USER GUIDE Evolis Card Printer © 2009. All rights reserved. July 2009. Ref.
Copyright Evolis Card Printer © July 2009. All rights reserved. Copyright notice Users must observe the copyright regulations applicable in their country. This manual must not be photocopied, translated, reproduced or transmitted, in whole or in part, for any reason and by any electronic or mechanical means whatsoever without the express written consent of the Evolis Card Printer company. All the information contained in this document is subject to change without prior notice.
About your new printer Thank you for choosing an Evolis printer. Using your new printer, you will be able to create a wide variety of high-quality cards and badges which can be printed in various thicknesses, colours and styles. This printer uses consumables and accessories available from Evolis. For further details, visit our website at www.evolis.com. Warranty registration Please register on line at www.evolis.com to receive our special offers and general information.
1 Getting started 1-1 Unpacking Your printer is supplied with several accessories that we ask you to look at closely. This list may vary depending on your location. The printer is shipped in special packaging designed to prevent any damage in transit. If you notice any visible damage, do not hesitate to contact the shipper and immediately inform your Evolis dealer, who will tell you the procedure to follow.
1 1-2 Description of the printer and its functions No cards Control button End of ribbon 4 Cover open Cleaning A - Output hopper F - Manual card feed (option) B - Cover opening button G - DB-9 connector (option) C - Card input feeder H - Power cable socket D - Control panel I - USB socket (std) E - Carrying handle J - Ethernet socket (option)
1 K - Cleaning roller L - Card thickness adjustment gauge M - Thermal print head N - Serial number label O - Magnetic encoder (option) 5
1 1-3 Installation 1-3a CONNECTING THE PRINTER ä Connection to the power supply The printer must be connected to a properly protected and earthed electrical installation. FI: Laite on liitettävä suojamaadoitus koskettimilla varustettuun pistorasiaan. NO: Apparatet må tilkoples jordet stikkontakt. SE: Apparaten skall anslutas till jordat uttag. Ê Connect the power cable to the power supply unit, then plug the power cable connector into the printer.
1 1-3b RIBBONS Evolis original ribbons optimise your printer’s operation and avoid causing damage to it. The use of ribbons from other suppliers is liable to damage your printer and voids the manufacturer’s warranty for the printer. For optimum print quality, Evolis recommends that the printer is fully cleaned every time the ribbon is changed. See the Servicing and Maintenance section of this manual. ä Fitting the ribbon Ensure that the appropriate ribbon type is selected in the print driver.
1 1-3c CARDS For optimum quality, the cards used must be ISO 7810 certified. Use only the card types recommended by Evolis. Do not touch the printable surface of the cards in order to preserve print quality. Do not use cards that have been damaged, folded, embossed or dropped on the floor. Keep your cards protected from dust. ä Loading the cards Ê Remove the card feeder. Ë Turn the feeder over and insert the cards. Ensure the cards are positioned as illustrated in the diagram.
1 ä Removing printed cards Once the print cycle is complete, cards are delivered into the output hopper found on the left of the device. This output hopper is designed to collect the printed and/or encoded cards. The printer is equipped with an output hopper with a capacity of 50 x 0.76 mm cards.
1 ä Adjusting card thickness The printer is equipped with a manual card thickness adjustment mechanism which can be reached either through the card feeder or through the inside of the printing unit when the cover is open. The printer accepts cards between 0.25 mm and 1 mm thick. The factory setting for card thickness is 0.76 mm. Adjusting card thickness through the feeder cage: Ê Remove the card feeder from the printer as shown.
1 Adjusting card thickness from inside of the printer: Ê Open the printer cover by pressing on the opening lever, then tilt the cover up. Ë If necessary, remove any ribbon inside the printer. Then adjust the thickness of the cards used by moving the lever from right to left to the desired card thickness. Ì Replace the ribbon in the printer, then close the cover.
1 ä Inserting cards manually The printer may optionally be equipped with a manual feeder for inserting cards individually. The manual feeder option needs to be configured via the printer driver’s Properties, under the “Graphics” tab. Choose “Manual feed” from the “Card management - input” menu and select the desired output method from the menu. The manual card feeder is installed as follows: Ê Remove the card feeder from the printer as shown.
2 Printing 2-1 Installing the print driver Configuration of the printer and its driver is a very important step and requires very special care. In fact, inappropriate settings are a factor having a negative impact on the quality of card customisation. It is therefore essential to proceed in stages, changing settings only when you are completely sure. Evolis offers the option to revert to the factory settings at any time if the adjustments made do not give the expected results.
