Technical Training Manual

for HP Designjet H45000/35000 (ColorSpan 5400uv Series) Version: 2008.02.23

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About this Manual

This manual is used in conjunction with Authorized Service Provider training courses for the HP Designjet H45000/35000 (ColorSpan 5400uv series) UV-curable ink printers.

Revision History
May 2007 June 2007 July 2007 Feb. 2008

Initial Release Maintenance Release Maintenance Release Initial HP Release

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I. Product Description
Models
There are four models in the Designjet H series. Other than the differences noted in the following table, they are identical in all respects. There is no upgrade path from one model to another.

Model
H35100 (CS5440uv) H35500 (CS5460uv) H45100 (CS5445uv) H45500 (CS5465uv)

Color Set
CMYK CMYKcm CMYK CMYKcm

Total Printheads
4 (1 per color) 6 (1 per color) 8 (2 per color) 12 (2 per color)

Speeds vary based on number of printheads per color. The 35100 and 35500, with one printhead per color, have the same speeds. The 45100 and 45500, with two printheads per color, are twice as fast. See the chart in section III for speed detail. The final apparent output resolution varies based on the presence or absence of the light-density inks. The 35500 and 45500, with the CMYKcm color set, have a maximum apparent output resolution of 1800. The 35100 and 45100, with the CMYK-only color set, do not benefit from any apparent resolution enhancements.

Key Specifications
Maximum media thickness of 1.00" Maximum print width 54" (rigid) or 53.5" (roll-fed) See the following sections for full description of product features.

Naming Convention
35xxx 45xxx xx100 xx500

The Designjet H series moniker is parsed in the following way: 1 head per color 2 heads per color Four color (CMYK) Six color (CMYKcm)

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Orientation

Some documents use the following conventions to identify printer orientation. Input Side

Service End User End

Output Side

This document also uses the term X-axis to describe motion of mechanical parts from left-to-right, or service-end to user-end; in other words, the axis in which the carriage moves. The term Y-axis is used to describe motion of mechanical parts that feed the media through the printing area; in other words, from front-to-back or top-to-bottom with regard to a finished print. There is generally no discussion of Z-axis motion, but if there were it would encompass the up and down motion of the service station and/or the up and down motion of the rail and carriage for the accommodation of various thicknesses of media.
X axis

Z-axis Y-axis

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II. Printer Function/Feature Overview

Media Handling & Ink Compatibility

In this section we review the main features of the printer and highlight their advantages. The Designjet H can print on a wide range of media types. The printer supports roll-fed media up to 54" wide and cut-sheet materials 54" wide by 8 long. The sheet-fed method is also referred to as the Straight-Through Paper Path or STPP. UV-cure inks are compatible with an even greater array of substrates, ranging from paper, vinyl, plywood, glass, and many synthetic materials. It is far more likely that the UV-cure ink will work with a given media than that it will not work. The printer uses HP Designjet 788 ink (formerly ColorSpan SolaChrome-UV ink). UVcurable ink is unlike most other inkjet ink in that it does not need to be absorbed into the substrate or a topcoat. UV-ink instead sits on the surface of the media, much like enamel paint. So while the ink will successfully cure onto most any surface, there are varying degrees of adhesion. Adhesion is a measurable trait that indicates how resistant the ink is to scratching or other attempts to remove it from the substrate. Adhesion improves as curing continues. When immediately printed and exposed to the UV energy, the ink sets up and begins to cure. It is dry to the touch (i.e., it will not smear) but the molecular linking process that was set in motion by the UV energy continues for up to 48 hours after exposure. A particular media may have poor adhesion immediately after printing, but that adhesion can improve significantly when left another 24-48 hours.

Print Server Connectivity

The network connectivity to the printer is mediated through a print server only, either the HP RIP Software (formerly ColorSpan Kodiak RIP), which supports NetBEUI (Windows Networking) and TCP/IP connections, or a supported third-party RIP, which may support any number of network protocols. The printer itself does not connect directly to any existing ethernet network, nor does it use any standard protocols such as TCP/IP. The print server, regardless of type, connects to the printer via a dedicated 100baseT ethernet network card. Data communication between the printer and print server is through ColorSpans VideoNet protocol. Typically the printer is connected directly to a single server by a crossover cable. In environments with multiple servers or multiple printers, a hub can usually be employed to make the printer available to multiple servers. This should be a physically segregated, VideoNet-only network, not the local ethernet network.

