Seiko FB 390 User Manual

USER MANUAL

SEIKO Precision

FB – 390

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.

i

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 Tr ay...................................................................5

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

Connecting the Interface Cable.........................................................................................6

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..............................................................................................7

Chapter 3 Loading paper...............................................................................................8

Paper Thickness Adjustment...............................................................................................8

Loading Cut Sheet Paper........................................................................................................9

Using Tract or Paper..................................................................................................................10

Loading Tractor Paper............................................................................................................10

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

ii

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

Setting Up Your Printer To W ork 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..............................................................................19

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

iv

Chapter 1 Overview

Features

Thank you for purchasing this SEIKO Precision FB-390 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-390 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-390 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-390 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 after printing. This zero tear-off capability helps
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.

1

Automatic Interface Switching

The FB-390 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 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 functions 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 functions.

Emulation

The printer supports the 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.

2

Chapter 2 Preparation

Unpacking

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

Hold the bottom of printer in the box, then carefully lift it upwards. As you unpack, save
all the original packing materials if possible. They are specially designed to protect the
printer and will make repacking easy if necessary. Before you start using your new
printer, please make sure to remove all the shipping pads from the printer. Open the
window cover and remove the shipping pads made from white styrofoam.

A

A Printer D Ribbon cassette

B Driver CD and User’s manual E Power cable

C Installation guidebook F Front table

B

D

Figure 2-1 Packing list in the printer box

NOTE

E

C

F

3

Parts Identification

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

K

J

A

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

A Paper path select lever G Gap adjust lever

B Control panel H Carriage shaft

C Power switch I Ribbon cassette cartridge

D Cut sheet guide J Print head

E Front table K Window cover

F Sub friction roller

B

C

I

H

G

E

D

F

F

E

A

C

B

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

A Paper feed knob D Power supply inlet

B USB interface connector E Paper guide pulley

C Parallel interface connector F Tractor

D

4

Installation

Before placing the printer in your chosen location, consider the following guidelines:
 This printer should be placed on a normal table, printer stand 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 unsuitable conditions such as:

·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 support lugs in the slots at the
edge of the printer front feed.

Front table extension tray

Figure 2-4 Installing the front table extension tray

Slots

Support lugs

Installing and Replacing the Ribbon Cassette

1 Make sure the printer is turned OFF and disconnect the power cable.
2 Open the printer window cover by holding the side of the window cover as

shown in Figure 2-5.

Figure 2-5 Opening the window cover and the Sub friction roller

Sub friction roller

Window cover

5

.

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

forefingers. Then lift it up until it is positioned upwards towards the top of the

printer as shown in Figure 2-5.
4 If necessary, move and centre the print head carefully 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 2-6.

Figure 2-6 Installing the ribbon cassette

Make sure of 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 slides into

the ribbon guides.
8 Having installed the ribbon, lower the sub friction roller and gently push it shut

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

Connecting the Interface Cable

Connect the parallel or USB interface cable as shown in figure 2-7 on the next page:

Caution

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

6

Using the Parallel Interface and the USB Interface

The parallel interface

The USB interface

Parallel interface
connector

Parallel interface
cable

USB interface
connector

USB interface
cable

Figure 2-7 Connecting the parallel interface cable and the 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 front of the printer) is in the OFF position, and then
plug the power cord into the wall outlet.

Power supply inlet

Power cord

Figure 2-8 Connecting the power cord to the printer

Power switch

Turning the Power on and off

To turn the printer ON, press the I mark at the side of the power switch.
To turn the printer OFF, press the O mark at the side of the power switch.

7

Chapter 3 Loading paper

Paper Thickness Adjustment

Before loading cut sheet or tractor paper, you have to adjust the gap adjust lever on the front right
side 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.

Gap adjust lever

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

8

Loading Cut Sheet Paper

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

Figure 3-2 Setting the paper select lever

3 Set the gap adjust lever for example to the position “1” for thin paper.

4 Position the left 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.

5 Please pull out the small Front table extension tabs if the size of paper is long

and requires extra support, as shown in Figure 3-4

Figure 3-3 Adjusting the paper guide

Front table extension tabs

Figure 3-4 Pull out the small front table extension tabs

6 Insert the paper as shown in Figure 3 - 5.

The paper is fed into the printer automatically and stops at the print start

9

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.

7 After the above steps, the printer is ready to print.

The printer’s skew detection level can be set within the Setup Menu System. Be careful
with the lowest possible setting because the printer might reject the paper due to even
the smallest skew. If this happens, try a more medium setting.

Figure 3-5 Loading cut sheet

NOTE

Using Tractor Paper

This printer feeds tractor paper from the rear of the printer to the front.

