Astrojet Ii Plus, Astrojet Iii, And Astrojet Iii Plus High-speed In

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ASTRO AstroJet II Plus, AstroJet III, and AstroJet III Plus High-Speed In-Line Inkjet Printers Installation and Operating Manual REQUIREMENTS 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. An IBM or Compatible Pentium 100 Megahertz PC or better. Windows 95 or 98 installed. A minimum of 10 Megabytes of free hard disk space. At least 16 Megabytes of RAM. A 2X CD ROM or better. An 800 X 600 SVGA Monitor or better. Parallel (Centronics) printer cable, no longer than 6 feet. The Parallel Port must be set to the EPP (Enhanced Parallel Port) setting in the CMOS of the computer. SAFETY PRECAUTIONS THIS EQUIPMENT PRESENTS NO PROBLEM WHEN USED PROPERLY. HOWEVER, CERTAIN SAFETY RULES SHOULD BE OBSERVED WHEN OPERATING THE AstroJet SYSTEM. BEFORE USING THE PRINTER, YOU SHOULD READ THIS MANUAL CAREFULLY AND FOLLOW THE RECOMMENDED PROCEDURES, SAFETY WARNINGS, AND INSTRUCTIONS: 1. Keep hands, hair, and clothing clear of rollers and other moving parts. 2. Always turn off the machine before making adjustments, cleaning the machine, or performing any maintenance not covered in this manual. 3. Turn power off, including conveyor when not in use. 4. Keep this manual with the printer for future reference. 5. If you have any questions contact your local Astro Machine Corporation Distributor. CAUTION THIS EQUIPMENT MUST BE CONNECTED TO A PROPERLY GROUNDED OUTLET. FAILURE TO DO SO CAN CAUSE ELECTRICAL SHOCK! This manual is intended solely for the use and information of Astro Machine Corporation, its designated agents, customers, and their employees. The information in this guide was obtained from several different sources that are deemed reliable by all industry standards. To the best of our knowledge, that information is accurate in all respects. However, neither Astro Machine Corporation nor any of its agents or employees shall be responsible for any inaccuracies contained herein. ASTROJET is a registered trademark of Astro Machine Corp. Hewlett-Packard is a registered trademark of Hewlett-Packard Corporation. Windows 95 and Windows 98 are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation. IBM is a registered trademark of International Business Machines. All other TradeMarks are the property of their respective holders. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the Publisher. TABLE OF CONTENTS Section 1 – Introduction Section 2 – Getting Acquainted Components Transport Printer Key Pad Definitions Operator Display and Screen Menu Section 3 – Installation and Setup Connecting the AstroJet Printer Installing the Inkjet Cartridge Plugging in the AstroJet Attaching the AstroJet Printer Installing Software on your Computer Adjusting for Media Thickness Positioning the Printed Output on the Media Section 4 – Operating the AstroJet 1 3 3 4 4 5 7 9 9 9 12 12 12 12 13 15 Software Tutorial Starting up Preparing a Job Running a Job Printing Tips Databases 15 28 28 29 30 31 The Inkjet Cartridge Jams in the AstroJet Printer Cleaning the AstroJet 33 39 40 Inkjet Cartridges AstroJet Printer AstroJet Software 43 45 46 Specifications Supplies and Optional Hardware 49 50 Section 5 – Maintenance 33 Section 6 – Trouble Shooting Guide Appendices 43 49 i Notes ii Section 1 – Introduction Section 1, Introduction, describes how this manual is arranged. The manual covers several models, the AstroJet II Plus, AstroJet III, and the AstroJet III Plus. The variations between the models are pointed out in Section 2 of this manual. The operation of the machines is similar and they vary only in the number and arrangement of the Printheads. Section 2, Getting Acquainted, introduces the AstroJet System and describes the major components, controls, indicators, and important areas with which the user or operator should be familiar. Section 3, Installation and Setup, describes and illustrates how to install the software and get the AstroJet System ready for printing. Section 4, Operating the AstroJet, describes and illustrates how to set up the AstroJet System and Software to run a particular addressing job. Section 5, Operator Maintenance, shows how to replace inkjet cartridges, how to safely and quickly clear paper jams, and how to care for your AstroJet System. Also, covered in this section are tips and suggestions that will help you increase efficiency and avoid problems. Section 6, Appendices, is where important but infrequently used information is presented. The appendices are arranged as follows: Appendix A, Specifications, lists the more important AstroJet System characteristics, e.g., electrical, physical, etc. Appendix B, Supplies and Optional Hardware, presents a list of supplies for the AstroJet System and optional equipment which will further enhance the operation of the AstroJet. 1 Notes 2 Section 2 – Getting Acquainted The AstroJet II Plus, AstroJet III, and AstroJet III Plus are high-speed printing and addressing systems that can print addresses, bar code, return addresses, bitmapped graphics, and special messages using TrueType scaleable fonts simultaneously up to a speed of 30,000 postcard (3.5 X 5.5 inch) mail pieces per hour. Before getting into the operation of the AstroJet, there is some basic information necessary for its efficient and problem-free use. To understand and operate the AstroJet System, lets look at the two main areas on the printer. 1. Components 2. Operator Display Screen and Menu Components The main areas of the AstroJet printer are shown in the following drawing. These areas are described in the paragraphs that follow. PRINTER TRANSPORT NOTE: Some units are configured to run right to left. 3 Transport The media to be printed rides on the transport belts. The transport has side guides and belts that adjust to different widths of media. Printer The Printer is the most important part of the AstroJet System. It is here that the address and other information are printed on the media. Two important features of the printer that you should become familiar with are: • The Control Panel • The Medial Thickness Adjustment The Control Panel The control panel is on the front of the printer and contains the controls and indicators (described in the following table) used to set up and operate the AstroJet. The Media Thickness Adjustment The Media Thickness Adjustment is to the left of the ON LINE button on the side cover. It adjusts for media thickness and is turned counter-clockwise for thin media, and clockwise for thick media. 4 Keypad Definitions CONTROL / INDICATOR DESCRIPTION OPERATOR DISPLAY Indicates AstroJet status including menus and error messages. Any display readout indicates that the unit is ON. ON LINE When this indicator button is lit, the AstroJet is ready to accept data from your computer and begin printing. Turns the printer on and off line. PREVIOUS When in menu mode, will scroll to the previous selection. When in select mode, will scroll through choices. NEXT When in menu mode, will scroll to the previous selection. When in select mode, will scroll through choices. SELECT Locks and unlocks selection when in the menu mode. TEST NOT FUNCTIONAL RESET NOT FUNCTIONAL STANDBY Toggles the printer between the ON LINE and STANDBY modes. Interface and Power Panel While facing the control panel of the AstroJet, the interface panel can be found at the rear of the printer. It contains an outlet for an interface cable for an output conveyor and a Centronics parallel port. From the same perspective, the power panel can be found on the nonoperator’s side of the AstroJet. It contains the main power switch, fuse, and power-cord receptacle. Located above the receptacle is the circuit breaker and the base interface connector. 5 The AstroJet Printer has several devices that you need to know about. The internal components are shown in the following drawing. Printhead Carriage Depending on the AstroJet model the configuration of the Printhead Carriage varies. There are two sets of rails, each with several Printhead Carriages mounted in banks that correspond to printing areas in the software. These carriages are adjustable for location on the printed media. The chart below shows the configuration of the printheads on the various models of AstroJet Printers covered in this manual. How these cartridges are installed and replaced will be covered in Section 3. ASTROJET MODEL AstroJet II Plus HEADS 6 ARRANGEMENT Heads 1 and 6 are independent of each other but share the same rails. Heads 2 and 3 are banked together as are heads 4 and 5. Both banks share the same rails. AstroJet III 6 Heads 1 and 2 are banked together as are heads 3,4 and 5. These banks share the same rails. Head 6 is on a separate set of rails. AstroJet III Plus 8 Heads 2, 3 and 4 are banked together and share the same rails as banked heads 7 and 8. Head 1 is separate and shares the same rails with head 5 and 6, which are banked together. 