prevent damage

to the power cable. Do not place objects on the cable and make
sure it is routed so that nobody walks on it or trips over it;

● that a damaged cable is replaced immediately;

● before cleaning the printer or the case, that the power cable is

removed from the power supply. Use only a clean cloth for
cleaning. Do not use liquids or aerosol cleaners;

● you have removed the plug from the mains outlet to ensure

complete isolation from the mains supply. The mains outlet you
are using must be located close to the printer and be easily
accessible.

Cable wiring

XVI

The three wires of the power cable are colour coded. The earth wire
is yellow-green, the neutral wire is blue and the live current is on
the brown wire.

Servicing / maintenance

Any servicing work on the machine that goes beyond the mainte­nance described in the manual should be carried out by an author­ised supplier. We are not liable for damage arising due to unauthor­ised servicing or through improper maintenance by unauthorised
personnel.

Advice and warning symbols

Observe all warnings and instructions stated on the product itself
and in the accompanying documentation. At particularly impor­tant points in the manual, warnings are marked with appropriate
symbols.

NOTE: text passages marked thus contain supplementary informa­tion or instructions.

WARNING - damage: this symbol indicates a possible cause of
damage. Follow all instructions to prevent damage.

CAUTION - risk of injury: this symbol indicates a possible source
of danger. Follow all instructions to prevent injury.

CAUTION - electricity: this symbol indicates a possible source of
danger. Follow all instructions to prevent injury through an electri­cal shock.

☞

CAUTION - hot: this symbol indicates a possible source of danger.
Follow all instructions to prevent injury through heat.

Should you wish to replace the
ribbon, do not touch the print
head until it has stopped mov­ing and has cooled down.

Printhead is HOT!

XVII

Meaning of text styles in the manual

To emphasise important passages in the text or differentiate
between the meaning of a printer function and a printer message,
the following text styles or emphases are used in the manual:

● BOLD BLOCK CAPITALS represent the display lamps of the

control panel.

● Bold letters indicate the groups, positions and settings of the

printer menu.

● BLOCK CAPITALS indicate the mode of the printer.

● Italic BLOCK CAPITALS indicate the buttons of the control

panel.

● »Brackets« highlight a printer function.

Consumables / accessories

To ensure that the printer operates perfectly and provides the
proper print quality, we recommend you use only original ribbons
or accessories supplied by us. We accept no liability for damage
resulting from the use of non-original ribbons or accessories which
would have been avoided by using original ribbons or accessories.

XVIII

Original ribbons and accessories can be purchased from your
supplier.

To ensure good printing results, make sure you keep ribbons and
printing materials (paper, transparencies, etc.) for the shortest time
possible. Materials should be kept no longer than one year.

Machine-readable fonts

The perfect readability of fonts such as OCR-A, OCR-B or bar codes
(EAN, UPC, Zip) by machines is affected by ...

● the printing technique (resolution, edge sharpness);

● the technical state of the printer;

● the quality of the printing medium (toner, ink ribbon);

● the state of the print material (glossiness, smoothness, coating,

age, reflection, surface uniformity);

● the technical state of the reading device.

Further information

● Leave your printer components in their packing until the manu-

al expressly describes when and how to install them.

● Do not fit or use the serial and parallel interface cables at the

same time.

● Only use a clean cloth to clean the control panel and case.

● The oiling and greasing of moving parts by the user is unneces-

sary.

● If the machine is damaged, switch it off and remove the plug

from the outlet socket. Immediately arrange for it to be repaired.

● Before contacting your supplier’s customer service department,

read the notes in Chapter 6. You may incur costs even during the
warranty period if you call on customer service when the cus­tomer is expected to remedy the fault or defect himself as
described in Chapter 6.

● When sending off the machine, the carrier or insurer will not

accept responsibility for damage due to unsuitable packing.

XIX

Chapter 1: Assembling and setting up

Chapter 1: Assembling and setting
up

Unpacking the printer

The printer is supplied in separate parts in a cardboard box.

1. Take the printer and components out of the box.

2. Remove the packing material. Keep the original packing so that

you can transport the printer safely should the need arise later
on.

Check that the individual items supplied are complete and un­damaged. Supplied with the printer are:

Narrow printer model Printer parts

• Paper support

• Platen knob

• Power cable

Checking the items
supplied

• Ribbon cassette

• Interference filter (depending on model)

In addition, you will need a Centronics interface cable to connect
the printer to the computer. Ask your supplier for one of these.

1-1

Chapter 1: Assembling and setting up

Assembling the printer

Location

Make sure ...

• the printer is standing on a stable, flat surface. To prevent
overheating, make sure there is free space all around the
printer; openings should not be covered. Never place the
printer directly next to a radiator or the air outlet of an air­conditioning system. Do not expose the printer to direct sun­light;

• the printer does not come into direct contact with liquids;

• no objects are pushed into the ventilation slots of the printer
as you run the risk of an electric shock, or other injury or
causing damage to the printer;

• you only perform routine maintenance on the printer as de­scribed in the manual. Opening the case can result in an elec­tric shock or other harm. Make sure you always remove the
plug from the power socket before opening the case. Do not
alter the printer in any way not described in the manual as
this may cause damage to the printer and result in repairs for
which you will be liable.

Power supply

Like all electrical devices, the printer can be damaged by electro­static charges. Static charges can form when walking on un­suitable floor coverings, for example, and are then transferred to
the device by touching the case. Bear this in mind when choos­ing the location for the printer.

Ensure yourself ...

• that the ratings of the power supply match the ratings shown
on the back of the printer. If in doubt, ask your supplier;

• that the printer is connected to an earthed mains socket by
means of the power cable supplied;

• when using an extension cable or multiple socket that you do
not exceed the maximum electrical load for this;

1-2

Chapter 1: Assembling and setting up

• all reasonable precautions have been taken to prevent damage
to the power cable. Do not place objects on the cable and make
sure it is routed so that nobody walks on it or trips over it;

• that a damaged cable is replaced immediately;

• you have removed the mains plug from the socket to ensure
complete isolation from the power supply. The socket provided
for this must be located close to the printer and easily accessible.

Setting up the printer

Removing the transport packing

1. If a clear protective film is at­tached to the cover of the
printer, you can remove this.

2. Open the cover of the printer
and remove the transport
packing. Make sure you
keep this with the other
packing material in case you
have to transport the printer
later on.

1-3

Chapter 1: Assembling and setting up

Inserting the ribbon cassette

Original ribbon cassettes are specially developed for your print­er. Among other things, this concerns the ink, which contains
lubricants, and the fabric of the ribbon.

The use of non-original ribbons can result in damage to the
print head. Use only the manufacturer's original ribbons.

A transparent ribbon guard is fitted to the front of the cassette.
Do not remove it!

Warning!

1. Take the ribbon out of the
plastic wrapping.

2. Open the printer cover
and move the print head
to the middle of the plat­en.

3. Place the cassette onto
the cassette holder with
the cutouts fitting onto
the pins.

1-4

Insert ribbon cassette here

Chapter 1: Assembling and setting up

4. Tilt the cassette carefully
down over the print head
until you feel it click into
place.

5. Turn the blue transport knob
of the cassette in the direc­tion of the arrow to tension
the ribbon.

6. Close the cover of the print­er.

Tilt down the cassette and tension
ribbon

The paper support

The paper support with its guide rails enables the paper to be fed
precisely into the printer.

1. Hold the support horizontal­ly with the pegs on the sup­port precisely aligned with
the cutouts ( / ) in the case

▲

▲

of the printer.

2. Press the support down­wards on both sides until
you feel it click into position.

Fitting the paper
support

1-5

Chapter 1: Assembling and setting up

Raising the paper
support

1. Slightly raise the paper
support at the back.

2. Pull the support forwards
and slide it at this angle
to its end position.

3. Align the guide rails so
that they just touch the
edges of the paper. A
mark is provided on the
left side of the paper sup­port against which you
align the left edge of the
paper.

To move the paper support
back into its horizontal posi­tion, raise it slightly and fold
it down towards the back.

1-6

Chapter 1: Assembling and setting up

The paper support must be removed to fit accessories such as the
cut sheet feeder or roll paper stand.

1. Move the paper support into
the horizontal home posi­tion.

2. Press the paper support
downwards at the back. This
will disengage it from its
catching arrangement.

The paper support must be re­fitted after removing the acces­sory.

Removing the paper
support

The paper separator

The paper separator prevents paper being drawn back into the
printer once it has been printed.

The paper separator has to be removed when you are using a trac­tor feed or cut sheet feeder (accessory). If the printer is to be used
without either of these accessories, the separator must be replaced.

Caution!

The print head moves and can cause injury to the hands.
Switch the printer OFF LINE and wait until the print head stops
moving.

The paper separator is fitted
to the printer at the factory.

1-7

Chapter 1: Assembling and setting up

The print head may be hot and can burn your hands.
Wait until the print head has cooled down.

Caution!

Removing the paper
separator

Fitting the paper
separator

Remove the paper separator
by holding it on both sides
and pulling it gently to­wards the front of the print­er. Finally, fully remove the
separator.

1. When you wish to refit
the separator, fit the
catches on both sides of
the separator onto the
platen axle.

2. Now press the separator
downwards until the you
hear the catches snap into
place on both sides.

1-8

Platen axle Catches

Chapter 1: Assembling and setting up

Connecting the printer to the computer

It is important to read the safety instructions on the first pages of
this manual. Before you can use the printer, you have to connect it
to your computer and to the power supply.

Your printer is supplied with a parallel Centronics interface as
standard. A serial interface can be installed as an additional facility.
This is described in Chapter 7; data on interfacing can be found in
Appendix D.