Figure 3-6 Feeding direction of tractor paper

In

Out

Loading Tractor Paper

1 Turn the printer on.
2 Set paper select lever toward the front of printer as shown in Figure 3-7.

Figure 3-7 Setting the paper select lever

10

3 Move the left cut sheet guide to the far left as much as possible.

Figure 3-8 Moving the left cut sheet guide to the far left

4 Release the lock lever of tractor.

Figure 3-9 Releasing the lock lever of the right tractor (view from rear)

5 Move the left tractor to the left proper position (The “0”position indicates the

horizontal starting print position). When moving the left tractor to the leftmost

position, the distance between the starting print position and the centre of the

sprocket pins is 11.75cm. Lock the left tractor. Moving the right tractor to the

proper position, but do not lock it yet.

Figure 3-10 Adjusting the tractor position

6 Move the paper guide pulleys to the center between the left and right tractor.

11

Figure 3-11 Adjusting the paper guide pulley position

7 Open the tractor covers and place the paper on the sprocket pins. If you are

using preprinted paper or labels, install them with the printed or labeled side
facing upwards.

Figure 3-12 Setting paper on the sprocket pins

8 Close the tractor covers.

Figure 3-13 Close the tractor covers.

9 Slide the right tractor to the left to take up any slack in the paper, and then fasten

the lock lever to fix the tractor in position. Ensure the tractor paper is in line with

the print start position. If the paper is not aligned with the print start position,

align the paper, and then fasten the lock lever to lock the tractors.

12

The lock lever

Figure 3-14 Locking the position of the right tractor

10 When starting a new print task, the printer will automatically load the paper

before the actual printing starts. (You can also press the PARK/LOAD key to

load the paper manually.)

Tearing off Tractor Paper

To tear off the paper, make sure that printed-paper is fed to the front table. If not, switch the printer

offline then press the PARK/LOAD key.

Hold the edge of the paper and pull it towards the edge of the window cover as shown in Figure
3-15. If the perforation of the paper is not at the edge of the window cover, adjust the tear-off
position (refer to chapter 5, Control Panel)

Figure 3-15 Tractor paper tear-off

13

Chapter 4 Printing from Your Software

Setting Up Your Printer To Work With Software

 The printer supports the Epson ESC/P2 emulation.
You can select the Epson LQ-570+ driver for this printer, but the best way to ensure that all the
features of your printer are supported by the software is to use the SEIKO Precision printer driver.
If the driver is not available in your software package please call your software company. You may
also check our web site for the suitable driver since we are updating the available drivers from
time to time.

Your printer is supplied with a CD-Rom including the printer drivers for Microsoft Windows 98 and
Windows 2000/XP. Please load the printer driver into your software according to the instructions
on the driver CD.

14

Chapter 5 Control Panel

Y

Control Panel Keys and LEDs

The control panel consists of five keys and four LEDs as shown in Figure 5-1

Figure 5-1 The printer control panel

The following table details each indicator LED function:

Indicator LED On Off
POWER

(green)

ONLINE

(green)

HI-SPEED

(green)

COPY MODE

(yellow)

Table 5-1 LEDs on the control panel

If you set the scale number of the lever position equal to or greater than 2 in the normal mode,
the printer will transfer to the COPY MODE 1 as the current printing mode. However, the COP
MODE LED is still off.

Lights when the printer is turned on. It flashes
when paper runs out and during error
condition (See Appendix A)
Lights when the printer is online. The printer is offline

Lights when the printer is in high speed mode.
Flashes in super high speed mode.
Lights when the printer is in COPY MODE 1.
Flashes slowly when the printer is in COPY
MODE 2.
Flashes quickly when the printer is in COPY
MODE 3.

NOTE

The printer is turned
off.

The printer is in the
letter quality mode.
The printer is in the
normal mode.

15

Basic Control Panel Operations

You can use the five keys on the control panel to operate your printer.

ONLINE Pressing the ONLINE button, toggles between ONLINE and OFFLINE mode.

PARK/LOAD In the offline mode, pressing the PARK/LOAD button shortly controls feeding

tractor paper or cut sheets

LF/FF In the offline mode, press the LF/FF key to feed the paper line by line.

Alternatively, hold the key down for 2 seconds, the printer will eject the single
sheet paper, or advance the tractor paper to the tear-off position. And if you
press LF/FF key again the tractor paper will be reversely fed to the top-of-form
position of the next page.

COPY In the offline mode, pressing the COPY key toggles among the four modes:

NORMAL, COPY MODE 1, COPY MODE 2 and COPY MODE 3.

HI-SPEED In the offline mode, pressing the HI-SPEED key, toggles among the HI-SPEED

mode, SUPER HIGH-SPEED mode and LETTER QUALITY mode.

NOTE

1. The printer can only print DRAFT font in the HIGH-SPEED or SUPER HIGH-SPEED
mode. If you need any other font listed in the SETUP MENU SYSTEM, please change
to the LETTER QUALITY mode.

2. SUPER HIGH-SPEED mode will be invalid when printing graphic images.

3. Push button selections may override the menu selections.

Top of Form Adjustment Mode

The top of form setting determines the margin between the top of paper and the first printed line
(the top margin).

In the ONLINE mode, press the LF/FF key for about 3 seconds to enter the top of form adjustment
mode. The ONLINE and POWER LED will blink alternating.

Your application software usually sets your top margin. You shouldn’t need to change the
top-of-form setting very often.

