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User Guide Ioline FlexJet™

1. 23 Reset Serial Port Baud Rate 23 Restore Factory Default Settings 23 The FlexJet Control Center 24 Overview 24 Changing System Settings 24 Control Center Menu Bar Features 25 File 25 Communications 25 Tools 25 Help 25 Control Center Menu Options
2. 27 Paper 27 Ink 27 Guidelines for Installing a Cartridge 27 Printing a Marker 28 Overview 28 General Guidelines 28 Power On 29 Loading Paper 29 Installing the Take up Shaft 30 Feeding Paper 31 Tape Paper to the Take up
3. 15 Unpacking the Printer 15 Assembling the Stand 15 Attaching the Printer to the Stand 15 Connect the FlexJet to the Computer Overview 15 Cable Connections 16 Serial Configuration 16 COM Port 16 Baud Rate 17 Other Serial Port Settings 17 Software Setup Options 17 Power On
4. 29 Figure 17 Installing the take up shaft 30 Figure 18 The correct paper feeding path on the Ioline FlexJet printer 31 Figure 19 Taping the paper to the take up shaft 32 Figure 20 Positioning the pinchwheels for 72 in 183 cm paper 33 Figure 21 Inserting the dancer bars 33 Figure 22 Location of dancer bar channels 34 Figure 23 Manually freeing the take up shaft 36 Figure 24 Taping over the front take up bar sensor 38 Figure 25 Paper path for printing to the floor 38 Figure 26 Cleaning the Drive Shaft 39 Figure 27 Calibration screen in Control Center 40 Figure 28 The Calibration box and measurements
5. 26 Software Version 26 Cartridge Count 26 Get Plotter Data 26 Plotter Data check box 26 Scale 26 Frame Size 26 Loop Length 26 Line Width 26 Quality Setting 27 Measurement Units 27 Consumables
6. 44 Cartridge Maintenance and Handling 44 Check Cartridges 44 Automatic Cleaning Procedure 45 Manual Cleaning Procedure 45 Print Cartridge Storage 46 Short term Storage 7 days or less 46 Long term Storage greater than 7 days 46 Updating Firmware using the Control Center 46 Summary 46 Prepare the FlexJet for a Firmware Update 46 Check the Current Firmware Version 46 Update the Firmware
7. 47 Manually Updating Firmware using TeraTerm 48 Summary 48 Prepare to Update the Firmware 48 Setup TeraTerm 48 Update Firmware 49 Reset Calibration Values 49 Chapter 5 Troubleshooting General Troubleshooting 51 Media Tracking 51 Printing Quality 52 Line Quality 52 Serial Communication
8. 19 Installing FlexPlot and the Control Center 19 Chapter 3 Operation Keypad Controls 21 Start Stop 21 Clean 22 Quality 22 Set Origin 22 Arrow Keys 23 Page Advance 23 Unroll 23 Special Key Combinations 23 Roll Up
9. 52 Keypad Error Codes 53 Legend 53 Common Issues 54 Chapter 6 End Notes Service amp Support 57 Getting Help 57 Customer Service 58 Your Comments Are Requested 58 Before you contact Support 59 The FCC Wants You to Know 60 This booklet is available from 60 Glossary Index The Ioline FlexJet has many fast moving components Please read and follow these saf
10. 41 Figure 29 Cartridge calibration window 42 Figure 30 The Cartridge Alignment Box 43 Figure 31 The Motion Adjust Box 43 Figure 32 The Frame Gap Box 44 Figure 33 Ink cartridge storage 46 Figure 34 Factory calibration sticker inside the Service Station 50 Figure 35 HP cartridges ink level indicator 52 Figure 36 Keypad LED lights 53 Table of Contents Safety amp Cautions Visual Reference Guide Chapter 1 Overview Getting Started 13 How The Ioline FlexJet Works 14 Chapter 2 Installation FlexJet Assembly
11. 5 Paper runs under rear cross member Solution 1 Change the paper roll 4 Make sure nothing is touching the feed roll and that the rear top bar rotates freely 5 Clean then lubricate the feed shaft block Use the included white lithium grease 6 Load paper straight as described in the Operation chapter 7 Adjust paper to go between the front and rear cross members Gap between each scan Cause 1 Frame Gap setting is incorrect 2 Ink cartridge is out of ink dirty or the print head is plugged Solution 1 Use the Control Center to adjust frame gap as shown in the Routine Maintenance chapter 2 Check ink level indicator Replace cartridge if indicator is black If cartridge is not empty see Cartridge Maintenance and Handling under the Rou tine Maintenance chapter Pauses during printing Cause 1 Vector density is very high due to fine detail or the design soft ware is not using fonts embed ded in the printer 2 Communication baud rate is set very low Solution 1 Reduce vector density use em bedded printer fonts or increase communication baud rate 2 Increase baud rate from the minimum of 9600 baud to the default of 38 400 or higher 56 Ioline FlexJet User Guide Regular or intermittent paper tearing Cause 1 Front or rear dancer bar is not installed 2 Paper gets yanked by the machine during take up 3 Paper is improper
12. 5 Press the Set Gap button after mak ing adjustments to the values Example a Lines from the next scan have a small space gap between the previous scan b Decrease the Frame Gap value by 1 c Press the Set Gap button d Repeat the test until alignment is correct 6 Click on Done when finished Figure 32 The Frame Gap Box Cartridge Maintenance and Handling A key to maintaining good print quality is proper print cartridge maintenance During printing ink spray paper fibers and dust can build up on the print cartridge and eventually will degrade plot quality In addition when print cartridges sit inactive for a period of time ink may dry in the nozzles and create an ink plug This results in the appearance of white streaks in the printed text or graphic Check Cartridges If you experience print quality problems first verify that the ink cartridge s is undamaged and is not out of ink 1 Press the Start Stop key 2 If the carriage is parked in the Service Station use the Left Ar row key to move it out over the platen 3 Open a blue stall latch and remove the first cartridge 4 Inspect the cartridge for damage and check the ink level indica tor If it is green the cartridge still contains ink If it is black the cartridge is empty and needs replacing 5 Repeat Steps 1 4 for each cartridge stall Adding numbers moves the scans further apart Subtracting moves the sc
13. Paper Roll unrolls from behind Paper Hubs Flanged Coupling Keep hands and loose clothing away from all moving parts Caution The FlexJet Set up Operating and Maintenance Video provided on CD ROM in the Accessory Kit provides a helpful visual overview Hint Make sure the paper unrolls from behind and towards the printer Note i 30 Ioline FlexJet User Guide 5 Use the supplied hex wrench to tighten both screws on each paper hub 6 Check that the right support block is clear of debris and apply a light coating of white lithium grease supplied in the Accessory Kit 7 Lift the feed shaft ends one at a time into the support blocks Installing the Take up Shaft 1 If the take up shaft has plotted markers on it remove them See Removing Markers from the Take up Shaft later in this chapter 2 Turn the FlexJet on the switch is on the back of the left cover 3 Use the keypad Unroll key to rotate the take up key until it is oriented perpendicular to the support block opening as shown in Figure 17 4 Put the take up shaft into the front support blocks with the flanged coupling at the right keypad end Rotate the shaft until the slot in the flanged coupling is aligned with the take up key When the shaft slot and the key are aligned push the take up shaft into place until it is seated in the support block Figure 17 Installing the take up shaft in the support blocks Take Up Shaft
14. Use the keypad to position Take Up Key as Shown Support Block Rectangular Slot Flanged Coupling Never touch the take up key or flanged coupling while they are rotating Serious personal injury could re sult Turn power off first Caution 31 Chapter 3 Operation Feeding Paper Figure 18 represents the proper paper path The diagram on the left shows the paper after it is inserted properly and taped to the take up shaft The figure on the right shows the result after the dancer bars are inserted 1 Remove any printed markers from the take up shaft and make sure the carriage is parked in the Service Station before feeding the paper To park the carriage press Start Stop Wait for the OK light to turn red and press the Clean button 2 If the pinchwheels are lowered raise them by pushing the pinchwheel lever away from the machine 3 Pull a long leader of paper off of the paper roll and insert it through the stand behind the plotting head over the rear top bar and between the platen and pinchwheels 4 Temporarily lock the paper in place by pulling the pinchwheel lever toward the machine to lower the pinchwheels Rear Top Bar Figure 18 The correct paper feeding path on the Ioline FlexJet Printer Platen Take up Shaft Feed Roll Proper Paper Path After Loading Front Top Bar Pinchwheel Lever Paper Path when Ready to Plot and Dancer Bars installed Front Dancer Bar Re
15. Paper Loop Length 26 Control Center 13 15 16 17 19 24 25 26 28 41 42 46 49 52 54 55 56 Cartridge calibration 25 Cartridge count 26 Download firmware 25 Exit 25 Frame size 26 Get plotter data 26 Help about 25 Installation 19 Line width 26 Main Menu 24 Measurement units 27 Menu Bar 25 Menu options 26 Quality setting 27 Scale 26 Screen Menu 24 Send command 25 Send plot file 25 Set key code 25 Set machine ID 25 Settings 25 Size calibration 25 Software version 26 Control panel 21 61 See also Keypad Conversion 13 18 Coordinate 61 Cross member xi Customer service x 47 49 51 52 53 54 57 58 Contact information 58 D Dancer bar 61 Channels 33 Front dancer bar 31 Front dancer bar channel 34 Insertion 33 Installation 33 Rear dancer bar 31 33 62 Data bits 17 53 Data rate See Baud rate Design software 13 15 17 22 26 34 51 52 54 55 59 61 62 Installation 13 DM PL 13 17 18 61 DPI 61 See also Printing Resolution Drivers 13 61 Drive shaft ix 29 33 34 39 51 56 61 62 Maintenance 39 Using the brush 39 Drive shaft marker xii 33 Location xii E Error codes Keypad errors 53 F Factory default settings Restoring 23 FCC 60 Feed loop 61 67 Index 67 Index Feed roll x 31 Feed shaft x 28 29 30 33 40 55 56 61 62 Flanged coupling 29 Installing feed shaft 29 Support block 29 30 File conversion 1
16. Roller wheels that push the paper against the drive shaft when lowered into position by the square shaft Pinchwheel Lever Lever connected to the square shaft that when actuated raises and lowers the pinchwheels Platen Curved surface that houses the drive shaft and supports the material during printing Printer A device that uses image data to produce output usually on paper In electronic marker mak ing printers create sewn good outlines on paper from a set of coordinates stored in a computer file R Rear Dancer Bar Heavy rod that holds the paper feed loop taught Red Light Mode See STOP Mode Resolution The smallest distance that a printer can move the material or the carriage Printer resolution affects the accuracy of plot file reproduction on the material Roll Feed A method of pulling material from a roll for printing Works in conjunction with the rear dancer bar and drive shaft S Scan A single pass of the carriage over the platen The FlexJet may or may not print during a scan Sensor The electronic eye that reads paper position by monitoring the dancer bars Serial Communications Method of sending infor mation from a computer to a printer by sending 1 bit at a time through a cable The serial port on a PC is a male 9 or 25 pin connector Service Loop See Feed Loop Service Station Located underneath the right end cover behind the keypad Whe
17. 3 If you do not see a firmware version displayed please check connections to the printer Call Ioline Customer Service for help resolving communication issues Update the Firmware 1 Choose File gt Download Firmware from the menu bar 2 Press the Select Firmware button 3 Follow the on screen directions for restarting the printer so that it will accept new firmware Press OK when the printer is ready three yellow lights on the keypad 4 Use the file window to browse to the location where you stored the firmware file e g c Ioline Firmware 5 A download progress window will appear 6 When the download finishes the printer will go through the initialization process When the FlexJet is finished the OK light will turn red and the Square light will turn green 7 Press the Done button 8 The FlexJet is ready for normal use Perform test plots and verify that the calibration values are correct If anything is not performing correctly reset calibration values as described un der the Reset Calibration Values section in this chapter The firmware filename usually looks like xxxxx mot where xxxxx is the unique version number for your printer Note i 48 Ioline FlexJet User Guide Manually Updating Firmware using a Terminal Program like TeraTerm For firmware versions 247 x and older Summary 1 Prepare the FlexJet 2 Set up TeraTerm 3 Update the firmware Prepare to U
