Oki Microline 521, Microline 520 User Manual

MICROLINE® 520/521

User's Guide

Every effort has been made to ensure that the information in this document is complete, accurate and up-to-date. OKIDATA assumes no responsibility for the results of errors beyond its control. OKIDATA also cannot guarantee that changes in software and equipment made by other manufacturers, and referred to in this handbook, will not affect the applicability of the information in this handbook. Mention of software products manufactured by other companies does not necessarily constitute endorsement by OKIDATA.

Year 2000 Compliance

All products currently sold by Okidata are Year 2000 Compliant. Each product contains information technology that accurately processes date and time data between the years 1999 and 2000. These products, when used in combination with products purchased from other manufacturers, whose products properly exchange date and time information, will accurately process the date and time. All future products are committed to meeting the same Year 2000 compliance.

ENERGY STAR

Written and produced by the OKIDATA Training & Publications Department. Please address any comments on this publication

• by mail to: Training & Publications Department

Okidata, Div. of Oki America, Inc. 2000 Bishops Gate Blvd. Mount Laurel, NJ 08054-4620

• or by e-mail to: pubs@okidata.com

We welcome you to visit our web site:

http://www.okidata.com

As an ENERGY STAR® Partner, Okidata has determined that this product meets the E

NERGY STAR guidelines for energy

efficiency.

OKIDAT A, OKILINK and MICROLINE are re gistered trademarks of Oki Electric Industry Company, Ltd. OKIDAT A and MICROLINE: marques déposées de Oki Electric Industry Company, Ltd. OKIDATA: marca registrada, Oki Electric Industry Company, Ltd. Epson is a registered trademark of Epson America, Inc. IBM is a registered trademark of International Business Machines Corporation. Microsoft is either a registered trademark or a trademark of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries.

Important Safety Instructions

Your OKI printer has been carefully designed to give you years of safe, reliable performance. As with all electrical equipment, there are a few basic precautions you should take to avoid hurting yourself or damaging the printer:

• Read the setup and operating instructions in this manual carefully. Be sure to save it for future reference.

• Read and follow all warning and instruction labels on the printer itself.

• Unplug the printer before you clean it. Use only a damp cloth; do not use liquid or aerosol cleaners.

• Place your printer on a firm, solid surface. If you put in on something unsteady, it might fall and be damaged; if you place it on a soft surface, such as a rug, sofa, or bed, the vents may be blocked, causing it to overheat.

• To protect your printer from overheating, make sure no openings on the printer are blocked. Do not put the printer on or near a heat source, such as a radiator or heat register. If you put the printer in any kind of enclosure, make sure it is well ventilated.

• The printhead can get quite hot when it has been printing for a length of time. Do not touch the printhead until it has had a chance to cool off.

• Do not use your printer near water, or spill liquid of any kind into it.

• Be certain that your power source matches the rating listed on the back of the printer. If you are not sure, check with your dealer or with your local power company.

• Your printer has a grounded, 3-prong plug as a safety feature, and it will only fit into a grounded outlet. If you can not plug it in, chances are that you have an older, non-grounded outlet; have an electrician replace it with a grounded outlet. Do not use an adapter to defeat the grounding.

• The printer must be installed near a power outlet which remains easily accessible.

• To avoid damaging the power cord, do not put anything on it or place it where it will be walked on. If the cord becomes damaged or frayed, replace it immediately.

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• If you’re using an extension cord or power strip with the printer, make sure that the total of the amperes required by all the equipment on the extension is less than the exten-sion’s rating. Generally, the total ratings of all equipment plugged into any one power line should not exceed 15 amps. Don’t exceed this unless you know that the power line your equipment is plugged into has a rating above 15 amps.

• Aside from the routine maintenance described in this handbook, don’t try to service the printer yourself; opening the cover may expose you to shocks or other hazards. Don’t make any adjustments other than those outlined in the manual — you might cause damage requiring extensive repair work. the Warranty, Regulatory, and Safety Information booklet supplied with your printer explains how to get your printer serviced by qualified Okidata technicians.

• If anything happens that indicates that your printer is not working properly or has been damaged, unplug it imme-diately and follow the procedures in the Warranty, Regulatory, and Safety Information booklet supplied with your printer for having your printer serviced.

Some of the things to look for:

- The power cord or plug is frayed or damaged.

- Liquid has been spilled into the housing, or the

printer has been exposed to water.

- The printer has been dropped or its cabinet has

been damaged.

- The printer doesn’t function normally when

you’re following the operating instructions.