2 2-2 Managing the print settings Before using your printer, it is essential to check and/or change the default print driver settings: l Ribbon type l Card type l Card finish or treatment l … You will find more detailed information about the cards recommended by Evolis in the ‘Evolis Genuine Product’ list of consumables.
2 ä “Graphics” tab l Ribbon or card types l Front/back printing l Choice of methods for feeding and collecting cards l Card orientation, portrait or landscape l Number of copies ä “Tools” tab l Setting and testing magnetic encoding options l l l Test card printing Cleaning the printer Dialogue interface with the printer. We recommend that you print a test card when first using the printer, and keep it.
2 2-3 Printing a card A large number of Windows applications allow documents to be printed (for example the tools in Microsoft’s Office suite, i.e. MS-Word, MS-Access, Ms-Excel, MS-PowerPoint). To gain familiarity with the layout of a card and configuring its formatting and printing, we suggest the following example.
2 2-4 Connecting to a network (Ethernet) All Evolis printers have the benefit of a TCP/IP network connection mechanism. This feature is available as standard or as an option, depending on the model in the range. Out of the box, the printer comes configured in DHCP mode (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol), which means that its IP address is supplied by the network.
3 Maintenance 3-1 General warranty information Your Evolis printer has been designed to give you long service and needs only minimal regular maintenance. Please comply with the instructions given below to ensure that it runs satisfactorily. Keep your warranty cover! The manufacturer’s warranty is subject to strict adherence to the routine servicing and maintenance instructions, and in particular the printer cleaning cycles.
3 3-2 Routine printer cleaning The print head warranty is directly linked to routine cleaning of your printer. If you do not carry out this cleaning at the required times, the print head warranty will cease to be valid.
3 Follow the procedure below: Repeatedly running the cleaning card through the printer cleans the feed rollers, the cleaning rollers and the print head. Ê Remove the card feeder from the printer as shown. Ë sing the lever, set the card thickness to the MAX position. Ì Remove any cards found in the feeder. Í Insert the cleaning card into the feeder as indicated.
3 Î Put the feeder back into the printer, then press on the upper section of the feeder until it clicks. Ï Open the cover. Ð Remove the ribbon as shown on the diagram. Ñ Close the cover and check it has clicked shut. Ò Hold down the control button on the control panel for one second. Cleaning starts. Ó The used cleaning card is ejected into the output hopper. Î Ï Ð Ñ Ò Wait for 2 minutes after cleaning before using your printer.
3 3-3 Servicing the cleaning roller(s) In addition to routine printer cleaning, we suggest that you clean the cleaning roller(s) using the special wipes available from Evolis. The cleaning roller(s) remove(s) any dust or particles from the cards before printing. Recommended cleaning cycle: whenever the ribbon is changed Servicing accessory: cleaning wipe Follow the procedure below: Ê Open the cover and remove any ribbon. Ë Remove the cleaning roller. Ì Rub the wipe gently over the surface of the roller.
3 3-4 Servicing the print head Recommended cleaning cycle: whenever the ribbon is changed Servicing accessory: Special cotton bud impregnated with isopropyl alcohol. The print head is cleaned in the course of the printer’s routine servicing procedure (see previously). However, to maintain the original print quality and to absorb surplus ink on the print head, we recommend that you regularly clean the print head (whenever the ribbon is changed) using the cotton buds supplied by Evolis.
3 Follow the procedure below: Ê Take an Evolis cotton bud and press the middle of the tube until the end of the cotton bud is impregnated with alcohol. Ë Open the cover and find the print head. Ì Gently rub the cotton bud from left to right along the print head for a few seconds. Í Close the cover. Ê Ë Ì Wait for 2 minutes after cleaning before using your printer.
4 Help This section gives a number of suggestions allowing problems that may arise when using your printer to be pinpointed. If you do not manage to solve your problem, this section also explains how to contact Evolis technical support. 4-1 Warnings and diagnosis Although the Evolis printer was designed to work independently, keeping user involvement to a minimum, it may nonetheless prove useful to gain some familiarity with the main warnings.
4 RIBBON No ribbon in the printer. End of ribbon. l The ribbon is not correctly fitted. l The ribbon is torn. l l Check the condition of the ribbon in the printer. If you have a print job in progress, this restarts with a new card. CARDS The card feeder is incorrectly installed. No cards in the card feeder. l The cards are not flat. l The cards are stuck together. l l Press the control button for one second – the process will restart.
4 CLEANING l (after 1,200 cards have been inserted) OUTPUT HOPPER POSITION MECHANICAL PROBLEM It is imperative that the printer is cleaned. See section 3 - Maintenance l The output hopper is midway between open and closed. Open or close the output hopper. The current job will restart. Card jammed in the printer. l Mechanical component fault. l Press the control button for one second. If the problem persists, contact your Evolis dealer for assistance.