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Printheads

Depending on model, the Designjet H uses four, six, eight, or twelve piezoelectric printheads, with one or two printheads per color. Each printhead has 192 jets. The printhead consists of two parts, the piezoelectric mechanism or jetpack and an engineered-composite material reservoir.
Reservoir Piezo Inkjet Mechanism Printhead Assembly

Onboard digital imaging sensor

All printers are equipped with a digital image sensor that performs several functions. First, it automatically measures the width of the media when a new media is installed on the printer. On rigid media, it also finds the leading edge and can detect if the media has been loaded with any skew. Second, it can perform several of the calibrations necessary to prepare the system for printing.

Onboard color sensor

In addition to the image sensor, the printer is equipped with a color sensor, also known as the photodiode or spectrophotometer, for the purpose of linearizing, or color calibrating, the printer. The linearization function is available for many, though not all, media substrates. Substrates such as backlit film or other transmissive media require an external, transmissive input device for color calibration. The color sensor can also be used to create custom ink & media color profiles. Both linearization and profile creation using the color sensor depend on support from the attached print server.

Jet Replacement

By using either the image sensor for automated calibration or operator input for manual calibration, the printer can identify individual jets on any printhead that are not performing satisfactorily, and then re-map the functions of that bad jet to a different jet. This feature is also known as Jet Mapping. Depending on the print mode configuration (see section IV), the number of jets available as replacement for any one other jet varies. It is possible to have a large number of jets not working on a printhead and still be able to map in replacements so that no jets are missing during printing. If a jet that was previously identified as bad begins to work again, that jet can be cleared from the list and re-enabled for printing.

Adjustable head height

The head height of the carriage is the distance from the printhead orifice plate, or jets, to the surface of the media. This distance typically remains constant regardless of the

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thickness of the media. To accommodate media thicknesses up to one inch, the entire rail assembly is moved up and down by a pair of lift motors. The carriage assembly rides along with the rail and is positioned precisely above the media by the aid of a sensor that determines media thickness. Based on the detected thickness of the media, the rail is moved to an appropriate height so that the carriage achieves the desired head height above the surface of the media. The standard or default head height is 0.085" above the surface of the media. The standard head height will accommodate the majority of media with a good compromise between minimized overspray and safe distance from the media to avoid headstrikes. The maximum head height is 0.120" and the minimum is 0.065". Head height is set through the control panel, requiring no tools or other operator intervention. The bidirectional registration (see section IV) is automatically recalculated for different head heights, no recalibration is required.

Automated Head Maintenance

Regular printhead maintenance (cleaning) is essential to long life and quality output. The Designjet H printer uses an automated system to clean the printheads, requiring no operator contact. The printhead cleaning routine is called the Purge. The printer uses a real-time clock to track its usage and cleaning history, and will automatically initiate a Purge in order keep the printheads in good condition. The operator can also command the printer to Purge at any time by using a button on the control panel. The Purge consists of two stages. First, air is pumped into the printheads to force ink out through the nozzles, clearing any blockages. The service station then wipes the nozzle orifices and conveys the expelled ink to a receptacle within the printer. For more difficult blockages, more than one Purge may be necessary. A Purge can be performed on pairs of adjacent heads only or on all heads together. (The pairs are dictated by the construction of the service station wiping assembly.)

UV Lamp System

Ultraviolet light energy is delivered by a pair of lamps on the carriage. Each lamp has a shutter mechanism that opens and closes to regulate the output of the lamps. When the lamp leaves the printable area of the media, the shutter closes to prevent light from escaping; this prevents accidental curing of the ink on the printheads through reflection of light onto the carriage. The shutters also can be configured to be partially closed while over the media, which reduces the amount of heat transferred to the media. Excess heat can cause some media to change shape (i.e., bow), leading to increased possibility of head strikes. Each lamp has two fans and a temperature sensor that control cooling of the bulb. The lamps have a warm-up and cool-down cycle. If unused for a length of time, the lamps will turn off the bulb and begin the cool-down cycle. If a print job is sent to the printer during cool-down, the cycle must complete before the warm-up can begin. The control

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panel displays the status of the lamps. Allow the lamps to complete their cool-down cycle before shutting down the printer. Each UV bulb has an expected usable life of 500-1000 hours. The light output will not visibly diminish but the amount of UV energy will. The 500-hour figure assumes exclusive use of Billboard mode only. The bulbs can be changed from Low power to Medium and High power as they continue to age. Eventually, however, even the High setting will not output enough energy to continue curing in Billboard mode. Using the slower print modes (Production, High Quality) will extend the usable life of the bulbs. A maintenance clock on the printer tracks the bulb on-time and will alert the operator when 500 hours has been reached. The bulbs are user-replaceable, consumable items. The replacement cost of the bulbs adds between and 1 cent per square foot.