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Contents

Section 1: Getting Started ...................................................... 1

Unpack.....................................................................................1

Remove The Protective Film...................................................1

Remove The Shipping Retainers ............................................ 2

Install/Replace the Ribbon

Cartridge ............................................................................. 3

Connect to Power and Computer ............................................5

Power Up..................................................................................6

Load Paper ...............................................................................6

Loading Rear-Feed Paper ...................................................7

Loading Single-Sheet Paper .............................................1 0

Set the T op of F orm...........................................................12

Run the Self Tests ..................................................................13

Selecting an Emulation .........................................................1 3

Changing Emulations ....................................................... 13

Selecting a Printer Driver..................................................14

Printer Drivers ........................................................................14

Okidata Drivers .................................................................14

Section 2: Maintaining Your Printer .................................... 15

Replacing the Ribbon Cartridge ........................................... 1 5

Clearing Paper Jams...............................................................15

Clearing Rear Feed Jams...................................................15

Clearing Single Sheet Feed Jams......................................16

Cleaning the Housing ............................................................ 1 7

Section 3: Using Your Printer ...............................................19

Control Panel Indicator Lights..............................................19

Control Panel Buttons: Print Mode....................................... 2 0

Control Panel Buttons: Menu Mode..................................... 2 1

Print Mode ............................................................................. 2 2

Selecting Print Quality .....................................................2 2

Selecting Character Pitch ................................................. 2 3

Menu Mode ........................................................................... 2 4

Entering The Menu Mode ................................................24

Exiting The Menu Mode .................................................. 24

Resetting The Menu .........................................................24

Printing Out the Menu ...................................................... 2 4

Sample Default Menu Printout .........................................25

Summary of Menu Settings ..............................................26

Explanation of Menu Items ..............................................29

Using the Printer's Features ...................................................32

Tear Feature.......................................................................32

Forms Tear-of f Feature ......................................................32

Paper Park Feature ............................................................33

Section 4: Problem Solving ..................................................35

Section 5: Specifications .......................................................39

Section 6: Parts & Accessories .............................................43

Before Y ou Order ...................................................................43

How to Order..........................................................................43

Replacement Parts .................................................................43

Manuals .................................................................................44

Accessories ............................................................................ 44

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Section 7: Commands ........................................................... 45

Epson FX Commands ............................................................45

IBM Proprinter III Commands ...............................................47

Okidata MICROLINE Standard Commands..........................49

FCC/IC/CE Statements ........................................................... 51

Index ......................................................................................53

Material Safety Data Sheet ................................................... 57

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Conventions Used in This Guide

The following conventions are used in this guide:

• Notes containing general information are preceded by the Note icon.

For example:

Interface cable and paper are sold separately.

• Statements containing precautions against actions which could cause printing problems or damage to the printer are set in italics, preceded by the Caution icon.

For example:

Leave the ribbon shield on the cartridge!

• Statements containing precautions against actions which could cause personal injury are set in bold italics, preceded by the Warning icon.

For example:

Make sure the outlet is grounded. Do not use an adapter to defeat the grounding.

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ection 1: Getting Started

Unpack

Choose a sturdy table, desk or printer stand to place your printer on when you remove it from the carton. Be sure to save all packing materials in case you need to ship the printer again. Check the box for these contents:

Printer

Ribbon cartridge

Power cord

Interface cable and paper

are sold separately.

If any of these items is missing or damaged, see your dealer immediately for a replacement.

Remove The Protective Film

1. Peel the clear protective film from the carriage cover.

English-1

2. Lift up on the ridged area at either end of the carriage cover.

3. Peel the clear protective film from the access cover.

Remove The Shipping Retainers

1. Open the access cover (Ê) by grasping the tabs at either end and lifting, then remove the printhead shipping retainer (Ë), leaving the cover open for installation of the ribbon.

2. Grasp the front edge of the paper separator (Ì) and pull it up.

4. Press the carriage cover back into place.

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4. Remove the styrofoam shipping retainer, then lower the paper separator and press it into place.

It is recommended that the printer be switched off prior to opening or removing the access cover.

Install/Replace the Ribbon

Cartridge

Be sure to use only ribbons specifically designated for MICROLINE 520/521 printers. For the best results, use genuine Okidata ribbons, Part No. 52107001.

Caution! If you are replacing the ribbon, the printhead may be

1. With the access cover open, slide the printhead (Ê) to the center of the platen.

If you’re replacing the ribbon, lift up the

cartridge at the end nearest the platen, then remove and discard it.

HOTHOT

HOT!

HOTHOT

Getting Started E-3

2. Remove the new ribbon cartridge from its packaging.

Leave the ribbon shield on the cartridge!