Use the PARK/LOAD and LF/FF keys to alter the top of form setting:

PARK/LOAD: Increase the top of form by 1/60 inch. You can increase the margin to a maximum
of +60 increments (+60/60 inch) from the factory setting.

NOTE

16

LF/FF: Decrease the top of form by 1/60 inch. You can decrease the margin to a

maximum of -10 (-10/60 inch) from the default setting.

Press the ONLINE key to exit and save your new setting. The POWER LED and ONLINE LED
blink simultaneously 3 times with a beep, and then the POWER LED will be on.

To exit without saving, just turn the printer OFF.

NOTE

T ear-off Adjustment Mode

There is a tear-off bar at the edge of the window cover. When you have finished printing, you
can advance the tractor paper on the tracker to the tear-off bar by the tear-off function to easily
tear off the perforated sheets. The tear-off setting determines the distance between the
perforation of tractor paper and the tear-off bar. If the default distance is not suitable for you, you
can adjust it by the printer’s tear-off adjustment feature.
With the printer online, press both the PARK/LOAD and LF/FF keys for about 3 seconds to get the

printer to enter the tear-off adjustment mode. When the printer enters this mode, the ONLINE
LED and the POWER LED blink alternately.

Use the PARK/LOAD and LF/FF keys to alter the tear-off setting:

PARK/LOAD: Press the PARK/LOAD key to adjust the distance in 1/60 inch increments. You

can maximum increase to +15/60 inch

LF/FF: Press the LF/FF key to adjust the distance in 1/60 inch decrements. You can

maximum decrease to -15/60 inch

To exit and save your new setting, press ONLINE key. The POWER LED and the ONLINE LED
blink simultaneously for 3 times, then the POWER LED turns on. Your new tear-off setting value is

saved.

To exit without saving, just turn off the printer.

NOTE

Using the Setup Menu System

The factory settings of this printer are selected to meet the requirements of the majority of users.
However, you may want to use a different character set for a different language or you may prefer
printing in different font or style. To achieve this, you can use the Setup Menu System to create
your own printer settings by modifying or changing the factory defaults.
The Setup Menu System is divided into several groups, and each group contains a number of

17

menu lists, each list containing several settings. You can select a new setting of the menu list and

f

save it, or just go to the next menu list without altering the current setting.

To enter the Setup Menu System and change the settings

1. Lift the window cover of the printer.

2. Eject any paper currently in the printer (or park tractor paper) then switch the printer

ONLINE.

3. Keep pressing the PARK/LOAD key for 3 seconds.

This starts the Setup Menu System and prints the instructions for using it. The current
setting is underlined.
The print head points to the current selection in the menu.

4. Make a selection from the menu with the keys on the control panel:

Press: To:

PARK/LOAD

LF/FF

ONLINE
COPY

Move the print head to the next menu selection. Repeat this until
you get the selection that you want.
Save the setting that is currently indicated by the print head
position, and go to the next menu.
Move to the next menu without altering the current setting.
Go to the next menu group.

5. When you have made all of your settings (remember that you don’t have to go all the way
through the menu system), switch the printer off and then turn on again.

Each time you switch the printer on it uses the new saved settings. Keep the printout of the

menu selections so that you know what the current settings are.

To exit the Setup Menu System

Turn the printer off, and then turn on again.

* New settings of the menu will be stored.

1. You do not have to go all the way through the menu system. Once you have made all
the changes you want, you only need to exit the Setup Menu System by switching of
the printer. When you switch it on again, the printer will read and use the new settings.

2. When the compressed mode is effective, the High Speed mode and Super High Speed

mode will not be valid.

NOTE

18

Printing the Current Setting Report

You can use the information in the current setting report to decide which setting you want to
change.

To print the current settings:

1. Turn the printer off.

2. Hold down both the PARK/LOAD and LF/FF key at the same time

3. Turn the printer on.

The printer automatically loads paper and prints the current settings. An example
print out is shown in Figure 5-2.

19

SEIKO Precision FB-390

Current settings are FILLED

PRINT STYLE

FONT ROMAN
PITCH 10 CPI

PAGE LAYOUT

LINE SPACING 6 LPI
FORM LENGTH
PAGE SKIP OFF
COMPRESS PRT NORMAL

PRINT MODE

TEXT DIR BI-DIR
GRAPHIC DIR

CHARACTER

SLASH ZERO OFF
CHARACTER SET GRAPHICS
INTL CHAR SET U.S.A.

.

UNI-DIR

Current Setting Report

A4

CODE PAGE U.S.A.

INSTALL

QUIET MODE OFF
AUTO LF OFF
AUTO TEAR OFF 0.5 SEC.
LOADING 1.0 SEC.
SKEW DETECTION OFF
SKEW LEVEL 003

Figure 5-2 Current Setting Report

20

Options of the Setup Menu System

The following printout in Figure 5-3 shows the selections from the Setup Menu System and is

followed by a description of how to use it in Table 5-2 (Options of the Setup Menu System).

