Ricoh prt450 SPECIFICATIONS

NAD PRINTER CONTROLLER

(Codes: A850)

30 October 1998

INTRODUCTION

1. OVERALL MACHINE INFORMATION

1.1 INTRODUCTION

The NAD base engine contains an interface for the NAD multi-function controller. The NAD multi-function controller adds fax and/or printer functions. Printer and fax functions can operate independently and simultaneously with other functions in the background, and their output will be interleaved with the copy mode output.

The printer supports the PCL6, and PostScript level 3. PostScript language support is an optional function.

Host printer data can be received via the standard parallel port or the optional Network Interface Board (NIB). The parallel port supports bi-directional Command and Status feed back communication with the host machines.

An optional IDE hard disk drive provides font download, macro download, and other functions.

Additional DRAM SIMMs can be installed to boost the printer performance.

Images can be rasterized at 300, 400, or 600 dpi in the controller but printed at 400 or 600 dpi. For 300 dpi printing, the 300 dpi data from the controller is simulated in the base engine by printing the same pixel twice and the same line twice at 600 dpi.

The NAD30S and NAD30 engines can print 35 pages per minute at both 400 and 600 dpi. On the other hand, the NAD40 engine can print 45 pages per minute at both 400 and 600 dpi.

Overall Information

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SPECIFICATIONS 30 October 1998

1.2 SPECIFICATIONS

Resolution:	600 x 600 dpi
	400 x 400 dpi (available when the PostScript option is
	installed)
	300 x 300 dpi (simulated by doubling pixel width and
	height at 600 dpi resolution)
Gray Scale:	256 levels
Printing Speed:	35 ppm (NAD30S and NAD30)
	45 ppm (NAD40)
Printing Emulation:	Main Controller Board: PCL5e and PCL6
	Optional PS Board:	PostScript Level 3
Printer Font:	45 scaleable typefaces in 14 typeface families
	(35 Intellifont and 10 TrueType format fonts)
	6 bitmapped typefaces in the Line Printer typeface family
Printer Interface:	Bi-directional Parallel x 1 (Standard)
	Network Interface x 1 (Option)
	Ethernet (100 base-TX/10 base-T for TCP/IP, IPX/SPX,
	EtherTalk)
DRAM Capacity:	8 MB (Standard)
	2 DRAM SIMM slots (up to 64 MB)
	Maximum Total: Up to 72 MB

1.3 SOFTWARE

1.3.1 PRINTER DRIVERS

The following printer drivers are enclosed in the printer manual/driver kit

∙PCL5e Printer Driver for Windows 3.1/95/98/NT

∙PCL6 Printer Driver for Windows 3.1/95/98/NT

∙PS3 Printer Driver for Windows 3.1/95/98/NT and Macintosh

1.3.2 NETWORK UTILITIES

The network utilities are enclosed in the Network Interface Board option. Refer to the NIB manual for details.

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30 October 1998 MACHINE CONFIGURATION

1.4 MACHINE CONFIGURATION

	4	5
	3
2		6

7

1

A850V500.WMF

Overall Information

Item	Machine Code	No.
Printer Controller	A850	3
PostScript Kit	A854	7
Hard Disk	A853	4
Network Interface Board	A855	5
Mailbox	G909	1
Mailbox Bridge Unit	G912	2
RAM SIMM	---	6
Printer Manual/Driver Kit	A867	---

Relationship between Main Machine, Mailbox, and Finisher

	O: Available	X: Not available
	Model	Mailbox	1,000 sheet Finisher	3,000 sheet Finisher
	NAD30S/30	Installed	X	X
		Not installed	O	X
	NAD40	Installed	X	O
		Not installed	O	O

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STRUCTURE

30 October 1998

1.5 STRUCTURE

1.5.1 BLOCK DIAGRAM

Hard Disk

PS Kit

Printer

M B BICU

Controller

D R A M

S I M M

Network

Interface

Board

: Printer's Options

A850V501.WMF

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30 October 1998

STRUCTURE

1.5.2 DESCRIPTIONS

1. Printer Controller

The printer controller handles the following functions:

∙Printer host interface

∙Printing functions

∙Interface and control of additional controller options (HDD, PS kit, DRAM SIMM, and network interface board)

2. Hard Disk (option)

This HDD stores the additional soft fonts and macros (both PCL and PS fonts).

3. PS Kit (option)

This is to add the PostScript level 3 feature.

4. Network Interface Board (option)

The network interface board is an additional printer interface to allow the printer to be used on a network.