Some printer models have an interference filter supplied with
them. This square cable sleeve suppresses undesirable electro­magnetic interference from other electrical sources by means of its
ferrite core.

1. Open the cable sleeve of the
filter and fit it on the inter­face cable close to the con­nector at the printer end.

2. Snap the sleeve shut to close
it; the cable now has interfer­ence suppression.

Fitting the inter­ference filter
(cable sleeve)

☞

The parallel and serial interface cables must not be installed or
used at the same time as this may cause malfunctions.

Note!

1-9

Chapter 1: Assembling and setting up

Fitting interface cable

1. Plug the printer end of
the parallel interface
cable into the socket on
the back of the printer.
Secure the cable by
means of the two clips.

2. Connect the other end of
the interface cable to the
corresponding socket of
your computer. Refer to
the relevant instructions
in your computer manu­al.

Parallel interface cable

Connecting the printer to the power
supply

Caution!

There is electricity is present and therefore a risk of an
electric shock. Switch off the printer.

1. Plug the power cable into
the power socket on the
back of the printer. Make
sure the printer is
switched off (POWER
OFF) when doing this.

Power switch Power cable

1-10

Chapter 1: Assembling and setting up

2. Plug the other end of the cable into an earthed mains outlet sock­et.

3. Switch on the printer and the computer by means of the respec­tive power switches.

Your printer is now ready for operation.

Emulation / printer drivers

In the chapter "Printer drivers" you will find information on how
you can best match the emulation (language) of your printer to the
driver of your application program in order to make full use the
functions of the printer.

How to choose the emulation by means of the printer menu is de­scribed in the chapter "Printer menu settings ".

1-11

Chapter 2: A guided tour of the printer

Chapter 2: A guided tour of the
printer

The printer and its components

paper support

printer cover

Front view

operator panel

The operator panel indicators inform you of the operating status of
the printer. You can also use it to enter settings and test the printer.

The platen knob enables you to advance the paper when the print-
er is SWITCHED OFF.

The paper support enables precise feeding of cut sheets of paper.
The printer cover consists of two sections and protects the printer

mechanism from dirt and reduces the printing noise.

platen knob

2-1

Chapter 2: A guided tour of the printer

Inside view

platen

print head and
ribbon cassette

paper seperator

The print head is the part of the printer that contains the printing
pins.

The original ribbon cassette contains the high-quality ink necessary
for perfect printing.

The platen advances the paper during the printing process.
The paper separator prevents paper that has just been ejected from

being drawn back into the printer.

2-2

Chapter 2: A guided tour of the printer

paper lever

power switch

Centronics-interface

power socket

Rear view

socket panel

The printer and computer are connected by means of the interface
socket. The parallel Centronics interface or a serial interface (ac­cessory) are provided for this purpose.

The socket panel must be broken out in order to fit a serial inter-
face.

Power is supplied to the printer by plugging the power cable into
the power socket.

The printer is switched on or off by means of the power switch.
The paper feed is adjusted by means of the paper lever.

2-3

Chapter 2: A guided tour of the printer

The operator panel

The operator panel allows you to control the printer and change
settings. The indicator lamps show the current status of the printer.
The meaning and function of the buttons depends on the current
operating mode of the printer.

The indicator lamps

POWER: The printer is switched on.

ALARM: An error is present which is preventing normal printing

operation (paper jam, end of paper).

SEL: The printer is ready (ON LINE) to receive data from the com­puter. If this lamp is not lit, the printer is in OFF LINE mode and not
ready to receive data. If the lamp is blinking, the printer is in print
suppress mode and is ignoring all data sent to it until this mode is
cancelled.

MENU: The menu mode is activated. In this mode, you can alter
printer settings as you wish and permanently store these settings.
The menu mode is described in detail in Chapter 4. The MENU
lamp blinks if the temperature control mechanism has reduced the
printing speed in order to prevent overheating of the print head.

2-4

Chapter 2: A guided tour of the printer

The buttons

Micro Feed Down: The paper is transported backwards in steps of
1/180 inch (downwards). Simultaneously press the SHIFT and

Down buttons to be able to use the »Micro Feed Down« function.

Micro Feed Up: The paper is transported forwards in steps of 1/180

inch (upwards). Simultaneously press the SHIFT and Up buttons to
be able to use the »Micro Feed Up« function.

SHIFT: To be able to use the bottom button functions such as
MENU and TOF, simultaneously press the SHIFT button and the

corresponding button.

SEL: Switches the printer ON LINE or OFF LINE as you wish. The
associated indicator lamp is switched on or off. Pressing the SEL
button also cancels a currently running self test, which is described
in Chapter 6.

The assignment of the buttons mentioned below is independent of
the operating status of the printer. If the printer is in ON LINE or
OFF LINE mode, the functions named at the top of the buttons are
effective.

Button functions in
ON LINE /
OFF LINE mode

2-5

Chapter 2: A guided tour of the printer

LF: Pressing this button (Line Feed) causes the printer to feed the
paper forwards by one line. If a cut sheet feeder is fitted (accessory)
and there is no paper in contact with the platen, pressing this but­ton will cause a new sheet of paper to be fed from the current paper
tray to the first printable line on the paper.

FF/LOAD: Pressing this button (FF, Form Feed) causes the printer
to transport the next sheet of paper to the top of the page and eject
the previous one. If a cut sheet feeder is in use, a new sheet of paper
is fed in as far as the top of the page. If continuous paper is in use
and being fed from the back or below, the paper is advanced to the
next top of form position.

TEAR: The top edge of the sheet is transported beyond the top of
the page to the form tear-off position so that continuous paper al­ready printed can be torn off. How to change the tear-off position is
described further on.

PARK: You can use this button when continuous paper is inserted
to change over to cut sheet feed temporarily without having to re­move the continuous paper from the printer. Pressing this button
causes continuous paper that is being fed from the back or below to
be pulled back to the park position in order to free the paper path
for cut sheets. The »Park« function is described further on.

QUIET: In quiet mode, the printing noise typical for matrix printers
is alleviated by reducing the printing speed. You activate or deacti­vate quiet mode by pressing this button. When quiet mode is acti­vated, the associated indicator lamp lights.

TOF: This button is used to set the first printable line or top of page
(Top Of Form, TOF) for continuous paper. If there is no sheet in the
paper path, the Top Of Form is reset to the standard setting (8.9 mm
or 1/3 inch).

2-6

Chapter 2: A guided tour of the printer

In this mode, you can adjust the printer to your individual require­ments. The functions you select are automatically activated when
you switch on the printer.

The alterations you make in the printer menu are stored in the
printer and consequently become standard settings. They can how­ever be changed again by software commands, via the operator
panel or by resetting the menu.

The menu options and how to use the menu are described in detail
in Chapter 4.

Print functions

Basic print functions can be adjusted by means of the function but­tons described below. To do this, press the appropriate button until
the required indicator lamp lights. You can change the functions in
both ON LINE and OFF LINE mode.

Button functions in
menu mode

In order to change a print function such as »Print Quality« (font
type) or »Character Pitch« (character width), press the correspond­ing button until the setting you require is lit.

This part of the operator panel always indicates the current printer
status. If a function is affected by a programming command, the
associated display is also changed.

2-7

Chapter 2: A guided tour of the printer

PRINT QUALITY

Further information on
printing speed and print
quality is to be found in
“Appendix A: Technical
Data”.

The PRINT QUALITY button enables you to determine the print
quality and the font you require for the document to be printed. An
indicator lamp shows the currently activated font and print quality.

There are two print qualities available:

• LQ, Letter Quality: in letter quality, text is printed out with the
highest resolution. The fonts listed below are available in this
quality. Use one of these fonts when you wish to print high­quality documents.

Courier > COURIER is lit
Prestige > PRESTIGE is lit
Roman > COURIER and GOTHIC are lit
Swiss > PRESTIGE and BOLD are lit
Swiss Bold > BOLD is lit
Gothic > GOTHIC is lit

• UTILITY: In data processing quality, printing is faster, but the
resolution is not as good as letter quality. In data processing
quality, there is no choice of fonts.

CHARACTER
PITCH

2-8

You can print a list of the available fonts and their appearance. This
is described in Chapter 8.

These settings determine the width of a character in characters per
inch (cpi). The settings 10, 12, 15, 17.1 and 20 cpi are available. The
setting, also known as pitch is normally 10 or 12 cpi for standard
texts. However, should you wish to print more information on one
page, in sheets of calculations for example, it is advisable to use a
character pitch of 15, 17 or 20 cpi. Proportional spacing (PROP)
makes the text more readable and gives it a typeset-like appear­ance.

Remember that the printing speed is reduced for fonts of higher
quality.

The »Print Quality« and »Character Pitch« functions can also be
controlled by means of the software.

Chapter 2: A guided tour of the printer

To reset the printer to the settings selected in the menu, switch the
printer OFF LINE and simultaneously press the buttons SHIFT and
RESET. The printer switches to ready to print status (ON LINE).

RESET

2-9

Chapter 3: Paper handling

This chapter explains the different ways the printer handles paper
(feeding, setting of printing position, changing between different
types of paper).

Notes on paper types

Chapter 3: Paper handling

• Always use good quality standard paper!

Feeding from ... Weight

Cut sheets Top 52 - 90 g/m

Continuous paper Rear/bottom

Single-part 45 - 90 g/m
Multi-part, NCR paper (sheet) 38 - 41 g/m
Multi-part with carbon paper (sheet) 38 - 45 g/m

Labels Bottom 34 - 41 g/m

Transparencies Top ≤ 0.1 mm

• The printer will also handle heavier weight paper sheets, multi­part paper, paper stickers on backing paper, etc.

• Recycled paper can also be used provided it matches the general
paper specification. There may be a slight loss of quality due to
the generally rougher quality of the paper.