6 The AstroJet Layout software shows the position of the heads and how they are banked together. For more information on this feature, please check Section 4 Operating the AstroJet or the help section of the AstroJet software. You can move the various printing banks from side to side to position the information properly on the media. There is a red stripe on each carriage that shows the location and printing area of each bank of heads. This feature makes setup of the AstroJet quick and accurate. Media Sensor The media sensor senses the leading edge of the media and communicates this to the software. It is very important that the media sensor be kept clean. Operator Display Screen and Menu When you first turn on the AstroJet, you see the AstroJet welcome screen, and the STANDBY key is lit. MENU To access the Menu press the STANDBY key to put the printer in the on line mode and then press the ON LINE key to take the printer off line. This action will place the AstroJet in the MENU mode and permit access to the following settings and adjustments: • Left Margin Setting • Purge • Counter • Print Speed 7 Notes 8 Section 3 – Installation and Setup Before using the AstroJet Printer for the first time it must be installed on a feeder base unit and the following procedures must be performed: • Connect the AstroJet Printer • Install the inkjet cartridges • Plug in the AstroJet • Attach the AstroJet • Install the AstroJet software • Adjust for media thickness • Position the printed output on the media Connect the AstroJet Printer Ø The AstroJet Printer should be attached to your computer with a printer cable not more than 6 feet in length. Ø Use a grounded electrical outlet. DO NOT USE AN ADAPTER PLUG! Ø Do not use outlets that are controlled by wall switches. Ø Do not use an outlet that shares the same circuit with large electrical machines or appliances. Ø Protect the AstroJet from excessive heat, dust, and moisture – avoid placing it in direct sunlight. Install the Inkjet Cartridges HP 51645A Inkjet Cartridges Depending on the model of the AstroJet, it can be configured with 6 or 8 inkjet cartridges. The cartridges are installed as follows: • Remove the inkjet cartridge from its packaging, taking care not to touch the copper contacts, the metal plate, or the gold printhead. Remove the protective tape from the printhead. • The cartridges are held in place by vertical brackets mounted on the inkjet cartridge holder. • With the cartridge’s gold printhead pointing toward the rear of the unit and while holding it vertically, slide the bottom edge of the cartridge down along the front of the bracket until it slides partly into place. • At this point press the upper part of the cartridge toward the bracket until it clicks completely into place under the metal spring secured to the bracket. (See the diagram below.) • Repeat the above for the remaining cartridges. 9 HP C6119A Ink System Cartridges In addition to the standard Inkjet Cartridges, the AstroJet can be equipped with the HP C6119A bulk ink supply. This system will print 10 times the amount of media as the standard cartridge can print. A holder for these cartridges is included with each AstroJet Printer. To use, simply hang the Bulk Ink Cartridge holder on the rear of the printer cover by the print carriage. To install the cartridges follow the directions below: • Remove the printhead from its packaging, and slide the reservoir out of the left side of the system packaging. Do not throw the packaging away until the system is installed in the printer. There are important directions on the packaging for attaching the pen to the reservoir. Do not attempt to remove the ink reservoir from its diamond-shaped box. (See the caution labels on the bottom panel of the ink reservoir. It is also important that the ink reservoir does not get squeezed during the installation process. Squeezing the reservoir could cause ink to seep out of the printhead. • Place the reservoir in the tray that hangs from the back of the printer. There are 4 notches in the tray. Each notch will accommodate two reservoirs. Do not route the hoses at this time. Take care to not squeeze the reservoirs when placing them in the tray. • The system can be connected with the help of the directions located on the printhead packaging. The valve should be inserted into the clip on the pen until a clicking sound is heard or the operator feels the valve snap into place. The valve and clip are symmetrical so there is no special orientation. Insert the tubes into all of the printheads before the tape is removed from the printheads. The tape will prevent the printhead from being damaged and will help keep ink from leaking out of the printhead. 10 • Remove the tape from the printheads one at a time and insert them into a holder beginning with the holder closest to the reservoir. It is important to take the tape off of the printheads so that proper electrical connection is made with the holder. • Install each printhead in turn taking care to route the hoses away from moving parts. Make sure that the hoses are not bent or pinched as this would impede the flow of ink to the printheads Once the connection is made between the printhead and the ink reservoir, it cannot be taken apart without damaging the system. It is best if the system is left in the AstroJet Printer, but sometimes that is not possible. When handling the system, it is important to keep the pen as close to the reservoir as possible without letting it go below the reservoir. If the printhead is held more than 10 inches above the reservoir, air will be drawn into the cartridge. Air inside of the pen can not only cause print defects, it can also cause the pen to stop printing before all of the ink has been used. If the printhead goes below the reservoir, ink will seep from the printhead, potentially damaging the system. Read the Caution on the back of the reservoir. 11 The reservoir and printhead should always be held together when handling the system. The system should never be held or carried around such that the print head or reservoir is dangling by the tubing. These actions could cause loss of ink. Plug in the AstroJet Make sure that the main power switch of the AstroJet Printer is in the OFF position. 1. Connect one end of the power cord to the rear of the AstroJet in the corresponding receptacle. 2. Plug the other end into a 120-Volt AC, 60 Hz. Grounded outlet. CAUTION DO NOT USE AN ADAPTER PLUG OR EXTENSION CORD TO CONNECT THE ASTROJET PRINTER TO THE WALL RECEPTACLE! Attach the AstroJet Printer Connecting the Printer In order for your computer and the AstroJet to work together, you will need to connect them with a parallel cable. The cable is connected between the parallel port on the computer and the printer. The cable used to connect the AstroJet to the computer must not exceed 6 feet long. Install the Software on the Computer The computer that is supplied with your AstroJet System is optimized for efficient, trouble free operation. It is equipped with a network card (10-base T) to enable you to connect the AstroJet System to your existing network. Contact your system manager or dealer for installation AstroJet Software Installation 1. Install the CD in the computer. The CD should start automatically. If it does not click on Start button, then select Run. Type “D:\Setup.exe” (where D is the CD drive) and click OK. 2. The AstroJet Setup Menu will appear on your screen. It contains five options. Install Printer Software Read the Manuals Browse this CD Install Adobe Acrobat – This is version 4.0 of Adobe Acrobat for reading and printing the Operator Manuals. www.astromachine.com – This is a link to our web site if you are connected to the Internet. 12 3. Click on “Install Printer Software” and then click on the AstroJet Printer model you wish to install. Follow the instructions on screen. Use default settings only. Note: If the message “Setup Can Not Execute the Following Program: C:\ProgramFiles\Astrojet III\DeReg.exe” or ”The following file is in use and can not be updated” appears, click on Cancel button and continue with the installation. 4. If this is a new printer installation (not a software update) skip #6. Your software and firmware are installed and configured. 5. If this is a software and firmware update you must download new bios to the printer. Connect printer to the computer and turn it on. Open the AstroJet Control Panel and click on the Advanced… button then the Update BIOS button. Follow instructions on screen. 6. Be sure to fill out and mail registration sheet to insure that you will be notified of all updates to the software and firmware. Adjust the AstroJet to the Media Before operating the AstroJet must be set to the proper height for the media being printed. 1. Adjust the side guides to the width of the media. 2. Turn the AstroJet on and then turn the media thickness knob to set the initial print head height as follows: Media Thickness .004” to 1/32” 1/32” to 1/16” 1/16” to 1/8” 1/8” to 1/4” 1/4” to 3/8” Dial Setting 0 to 2 2 to 3 3 to 5 5 to 7 7 to 10 NOTE: These are initial settings to check the media feed. It may be necessary to adjust the MEDIA THICKNESS control to optimize the print quality Positioning the Printed Output on the Media Once the media thickness control is set you may position the printheads so that they print in the proper place on the media. The printhead bands are held in place by a thumbscrew in each cartridge holder. Loosen the appropriate screw and slide the printhead to position it. Run a sample copy or the purge routine to determine the position of the printheads. 