18. 38 Chapter 4 Routine Maintenance Cleaning the Drive Shaft 39 Cleaning the Platenand Traverse 39 Cleaning the Support Blocks 40 Size Calibration 40 Prepare the Printer See the Operation chapter 40 Use the Control Center to Gather the Calibration Data 41 Enter the Calibration Data 41 Cartridge Calibration 42 Prepare the Printer 42 Cartridge Alignment 43 Motion Adjust Carriage Scan Alignment 43 Frame Gap Paper ScanAlignment
19. Motion Adjustment aligns scans in the direction of carriage travel n Frame Gap aligns scans in the direction of paper movement Cartridge alignment is not neces sary for FlexJets with a single activated cartridge stall Note i 43 Chapter 4 Routine Maintenance Cartridge Alignment 1 Enter 50 in the Frame Gap Window to add a 0 05 in gap after each scan 2 Press Select Alignment Plot 3 Browse to the c Ioline Calibration folder Select the 40X8 plt test file 4 The boxes in the Cartridge Align ment window correspond to the print cartridges The cartridge on the side closest to the keypad is Car tridge 1 This cartridge also prints closest to the front of the machine The first 0 5 in of each scan is from the first cartridge the second 0 5 in is from the second cartridge 5 Changing the values will move the line closer or further from the line made by the previous cartridge Adding 1 to the adjustment moves the cartridge alignment about line width either direction 6 Adjust the values then press the Set Alignment button Example using the first cartridge as reference a Lines from the second cartridge must shift one line width 2 units left to align with the first cartridge b Subtract 2 from the number displayed in the box negative numbers are okay and enter it in the Cartridge 2 window c Press the Set Alignment button d Resend the 40X8 plt test file to ensure the results a
20. The Printer Keypad Start Stop The Start Stop key toggles the FlexJet online and offline If the Start Stop key is pressed during printing the OK light turns red and the machine will stop after it finishes printing the current scan The Arrow Unroll and Paper Advance keys are active when in STOP mode When the Start Stop key is pressed again the printer enters START mode the OK light turns green and printing resumes exactly where it stopped START mode OK green Arrow keys inoperable printer online ready to re ceive instructions STOP mode OK red Arrow keys operable printer offline not ready to receive instructions Chapter 3 Operation 22 Ioline FlexJet User Guide Clean Runs the print heads through a cleaning cycle in the Service Station Put the FlexJet in STOP mode and wait until the OK light turns red Then press the Clean button If the carriage is not already parked it will return to the Service Station After auto cleaning the FlexJet will react differently when you put it in green light START mode depending on what it was doing just prior to the cleaning FlexJet state before auto cleaning e g what the printer is doing just before before it is put in STOP red light mode FlexJet reaction when put in START mode after auto cleaning Printing in START mode OK light is green Resumes printing Idle in START mode OK light is green Stays parked and capped Idle in STOP mode OK ligh
21. this method removes the take up shaft from the completed roll without having to unroll the markers The only difference is the use of the take up motor 1 Tape the loose end of the roll down so that it cannot flap free 2 While one person lifts from the bottom and holds the paper roll still press the Unroll key to rotate the take up shaft opposite to the direction that the paper was rolled on the machine 3 The larger the roll the more rotations are required to free the shaft When the shaft freely rotates in the roll stop turning the take up shaft If the printer jams and the motor does not turn then do not unwind the roll with the motor See Manually Freeing the Take Up Shaft above 4 Rotate the take up shaft by hand until the rectangular opening in the flanged coupling is perpendicular to the opening in the support block see Figure 17 Remove the shaft and lay it on the ground 5 Continue to twist the shaft counter clockwise while pulling it out of the paper roll until it is free Reattach Paper to the Take up Shaft 1 Use the Page Advance key to drive enough paper forward to drape over the gray top bar and wrap under and around the take up shaft 2 Guide the paper over the gray top bar as it is pulled forward 3 Make sure the paper wraps under the take up shaft 4 Follow the guidelines described in Taping Paper to the Take Up Shaft 5 Make sure the silver front dancer bar is below the sensor sh
22. 38400 To reset the baud rate 1 Turn off the power to the FlexJet Figure 35 HP cartridges have an ink level indicator Black means empty Use the FlexJet Control Center to change the baud rate to match the design software Hint Use the Page Advance and Power Switch key combination to reset baud rate Note i 1 0 53 Chapter 5 Troubleshooting OK n l p Problem Status G OFF OFF OFF Ready to Print Origin Set R OFF OFF OFF Paused Offline Keypad Active R G OFF OFF Power on reset finished R Y Blink OFF OFF Cover open obsolete R OFF Y Blink OFF Paper Feed Out Jammed Y Blink R R OFF X paper axis jam Y Blink G R OFF Y carriage axis jam Y Blink G G OFF TU take up jam Y Blink R G OFF SS Service Station jam OFF R Y Blink OFF Buffer Overflow Y Blink OFF R OFF Init from EPROM failed OFF R R OFF File syntax error Y Blink Y Blink Y Blink OFF Printer ready to receive firmware Y Blink OFF OFF OFF Motors off System Stop 2 Press and hold the Page Advance key while turning power on 3 Continue holding the Page Advance key until the OK light turns red and the Square light turns green 4 Cycle power again do not touch any keys this time to ensure communications are reset If using a terminal program like TeraTerm to communicate with the FlexJet make sure to use 8 Data Bits No Parity 1 Stop Bit and
23. 4 The Ioline FlexJet Printer front view close up xii Figure 5 The X and Y axes and origin 14 Figure 6 The serial cable and power cord sockets 16 Figure 7 PC serial ports COM 1 and COM 2 16 Figure 8 FlexPlot serial port set up window 17 Figure 9 Workflow using FlexPlot for output 18 Figure 10 Workflow using FlexPlot for file conversion and output 18 Figure 11 The FlexJet Keypad 21 Figure 12 Plot origin point location on paper 22 Figure 13 FlexJet Control Center Main Menu 24 Figure 14 The Hewlett Packard 51645A 45 cartridges 27 Figure 15 Ink cartridge installation 28 Figure 16 Installing the feed shaft
24. Cancel a print job 35 File conversion See Conversion General guidelines 28 Overview 28 Page advance 23 37 52 53 Pause print job 34 Printing to floor See Paper path Paper path diagram 38 Taping sensor 38 Quality 22 27 See also Troubleshooting Queue management 18 Recommended software 17 Resolution 22 Roll feed method 62 Send plot files to printer 25 34 Speed 63 Workflow 17 18 Using CAD software 18 Using FlexPlot 18 Problems See Troubleshooting 70 Ioline FlexJet User Guide 70 Ioline FlexJet User Guide Q Quality 22 See Printing quality LED Lights on keypad 22 Queue management 18 R Radio frequency 60 Rear dancer bar 31 62 Red light mode 62 See also STOP mode Removing markers See Markers Removal Repair ix 57 58 Factory authorization ix Reset Serial Port Baud Rate Button combination 23 Reset serial port baud rate 23 Resolution 62 See also Printing resolution Restore Factory Default Settings Button combination 23 Restore factory default settings 23 Right end cover x Roll feed 62 Roll Up 23 Button combination 23 S Safety Lifting printer by gray bars ix Removing markers 35 Safety precautions ix Take up key 30 Safety cover x Scale 26 Scan 62 Scan alignment See Frame gap Screen menu options See Control Center Segments of a plot or marker See Plot Select alignment plot 43 Send Command 25 Sending plot files 34 Send p
25. FlexJet power on 5 When the OK light turns red release the key 6 Use the FlexJet Control Center software to re enter the calibra tion values copied from the sticker OR perform the calibration using the directions in this chapter 7 Turn power off then back on to ensure the new calibration val ues take affect Perform test plots to verify proper calibration and operation 8 If you have any difficulties please contact Ioline Customer Service 50 Ioline FlexJet User Guide Figure 34 Factory calibration values on the sticker inside the Service Station General Troubleshooting If the FlexJet is not working correctly the problem could arise from the computer the cable the design software or the printer Changes to the computer operating system or the installation of new peripherals or software might cause conflicts If the computer or the design software are causing a problem consult your computer and or software manuals or call your manufacturer or dealer If the problem is with the printer begin by making sure power is on and that the cable between the machines is connected correctly Consult the chart at the end of this chapter for more detailed trouble shooting techniques Media Tracking Tracking is the process that controls media motion over the platen and assures accurate lines If the paper slips under the pinchwheels or is out of alignment printing quality will degrade To resolve tracking difficult
26. Getting Started Thank you for purchasing the Ioline FlexJet This manual contains instructions and guidelines for setting up operating and maintaining the Ioline FlexJet printer The following components are needed to create markers n A FlexJet assembled according to the directions outlined in the FlexJet Quick Start Guide n A computer system that is properly installed and has a func tioning serial or USB port n Apparel design software loaded into the computer according to the installation instructions n Printing media and ink cartridges that are within the guidelines stated under the Operation chapter n Depending on the communications setup Ioline FlexPlot soft ware is required if your CAD software does not create compat ible files Note i The Ioline Control Center and FlexPlot will only run on the Windows 98 NT 2000 XP operating systems Most design software provides drivers for Ioline printers Contact Ioline customer service if you need as sistance with drivers Note i Overview Chapter 1 14 Ioline FlexJet User Guide How The Ioline FlexJet Works The FlexJet creates printed images through synchronized media and carriage motion Files are sent to the printer from a computer or file server via a serial or USB connection When the printer receives a file the electronic logic system translates the vector image into X axis paper motion and Y axis carriage mo tion instructions and uses di
27. box 43 44 Calibration folder 43 44 Calibration sticker 50 Cancel a print job 35 Carriage ix xii 14 19 22 23 24 26 27 29 31 34 35 38 40 41 42 44 45 49 53 55 56 61 62 63 Close up view xii Notched V See Set origin Parked cartridges capped 22 Parking 31 Positioning with Arrow Keys 23 Stall xii Carriage motion See Plot Carriage rail See Traverse Carriage scan alignment 43 Cartridge alignment 43 Cartridge alignment box 43 Frame gap box 44 Cartridges See Ink cartridges CDROM See FlexJet Set up Operating and Maintenance Video See Control Center See FlexPlot Changing system settings See Control Center Clean ix 22 31 39 45 52 55 Button 22 Cleaning agents 39 66 Ioline FlexJet User Guide 66 Ioline FlexJet User Guide Cleaning the drive shaft 39 Using the brush 39 Clipping 26 Communications 62 Baud rate 16 17 23 25 26 42 52 55 Data bits 17 53 Flow control 17 48 53 Parity 17 48 53 Stop bits 17 Conflicts 24 See also Troubleshooting Get plotter data 26 Ports See Serial port USB Settings 25 COM ports See Serial port USB Computer 15 59 Consumables 27 Ink 27 See also Ink cartridges Paper 27 Hubs 28 29 30 Installing feed shaft 29 Installing take up shaft 30 Loading 28 32 Minimum width 40 Proper paper path 31 Reattaching after marker removal 37 Taping 32 Taping paper to take up shaft 32 Consummables