SEIKO Precision FB-390

SETUP MENU SYSTEM

Use the PARK/LOAD key to point the print head to the desired setting.
Use the LF/FF key to store the new setting and go to the next menu.
Use the ONLINE key to go to the next menu without storing a new setting.
Use the COPY key to go to the next menu group.

Current settings are

PRINT STYLE

FONT
PITCH

PAGE LAYOUT

LINE SPACING
FORM LENGTH
PAGE SKIP
COMPRESS PRT

PRINT MODE

TEXT DIR
GRAPHIC DIR

CHARACTER

SLASH ZERO
CHARACTER SET
INTL CHAR SET

. New settings will be FILLED.

CODE PAGE

INSTALL

QUIET MODE
AUTO LF
AUTO TEAR OFF
LOADING
SKEW DETECTION
SKEW LEVEL

To activate the newly stored settings, please turn on the power again.

Figure 5-3 Setup Menu System

21

Options Description

FONT Set the font for the printer to use in the absence of any font control

instructions from your software.

PITCH Set the pitch to determine the horizontal spacing of the printed characters.
LINE SPACING Set the vertical spacing of the printed characters. You can set it to either 6

LPI (the default setting) or 8 LPI.

FORM LENGTH Set the length of your printer paper, for both cut sheets and continuous-feed

paper.

PAGE SKIP Select (ON) or cancel (OFF, the default) a bottom margin of one inch.

COMPRESS PRT Select compressed print mode or normal print mode.

TEXT DIR Set unidirectional or bi-directional printing for text. Bi-directional (the default)

is faster because the print head prints in both directions. Unidirectional is
slower but produces better printing quality.

GRAPHIC DIR Set unidirectional or bi-directional printing for graphics. It is set to UNI-DIR

by default for better quality.

SLASH ZERO Select or cancel the printing of a slash (/) through zero to distinguish them

from the letter O.

CHARACTER SET Select character set into Italic Character Table or Graphic Character Table.

INTL CHAR SET Select among international character sets.

CODE PAGE Select a code page
QUIET MODE Select the printer into quiet mode. The acoustic noise is lower but the

printing speed is reduced by half.

AUTO LF Select (ON) or cancel (OFF) the automatic advance of the paper by one line

after every carriage return command.

AUTO TEAR OFF Enable or disable AUTO TEAR OFF function. The feed delay for the tear-off

advance can be set.

LOADING This determines the action of the printer while the single sheet paper is front

feeding.
PUSH KEY disables automatic loading allowing loading only by pressing the
LF/FF key. The other options allow automatic feeding after the stated delay

time.
SKEW DETECTION Enable or Disable the skew detection for front feeding.
SKEW LEVEL Sets the Skew sensor sensitivity. 001 is the most critical while 010 is the

least. If a skew error is detected the single sheet will be automatically

ejected. Note: With setting “1” manual feed becomes highly difficult.

Table 5-2 Description of Options

22

Restoring Factory Printer Settings

You can restore to the factory printer settings without having to work through the Setup Menu
System to reset the menus.

To restore to the factory settings:

1. Make sure that the printer is ONLINE

2. Press and hold down the ONLINE and COPY keys on the control panel for 3

seconds.

The LED’s of the POWER and ONLINE on the control panel flash 3 times respectively at

the same time and the printer makes a beep to confirm that the printer’s factory settings

have been restored.

3. Release the keys and switch the printer off and on again.

After these steps, the printer’s factory settings work.

Using the Self Test Functions

Slide Pattern Printing Test

One page printing of ASCII slide pattern is performed by turning power on, while pressing the

LF/FF key.

Continuous printing of ASCII slide pattern is performed by turning power on, while pressing the

ON- LINE and PARK/LOAD keys.

Version: 390V X.X 20XX/XX/XX

!”#$%&’()*+,-./10123456789:;<=>?@ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ[\]^_’abcdefghijklm

!”#$%&’()*+,-./10123456789:;<=>?@ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ[\]^_’abcdefghijklmn

”#$%&’()*+,-./10123456789:;<=>?@ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ[\]^_’abcdefghijklmno

Figure 5-4 The former of English self-test

ASCII TEST MODE

Maintenance Printing Test (H pattern)

One page printing of H pattern is performed by turning power on, while pressing the ONLINE and
LF/FF keys.

Continuous printing of H pattern is performed by turning power on, while pressing the COPY key.

23

Version: 390V X.X 20XX/XX/XX

HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

H PRINT MODE

Hex Dump Mode

Figure 5-5 The former of the maintenance print

Turning power on while pressing the PARK/LOAD key causes the printer to enter Hex Dump

mode. In this mode, if you execute the following program

10 LPRINT CHR$(27);“4”；

20 LPRINT “ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ”

30 LPRINT CHR$(27);“5”；

40 LPRINT “ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ”

The results of the hex dump printing will be shown as follows.