13 Notes 14 Section 4 – Operating the AstroJet Once the AstroJet software has been installed on the computer and the AstroJet printer has been supplied with media and ink cartridges, it is ready to print. Using your existing database, you create a Layout and Job files with the AstroJet software. The computer, sends that job to the AstroJet printer. The AstroJet then prints the Job with both the addresses and other information you input in the layout. This section explains how the AstroJet System is used and is divided into five main categories: • Software Tutorial • Starting Up • Preparing a Job • Running a Job • Printing Tips • Databases Software Tutorial ASTROJET SYSTEM SOFTWARE Description of the Software The following is a brief tutorial on how to use the AstroJet Printer Software. A more detailed description of the various parts of the software may be found in the AstroJet “Help” menu that accompanies the software. It is assumed that you have experience in navigating through Windows. If you are new to computers or are not familiar with Windows many books are available that can help you. The software is divided into two parts, The AstroJet Layout Editor and the AstroJet Control Panel. When the AstroJet Printer Software was loaded on the computer, the two icons shown below were placed on the desktop. The AstroJet III folder was placed in your Program Files. This is the place where all of the AstroJet software resides. The AstroJet Layout Editor, AstroJet Control Panel and Help files are located in this folder along with the AccuJet Data folder. The AccuJet Data folder contains several additional folders. These folders contain all of the information required by the AstroJet Printer Software to create and run the job. The file structure is illustrated below: 15 1 AstroJet III 1 AccuJet Data 0 Bios 0 Databases 0 Fonts 0 Jobs 0 Logos 0 Projects The latest version of the system Bios is stored here. This folder is used to store your databases. When a job is printed from the AstroJet Control Panel the fonts and logos used for that job are rendered in a format that the AstroJet Image Blaster Printer can use. These rendered fonts and logos are stored in this folder for future use when the job is run again. The Jobs folder shows information about the job such as total number of records, the template used to layout the job, resolution, and last record processed. The Logos folder can be used to store any logos in Windows .BMP format that are used with the job. This folder stores all of the information necessary for the software to format and run the job. The AstroJet Layout Editor is used to create the job. The AstroJet Control Panel is used to send the job you created to the AstroJet Printer. All jobs are designed in the AstroJet Layout Editor. This is where we will begin with this tutorial. Starting the Software Double click on the AstroJet Layout Editor icon to open the program and we will begin. The first screen that appears is the “Welcome to the AstroJet Layout Editor” screen. There are three choices, "Create a new template?", "Modify an existing template?”, and “Modify an existing template with a replacement database?”. Click on the “Create a new template?” and then click on the Next>> button. The “Layout Wizard – Select Database” screen will appear. Click Next>> to continue. The “Open” window is used to search and select the database. The 1 Databases folder in the AstroJet software is the default. You should store your databases in this folder. Select the database type from the drop down menu. Next, select the appropriate database and click Open to open the database. For more information on databases and how to prepare them for the AstroJet refer to DATABASES at the end of this section. 16 The Wizard will switch to the “Database View – (file name)”. The first record of the database will be displayed. There is a series of arrows just below the record. These can be used to step through the records as follows: Move 1 Backward Move 10 Backward Move 10X Backward Move to First Record Record Position Move 1 Forward Move 10 Forward Move 10X Forward Move to Last Record Record Number Click Next>> and the “Layout Wizard – Stock Properties” window will open. Select the size and/or type of stock that you will be printing on. There are many standard envelopes available. Select one by using the drop down menu next to Standard or select Custom and enter the Width and Length of the piece. You may save the custom size by giving it a name and clicking on Save As…. When you have completed this step, click Finish. The “Layout Editor – Untitled” screen will appear. When a new template is initiated the “Layout Editor – Untitled” screen appears. When the software was installed on the computer, the printing banks were set up according to the AstroJet model’s configuration. The white lines in the display represent the print cartridges and how they are positioned in your particular printer. For example, if you purchased an AstroJet II Plus model there are six print cartridges. The print cartridges are arranged on two sets of rails as follows: 17 Other models of AstroJet Printers have different arrangements. Refer to Section 2 on page 6 for a description of the layout of your machine if it is different from the above. The banks may be arranged together or separated to align the print on the media. It is not recommended that you change the printing bank setup in the software. The heads that are banked together can not be separated. Before continuing, spend a little time exploring the “Layout Editor – Untitled” screen. The AstroJet Image Blaster uses six print heads. To eliminate the unused heads, click on Setup, then Print head. Click on the boxes in the window for the head positions that are not used (heads 7 and 8) and deselect them. Then click OK. The bands in the layout that are remaining represent the print heads on your particular model of AstroJet Printer and are properly banked together. In the top line of the display, you see the following items: File View Fields Setup 18 Tools Help Each of these controls a drop down menu that permit choices that perform the tasks required to set up the job. The second line contains icons that represent those tasks. The drop down menus duplicates the function of some of the icons. For the purpose of this tutorial, we will use the icon buttons to set up a sample job. Setting up the Job When you first opened the job you set the size of the piece. The piece size may be changed at any time during or after the setup of the job by clicking on Setup and then Envelope Size or by clicking on the Envelope Size icon on the menu bar. Click on this icon and the Envelope Properties window will open. Select either Standard or Custom. Press the OK button. If you choose Custom you may use any number or fraction from 3 inches up to 15 inches in width and from 5 inches up to 17 inches in length. When you press the OK button, the Layout screen will adjust the view of the media to the size selected automatically. If you intend to use the Custom size again, save it by giving it a name and clicking on Save As next to Custom. You must enter a name for this feature to work. Refer to the screen image on page 18. The corresponding print banks will show on the screen in white. These banks can be moved together or separately in sets in the same way that they can be changed on the printer. The maximum printing area on the Image Blaster with 6 heads is 3 inches. To the right of the template image are numbers. These correspond to the printheads and are marked with the same numbers on the AstroJet Printer. Also, to the right is a line. This guideline can be moved to any point on the layout to assist you in lining up the fields or information that you will be adding. To get all of the information to line up on a particular bank move the line close to the position desired for the lines and right click on the mouse while the guideline is selected with the mouse pointer. The next step is to build the job on the layout. When you click on the “Text Field Properties” icon the “Layout Editor – Text Field Properties” window will open. This window permits you to enable up to 24 lines of information and data with up to 4000 characters per Text Field. Enable one button for each line of type style in the layout. If you wish to make additions, deletions, changes in the style of type, or the number of lines, you can click on this icon anytime during the setup or before you run the job to make changes. For the purposes of this tutorial, we are going to enable the first 4 lines and set them up according to the picture. Line 1 will be for the database address. Line 2 will be for the company name in the return address. Line 3 will be for the rest of the return address. Line 4 will be for an additional message on the media. 