• Do not use damaged sheets as the paper may be fed in incorrect­ly or may cause a jam.

Please also read the notes in
Appendices A and E.

2

2

2

2

2

• Unopened packets of paper should be kept flat in a cool, dry
room until used. As soon as a packet is opened, the unused
paper should be kept in a plastic bag. This will protect the paper
against ambient moisture.

• In order to ensure fault-free handling and the best print qual-

ity, it is best to carry out one or more trial prints before per­forming large print runs.

CHAP_03.PM6 18.04.1997, 12:00 Uhr1

3-1

Chapter 3: Paper handling

Paper lever

Move the paper lever on the right side of the printer to the position
that is appropriate to the feed path for the paper.

Continuous paper feed­ing: for continuous pa-

BOT

per which is fed via the
bottom or pull tractor
feed, the lever must be
in the BOT (bottom) po­sition.

Print head lever

TOP

Cut sheet feeding: for
feeding cut sheets via ei­ther the paper support
or the cut sheet feeder,
the lever must be in the TOP position.

REAR

Continuous paper feeding: if continuous paper is being fed
from the back via the push or pull tractor feed, move the
lever to REAR.

Adjusting for the paper thickness

The gap between the print head
and platen is adjusted to the pa­per thickness or multi-part pa­per by means of the blue, five­position print head lever on the
left side of the ribbon drive.

3-2

Paper thickness Lever position

0.08 mm 1

0.15 mm 2

0.22 mm 3

0.29 mm 4

0.36 mm 5

Chapter 3: Paper handling

Should you wish to print on thick types of paper, the gap between
print head and platen must be increased:

Caution!

The print head moves and can cause injury to the hands.
Switch the printer OFF LINE and wait until the print head stops
moving.

Caution!

The print head may be hot and can burn your hands.
Wait until the print head has cooled down.

Adjusting the print
head gap

1. Switch off the printer and
open the printer cover.

2. Remove the ribbon cassette
from the holder (see also
Chapter 6).

3-3

Chapter 3: Paper handling

3. Release the locking plate of
the print head by moving the
plate upwards and side­ways.

4. Remove the locking plate
and place it to one side.

5. Remove the print head from
its slot.

Locking plate

3-4

6. Take out the spacing plate.

Spacing plate

7. Insert the plate in front of the
print head holder, making
sure that the plate fits even­ly.

8. Replace the print head in the
slot of the print head car­riage.

Chapter 3: Paper handling

Print head holder

9. Place the locking plate onto
the print head holder, mak­ing sure that the pin on the
left of the holder properly
fits into the hole in the lock­ing plate.

Hole in locking plate

3-5

Chapter 3: Paper handling

10. Pivot the locking plate down
thus securing the print head.

11. Replace the ribbon cassette.

12. Close the cover of the printer

and switch on the printer.

3-6

By repositioning the distance plate, the gap between the print head
and the platen is increased. You are now able to print onto materials
of the following thickness:

Paper thickness Lever position

0.48 mm 1

0.55 mm 2

0.62 mm 3

0.69 mm 4

0.76 mm 5

Paper feed: cut sheets

The paper support ensures precise automatic feeding of cut sheets.

1. Move the paper lever on the
right of the printer to the
TOP position (cut sheet).

2. Switch the printer on.

3. Raise the paper support by

lifting it at the back and slid­ing it into its locking posi­tion

Chapter 3: Paper handling

Warning!

Direct pressure on the platen can cause damage to the print
head and pins.
Make sure the paper guide is correctly adjusted.

3-7

Chapter 3: Paper handling

4. Insert a sheet of paper into
the paper support and adjust
the rails of the paper guide
so that they just touch the
edges of the paper. Start by
aligning the left edge of the
paper to the mark provided.
The paper is automatically
fed into the printer after the
time set in the menu.

☞ Note!

The left edge of the paper must be no more than 1.2 cm from
the end of the platen.

Feeding continuous
paper from the rear
(internal tractor)

5. Redefine the top of form if necessary by means of the »Top Of
Form« function as described further on.

Paper feed: continuous paper

Long lists and large printing jobs are typical applications for contin­uous paper, which can be fed in from the bottom or rear of the
printer as required.

1. Move the paper lever on the
right of the printer to the
»Continuous paper, REAR«
position.

3-8

2. Press downwards on the
back of the paper support.
This will release it from its
catch. Remove it from the
printer and place it to one
side.

Warning!

Direct pressure on the platen can cause damage to the print
head and pins.
Make sure the paper guide is correctly adjusted.

Chapter 3: Paper handling

3. Release the catch lever of the
left sprocket drive, adjust
this to the required position
and fasten the sprocket drive
again.

3-9

Chapter 3: Paper handling

4. Open the top part of the cov­er.

5. Place the continuous paper
onto the first sprocket pins
and close the cover again.

3-10

6. Adjust the right sprocket drive to suit the width of paper as de­scribed above. Open the cover of the right sprocket drive, place
the continuous paper onto the first sprocket pins and close the
cover.

7. Replace the paper support
and switch the printer on.
The print head will move to
the left end of the platen, the
active lamps of the operator
panel will light. The
ALARM lamp that lights in
this case indicates that there
is no paper at the printing
position.

8. Press the FF/LOAD button,
the paper is now transported
to the initial printing position.

9. Set the top of form if necessary with the »Top Of Form« function.
This is described later in the manual.

Chapter 3: Paper handling

If the tractor feed is installed, you can also feed continuous paper
from the bottom. This option is available if you have a printer stand
or table with a slot which allows continuous paper to be fed in from
below.

Installation of the tractor feed and paper handling is described in
the chapter »Accessories«.

An additional bottom tractor feed gives you the means of feeding
continuous paper from the bottom. In order to be able to use this
function, you first have to fit the bottom tractor feed to allow the
printer to be placed on the built-in supports.

Installation of the bottom tractor feed and paper handling is de­scribed in the chapter »Accessories«.

Switching between continuous paper and
cut sheets (Park)

Your printer will allow you to switch without difficulty between
printing on continuous paper and cut sheets. The continuous paper
is removed from the paper path at the press of a button. You can
then insert a cut sheet of paper which the printer will then draw in
automatically.

Feeding continuous
paper from the
bottom (tractor feed,
accessory)

Feeding continuous
paper from the
bottom (tractor feed,
accessory)

☞ Note!

Do not use the PARK function in conjunction with the pull
tractor feed otherwise the continuous paper will run completely
out of the tractor guide.

3-11

Chapter 3: Paper handling

Changing from
continuous paper to
cut sheets

Do not forward paper to the
PARK position by using the
platen knob.

Changing from
cut sheets to
continuous paper

If continuous paper is being fed from the rear and you wish to
change to cut sheets, proceed as follows:

1. Part the already printed pages along the perforation.

2. In ON LINE mode, press the PARK button. The continuous pa-

per is transported backwards but remains held in the tractor
feed.

3. Move the paper lever on the right of the printer to the middle
position. The symbol for cut sheet handling (TOP) shows you
the correct lever position.

4. Raise the paper support.

5. Place a sheet of paper on the paper support. Adjust the paper

guide to the correct width. Start by aligning the left edge of the
paper to the mark provided.

6. The paper is automatically fed in after the time set in the menu.
If necessary, reset the top of form.

Should you wish to go back to continuous paper when you have
finished printing, proceed as follows:

1. Press the FF/LOAD button to eject the cut sheet still in the print-
er. Do not use the platen knob to do this otherwise you will lose
the top of form position you have set.

Do not forward paper to the
PARK position by using the
platen knob.

3-12

2. Move forwards the paper release lever on the right side of the
printer; the symbol for continuous paper (REAR) shows you the
correct position for the lever.

3. Press the FF/LOAD button again. The continuous paper previ-
ously removed from the paper path is drawn around the platen
again.

This function is also available when you use an automatic cut sheet
feeder (accessory).

Setting the top of page (Top Of Form)

With the »Top Of Form« function, you can set the line where print­ing is to start, the so-called top of form.

A clear paper guard is fitted at
the front on the print head car­riage. The red line (arrow) is the
position on the current line at
which the characters are print­ed. This line is very useful when
setting the top of form position
and during general printer op­eration.

Chapter 3: Paper handling

☞ Note!

If you are using the "Form Tear-Off" function, you first have to
switch this off in the printer menu.

Should you wish to change the start of printing in the vertical direc­tion (top of form), proceed as follows:

1. Transport the continuous paper to the next top of form or insert
a cut sheet and let the printer automatically draw it in. Both
occur on pressing the FF/LOAD button.

2. Switch the printer OFF LINE by pressing the SEL button; the
SEL lamp lights.

3. Set the top of form by holding down the SHIFT button and simul-

taneously pressing one of the Micro Feed buttons. This will cause
the paper to be transported Up or Down in steps of 1/180 inch.

4. The top of form chosen is stored once you have released the but­tons. Switch the printer ON LINE again by pressing the SEL but­ton.

Changing Top of
Form

If you are using, for example,
a text processing program
which automatically sets a top
margin, the top edge of the
paper is to be set as the top of
form.

Do not forward paper to the
new top of form position by
using the platen knob.

3-13

Chapter 3: Paper handling

☞ Note!

To set the top of form to the standard setting, simultaneously
press the SHIFT and TOF buttons. There must be no paper in
the print path when doing this.

5. The top of form can be set differently for each type of paper feed,
irrespective of whether you are feeding cut sheets manually, us­ing the cut sheet feeder (CSF) or using continuous paper.

Indicating or changing the print position

The current print position is indicated by the »M« above the red line
located on the clear paper guard of the print head carriage.

