HP Designjet H35000/H45000 Printer series User Manual 0706477 Revision B
© Copyright 2008, 2009 Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. The information contained herein is subject to change without notice. The only warranties for HP products and services are set forth in the express warranty statements accompanying such products and services. Nothing herein should be construed as constituting an additional warranty. HP shall not be liable for technical or editorial errors or omissions contained herein.
Regulatory Statements FCC-A This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class A digital device, pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference when the equipment is operated in a commercial environment. This equipment generates, uses, and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with the instruction manual, may cause harmful interference to radio communications.
Related Documentation • Release Notes — describes new versions of the printer’s embedded software and other new information not included in this user manual. • Material Safety Data Sheets — information for safe handling of the inks and printhead flush used with the printer. If you are using the HP Software RIP: • HP Software RIP User Guide — describes how to use the RIP. • Printing Tools User Guide — describes how to add printers to your operating system, and how to use the utility software.
Table of Contents Regulatory Statements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iii FCC-A . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iii DOC (Canada). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iii Telecommunications Network Statement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iii Related Documentation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Pause-Swapping Ink . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Calibrating the Moveable Fence. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Checking Jet Health . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Purge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Print Prime Bars . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Calibrating the Service Station . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4-30 Technical Specifications Specifications. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-2 Electrical Power. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-3 Supplies and Accessories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-5 Troubleshooting Troubleshooting Checklist . . . .
viii Table of Contents
Chapter 1 Getting Started This chapter shows you how to get started using your printer.
Operating Requirements Electrical Choose a location for the printer before you unpack it. Keep the following requirements in mind: • Use the supplied power cord. Plug it directly into a grounded electrical outlet. Do not lengthen the power cord with an extension cord; the resulting drop in voltage could damage the printer. • Make sure the line voltage meets the requirements: See Appendix A, Technical Specifications, for details.
Environmental Operating Requirements • Make sure the room is well ventilated, with a temperature and relative humidity within specifications (see “Specifications” on page A-2). Optimal printing occurs within these ranges. • The high power UV light emitted by the curing lamps reacts with oxygen and produces ozone. This formation tends to be greatest during lamp start-up.
Connecting the RIP The printer receives print jobs from a raster image processor (RIP) from HP and third-party manufacturers. To connect the printer to a HP Software RIP, refer to its User Guide for detailed instructions. To connect the printer to a third-party RIP, follow this procedure: Step 1: Install the VideoNet Card and Cable 1. Power off the computer you will be using to run the RIP. 2. Install the VideoNet printer interface card into an available PCI expansion slot. 3.
6. Power on the computer. After Windows starts, it detects the new interface card and installs the driver software. Step 2: Install the VideoNet Protocol The VideoNet networking protocol is used to communicate with the printer. These instructions assume a familiarity with Microsoft Windows XP administrative functions. If necessary, consult your network or computer administrator or consultant for assistance. Caution The VideoNet protocol is not compatible with Novell NetWare.
5. Click the Install button. 6. Select Protocol. 7. Click the Add button. 8. Click Have Disk... 9. Click Browse. 10. Browse to the VideoNet folder on the DVD (for example, D:\Videonet\Windows XP). This displays a file named videonet.inf in the File Name field. 11. Select Open. The Install from disk dialog box reappears. 12. Click OK. A window appears, listing the VideoNet Driver. 13. Highlight VideoNet Driver, then click OK. Windows installs the VideoNet protocol.
16. Right-click the VideoNet connection icon, then click Properties. 17. The window should now display all services and protocols assigned to the VideoNet card. 18. Uncheck all protocols except VideoNet by clicking on the boxes with check marks in them. Step 3: Install the RIP Software Connecting the RIP 19. Install and configure the RIP software as outlined in the documentation supplied with it.
Important Operating Notes • UV CURE INK IS PERISHABLE. Unlike other inks used in wide format printing, UV cure ink has a limited shelf life. Plan to rotate your ink stock and use it promptly by the date printed on the ink box. • DO NOT POWER DOWN THE PRINTER. Constant vacuum at the printheads is required to prevent ink from flowing from the printheads when not printing. Caution 1-8 When the UV lamps are switched off, they undergo a controlled cool-down cycle.
minimal amount of isopropyl alcohol and dry them thoroughly before printing. Important Operating Notes • DO NOT set heavy objects on the power cord or printer cable; do not bend the cables or force them into contorted positions. • DO NOT place heavy objects anywhere on the printer.
Safety Warnings 1-10 • UV light — the ultraviolet (UV) curing lamps emit high power UV light. The printer must be operated with all safety shielding installed to protect the operator from eye and skin damage. When operated according to manufacturer’s instructions, safety glasses or other protective clothing are not necessary. • Mechanical hazards — Keep fingers away from carriage and media path. Do not exceed the maximum weight load of the input or output tables, as printed on the label.