19 After enabling the lines, select the style of font, size of type, and whether the type should be bold, italicized, underlined or struck through. The down arrow will permit you to access the other sixteen lines of data that are available for use. Click OK to continue. The software returns to the Layout Editor screen and the data selected will be displayed at the bottom right hand corner of the media layout called the blotter area. Use the mouse to move each line into the general area of the layout where they will be finally positioned. Once you have done this, place the cursor on the field that will contain the variable address from your database and double click on the left mouse button. The following window will appear on the screen. This window allows you to layout the variable address fields in their proper order. Use the drop down box in the upper right hand corner of the window to add fields from your database in their appropriate position in the layout. Click on the eliminate blank lines in the database. The icon to icon will disable all the information in the layout. The icon selects the standard barcode font and displays the information using a fixed default font. The database may be setup in any format that conforms to a standard address. Database fields may be combined on a particular line and punctuation and spaces may be added. When finished click OK. NOTE: The database Field may be edited at any time by double clicking on it. To add a fixed return address to the media double click on the first line in the return address. The following window will appear. Type the information as shown in that window. Each line that uses a different type or style of type is entered by means of a Text Filed Editor window. When you have completed the entry below click OK. 20 The next step is to enter the rest of the return address. Double click on the second line in the return address area in the layout and enter the following in the “Text Field Editor – Field 3” window: Once you click the OK button, the second line will appear as you typed it in the “Layout Editor” window. To the right of the media layout is a vertical line, you can drag this line to the position where you want the information from the two edits to line up and then right click on the line. The lines will then line up with each other. The AstroJet Software has the flexibility to allow you to add additional information to your layout in any position on it. For the purpose of this tutorial, we will add the following line at the bottom of the layout: 21 You may add as many messages to the layout in any position on the media by simply enabling an Address Line in the “Text Field Properties” window and dragging the line from the blotter area to the position you would like to have it appear on the media. Then double click on the line and enter the information in the “Text Field Editor” window. The Logo icon is used to add logos and graphics in .BMP format to your design. When you click on the “Logo” icon or access it from the Fields drop box, under Logos, the “Layout Editor-Logo Properties” window appears. You may add up to eight logos to the layout. Each logo is selected by first activating one of the Logo Enable buttons and then typing in the file name and location. You can also click on the folder icon and browse for the desired file. The default is the logo folder located in the AstroJet software. Use this folder to store logos. The AstroJet is a 600-dpi printer. When creating graphics or logos for use on the AstroJet, 1” is equal to 600 pixels. A logo or graphics that is 300 pixels tall will print the width of a single print head or 1/2” high. If you wish to print a logo or graphic that would span two or more banked printheads it has to be taller than 300 pixels. 22 Once you have found the logo you wish to use, click OK. The screen will return to the Layout Editor and the logo will appear in the lower right hand corner to the right of the media layout in the blotter area. Use your mouse to place the logo or graphic on the layout as illustrated. The logo can be edited with Windows paint by double clicking on it. Press this button to add the USPS bar code to the address. Press the number 1 Enable button and then select the Field where the bar code is located in the database. Then press OK. The bar code will appear in the lower right hand corner of your screen just below the layout in the blotter area. Click and drag the bar code to its position under the address as shown. IMPORTANT NOTE: The bar code displayed in the Layout Editor view is a representation of the positioning of the bar code on your layout. If you use the data base view function in the Layout Editor, the bar code will appear the same for each record. When the record is printed on the AstroJet Printer the bar code will be the correct one for each zip code in the database. You may also add a barcode with the “Layout Editor”. This is used when the barcode appears as a five plus four in one data field and a separate two-digit delivery point in another field. Click on the Text Field Properties icon and Enable a font. Click OK. Drag the field to a position under or over the address and double click on it. When the “Text Field Editor” window opens, click on the barcode icon to select the “Astro USPS” font. Then select the fields that contain the barcode information from the drop down box and combine them on the same line without any spaces. Click OK and position the resulting image on the layout. The image will appear as follows: | ~FIELD_4~ | | ~FIELD_5~ | When in database view the actual barcode for each address will display. The actual database records can be viewed by clicking on the Template/Database View icon. A set of arrow buttons will appear below the icons that will permit you to step through the records or search for specific records.. Saving the Template Now that you have designed the template using the layout editor, it is time to save it. 23 Click on File and select either Save Template or Save Template As… and the “Save As” window will appear. You must give the template file a unique name with the extension “.AJPJT” then click Save. The Template will be saved in the AstroJet Data 1Projects folder. Saving the Job IMPORTANT: Before exiting the “Layout Editor” you must create a job so that the data base and the layout can be output on your printer. To do this select, File and then select New Job. The “Layout Wizard – Select Print Range” window will appear. Click Next>> to select “Database View – (database name)“. At this point, it is possible to select a specific range of records to be output. To set the range select the starting record that you wish to use by using the database advance buttons. Click on the left (4 4 É) to choose the starting record. Use the same buttons to step to the last record you wish to print and click on the right button (É3 3 ) to set the end of the job. Selection of specific records to print can be done anytime by following this procedure. Always save the job to make the range changes permanent. If you wish to print all of the database records then skip this step and click on Next>>. The “Save As” window will appear. The default is the layout file name is displayed. Click save to save it or enter a unique name for the job with the “.AJJOB” extension and click Save. The template and the job that have been created are now ready to be printed. Close the layout window by clicking File and then Exit. Running the Job Before running the job make sure that the AstroJet Printer is turned on and properly connected to the computer. There are two ways that a job can be selected to be run. One is from the AstroJet Control Panel button in the “Layout Editor”. The other is from the “AstroJet Control Panel” icon on the desktop of the computer. For the purpose of this tutorial, double click on the “AstroJet Control Panel” icon on the desktop. The following window will appear: 24 By clicking on the Open Folder 1 icon, the Load Job window will open. Choose the job you just created and then click Load Job. 25 The database information will now display in the Control Panel. The arrows below the database information can be used to step through the data. In addition, a Search , Search next , and Jump buttons are available to help you find a specific record in the database. Simply click on the search or jump button and fill in the requested information. The following is a list and description of each search variable: Variable Default Description Search For Must be filled in. This field specifies the criteria the search must find. It can be a complete or partial, word or phrase. If it is Case Sensitive, check the box in the Options and make sure that the Search For is precise. If the criteria are in a specific field in the database it can be specified in the Look In box. Case Sensitive 0 Specifies whether upper and lower case characters should be treated as identical in searches. Non-zero value specifies searches are sensitive to the case of letters. 