***** HEXADECIMAL DUMP *****

(0000) 1B 34 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 4A 4B 4C 4D 4E, 4ABCDEFGHIJKLMN

(0010) 4F 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 5A 0D 0A 1B 35 OPQRSTUVWXYZ, , , 5

(0020) 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 4A 4B 4C 4D 4E 4F 50 ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOP

(0030) 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 0D 0A QRSTUVWXYZ,

Figure 5-6 The hexadecimal dump printing

24

Appendix A

Maintenance and Fault Finding

Introduction

Your printer requires very little routine maintenance. In fact, the best maintenance for the printer is
preventative. If you have followed the suggestions for locating it in an area free of excessive dust
and heat it will give you a long and trouble-free performance.

Periodic cleaning, replacement of the ribbon, replacement of an occasional blown fuse and, after
a very long time, replacement of the print head are about the only maintenance tasks you’ll need
to carry out. We’ll cover these items in this chapter. However, before carrying out any of these
tasks make sure that the printer has been switched off.

Cleaning dirt and dust are the biggest enemies. The print head cover will keep most dirt from the
printer mechanism, but occasional cleaning to remove paper particles is a good idea.

A
B
C
Figure A-1

Cleaning the Cabinet

Wipe soiled parts of the printer with a clean dry cloth. Remove bits of paper, etc., using tweezers.

When cleaning, be careful not to scratch the equipment or to bend parts, etc.

Cleaning the Carriage Shaft

Print head D Sub friction roller
Carriage E Platen
Carriage shaft F Paper guide platform

D

B

A

NOTE

C

E

F

The carriage shaft is coated with oil, which attracts dust, etc. wipe solid parts with a soft cloth to
clean them.

25

r

Over-application of oil may cause a build up of dust and dirt with resulting printe
failure.

Cleaning the platen

Clean the platen with a soft cloth.

Intervals and Materials for Cleaning

Clean inside the printer in accordance with the following:

Intervals cleaning: Every 6 months or 300 hours of operation.

Materials: Dry cloth (gauze or soft cloth)

Ribbon Cartridge The inked ribbon in the cartridge is a continuous loop and will print several

million characters before needing replacement. When printed characters begin to appear feint, it
is time to replace ribbon cartridge.

(Whichever comes first)

NOTE

NOTE

Replacing the ribbon is a simple matter of taking out the old cartridge and replacing it with a new
one. Before removing the old cartridge always turn off the power and allow the print head to cool,
as it can be extremely hot. Then slide the print head to the left edge to avoid damage to the print
head cable. See the ribbon installation section in Chapter 2 for details.

Problems And Solutions

The following are some of the common problems, which you may encounter when using the
printer. By implementing the solutions suggested, you should be able to resolve them.

Printer is “Dead” No Light, No Action Make sure that it is plugged in, check both ends of the

power cable. Make sure the power switch is turned on. Test the socket with another appliance to
make sure it is working, check the fuse in the plug attached to the power cable. Take your printer
to your dealer to be serviced.

Printer Won’t Work Be sure that the printer cable is plugged into both the printer and the
computer. Make sure that there is paper inserted and the ONLINE LED is on.

Printing is Feint Be sure that the ribbon cartridge is installed correctly. It must be fitted securely

into place and the ribbon must pass between the print head and the ribbon mark. Adjust the gap
adjust lever (move it upward). Replace the ribbon. Replace the print head.

26

Printing is Smudged The ribbon is in front of the ribbon mask. Remove it and then insert it

correctly. Adjust the gap adjust lever (move it downward).

Poor Dot Positioning If poor dot positioning occurs, the horizontal dot alignment has to be

performed by an authorized technician.

Characters On The Screen Don’t Match The Printed Characters Many graphics characters

and special symbols are produced by different ASCII codes on each make of computer and printer.
Compare the character set charts in your computer manual with the printer character sets.

You Selected A Printer Driver In Your Application Program But The Codes Don’t Do The
Right Thing (Or Anything) On The Printer Contact your software manufacture to check if a

driver for your printer is available.

The Paper Jams Frequently When Using Continuous Forms Make sure that the incoming and

outgoing paper is straight. Be sure that the incoming paper is not sticking.

The Paper Jams When Doing Reverse Paper Feeds Be sure that the lid is shut correctly. Don’t

tear off continuous forms while you are printing. With wider paper the right edge of the first page
may not be flat against the platen. Increase the top margin or advance to the second sheet before
you start printing.

Error LED on the Control Panel

In case of printer error, the printer enters offline state and indicates an alarm by blinking the LEDs
as shown below.

LED Error Cause Remedy

The POWER LED
blinks and the ONLINE
LED is off.

The POWER and the
ONLINE LED blink
simultaneously quickly.

The POWER and the
ONLINE LED blink
alternately quickly.

The POWER and the
ONLINE LED blink
alternately slowly.

The POWER LED is on
and the ONLINE LED
blinks.

