Seiko FB 380 User Manual

USER MANUAL

SEIKO Precision

FB – 380

Dot-Matrix Flatbed Printer

Important Safety Instructions

1. Read all of these instructions carefully and thoroughly and save them for later reference.

2. Follow all warnings and instructions in the manual as well as marked on the product.

3. Unplug this product from the power outlet before cleaning. Do not use liquid or aerosol cleaners. Use a damp cloth for cleaning.

4. Do not use this product near water.

5. Do not place this product on an unstable cart, stand or table. The product may fall, causing serious damage to you or the product.

6. Slots and openings on the cabinet and the back or bottom are provided for air ventilation. To ensure reliable operation of the product and to protect it from overheating, do not block or cover these openings. The openings should never be blocked by placing the product on a bed, sofa, rug or other similar surface. This product should never be placed near or over a radiator or heater. This product should not be placed in a built-in installation or kiosk stand unless proper ventilation is provided.

7. This product should be operated from the type of power source indicated on the rating label. If you are not sure of the type of power available, consult your local dealer or an electrician.

8. Depending on the country of shipment this product may be equipped with a 3-wire grounding-type plug, a plug having a third (grounding) pin. This plug will only fit into a grounding-type power outlet. This is a safety feature. If you are unable to insert the plug into the outlet, contact your local electrician to replace your obsolete outlet. Do not defeat the safety purpose of the grounding-type plug.

9. Do not allow anything to rest on the power cord. Do not locate this product in a location so that the power cord will be walked or driven over or on.

10. Never push objects of any kind into this product through cabinet slots as they may touch dangerous voltage points or short out parts that could result in a risk of fire or electric shock. Never spill liquid of any kind on the product.

11. Except as explained elsewhere in this manual, do not attempt to service this product yourself. Opening and removing those covers that are marked “Do Not Remove” may expose you to dangerous voltage points or other hazardous risks. Leave all servicing on those compartments to qualified service personnel.

12. The mains plug on this equipment must be used to disconnect the mains power.

13. Unplug this product from the power outlet and leave servicing to qualified service personnel under the following conditions: A. When the power cord or plug is damaged or frayed. B. If liquid has been spilled into the product. C. If the product has been exposed to rain or water. D. If the product does not operate normally when the operating instructions are followed.

Adjust only those controls that are covered by the operating instructions since importer adjustment of other controls may result in damage and will often require extensive work

by a qualified technician to restore the product to normal operation. E. If the product has been dropped or the cabinet has been damaged. F. If the product exhibits a distinct change in performance, indicating a need for service.

Note: The contents of this manual may be changed without prior notice.

Table of Contents

Chapter 1 Overview..............................................................................................................1

Features................................................................................................................................................1

Chapter 2 Preparation.......................................................................................................3

Unpacking..........................................................................................................................................3

Parts Identification......................................................................................................................4

Installation.........................................................................................................................................5

Installing the Front Table Extension Tray...................................................................5

Installing and Replacing the Ribbon Cassette..........................................................5

Connecting the Interface Cable.........................................................................................7

Using the Parallel Interface and the USB Interface...........................................7

Connecting to the Power Source......................................................................................7

Connecting the Power Cord.................................................................................................7

Turning the Power on and off..............................................................................................8

Chapter 3 Loading Paper..............................................................................................9

Paper Thickness Adjustment...............................................................................................9

Loading Cut Sheets...................................................................................................................10

Using Tract or Paper..................................................................................................................11

Loading Tractor Paper............................................................................................................11

Tearing off Tractor Paper.....................................................................................................13

Chapter 4 Printing from Your Software....................................................14

Setting Up Your Printer To Work With Software..............................................14

Chapter 5 Control Panel...............................................................................................15

Control Panel Keys and LEDs.........................................................................................15

Basic Control Panel Operations......................................................................................16

Top of Form Adjustment Mode.......................................................................................16

T ear-of f Adjustment Mode..................................................................................................17

Using the Setup Menu System.........................................................................................17

To enter the Setup Menu System and change the settings...............................18

To exit the Setup Menu System.........................................................................................18

Printing the Current Setting Report..............................................................................18

Options of the Setup Menu System.................................................................................21

Restoring Factory Printer Settings................................................................................23

Using the Self Test Functions...........................................................................................23

Slide Pattern Printing Test..................................................................................................23

Maintenance Printing Test (H pattern).......................................................................23

Hex Dump Mode........................................................................................................................24

Appendix A....................................................................................................................................25

Maintenance and Fault Finding.......................................................................................25

Error LED on the Control Panel.....................................................................................27