Should you wish to find out
where the next printing position
will be, simultaneously press
the SHIFT and PRINT QUALITY
buttons. The print head carriage
will then move automatically to
the new printing position.

If, when printing on pre-printed
forms it is necessary to correct
the current printing position in
a horizontal direction or change
to the next printing position,
proceed as follows:

1. Make sure that the printer is ON LINE; the SEL lamp lights.

2. Simultaneously press the SHIFT and TEAR buttons and the

print head will move to the left. On pressing the SHIFT and
PARK buttons, the print head will move to the right.

Print position (M)

The distance the print head moves between the individual printing
positions corresponds to the setting displayed under CHARACTER
PITCH.

3-14

Automatic advance to Form Tear-Off
position

If this function is active, printed pages of continuous paper are
transported from the TOF position to the Form Tear-Off position to
allow you to tear them off there. To do this, the continuous paper
must be fed from the rear or via the additional bottom tractor feed
(accessory) from below.

☞ Note!

Do not use the »Form Tear-Off« function in conjunction with
continuous labels on backing paper or with multi-layer forms
as this can cause a paper jam.

Chapter 3: Paper handling

Activate this function after setting the top of form position by
means of the menu item Form Tear-Off for the paper path Rear
Feed (rear of printer) or Bottom Feed (bottom tractor feed) by
changing it from Off to the required time pause. After a 500 ms, one
or two second pause without any further print data, the paper is
transported to the tear-off position. You can then tear off the paper
if you wish.

The serrated tear-off edge,
which you can use when the top
part of the printer cover is fold­ed forwards, is provided for
this purpose.

If further data is sent to the
printer, the page is pulled back
to the current printing position
or top of form.

Serrated tear-off edge

Use of the printer menu is
described in Chapter 4.

3-15

Chapter 3: Paper handling

Checking the top of
form

Changing the tear­off position

Do not forward paper to the
tear-off position by using the
platen knob.

With the »Form Tear-Off« function activated, you can check and set
the top of form by pressing the TEAR button in OFF LINE mode;
the paper is drawn back to the top of form. Reset the top of form by
pressing the Micro Feed Up/Down buttons with the SHIFT button
pressed. The paper is transported to the tear-off position after mak­ing this setting.

Should you wish to change the setting of the tear-off position,
switch the printer OFF LINE with the Form Tear-Off function acti­vated. Make sure the paper is at the tear-off position. Change the
tear-off position by pressing the Micro Feed Up/Down buttons with
the SHIFT button pressed.

When using graphics programmes, there may due to the amount of
processing to be performed by the computer be pauses in the send­ing of data which cause the paper to be fed to the tear-off position.
The unnecessary transporting of the paper can impair accurate
registration of the graphics. In this situation, switch off the »Form
Tear-Off« function.

3-16

Chapter 4: Printer menu settings

Chapter 4: Printer menu settings

The printer menu

The printer menu is used to adjust your printer to suit the applica­tion. Thus, you can use the printer menu to choose the emulation.
You can adjust the page length for continuous paper or cut sheets,
change the font and make other settings. The changes made in the
menu are stored in the printer and retained even after the printer is
switched off. These settings can be changed by software commands
from your application or by means of the operator panel. After
switching the printer on or off, the values set in the menu come into
force again. Changes to the printer menu are also retained if the
mains power supply is disconnected from the printer.

The printer menu is structured as follows: at the top level, the func­tions are divided into so-called menu groups (GROUP). Within
each group are to be found several menu items (ITEM). To each
menu item in turn can be assigned a menu value (SET).

In order to change the value of a menu item, you must first call
menu mode. To do this, hold down the SHIFT button and press the
MENU button while the printer is in ON LINE mode. The menu
mode can also be activated by holding down the MENU button
when switching on the printer. This second option is still open to
you when the operator panel is blocked by means of the Operator
Panel Function. The menu mode is activated when the indicator
lamp MENU is lit. The functions beneath the buttons are then
activated.

Should you wish to print out the current menu settings, insert a
sheet of paper in the printer and press the PRINT button. The menu
will be printed out in data processing quality. If, in menu mode, the
printing reaches the end of the paper, insert a new sheet and switch
the printer ON LINE again. The print-out is immediately recom­menced.

Activate menu
mode

There must be paper in the
printer.

Print menu settings

4-1

Chapter 4: Printer menu settings

Changing the menu
settings

• On pressing the GROUP button, the next group and the first
menu item associated with it are output. If you simultaneously
press the SHIFT button, the preceding menu group is selected.

• By means of the ITEM button, you can switch to the next menu
item within a group. If you simultaneously press the SHIFT but­ton, the preceding menu item is selected.

• Pressing the SET button causes the current setting of a menu
item to be changed by displaying and activating the next availa­ble value. If you simultaneously press the SHIFT button, the pre­ceding value is printed and activated.

• After setting the required value, you can select the next ITEM or
next GROUP in order to make changes to the values there.

• After changing all the items you require, you can end menu
mode by pressing the EXIT button when holding down the
SHIFT button and the changes become effective.

• In order to reset the menu to its factory default, hold down the
two buttons LF and SEL when switching the printer on.

☞ Note!

Within menu mode, you can print out by means of the
button a complete list of menu items with the current settings.

Example

Ex factory, the printer is set to character pitch 10 cpi. In order to
create a wide table you wish to use character pitch 17.1 cpi. Proceed
as follows:

1. The printer is in ON LINE mode. First press the SHIFT button,
hold this down and then press the MENU button.

2. Press the GROUP button to switch from the first group Printer
Control to the next group Font.

3. Press the ITEM button to switch from the first menu item Print
Mode to the next menu item Pitch.

PRINT

4-2

Chapter 4: Printer menu settings

4. You can select a value for Pitch. Since the first value is 10 cpi,
you need to press the SET button three times until the value 17.1
cpi appears.

Hold down the SHIFT button and press the EXIT button. The val­ues last selected now become effective and the printer returns to
print mode.

Below are summarised the functions for buttons in menu mode:

Button Function

SHIFT/MENU Pressing both buttons in ON LINE

status activates menu mode.

GROUP Calls the next group.
SHIFT/GROUP Calls the previous group.
ITEM Displays the next menu item within the

current group.

SHIFT/ITEM Displays the previous menu item within

the current group.

SET Displays the next value of the current

item.

End menu mode

SHIFT/SET Displays the preceding value of the

current item.

PRINT Prints out all menu items and the asso-

ciated settings.

SHIFT/EXIT Ends menu mode.

4-3

Chapter 4: Printer menu settings

GROUP ITEM SET

The factory defaults for menu
items are printed in bold.

The font LQ Orator can only
be selected via the menu and
not via the operator panel

Printer Control Emulation Mode EPSON LQ, IBM PPR,

Font Print Mode LQ Courier, LQ Roman,

Pitch 10 CPI, 12 CPI, 15 CPI,

Proportional Spacing

Style Normal, Italics

Size Single, Double

Symbol Sets Character Set Set II, Set I

Language Set

IBM AGM

LQ Swiss, LQ Swiss Bold,
LQ Orator, LQ Gothic,
LQ Prestige, Utility

17.1 CPI, 20 CPI

No, Yes

ASCII, French, German,

British, Danish I, Swedish I,
Italian, Spanish I, Japanese,
Norwegian, Danish II,
Spanish II, Latin American,
French Canadian, Dutch,
Swedish II, Swedish III,
Swedish IV, Turkish,
Swiss I, Swiss II, Publisher

4-4

Zero Character

Code Page

Slashed Letter O No, Yes

Unlashed, Slashed

USA, Canada French,

Multilingual, Portugal,
Norway, Turkey, Greek_437,
Greek_869, Greek_928,
Greek_437 Cyprus, Polska
Mazovia, Serbocroatic I,
Serbocroatic II, ECMA-94,
Hungarian CWI, Windows
Greek, Windows East
Europe, Windows Cyrillic,
East Europe Latin II-852,
Cyrillic I-855, Cyrillic II-
866, Kamenicky (MJK), ISO
Latin 2, Hebrew NC-862,
Hebrew OC, Turkey_857,
Latin 5 (Windows Turkey),
Windows Hebrew,
Ukrainian, Bulgarian, ISO
Latin 6 (8859/10), Windows
Baltic, Baltic_774

GROUP ITEM SET

Chapter 4: Printer menu settings

Rear Feed

Bottom Feed Line Spacing 6 LPI, 8 LPI

Line Spacing

Form Tear-Off Off, 500 ms, 1 sec, 2 sec

Skip Over Perforation

Page Width

Page Length

Form Tear-Off Off, 500 ms, 1 sec, 2 sec

Skip Over Perforation

Page Width

Page Length 12 ", 14 ", 17 ", 3 ", 3.5 ",

6 LPI, 8 LPI

No, Yes

13.6 ", 8 "

12 ", 14 ", 17 ", 3 ", 3.5 ",

4 ", 5.5 ", 6 ", 7 ", 8 ", 8.5 ",

2/3

11 ", 11

No, Yes

13.6 ", 8 "

4 ", 5.5 ", 6 ", 7 ", 8 ", 8.5 ",

2/3

11 ", 11

The menu item Page Width
appears only for wide printer
models.

"

The menu item Page Width
appears only for wide printer
models.

"

Top Feed Line Spacing 6 LPI, 8 LPI

Bottom Margin Valid, Invalid

Page Width

Page Length 11

Wait Time

Page Length Control

13.6 ", 8 "

2/3

", 12 ", 14 ", 16.57 ",

3 ", 3.5 ", 4 ", 5.5 ", 6 ", 7 ",
8 ", 8.5 ", 11 "

1 sec, 2 sec, 500 ms

by MENU Setting,

by Actual Page Length

The menu item Page Width
appears only for wide printer
models.