Paper empty or

paper jam

Paper slant The inserted cut

Home position

error

Select lever error The select lever is

Head

overheating

The printer is out of
paper or jamming

sheet paper is
slanting

The print head carrier
mechanism is out of
position

changed after loading
paper

The print head is
overheated

Load paper or remove the
jammed paper

Re-insert the cut sheet
paper correctly

Turn off the power and turn
it on again. If an error still
occurs, clean and lubricate
the carriage shaft

Return the select lever to
the correct position

Automatically cleared when
print head temperature
decreases

27

Appendix B

Specifications

General

Type 24-Pin Flatbed Dot Matrix Impact Printer

1 DP (Draft)

Fonts

Emulation Epson ESC/P2

Memory 256K bytes (*Input buffer: 132K bytes)

Interface

Ribbon

Power requirements

Environmental
conditions

Color Black
Life 4 million characters (draft mode)

7 LQ (ROMAN, SANSERIF, COURIER, PRESTIGE, SCRIPT, OCRA,
OCRB)

Parallel Interface: Centronics (IEEE 1284 NIBBLE mode Compatible)
USB Interface：USB 2.0 Full-Speed

Rated voltage AC 220 V
Input voltage range AC 198 to 264 V
Rated frequency range 50 to 60 Hz
Input frequency range 49.5 to 60.5 Hz
Operating temperature
Operating humidity
Storage temperature

Storage humidity

5～35℃
10%～80%RH(No condensation)

-20～55℃
5%～85%RH(No condensation)

MTBF 5,000 hours, except the print head

MTTR Less than 20 minutes

Weight (unpacked) Approx.7.8 Kg

Physical dimensions
(Without front table)

470×252×207mm (width/depth/height)

Print Head

Print head wire diameter 0.2mm

Wire pitch 1/180 inch

Print head life 200 million strokes/wire

28

Mechanism

MODE 10 CPI 12 CPI 15 CPI

Super

High-Speed

Print speed

DP

LQ

Paper slew speed (Continuous feed): 5.0 IPS (inches per
second)

Paper feed Speed

Number of columns 110 columns (10 CPI)

Copy capability

Head gap adjustment Manual

Line spacing: 1/6-inch or programmable in 1/360-inch
increments

Normal: Original + 2 copies
Copy mode 1: Original + 2～4 copies
Copy mode 2: Original + 6 copies－1 pass-printing

Copy mode 3: Original + 6 copies－2 pass-printing

300CPS 340 CPS 420 CPS

80 DPI 80 DPI 80 DPI

250CPS 300 CPS 375 CPS

120 DPI 120 DPI 120 DPI

83 CPS 100 CPS 125CPS

360 DPI 360 DPI 360 DPI

Resolution 360X360 DPI maximum

Paper

Cut sheet

Paper size

Fanfold Width: 101 to 325 mm

Paper thickness

Paper type Cut sheet, tractor paper, label, check, post card, and envelope

Paper feed mechanism

Width: 89 to 340 mm
Length: 56 to 462 mm

Cut sheet: 0.06～0.12mm
Fanfold paper: 0.06～0.12 mm – Single sheet

0.06～0.45 mm – Total

Friction: manual insertion from the front table, ejection to the
front
Tractor: insertion from the rear, ejection to the front, with the
function of tear-off and paper park.

29

Print mode specifications

Print mode

LQ

(Normal

Speed)

Draft

(High

Speed)

Speed-

Draft

(Super-High

Speed)

10cpi

12cpi

15cpi

10cpi

12cpi

15cpi

10cpi

12cpi

Multipart

mode

Dot Spacing

(V×H inches)

Max No.

of

Columns

Character

Structure

(V×H)

Printing

Speed

(cps)

Normal 83

Dark 1 66

1/180×1/360 110 24×18

Dark 2 53
Dark 3

26

Normal 100

Dark 1 80

1/180×1/360 132

24×18

Dark 2 64
Dark 3

32

Normal 125

Dark 1 100

1/180×1/360 165 16×12

Dark 2 80
Dark 3

40

Normal 250

Dark 1 200

1/180×1/120 110 24×9

Dark 2 160
Dark 3

80

Normal 300

Dark 1 240

1/180×1/120 132 24×7

Dark 2 192
Dark 3

89

Normal 375

Dark 1 300

1/180×1/120 165 16×7

Dark 2 240

Dark 3

120

Normal 300

Dark 1 240

1/180×1/80 110 24×6

Dark 2 192
Dark 3

96

Normal 340

Dark 1 272
Dark 2 217

Dark 3

1/180×1/80 132 24×5

108

Normal 420

15cpi

Dark 1 336

1/180×1/80 165 16×4

Dark 2 268
Dark 3

30

134

Graphic Print Specifications

Graphic type

Density Pins

120dpi 24 1/240 inch

180dpi 24 1/360 inch

360dpi 24 1/360 inch

Horizontal dot

pitch

Multipart mode

Normal、Dark 1

Dark 2 8
Dark 3 3.9

Normal、Dark 1

Dark 2 5.3
Dark 3 2.6

Normal、Dark 1

Dark 2 5.3
Dark 3 2.6

Print speed

(inch/second)

9.9

6.6

6.6

Parallel Interface

Signal level
Input High level: 2 to 5V, Low level: 0 to 0.8V
Output High level: 2.4 to 5V, Low level: 0 to 0.4V