4 4-2 Diagnosis help In this section, you will find all the information you need to carry out a few simple checks that you may be asked to run by your Evolis dealer to help you as effectively as possible. 4-2a PRINTING A TEST CARD We recommend that you print a test card to ensure that your printer is working properly. This card shows various technical details for future reference. You may be asked for these by your dealer. ä Printing a test card Ê Wait for any current print jobs to finish.
4 4-2b IDENTIFYING INSTALLED SOFTWARE VERSIONS As previously shown, you can easily identify the version of the software embedded in your printer (firmware number) by means of the test card. You can also identify the version of the print driver installed as follows: Ê From the Start button found bottom-left on the Windows task bar, select Printers and faxes. Ë Select your printer and double click. Ì From the Printer menu, select Properties. Í Go to the Graphics tab and then click About.
4 4-3 Troubleshooting Do not attempt to use tools or other items to repair your printer in the event of problems, in case major damage is caused. 4-3a Printing problems ä Nothing prints Ê Check the print driver Check that there is a print driver for your printer in the Windows configuration. Check that the printer is selected as the default printer. Ë Check the printer’s power supply Check that the power cable is correctly connected to the printer and to a working electrical socket.
4 ä Poor print quality Small blemishes on the card l l The card surface may be dirty. Check that your cards are perfectly clean. Use new cards. Cleaning rollers or print head clogged. Clean the cleaning rollers and print head. Horizontal white lines l l The ribbon is not correctly fitted. Check that the ribbon is correctly positioned in the printer. Check that there are no wrinkles on the ribbon surface. Print head dirty or damaged. Clean or replace the print head.
4 ä Partial or incorrect printing Ê Check the print settings Check that no area of the card design to be printed is outside the print margins. Check the document orientation (portrait or landscape) in the print driver configuration. Ë Check the interface cable If irregular characters are printed, check that you are in fact using the USB cable supplied with your printer. Check the connection between the computer and the printer. Try using another cable of the same type.
4 4-3b FREEING JAMMED CARDS Control panel displays MECHANICAL PROBLEM l Print jobs are interrupted. Do not turn your printer off, as this cancels pending print jobs in the printer’s memory. Remove the card as follows: Ê Open the printer cover and remove the ribbon. Ë Press the control button to turn the card transport rollers. If the card is still stuck inside the printer, slide it manually towards the printer output. If there is more than one card, always push the top one first.
4 4-3c REPLACING THE CLEANING ROLLERS Should your cleaning roller start to work less effectively despite regular maintenance, it is advisable to replace it in order to avoid dirt accumulating on the print head, resulting in permanent damage (See section 3 – Maintenance). The cleaning roller is available as a consumable from your Evolis dealer. Roller replacement procedure: Ê Open the printer cover. Ë Remove the ribbon if any then locate the cleaning roller and release it from its housing.
4 4-3d REPLACING THE PRINT HEAD The print head is a sensitive component of your equipment. It determines the print quality, and regular servicing along with an immediate environment free from dust or other particles ensure a lengthy useful life. Nonetheless, the print head may sometimes need to be replaced. Evolis has designed a unique device enabling users to undertake such replacement with no tools needed, simply by following the instructions very carefully.
4 To exchange the print head, please proceed as follows: Before changing the print head, please unplug the power cable. ä Step 1 - Removing the defective print head Ê Open the printer cover. Ë Locate the print head. Ì Press on the metal part found at the bottom as shown on the diagram, in order to free the lugs from the holding fork, then remove the lugs from their slots. Í Tilt the head carefully and disconnect the connector linked to the cable without using force on the mechanism.
4 ä Step 2 - Installing the new print head Ê Note the code shown on the white label stuck on the print head. You will be asked for this code in Step 3. Ë Pick up the new print head and turn it towards you, with the white connector visible. Ì Connect the cable into its socket, making sure it is the right way round. Do not use any force, as this part is relatively fragile. Í Turn the head so that the logo is visible (be careful), the connector can no longer be seen.
4 ä Step 3 - Configuring the new print head Ê Power up the printer and check that it is properly connected to a computer on which the printer’s print driver is installed. Ë Under the print driver’s Properties, click on the “Tools” tab. Ì In the “Printer dialogue” section, enter the following command: Pkn;x where x = the print head kit code number that you noted in Step 2.