0 calls for case insensitive searches. Search direction All 0 Specifies a search the entire database. Non-zero value forces searches of the entire database in the forward direction, proceeding from the first record to the last. A “0” value in the Limit causes a directional search from the current position base on Search Forward, and Search Limit. Search Direction Forward 0 Specifies the direction of the search, either forward or backward. A number in Limit specifies forward searches, “0” specifies backward. Not used when Search All is set to a nonzero value. Look In (All Fields) Specifies the field the search will look in to. The value string must be a valid field name for the database in use, or (All Fields). If the Look In value doesn’t match a valid field name (All Fields) is used instead. Limit search to: 0 Specifies the maximum number of records to search. “0” is implied to mean the number of records from the current position to the end of the database in the specified direction. Not used Search All is set to a non-zero value. Template “” The last search template specified. This is the default pattern to be searched for. NOTE: The icon is used to search for the next record. The arrow in the icon shows the direction that the search is moving through the database. When the last record is found that meets the criteria in the search the “Control Panel – Search” window will reappear. 26 A description of the Control Panel controls follows: 1 2 3 4 5 6 13 14 15 16 7 8 9 10 17 18 19 1. Name of the Job file. 2. Current database record. 3. These buttons and the ones to the right are used to step through the database. 4. Search is used to find a record that contains specific information. 5. Continue searching for the same specific information. 6. Jump to a specific record by number. 7. The 1 is used to open the job file to be used. 8. The ü verifies the integrity of the database. 9. STOP will pause the printing process 10. GO is used to start printing the job 27 11 12 20 11. This button will print one piece for setup. 12. This button will open the Layout Editor. 13. This area shows the status of the download process. 14. The number of the current record is displayed here. 15. The number of records in the printer buffer is displayed here. 16. The total number of records in the current database is displayed here. 17. The status of the printer is displayed here. 18. This is the number of the first record in the database selected for printing. 19. This is the number of the last record in the database selected for printing. 20. These buttons control the resolution of the printed image. NOTE: When the job is running the display in the lower right hand corner of the Control Panel will tell you the speed of the printer in Inches Per Second (ips) and the approximate number of pieces being processed per hour. This only displays when the Printer is connected and printing pieces. Bundle and Bag Breaks A Bundle and a Bag Break feature are available in the AstroJet Control Panel Software. This feature will permit you speed up the conveyor to separate the pieces according to USPS regulations. The various mail management software available for presorting have the ability to prepare your database to conform to Post Office regulations. We will not go into this part of the presorting, but we do suggest that you become familiar with the software you are using to presort your database. The USPS provides a wealth of information on their presorting regulations. Some of these are: 1. “Domestic Mail Manual” (DMM), published by the USPS and available by subscription by calling (202) 783-3238. 2. “Postal Bulletin” which provides corrections and additions to the DMM on a regular basis. You can subscribe to this by calling (202) 512-1800. 3. There are also several informative, free booklets available from your local Post Office and the USPS on the subject of preparation of presorted mail. 4. Much useful information can also be obtained from the USPS web site at www.usps.com. The bundle and bag break windows can be found under the Advanced… button on the Control Panel. When you click on this button the “Control Panel – Advanced Settings” window will appear. At the bottom of the window there are two buttons, Bag Break and Bundle Break. The functions of these buttons are similar. They are provided to permit you to separate bags of mail and bundles in the same job. You can use either or both of these to separate the pieces. To use this feature you must first put a non-alpha or numeric character in your database, either in one of the existing fields or create a field for the character. You may use any character except the tilde (~). All presorting software is capable of preparing 28 your database in this way. For example we used (*) for bag break and (##) for bundle break. Once you have loaded your job in the control panel, select Advanced…, then select Bag Break, the above window will appear. You can enable these functions by clicking on the Enable Breaks and selecting it. Select the field where the break character was placed in the database. If you used a character other than the (*) place that in the Break Sequence block. Select the measure of the break delay in inches, seconds, or pieces. Then input in the amount required for removing the items from the catch device. The conveyor will speed up for the selected period to create a space between breaks. Then click OK. If you require a Bundle Break repeat the above sequence, but use a different character or field to designate this function. Remember you can not use any alpha or numeric character or the tilde (~) for this function. Start the printing process by clicking the GO button. When the AstroJet Control Panel software reaches a break character the conveyor will speed up for the predetermined period that you selected to create a space between the bundles. Starting Up Each time you turn on the AstroJet Printer check the print quality. If the quality is poor, purge the printheads as described in “Purge the Printheads” under Preparing a Job. Preparing a Job The AstroJet Printer allows any necessary settings to be made from the MENU on the AstroJet Printer LCD Display control panel. A description of these settings and adjustments and how to perform them, follows: NOTE: THE ASTROJET MUST BE OFF-LINE FOR THESE SETTINGS TO BE CHANGED. Clearing the Counter To reset the piece counter to 0 at the beginning of a new job, proceed as follows: 1. Turn the printer off-line. 2. Use the PREVIOUS or NEXT key to bring COUNTERS to the top line. 3. Press the SELECT key, the asterisk will disappear and MACHINE CYCLES with a number will appear. 4. Press the RESET key to reset the counter to “0”. 5. Press the SELECT key to lock in the selection, the asterisks will reappear. Setting Print Resolution To set or change the Print Resolution: 1. Turn the Printer off-line. 29 2. Use the PREVIOUS or NEXT button to bring PRINT SPEED to the top line in the display. 3. Press the SELECT key, the asterisk will disappear. 4. Use the PREVIOUS or NEXT key to select the desired resolution LOW, MEDIUM, or HIGH. (For details refer to Section 6.) 5. Press the SELECT key to lock in the selection. The asterisk will reappear. Purge the Printheads It is necessary to Purge the printheads, especially when the AstroJet has been idle for a period: 1. Turn the printer off-line. 2. Use the PREVIOUS or NEXT key to bring PURGE to the top line of the display. 3. Press the SELECT key. The asterisk will disappear. 4. RUN a sheet of clean media through the AstroJet. 5. Check that there is a consistent pattern printed on the media. If not, repeat Step 4 until the pattern is consistent. 6. Press the SELECT key to exit the purge function. The asterisk will reappear. 7. Purging the printheads can also be performed from the AstroJet Control Panel. Setting Media Length To set or change the Media Length: 1. Turn the printer off-line. 2. Use the PREVIOUS or NEXT key to bring MEDIA LENGTH to the top line. 3. Press the SELECT key. The asterisk will disappear. 4. Use the PREVIOUS or NEXT key to select the desired media length in 0.5-inch increments. 5. Press the SELECT key to lock in the selection. The asterisk will reappear. Setting Left Margin To increase the gap at the lead edge of the piece: 1. Turn the printer off-line. 2. Use the PREVIOUS or NEXT key to bring LEFT MARGIN to the top line. 3. Press the SELECT key, the asterisk will disappear. 4. Use the PREVIOUS or NEXT key to select the desired left margin in 0.1-inch increments. 5. Press the SELECT key to lock in the selection. The asterisk will reappear. 30 Running a Job Adjusting the Transport Table 1. Align side guides and belts with the media as it is being fed. 2. The belts are adjusted by sliding the belt guides from underneath the AstroJet while the belts are revolving. 