28. box settings stored in the FlexJet Plotter Data check box Indicates when the displayed settings were successfully downloaded from the printer If this box is unchecked the Control Center was unable to connect with the FlexJet and cannot display current settings Check the connections baud rate and COM port Press the Get Plotter Data button to attempt to download settings if the process failed during startup Scale The printer scale ranges from 1 to 999 The factory default Scale is 100 A scale set to 50 prints at half size Changes do not take effect until the Set Scale button is pressed Note Both X and Y axes are set independently Frame Size Most design software sends long plots to printers by breaking them into smaller pieces called frames In general design software does this automatically and adjusts the Frame Size in the printer to match The Frame Size setting establishes clipping limits for each data frame If the printed size of a plot frame exceeds the frame size set in the FlexJet the excess is clipped or thrown away If the plot is clipped try increasing the Frame Size manually The factory set X axis paper direction frame size is 46 in 116 8 cm maximum is 21600 in 54 864 cm Default and maximum Y axis carriage direc tion frame size is 72 in 182 9 cm Loop Length Controls the length of the take up loop Shortening the loop may reduce paper tearing but runs the take up motor more often Lin
29. cartridge upside down in an air tight container Lay a sponge or cloth dampened with de ionized water next to it to help prevent the cartridge from drying out n To return the cartridge to service follow the manual cleaning procedure above Updating Firmware using the Control Center Summary 1 Prepare the FlexJet 2 Check the Current Version 3 Update the firmware Prepare the FlexJet for a Firmware Update 1 Power on the PC and FlexJet 2 Ensure that the serial cable is connected between the PC and the FlexJet 3 Copy the firmware file to the folder c Ioline Firmware or another location that is easy to remember Check the Current Firmware Version 1 Start the FlexJet Control Center 2 The main screen shows the current firmware version in the upper right corner If the version is less than 253 2 then please follow the directions under the section labeled Manually Updating Firmware using a Terminal Program like TeraTerm Figure 33 Ink cartridges should be stored in an air tight container If the firmware file is a ZIP archive make sure it is decom pressed before sending it to the FlexJet You can download a ZIP decompression utility at http www winzip com if necessary Note i If you are using firmware version 247 x or older you will need to update the firmware manually The Control Center will not upgrade the older firmware Note i 47 Chapter 4 Routine Maintenance
30. to the left end plate then return for a clean ing in the Service Station When the initial start up pro cess completes the OK light will turn red and the Square light will turn green 3 Press the Left Arrow key to position the carriage so that the tip of the small V notch in the base is over the desired starting point of the plot Close the safety cover 4 Press the Set Origin key The OK light will turn green The printer is ready to plot Sending Plot Files Send plot files to the printer using FlexPlot or design software Make sure the power is on and that the paper is loaded as previously described Also be sure that a new origin is set with the Set Origin keypad button and that the printer is in Start mode green light From FlexPlot 1 Choose input file type and location then double click on the file 2 Conversion will occur and the Send to Queue button is acti vated Press this button to add the file to the queue 3 Repeat steps 1 to 2 until the Queue contains all files you wish to print 4 Press the Send button Pausing a Marker Plot 1 Pause a plot by pressing the Start Stop key 2 The OK light will change from green to red The FlexJet will finish printing the current scan then pause 3 Once the printing has paused you may use the keypad keys to move the carriage paper and take up shaft When the Start Stop key is pressed again OK light changes from red to green the
31. turn off the power manually pull the carriage out over the platen and peer through the opening in the right end cover You ll see a white sticker in the back Hint The Get Plotter Data button will read the stored calibration settings from the printer and dis play them in the Factor windows Hint 42 Ioline FlexJet User Guide Prepare the Printer 1 Load the printer with paper that is a minimum of 46 in wide Follow the loading instructions under the Operation chapter Install cartridges 2 Move the carriage using the Arrow keys so that the carriage notch is over the paper and roughly one inch from the right paper edge 3 Put the printer in START green light mode by pressing the Set Origin key See the Operation chapter for more details on preparing to plot 4 Start the FlexJet Control Center software Ensure that there are no errors when the program tries to communicate with the printer If errors occur check the cables and ensure that the cor rect port number and baud rate are selected See Connect the FlexJet to the Computer Overview in the Installation chapter for information on serial port connections Figure 29 Cartridge calibration window Cartridge Calibration There are three types of adjustments associated with the ink cartridges Most line quality issues are resolved by adjusting these values n Cartridge Alignment aligns each individual ink cartridge rela tive to one another n
32. was removed from the printer and you need a paper leader to tape to the take up shaft The Page Advance key is only ac tive in STOP mode when the OK light is red Unroll Unroll Material Press the Start Stop button until the OK light turns red Press and release the Unroll button The printer will unroll a short segment of paper from the take up shaft Automatic Unroll Press the Start Stop button until the keypad light turns red Press and hold the Unroll button The printer will automatically unroll paper To cancel Automatic mode press the Start Stop key again Special Key Combinations Roll Up Use this function to roll material back onto the take up shaft Press and hold the Unroll and Right Arrow buttons at the same time The rolling will continue until the dancer bar reaches the optical sensor The Roll Up key is only active in STOP mode when the OK light is red Reset Serial Port Baud Rate This key combination will restore the serial port baud rate to the default speed of 38 400 This is useful for diagnostic testing of the communication system Turn power off Press and hold the Page Advance key as you turn power on again Continue holding the key down until the OK light turns red and the Square light turns green Restore Factory Default Settings This function replaces settings that are not working properly and can be used when manual calibration is unsuccessful This key combina tion will restore all calibra
33. 3 File formats 13 17 18 61 62 File import 13 Files Download firmware 25 47 File name extensions 61 EPS 25 61 PLT 25 61 PLX 25 61 Plot file adjustments See Control Center Send plot file 25 Firmware Software version 26 TeraTerm 48 49 Updating 25 46 50 Updating manually with terminal program 48 Flanged coupling 29 30 FlexJet Assembly 15 20 Connections 13 15 16 17 23 52 62 Front close up xii Front View x Maintenance 39 50 Operation 21 38 Pre wiring for expansion 25 Rear view xi Set up Operating and Maintenance Video 15 29 Settings 26 Start up process 19 FlexJet Control Center See Control Center FlexJet Quick Start Guide 13 15 51 FlexJet Service Manual 51 FlexJet Set up Operating and Maintenance Video 15 FlexPlot 13 15 16 17 18 19 28 34 35 52 See also the FlexPlot User Guide Abort button 35 Installation 19 Send to queue 34 Set up window 17 Workflow using CAD software 18 Workflow with FlexPlot 18 Flow control 17 48 53 Font 61 Foot Platen leveling foot close up xi Stand leveling foot close up x Frame 61 See also Plot Frame gap 42 Eliminating or adjusting 44 Frame gap box 44 Frame gap box 44 Frame size 26 61 Friction feed 61 Front dancer bar 31 Front top bar 31 G Get plotter data 26 Getting started 13 Assembly 15 Connecting to computer 15 Unpacking the FlexJet 15 Gray bars ix Lifting by gray bars ix G
34. 4 In TeraTerm choose File gt Send File 5 Use the window to browse to c Ioline Firmware and double click on the firmware file usually xxxxx mot where xxxxx is the version number A window will appear that shows the transfer progress 6 When the transfer window closes press the Z key The FlexJet will finish updating the firmware for approximately 2 minutes A few messages will appear indicating progress 7 When the download process is complete the carriage will go through the Power On sequence and park the Service Station TeraTerm will show that the new software is installed by displaying the version number The keypad OK light turns red and the Square light turns green 8 The FlexJet is ready for normal use Perform test plots and verify that the calibration values are correct If anything is not performing correctly reset calibration values as described un der the Reset Calibration Values section in this chapter Reset Calibration Values Perform the steps below if calibration values have been altered 1 With the FlexJet in STOP mode use the arrow keys to move the carriage to the center of the traverse 2 Turn power off on the FlexJet 3 Copy the factory calibration values from the white sticker inside the service station see Figure 34 If no sticker is present recalibrate the machine using the procedure available in the FlexJet User Guide 4 Press and hold the Unroll key on the keypad then turn
35. Shaft 32 Positioning the Pinchwheels 32 Insert the Dancer Bars 33 Set an Origin 34 Sending Plot Files 34 Pausing a Marker Plot 34 Canceling a Marker Plot 35 Removing Markers from the Take up Shaft 35 Manually Freeing the Take up Shaft 36 Automatically Freeing the Take Up Shaft 37 Reattach Paper to the Take up Shaft 37 Printing to the Floor
36. User Guide Ioline FlexJet Trademarks Ioline and FlexJet are trademarks of Ioline Corporation HP is a trademark of the Hewlett Packard Com pany Other product names logos designs titles words or phrases mentioned within this publication may be trademarks service marks or trade names of Ioline Corporation or other entities and may be registered in certain jurisdictions including internationally Ioline Disclaimer IOLINE CORPORATION PROVIDES THIS MANUAL AS IS WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OR MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE IN NO EVENT SHALL IOLINE ITS DIRECTORS OFFICERS EMPLOYEES OR AGENTS BE LIABLE FOR ANY INDIRECT SPECIAL INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES INCLUDING DAMAGES FOR LOSS OF PROFITS LOSS OF BUSINESS LOSS OF USE OR DATA INTERRUPTION OF BUSINESS AND THE LIKE EVEN IF IOLINE HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES ARISING FROM ANY DEFECT OR ERROR IN THIS MANUAL OR PRODUCT Limit of Liability Statement It is the responsibility of the operator of the printer to monitor the performance of the printer and main tain it in proper working condition by following the instructions in this User Guide It is the responsibility of the operator of the printer to follow all safety precautions and warnings that are described in this User Guide Ioline Corporation is not responsible for injuries that may
37. Xon Xoff Flow Control Keypad Error Codes Legend G Green light R Red light Y Yellow light Y Blink Blinking yellow light OFF Unlit If keypad errors are not shown on the chart to the left update the firmware Downloads are available on Ioline s FlexJet Web site or by contacting Ioline Customer Service Note i Figure 36 LED lights on the keypad First generation FlexJet keypad lights do not blink 54 Ioline FlexJet User Guide Common Issues A marker plot doesn t start at the correct point on the paper Cause The origin is not set Solution Position the pen where the plot should start Press the Set Origin key The printer does not complete the marker Cause 1 Outdated software 2 The frame panel size is mis matched between the printer and the design software Solution 1 Visit the Ioline FlexJet Web site to download upgrades Or contact Ioline Customer Service 2 Check the panel size in the software It should be equal to or lower than the default printer panel size of 46 in 116 8 cm When a marker plot file is sent nothing happens Cause A communication problem has oc curred or the printer is in STOP red light mode Solution Make certain the communication port is connected and configured properly Position the pen where the plot should start and press the Set Origin key to put the printer in START green light mode No power