4-5

Chapter 4: Printer menu settings

GROUP ITEM SET

Auto CR appears only when
IBM emulation is selected.

CSF Bin Select appears only
when cut sheet feeder is
installed with two trays.

Set-Up Graphics

Receive Buffer

Paper Out Override

Print Registration

Operator Panel Function

Reset Inhibit No, Yes

Print Suppress Effective

Auto LF No, Yes

Auto CR

CSF Bin Select

SI Select Pitch (10 CPI) 17.1 CPI, 15 CPI

Uni-directional,
Bi-directional

8 K, 23 K, 1 Line

No, Yes

0, 0.05mm, 0.10mm, 0.15mm,

0.20mm, 0.25mm Left,

0.25mm Right, 0.20mm,

0.15mm, 0.10mm, 0.05mm

Full Operation,
Limited Operation

Yes , No

No, Yes

Bin 1, Bin 2

SI Select Pitch (10/12 cpi)

appears only when IBM
emulation is selected.

MODE2 appears only for
wide printer models.

CSF Type appears only for
wide printer models.

4-6

SI Select Pitch (12 CPI)

Time Out Print Valid, Invalid

Auto Select

Graphics Speed

Centering Position DEFAULT, MODE1, MODE2

CSF Type

12 CPI, 20 CPI

No, Yes

Low, High

Wide, Narrow

GROUP ITEM SET

Chapter 4: Printer menu settings

Parallel I/F I-Prime

Pin 18 +5 V, Open

Auto Feed XT Invalid, Valid

Buffer Print,
Buffer Clear, Invalid

The menu items of the group Serial I/F only appear when a serial
interface is installed. The installation is described in the »Accesso­ries« chapter, further technical information on interfaces is to be
found in the «Interface Data« appendix.

GROUP ITEM SET

Serial I/F Parity None, Even, Odd

Serial Data 7 / 8-Bits 8 Bits, 7 Bits

Protocol Ready / Busy,

X-ON / X-OFF

Auto Feed XT appears only
when Epson emulation is
selected.

Diagnostic Test No, Yes

Busy Line SSD-, SSD+, DTR, RTS

Baud Rate 9600 BPS, 4800 BPS,

DSR Signal Valid, Invalid

DTR Signal Ready on Power Up,

Busy Time

2400 BPS, 1200 BPS, 600 BPS,
300 BPS, 19200 BPS

Ready on Select

200 ms, 1 sec

4-7

Chapter 4: Printer menu settings

The menu items of group CSF Bin 1 listed below appear only when
a cut sheet feeder is installed. The menu items of the group CSF
Bin 2 accordingly appear only when a cut sheet feeder is installed
with two trays.

GROUP ITEM SET

CSF Bin 1 Line Spacing 6 LPI, 8 LPI

Bottom Margin Valid, Invalid

Page Width appears only for
wide printer model.

Page Width

Page Length 11

CSF Bin 2 Line Spacing 6 LPI, 8 LPI

Bottom Margin Valid, Invalid

Page Length 11

13.6 ", 8 "

2/3

", 12 ", 14 ", 16.57 ",

3 ", 3.5 ", 4 ", 5.5 ", 6 ", 7 ",
8 ", 8.5 ", 11 "

2/3

", 12 ", 14 ", 16.57 ",

3 ", 3.5 ", 4 ", 5.5 ", 6 ", 7 ",
8 ", 8.5 ", 11 "

4-8

Explanation of menu items

Chapter 4: Printer menu settings

Emulation Mode: You use this item to define the command set. The
emulations available to you are Epson LQ, IBM ProPrinter and
IBM AGM. The Alternative Graphics Mode (AGM) includes partial
compatibility with the Epson LQ series which is largely limited to
graphics and line feed commands. The commands available in
AGM are indicated in the appropriate chapters.

Print Mode: You can select here the required font for the document.
Pitch: You set here the character width in characters per inch (cpi).
Proportional Spacing: The fonts in letter quality can optionally be

printed with proportional spacing.

Style: You select normal or italic characters.
Size: You can switch between single font size and combination of

expanded horizontal and vertical font.

Character Set: You can select here between IBM character sets Set I
and Set II. In Epson emulation, Set II corresponds to an extension of
the printable characters.

Printer Control

Font

Symbol Sets

Language Set: When you select a national character set, this replac­es some characters with the special characters of the respective lan­guage.

Zero Character: Select Slashed if you wish zero to have a slash
through it in order to better differentiate it from capital O.

Code Page: A code page is a character set that contains country
specific characters. In IBM emulation it can be used as character set
I and II or as a fully printable character set. In Epson emulation, all
characters can be made available via the "Extension of printable
characters". In addition, certain characters in the lower range can be
replaced by choosing a national character set (Language Set).

Slashed Letter O: The characters ¢ (155) and ¥ (157) are replaced by
Ø and Ø when Yes is selected.

A table of all the character
sets and code pages is to be
found in Chapters 10, 14 and
Appendix B.

4-9

Chapter 4: Printer menu settings

Rear Feed,
Bottom Feed

Line Spacing: Select between 6 lpi (lines per inch, corresponds to
1/6 inch line spacing) or 8 lpi (corresponds to 1/8 inch line spac­ing).

Form Tear-Off: If this function is activated, continuous paper is
automatically transported to the tear-off position after the time pre­set in the menu (500 ms, 1 sec, 2 sec). The OFF setting switches the
Form Tear-Off function off. Further information on this function is
to be found in the chapter »Paper Handling«.

Skip Over Perforation: Select Yes if you wish continuous paper to
be automatically transported to the top of the next page 2.54 centi­metres (1 inch) before it reaches the bottom edge of the page. If page
formatting is performed by the software, set this item to No in order
to avoid problems.

Page Width: This menu item is only offered with wide printer mod­els. Select the page width for the paper you are using. The standard
setting is 13.6 inch.

Page Length: Select here the page length for the paper you are
using to ensure the initial printing position is the same for each
page.

Top Feed

Line Spacing: select between 6 lpi (lines per inch, corresponds to
1/6 inch line spacing) or 8 lpi (corresponds to 1/8 inch line spac­ing).

Bottom Margin: When Valid is set, a bottom margin of one inch
(2.54 cm) is always left unprinted when feeding cut sheets via the
paper support or when using an automatic cut sheet feeder.

Page Width: This menu item is only offered with wide printer mod­els. Select the page width for the paper you are using. The standard
setting is 13.6 inch.

Page Length: Select here the page length for the paper you are us­ing to ensure the initial printing position is the same for each page.
The page length set here is only used if the value By MENU Setting
has been selected in the menu item Page Length Control.

Wait Time: Where cut sheets are being fed from above via the pa­per support, the sheets are automatically drawn after the preset
time.

4-10

Chapter 4: Printer menu settings

Page Length Control: Where cut sheets are being fed from above
(Top Feed), the page length can be set via the menu or program
commands (by Menu Setting). If, however, you set the value by
Actual Page Length, the page length is automatically detected by
means of the end of page sensor.

Graphics: Select Uni-directional (from left to right only) to achieve
more precise registration of graphics. With Bi-directional, the
printing speed is increased.

Receive Buffer Size: Selects the volume of the receive buffer. If you
set a large size for the receive buffer, the system can send greater
volumes of data to the printer which then stores it in the buffer; the
printer is ready to receive data for a longer period and the transfer
of data from the computer is therefore not interrupted. If the receive
buffer becomes full, however, the printer is not ready to receive for
a longer period because of the large volume of data in the buffer
which it has to process. If your system issues an error message
when the buffer is set to a large size (e.g. unit error through time­out), you need to set a smaller buffer. The result is that the time
intervals during which the printer is not ready to receive are short­er. Your system is consequently able to send data to the printer at
shorter intervals.

In general, it is advisable to set the receive buffer as small as possi­ble where the computer places the print data in temporary storage
(»spooling«) by means of a print manager, for example. This ap­plies to large and medium-sized data processing systems and when
the printer is used in a network.

Set-Up

Paper Out Override: If the paper end sensor detects that there is
less than 1 inch (2.54 cm) of paper left in the printer, it stops a cur­rent print job. If you set Yes, the sensor is deactivated thus enabling
you to print to the bottom edge of the page when using cut sheets of
paper. Make sure when setting Yes that the printer does not print
on the platen.

Print Registration: Use this item during bi-directional printing in
order to improve the horizontal registration. Normally, the appro­priate value is 0, although by setting another value you can allevi­ate possible registration problems when printing graphic data.

4-11

Chapter 4: Printer menu settings

Operator Panel Functions: Normally, all the buttons of the opera­tor panel are active, but if you choose Limited Operation, the but­tons PRINT QUALITY, CHARACTER PITCH and menu mode are
blocked. The corresponding functions can then only be controlled
by the software. This function is particularly suitable for printers
being used by one or more persons where the changing of settings
is undesirable. Hold down the MENU button when switching on to
call the menu in Limited Operation mode.

Reset Inhibit: Select Yes if you wish to suppress the initialisation
command sent by the software or system. This initialisation com­mand resets all the functions to the values you have set in the menu.

Print Suppress Effective: If the value Yes is selected in this menu
item, the commands for print suppression are active in all emula­tions. If the value No is selected, the commands for print suppres­sion are ignored.

Auto LF: After selecting Yes, the printer automatically adds a line
feed each time it receives a carriage return command. Check wheth­er your computer also adds a line feed. If your print-outs always
have double-line spacing, you should select No. If lines are printed
on top of each other, Yes is the correct value.

Auto CR applies only to IBM
emulation.

CSF Bin Select appears only
when an optional cut sheet
feeder with two trays is
installed.

SI Select Pitch (10 cpi) and
SI Select Pitch (12 cpi)

apply only to IBM emulation.