Appendix B....................................................................................................................................28

iii

Specifications................................................................................................................................28

General............................................................................................................................................28

Print Head.....................................................................................................................................28

Mechanism....................................................................................................................................29

Paper.................................................................................................................................................29

Print mode specifications.....................................................................................................30

Graphic Print Specifications.............................................................................................31

Parallel Interface......................................................................................................................31

USB Interface..............................................................................................................................32

Command Code Summary..................................................................................................32

Epson Emulation.......................................................................................................................32

Select Code Pages....................................................................................................................35

Chapter 1 Overview

Features

Thank you for purchasing this SEIKO Precision FB-380 printer. Combing high speed, high quality output with advanced paper handing capabilities, this versatile, 24-pin, flatbed printer is ideal for a wide range of multi-part and cut-sheet printing requirements. Reliability, flexibility and ease-of-use are key features, making the FB-380 the perfect choice for performing demanding applications in a variety of environments.

Versatile, Reliable, Straight Paper Path

The straight paper path enables paper to feed through the printer without bending, thus reducing the risk of paper jamming. The versatile FB-380 prints on a wide variety of paper types from 7-part forms to labels, envelopes and reports, as well as media up to 0.45mm thick.

Easy Paper Handing

The printer has several other useful features, which help eliminate paper handing problems and ensure quick, accurate results.

Automatic paper loading/ejection with automatic skew detection

The automatic paper load function ensures cut sheet paper fed into the printer is correctly positioned. The FB-380 also has an automatic skew detection function, which ejects forms which are not fed in straight.

At the touch of a button, tractor paper loaded onto the tractor is automatically set to the printing position. When printing is completed, the paper feeds out to the front table for easy tear-off.

Zero tear-off function

This causes tractor paper to be automatically fed to the tear-off position at the edge of the window cover, for easy tear-off at the perforations af ter printing. This zero tear-off capability help s eliminate paper wastage.

Paper park function

A simple command on the control panel enables the tractor paper to be retracted (parked) outside of the print mechanism so that after switching the paper path select lever, cut sheet paper can be fed into the printer from the front. After the cut sheet paper has been printed, reverse the paper path lever so that the fanfold stationery can be advanced back into the print mechanism for the next print job.

Automatic Interface Switching

The FB-380 is equipped with two interface connectors and therefore accepts both parallel (Centronics) and USB data transfer. The printer automatically detects the type of data transfer received from the host computer and switches to the corresponding interface type.

High Quality, High Speed Printing

This FB-380 produces high quality printing in Letter Quality mode at a speed of 83 CPS at 10 CPI. In Draft mode, the printer outputs 250 CPS at 10 CPI or 375 CPS at 15 CPI.

High Resolution Graphics

A maximum resolution of 360×360 DPI enables the printer to produce fine, sharp graphics.

User-Friendly Control Panel

Current print status and access to all printer function is available via simple commands from the control panel. In addition, the control panel is used to access the menu system (Setup Menu System) with complete control over the printer’s set-up.

Emulation

The printer supports Epson ESC/P2 emulation as standard.

Bar Code Generator

NW-7, EAN-13, EAN-8, Code 39, Industrial 2of 5, Interleaved 2 of 5, Code 128B, and Code 128C are built-in as standard.

Chapter 2 Preparation

Unpacking

Check each item against the following packing list, if any of these items are missing, please contact your dealer.

NOTE

Hold the bottom of printer in the box, and then carefully lift it up. As you unpack, save all the original packing materials. They are specially designed to protect the printer and will make later repacking easy, if necessary . Before using your new printer, please remove the shipping pads from the printer. Open the Window cover and remove the Styrofoam shipping pads.

Figure 2-1 Packing list in the printer box

A Printer B Driver CD and User’s manual C Install guidebook D Ribbon cassette E Front table extension tray F Power cord

Parts Identification

Figures 2-2 and 2-3 highlight the main components of the printer.

Figure 2-2 Main parts of printer (front view)

A Window cover G Ribbon cassette cartridge

B Control panel H Print head

C Parallel interface connector I Front table

D Paper feed knob J Cut sheet guide

E Gap adjust lever K USB interface connector

F Sub friction roller

Figure 2-3 Main parts of printer (rear view)

A Paper select lever D Tractor

B Power switch E Paper guide pulley

C Power supply inlet

Installation

Before placing the printer in your chosen location, consider the following guidelines:  This printer should be placed on a normal table or desk. Be sure that the surface is level, to

avoid an uneven load on the carriage as it operates.