Deutsch Español Important Operating Notes • UV-Licht – die ultravioletthärtenden Lampen strahlen Hochleistungs-UV-Licht ab. Der Drucker muss mit allen installierten Sicherheitsabschirmungen betrieben werden, um den Bediener vor Augen- und Hautschäden zu schützen. Sicherheitsbrillen oder andere Schutzkleidung ist nicht erforderlich, wenn gemäß den Herstelleranweisungen gearbeitet wird. • Mechanische Risiken – Halten Sie die Finger fern vom Laufwagen und von der Medienzuführung.
el peso máximo de carga de las mesas de entrada y salida, según lo especificado en la etiqueta. 1-12 • Tinta - Lea y ponga en práctica las recomendaciones de seguridad recogidas, en la Hoja de Datos de Seguridad del Material (Material Safety Data Sheet - MSDS), para la tinta y exponga dicho documento en el área de trabajo, tal y como requiere la legislación vigente. Evite todo contacto con piel y ojos. Asegúrese de disponer de una adecuada ventilación y extracción tanto general como local.
Français Important Operating Notes • Lumière UV — Les lampes à séchage ultraviolet (UV) diffusent une puissance de lumière UV importante. L'imprimante doit être utilisée en tenant compte de toutes les mesures de sécurité mises en place pour protéger l'opérateur de blessures aux yeux et sur la peau. Quand vous utilisez l'imprimante, les lunettes de protection et vêtements de protection ne sont pas nécessaire. • Risques mécaniques — Garder les mains éloignées du chariot et du chemin papier.
lithium en accord avec la réglementation de gestion des déchets locale, régionale ou gouvernementale. Italiano 1-14 • Luce Ultravioletta (UV) — Le lampade UV, emettono raggi ultravioletti ad alta intensita'. Bisogna operare il plotter con tutti i filtri di protezione installati, per proteggere l'operatore da eventuali esposizioni dannosi agli occhi e alla pelle.
• Important Operating Notes Residui pericolosi — All' interno del gruppo elettrico del plotter, si trova una batteria al litio il quale se non sostituita in maniera corretta puo' rischiare di esplodere. Per tale motivo, solamente personale tecnico specializzato deve eseguire tale operazione. Per lo smaltimento della batteria usata o danneggiata, verificare le modalita' locali, provinciali o nazionali in materia.
Workflow Overview When the printer is connected to an HP RIP, here is how a typical print job progresses from the client workstation to the printer. If you are using a non-HP RIP, refer to the documentation that accompanies it for details. 1. The operator sends a file to be printed from a client workstation. 2. The print job is received by the print server. Once it reaches the print server, the print job may be reprioritized, combined with other jobs, re-routed, or otherwise manipulated.
Daily Shutdown Not Recommended DO NOT POWER DOWN THE PRINTER. Power is required to maintain vacuum to the printheads, which keeps ink from seeping out. If power is unexpectedly removed from the printer, printhead vacuum will be lost and ink will leak from the printheads. The amount of ink lost will be limited to the ink currently in the printheads, not the ink in the ink supply boxes which has not yet been pumped to the printheads.
Quick Tour 1 2 3 4 5 10 11 9 12 8 13 7 6 14 21 20 18,19 17 16 15 Fig. 1-2.
1. UV-shielded access cover 2. Touch-screen control panel 3. Integrated output table 4. Output media fence 5. Electronics box (inside enclosure) 6. Ink supply boxes 7. Profiler docking station 8. Media load (lower pinch rollers)/unload (raise pinch rollers) switch 9. Media advance foward/backward switch 10. Fixed input media fence 11. Exhaust fans 12. Service station (inside enclosure) 13. Adjustable input media fence 14. Shelf for optional placement of the RIP 15.
1 2 3 4 10 8 9 11 12 13 16 17 18 19 5 6 7 15 14 20 Fig. 1-3. Front Page screen 1. Media information 12. Settings 2. Printer status 13. Tools 3. Ink levels 14. Move media forward/backward 4. UV lamps status (L=left side, R=right side) 15. Go Online/Go Offline switch 5. Media presence indicator 16. Sleep/Wake switch 6. Covers status (open or closed) 17. Advance Media Past Brushes 7. Language selector (if installed) 18.
Special Features Printheads • Printheads — variable drop size, piezoelectric printheads, 192 jets per head. Ink System • Off-Head System (OHS) — 1-liter bulk ink boxes with integrated filters. No-drip quick connectors simplify ink box replacement. • Onboard vacuum/pressure (VP) system — provides vacuum to maintain negative printhead pressure, and air pressure to purge the printheads or ink tubes without removing them from the printer.
Calibration Performance and Ease-of-Use 1-22 • Advanced pinch roller design — the molded pinch rollers are self-aligning to prevent media skew. Any individual pinch roller can be snapped up and out of the way to avoid interfering with the edge of the media. • Adjustable media fence — keeps the media feeding straight, prevents skewing.
Special Features • Sharp Edge — reduces overspray at the edges of images and blocks of color. • Simplified control panel interface — touch-screen control panel with graphical Front Page interface presents frequently-used functions. A menu provides access to less-frequently used functions and troubleshooting help. • User assistance — control panel features online help, interactive procedures, and diagnostics to assist the user “onthe-fly,” reducing training and troubleshooting time.
1-24 Special Features
Chapter 2 Printing This chapter shows you how to set print mode and media options, load ink and media, and print: Printing • Configure Printing (page 2-2) • Configure Media (page 2-6) • Load and Print on Rigid Media (page 2-10) • Load and Print on Roll-Fed Media (page 2-15) • Loading Ink (page 2-19) • Printing Tips (page 2-21) • Checking Jet Health (page 2-24) 2-1
Configure Printing The printer can print in several different modes for the combination of quality, resolution, and speed that you require. Print Modes DPI Model 1200x600 H35100 / H35500 24 sf/h (2.25 H45100 / H45500 48 sf/h (4.5 m2/h) 97 sf/h (9 m2/h) 194 sf/h (18 m2/h) H35100 / H35500 48 sf/h (4.