Auto CR: If you wish the printer to perform a carriage return auto­matically each time it receives the line feed command, select Yes at
this position.

CSF Bin Select: If you are using a cut sheet feeder with two bins,
you can use this menu item to select one of these two bins as the
standard bin and set different positions for the initial print line (top
of form) for both bins. After quitting the menu, you can change the
top of form position for the bin selected in the menu.

SI Select Pitch (10 cpi): You can define here whether the command
SI in IBM emulation selects a character pitch of 17.1 cpi or 20 cpi
when 10 cpi is used.

SI Select Pitch (12 cpi): You can define here whether the command
SI in IBM emulation selects a character pitch of 20 cpi or retains
12 cpi.

Time Out Print: If this function is activated and the printer receives
no data for 150 ms, the data in the printer buffer is printed out.

4-12

Chapter 4: Printer menu settings

Auto Select: If a sheet of paper has been fed automatically from the
paper support when the setting is No, the printer stays in the OFF
LINE status. If Yes is selected, the printer switches to ON LINE
when a sheet of paper is fed and the SEL lamp lights.

Graphics Speed: By means of this menu item, the printing speed
for graphics of a lower resolution can be increased by selecting

High.
Centering Position: This menu item is used to set the preferred po-

sition of the print head to suit the width of the paper format to be
printed. The resultant reduction in print head movement optimises
penetration, and over-saturation of the ribbon is largely avoided.

Refer to the table below to choose the recommended menu settings
for the width of the paper format to be printed. Depending on the
type of paper, it may be that the MODE1 and MODE2 settings can
be used with paper widths larger than stated in the table. With
heavier paper that is wider than A4, the DEFAULT setting may be
necessary.

MODE2 only appears for
wide printer models.

paper narrower 12.5 to 21.0 cm wider

than 12.5 cm 20.9 cm (A4 portrait) than 21.0 cm

narrow MODE1 MODE1 DEFAULT --­model

wide MODE1 MODE2 MODE2 DEFAULT
model

MODE1, segment 10 to 50

Default, position 60

platen, narrow model

MODE1, segment 10 to 50

MODE2, position 55

Default, position 60

platen, wide model

(10 characters per inch)

The diagram shows the
preferred position of the print
head in relation to the
selected menu item. The print
head is driven from this
position to the next print
position, with the shortest
possible path being chosen.

4-13

Chapter 4: Printer menu settings

CSF Type: The menu item CSF Type only appears for wide printer
models. If you are working with a wide cut sheet feeder, the value
must be set to Wide. If you are using a narrow cut sheet feeder with
a wide printer, set the value to Narrow.

Parallel I/F

This menu item applies only
to Epson emulation.

Serial I/F

I-Prime: the signal on the I-Prime line of the parallel interface can
either be ignored (Invalid), cause printing out of the current buffer
(Buffer Print) or erase the print buffer (Buffer Clear).

Pin 18: pin 18 of the parallel interface can be switched to 5 volts or
open if required.

Auto Feed XT: In essence, no line feed (LF) is performed after a car-
riage return (CR) if Auto LF is set to No. If, however, in Epson mode
Auto LF is set to No and Auto Feed XT to Valid, a line feed is per­formed when an external Auto Feed Signal (Centronics pin 14) is
issued. This special case can be necessary for certain combinations
of hardware and software.

In the case of serial data transmission, the data bits of a byte are sent
one after the other via a line to the printer. For correct transmission,
it may be necessary to change the interface settings so that they
match the settings of your computer. If there is a serial interface
installed and this has been activated in the menu, the menu items
described below appear.

4-14

Parity: Selects the parity. For each byte of data, a start bit with logi­cal value 1 is transmitted, followed by the 7 or 8 bits of data accord­ing to the data length defined. If required, a parity bit can follow for
the purpose of data checking.

Serial data 7/8 bits: Defines the data format. It is necessary to differ­entiate between the data format (7 or 8 bits) and the transmission
format (data bits plus parity bit set or not set).

Protocol: Selects the interface protocol. There are two protocols that
can determine the sending and receiving of data. In the case of the
Ready/Busy protocol, the DTR, RTS or SSD line indicates the print­er's readiness to receive by means of the voltage level. In the case of
the X-ON/X-OFF protocol, sending/receiving is controlled (hand­shake) via special characters transmitted on the data line.

Chapter 4: Printer menu settings

Diagnostic Test: Activates a diagnostic test of the interface. For fur­ther information, please refer to Appendix D.

Busy Line: Defines the line to be used for the busy signal.
Baud Rate: Defines the speed of data transmission.
DSR Signal: Activates or deactivates the DSR signal (data set

ready).
DTR Signal: Defines the status of the DTR signal (data terminal

ready).
Busy Time: Selects the duration of the busy signal.

4-15

Chapter 5: Printer Control

Emulation

An emulation is a »copy« of the functions of a specified device. That
means your printer is capable in a certain emulation of executing the
commands and functions of this particular device. In addition, extra
functions are in most cases provided that go beyond the perform­ance specification of the emulated device.

Chapter 5: Printer Control

To be able to use your printer with as many applications as possible,
it is provided with the emulations IBM ProPrinter, IBM ProPrinter
AGM and Epson LQ.

Printer drivers

In order to be able to write application programs not designed for
specific output devices such as a screen or printer, they are mostly
provided with exchangeable program parts responsible for output­ting the data, so-called drivers. A driver receives generally required
outputting instructions from its own program and translates these
into the special commands and functions of the printer for which the
driver was written. When installing or setting up printer drivers,
you should always refer to the manual for the respective program,
as the programs may be available in versions written both at differ­ent times and for different countries. For that reason, the notes given
here may not always be applicable to your program but are to be
taken as generally applicable.

You will obtain the best support for your printer if you use a printer
driver which precisely matches the name of your printer.

The IBM ProPrinter function
"Load down user-defined
characters into the printer,
DLL" is not supported by this
printer model.

If there is no matching driver in your program, choose a driver for
one of the emulations named below. Make sure that the printer driv­er agrees with the emulation you set in the menu of the printer.

To select another suitable printer driver, go through the following
list from top to bottom and select the driver that most closely match­es the name of your printer.

5-1

Chapter 5: Printer Control

☞

The lower the printer driver appears in the list, the fewer the
functions supported.

Epson-Emulation IBM-Emulation

OKI ML 3390/3391 OKI ML 3390/3391
OKI ML 590/591 Elite OKI ML 590/591 Elite
OKI ML 590/591 OKI ML 590/591
OKI ML 390/391 Elite OKI ML 390/391 Elite
OKI ML 390/391 OKI ML 390/391
Siemens High Print 4008-N10/ Siemens High Print 4008-N10/
Siemens High Print 4008-N60 Siemens High Print 4008-N60
Epson LQ 870/1170 IBM ProPrinter X24 (4207)
Epson LQ 850/1150 IBM ProPrinter XL24 (4208)
Epson LQ 1500
Epson LQ

Note!

Some software packages permit modification of the printer driver.
Such a modification, however, requires an intensive study of the
program and the control commands of the printer. A list of the avail­able functions and the associated control commands is to be found
in Chapters 10 and 14 of this manual. Please refer to the manual of
your application program for more detailed notes on installation
and modification of the printer driver. If in doubt, contact your soft­ware manufacturer or supplier.

5-2

Characters and control characters

The print data is transmitted by character. Every character is repre­sented by 8 bits and thus expresses a certain position within the
character set currently selected.

Most character sets are based on ASCII code (American Standard Code
for Information Interchange).

There are different national variations for this character set. The so­called control characters are common to all the character sets. These
are to be found at decimal positions 0 to 31 and effect functions such
as page feed, line feed or carriage return. Some of these control char­acters modify character widths and are described in the appropriate
chapters.

The so-called Escape character has a special significance among the
control characters and is located at decimal position 27 (hexadecimal
1B). This control character introduces most commands for printers.
One or more ASCII characters follow which in conjunction with the
Escape character activate or deactivate print functions. At positions
32 to 255 are normally to be found printable characters. It is often
possible to obtain special printable characters at the positions of the
control characters by triggering them with an appropriate com­mand.

Chapter 5: Printer Control

The commands are listed in ASCII, decimal and hexadecimal form.
If you are using a programming language, refer to your program­ming manual for the transfer of characters and control characters to
the printer.

Printing under DOS

Most IBM PC and compatible PCs use MS-DOS, PC-DOS, DR-DOS
or similar as the operating system. Although DOS has no print func­tions, like a text processing or graphics program, direct printing of
ASCII or print files is nevertheless possible under DOS. In the exam­ples listed below, it is assumed that the printer is connected to paral­lel interface LPT1 of the PC. If a different interface to LPT1 is used
(e.g. LPT2, LPT3, COM1, COM2), the address in the examples must
be correspondingly altered. Further details on the serial interface are
to be found later in the manual.

5-3

Chapter 5: Printer Control

TYPE

COPY

It is possible to print an ASCII or print file by using the TYPE com­mand and diverting the output to the LPT1 device.

Example:

TYPE C:\AUTOEXEC.BAT > LPT1:
TYPE C:\TEXTS\LETTER.TXT > LPT1:

In the first instance, the file AUTOEXEC.BAT is printed from the
root directory and in the second case the file LETTER.TXT is printed
from the TEXTS subdirectory.

Files are copied between diskettes and hard disk and other devices
by means of the COPY command. Thus, files can also be transmitted
to the printer by means of COPY. When using the COPY command,
the option »/B« should be activated so that binary and graphics files
can also be copied without any limitations.

Example:

COPY /B C:\AUTOEXEC.BAT LPT1:

CTRL-P

COPY /B C:\TEXTS\LETTER.TXT LPT1:

Similarly, one can also copy characters directly from the keyboard to
the printer by means of the COPY command.