3. Adjust the feed speed so that there is at least a 1-inch gap between the media. Longer addresses may require a larger gap. Monitoring the Job The AstroJet may be taken off-line by pressing the ON LINE key without affecting the job. The printer will resume printing at exactly the same point when it is put back on-line and the GO button on the Control Panel Software is activated. Printing Tips Types of Media The AstroJet will print on many types of mailing media, but some restrictions apply. As with any other printing process, the texture of the media has a direct effect on both the print quality and the ink drying time. It is best to test each new type of media to determine performance levels before beginning the Job. Since coated and plastic types of paper do not easily absorb ink, smearing may occur. Print may appear fuzzy on very porous paper. Another cause of fuzzy printouts is excessive buildup of dust within the machine, or a printhead is too far away from the media. Be aware, that when printing in the High Quality mode, drying time for the ink is 31 longer than in the other modes. In addition, when humidity is high, drying time is increased. Media Thickness The AstroJet will handle pieces up to 3/8” thick (0.375”). All folds must be crisp and even. CAUTION DO NOT use stapled pieces in the AstroJet. DO NOT use paper- clipped pieces in the AstroJet. These methods of binding the mail piece will damage the printheads, affect print quality, and may seriously damage your printer. The Astro Warranty Policy will not cover components damaged through improper use. The USPS does not accept this type of mail for its automated equipment. Databases The AstroJet System is capable of handling many types of databases. There are, however, some limitations. To avoid problems we offer the following suggestions to help you improve the operation of your AstroJet System. Large ODBC Databases Random accessed ODBC databases are not indexed on the first column. As a result the performance of the printer may get slower and even stop when using very large databases. To prevent this from occurring, the following actions can be taken before the database is loaded into the AstroJet software: 1. The user can convert the ODBC database to a text database (*.CSV file) with the Layout Editor, and then subsequently open the project with that alternate database. The Layout Editor explicitly indexes text databases, so performance is not an issue for these files. Note: the Layout Editor retains ODBC field names in the first record of the *.CSV file, so when you select it later, you should check off that the “first record contains field names”. 2. The ODBC database vendor should be encouraged to index their database (on the first column ascending). The index may be packaged as part of the database file, or as a separate index file – depending on the format of the database. 3. The users can index the database themselves. To do this, you will need a database management program for the database type you have. For example to index an Access database (*.mdb files) require Microsoft Access, and to index dbase III, IV and V (*.dbf) use Microsoft FoxPro. 4. Use sufficiently small ODBC databases that this effect doesn’t affect printing. 32 If the database has been saved in the ODBC format there are additional safeguards that have been added to the layout Editor and Control Panel to warn you and offer a means of changing the database and improving the performance of the system. The following solutions have been programmed into the AstroJet software: 1. The Layout Wizard generates a warning when an ODBC database has been selected. There is no way for the Layout Editor to determine if the database is indexed, so the user is warned of the potential consequences of selecting an ODBC database. 2. The ODBC to CSV converter was added to the Layout Editor, so users have a viable alternative to using ODBC databases directly. 3. A timer has been placed in the Control Panel that monitors ODBC reads. When reading of a record exceeds a threshold, the Control Panel stops the job with a timeout error. Converting ODBC Databases to *.CSV (Comma Separated Value Format) To convert an ODBC database to a Comma Separated Value file, use the following procedure: 1. Create a new project, or open an existing project in the Layout Editor that uses the ODBC database you wish to convert. For purposes of this discussion, the example will be “MY SAMPLE.DBF”. 2. From the “File” menu select “Convert Database”. 3. A wizard is started which tells you the conversion is about to occur, and that it may take awhile. It also tells you the converted database will be stored in your databases folder, under the current name with .CSV tacked on the end. In example the output would be “MY SAMPLE.DBF.CSV”. 4. Press “Next” to start the conversion, or “Cancel” to quit. If you start the conversion, you will not be able to interrupt it – the process will continue until the conversion is complete. 5. Exit and restart the Layout Editor. From the Startup Wizard select “Modify an existing project with a replacement database”. Work through the wizard and select the converted database, in this case “MY SAMPLE.DBF.CSV”. 6. You can ignore the warning about database structure, because in this case the structure will be identical. 7. The wizard will ask about # of fields per record – leave it at 0, is the “First record is used to record field names” – check this box, and delimiter information – leave the defaults. Press “Next” or “Finish”. Your project is now associated with the converted database. Access to any record in the database should be almost instantaneous and the Control Panel should always provide individual page information faster than the printer can supply stock. 33 Indexing a Microsoft Access *.MDB file To index an Access database file for use with the Layout Editor and Control Panel you will need Microsoft Access ’97 (or 2000). This should be installed on the target system to ensure the same leave of ODBC is available to Access and the Layout Editor and Control Panel. Then follow this procedure: 1. Start ACCESS and open the database file, (for example: “MY SAMPLE.MDB”. 2. Select the table to be used - here it is “MY SAMPLE”. 3. Click the “Design” button. A window displaying the characteristics of each field (column) in the database is drawn. 4. Select the first row by clicking in the blank gray square to its left. This selects the characteristics of first column. 5. At the bottom left click in the cell to the right of the heading “Allow Zero Length” to display a drop down arrow, from which you will select “yes”. 6. Click the cell to the right of the heading “Indexed” to display a drop down arrow, from which you select “Yes (Duplicates OK)” 7. Exit Access. Indexing a dBase III, IV, V, FoxPro (*.DBF) File To index a dBase file for use with the Layout Editor and Control Panel you will need Microsoft FoxPro. This should be installed on the target system to ensure the same leave of ODBC is available to Access and the Layout Editor and Control Panel. Then follow this procedure: 1. Start FoxPro and open the database file, (for example: “SAMPLE.DBF”. 2. Select the table to be used - here it is “SAMPLE”. 3. If you are asked about the character set to use, select 1252 – Windows ANSI. 4. From the “View” menu select “Table Designer”. A tabbed dialog wills popup. 5. Select the “Fields” tab. Note the name of the first field. Select the Indexes tab. 6. In the cell under Name, type the name for your index. In this case “SAMPLE”. 7. Once this is entered other fields become available. Fill in the following fields: A. Order – click to show an up arrow (ascending) B. Type – select regular C. Expression – enter the field name you noted above D. Filter – leave blank 8. Click “Okay” and “Yes” to make structures permanent. 9. Exit FoxPro. 34 Section 5 – Maintenance This section shows you how to care for and replace inkjet cartridges; clear paper jams, and perform routine operator maintenance to the AstroJet Printer. Other problems such as not printing, poor print quality, etc., are also covered. Special tips and suggestions to help you increase efficiency and avoid problems are also included. The Inkjet Cartridge The AstroJet inkjet cartridges must be replaced when out of ink, when print quality is poor, or when purging and cleaning have not helped the image quality. The Approximate life of the HP 51645A Inkjet cartridges based on 20 characters at 10point size per address line is: High Quality 50,000 addresses Standard Quality 100,000 addresses Draft Quality 200,000 addresses NOTE: In high volume printing applications, it is strongly recommended that the HP C6119A Ink System Cartridge be installed in the AstroJet Printer. Using this system, the number of prints per cartridge will increase by a factor of ten. To Replace the HP 51645A Inkjet Cartridge: 1. Remove the cartridge by pulling the top toward you until the cartridge is free from the retaining latch. Lift the cartridge up and out of the holder. 2. Remove a new print cartridge from its packaging, taking care not to touch the copper contacts, the metal plate, or the gold printhead. Remove the protective tape from the printhead. 3. With the gold printhead pointing toward the rear of the unit, slide the bottom edge of the cartridge down along the front of the bracket until it slides partly into place. 4. Press the upper part of the cartridge toward the bracket until it clicks into place under the retaining clip of the bracket. 5. Repeat this procedure for each cartridge. CAUTION Never shake, drop, or hit the cartridge against the palm of your hand or any other hard surface. Shaking the print cartridge does not “mix” the ink and hitting the cartridge against a hard surface does not clear the nozzles Both of these actions actually hurt the print quality because they allow bubbles to form near the ink firing chambers. These bubbles prevent the nozzles from firing causing white streaks in the print image. 35 To Replace an HP C6119A Ink System 1. Remove the cartridge by pulling the top toward you until the cartridge is free from the retaining latch. Lift the cartridge up and out of the holder. 2. Remove the reservoir from the holder. Take care to not disconnect the supply hose from the cartridge. 