38. Y axis Markers are generally plotted as a series of frames Frame Size The X axis length of each part of the plot as established by the design software Frame size is also called tile size page size etc Friction Feed Process where the material is fed through a printer by placing it between a motor driven drive shaft and tensioned pinchwheels Front Dancer Bar Light weight rod that holds the take up loop taught G Green Light Mode See START Mode H HPGL Hewlett Packard Graphics Language Instruction set used to send vector information to a 62 Ioline FlexJet User Guide 62 Ioline FlexJet User Guide machine that can represent data as an image HPGL 7475 is the most common plot language used for com munication between a printer and design software K Keypad Panel on the right side of the printer where the user controls simple printer functions Carriage and paper motion is accessible from here during Stop mode Also called the Control Panel M Mil Thousandths of an inch or milli inches For example 75 mils is the same as 075 inches 1 mil is equal to 025 mm O Origin Point marking the zero 0 coordinate on the X and Y axes Used as a starting reference by the printer On an Ioline printer the origin is set with the Set Origin key on the keypad P Panel See Frame Paper Hub Device that holds the feed paper roll in position on the feed shaft Pinchwheel
39. ans closer together Note i Use Best Mode when testing print quality as the higher resolution 600 dpi setting exercises more nozzles and pushes more ink out of the cartridge Hint 45 Chapter 4 Routine Maintenance 6 If the cartridge s is undamaged and still contains ink move on to the Automatic Cleaning Procedure Automatic Cleaning Procedure 1 Press the Start Stop key and wait until the OK light turns red 2 Press the Clean key The carriage will park in the Service Sta tion and automatically clean the print heads 3 When the cleaning process finishes test the print quality again in Best Mode activiated with the Quality key Press the Start Stop key The OK light will turn green If the FlexJet was active when you initiated Step 1 it will resume printing If it was idle send a marker to the print queue 4 If print quality remains poor the paper fiber build up may be such that auto cleaning alone is insufficient for removing ink plugs from the nozzles You may need to manually clean the print head Manual Cleaning Procedure To maintain optimal print quality manually clean cartridges after they sit idle for longer than two days or are placed in storage Wip ing the print head will clean out the nozzles and firing chambers A Cloth Should Be n Soft fiberless and moistened with deionized water Should NOT Be n Abrasive made of small fibers dry nor contain chemical additives 1 P
40. ar Heavy Dancer Bar 32 Ioline FlexJet User Guide Tape Paper to the Take up Shaft 1 Stand in front of the machine 2 Place 3 short pieces of masking tape within easy reach on the safety cover See Figure 19 3 Holding the edge of the paper with one hand use your free hand to lower the pinchwheel lever to raise the pinchwheels 4 Grasp the front edge of the paper with both hands and pull 20 in 51 cm of paper over the platen and gray top bar and under the take up shaft See Figure 18 for the proper paper path 5 Add tension to the feed roll by applying gentle pressure using the bottom of your foot 6 To align the paper gently pull it forward and side to side until the tension feels even 7 Press and hold the paper on the center of the platen with your left hand then lower the pinchwheels to lock the paper in place 8 Attach the paper to the take up shaft in the center and 2 in 5 cm from each end with the tape Figure 19 Taping the paper to the take up shaft Tape the paper in 3 places Positioning the Pinchwheels Pinchwheel position should correspond to paper size Always place two pinchwheels at the outside edges and evenly distribute the others 1 Ensure that the paper is loaded as described in the previous steps 2 Press and hold the paper on the center of the platen with your left hand then raise the pinchwheels by pushing the pinchwheel lever away from the machine with your righ
41. artridge if one is present Squeeze the handle between your fingers and pull forward then up Repeat for each cartridge 3 Insert the new cartridge with the print head pointing down toward the rear of stall and at a slight outward angle Press firmly while rotating the top of cartridge toward the back of the stall until it stops in an upright position See Figure 15 Figure 14 The Hewlett Packard 51645A 45 cartridges are widely available 28 Ioline FlexJet User Guide 4 Close the stall latch If the cartridge is inserted properly the latch will snap shut and securely hold the cartridge Do not force the latch If the latch does not close properly remove and reinsert the cartridge Printing a Marker Overview The basic steps required to print a marker on the FlexJet are 1 Turn the printer and computer power on 2 Load paper 3 Install cartridges in the stalls 4 Set an origin 5 Start FlexPlot or your design application 6 Send marker plot files These steps are outlined in the next several sections In most cases the design files are sent to the printer from FlexPlot or the design ap plication If necessary use the Ioline Control Center to send design files or adjust settings General Guidelines 1 Good paper loading makes good plots Follow loading instruc tions carefully 2 Ensure that the paper roll is centered on the feed shaft by align ing the paper hub with the guidelin
42. ath 31 Feed loop 61 Printing to floor 38 Paper path diagram 38 Sensor 62 Taping sensor 38 Reattaching paper after marker removal 37 Take up Loop 62 Taping paper to take up shaft 23 32 35 38 Paper scan alignment 44 See also Frame gap Paper sensor 23 37 38 56 See also Paper path Printing to floor Parity 17 48 53 Pause a print job 34 Pinchwheel 62 Location of xii Position 32 33 Outer and inner pinchwheel locations 33 Pinchwheel lever xii 31 62 View from front xii Platen xi xii 31 39 55 56 62 Cleaning 39 Platen leveling foot xi Plot 13 14 17 23 27 30 31 33 35 36 37 38 51 56 63 Accuracy 14 Adjustments with Control Center 24 26 Carriage motion 14 Frame 14 26 54 55 Alignment 42 Frame size 26 61 Scan gaps See Troubleshooting Layout 14 Line width 24 26 27 43 Paper motion 14 62 Quality See Printing Quality Removal See Unroll Scale 24 26 Scan 62 Alignment 44 Sending to printer 24 34 Set origin 22 X axis 14 26 41 Y axis 14 26 41 61 Plotter settings 13 15 16 17 19 24 25 26 28 40 41 42 46 49 52 54 55 56 Plotting pens See Ink cartridges Plotting quality See Printing quality Poor line quality See Printing Quality See Troubleshooting Port setup 16 17 Power cord 16 19 29 39 54 Socket location 16 Power on 29 Power switch xi 19 29 59 Pre wiring for expansion 25 Printer 62 Printing
43. d Firmware Allows the user to download the lat est firmware version for the FlexJet See the section Downloading Firm ware in the Routine Maintenance chapter for more information Send Plot File Print a PLT or PLX file Exit Exit the Control Center Communications Settings Select the COM port and baud rate to match the printer Send Command Permits advanced users to manually enter commands Automatic Buffer Disables Buffer Close Timer Improves Closing communications on some systems Tools Aux Sensor Controls the bottom Paper Out sensor on new FlexJets or the Cover Sensor on old FlexJets Cartridge Calibration Displays tools to adjust print cartridge alignment See Routine Maintenance for more details Size Calibration Allows adjustment of the size cali bration settings See Routine Main tenance for more details About Your FlexJet Displays license information for ma chines with upgraded print heads FlexJet Licensing Sets the license key code to enable inactive print heads in machines pre wired for expansion Requires firmware version 368 x or greater Help About Displays Control Center version information 26 Ioline FlexJet User Guide Control Center Menu Options Software Version Displays the current installed firmware and boot loader version Cartridge Count Displays how many cartridges are in active use by the printer Get Plotter Data Reads and displays the current input
44. d up It is recommended that two or more people remove a full take up roll from the machine Caution An alternate method to ease removal of markers is to slide a 3 in cardboard core over the take up shaft then tape paper to it The cardboard core will rotate slowly at first and may not raise the front dancer bar but will still roll up completed markers Simply slide the core off the take up shaft when plotting is complete Hint 36 Ioline FlexJet User Guide Manually Freeing the Take up Shaft Use this method to remove the take up shaft from the completed roll without having to unroll the markers 1 Tape the loose end of the roll down so that it cannot flap freely 2 Rotate the take up shaft by hand until the rectangular opening in the flanged coupling is perpendicular to the opening in the sup port block see Figure 17 Remove the shaft 3 Stand the roll on end with the flanged coupling pointing up Ro tate the take up shaft counter clockwise opposite to the direction that the paper was rolled on the machine See Figure 23 4 The larger the roll the more rotations are required to free the shaft When the shaft freely rotates lay the roll on the ground 5 Continue to twist the shaft counter clockwise while pulling it out of the paper roll until it is free Figure 23 Manually freeing the take up shaft 37 Chapter 3 Operation Automatically Freeing the Take Up Shaft Like the manual method
45. e Width Controls the weight of the plotted line using line width Three levels are available Thin Normal and Thick Thin lines use less ink and make fine details like Asian text and small pieces easier to see Thick lines use more ink to produce higher contrast lines Used in conjunction with the Quality Setting see below the FlexJet provides six options for output quality to enable you to produce clearly visible lines using the least possible amount of ink 27 Chapter 3 Operation Quality Setting Choose Draft or Best to control line density Draft mode uses 300 DPI Best mode uses 600 DPI A lower DPI setting uses less ink by creating a fainter line Higher DPI uses more ink but makes a darker line Use this setting in conjunction with the Line Width see above to find a bal ance between saving ink and making clearly visible lines Measurement Units Choose between English or Metric units for settings display Consumables Paper Ioline recommends 27 to 35 pound recycled or bond paper 36 to 74 in 91 to 188 cm wide The feed system supports rolls up to 600 yds long Ink The Ioline FlexJet requires Hewlett Packard 51645A or 45 cartridges Guidelines for Installing a Cartridge 1 With the printer in STOP mode red OK light press the left arrow key to move the carriage out onto the platen until all cartridge stalls are exposed 2 Raise the safety cover Open the blue stall latch and remove the old c
46. e marks 3 Keep the plastic feed shaft block clean and well lubricated 4 Use the FlexPlot software for optimal file management and printing throughput Figure 15 Insert ink cartridges at an angle into the cartridge bay Lock in place with the stall latch Refer to the FlexPlot User Guide for information on set up and configuration 29 Chapter 3 Operation Power On Turn on power to the computer and to the printer The printer power switch is located next to the power cord on the back When the power comes on the carriage will move left across the platen then return and stop on the right side The front panel OK light will turn red and the Square light will turn green when the printer is ready Loading Paper 1 Before loading a new paper roll always make sure the drive shaft is clean See the Routine Maintenance section for more de tails 2 Place a paper hub in each end of the paper roll using a rubber mallet 3 Slide the feed shaft through the paper hubs and the paper roll If a paper hub falls out press it firmly back into the end of the paper roll and reseat it with a rubber mallet 4 This step is very important Center the paper roll on the feed shaft by aligning the hubs with the black markings on the feed shaft Make sure the hubs remain securely in place Figure 16 Installing the feed shaft Support Block apply grease supplied in the Accessory Kit Support Block w Bearings Feed Shaft