The printer can print in both directions (bidirectional) or in one direction only (unidirectional). Unidirectional printing can occur in either direction. Printing occurs at about half the speed of the corresponding bidirectional print mode. Unidirectional printing eliminates the bidirectional misalignment that occurs when printing on media that is not perfectly flat. 3. Press a direction option to select it.
The following table shows the print mode and resolution combinations supported by each of these modes: 600x600 600x300 1200x600 Normal BB, PQ, HQ PQ BB,PQ,HQ Fine Text PQ, HQ — PQ, HQ Sharp Edge PQ, HQ PQ PQ, HQ BB=Billboard; PQ=Production Quality; HQ=High Quality The Unsupported Setup Job Handling menu appears. 5. Select an option. The printer does not print jobs at 600x300 dpi resolution in High Quality or Billboard mode.
• If the media is wrinkling or warping from the heat of the lamps, lower the setting. When you select a lamp setting, the shutter aperture screen appears. 8. Adjust the shutter apertures, or press Press ! (Proceed) to continue. You can select the aperture (opening amount) for each shutter, and/or completely close one of the shutters, during printing. This enables you to reduce the warping of rigid media by reducing the amount of light and heat emitted by the lamps.
Configure Media Before the printer will accept a print job, it must be configured for a specific media type. The currently-configured media type, if any, is displayed in the upper left corner of the control panel. You can load a new media type (see the following procedure), or reload the previously loaded media (see “Reload Media” on page 2-9). Load New Media 1.
Fig. 2-1. Media settings screen • If you pressed a media name, a list of settings appears (see Fig. 2-1). From this screen you can change the Media Settings, change the Print Mode, Select Media again, or Proceed to loading the media. To load media, press the ! (Proceed) key and go to “Load and Print on Rigid Media” on page 2-10 or “Load and Print on Roll-Fed Media” on page 2-15.
Observe the media as the fan speed changes. If the media is lifting off the platen, increase the fan speed. If the media advance seems impeded by the vacuum, decrease the fan speed. After you save your changes by pressing the ! (Proceed) key, the Leading Edge Static Control screen appears. This feature reduces overspray in areas of fine text in the first 0.6 inches (15 mm) leading edge of a rigid media print. Disable if the media is not being held sufficently onto the platen.
Unload Media To unload media (raise the pinch rollers and switch off the platen vacuum), press the Unload Media key on the Front Page screen, or press the Load/Unload switch on the back of the printer to the Unload position. Reload Media If the control panel displays the media type you intend to use, press the Reload Media key (or press the Load/Unload switch to the Load position, or press the optional foot switch).
Load and Print on Rigid Media 1. If loaded, unload any roll-fed media. 2. If necessary, slide the roll-fed media edge holders out of the way of the media path. 3. Open the input and output media tables, and unfold and lock the legs into position. For longer media, pull out the table extension. For longer, lightweight media (such as FomeCor), pull out the media supports. Fig. 2-2. Rigid media tables with extensions and supports 4.
The following screen appears. Fig. 2-3. Load media screen 8. Unlock the adjustable media fence by loosening the locking knob, and slide it to the right (toward the service station end of the printer). Locking knob Rail Fence Fig. 2-4. Adjustable fence 9. Load the sheet of media onto the input table, sliding it to the left (toward the ink boxes) until the media is flush against the fixed media fence.
10. Slide the adjustable media fence against the right side of the media. Then lock it in place. At this point you can also adjust the speed of the vacuum fans, or switch them on or off. If the sheet is warped or not being held down, increase the vacuum fans or raise the pinch rollers. 11. If the edge of the media you are using is directly below a pinch roller, raise that pinch roller by pushing it up and then pushing the latch toward the rail to engage it (see Fig. 2-5 below).
After briefly displaying the measured width of the media, the control panel displays the media and margin measurements (see Fig. 2-6): • To change the margins, press the Margin Settings key. Note The minimum Trailing Margin is 6 inches (15.2 cm), to enable the pinch rollers to advance the media. Fig. 2-6. Rigid sheet measurements 14. Press the ! (Proceed) key.
16. Send a print job from the RIP. For multiple copy jobs, the printer control panel will prompt for the next sheet a short time before the previous sheet is done printing. Load the subsequent sheet as before, and press the ! (Proceed) key, or press the Load/Unload switch to the Load position, or press the optional foot pedal switch. The printer prints on the next sheet and will use the same option settings on all of the copies in the print job.
Load and Print on Roll-Fed Media 1. If opened, retract the rigid media input and output table extensions, and fold the table legs, tables, and adjustable media fence down into their storage positions. Fig. 2-7. Tables stored for roll-fed printing 2. Load the media onto the supply spool. Remove the removeable collet from the spool, load the roll of media onto the spool, and replace the collet.