3. Remove the printhead from its packaging, and slide the reservoir out of the left side of the system packaging. Do not throw the packaging away until the system is installed in the printer. There are important directions on the packaging for attaching the pen to the reservoir. Do not attempt to remove the ink reservoir from its diamond-shaped box. (See the caution labels on the bottom panel of the ink reservoir. It is also important that the ink reservoir does not get squeezed during the installation process. Squeezing the reservoir could cause ink to seep out of the printhead. 4. Place the reservoir in the tray that hangs from the back of the printer. There are 4 notches in the tray. Each notch will accommodate two reservoirs. Do not route the hoses at this time. Take care to not squeeze the reservoirs when placing them in the tray. 5. The system can be connected with the help of the directions located on the printhead packaging. The valve should be inserted into the clip on the pen until a clicking sound is heard or the operator feels the valve snap into place. The valve and clip are symmetrical so there is no special orientation. Insert the tubes into all of the printheads before the tape is removed from the printheads. The tape will prevent the printhead from being damaged and will help keep ink from leaking out of the printhead. 6. Remove the tape from the printheads one at a time and insert them into a holder beginning with the holder closest to the reservoir. It is important to take the tape off of the printheads so that proper electrical connection is made with the holder. 7. Install each printhead in turn taking care to route the hoses away from moving parts. Make sure that the hoses are not bent or pinched as this would impede the flow of ink to the printheads Once the connection is made between the printhead and the ink reservoir, it cannot be taken apart without damaging the system. It is best if the system is left in the AstroJet Printer, but sometimes that is not possible. When handling the system, it is important to keep the pen as close to the reservoir as possible without letting it go below the reservoir. If the printhead is held more than 10 inches above the reservoir, air will be drawn into the cartridge. Air inside of the pen can not only cause print defects; it can also cause the pen to stop printing before all of the ink has been used. If the printhead goes below the reservoir, ink will seep from the printhead, potentially damaging the system. Read the Caution on the back of the reservoir. 36 The reservoir and printhead should always be held when handling the system. The system should never be held or carried around such that the print head or reservoir is dangling by the tubing. These actions could cause loss of ink. Storage Short-term storage is defined as less than 2 days or less than 1 day in a hot and dry environment. Long-term storage is defined as more than 2 days or more than 1 day in a hot and dry environment. Short-term Storage Leave the cartridge in the AstroJet for short periods of time, 2 days or less. The next time that the AstroJet is used, the printhead may have to be cleaned per the cleaning instructions, below. Long-term Storage HP 51645A Keep the printhead in an area that is relatively free of dust and paper particles that is not too dry Place the cartridges in a Tupperware container with a damp sponge or towel to maintain humidity and prevent the printhead from drying out. When the cartridges are ready to be used again, the printhead will need to be cleaned. HP C6119A Care must be taken with the storage of this cartridge. The cartridge and reservoir must not be separated once they are connected. The cartridge must be stored above the reservoir in order to maintain the proper internal system pressure. The best way to keep the pressure regulated is to rubber band the system together with the cartridge resting on top of the reservoir. Keep the printhead in an area that is relatively free of dust and paper particles and is not too dry Place the cartridges in a Tupperware container with a damp sponge or towel to maintain humidity and prevent the printhead from drying out. When the cartridges are ready to be used again, the printhead will need to be cleaned. Disposal (Both types of Cartridges) The cartridge may be disposed of in normal manner. If there should be an ink spill, use soap and water to clean up any problem areas. Abrasive soap also works well to get the ink off of hands. 37 Cleaning the Printhead In order to achieve good print output; maintenance of the printhead is required. Paper fibers and dust can build up on the printhead degrading the print quality. Proper printhead maintenance will allow the cartridge to produce good print quality its whole life. A cotton Tex Wipe® and distilled water is one of the best ways to wipe ink and other build-up off of the printhead. A Tex Wipe® is 100% cotton, high-density cloth with no chemical additives. Something comparable is adequate to wipe the nozzles. A good choice of wipe would have the following qualities: Soft Fiberless No chemical additives Moist with distilled water A cloth should NOT be: Abrasive Dry Made of small fibers that can be left behind on the cartridge’s nozzle plate Never use the following to wipe the printhead: Industrial paper towels – these cloths usually contain a high recycle content and are abrasive Toilet paper – this is usually not fiberless Sponge – particles from the sponge can be left behind on the nozzle plate The cloth must be soft so that it does not scratch the printhead. It should be fiberless because small fibers on the cloth can be left behind and block the nozzles of the cartridge. The cloth must be moist or it will scratch the printhead. Scratches on the printhead prevent the ink from coming out of the nozzle straight. If the ink drops do not come out of the nozzles straight they will not land on the paper in the proper place causing fuzzy text. Distilled water is better than tap water because tap water contains an unmonitored amount of minerals. During wiping, the water cleans out the nozzles and the firing chambers. A small amount of water mixes with the ink in the chambers. Over time, the minerals in tap water can leave behind deposits in the chambers that block it completely. A blocked chamber will show up as a white streak in text or graphics. The direction and force of the wipe is also important to note. During wiping, harmful particles on the top of the printhead can be wiped into the nozzles if you are not careful. The cartridges need to be wiped in a certain way to obtain optimal print quality. It is important to wipe the cartridge nozzles in the direction of the nozzle rows for optimum print quality. See below: 38 HP 51645A HP C6119A Purging the Nozzles If the printhead sits inactive for a period, ink may dry in the nozzles. Printing may not remove these “ink plugs” from the nozzles. White streaks will then show up in the printed text or graphic. In order to obtain better print quality, this ink plug needs to be forced out or purged. A Purge routine built into the AstroJet Printer. It can be accessed from the control panel in the AstroJet Printer. Refer to Section 4 – Operating the AstroJet, under Preparing a Job; Purge the Printheads. If this does not solve the problem then proceed as follows: 1. Wipe the printhead with a wet cloth as described in Cleaning the Printhead above. 2. Perform the Purge routine from the AstroJet Printer LCD Display panel or from the AstroJet Software Control panel. 3. Wipe the printhead again with a moist cloth. NOTE: For more information refer to the Troubleshooting Print Heads in Section 6 – Trouble Shooting Guide. Jams in the AstroJet Printer If a jam occurs, TURN THE ASTROJET OFF LINE. The missed addresses can be recovered at the computer from the control panel by stepping back to the place in the job where the jam occurred. No data will be lost. Some possible reasons for jamming are: 1. Multiple pieces of media pass at once. 2. Damaged media, such a dog-eared (turn down corners). 3. Media that is not stiff enough may not be usable. Media that meets Postal stiffness requirements for automated feeding is acceptable in the AstroJet. 4. Envelopes that are caught under the flap of another envelope or stuck to one another may cause jamming. 39 5. Feeding rate set too fast. Removing Jammed Media 1. In most cases, it is possible to remove the jammed media by gently pulling it by its exposed corners. All pieces of the jammed media must be removed from the feed path. 2. Use the control panel in the AstroJet Software to recover any lost addresses. 