4 4-3e UPDATING THE FIRMWARE (under Windows) Updating the firmware is a simple operation but one which, if not properly completed, can result in your printer breaking down. Before any update, please contact your Evolis dealer who will be able to guide you on the advisability or otherwise of carrying out an upgrade. In general, such updates are only required in the event of problem or malfunction that has been clearly identified by your Evolis dealer. Updates can be downloaded from the website at www.
4 4-3f UPDATING THE PRINT DRIVER Updating the print driver is a task that is required in order to fix malfunctions or gain the benefit of new options. Before any update, please contact your Evolis dealer who will be able to guide you on the advisability or otherwise of carrying out an upgrade. Updates can be downloaded from the website at www.evolis.com : Ê Select your printer model, then click on the Print drivers and Firmware link. Ë Then click on the file for the corresponding print driver.
4 4-4 Technical support If you are having difficulties in configuring and using your printer, read this manual carefully. If you do not manage to solve your problem, you can obtain further information and help from the Evolis partner network. 4-4a EVOLIS PARTNER NETWORK For any unresolved technical problem, contact an Evolis dealer. If you do not know any Evolis dealers, visit the www.evolis.com website and send us your question. Evolis will pass on the contact details of your nearest Evolis dealer.
A Appendix A A1 - Technical specifications This section presents your printer’s technical printing properties. ä General technical features l Colour printing module l 300 dpi print head (11.8 dots/mm) l USB connection l Ethernet TCP/IP connection as an option l 16 MB RAM allowing two colour cards (front and back) to be stored l Detachable 100 card input feeder (0.76 mm or 30 mil) l 50 l1 card output hopper (0.
A ä Software l supplied eMedia Card Designer for designing and printing badges : • Compatible with WindowsTM 2003, XP and Vista • Connects to Microsoft Excel databases ä Ribbon types l 2-panel KO monochrome black ribbon – 500 cards/roll l 5-panel YMCKO colour ribbon – 200 cards/roll l half-panel YMCKO colour ribbon – 400 cards/roll l Monochrome ribbons – up to 1,000 cards/roll: available in black, red, green, blue, white, gold and silver l Special ribbons: hologram clear overlay – 350 cards/ro
A Power supply: Power supply unit: 110-230 volts AC, 1.8 A, 60-50 Hertz - Printer: 24 volts DC, 3 A Environment: - Min/max operating temperature: 15° / 30°C (59° / 86° F) - Humidity: 20% to 65% without condensation - Min/max storage temperature: -5° / +70°C (23° / 158° F) - Storage humidity: from 20% to 70% without condensation - Operating ventilation: air cooled.
B Appendix B B1 - Compliance statements In this section, you will find the certifications for your Evolis printer. Compliance statements FCC Federal Communications Commission notice Radio frequency interference in the United States As regards Safety and Electromagnetic Compatibility Manufacturer name: Manufacturer address: Equipment name : Year of manufacture : Evolis Card Printer 14, avenue de la Fontaine Z.I.
C Appendix C C1 - Encoding options Some models of Evolis printers are equipped with encoding systems which are used to customise magnetic strips, and contact and contactless smartcards. Depending on the model, it is possible to install up to three types of encoder in the printer (magnetic strip, contact and contactless smartcards). C1a - MAGNETIC STRIP ENCODING A printer fitted with a magnetic encoder works in exactly the same way as a basic card printer.
C ä Card positioning Magnetic strip cards must be placed in the card feeder so that the magnetic strip is facing upwards as shown below: Ê Remove the card feeder from the printer as shown. Ë Lower the spring system as shown and insert a maximum of 100 x 0.76 mm magnetic cards Ì Put the feeder back into the printer, then press on the upper section of the feeder until it clicks.
C ä Configuring the Windows print driver When first installing the Windows print driver, the magnetic encoder functions need to be configured. The magnetic encoder functions are found in the print driver’s Tools dialogue box by clicking on the Encoding Settings button. ä “Magnetic ä Cleaning Encoder” dialogue box The Magnetic Encoder dialog box opens when the Encoding Settings button is selected. Track settings is used to select the desired ISO standard for each magnetic strip.
C ä SO Track number 7811 magnetic encoding standards Separator Density Character set Number of characters Track 1 ^ 210 ppp1 Alphanumeric (ASCII 20-95)2 793 Track 2 = 75 ppp1 Numeric (ASCII 48-62)2 403 Track 3 = 210 ppp1 Numeric (ASCII 78-62)2 1073 bits per inch Except for the “?” character 3 Including the Start, Stop and LRC characters which are automatically handled by the magnetic encoder 1 2 49
C C1b - CONTACT SMARTCARD ENCODING A printer fitted with a smartcard contact station works in exactly the same way as a basic card printer. The Evolis smartcard contact station is used to program chips to ISO 7816-2 standards. ä Contact station location The contact station is a module fitted in the factory. It is located over the path taken by the cards and before the print head. To make contact with the station, the smartcard is positioned underneath it and is pushed mechanically upwards.