5. DRAM SIMM (option)

There are two DRAM SIMM slots. This is used for an additional printer processing memory area. 8, 16, or 32 Mbyte standard SIMM modules can be installed. As a result, up to 72 Mbytes of RAM are installable (8 Mbytes on board plus 64 Mbytes of optional SIMM).

Overall Information

6. MB (Mother Board)

This connects the controller to the BICU board in the base machine.

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30 October 1998

HARDWARE OVERVIEW

2. DETAILED SECTION DESCRIPTIONS

2.1 HARDWARE OVERVIEW

	Flash			Flash Memory	ailed iptions
		N V R A M			et cr
	R O M			Card I/F	D es
					D
			ROM & I/O Bus
				EIDE Disk	H D D
				Interface
	C P U	CPU Bus		Co-
				Processor
	DRAM Bus			NIB	Network
					Interface
				Interface
					Board
	D R A M			Printer Controller
				Mother Board

DRAM SIMM
DRA M SIMM	BICU

PC/AT Compatible

via Parallel Port

A850D500.WMF

The above block diagram shows the major components of the printer controller.

The main features of the controller are as follows.

1. CPU

An IBM PPC603 processor is used. A 33 MHz oscillator is used as the clock source for both this CPU and the coprocessor.

2. Co-processor

This performs the following functions.

∙ROM control

∙I/O control

∙DRAM control

∙Printer video interface

∙Printer communication interface

∙IEEE 1284 compliant bi-directional parallel port interface

∙Interrupt control

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HARDWARE OVERVIEW 30 October 1998

3. ROM memory

1) Flash ROM (4 Mbytes)

This flash ROM includes boot code, operation system code, PCL5e codes, PCL6 code, and font data for both PCL languages (resident fonts).

2) ROM SIMM (4 Mbytes for the PostScript option)

This ROM SIMM includes the PostScript code and PostScript font data.

4. NVRAM (8 Kbytes)

This NVRAM contains the printer settings, job record data, and error record data.

5. Network Interface Board Interface

This controls the optional network interface board, and printer MIB is provided to support the network operations.

6. Hard Disk Drive Interface (Enhanced IDE)

This HDD interface is provided to support storage of fonts and macros downloaded from a PC.

7. Flash Memory Card Interface

The flash memory card for updating the controller and PostScript firmware is connected to this flash memory card slot.

8. Power-on Self Diagnostic

When the controller is turned on, the controller performs a self diagnostic test.

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30 October 1998

IMAGE PRINTING

2.2 IMAGE PRINTING

	Parallel Interface, from PC
Printer Controller
CPU	NIB	s
	Co-processor	d on
		aile ipti
Resident
RAM	DRAM SIMM	et cr
		D es
		D

LD Unit

GAVD

FCI

BICU

IPU

G A 1

MSU

H D D

A850D502.WMF

Printer Controller Base Engine

Resident			M S U				H D D
R A M

		Co-processor			BICU
	NIB		PCL-5e
		Intelligent
				Image Data
	Buffer	Personality	PCL-6		IPU	LD
				Generation
		Selection
	Parallel		Post
			script
				D R A M
				SIMM
					A850D503.WMF

The printer controller receives the print data from the computer through the parallel or network interface port. The co-processor handles the image data but it only makes a raster image. All image processing, such as edge smoothing and toner saving, are done in the base engine.

The image data from a PC goes to the buffer in the resident RAM. Then, it goes to the co-processor. The co-processor selects the printer language automatically, then the co-processor generates the print data to match the selected printer language. After generating the print data, the co-processor sends it to the LD unit through the IPU on the BICU board. At that time, the data is also sent to the hard disk for multiple printing and sorting, as well as backup in case of paper jams.

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IMAGE DATA PROCESSING

30 October 1998

2.3 IMAGE DATA PROCESSING

The FCI in the LD unit is responsible for edge smoothing and toner saving functions.

The edge smoothing and toner saving modes can be switched on or off using the printer user tool or the printer driver.

2.3.1 EDGE SMOOTHING

A850D504.WMF

Usually, binary picture processing generates jagged edge on characters as shown in the above left illustration. The FCI reduces the edges of characters using edge smoothing.

Whether or not the object pixel undergoes smoothing depends on the surrounding image data. Smoothing for the object pixel is done by changing the laser pulse position.

2.3.2 TONER SAVING MODE

Toner saving is done by reducing the number of black dots printed, not by varying the development bias. In toner saving mode, the image data is filtered through a matrix.

As a result of passing through the filter, less toner is used to create the latent image on the drum, and black areas print as gray.

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30 October 1998

FEATURES

2.4 FEATURES

2.4.1 SORTING

If “Collate” is turned on and a multicopy job is printed, the first copy of the job will be printed directly. At the same time, the image data for the copy job is stored in the hard disk of the main machine. When the main machine prints the next copy, the next copy will be printed from the hard disk.