Integrated Rigid Media Support Tables and Alignment Fences

The input and output tables that support rigid media are integrated into the printer and fold down for storage when not in use, so there is no requirement for additional storage space to accommodate the tables when not in use. A fixed alignment fence facilitates loading rigid media squarely, and a movable fence can be deployed to push heavier media into consistent contact with the fixed fence. The movable fence folds out of the way when not in use.

Anti-Static Measures

Many of the media that users of UV printers prefer are susceptible to static electricity issues that diminish print quality. The Designjet H series uses a conductive platen to help dissapate static and employs a pair of anti-static ionizer bars on the printhead carriage that greatly help to eliminate static electricity that could interfere with print quality. Increased humidity in the printer environment (40% RH or more) also contributes significantly to static reduction.

Media Wizard

All engines have a number of printer settings that are media-dependent: vacuum fan setting, lamp power, and recommended pass mode. The Media Wizard saves these settings and can be used, when media is loaded, to change these settings to the values that were previously used with the selected media. The factory-defined media choices cannot be changed, but they can be copied and the copies altered. User-defined choices may be added, changed, and deleted at will. The selected media name affects only the printers handling of the media. No information is communicated back to the print server; any selection relating to media on the print server is entirely independent.

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Attentions

To communicate error conditions and other information to the operator, the printer uses a special screen, accessed by a button in the lower-right corner of the control panel, to display messages known as Attentions. If there are no messages, this button is not visible. If a condition occurs that creates a message, the Attention button appears and will blink until the messages are viewed. If all Attentions are viewed and cleared, the button disappears. There are two categories of Attention messages, Actions and Warnings.

Actions

An Action is a condition on the printer that will prevent printing from taking place, and that typically requires operator action to resolve (hence the name). Some Actions can be reset by a button that is displayed along with the message; others require the correction of the condition before the message will disappear. For example, if an ink profiler reaches zero, an Action will be raised stating that the printer is Out of Ink. This message will not go away until a new ink profiler is installed on the printer.

Warnings

A Warning is a condition on the printer that could lead to output problems or an inability to print at some time in the future, but will not inhibit printing at the immediate moment. For example, if the print mode is changed but the media advance is not recalibrated, a Warning will appear saying Uncalibrated Print Mode. This message may be cleared by pressing the reset button that accompanies the message, or if the media advance is subsequently calibrated the message will then disappear.

Expert/Novice Messages

The Printer Settings menu has an option called Expert/Novice Messages, which applies directly to the behavior of the printer with respect to Attentions. In Expert mode, many Warnings are suppressed and not displayed, the assumption being that an expert operator does not need constant reminding about when to recalibrate the printer, etc. The Novice mode displays all Warnings as usual. In either settings, Actions are always displayed.

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III. Printer Setup

Site Requirements
Variable

Prior to receiving the printer, use the Site Preparation Guide (document 0700069) to ensure that the facility meets or exceeds the requirements for the printer.

Requirement 200-240 VAC, single phase, 50/60 Hz, 16 Amps maximum

Notes The included auxiliary 24V adapter for backup vacuum power requires a 100VAC circuit. This is recommended but not required. Printer will not operate below minimum temperature 40-60% optimal

Main Printer Power

Temperature Humidity Installed dimensions, printer only (tables stowed) Installed dimensions, with tables at max. extension Installed weight (printer only)

68-85 F (20-30 C) 20-80% Non-condensing 57 H x 28 D x 108 W (145 cm x 70 cm x 274 cm) 57 H x 171 D x 108 W (145 cm 433 cm x 274 cm) 581 lbs. (263 kg)

Unpacking and Assembly Notes

Installation of the printer requires no assembly of any components. The printer rolls out of its shipping container after removing the shipping restraints. Be sure to follow the Unpacking and Installation instructions carefully to ensure that all shipping materials are removed. The carriage is secured to the platen by a shipping restraint. Power on the printer and follow the on-screen prompts directing you to remove the carriage shipping restraints. Failure to remove the restraints can result in severe damage to the printer.