3. Load the supply spool onto its bracket. Insert the end of the spool with the pin into the left spool holder, then insert the other end of the spool into the right spool holder. 4. Unspool enough media to reach past the pinch rollers, and smooth out the media across the platen. 5. Configure the media (see “Configure Media” on page 2-6). 6. Press the ! (Proceed) key on the control panel.
and calculating margins, to prevent printing on the media edge holders. Fig. 2-9. Media edge holder (left shown) 11. Press the 9 (Yes) or ( (No) key. • If you press Yes, the printer prompts you to position the edge holders at the sides of the media. Then position the edge holders. • If you press No, go to step 12. 12. Press the ! (Proceed) key, or the Load/Unload switch on the back of the printer to the Load position, or the optional foot pedal switch (if installed).
Tip 2-18 To display the Media Wizard and view or change media and margin settings for the currently loaded media, touch the media info panel in the upper left corner of the Front Page screen.
Loading Ink The amount of ink in the ink supply box is tracked by the printer software and recorded on its corresponding profiler. The control panel displays a bar graph with the ink levels in each ink box. When the control panel shows that the ink is low, replace the ink box with a full ink box of the same color. Fig. 2-10.
Unloading an Empty Ink Box 1. Remove the profiler. 2. Grasp the metal connector where the ink tube enters the printer, and push it up to release the ink supply tube. 3. Lift the box out of its holder and turn the box upside down so the ink tube is pointing up. 4. Remove and dispose of the ink box (refer to the MSDS for proper disposal procedures). Loading a Full Ink Box 1. Open the new ink box and locate the supply connector. 2. Locate and remove the profiler, and set aside until step 5. 3.
Printing Tips • Rigid cut-sheet media — use only flat, unwarped, undamaged sheets, with parallel opposite edges and 90° corners. Load the media from the back of the printer; loading from the front will cause interference with the UV blocking brushes. • Curing continues for 24-48 hours — the UV ink will continue to cure for a day or two after printing. Maximum durability and adhesion is achieved after the ink is fully cured. • Pausing printing — to pause printing, press the (Pause) key.
Calibrating the Moveable Fence The moveable fence is calibrated at the factory to be parallel to the top surface of the media, at a height just above the top of the table rollers (lower than the thickest media that will be used on the printer). If the moveable fence needs to be recalibrated, follow this procedure: 1. Place a piece of rigid media under the pinch rollers, and align it against the stationary fence. 2.
4. Using a 5 mm hex wrench, loosen the two set screws (shown below) that secure the vertical position of the moveable fence. Fig. 2-13. Height adjustment screws 5. Place a long, flat, thin metal ruler on top of one column of table rollers. 6. Place the moveable fence arm on top of the metal ruler. 7. Press down on the arm until moveable arm is flat against the ruler. 8. Tighten both set screws. The arm may move while tightening the set screws. Recheck the position after tightening. 9.
Checking Jet Health Under most conditions, AutoJet jet substitution and the printer’s automated printhead service station keeps the printheads clean and operating without your intervention. Should operator cleaning of the printheads become necessary, the printer also provides several printhead-cleaning tools to accomplish this. If you notice a decrease in print quality, one or more inkjets may be clogged. To check jet health and recover clogged jets, follow these procedures: 1. Purge 2.
Map Out Missing Jets If the Prime Bars reveal blank lines after a Purge, the corresponding jets should be mapped out. When all missing jets have been substituted, printed output will appear as if all jets are working. You can map jets out temporarily (“soft bad jets”) or permanently (“hard bad jets”). For instructions, see “AutoJet” on page 4-3 or “Manual Jet Mapping” on page 4-18.
UV Lamp Operation and Maintenance The printer’s two UV lamps (on the left and right sides of the printhead carriage) emit the high-intensity ultraviolet light that is necessary to cure the UV ink. The lamps have a limited life, during which the amount of UV light emitted slowly decreases, eventually reaching a level that will no longer cure the ink. There are measures you can take to extend the service life of the lamps, but they will eventually have to be replaced. WARNING UV light hazard.
that each lamp has operated, advance to the System Information page where this is listed (on the Front Page, touch the printer status message to reveal the System Information pages). Replacing the bulbs as a pair is recommended. If the total operating time for the right and left bulbs is significantly different, printing artifacts may be visible due to uneven ink curing. When you replace the bulbs, be sure to reset the operating time counter (Tools > Maintenance > Reset UV Lamp Hours).
2-28 UV Lamp Operation and Maintenance
Chapter 3 Using the Control Panel This chapter describes the functions of the control panel.
Overview The touch-screen control panel shows you the printer’s current status, and enables you to interact with the printer when changing media and ink, respond to an error condition, or configure options. The control panel provides various forms of online user assistance: The ? button provides an explanation of the current function, with some guidance for what to do next.
Front Page The Front Page is the primary control panel interface. You can initiate the most common operations from this screen. 1 2 3 4 10 8 9 11 12 13 16 17 18 19 5 6 7 15 14 20 1. Media information — media name, size, print area, printable length. Press here to display the Media Wizard. 2.
• Job Tracking Log — list of the last ten print jobs, with diagnostic information. • Media Tracking Log — the amount of sheet fed and roll fed media printed since the reset button on this screen was pressed. 3. Ink levels — numeric and graphic ink levels; line marks “low ink” level. Press here to display detailed ink status. 4. UV lamps status (R=right side, L=left side) — black=off, yellow=on, blinking=warming up. Press here for detailed lamp status and controls.
key, the media moves faster. Press the , key to reverse the media back onto the supply spool. When you press and hold the , key, the media moves faster. (The same functionality is provided by the media advance switch on the back of the printer.) 15. Go Online/Go Offline switch — switches network communications on and off between the printer and RIP. 16.