Example:

COPY CON: LPT1
THIS IS A SMALL TEST Ctrl-Z or F6

After entering the control character CTRL-P (hold down the CON­TROL key and press the P key), texts output to the screen are simul­taneously output to the current printer output device and printed
out there. If, for example, the command DIR is entered via the key­board, the file names of the current subdirectory are output not only
to the screen but also to the printer.

For more detailed information on printing under DOS and the com­mands mentioned above, please refer to the manual for the operat­ing system.

5-4

Entering the control character CTRL-P once again switches off print­ing of the screen data on the printer.

Printing under DOS with a serial interface
(RS-232C)

When printing under DOS, make sure only the transmission proto­col Ready/Busy (hardware handshake) is supported. Printing with
the transmission protocol X-ON/X-OFF (software handshake) is
only possible with software for remote data transfer such as Telix,
ProCom or MS-Windows Terminal.

Remote data transfer programs of this kind are good for testing in­terfaces because it is easy to change or adjust the parameters.

Note also the following points:

• The settings for the serial interface in the menu of the printer
must agree with the settings for the serial interface in the PC.

Chapter 5: Printer Control

• The interface cable must be wired in accordance with the menu
options.

Example:

The serial interface options in the printer are set at the factory as
follows:

Parity None
Serial data 8 bits
Protocol Ready / Busy
Diagnostic Test No
Busy Line SSD-
Baud Rate 9.600 bps
DSR Signal Valid
DTR Signal Ready on Power up
Busy Time 200 ms

5-5

Chapter 5: Printer Control

• The serial interface settings in the computer are defined with the
MODE command as follows:

MODE COM1: 9600,n,8,1,p

Please refer to the DOS manual for more information on the
MODE command.

• Notes and further information on the serial interface (wiring, pin
assignment, etc.) are to be found in the Interface Data appendix.

Troubleshooting

Should your printer not print under DOS when using a serial con­nection, go through the following checklist:

1. Check whether there is a technical fault on the serial interface
(RS-232C). To do this, perform the test described in Appendix D.

2. Check the settings of the items in the printer menu which relate
to the serial interface. These settings must agree with the settings
in your system.

3. Make sure the serial interface is correctly set up under DOS.

4. Check the interface cable. With the multitude of cables available,

it is often difficult to find a cable suitable for your particular re­quirements. The interface cable described in Appendix D can be
used both for transmission protocol X-ON/X-OFF and Ready/
Busy (Busy Line DTR).

5-6

Chapter 6: Consumables and cleaning

Chapter 6: Consumables and
cleaning

Changing the ribbon cassette

If the contrast of the printed characters is deteriorating, the ribbon
needs to be changed. To do this, proceed as follows:

Caution!

The print head moves and can cause injury to the hands.
Switch the printer OFF LINE and wait until the print head stops
moving.

1. Switch the printer OFF LINE by pressing the SEL button; the
SEL lamp is extinguished.

2. Open the printer cover.

Caution!

The print head may be hot and can burn your hands.
Wait until the print head has cooled down.

3. Move the print head to the
middle of the platen.

6-1

Chapter 6: Consumables and cleaning

4. Hold the used ribbon cas­sette at the top and carefully
lift it over the print head.

Lift cassette over the print head

Inserting a new
ribbon cassette

The original ribbon cassettes of the manufacturer´s are specially de­veloped for your printer. Among other things, this concerns the ink,
which contains lubricants, and the fabric of the ribbon.

Warning!

Non-original ribbons can damage the print head.
Use only the original ribbons of the manufacturer.

A clear ribbon guard is fitted to the front of the cassette. Do NOT
remove it!

1. Take the ribbon out of its plastic packing.

2. Place the cassette with the

cutout sections onto the pins
of the cassette holder.

6-2

Chapter 6: Consumables and cleaning

3. Tilt the cassette carefully
down over the print head
until you feel it click into
place.

4. Turn the blue transport knob
of the cassette in the direc­tion of the arrow to tension
the ribbon.

5. Close the printer cover and
switch the printer ON LINE
again by means of the SEL
button.

Tilt cassette down over print head

Cleaning

To ensure constant problem-free printing, clean the printer every
six months (or after 300 hours of operation).

Caution!

The print head moves and can cause injury to the hands.
Switch the printer OFF LINE and wait until the print head stops
moving.

Caution!

The print head may be hot and can burn your hands.
Wait until the print head has cooled down.

• Before carrying out any cleaning, remove all accessories from
the printer such as the cut sheet feeder or tractor feed.

• Clean the area around the axle of the print head carriage and the
platen with a clean, dry cloth.

6-3

Chapter 6: Consumables and cleaning

• Remove paper dust only with a soft brush such as a paint brush.

• Do not grease or oil any parts within the printer, this can cause
damage.

• Do not use any solvents or aggressive cleaning agents on the
case or in the machine, this can cause damage.

6-4

Chapter 7: Accessories

The accessories described in this chapter extend the range of func­tions provided by your printer. For your safety, and to avoid dam­age to the machine:

• ... switch the printer off before installing accessories,

• ... remove the plug from the power supply.

Make sure you also read the safety information at the beginning of
this manual.

Cut sheet feeder

A cut sheet feeder feeds single sheets of paper to the printer thus
saving the operator having to feed paper manually sheet by sheet
during large print jobs (multiple copies of letters, etc.). The printed
pages are ejected onto the output tray.

Chapter 7: Accessories

The cut sheet feeder is available in different versions:

• Narrow sheet feeder with one paper tray

• Narrow sheet feeder with two paper trays (double tray)

• Wide sheet feeder with one paper tray

• Wide sheet feeder with two paper trays (double tray)

Front paper stand (paper eject)

Paper set lever

Rear paper stand (paper insert)

Mounting bracket

7-1

Chapter 7: Accessories

Checking the items
supplied

Adjusting the length
of the feed rail

You will need a cross-head
screwdriver for this.

Check that the individual items
supplied are complete and un­damaged. You should have re­ceived:

• 1 feed rail

• 1 front paper stand

• 1 to 4 rear paper stands

Remove the packing material. Keep the original packing material
safe so that you can transport the sheet feeder safely at a later date if
necessary.

The metal paper feed rail enables you to fit a narrow cut sheet feed­er onto a wide printer. All that is required is to adjust the feed rail to
the wide platen.

1. Undo and remove the
screws on the top of the feed
rail.

2. Lay the extension piece of
the rail next to the appropri­ate holes so that they align
on the right hand side.

7-2

Screws

3. Align the holes of the exten­sion precisely to the holes of
the rail.

4. Fasten the screws once
again.

Extended in this way, the paper
feed rail will now fit the wide
printer. If, on the other hand,
you are using the narrow print­er, the rail must not be extend­ed.

Chapter 7: Accessories

Install the feed rail as follows:

Caution!

The print head moves and can cause injury to the hands.
Switch the printer OFF LINE and wait until the print head stops
moving.

Caution!

The print head may be hot and can burn your hands.
Wait until the print head has cooled down.

Installing the
feed rail

7-3

Chapter 7: Accessories

1. Switch the printer off and
open the printer cover.

2. Remove the paper support
(see also Chapter 1).

3. Remove the ribbed paper
separator by first pulling it
forwards and then removing
it from its catch arrangement
(see also Chapter 1).

4. Fit the feed rail with its
mounting brackets at both
ends of the platen. You
should hear it click into
place.

5. Gently tilt the rail back­wards.

7-4

Chapter 7: Accessories

1. Install the cut sheet feeder
with its mounting brackets
onto both ends of the platen
shaft so that it is firmly
seated.

2. Turn the platen knob so that
the gearwheel on the left end
of the sheet feeder engages
with the gearwheel of the
platen.

3. Close the printer cover.

Installing the cut
sheet feeder

4. Connect the cable of the cut
sheet feeder to the printer by
plugging it into the socket
provided to the left rear of
the printer. The arrow on the
plug shows the correct way
to plug it in.

7-5

Chapter 7: Accessories

5. Fit the rear paper stand or
stands as the case may be
onto the rail of the paper
guide.

6. Now insert the front paper
stand.

7-6

7. To ensure that the machine
feeds and handles the paper
perfectly, the paper lever at
the right end of the printer
must point to the cut sheet
symbol (middle position,
TOP).

8. Switch the printer on.

Chapter 7: Accessories

The paper tray of the cut sheet feeder has a maximum capacity of
100 sheets (90 g/m2) or 170 sheets (60 g/m2) of standard paper.
A mark on the left guide rail indicates the maximum amount of
paper. Read also the further notes on paper in Chapter 3.

1. Set the paper set lever at the
right end of the cut sheet
feeder upwards to the RE­SET position. The paper tray
will open towards the back.

W arning!

Paper feed

Direct pressure on the platen can cause damage to the
print head and pins. Make sure the paper guide is correctly
adjusted.

2. Take a stack of paper, fan it
to part the sheets and insert
it into the sheet feeder. Make
sure the stack of paper is ly­ing on the bottom of the tray.

3. Make sure the rear paper
stands are positioned equal­ly between the paper guides.

Paper
guides

Lever

7-7

Chapter 7: Accessories

4. Adjust the right paper guide
so that the right side of the
guide is flush with the right
edge of the sheet of paper.
Do not force the uprights to­gether. The guide rail can be
released and locked again by
moving the locking lever to
the appropriate position
(RELEASE, LOCK).

5. Move the paper set lever of
the sheet feeder to the SET
position. If it is left released,
the friction rollers cannot
grip the paper and if print­ing is performed without pa­per, the print head and plat­en can be damaged.