 Do not install the printer where it may be subjected to:

·Where there is excessive dust.

·Where it may be splattered with oil or metallic dust.

·Where it may be exposed to direct sunlight.

·Where it may be accidentally splashed with water.

Installing the Front Table Extension Tray

Simply attach it to the front of printer by locating the 3 support lugs in the 3 slots at the edge of the printer front feed.

Figure 2-4 Installing the front table extension tray

Slots

support lugs

Front table extension tray

Installing and Replacing the Ribbon Cassette

1 Ensure the printer is turned OFF. 2 Open the window cover by holding the side of window cover as shown in Figure

2-5.

Window cover

Figure 2-5 Opening the window cover

3 Pull the Sub friction roller unit by gripping the center area of the unit by your

forefingers. Then lift it up until the unit is positioned on the top of printer as shown in Figure 2-6.

Sub friction roller

Figure 2-6 Opening the sub friction roller unit

4 If necessary, centre the print head by hand. 5 Hold the ribbon cartridge with the knob facing upwards and turn the ribbon knob

in the direction shown by the arrow to take up any slack in the ribbon.

6 To install the ribbon cartridge, hold it with both hands, with the ribbon facing

down as shown if Figure 2-7.

Ribbon cartridge

Print head

Ribbon

Nose of Print head

Ribbon Lead Slice

Figure 2-7 Installing the ribbon cassette

Make sure that the following:

 When you look at the print head you will find a small piece of black plastic

on the thin metal sheet of the ribbon guide. Make sure that the ribbon goes under the piece of plastic.

 Position the ribbon cartridge with the tabs on its case over the slots inside

the printer case.

 With the ribbon cartridge and ribbon correctly positioned, gently push the

cartridge towards the back of printer until it clicks into place.

7 Move the print head from side a few times to make sure the ribbon goes into the

ribbon guides.

8 Having installed the ribbon, lower the

until you hear a click. Then close the window cover.

sub friction roller and gently push it shut

Connecting the Interface Cable

Connect the parallel or USB interface cable as shown in the figure 2-8 below:

Caution

Make sure that the power switches of both printer and host computer are turned OFF before you connect the parallel interface cable.

Using the Parallel Interface and the USB Interface

The parallel interface

Parallel interface connector

Parallel interface cable

Figure 2-8 Connecting the parallel interface cable and the USB interface cable

The USB interface

USB interface connector

USB interface cable

Connecting to the Power Source

Connecting the Power Cord

Plug the power cord (supplied) into the power inlet at the rear of the printer. Check that the power switch (located on the left of the printer) is in the OFF position, then plug the power cord into the wall outlet.

Figure 2-9 Connecting the power cord to the printer

Power supply inlet

Power switch

Power cord

Turning the Power on and off

To turn the printer ON, press the I mark on the power switch. To turn the printer OFF, press the O mark on the power switch.

Chapter 3 Loading Paper

Paper Thickness Adjustment

Before loading cut sheet or tractor paper, you have to adjust the gap adjust lever on the right of the printer. To feed thicker papers through the printer, you need to move the gap adjust lever from its standard position. The lever moves the print head relative to the platen so that there is more room for the paper.

Adjusting the gap adjust lever

To obtain good quality printing and prevent problems (paper jam etc.) adjust the Gap adjust lever as shown in the Figure 3-1. The scale number # 1 shown in Figure 3-1 identifies the standard paper thickness setting. This is the recommended setting for most papers. Use Table 3-1 to find the recommended setting for other papers.

Figure 3-1 Setting the gap adjust lever

Position Copies Thickness

5 7 0.45mm 4 6 0.36mm 3 4 or 5 0.24 to 0.30mm 2 2 or 3 0.12 to 0.18mm 1 1 0.06mm

Table 3-1 Paper thickness setting

Gap adjust lever

Loading Cut Sheets

1 Turn the printer on. 2 Set paper select lever toward the back of printer as shown in Figure 3-2.

Paper select lever

Figure 3-2 Setting the paper select lever

3 Position the left hand cut sheet guide by referring to the marking on the window

cover. The positions for A4 and Letter size paper are indicated on the left side of the window cover as shown in Figure 3-3.

Paper guide

Figure 3-3 Adjusting the paper guide

Tractor sheet

Cut sheet

4 Set the gap adjust lever for example to the position “1” for thin paper and then

insert the paper as shown in Figure 3-4. The paper is fed automatically into the printer and stops at the print start position. You can set the printer to detect skew so if the paper skews during loading, the printer detects it and automatically ejects the paper to the front table.

Figure 3-4 Loading cut sheet

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