Connector Pin Assignments

Signal Pin No. Return Line Pin No. Signal Name Signal Direction

1 19 /STROBE
2～9 20～27
10 28 /ACK
11 29 BUSY
12 30 PE
13
14
15
16
17
18
31
32
33
34
35
36

——
——
——
——
——
——
——
——
——
——
——
——

DATA

SELECT
/AUTO FEED
NC NC
SIGNAL GND Printer↔ Host
CHASSIS GND Printer↔ Host
+5V
/PRIME
/ERROR
SIGNAL GND Printer ↔Host
NC
PULLED UP 5V
/SELECT IN

Printer ←Host
Printer ←Host
Printer →Host
Printer →Host
Printer →Host
Printer →Host
Printer ←Host

Printer →Host
Printer← Host
Printer →Host

Printer →Host
Printer →Host
Printer← Host

31

USB Interface

USB 2.0 Full-Speed.

The following table provides the standardized contact terminating assignments by number and
electrical value for Series “A” and Series “B” connectors.

Contact Number Signal Name Typical Wiring Assignment

1 VBUS Red

2 D- White

3 D+ Green

4 GND Black

Shell

Shield Wire

Command Code Summary

Epson Emulation

Name

Print and Line Feed Execution

Carriage Return CR 0Dh 13d
Line Feed LF 0Ah 10d
n/180” Line Feed ESC J 1Bh 4Ah 27d 74d
n/180” Reverse Line Feed ESC j 1Bh 6Ah 27d 106d

Format Control

Set 1/8” Line Spacing ESC 0 1Bh 30h 27d 48d
Set 1/6” Line Spacing ESC 2 1Bh 32h 27d 50d
Set n/180” Line Spacing ESC 3 1Bh 32h 27d 51d
Set n/60” Line Spacing ESC A 1Bh 41h 27d 65d
Set n/360” Line Spacing ESC + 1Bh 2Bh 27d 43d
Form Feed FF 0Ch 12 d
Set Form Length in Lines ESC C 1Bh 43h 27d 67d
Set Form Length in Inches ESC C NUL 1Bh 43h 00h 27d 67d 0d
Set Form Length in Defined Unit ESC ( C 1Bh 28h 43h 27d 40d 67d
Select Skip-Over-Perforation ESC N n 1Bh 4Eh 27d 78d

Code

(Symbol)

Code

(Hex.)

Code

(Dec.)

Cancel Skip-Over-Perforation ESC O 1Bh 4Fh 27d 79d

Vertical Tab VT 0Bh 11d
Set Vertical Tab Positions ESC B 1Bh 42h 27d 66d
Select a VFU Channel ESC / 1Bh 2Fh 27d 47d
Select VFU Positions ESC b 1Bh 62h 27d 98d
Set right Margin ESC Q 1Bh 51h 27d 81d
Set Left Margin ESC l 1Bh 6Ch 27d 108d

32

Name

Code

(Symbol)

Horizontal Tab HT 09h 9

Code

(Hex.)

d

Code

(Dec.)

Set Horizontal Tab Positions ESC D 1Bh 44h 27d 68d
Set Character Space ESC SP 1Bh 20h 27d 32d
Set Absolute Horizontal Tab ESC $ 1Bh 24h 27d 36d
Set Relative Dot Position ESC \ 1Bh 5Ch 27d 92d
Define Unit ESC ( U 1Bh 28h 55h 27d 40d 85d
Set Absolute Vertical Print Position ESC ( V 1Bh 28h 56h 27d 40d 86d
Set Relative Vertical Print Position ESC ( v 1Bh 28h 76h 27d 40d 118d
Set Form Format ESC ( c 1Bh 28h 63h 27d 40d 99d
Set Horizontal Motion Index (HM) ESC c 1Bh 63h 27d 99d

Print Mode

Select Print Quality ESC x 1Bh 78h 27d 120d
Select ELITE Width Mode (12CPI) ESC M 1Bh 4Dh 27d 77d
Select PICA Width Mode (10CPI) ESC P 1Bh 50h 27d 80d
Select 15CPI Mode ESC g 1Bh 67h 27d 103d
Select/Cancel Proportional Mode ESC p 1Bh 70h 27d 112d
Select Double Width Mode (one line) SO 0Eh 14d
Cancel Double Width Mode (one line) DC4 14h 20d
Select/Cancel Double Width Mode ESC W 1Bh 57h 27d 87d
Select Compressed Mode SI 0Fh 15d
Cancel Compressed Mode DC2 12h 18d
Select Emphasized Mode ESC E 1Bh 45h 27d 69d
Cancel Emphasized Mode ESC F 1Bh 46h 27d 70d
Select Double Strike Mode ESC G 1Bh 47h 27d 71d
Cancel Double Strike Mode ESC H 1Bh 48h 27d 72d
Select Italic Mode ESC 4 1Bh 34h 27d 52d
Cancel Italic Mode ESC 5 1Bh 35h 27d 53d
Select/Cancel Underline Mode ESC - n 1Bh 2Dh 27d 45d
Select Superscript/Subscript Mode ESC S n 1Bh 53h 27d 83d
Cancel Superscript/Subscript Mode ESC T 1Bh 54h 27d 84d
Select Print Mode ESC ! n 1Bh 21h 27d 33d
Select/Cancel Double Height Mode ESC w n 1Bh 77h 27d 119d
Select/Cancel Quiet Print Mode ESC s n 1Bh 73h 27d 115d
Select Justification Mode ESC a n 1Bh 61h 27d 97d
Select Character Style ESC q n 1Bh 71h 27d 113d
Define and Apply a Style of Scoring ESC ( - 1Bh 28h 2Dh 27d 40d 45d
Print Data as Characters ESC ( ^ 1Bh 28h 5Eh 27d 40d 94d