3. Holding the ribbon cartridge with the knob (Ë) facing up and the ribbon shield (Ì) facing the platen, fit the grooves on either side at the back end of the cartridge over the pins on the ribbon plate (Í).

4. Lower the front of the cartridge over the printhead until it snaps into place, then turn the knob (Ë) in the direction of the arrow (clockwise) to take up the ribbon slack.

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Connect to Power and Computer

You must supply the cable for connecting your printer to your computer. A shielded cable is required in order to ensure compliance of this equipment with FCC regulations.

These instructions are for the standard parallel inter-

face. If you have the optional serial interface, see the instructions included with it.

3. Plug the other end into a 120-volt, grounded outlet.

1. Make sure both the printer and the computer are off.

2. Plug the power cord into the back of the printer.

4. Plug the interface cable into the parallel port on the back of the printer, and secure it in place with the wire loops (Ê).

5. Turn the computer back on.

Getting Started E-5

Power Up

Load Paper

Turn the printer on:

• The printhead will cross back and forth along the platen, and the pins will gently fire to determine the printhead gap setting.

• The POWER light will come on.

• The ALARM light will also come on, but don’t be concerned: it’s just telling you that there is no paper loaded.

Your printer has provision for

• Single sheets (top feed)

• Continuous-forms (rear feed) You can also install options:

• Cut Sheet Feeder (top feed) — holds 100 sheets

• Push and/or Pull Tractors for bottom feed of continuous forms, including

– labels – heavy card stock – multi-part forms

See the instructions provided with the options for information on installing them and on loading paper with the option installed.

Your printer’s innovative, “smart” printhead automatically detects and adjusts to the thickness of the paper you’re using, so you don’t have to fuss with setting the printhead gap when you change the type of paper or print path you’re using.

See Appendix A for more details on the types and sizes of print media you can use with your printer.

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Loading Rear-Feed Paper

The rear-feed path is recommended for printing reports, etc., on single-thickness, continuous fan-fold paper. For graphics or charts, it’s best to use the single-sheet paper path.

If you have any paper in the paper path, be sure to remove it from the path before installing rear-feed paper!

1. Move the paper lever to the position marked “REAR”.

2. Grasp the front edge of the paper separator (Ê) and pull it up to access the tractors.

3. Pull up on the tractor lock levers (Ë) to release them, then open the tractor covers (Ì).

Getting Started E-7

4. Position the right-hand tractor for the width of the paper you’re loading, then pull the paper through the opening between the printer and the rear cover, and place the first two holes on each side over the tractor pins (Í). Please note that an equal number of paper holes must be engaged on either tractor in order to ensure proper paper feed.

The movement of the left tractor is limited to ensure that the paper will always contact the paper sensor when loaded.

5. Close the tractor covers and adjust the left tractor to position the edge of the paper: reference marks (Î) on the printer indicate the left edge position for the two most common paper sizes.

6. Lock the left tractor in place by pushing back on the lock lever (Ï).

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7. Adjust the right tractor so that the paper holes are centered on the pins (careful—if paper is stretched too tight or left too loose, it can jam and cause problems), then lock the right tractor in place by pushing back on the lock lever (Ð).

8. Close the paper separator and flip the wire feed guide over onto the pull-up roller assembly.

9. Push the FF/LOAD button. The paper will automatically feed into the printer and the ALARM light will go out. The printhead moves back and forth, gently firing the pins to sense the paper thickness and set the printhead gap.

10. Check the baseline for the Top of Form (TOF),

indicated by the red line on the clear plastic paper shield (Ñ). If it’s OK, press the SEL button and you’re ready to start printing. If it needs adjustment, set the Top of Form.

The wire feed guide keeps paper from curling back into the printer.

Getting Started E-9

Loading Single-Sheet Paper

The single-sheet path is best for letterhead stationery, memos, and envelopes and is recommended for printing graphs and charts because it provides the most accurate control of the paper.

If you have any continuous-form paper in the

paper path, you must press the PARK button on the front panel to remove it from the path before loading single sheets.

1. Make sure the printer is turned ON and deselected (SEL light off—press SEL button to deselect if necessary).

The ALARM light will remain on until paper is loaded.

2. Move the paper lever to the position marked “TOP”.

3. Grasp the back of the paper separator and unsnap it from the housing, then swing it up into the single-sheet feed position, making sure that the wire feed guide (Ê) is nestled in the separator.

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4. Adjust the paper feed guides (Ë) for the width of the paper and drop a sheet of paper into the separator.