If the finisher is not installed, the rotate sort feature can be used. The image is rotated by the MSU, in the same way as image rotation for the copier.

Detailed Descriptions

2.4.2 DUPLEX PRINTING

Duplex printing is available with all output bin options but not all paper sizes (refer to the specifications section of the copier manual). If a job specifies duplex but the paper size to be used is not usable in the duplex unit, the job will be printed simplex.

Duplex printing is available in two binding methods: Short-edge binding and Longedge binding.

In short-edge binding, when printing the second side of a page, the image may require rotation. The image is rotated by the co-processor in the printer controller.

The co-processor corrects the image printing order for duplexing as follows.

∙ Larger than A4 lengthwise/LT lengthwise (example 8 pages)

2nd page – 1st page – 4th page – 3rd page – 6th page – 5th page – 8th page –

7th page

∙ Up to A4 lengthwise/LT lengthwise (example 8 pages)

2nd page – 4th page – 1st page – 6th page – 3rd page – 8th page – 5th page –

7th page

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FEATURES

30 October 1998

2.4.3 STAPLING

Stapling is only available when the 3000-sheet finisher or 1000-sheet finisher is installed.

The finishers have the following stapling positions.

1)Upper left, diagonal

2)Upper right, diagonal

3)Left, two staples

4)Top, two staples

5)Right, two staples

6)Upper left, horizontal

7)Upper right, horizontal

8)Upper left, vertical

9)Upper right, vertical

NOTE: With the 1000-sheet finisher, only stapling positions 1) and 2) are available.

Depending on the paper orientation, the image may have to be rotated. This image rotation is done by the co-processor in the printer controller.

There is a limit for the number of sheets which can be stapled by each finisher. If a job that specifies stapling has more than this number of sheets, it will not be stapled.

2.4.4 PUNCHING

Punching is only available when the punch unit is installed with the 3000-sheet finisher. The number of holes depends on the type of punching unit. The punching unit has only one available position, so the relationship between the punching position and the printed image depends on the paper feeding orientation and imaging. The punching positions are defined as follows.

1)Left

2)Top

3)Right

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30 October 1998

FEATURES

2.4.5 JAM RECOVERY

If the jam recovery feature is on and a paper jam occurs, the controller will reprint all pages for which a feed-out indication has not been received from the main machine. In usual cases, all image data from the controller will be sent to the hard disk on the main machine, When a jam occurs, the recovery data will be sent from the hard disk on the main machine.

2.4.6 AUTO TRAY SELECT

When “Auto Select” is selected with the printer driver, the printer searches for a tray that contains the specified size of normal plain paper. The search starts from the LCT, and when a tray that contains the specified size of paper is found, the printer starts printing and feeds paper from that tray. The search sequence is as follows.

LCT – 1st tray – 2nd tray – 3rd tray – 4th tray – LCT

The default setting for the current tray is LCT. If the LCT is not installed, the default is the 1st tray.

Detailed Descriptions

2.4.7 POWER ON SELF DIAGNOSTICS

When the controller is turned on, it performs a self diagnostic sequence of tests automatically. If any errors were detected, an error message will be displayed on the operation panel.

Test Items

Devices always tested

∙Co-processor

∙Flash ROM

∙Resident RAM

∙NVRAM

∙Engine I/F

Devices tested when they are installed

∙DRAM SIMM

∙PS DIMM I/F

∙HDD I/F

∙Network interface board I/F

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HARD DISK

30 October 1998

2.5 HARD DISK

Two hard disks are used for the printer functions. One is connected to the printer controller (Printer HDD). The other is in the main machine (Engine HDD).

2.5.1 PRINTER HDD

When the main power switch is turned on after the printer HDD is installed, the machine asks you to format the hard disk.

If you press the “Yes” button, the machine formats the hard disk. At this time, two partitions will be made on the hard disk. One is for PCL and the other is for PostScript (fonts and macros only).

If you press the “Ignore” button, the machine determines that there is no optional printer hard disk.

2.5.2 ENGINE HDD

The hard disk in the main machine is used for both copy and printer functions.

Therefore, the hard disk has three partitions: for copier, printer, and archive files

(one of the copier features). The sizes of the partitions depends on the setting of

“User Tools – 1. System – No.23, Memory Priority”, as shown below.

Priority:	Copy		Printer
	(Default)
0 MB
			Copier
	Copier		438MB
	8 2 8 M B
			Printer
			482MB
	Printer
	9 2 M B
	Archive Files		Archive Files
	216MB		216MB
1136 MB
			A850D505.WMF

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