Character Set

Select International Character Set ESC R 1Bh 52h 27d 82d
Select Font Style ESC k 1Bh 6Bh 27d 107d
Select Character Table ESC t n 1Bh 74h 27d 116d

33

Name

Code

(Symbol)

Code

(Hex.)

Code

(Dec.)

Enable Character Set 2 ESC 6 1Bh 36h 27d 54d
Cancel command ESC 6 ESC 7 1Bh 37h 27d 55d
Assign Character Table ESC ( t 1Bh 28h 74h 27d 40d 116d

Download Character

Select/Deselect User-Defined Set ESC % n 1Bh 25h 27d 37d

Define Downloaded Characters ESC & 1Bh 26h 27d 38d

Copy ROM Characters Set into RAM ESC: 1Bh 3Ah 27d 58d

Bit-Image

Select Single-Density Graphics Mode ESC K 1Bh 4Bh 27d 75d
Select Double-Density Graphics Mode ESC L 1Bh 4Ch 27d 76d
Select High-speed, Double-Density ESC Y 1Bh 59h 27d 89d

Select Quadruple-Density ESC Z 1B
Graphics Mode

5Ah 27d 90d

h

Select Graphics Mode ESC * 1Bh 2Ah 27d 42d
Reassign Graphics Mode ESC ? 1Bh 3Fh 27d 63d
Select Graphics Mode ESC ( G 1Bh 28h 47h 27d 40d 71d
Print Raster Graphics ESC . 1Bh 2Eh 27d 46d

Input Data Control

Cancel Line CAN 18h 24d
Delete Character DEL 7Fh 127d
Select Printer DC1 11h 17d
Deselect Printer DC3 13h 19d
Cancel MSB Control Sequence ESC # 1Bh 23h 27d 35d
Set MSB to 1 ESC > 1Bh 3Eh 27d 62d
Reset MSB to 0 ESC = 1Bh 3Dh 27d 61d

Miscellaneous

Null NUL 00h 0
Beeper BEL 07h 7
Backspace BS 08h 8

d

d

d

Initialize Printer ESC @ 1Bh 40h 27d 64d
Select Unidirectional Mode (online) ESC < 1Bh 3Ch 27d 60d
Select Print Direction ESC U n 1Bh 55h 27d 85d

34

Select Code Pages

Format

Code No. d2 d3 (HEX) Name

437 1 0 U.S.A.

437GR 1 10 GRK 437

858 3 0 MULTI

851GR 4 0 GRK 851

857 5 0 TURKEY
855 6 0 CYRILLIC
860 7 0 PORTUGAL
863 8 0 CANADA
865 9 0 NORWAY
852 0A 0 EAST EUROPE
864 0D 0 ARAB NLS
866 0E 0 RUSSIAN

1253 0F 0 GRK 1253

861 18 0 ICELAND
1252 19 0 WIN LAT1
1250 1A 0 WIN LAT2

Hungarian 1B 0 HUNGARY

895 1C 0 KAMENICKY

Bulgaria 1D 0 BULGARIA

ISO-8859-15 1D 0F ISO LTN9

Mazovia 1E 0 MAZOVIA

ISO-8859-7 1F 0 GRK 8859-7

ARAB EXT 20 0 ARAB EXT
ISO-8859-1 21 0 ISO LTN1
ISO-8850-2 22 0 ISO LTN2

KBL 23 0 KBL

ISO-8859-13 24 0 ISO LTN7

ISO-8859-9 2C 0 ISO-8859-9 TURKEY

ESC ( t n1 n2 d1 d2 d3 (n1=3, n2=0, d1=0,1,2,3)

35

This printer complies with the regulation about the maximum noise level in the work
place – 3. GPSGV, under which the highest noise level has to be 70 dB (A) or less in
accordance with ISO7779.

Maschinenlärminformations-Verordnung - 3. GPSGV, der höchste Schalldruckpegel
beträgt 70 dB(A) oder weniger gemäß ISO7779.

This unit complies with Low Voltage Directive 2006/95/EC and the EMC Directive
2004/108/EC.

Dies Gerät entspricht den Bedingungen der Niederspannungs-Vorschrift 2006/95/EC
und dem EMVG nach 2004/108/EC.

36

Company name：SEIKO PRECISION (Europe) GmbH
Address：Hermann-Buck-Weg 9, D-22309 Hamburg, Germany