C ä Card positioning Smartcards must be placed in the card feeder so that the chip is facing downwards as shown below: Ê Remove the card feeder from the printer as shown. Ë Lower the spring system as shown and insert a maximum of 100 x 0.76 mm magnetic cards (chip down). Ì Put the feeder back into the printer, then press on the upper section of the feeder until it clicks.
C ä Contact station interface Printers with a smartcard contact station are fitted with a female DB-9 connector which is found on the back of a printer. This connector, directly connected to the contact station inside the printer, is also connected to an external coupler to program the chip. DB-9 connector USB or parallel port External coupler USB, serial, etc. port DB-9 connector pins Smartcard contact points 1 C1 (V c.c.
C ä The command sequence is as follows: Sending the SIS sequence : l A card is moved from the feeder to the contact station, and stops underneath it. l The card is pushed upwards to make contact with the station. l The printer connects the contact station to the DB-9 connector. l The chip is programmed via the computer’s serial interface and the external coupler. Refer to the Evolis printer Programming Guide for further details on programming smartcards.
C C1c - CONTACTLESS SMARTCARD ENCODING Evolis printers may be equipped with an encoding device for contactless smartcards (RFID). This consists of an encoding module and sometimes a detachable antenna. Integration of such a module must be carried out by specialist. The Evolis product catalogue has printers equipped with a built-in encoder for contactless chips. Depending on the model, these encoders connect to the PC via an RS-232 interface (DB-9 socket) or a USB interface.
C ä Computer connection If your encoder is supplied with an USB interface, it will either be connected to the printer’s internal USB Hub, or equipped with a USB cable to connect to your computer directly. in the first case, your printer’s USB cable is used to drive firstly the printer and secondly the encoder from the computer. If your encoder is supplied with an RS-232 interface, it needs to be connected to the computer via a serial cable.
D1 - Consumables and accessories Evolis offers a full range of consumables and accessories specially designed to work with its printers. Tested and approved by Evolis’ R&D and Quality departments, these consumables and accessories provide optimum print quality and reliability.
Colour ribbons R3011 YMCKO 200 cards/roll R3013 ½ YMCKO 400 cards/roll R3314 YMCKOK 200 cards/roll R3411 YMCKO 100 cards/roll R3511 YMCKO 500 cards/roll R3514 YMCKOK 500 cards/roll Special ribbons R2218 Scratch-off ink Up to 600 cards/roll R2219 BlackWAX* Up to 600 cards/roll R2018 Scratch-off ink Up to 1000 cards/roll R2019 BlackWAX* Up to 1000 cards/roll R4001 Optoseal© hologram ribbon 350 cards/roll * for printing on ABS, special overlay and paper 57 Quantum2 Securion
Plastic cards C1001 Blank PVC cards, Premium, 0.76 mm 500 cards/box C1003 Blank PVC cards, Premium, with HiCo mag strip - 0.76 mm 500 cards/box C1004 Blank PVC cards, Premium, with LoCo mag strip - 0.76 mm 500 cards/box C4001 Blank PVC cards, Standard, 0.76 mm 500 cards/box C4002 Blank PVC cards, Standard, 0.50 mm 500 cards/box C4003 Blank PVC cards, Standard, with HiCo mag strip - 0.76 mm 500 cards/box C4004 Blank PVC cards, Standard, with LoCo mag strip - 0.
Software L8001 eMedia Card Designer software, Pro Edition, unrestricted version, all database types L8002 eMedia Card Designer software, Standard Edition, unrestricted version, Excel database connection Maintenance kits A5011 UltraClean cleaning kit (for full printer cleaning) 5 pre-impregnated cards, 5 cotton buds, 1 box of 40 pre-impregnated wipes A5002 PrinterClean cleaning kit (for cleaning the card feed rollers) 50 isopropyl alcohol impregnated cards, delivered in individual sachetsl A5003 Hea
Printer accessories S2304BB Extra card feeder for 100 cards (brilliant blue) S2304FR Extra card feeder for 100 cards (flame red) S5304OC Extra card feeder for 100 cards (ocean blue) S5304FR Extra card feeder for 100 cards (flame red) S5304JG Extra card feeder for 100 cards (jungle green) S5305OC Manual card feeder (ocean blue) S5305FR Manual card feeder (flame red) S5305JG Manual card feeder (jungle green) A5310 Carrying case – delivered in a cardboard box A5309 Carrying case – delivered