Menu Tree This menu tree reflects version 2.01 of the embedded printer software. Refer to the Release Notes for more recent versions. Options shown in italics are dynamically hidden depending on the printer mode.
Menus The printer’s less-often used functions are accessed via the menus. The printer has these menus and functions: Calibrate Printer • Calibrate Printer (see below) • Printer Settings (page 3-8) • Tools (page 3-12) • Warnings & Actions (page 3-14), shown in Expert Messages Mode only • Print Menus (page 3-13) • Service Menus — for use by factory, technical support, and authorized service providers To display this menu, press the Calibrate button on the Front Page screen.
Printer Settings MEDIA WIZARD • Manual Calibrations — allows you to calibrate the printer visually, without the printer’s digital imaging sensor. Inaccurate judgments by the operator during these tests could result in substandard output. See “Manual Calibrations” on page 4-8 for instructions. • Service Calibrations — enables you to perform three service calibrations: Head Height, Media Thickness Sensor, Service Station. For best results, perform these three calibrations in this order.
MEDIA WIZARD • Printing Delay — slows throughput (media advance speed) to allow the media to cool between passes, preventing warping of rigid media or curling of roll-fed media.
• Trailing Margin — defines the margins on the trailing edge of cut-sheet media, between 6.0 and 24.0 inches (15.3 to 61.0 cm). Tip You can position an image anywhere on the media by setting the right margin (horizontal or x distance from the right edge) and leading margin (vertical or y distance from the leading edge). Since the image appears upside down as it emerges from the printer, the upper left corner of the image will appear at this point.
• Maximal with Skew Reporting — same as Maximal, but also reports the amount of skew on the control panel Choose Minimal for fastest throughput, Maximal for greatest precision and skew detection when printing edge-to-edge. • Quality Check — determines how AutoTune errors are handled (see “AutoTune” on page 4-4). • Sleep Wait Time — sets the period of time to wait for a print job before going into Sleep mode (see page 3-5).
tion values must be reestablished by running AutoSet or manual calibrations. Tools To display this menu, press the Tools button on the Front Page screen. • Turn UV Lamps On/Off — enables you to turn on or off the UV lamps manually instead of automatically when the printer detects a print job. For example, you may want to turn on the lamps to allow them to warm up before sending a print job from the RIP, or turn them off once you have completed your last job of the day.
• Printheads Procedures • Load Ink in All Heads — fills all printheads with ink, as when initially installing the printer. • Fill Heads with Ink — fills one or more of the printheads you select with ink. • Empty Heads (Fill With Air) — fills the printheads with air. User Diagnostics User Diagnostics presents an interactive troubleshooting program to diagnose problems before calling technical support. It walks you through a series of tests and checks for certain printer functions.
Warnings & Actions When in Expert mode, any current Warning, Change, and Action messages can be displayed by selecting Warnings & Actions from the menu. When in Novice mode, press the ATTN icon on the Front Page screen to view these messages. See “Overview” on page 3-2 for further information about Actions and Warnings. See page 3-11 for a description of the Expert/Novice Messages mode.
Chapter 4 Calibrating the Printer This chapter explains how to calibrate the printer for the best possible output: Calibrating the Printer • When to Calibrate (page 4-2) • AutoJet (page 4-3) • AutoTune (page 4-4) • Auto Calibrations (page 4-6) — AutoBiDi Calibration, AutoH2H (Head-to-Head) Calibration, AutoJet Calibration, Full AutoSet • Manual Calibrations (page 4-8) — Media Feed, Manual BiDi Registration, Manual X Head Registration, Manual Jet Mapping, Default Registration Data • Linearizati
When to Calibrate When to run Calibration Function When printing a large group of print AutoTune (page 4-4) jobs Automatic jet maintenance during extended printing periods. When loading a new media (but not Linearization (see documentation when loading a new roll of the same for third-party RIP or HP RIP) media) Linearization of colors. Note: For maximum accuracy, the photodiode must be cooled by its fan before reading color patches.
AutoJet AutoJet detects individual inkjets that are misfiring or not firing at all. During subsequent printing, the printer compensates for these jets by using other jets in their place, ensuring maximum print quality without reducing print speed. You can also identify and map missing jets manually from the Manual Calibrations menu (see “Manual Jet Mapping” on page 4-18). You may want to manually map weak or misdirected jets that AutoJet does not detect and substitute.
AutoTune AutoTune runs AutoJet maintenance automatically at intervals you specify. You can use the Quality Check Mode feature to handle AutoJet errors (with or without user intervention). AutoTune is shown on the menu only when roll-fed media is loaded. 1. On the Front Page screen, Calibrate key, then press AutoTune on the menu. The control panel displays the AutoTune status (off or current interval). 2. Press , or ) to set the AutoTune interval. 3. Press ! (Proceed).
• Attended Mode — user must press ! (Proceed) to acknowledge the error and print the job (if one is pending), or (Cancel) to cancel printing. • Unattended Mode — no user acknowledgment of errors is required. When a quality check fails, print jobs are sent to the HP RIP’s Attention queue with a disposition of “Uncalibrated Printer” (this feature may not be supported by non-HP RIPs). • OFF — no quality check is performed, all jobs will print. 2. Select a Quality Check option. 3.