47. ed for 90 days Customer Service Ioline Corporation is committed to providing quality service and support to our customers If you need assistance with an Ioline prod uct contact your local dealer or Ioline authorized service center You may also contact Ioline Customer Service Department Monday through Friday 7 00 A M 5 00 P M U S Pacific Time Voice 1 425 398 8282 Fax 1 425 398 8383 support ioline com www ioline com Your Comments Are Requested Ioline Corporation is interested in comments on our documentation and products Please send corrections or suggestions to Ioline Corporation 14140 NE 200th Street Woodinville WA 98072 USA Voice 1 425 398 8282 Fax 1 425 398 8383 info ioline com www ioline com This User Guide is provided for informational purposes only The contents are subject to change without notice and Ioline Corpora tion assumes no responsibility for any errors that are contained herein No part of the FlexJet User Guide may be copied dissemi nated or distributed without the express written consent of Ioline Corporation 59 Chapter 6 End Notes Name Company Name Phone Number Fax E mail Model Serial Number Date of purchase Dealer Type of media amp ink used Type of Computer Type of design software New software or peripherals Service history Before you contact Support Please gather the followin
48. ess has finished Installing FlexPlot and the Control Center The FlexJet includes two software interfaces FlexPlot and the Control Center FlexPlot will import and queue plot files from many design programs to optimize production operations The Control Center is an interface for adjusting parameters to optimize printer performance The printer comes with a CD ROM which has Microsoft Windows 98 NT 2000 XP versions of the programs as well as PDF user guides and the required Adobe Acrobat reader 1 Power on the computer and Windows 2 Insert the Ioline CD ROM into the CD ROM drive usually D 3 The installation program should start automatically If it does not a Select the Start button b Choose Run c Type D IOSETUP substitute the correct letter if the CD ROM drive letter is not D and Click OK 4 Follow the instructions that appear on the screen 5 The FlexPlot User Guide has details on using the FlexPlot soft ware In this manual see the section The FlexJet Control Center for more details about the Control Center software Keep hands and loose clothing away from all moving parts of the printer Make sure the Service Station opening in the right end plate is not obstructed and that the stall latches are lowered Caution 20 Ioline FlexJet User Guide This page intentionally left blank Keypad Controls The keypad provides access to the main functions of the FlexJet Figure 11
49. ety guidelines before beginning operation of the printer n Do not try to repair the machine without factory authoriza tion Only qualified service personnel should attempt any disassembly or access to internal components If external mechanical adjustments are necessary turn off the printer and disconnect it from all power sources both the computer and the wall outlet n Be careful with hair jewelry or loose clothing near the printer They can become caught in the mechanical parts n Never attempt to move the carriage by hand when the power is on Always use the Arrow keys to move the carriage To park the carriage safely in the Service Station and protect the print cartridges press the Clean button n Keep hands away from the carriage when the printer is in operation The car riage will automati cally move to touch the left end plate then back to the right end the Service Station position when the power is turned on n Never insert hands or other objects into the Service Station area on the right side of the printer The carriage occasionally enters this area without warning and could collide with an obstruction potentially causing and injury n Be careful when moving or lifting the printer Moving the print er requires at least 2 people To avoid injury to your fingers do not lift the printer by the end covers Hold the gray bars on the printer to lift or move it See Figure 1 n Keep fingers away from
50. g information about your printer before contacting Ioline or your dealer for technical support You ll find the serial number above the power switch on the back side of the right cover 60 Ioline FlexJet User Guide The FCC Wants You to Know This equipment generates and uses radio frequency energy and if not installed and used properly in strict accordance with manufac turer instructions it may cause interference to radio and television reception Operation is subject to the following two conditions 1 This device may not cause harmful interference and 2 this device must accept any interference received including interference that may cause undesired operation If this equipment does cause inter ference to radio or television reception which can be determined by turning the equipment off and on you are encouraged to try to correct the problem by one or more of the following measures n Use only shielded interface cables n Reorient the receiving antenna n Relocate the host computer with respect to the receiver n Move the host computer away from the receiver n Plug the host computer into a different outlet so that the host computer and receiver are on different branch circuits If necessary consult the dealer or an experienced radio television technician for additional suggestions How To Identify and Resolve Radio TV Interference Problems a booklet published by the Federal Communications Commissio
51. gital feedback to ensure plot accuracy The FlexJet breaks the plot file into frame segments in order to plot long markers The printer then rolls the frame segments onto a take up shaft The FlexJet can roll up to 600 yards onto the take up shaft at a time Origin at right side of FlexJet and lower left on plot Left side of FlexJet Right side of FlexJet Figure 5 The X and Y axes and origin top view safety cover removed for clarity In this manual the right and left side refers to the right and left side of the front of the FlexJet Design software usually refers to the Origin or Start Point as lower left because it is the lower left corner of a plot The plot is usually oriented in the printer rotated 90 degrees coun ter clockwise as shown in Figure 5 The lower left corner of the plot is physically on the right side of the printer Note i FlexJet Assembly Unpacking the Printer Carefully remove the printer from the box and place it on a flat sta ble surface This procedure requires two people Check the packing list to ensure that all of the accessories are present See the FlexJet Quick Start Guide for more information Save all packing materials and the box Assembling the Stand Assemble and level the stand using the hardware included in the Ac cessory Kit and directions outlined in the FlexJet Quick Start Guide Attaching the Printer to the Stand Attach the printer to the stand with the
52. hat port in all the software as instructed in the respective software user guides See Figure 8 COM Ports 17 Chapter 2 Installation Figure 8 FlexPlot Serial Port set up window Baud Rate The serial port on the FlexJet has an adjustable baud rate Available speeds are 9600 19200 38400 57600 and 115200 The default is set at the factory to 38 400 The baud rate is adjustable in the Control Center in the Communications gt Settings window Other Serial Port Settings You may also need to set additional serial port settings for instance when you use a terminal program The recommended configuration settings are Data Bits 8 Parity None Stop Bits 1 Flow Control Software or Xon Xoff Software Setup Options Ioline recommends using FlexPlot for marker making on the FlexJet FlexPlot offers the most robust and flexible workflow available for creating output It s especially useful when many file formats are used a common situation for service bureaus To set up and learn how to use the software see the FlexPlot User Guide The FlexJet is designed to work in many different production envi ronments The type of marker printing you do will often determine your preferred communication method Two typical methods for sending markers are 1 Plot directly from the marker or design software to the FlexJet See Figure 9 Unlike other marker printers the FlexJet is capable of operating as a stand alone de
53. he edge of the paper and tear it causing a paper jam Make sure that the paper is smoothly collecting on the floor to avoid paper jams Caution The front dancer bar is not needed when plotting to the floor Note i Cleaning the Drive Shaft Clean the drive shaft regularly to assure accurate plotting 1 Turn off the printer and disconnect the power cord 2 Gently remove any accumulated dust and residue with the stiff non metal bristle brush provided in the Accessory Kit Figure 26 Cleaning the Drive Shaft Cleaning the Platen and Traverse Dust and paper residue accumulate on the platen and traverse Un der regular use clean every two weeks 1 Turn off power to the printer 2 Dampen a lint free cloth with isopropyl pharmacy alcohol and gently wipe the platen and traverse rails until accumulated residue is removed Warning Do not use water brushes with metal bristles or solvents ex cept isopropyl pharmacy al cohol to clean the printer Keep the drive shaft bearings free of all liquids Caution Use antistatic spray instead of isopropyl alcohol to clean platen and traverse if desired Hint Chapter 4 Routine Maintenance 40 Ioline FlexJet User Guide Figure 27 Calibration screen in Control Center Cleaning the Support Blocks When dust and paper residue will accumulate on the take up and feed shaft support blocks frequent feed shaft jams can occur Per form this procedu
54. he power off rotate the take up shaft by hand until the rectangular opening in the flanged coupling is perpen dicular to the opening in the support block see Figure 17 b Remove the shaft from the support blocks c When unwound the plotted image faces up permitting markers to be unrolled onto the cutting table with the take up shaft in place Method 2 Manual unroll with the Unroll key a Press the Unroll key to unroll full markers in short steps b Cut the marker free from the take up shaft Reattach the paper to the take up shaft with masking tape following the steps outlined under the section Reattach Paper to the Take up Shaft later in this chapter before continuing printing Method 3 Automatic Unroll with the Unroll Key a Press and hold the Unroll key for 3 seconds The take up shaft will automatically unroll b Cancel automatic unroll at any time by pressing Start Stop Method 4 Remove the shaft and unroll away from the machine a Cut the marker free wind it manually or automatically with the take up motor and remove the take up shaft from the support blocks Except when the feed roll is changed it is best to leave the pinchwheels down when removing completed markers from the take up roll Leaving the pinchwheels down will help keep the paper aligned with the feed roll and reduce the time between printing operations Note i The take up shaft is very heavy when many plots have been rolle
55. heral like a printer V Vector A line segment between two coordinates X X Axis Theoretical horizontal line providing a length reference point for the printer Associated with paper movement over the platen Y Y Axis Theoretical vertical line providing a width reference point for the printer Associated with car riage movement across the traverse 64 Ioline FlexJet User Guide This page intentionally left blank Index Symbols 51645A 27 A About Your FlexJet 25 Acceleration 61 Accessory Kit 15 29 30 39 Active print cartridges 25 Alignment See Calibration See Troubleshooting Arc 61 Arrow keys ix 21 22 23 35 40 42 Buttons 23 Assembly 15 Lifting technique ix ASTM 6959 18 Automatic Buffer Closing 25 Automatic mode 23 Automatic unroll 23 Aux Sensor 25 Axis 61 B Baud rate 16 17 23 25 26 42 52 55 See also Serial port Adjusting 17 Reset 23 Speed 17 23 Bottom cover 61 C Cables Power cord 16 19 29 39 54 Serial 15 16 46 48 See also Serial port Socket and port locations on FlexJet 16 CAD software See Design software Calibration 25 40 44 47 49 Cartridge alignment box 43 Cartridge calibration window in Control Center 42 Control Center calibration screen 40 Factory default settings 41 50 Calibration sticker 50 Ink cartridges 42 Measuring the calibration box 41 Motion adjust box 43 Plot size 40 Calibration