5 . Check the baseline for the Top of Form (TOF), indi-

cated by the red line on the clear plastic paper shield (Í).

The paper will automatically feed into the printer, and the printhead will move back and forth, gently firing the pins to sense the paper thickness and set the printhead gap.

If the paper doesn’t feed in properly, the “15” light on the control panel will begin flashing. To correct this, press the SHIFT and RESET buttons simultaneously, then reload the sheet.

If it’s OK, press the SEL button and you’re ready to start printing. If it needs adjustment, set the Top of Form following the instructions on the next page.

Getting Started E-11

Set the Top of Form

The red line (Ê) on the clear plastic paper shield shows the baseline of the current printing position to help you place the top of form.

To set the Top of Form:

ÊË

SEL SEL

EXIT

SHIFT

Micro Feed

Down

GROUP

FF/LOAD

Micro Feed

TEAR PARK QUIET

SET

TOF

PRINTITEM

When you’re done setting the TOF, press the SEL button (Ê) to reselect the printer.

Temporarily Changing the Print Start Position

To place the print start position lower for one page only: 1 . Press SEL to deselect the printer.

2 . Keep pressing the LF button until the red line on the

paper shield reaches the new position.

Resetting Top of Form to Default

To reset the Top of Form to the factory default, turn off the printer, then hold down the QUIET and PARK buttons while turning the printer back on.

1 . Make sure the printer is deselected (SEL light off—if

necessary, press SEL (Ê) button to deselect printer).

2. Hold down the SHIFT button (Ë) and press:

• FF/LOAD button (Ì) to move the paper up in micro

increments (TOF lower on page), or

• LF button (Í) to move the paper down in micro

increments (TOF higher on page).

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SEL SEL

EXIT

SHIFT

Micro Feed

Down

GROUP

FF/LOAD

Micro Feed

TEAR PARK QUIET

SET

TOF

PRINTITEM

Top of Form interacts with the Forms Tear-Off setting. For more information, see Continuous Forms: Setting Forms Tear-Off and Top of Form.

Run the Self Tests

Selecting an Emulation

After you've installed ribbon and paper, you are ready to run the self tests. Do this any time you want to make sure the printer is functioning properly.

For wide carriage Model 521, be sure you have

wide paper loaded!

Font Sample Test Rolling ASCII Test

To run the test: To run the test:

Micro Feed

Down

GROUP

To stop the test before it To stop the test:

SEL SEL

EXIT

Turn the printer Turn the printer off, then press off, then press and hold the LF and hold the

QUIET

TOF

key while QUIET key while turning the turning the printer back on. printer back on.

finishes:

Press SEL. Press SEL.

SEL SEL

EXIT

Your printer has three emulations:

• IBM Proprinter III (factory default)

• Epson FX

• Okidata Microline Standard

Changing Emulations

Your printer is set at the factory for the IBM Proprinter III emulation. To change the emulation:

1. Enter the Menu mode by holding the SHIFT button while pressing the SEL button. The following line will print:

Printer Control Emulation Mode IBM PPR

2 . Press the SET button until the emulation you wish to

select prints.

3. Exit the Menu and save your setting by holding the SHIFT button while pressing the SEL button.

Getting Started E-13

Selecting a Printer Driver

The drivers in the table below are listed by decreasing compatibility with your printer: use one as close to the top of the list as possible. If your software does not have a printer driver from near the top of the list, call the manufacturer to see if they have added any drivers to those supplied when you purchased your software.

See your software documentation for instructions on how to install a printer driver.

Printer Drivers

IBM Proprinter III EmulationIBM Proprinter III Emulation

IBM Proprinter III Emulation

IBM Proprinter III EmulationIBM Proprinter III Emulation

Okidata ML 520/1 IBM IBM Proprinter III IBM Proprinter II IBM Proprinter IBM Graphics Printer

Epson FX EmulationEpson FX Emulation

Epson FX Emulation

Epson FX EmulationEpson FX Emulation

Okidata ML 520/1 Epson Epson FX850/1050 Epson FX86/286 Epson FX Epson EX800/1000

Okidata Microline Standard EmulationOkidata Microline Standard Emulation

Okidata Microline Standard Emulation

Okidata Microline Standard EmulationOkidata Microline Standard Emulation

Okidata Microline 520/521 Okidata Microline 320/321 Okidata Microline 292/293 Okidata Microline 192/193 Okidata Microline 182/183

Okidata Drivers

Okidata drivers are available for a variety of operating systems.

You can obtain the drivers by downloading them from the web site at

http://www.okidata.com

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