Automatic paper
feed

7-8

1. Make sure the setting of the menu item Page Length matches the
paper format you are using. Further information on this is to be
found in »Chapter 4: Printer menu settings«.

2. In ON LINE mode, feed the first sheet of paper with the LF or
FF/LOAD button.

3. If necessary, redefine the top of form. This is described in
»Chapter 3: Paper handling«.

4. To eject a sheet of paper, press the FF/LOAD button again. Do
not use the platen knob.

Chapter 7: Accessories

Cut sheets can also be fed into the printer when the cut sheet feeder
is installed. It is essential, however, that there is no paper in the
normal paper path of the printer. There are two possible modes for
manual feeding:

Feeding cut sheets

If the printer is ON LINE while
paper is placed into the manual
feed slot, it becomes the priority
tray for a cut sheet. In the event
of a multi-page print job, the
printer will merely take the first
sheet from the manual feed slot.
All other sheets will be taken
automatically from the current
paper tray of the cut sheet feed­er.

Changing over to the manual feed slot

If the printer is OFF LINE while paper is placed into the manual
feed slot, it serves as the manual feed tray. The sheet you have in­serted is drawn in automatically after the time set in the Wait Time
menu.

Manual paper feed

If the Auto Select menu item is set to No, it will be necessary to
press the SEL button after each automatic feed operation. If the
Auto Select menu item is set to Yes, printing begins directly after
the automatic feed operation.

For the subsequent pages of a print job, the printer waits for a fur­ther sheet of paper from the feed slot after the first sheet has been
printed and ejected. At the same time, the ALARM lamp is lit and
the SEL lamp is extinguished. Single sheets have to be inserted in
the manual feed slot right to the end of the print job.

Changing over to normal printing operation

To change back to normal printing operation, you merely need to
switch the printer back to ON LINE mode once the print job has
finished. After this, the printer will take the next sheet to be printed
from the current tray of the cut sheet feeder.

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Chapter 7: Accessories

Feeding cut sheets
and continuous
paper

Printing area

If you are using single-part continuous paper, you can leave the cut
sheet feeder on the printer and alternately feed and process contin­uous paper and cut sheets from the sheet feeder. To do this, trans­port the continuous paper into the PARK position as described in
Chapter 3. It is not possible to process multi-part forms with the cut
sheet feeder installed. Use the tractor feed to process multi-part
forms (accessory).

Even though the cut sheet feeder permits printing of cut sheets
from the top of the page, it is advisable to leave a top margin of 1/3
inch (0.85 cm) and a bottom margin of 1 inch (2.54 cm) as the print
quality cannot be guaranteed in this area, and there are likely to be
a greater number of paper jams.

The bottom limit of printing is defined by the menu item Bottom
Margin. If Bottom Margin is set to Valid, a bottom margin of 1/2
inch (13 mm) is preset. If, on the other hand, this menu item is set to
Invalid, the bottom margin depends on the page length set in the
menu. The smallest possible bottom margin can be 0.5 mm. In this
case, make sure the page length is correctly set.

Selecting the paper
tray

Removing the cut
sheet feeder from
the printer

If you have installed a cut sheet feeder with two paper trays, you
can feed paper from either the front or rear tray as required. In
many application programs, the choice of tray can be set in the soft­ware.

In the printer menu, it is possible to select the tray that is to be active
as default on switching on the printer. Please refer to “Chapter 4:
Printer menu settings” for this.

In addition, there are programming commands for choosing the
tray in the respective emulations.

Remove the cut sheet feeder from the switched-off printer by re­peating the installation steps in the reverse order. The paper feed
rail must also be removed. Now refit the paper separator and paper
support as described in Chapter 1.

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Chapter 7: Accessories

Should you wish to fit a narrow cut sheet feeder onto a wide print­er, you will have to fit the mounting bracket for the wide roller as
described below. You will need a cross-head screwdriver for this
purpose.

1. Undo and remove screw (A)

Screw A

Mounting bracket

on the inside of the output
tray.

2. Turn the cut sheet feeder
over and place it on a steady,
level surface. The two
screws (B) are now accessi­ble.

Screws B

3. Undo and remove the screws (B) at both ends of the mounting
bracket.

Adjusting the moun­ting bracket

4. Carefully remove both parts of the mounting bracket from the
cut sheet feeder.

5. Move the left bracket rail ap­proximately 5 mm to the left.
Align the fixing hole precise­ly to the pin and the thread­ed hole on the cut sheet feed­er and screw the left screw
(B) in again.

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Chapter 7: Accessories

6. Move the right bracket rail
approximately 15 cm to the
right; the mounting bracket
is now extended to approxi­mately 45 cm wide. Align
the fixing hole precisely to
the pin and the threaded
hole on the cut sheet feeder
and refit the right hand
screw (B).

7. Turn the cut sheet feeder
over and fasten the screw
(A) to the inside right of the
output tray. Replace the cut
sheet feeder on the printer as
described further on.

Checking the items
supplied

The pull tractor feed

You feed continuous paper from the bottom when you wish to print
types of paper that are not suitable for feeding around the platen.
Such types of paper are multi-part forms, adhesive labels on
backing paper and other special papers. You will need to use a pull
tractor feed for this.

Check that the individual items
supplied are complete and un­damaged. You should have re­ceived, depending on the mo­del:

• 1 tractor feed
(narrow or wide)

• 1 acoustic cover
(narrow or wide)

Remove the packing material. Keep the original packing material
safe so that you can transport the tractor feed safely at a later date if
necessary.

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Chapter 7: Accessories

To install the tractor feed, proceed as follows:

Caution!

The print head moves and can cause injury to the hands.
Switch the printer OFF LINE and wait until the print head stops
moving.

Caution!

The print head may be hot and can burn your hands.
Wait until the print head has cooled down.

Installation

1. Switch the printer off and
open the printer cover.

2. Remove the ribbed paper
separator by first pulling it
forwards and then removing
from its retainer (see also
Chapter 1).

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Chapter 7: Accessories

3. Remove the paper support
by pressing it downwards at
the back. This will release it
from its catch (see also
Chapter 1).

4. Fit the tractor feed onto the
printer. When doing this, fit
the slots at each end of the
tractor onto the pins of the
holder on the printer
(arrow).

5. Tilt the tractor feed for­wards. Pull the hooks on the
outside of both ends of the
tractor until you can hear it
click into place on the platen
at both ends.

6. Replace the printer cover
with the acoustic cover sup­plied with the tractor feed
and close it.

7. Refit the paper support (see Chapter 1).

8. Switch the printer on.

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☞ Note!

Do not use the “Park” function in conjunction with the tractor
feed otherwise the continuous paper will run completely out
of the tractor guide.

Chapter 7: Accessories

With the tractor feed fitted, you can feed continuous paper from
below the printer and print on it. Before doing this, place the printer
on a printer table provided with a feed slot. The stack of continuous
paper is placed under the table.

1. Switch the printer off.

2. Move the paper lever at the

right side of the printer for­wards to the continuous pa­per position (REAR); the
symbol on the cover shows
the correct position for the
lever.

3. Feed the continuous paper
through the feed slot in the
bottom of the printer and up
to the level of the platen. From above, pull the paper upwards
beyond the tractor feed.

Feeding continuous
paper

W arning!

Direct pressure on the platen can cause damage to the
print head and pins. Make sure the paper guide is correctly
adjusted.

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Chapter 7: Accessories

4. Release the locking lever for
the left sprocket feed and
move this to the required po­sition. Fasten the left roller
again with the locking lever.

Locking lever

5. Open the cover of the left
sprocket feed, fit the contin­uous paper onto the first two
sprocket pins.

7-16

Cover of
sprocket feed

6. Close the cover again.

7. Now position the right hand
sprocket feed in the same
way to suit the width of pa­per. Make sure that the pa­per is slightly tensioned.

8. Switch the printer on. The
print head will move to the
left end of the platen and the
active indicators on the op­erator panel will light.

9. Fit the new acoustic cover.

Chapter 7: Accessories

You can set the values for paper
handling as you wish by means
of the printer menu in the Bot-
tom Feed group.

Remove the tractor feed from the switched-off printer by repeating
the installation steps in the reverse order. The paper feed rail must
also be removed. Now refit the paper separator and paper support
as described in Chapter 1.

Removing the
tractor feed

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Chapter 7: Accessories

The bottom tractor feed

The bottom tractor feed gives you an additional means of feeding
continuous paper from beneath the printer. For this purpose, the
printer is raised up on the two feet supplied with the feeder.

Checking the items
supplied

Fitting the bottom
tractor feet

Check that the individual items
supplied are complete and un­damaged. You should have re­ceived, depending on the mo­del:

• 1 bottom tractor feed
(narrow or wide)

• 2 tractor feed feet

Remove the packing material. Keep the original packing material
safe so that you can transport the tractor feed safely at a later date if
necessary.

Before the tractor feed can be installed, the support feet for the trac­tor feed must be fitted:

The print head moves and can cause injury to the hands.
Switch the printer OFF LINE and wait until the print head stops
moving.

The print head may be hot and can burn your hands.
Wait until the print head has cooled down.

7-18

Caution!

Caution!

1. Switch off the printer.

2. In order to fit the feet, set the

printer on its left side with
the platen knob pointing up­wards. The right support
foot is to be fitted first.

3. Hook the corners of the sup­port foot into the cutouts
provided for this in the bot­tom of the printer.

4. Press the foot carefully in the
direction of the arrow to­wards the bottom of the
printer so that its edges line
up with those of the printer.

Chapter 7: Accessories

Cutouts

5. Before fitting the left foot,
temporarily remove the plat­en knob to avoid damaging
it. Set the printer on its right
side in order to fit the left
support foot in a similar
way.

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