56. hwheels not in correct location 4 Feed paper roll is centered on feed shaft 5 Paper roll not centered on feed shaft 6 Loose paper hubs Solution 1 Reload and align paper 2 Replace the paper roll 3 Reposition the pinchwheels as indicated in the Operation chapter 4 Center the paper roll on feed shaft see Figure 16 Make sure screws are tight on both paper hubs 5 Ensure the feed roll is centered on the feed shaft 6 Tighten screws on the paper hubs Service amp Support Ioline has many years of experience working with designers graders and marker makers Feel free to contact us if you have questions or to share information Getting Help Ioline is committed to providing the highest quality service and sup port to its customers If you need assistance with an Ioline FlexJet a number of resources are available 1 First refer to this FlexJet User Guide for answers to your specific questions 2 Many detailed troubleshooting and repair issues are listed in the FlexJet Service Manual available upon request from Ioline Customer Service 3 Consult the support section of the Ioline Web site www ioline com FlexJet users must have a User Name and Password to log into the site Please contact Ioline customer service to set up your free account 4 For additional assistance contact your local dealer or Ioline Customer Service Contact information is listed under Customer Ser
57. iage The component that holds the ink cartridge s It travels along the Y axis on the traverse D Dancer Bar Rod that holds the feed loop and take up loop taut during printing DM PL Digital Microprocessor Plotting Lan guage An instruction set used to send vector information to a machine that can represent the data as an image DM PL is used in software drivers for some design programs DPI Dots Per Inch Refers to the dot density or print resolution on paper Drive Shaft The motor driven shaft that moves ma terial through a friction feed printer The FlexJet drive shaft has a rough surface that grips the material Glossary F Feed Loop Slack material between the feed roll and the printer The rear dancer bar holds the feed loop taut during printing Feed Shaft Metal rod that holds the paper roll parallel to the printer and allows it to turn during feeding File Name Extensions In DOS and Windows based programs the three letters after the period in a file name With graphics files the three letters de note a file type such as the vector and bit map based Encapsulated Postscript EPS and the vector based Hewlett Packard Graphics Language PLT Font Refers to the style and width of letters num bers and symbols Examples are Helvetica Bold or Times Roman Frame Segment of a plot established by the design software Frames can be any size up to 21600 in X axis by 72 in
58. ies try the following suggestions n Install paper correctly See the Operation chapter for more details n Make sure the paper path and dancer bars are set correctly as shown in Figures 18 and 25 n Inspect the paper for wrinkles or folds Never use paper that is folded wrinkled or torn in any way It may cause paper jams n Make sure the pinchwheels are spaced across the paper as outlined under the Operation chapter n The pinchwheels should never be positioned over bearings on the drive shaft as paper tearing and bunching will occur Verify that the pinchwheels are positioned over treads e g under the white markers affixed to the traverse n Check to make sure that the printer is level See the FlexJet Quick Start Guide for more information n The paper may slip when debris accumulates on the drive shaft Inspect and clean the drive shaft Refer to the Routine Maintenance chapter for further information n Contact an Ioline distributor or Ioline Customer Service if you are unable to resolve the problem or if the FlexJet is damaged Chapter 5 Troubleshooting The FlexJet Service Manual available on request from Ioline Customer Service provides ex panded troubleshooting informa tion Note i 52 Ioline FlexJet User Guide Printing Quality Good printing quality is dependent upon a number of different fac tors The type of paper environmental conditions and operator hab its are only a few of the
59. lot file 25 Send size plot 41 Send to queue 34 Sensor xii 23 62 Serial communication 62 See also Communications Serial port xi 13 15 16 17 23 52 62 Configuration 16 Data bits 17 FlexPlot set up window 17 Flow control 17 Location on computer 16 Location on FlexJet 16 Parity 17 Setup 16 17 Stop bits 17 Service loop 62 See also Feed loop Service Station ix xii 19 22 31 34 41 44 45 46 49 50 53 62 Set alignment 43 Set calibration 41 Set gap 44 Set motion 43 Set origin 22 34 35 40 42 54 56 62 V notch on carriage 22 Button 22 Size calibration 25 40 41 Software See also Firmware Apparel design software 13 15 17 22 26 34 51 52 54 55 59 61 62 Control Center 13 15 16 17 19 24 25 26 28 41 42 46 49 52 54 55 56 FlexPlot 13 15 16 17 18 19 28 34 35 52 Setup 17 Software version 26 See also Firmware Special keycombinations 23 Square light 19 23 24 29 34 53 Square Shaft 62 Stall xii 27 28 44 Stand x 15 32 36 Assembly amp Leveling 15 Cross member xi Stand leveling foot x Start Stop 21 22 23 31 34 35 44 45 52 62 Button 21 71 Index 71 Index START mode 21 22 62 Start point See Origin STD 18 Stop bits 17 STOP mode 21 22 23 27 35 49 62 Support 57 60 Contact information 57 58 Ioline Web site 57 Warranty 57 Support block 29 30 62 Surge protecto
60. ly loaded 4 Paper buckles plotting to floor 5 Paper roll damaged 6 Paper not loaded correctly 7 Platen not level 8 Outdated firmware does not advance paper at startup 9 Pinchwheels press on a drive shaft bearing 10 Take up loop too long Solution 1 Install front or rear dancer bar 2 Remove slack from paper roll before pressing Set Origin 3 Reload paper and verify that it is in alignment 4 Clear paper path 5 Inspect the feed paper roll Drop ping the paper roll on an end can wrinkle the edge which can catch the carriage and cause a tear 6 Correct paper loading is vital Fol low the steps in the Operation chapter to reset paper alignment Make sure the front silver dancer bar is BELOW the front optical sensor before plotting 7 Make sure the distance between the print heads and platen sur face is the same at both the right and left side of the printer Adjust the platen levelers as described in the FlexJet Quick Start Guide 8 Use the Control Center to check the firmware version and ensure it is 324 or greater 9 With power off raise the pinchwheels and align them with the white driveshaft markers on the traverse 10 Use the Control Center to decrease loop length Requires Control Center version 6 or later and firmware version 324 Poor paper tracking Cause 1 Paper is improperly loaded 2 Bad paper roll or paper quality 3 Pinc
61. n is a helpful reference Please contact the FCC to request a copy www fcc gov Document stock number 004 000 00345 4 This booklet is available from U S Government Printing Office Washington D C 20402 This equipment was 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 en ergy and if not installed and used in accordance with the instruction manual may cause harmful inter ference to radio communications Operation of this equipment in a residential area is likely to cause harmful interference in which case the user will be required to correct the interference at his or her own expense Note i A Acceleration The rate that a printer changes the velocity of the carriage or the paper Acceleration is measured in units of g 1 g 32 2 ft s2 Arc A segment of a circle also called a curve Axis A geometric guideline used to place a coordinate B Bottom Cover Metal housing that protects the underside of the printer C Control Panel See Keypad Coordinate A point that is referenced by its position on the X or Y axes of a printer Vector or arc seg ments connect coordinates to create printing paths Carr
62. n the carriage is parked the Service Station caps the inkjet cartridges for short term storage of 2 days or less Square Shaft Shaft that raises and lowers the pinchwheels when rotated Located behind the tra verse assembly START Mode OK light on the keypad is green Printer is ready to print See Set Origin or Start Stop under Keypad Controls in the Operation chapter STOP Mode OK light on the keypad is red Printer is paused and offline e g not ready to print See Set Origin or Start Stop under Keypad Controls in the Operation chapter Support Blocks Plastic parts that hold the feed shaft and take up shaft T Take up Loop Slack material between the printer 63 63 Glossary and the take up shaft The front dancer bar holds the take up loop taut during printing Take up Motor The motor that rotates the take up shaft on the FlexJet Take up Shaft Metal rod that the plotted markers are rolled onto The take up shaft is driven by the take up motor Throughput The speed at which a printer com pletes a job Represents the ability to process infor mation and produce an image Top Bar Metal bars in the front and rear of the printer that hold the feed loop and take up loop vertical Traverse Structure that supports and guides the carriage and holds the pinchwheel assemblies U USB Universal Serial Bus High speed method for transferring information from a PC to a perip
63. occur as a result of unsafe use Ioline Corporation is not responsible for substandard operational performance as a result of failure to maintain the printer as described in this User Guide 2003 2005 Ioline Corporation All rights reserved This manual may not be copied photocopied repro duced translated transmitted or converted to any electronic or machine readable form in whole or in part without prior written approval of Ioline Corporation Service and Support If you require assistance with an Ioline product your local Ioline dealer or authorized service center is ready to help Support information is also available 24 7 on the Ioline Web site or you may contact Ioline directly Ioline Corporation 14140 NE 200th Street Woodinville Washington 98072 U S A Ioline Customer Service Department Monday through Friday 7 00 A M 5 00 P M U S Pacific Time Voice 1 425 398 8282 Fax 1 425 398 8383 techsupport ioline com www ioline com User Notice Part Number 108186 Rev 3 User Guide Ioline FlexJet Images amp Illustrations Figure 1 FlexJet Lifting procedure ix Figure 2 The Ioline FlexJet printer front view x Figure 3 The Ioline FlexJet printer rear view xi Figure
64. om the Menu Bar The win dow in Figure 27 will appear 3 Press the Send Size Plot button to print the factory stored calibration box The printer will print a box that is 40 102 cm long on the X axis and 30 in 76 cm wide on the Y axis 4 Precisely measure both sides X and the top and bottom Y of the box and record the results Better accuracy in measurement equals better calibration 5 Take the average of the horizontal Y values by adding them together and dividing by 2 Repeat this procedure for the verti cal X values Example If X1 39 750 in and X2 39 700 in The sum is 79 450 in 39 750 in 39 700 in 79 450 in The average is 39 725 in 79 450 in 2 39 725 in The X calibration value is the average 39 725 in Enter the Calibration Data 1 Enter the measured values in the boxes in the Calibration win dow Make sure the printer is in START green light mode Select the Set Calibration button 2 The Control Center will send the calibration values to the printer and the new Calibration Setting will be displayed in the boxes in the window pictured in Figure 27 3 Click on Done when finished Figure 28 The Calibration box and measurements Y1 Y2 X1 X2 40 in Only use Reset Calibration to restore original factory calibration settings Note i The factory set calibration values are written on a small sticker inside the Service Station See Figure 34 To view them