Auto Calibrations The printer’s piezo printheads are aligned at the factory. Head and bidirectional calibrations should be necessary only rarely (for example, when the heads have been moved within the carriage or replaced). 1. Press the Calibrate key from the Front Page screen, then press Auto Calibrations in the menu. 2. Select one of the Auto Calibrations.
Fig. 4-1.
Manual Calibrations When you run the calibrations from this menu, you evaluate the calibration test patterns visually and enter the calibration values via the control panel. Note The manual BiDi and X head calibrations are timeconsuming and can be error-prone, but is necessary when calibrating transparent media or other media that the printer’s digital image sensor cannot calibrate. 1. Press the Calibrate key from the Front Page screen, then press Manual Calibrations in the menu.
Media Feed Calibration This calibration allows you to calibrate the accuracy of the media advance. Inaccurate media advance can result in blank spaces between print swaths (too much advance) or overlapping swaths (too little advance). The Media Wizard stores this value by media type, and displays a media feed number (MFN), which you can record for subsequent entry. The media feed number enables you to quickly specify a known good media feed setting without recalibration.
sure and adjust the media advance as needed until the pattern is exactly 34 inches (900 mm) long. 10-inch (250 mm) calibration — prints a 10-inch (or 250 mm) test pattern so you can verify its length with an accurate metal ruler. This is not as precise as the 34-inch (900 mm) calibration, but it uses less media. Measure and adjust the media advance as needed until the pattern is exactly 10 inches (250 mm) long. Fig. 4-2.
Tip Manual Calibrations To avoid cutting the 10-inch (250 mm) pattern from the media web, copy the marks from the printed pattern to the long edge of a letter-size (or A4) sheet of paper. Then measure the transferred marks and adjust the media advance as needed until the marks are exactly 10 inches (250 mm) apart.
Manual BiDi Registration Bidirectional registration is a method to align each of the printheads so that dot placement is accurate in both directions along the X axis (along the direction of printhead travel). The bidirectional registration pattern consists of a series of vertical lines. Half the pixels in this pattern are printed in one direction, half of them in the other direction. When the pixels are accurately aligned, the pattern is clear.
Use a printer’s loupe to select the pattern, since the lines in the patterns may be difficult to see. Fig. 4-3. BiDi Registration patterns (2 heads per color, six color version shown) 5. Press the , or ) control panel keys repeatedly until the number next to the pattern that is closest to aligned perfectly is displayed. For example, if pattern +2.
The control panel message increments the head number by one. 7. Repeat steps 4 through 6 for each of the heads.
Manual X Head Registration Precise positioning of each drop of ink is essential for optimal print quality. This is possible only if you register all printheads in the printhead assembly to each other in the X (along the length of the platen) direction. This is a two-part process: • Print a registration pattern. • Enter the X registration data for each head. Note This is the manual version of AutoH2H Calibration (see “Auto Calibrations” on page 4-6 for details). 1.
Use a printer’s loupe or magnifying glass if the patterns are difficult to see. Fig. 4-4. Sample head calibration patterns (1 head per color, six color version shown) 5. Press the , or ) control panel keys repeatedly until the number next to the pattern that is closest to aligned perfectly is displayed.
The control panel message increments the head number by one. 7. Repeat steps 4 through 6 for each of the heads. When you have entered registration values for all of the patterns, the control panel displays this message: Registration successful.
Manual Jet Mapping Jets that are missing or misfiring are usually detected by the AutoJet calibration. Alternatively, you can map out jets manually using the Manual Jet Mapping function. You may want to manually map weak or misdirected jets that AutoJet does not substitute. Tip AutoJet is the automatic version of this calibration (see “AutoJet” on page 4-3 for details). Tip For best results, print the prime bars and purge the printheads as necessary to ensure the maximum number of working jets.
The printer prints a jet map test pattern. Fig. 4-5. Sample jet mapping pattern (Head 1 shown) If a line segment is missing or broken, the jet number shown next to it is out. A code letter if present provides further information: R — no replacement S — user disqualified “soft” jetout H — user disqualified “hard” jetout D — disqualified (and replaced) by AutoJet A “soft” bad jet is a jet that you believe is temporarily out, based on past performance.
• Report individual hard bad jets — enables you to report a “hard” bad jet, which will not be checked or reenabled by AutoJet. • View current bad jets — lists the bad jets on a given printhead. • Clear individual bad jets — enables you to clear (mark as good) a jet. • Clear all bad jets for a head — clears (marks as good) all jets on a selected head currently marked as unusable. • Clear all bad jets — clears (marks as good) all jets on all heads currently marked as unusable.
Clear Individual Bad Jets When you select Clear Individual Bad Jets, the control panel displays the following prompt: Head 1: Press Proceed to clear a bad jet. 10. Press , and ) to select a head number, then press ! (Proceed). The control panel displays a numeric keyboard that you can use to enter the number of the bad jet. 11. Enter the jet number, then press the Enter key. 12. When you are finished entering jet numbers, press the Esc key. The control panel displays the head selection message again. 13.