3. Restart the job by putting the AstroJet back ON LINE and resume printing by using the GO button on the AstroJet Software Control Panel. Cleaning WARNING THE ASTROJET PRINTER IS A PRECISION MACHINE THAT SHOULD BE CLEANED REGULARLY TO INSURE MANY YEARS OF SERVICE. BEFORE PERFORMING ANY MAINTENANCE DISCONNECT THE MACHINE FROM ITS POWER SOURCE! The AstroJet must be regularly cleaned of accumulated paper dust and ink. Depending on the types of media that are run, paper dust may accumulate within the printer and on the transport. To properly clean the AstroJet, unplug it from the power receptacle and remove the covers. Refer to the parts manual for this. The internal areas are best cleaned with a vacuum that has a soft brush attachment to help loosen the dust particles. Take care not to damage the PC Boards or electrical wiring. The exterior of the machine may be cleaned with any standard household cleaner which is non-abrasive and does not contain plastic harming solvents. CAUTION Never spray or pour cleaners directly on or into the AstroJet Printer. Excess liquid could harm electronic parts. Always dampen a rag with the cleaner and apply it to the parts to be cleaned. Cleaning the Media Sensor 40 Periodically check the media sensor located next to the print carriage, shown with the light protection cover removed above. The sensor should be clean and free of accumulated paper dust. Use a vacuum with a soft brush attachment or dry compressed air to remove the dust. 41 Notes 42 Section 6 – Trouble Shooting Guide The following trouble shooting guides are provided to assist you in solving any problems that might occur with the AstroJet Printer or its software. We have tried to make them as complete as possible. The best advice we can offer is to make sure that the system is setup properly, plugged in, that it has an adequate supply of ink before attempting to trouble shoot any problem. Inkjet Cartridges HP 51645A Print Cartridges CONDITION Cartridge will not print PROBLEM Sheet is blank even after it has gone underneath cartridge(s). White streaks in text or graphics Black streaks around text 43 SOLUTION • Check to make sure the tape is off the printhead • Remove and reinsert the cartridge into the carriage holder • Install a new print cartridge • Re-insert the cartridge into the carriage • Wet wipe and purge the cartridge (There are clogged nozzles.) • Clean interconnects • Insert a new Print Cartridge • Wet Wipe the cartridge (There is ink buildup). HP C6119A Print Cartridges CONDITION PROBLEM SOLUTION • The system will function properly with as much as 4 inches of visible air in the tube. Connect the system and use it to print • Check to make sure the tape is off the printhead. • Remove and reinsert the cartridge into the carriage holder. • Install a new print cartridge. • Re-insert the cartridge into the carriage. • Wet wipe and purge the cartridge (There are clogged nozzles.) • Clean interconnects. • Insert a new Print Cartridge. Black streaks around text • Wet Wipe the cartridge (There is ink buildup). Ink is seeping from the nozzles • Verify that the reservoir is below the cartridge (Approximately 4 inches. • Verify that the reservoir box is not being pinched. • Hold the cartridge below the reservoir until ink starts to seep out of the nozzles. Once the ink is running freely, keep the cartridge above the reservoir. • Wet wipe the cartridge to clean up any spilled ink. Air in the tube Cartridge will not print Sheet is blank even after it has gone underneath cartridge(s). White streaks in text or graphics The System is not printing because the cartridge was held more than 10 inches above the reservoir Sheet is blank even after it has gone underneath cartridges(s). 44 AstroJet Printer PROBLEM No communication REASON REMEDY Improper cabling Use Proper cable (see Sect. 3) Unit not receiving power Check plug connections, on/off switch and fuse on back panel (see Sect. 2) Wrong interface settings Check software or data base on PC Static electricity Turn AstroJet of and on Dirty media sensor Clean media sensor Extra lines; losing data Data base problem Check data in data base program Not printing on media Media not positioned properly 1. Adjust print band vertically 2. Adjust media margin setting on AstroJet Improper output (address information out of order, misfeeding, etc.) Print too light or missing character dots Clogged or dirty printheads Either purge or clean cartridges Running out of ink Replace inkjet cartridges Media jams Double feeding Adjust feeder Media is curled or bent Uncurl media Media is too thin Media must be at least 0.008” WARNING DO NOT REMOVE THE SIDE COVERS OF THE ASTROJET PRINTER THERE ARE HIGH VOLTAGES PRESENT BEHIND THE COVERS! 45 AstroJet Software ERROR MESSAGE Template File is Corrupt PROBLEM The AstroJet Control Panel can not open the related .ajpjt file. SOLUTION Re-open AstroJet Layout Editor and attempt to open the file. Re-save the file and attempt to open the AstroJet Control Panel again. If the file still will not open in the AstroJet Layout editor, restart the computer and try again. Try a backup or older copy of the .ajpjt file Job Loading Failure A problem arises loading the job file. Click on Remove Job, if you know the file is out of date and no longer in use. Click on Recreate Job to reopen the Layout Editor, then click on the File Menu and select New Job, select the print range and Click on Next>> to continue. Click Next>> again and then save the job with a new name. Click on Cancel to return to the Control Panel and select another job file. Template View Warning New Fields missing from layout screen Due to the design of the database management software, it is not possible to display records simultaneously in the Layout Editor and Control Panel. When you click OK the Layout Editor will switch automatically to the Template View. Fields not visible in blotter area on Layout Screen. The line may be piled up on top of each other. Click and drag the first line into the appropriate Printhead Area. Caution: If an attempt is made to switch to Database View in the Layout Editor, a fatal error will occur and any unsaved information will be lost. Open the Address Field property sheet by right clicking on one of the existing address lines or by selecting Address from the Fields Menu. Select OK. The fields should re-appear in the blotter area. 46 Software continued… ERROR MESSAGE PROBLEM SOLUTION New Fields missing from layout screen. Continued… Fields not visible in blotter area on Layout Screen. Right click on one of the fields that has already been positioned and click OK on the field property sheet an they should re-appear Right click on one of the fields that has already been positioned and click OK on the field property sheet an they should re-appear Printing in Wrong Location on Piece Printing too far to the Left or Right. Make sure that the size of the piece entered in the Setup Menu is correct. Make sure that the piece on the Layout Screen looks EXACTLY the way you want your piece to look. Use the rulers to verify that the fields are located the proper number of inches form the edges. Adjust the left margin setting. Check the product detection sensor to verify that it is properly aligned. Only one of the fields it too far left or right. Make sure that the rotary encoder is tracking properly on the drive shaft of the printer. Printing Too High or Low Check image on layout screen. Adjust the paper guide, or individual printheads on their mounting brackets to adjust how far from the bottom edge of a piece the fields are printed. 47 Notes 48 Appendices APPENDIX A - Specifications The information (electrical and physical dimensions, etc.) on the AstroJet is presented here for your reference. Specifications are subject to change without notice. PRINT QUALITY (Dots Per Inch) High Quality Standard Quality Draft Quality 600 x 600 dpi 600 x 300 dpi 600 x 150 dpi PRINT SPEED (Inches Per Second) High Quality Standard Quality Draft Quality 23 ips 45 ips 80 ips IMAGE AREA AstroJet II Plus AstroJet III AstroJet III Plus Total of 3 inches using six printheads Total of 3 inches using six printheads Total of 4 inches using eight printheads MEDIA SIZES Maximum Minimum 17” long x 15” wide up to 3/8“ thick 5” long x 3” wide up to 3/8” thick PRINT MECHANISM HP 51645A Inkjet Cartridge INKJET CARTRIDGE NUMBER AstroJet II Plus AstroJet III AstroJet III Plus INKJET CARTRIDGE LIFE (approximate) 6 cartridges 6 cartridges 8 cartridges Addressing: High Quality 1,050,000 characters Standard Quality 2,100,000 characters Draft Quality 4,200,000 characters (five line address labels only, logos and other printing not included in the above) GRAPHICS AND LOGOS Allows printing of Bitmapped graphics, logos, and pictures SOFTWARE AND FONTS Windows 95, and 98 All Windows True-Type fonts PRINT COLORS Black, Fast Drying Black, Yellow, Red, Green, and Blue INK Water based requiring drying assistance for coated stock OPERATOR DISPLAY OPTIONS (LCD) Counter, Print Resolution, Purge, Media Length, Left Margin, BIOS Version PC INTERFACE Centronics Parallel Cable DIMENSIONS AstroJet II Plus AstroJet III and III Plus ELECTRICAL 120 VAC, 60 Hz @ 0.75 Amps WEIGHT 70 lbs. (31.8 kg) 49 25” L x 23” W x 14” H 28” L x 23” W x 14” H APPENDIX B - Supplies and Optional Hardware The following supply items and optional hardware are available from your Astro Machine Distributor: Supplies Black Inkjet Cartridges HP 51645A Fast Drying Black Inkjet Cartridges HP 6195A Red Inkjet Cartridges HPC6173A Yellow Inkjet Cartridges HPC6168A Green Inkjet Cartridges HPC6169A Blue Inkjet Cartridges HPC6170A Black Bulk Ink Supply HP C6119A Optional Hardware Portable Drying Unit Cabinet with Shelves Friction Feeder 5 ft. Conveyor with stand and Drop Tray Delay Box for Bundling Mail Jobs 50 Copyright © 2000 Astro Machine Corporation Elk Grove Village, Illinois 60007 06/01/2000