65. own in Figure 22 The take up shaft is very heavy when many plots have been rolled up It is recommended that two or more people remove the plotted paper roll from the machine Caution Except when the feed roll is changed it is best to leave the pinchwheels down when removing completed markers from the take up roll Leaving the pinchwheels down will help keep the paper aligned with the feed roll and reduce the time between printing operations Note i 38 Ioline FlexJet User Guide Printing to the Floor With careful setup and constant supervision the FlexJet will print markers directly onto the floor This method is NOT intended for printing long markers or unattended printing Ioline recommends that only markers 10 yards and shorter are printed with this method Figure 24 Before printing to the floor place tape over the front take up bar sensor 1 With FlexJet power off place a piece of tape over the front take up bar sensor as shown in Figure 24 2 Use the paper path diagram to thread the paper on the front of the machine It should drape over the front top bar AND the empty take up shaft 3 Set an origin normally and begin plotting Make sure that the paper piles smoothly onto the floor If it bunches up it may catch on the moving carriage and tear Figure 25 Paper path for printing to the floor If the paper bubbles or wrinkles while it flows over the platen surface the carriage might catch t
66. pdate the Firmware 1 Power on the PC and FlexJet 2 Ensure that the serial cable is connected between the PC and the FlexJet 3 Copy the firmware file to a folder like c Ioline Firmware or another location that is easy to remember Setup TeraTerm 1 Start TeraTerm Please contact Ioline if you need a copy It is included on the FlexJet CDROM in the X tools where X is the CDROM drive letter folder 2 When the New Connection window appears click on the circle next to Serial then select the COM port that connects the printer to the PC 3 In the main TeraTerm window menu click on Setup gt Serial Port 4 Make sure the settings match the following a Data 8 bit b Parity None c Stop 1 bit d Flow Control Xon Xoff e Transmit Delay 0 0 5 Press OK If the firmware file is a ZIP archive make sure it is decom pressed before sending it to the FlexJet You can download a ZIP decompression utility at http www winzip com if necessary Note i 49 Chapter 4 Routine Maintenance Update Firmware 1 Press the CAPS LOCK key on the keyboard so that the CAPS LOCK light is lit 2 With TeraTerm open turn FlexJet power off then back on A message should appear in the TeraTerm window 3 Within 8 seconds of turning on power press the Y key on the keypad This prepares the FlexJet to accept new software The carriage should NOT move after pressing the Y key
67. printer and the computer Caution Installation Chapter 2 16 Ioline FlexJet User Guide Cable Connections When connecting the FlexJet to the computer by serial cable 1 Make sure that power to the printer is off Power is off when the switch is in the 0 position and is turned on when placed in the 1 position 2 Connect the supplied serial cable and power cord to the panel on the back right end cover of the printer Lock the serial cable to the port on the printer with the thumb screws Figure 6 The serial cable and power cord plug into the sockets in the back of the right end cover Figure 7 A PC typically has two 9 pin serial ports COM 1 and COM 2 3 Plug the printer power cable into a wall socket or a surge pro tector 4 Make sure that power is off to the computer 5 Connect the serial cable to a 9 pin male serial port on the back of the computer If your computer has a 25 pin connector acquire a 25 pin to 9 pin serial adapter to make the connection Tighten the thumbscrews Serial Configuration It is critical that the FlexJet Control Center FlexPlot software and any other software that send data to the printer use the same COM port and baud rate that the FlexJet is using COM Port A PC typically has two external 9 pin male serial connections These ports are often listed in the system settings as COM 1 and COM 2 Determine which port is connected to the FlexJet then select t
68. printer will begin printing again where it left off Figure 22 Front Dancer Bar Channel Front Dancer Bar Channel Sensor Window Do not pull paper tight between the drive shaft and the take up shaft while printing is paused Do not turn the feed roll or take up roll by hand while printing is paused Caution See the FlexPlot User Guide or your design application user guide for information on how to send files to the printer 35 Chapter 3 Operation Canceling a Marker Plot 1 Press the Start Stop key to place the printer in STOP mode red light The FlexJet will finish printing the current scan and pause 2 To stop the computer from sending plot files to the printer click the Abort button in FlexPlot 3 Use the keypad Arrow keys to position the carriage for the start of a new plot file as described earlier 4 Press the Set Origin key to ready the printer for the next plot file Removing Markers from the Take up Shaft 1 Press Start Stop until the OK light changes to red STOP mode 2 Wait for the plotting to halt then open the safety cover 3 Remove the front dancer bar Place it in the small notches in the brackets in the front cover hinges for storage 4 Cut the paper with the supplied cutting tool using the groove in the front of the platen as a guide 5 Use one of the following methods to remove completed markers Method 1 Unroll with the take up shaft in place a With t
69. r 15 16 System settings See See Control Center T Take up key 30 40 Take up loop 62 Take up motor x xi 63 Take up motor cable xi Take up motor outlet xi Take up sensor xii See also Sensor Take up shaft x 14 23 30 31 32 34 35 36 37 38 40 62 63 Installation 30 Installing take up shaft 30 Manually freeing take up shaft 36 Maximum paper roll length 14 Taping paper to take up shaft 32 Tape positions 32 Tech Support 58 TeraTerm 48 49 Terminal program 17 53 Throughput 63 Top bar 63 Tracking 51 56 Traverse xii 39 63 Cleaning 39 Troubleshooting 51 56 See also FlexJet Service Manual Alignment issues 55 Common issues 54 56 Communications 52 General troubleshooting 51 Keypad error codes 53 55 Loss of registration between frames 54 Media tracking 51 56 Paper jams 38 40 Paper tears 56 Power 54 Printing quality 44 46 52 54 55 Radio TV interference 60 Scan gaps 55 Speed 55 U Unroll 21 23 30 35 37 49 Automatic unroll 23 35 Button 23 USB xi 63 V Vector 63 W Windows 19 61 Wrench 30 X X Axis 63 See also Plot Y Y Axis 63 See also Plot Z
70. re satisfactory Repeat until the results are correct 7 Perform the Frame Gap adjustment detailed later in this chap ter to reset the Frame Gap Motion Adjust Carriage Scan Alignment 1 Press Select Alignment Plot 2 Browse to the c Ioline Calibration folder Select the 40X8 plt test file 3 The Motion Adjust box has one number for adjustment The default value is 0 4 Changing the values affects the next scan created when moving from left to right 5 Press the Set Motion button after making adjustments to the values Example a Lines from the second scan shift left to align with the first scan b Decrease the Motion Adjust value by 1 c Press the Set Motion button d Repeat the test until alignment is correct 6 Click on Done when finished Figure 31 The Motion Adjust Box Figure 30 The Cartridge Alignment Box Adding numbers moves the lines right Subtracting numbers moves the lines left Note i Adding numbers moves the second scan left Subtracting moves the second scan right Note i 44 Ioline FlexJet User Guide Frame Gap Paper Scan Alignment 1 Press Select Alignment Plot 2 Browse to the c Ioline Calibration folder Select the 40X8 plt test file 3 The Frame Gap box has one number for adjustment The default value is 0 4 Changing the values affects the next scan created when moving paper forward through the printer
71. re when debris inhibits easy rotation of the shaft 1 Turn off power to the printer 2 Remove the feed shaft and the take up shaft 3 Dampen a lint free cloth with isopropyl pharmacy alcohol and gently wipe the plastic support blocks until accumulated residue is removed 4 Apply a light coating of grease to the plastic feed shaft support block White Lithium grease is supplied with the printer 3 in 1 brand oil is also a very good lubricant for the feed block 5 Wipe down both ends of the feed and take up shafts before reinstalling them Size Calibration Over time the printer may require calibration to account for normal wear Calibration adjusts the output to match design intent Prepare the Printer See the Operation chapter 1 Load the printer with at minimum 46 in wide paper 2 Install ink cartridges 3 Using the Arrow keys move the carriage so that the carriage notch is positioned about 1 inch from the right edge of the paper 4 Press the Set Origin key to put the printer in START green light mode Never touch the take up key or flanged coupling while they are rotating Serious personal injury could result Turn power off first Caution The Scale command does not effect calibration values Note i 41 Chapter 4 Routine Maintenance Use the Control Center to Gather the Calibration Data 1 Open the FlexJet Control Center program 2 Select Tools gt Size Calibration fr
72. rease 29 30 40 55 Green light mode 61 See also START Mode H Hardware See FlexJet Assembly Help 57 59 See also FlexPlot and Control Center Hex wrench 30 HPGL 13 17 18 61 62 Hubs 28 29 30 I Import 13 Ink 27 Ink cartridges 13 28 40 42 Auto cleaning 22 45 Calibration amp alignment 25 40 41 42 43 44 47 49 Cartridge alignment box 43 Control Center cartridge calibration window 42 68 Ioline FlexJet User Guide 68 Ioline FlexJet User Guide Motion adjust box 43 Cartridge count 26 Cartridges in stalls xii Cartridge stall latch xii Cleaning 45 Guidelines for installing 27 28 Install and lock in place 28 HP 51645A 27 Ink 27 Ink level indicator 44 45 52 55 Empty cartridge 52 Maintenance and handling 44 46 Requirements 27 Stalls xii 27 28 44 Storage 46 Air tight container 46 Upgrading number of stalls 25 Installation 15 20 Ioline Corporation 58 J K Keypad 19 21 23 24 30 34 35 43 47 49 52 53 55 61 62 Arrow keys ix 21 22 23 35 40 42 Clean ix 22 31 39 45 52 55 Close up view of 21 Lights See Troubleshooting LED lights 53 OK light 19 21 22 23 24 27 29 31 34 35 45 47 49 53 62 Page advance 23 37 52 53 Quality 22 Reset serial port baud rate 23 Restore factory default settings 23 Roll Up 23 Set origin 22 34 35 40 42 54 56 62 Special key combinations 23 Square light 19 23 24 29 34 53 S
73. ress the Start Stop key 2 Using the Left Arrow key reposition the carriage over the platen 3 Open the latch for the first cartridge and remove it 4 Inspect the ink level indicator on the cartridge to verify the cartridge is not empty 5 Dampen the cloth with de ionized water 6 Drag the surface of the cartridge print head over the surface of the cloth Wipe slowly across the long axis with the print car tridge facing down Do not apply excessive force as this could scratch the nozzle area 7 Repeat until the print head leaves an evenly dark line of ink on the cloth 8 When the cleaning process finishes test the print quality again in Best Mode activated with the Quality key Press the Start Stop key The OK light will turn green If the FlexJet was active when you initiated Step 1 it will resume printing If it was idle send another marker to the print queue Use only fiberless cloth as fibers will block the nozzles of the print cartridge The cloth must be moistened with deionized water so it does not scratch the print cartridge Scratches can blur line quality Note i 46 Ioline FlexJet User Guide Print Cartridge Storage Short term Storage 7 days or less n Simply leave the print cartridge in the machine capped in the Service Station n If the cartridge was not in the Ser vice Station it may require manual cleaning Long term Storage greater than 7 days n lace the print
74. t hand When installing or retaping paper remove the rear and front dancer bars and set them aside Note i 33 Chapter 3 Operation 3 Make sure that the paper roll is centered on the feed shaft 4 Move the pinchwheels into their proper positions over a tread and under the white markers on the traverse rail See Figure 20 Do not place pinchwheels over drive shaft bearings 5 Lower the pinchwheels Insert the Dancer Bars 1 Lower the pinchwheels by pulling the lever toward the machine 2 Hold the paper in place over the rear top bar and insert the rear heavy gray dancer bar into the rear dancer bar channel Apply gentle pressure to control the paper feed as gravity pulls the heavy bar into the channel See Figure 21 3 Insert the front dancer bar into the front dancer bar channels Inner Pinchwheel Figure 20 Positioning the pinchwheels for 72 in 183 cm paper 72 Inch Paper Outer Pinchwheels White Driveshaft Markers Figure 21 Inserting the dancer bars Rear Dancer Bar Gray heavy rod Front Dancer Bar Silver light rod Drive Shaft Bearings Ensure that the paper roll is cen tered on the feed shaft Note i 34 Ioline FlexJet User Guide Set an Origin 1 Ensure that cartridges are installed in the carriage stall s See Guidelines for Installing a Cartridge earlier in this chapter 2 Close the cover and turn on the power After a brief pause the carriage will glide