19. When you are finished clearing bad jets, press (. The control panel displays the previous menu. Clear All Bad Jets for a Head When you select Clear All Bad Jets for a Head, the control panel displays the following prompt: Head 1: Press Proceed to clear all bad jets. 20. Press , and ) to select a head number, then press ! (Proceed). The control panel asks you to confirm your selection. 21. Press ". The control panel asks whether you want to clear the hard bad jets as well as the soft bad jets.
• Press No to clear the soft bad jets only. • Press Yes to clear both the hard and soft jets. The control panel displays this message: All reported bad jets have been cleared. 25. Press ! (Proceed). When you have finished mapping jets, the following summary appears on the control panel: x soft jets currently reported bad. x hard jets currently reported bad. x new soft bad jets reported. x new hard bad jets reported. x previous soft bad jets cleared. x previous hard bad jets cleared.
Linearization As the density of an image varies from highlights to shadows, or from lighter tints to darker tints, the printer should accurately reproduce these areas in a predictable, or linear, fashion. The process of linearization (or color calibration) involves printing and reading color test patches, and calibrating the printer to ensure that the expected and printed densities will match. This in turn will ensure optimal color matching.
Service Calibrations Calibrating the Head Height This section shows you how to perform the following service calibrations. For best results, you should perform all three calibrations in this order: • Head Height • Media Thickness Sensor • Service Station 1. Remove any media that may be loaded across the platen. 2. From the Front Page, select Calibration > Service Calibrations > Head Height Calibration. The printer’s menu will prompt you to make sure the media is unloaded, then it raises the rail.
4. Press the middle button (indicated by the text “Both Ends”) to lower the rail just until the gauge cannot be pulled out. Fig. 4-7. Head height calibration 5. Press the Left End “slow” or “fast” Up button to lower the rail until the gauge can move in and out with slight friction between the carriage and platen. 6. Insert the gauge under the user end of the carriage to see if one side of the carriage is lower than the other. 7. If one side is lower, calibrate the higher side down to match the lower side.
The control panel asks whether to accept the current head heights. 12. Press " to save the calibration. The control panel prompts you to remove the head height gauge and ensure that the platen is clear of all obstructions. 13. Press ! (Proceed) to return the carriage to its home position. 14. The control panel prompts you to press ! (Proceed) to complete the calibration. 15. Press ! (Proceed). The control panel asks whether you want to perform a media thickness calibration next (required).
Calibrating the Media Thickness Sensor 1. Verify the carriage head height and calibrate the head height if needed. 2. From the Front Page, select Calibrations > Service Calibrations > Media Thickness Sensor Calibration. • If you already entered this calibration from the previous calibration, skip this step and go to the next step. 3. Press ! (Proceed). The control panel will report the current sensor reading and the optimal range. 4. Press ! (Proceed).
7. Turn the sensor clockwise one-half turn to achieve a smaller range reading, or counterclockwise to achieve a larger sensor range reading. 8. Tighten the two nuts that secure the media thickness sensor. 9. Press ! (Proceed) to run the sensor’s height test again (see step 2 on page 4-28 for instructions). 10. Repeat the adjustment of the sensor’s height until the sensor is within optimal range. 11.
Calibrating the Service Station 1. From the Front Page, select Calibrations > Service Calibrations > Service Station Calibration. • If you already entered this calibration from the previous calibration, skip this step and go to the next step. The control panel prompts you to remove media if any media is loaded. 2. After unloading any media, press ! (Proceed). The printer raises the rail, moves the carraige to the middle of the platen, and prepares the service station for calibration. 3.
4. Press the Carriage Left and Right keys to center the carriage over the wipers. Fig. 4-10. Center the carriage at these two points over the wipers 5. Press Service Station Up and Down keys to lower the service station so that the wipers are touching and slightly deflecting against the printheads. 6. Press the Wipers Back and Forward keys to position the wipers at, but not touching, the front edge of the printheads. Fig. 4-11.
7. When you are finished calibrating the service station position, press ! (Proceed). The control panel asks whether to accept the current alignment. • To accept and save the calibration, press ". • To return to the positioning screen, press ( and return to step 3. If you saved the calibration, the control panel displays a confirmation message. 8. Press ". The printer raises the rail and sends the carraige to the home position. The Service Calibrations menu is displayed. 9.
Appendix A Technical Specifications Technical Specifications A-1
Specifications • Weight: 581 pounds (264 kg) • Height: 57.1" (145 cm) • Depth: • With tables folded: 27.6" (70 cm) • With tables raised: 81.1" (206 cm) • With tables raised and slider table extended: 127.8" (325 cm) • With tables raised and slider table and wire supports extended: 170.6" (433 cm) • Width: 108.0" (274 cm) • Print technology — Reciprocating UV-curable inkjet printer with 192-nozzle variable drop size piezo-electric printheads.
• Print width — 0.25 inch (6.35 mm) right and left margin on flexible media. Edge-to-edge printing available on rigid media. • UV energy source — Dual high-energy, user-replaceable UV bulbs. User selectable low, medium and high settings. • Agency compliance • Safety: CE, UL, c-UL • Emissions: FCC-A, CE • Immunity: CE Electrical Power • Connection to RIP — 25-foot (7.6 m) VideoNet cable (included). Maximum length: 100 m.
North America: If your building receives power from a standard three-phase supply, note that the printer will use only two of the three phases. This means that your building’s three-phase power transformer may have an unbalanced load. Check with your electrician to verify that your building has sufficient capacity for this unbalanced load. Optional Auxiliary Power for Vacuum/Pressure System: A 24 volt DC power supply with universal adapters is included with the printer.
Supplies and Accessories Consult HP or your HP representative for an updated listing of supported ink and media. Use only genuine HP inks and printhead flush in the printer. Use of any other inks or cleaning fluids could damage the printer and will void the warranty. Supplies and accessories are available from HP by calling the numbers listed on page ii (copyright page) of this manual.
A-6 Supplies and Accessories
Appendix B Troubleshooting This appendix explains how to prevent and diagnose printing problems and provides information about getting help from HP. For other software-specific troubleshooting procedures, refer to your application software documentation or the other documentation listed on page iv of this manual. For answers to RIP-related questions, consult the documentation that accompanies it.
Troubleshooting Checklist Before you troubleshoot your printer, make sure that it is properly installed as described in Chapter 1, Getting Started. Follow the steps in this checklist to isolate and resolve printing problems. 1. Does the printer’s power come ON? YES: Go to question 2. NO: The following could be the problem: • The power cable may not be plugged into an electrical outlet.
• The connection from the client to the local area network may not be configured correctly. See your system administrator for assistance. • The cable between your computer or network and the RIP computer may not be securely connected at both ends. • Your computer may not be working properly. Run an application that you know works correctly and print to be sure. • The computer’s port may not be working properly.
• Head strike — if the printheads strike the media, press the Purge button on the Front Page screen of the control panel, to expel any ink and other debris introduced into the ink jets by the head strike. Then check how the media is tracking from the supply spool. The sides of the media should be parallel to the sides of the printer, with no wrinkling or buckling. If necessary, reload the media. See “Load and Print on Roll-Fed Media” on page 2-15 for instructions.
Warranty Claims The printer is covered by a manufacturer’s limited warranty (part number 0706278), which includes the printheads. The piezo printheads are designed to remain in service for the life of the printer. The printer incorporates many automatic and manual features for preventing clogs from occurring, and for recovering inkjets that do become clogged (see “Recover Missing Ink Jets” on page 5-7).
plies), misapplication, relocation of product without approved procedures, failure to perform user maintenance as defined in the User Manual or contamination of the ink supply due to improper handling of the ink or ink system B-6 • Printheads which have not been properly maintained as defined in the User Manual, and printheads with jet-outs that AutoJet is able to substitute in Production print mode • Service (including upgrades and expansions) performed by anyone who is not an HP Authorized Service Pr
Diagnostics The printer includes a series of self-diagnostic tests designed to help solve printer hardware problems. If one of the tests encounters an error, and error message appears, which includes: • Error code — always write down this code for future reference by Technical Services. • Brief description of the error • A series of buttons that allow you to respond to the error. In some cases, you can ignore the error or enter a further diagnostic routine.
Hewlett-Packard Technical Services In case of any question or problem, you should approach your local HP Authorized Representative for consultancy and support. However, if required, you can always contact HP directly by using the following methods. Note North America For the most up-to-date contact information, please visit http://www.hp.com/go/graphic-arts/. Tel: 800 925 0563 Fax: 952 943 3695 E-mail: cs.custsup@hp.com Europe, Middle East and Africa Tel: +32 2 7283444 Fax: +31 207157536 E-mail: LF.
Honduras: 800 0 123 / 1 800 711 2884 Mexico: 52 55 5258-9922 Nicaragua: 1 800 0164 / 800 711 2884 Panama: 001 800 711 2884 Peru: 511 411 2443 / 0 800 10111 El Salvador: 800 6160 Venezuela: 58 212 278 8666 / 0 800 474 68368 CC LAR Nextel: (5255) 1088 0884; ID 52*20115*51 CC LAR e-Mail: carecenter.ipglf.lar@hp.
B-10 Hewlett-Packard Technical Services
Index Index-1
A Advance Media Past Brushes 3-5 Apertures 2-5 ATTN key 1-20, 3-5 Auto Calibrations 3-7, 4-6 AutoBiDi Calibration 4-6 AutoH2H Calibration 4-6 AutoJet Calibration 4-3, 4-6 AutoSet 4-6 AutoTune scheduling 1-22, 4-4 quality check mode 4-4 Auxiliary power specifications A-4 ESD hazard 2-21 F Fence calibrating 2-22 Fill Heads With Flush 3-13 Fill Heads With Ink 3-13 Fine Text 2-3 Fine Text mode 2-3 Full AutoSet 4-6 G Gutter Settings 3-9 C Calibration 3-7, 4-1 Auto BiDi 4-6 Auto Calibrations 4-6 Auto H2H 4-6
Media Edge Holders 2-8, 2-16 Media Feed Calibration 4-9 MFN 4-9 Media Feed Number (MFN) 4-9 Media Measure Type 3-10 Media Out Sensor 2-8 Media Skew Lines 3-12 Media width 1-21, 2-8 Media Wizard 2-9 MFN 4-9 Moveable fence calibrating 2-22 Soft bad jets 2-25, 4-19, 4-22 Specifications A-1 Standby Wait 3-11 Stiff Roll-Fed Media Handling 3-11 Supplies and accessories A-5 T Tips 2-21 Trailing margin 3-10 Troubleshooting B-1 U O Off-head system (OHS) 1-21 Ordering supplies A-5 Ozone 1-3 Unpacking and assembly
Index-4