75. t is red Stays parked and capped Quality Switches between the Best or dark 600 dpi line mode and Draft mode 300 dpi which prints lighter and consumes less ink You can change line quality while the FlexJet is printing Set Origin The Set Origin key sets the initial origin or starting position for the marker It s best to always set a new origin point after cycling power To set a new origin press Start Stop until the OK light turns red STOP mode Use the Arrow keys to move the carriage so that the V notch and red LED light are positioned over the desired starting point Press the Set Origin key The OK light will turn green indi cating the printer is ready to accept plot files See Figure 12 Figure 12 The Set Origin key sets the marker origin point directly below the top of the notched V on the carriage base located on the right side near the red LED light V Notch Apparel design software usually refers to the origin as lower left because it is the lower left corner of a marker Because the plot is usually oriented as shown in Figure 5 it is physically on the right side of the printer Note i 23 Chapter 3 Operation Arrow Keys Pressing the Arrow keys moves the carriage left or right The Arrow keys are only active in STOP mode see Start Stop when the OK light is red Page Advance Pressing this button advances the paper in small increments This is useful if a plot
76. tart Stop 21 22 23 31 34 35 44 45 52 62 Unroll 21 23 30 35 37 49 Keypad error codes 53 L Left end cover x License key code 25 Limit of liability statement x Line quality See Printing Quality See also Troubleshooting Line width 24 26 27 43 See also Printing Quality Loop Length 26 Loss of registration between frames 54 Lower left plot origin 14 M Maintenance 39 50 Lubricants 40 Manual unroll 23 Marker removal Manually freeing take up shaft 36 Markers See also Plot Removal 35 37 See also Unroll Using cardboard tube 35 Starting position See Plot Set origin Measurement Units 27 Media 13 14 51 59 Media tracking 51 56 Menu Control Center 25 FlexPlot See the FlexPlot User Guide Mil 62 Motion adjust 43 Motion adjust box 43 N Notched V 22 Images Location on carriage 22 O Offline 21 62 OK light 19 21 22 23 24 27 29 31 34 35 45 47 49 53 62 Operating system 19 61 69 Index 69 Index Optical sensor See Sensor Origin 14 22 34 35 40 42 53 54 56 62 V notch on carriage 22 Location on plot 14 Output See Printing P Page advance 23 37 52 53 Button 23 Panel See Frame Paper See Consumables Paper Hub 62 See also Consumables Paper Hubs Paper jams See Troubleshooting Paper motion See Plot Paper Out sensor 25 Paper path 31 32 38 56 Correct feeding p
77. the drive shaft when the printer is in operation Serious injury could result Figure 1 Lift the printer head using the gray bars to avoid injury to your fingers Safety amp Cautions ix A Left End Cover B Safety Cover C Right End Cover D Take up Motor E Stand Leveling Foot F Feed Roll G Take up Shaft H Feed Shaft I Stand KEY Figure 2 The Ioline FlexJet Printer Front View E A B C F H I D G x Visual Reference Guide Figure 3 The Ioline FlexJet Printer Rear View head tilted in maintenance position J Take up Motor Cable K Take up Motor Outlet L Serial amp USB Ports M Power Switch N Platen Leveling Foot O Cross member P Paper Out Sensors hidden KEY J K L M N xi O P Figure 4 The Ioline FlexJet Printer Front View Close up safety cover lifted for clarity Q Ink Cartridge Stall R Cartridge Stall Latch S Pinchwheel Lever T Keypad U Service Station Beneath Cover V Take up Sensor W Platen X Pinchwheel Y Drive Shaft Marker Z Traverse AA Carriage Assembly KEY Q T V W AA Z R U S X Y xii In order to output to the FlexJet your apparel design software must create plot files in HPGL 7475 or DM PL format Alternatively you can output markers using the FlexPlot software included with the FlexJet FlexPlot imports and converts a variety of file formats for output to the FlexJet
78. tion values to the factory defaults Turn power off Press and hold the Unroll key as you power up again Continue holding the key down until the OK light turns red and the Square light turns green 1 0 1 0 For more details on removing plotted markers from the take up shaft see Removing Markers from the Take Up Shaft later in this chapter Note i 24 Ioline FlexJet User Guide The FlexJet Control Center Overview The FlexJet Control Center is a utility program that does two things n Allows you to adjust settings to tailor output e g scale line width from the computer n Provides an interface to send completed files to the printer Figure 13 FlexJet Control Center Main Menu Changing System Settings A variety of settings are adjustable to fit specific needs n Make sure the printer power is on and that the initialization process is complete The carriage will park the keypad OK light will turn red and the Square light will turn green n The Screen Menu displays the primary settings that are adjust able The Menu Bar contains utilities for setting up the Control Center and calibrating the FlexJet n Changes only take effect after one of the Send buttons is pushed To avoid communication port conflicts do not simultaneously run more than one application that communicates with the printer Note i 25 Chapter 3 Operation Control Center Menu Bar Features File Downloa
79. top bars resting in the notch es in the stand legs Use the hardware as indicated in the FlexJet Quick Start Guide Connect the FlexJet to the Computer Overview Connect the printer to your computer via serial cable provided in the Accessory Kit The corresponding serial port on your computer may be either a 9 pin or 25 pin male receptacle If the computer has 25 pin serial ports a 25 to 9 pin adapter is necessary Once connected select the correct port and data rate in your apparel design software FlexPlot and or the Control Center Consult the design software manual or the dealer for further information Infor mation on configuring FlexPlot and the Control Center follows in the Operation chapter An overview of the complete setup procedure is described in detail in the FlexJet Quick Start Guide The FlexJet Set up Operating and Maintenance Video provided on CD ROM also provides a helpful visual overview Both materials are provided in the Accessory Kit Do not hold the printer chassis by the bottom edge of the end plates when attaching it to the stand Fingers and hands might get pinched between the end plates and stand legs Hold the gray metal top bars a few inches from the end plates when handling the head See Figure 1 Caution Before connecting the FlexJet to your PC make sure the computer and the printer both have the power turned off Ioline recommends using a surge protector power strip for both the
80. variables that can affect the quality of a plot It is important that the printer is loaded and maintained according to the guidelines under the Operation chapter If the scans printing from a single pass do not line up see the sec tions on calibrating the printer in the Routine Maintenance chapter Line Quality If the line quality is uneven try the follow ing in the order listed below 1 Press Start Stop then the Clean keys on the keypad to automatically clean the cartridges 2 Inspect the ink level window on cartridge If it is black then the cartridge is empty Replace it with a new one 3 Remove the cartridge s and manu ally clean the print head with a de ionized water moistened lint free cloth See Cartridge Maintenance and Handling under the Routine Maintenance chapter for more information 4 Plot on undamaged or higher quality paper that is free of wrinkles and bubbles 5 Use genuine HP 45 cartridges as recommended by Ioline 6 Contact an Ioline distributor or Ioline Customer Service if you need further help Serial Communication The serial port on the FlexJet has an adjustable baud rate Available speeds are 9600 19200 38400 57600 and 115200 It is critical that the FlexJet Control Center FlexPlot or design software use the same baud rate that the FlexJet is using If there is ever any doubt about what baud rate the printer is using Ioline recommends resetting it to the default of
81. vice in this chapter Any warranty servicing of this product not specifically described in this manual must be authorized in writing by Ioline Customer Service You may obtain service by calling or faxing Ioline Customer Service The technicians will help you determine the nature of the problem If factory repair is necessary you will receive a RMA Re turn Material Authorization Please gather the information indicat ed on the next page before contacting Ioline or your dealer 1 When returning a machine carefully package the equipment in its original container or packaging equivalent You may purchase shipping containers from Ioline by contacting Ioline Customer Service Ioline is not responsible for any damage due to inadequate or improper packaging 2 Carefully wrap and secure all items in the shipping container to FlexJet service manuals technical bulletins software updates and other information is available to FlexJet owners on www ioline com Access is free Just contact Ioline Customer Service at support ioline com to set up a User Name and Password Hint Chapter 6 End Notes 58 Ioline FlexJet User Guide prevent damage Seal the container and note the RMA number near the address block 3 Ship the container using FED EX or another approved carrier COD shipments ARE NOT ACCEPTED An Ioline representa tive will contact you prior to the start of work with an estimate of repair cost All repairs are warrant
82. vice with no extra software running on the computer This method works if your CAD software includes a driver for any Ioline product such as the Ioline 600Ae or the Summit 2200 It will also work if the CAD software can create a compatible HPGL or DM PL formatted file 18 Ioline FlexJet User Guide Figure 10 Workflow using FlexPlot for file conversion and output 2 Use FlexPlot software to convert files before sending them to the FlexJet for output The FlexJet includes the FlexPlot software which will convert many different files into a format that is compatible with the FlexJet It also provides an advanced marker queue manage ment system and other tools to optimize the performance of the printer Figure 9 Workflow output direct from CAD software without FlexPlot FlexJet FlexJet CAD Software FlexPlot Network HPGL DM PL DXF ASTM 6959 STD CAD Software HPGL DM PL Alternate Configuration CAD Software FlexPlot 19 Chapter 2 Installation Power On Turn on the computer and the printer to make sure they both work The printer power switch is located next to the power cord on the back of the machine behind the keypad When the FlexJet is pow ered up the carriage will move toward the left side of the machine then return to the opposite side to park in the Service Station The OK light will turn red and the Square light will turn green on the front panel after the start up proc
83. when printer is turned on keypad lights stay dark Cause 1 The power cord is damaged or disconnected 2 The printer is damaged and needs professional service Solution 1 Check the power connection 2 Contact an Ioline distributor or Ioline Customer Service Poor line quality Cause 1 Ink cartridge is improperly installed 2 Frame Gap setting is incorrect 3 Carriage electronics or cables are damaged Solution 1 Remove and reinstall ink car tridge 2 Use the Control Center to adjust frame gap as shown in the Routine Maintenance chapter 3 Contact Ioline customer service 55 Chapter 5 Troubleshooting Jagged scan alignment Cause 1 Cartridge alignment is incorrect 2 Motion alignment is incorrect 3 Platen or stand is not level 4 Loose carriage pulley causing ran dom uneven gaps between scans Solution 1 Use the Control Center to adjust cartridge alignment as shown in the Routine Mainte nance chapter 2 Use the Control Center to adjust motion alignment as shown in the Routine Maintenance chapter 3 Follow the directions in the FlexJet Quick Start Guide to level the stand and platen 4 Contact Ioline customer service Rear heavy bar goes to the top of the channel and the keypad shows and error Cause 1 Out of paper 2 Paper path is obstructed 3 Dirty feed roll support blocks 4 Paper is not aligned properly

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User Guide Ioline FlexJet™