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IV. Printer Use and Configuration

Print Modes
The Designjet H has three basic printmodes: Billboard, Production, and High Quality. These descriptive names were selected for two reasons: one, because the printer uses jet interlacing, it can be confusing to speak of these modes in terms of the number of passes made by the printheads over the image area. Two, the intended application of the output is an important factor in selecting what print mode is appropriate, something that is not communicated adequately by a simple numeric label. This section provides some additional details and considerations for using each mode. Billboard Mode: There is no jet replacement offered in this mode. If any jets are not firing, there may be a discernible band. However, depending on the specifics of the jet(s) in questionwhat color, and what location in the printheadas well as the composition of the image (color content, the amount of visual noise, etc.) the banding will be more or less noticeable. Also, as the name implies, output printed in this mode is best suited for distance viewing, where slight print defects will not be observable to the unaided eye. Billboard mode has a very large rate of media advance. The larger each advance is, the less tolerant the system is of any error (whether mechanical/physical or related to calibration) in the advance mechanism and media path. Along with this is the aforementioned fact that billboard mode uses the absolute minimum number of passes to complete the interlace, which means less Y-axis noise is introduced to mask inaccuracies. The net result of these facts is that several inches of the print may appear flawless, then be followed by several swaths that are very different in appearance. The typical symptom is a swath or swaths that are lighter in color than the surrounding swaths. When the advance fails to hit its mark exactly, the jets print on top of the previous swath rather than interlacing as expected. The result is a lighter appearance. This symptom is frequently described incorrectly by inexperienced operators as jets not firing or similar descriptions that imply a failure of the printer to deliver enough ink onto the page. As explained above, however, this is not the case, and any assertions made along those lines should be viewed with skepticism. Production Mode: Jet replacement is offered in this mode. This is the optimum mode for which the printer has been designed. Production mode is the standard for judging the jetting performance of a particular printhead. If non-firing jets cannot be recovered by any cleaning and maintenance techniques, but the non-firing jets can be mapped-out and replaced by the printers software in Production Mode, then the printhead(s) in question meet the standard for performance. Only if jets cannot be mapped-out and replaced in Production mode does a printhead qualify for replacement, and then only when the failed jets are due to manufacturing defects and not due to operator error or inadequate maintenance of the equipment. The printers war-

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ranty statement makes clear the extent of manufacturer liability for printheads as well as defining the mapped-out in production mode qualification. High Quality Mode: The increased number of passes allows additional jet replacement in this mode. Print quality, as measured by the presence or absence of banding, can be very similar between High Quality mode and Production mode when all jets on all heads are working. If there are missing jets, High Quality mode offers additional jet replacement capability over that available in Production Mode. On difficult images, High Quality mode can achieve more acceptable output than Production mode. In addition to offering extended jet replacement, High Quality mode may produce superior prints for additional reasons. First, the length of each media advance in High Quality mode is the smallest. A smaller advance means that any error that does exist in the media advance system (whether mechanical/physical or related to calibration) will have the smallest impact on the actual output. Particularly heavy media (4'x8' sheets of plywood, MDO, aluminum composites, etc.) may require printing in High Quality Mode to achieve satisfactory output for some customers. Print mode options: Fine Text Sharp Edge Unidirectional

Speeds
Speeds are the same for the H35100 and H35500, and the same for the H45100 and H45500. The 2 heads-per-color printers are twice as fast as the 1 head-per-color models. The chart the follows shows the speeds in detail.

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Print Speed in Square Feet per Hour (Square Meters per Hour) Model Color Set Total Printheads DPI 1200x600 H35100, H35500 CMYK 4 600x600 600x300 1200x600 H35500 CMYKcm 6 600x600 600x300 1200x600 H45100, H45500 CMYK 8 600x600 600x300 1200x600 H45500 CMYKcm 12 600x600 600x300 High Quality 24 (2.25) 48 (4.5) n/a 24 (2.25) 48 (4.5) n/a 48 (4.5) 97 (9) n/a 48 (4.5) 97 (9) n/a Production 48 (4.5) 97 (9) 194 (18) 48 (4.5) 97 (9) 194 (18) 97 (9) 194 (18) 388 (36) 97 (9) 194 (18) 388 (36) Billboard 97 (9) 194 (18) n/a 97 (9) 194 (18) n/a 194 (18) 388 (36) n/a 194 (18) 388 (36) n/a

The color coding shows how the same speed can be reached using several different printmodes.

Training of Operators

Training should be provided to at least one operator at the time of printer installation. Document TN4845, Installation Checklist, provides a list of all items that should be covered. These items include basic printer anatomy, loading media, control panel layout, calibrations, and periodic maintenance and cleaning.

User-Level Calibrations

There are two categories of printer calibration: calibration of the media advance rate, and calibration of the printheads. The printhead calibrations may be performed either manually through operator invention or automatically using the printers built-in image sensor.

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Media advance calibration is manual only, and proper calibration is vital to all subsequent printer processes. A third calibration, color calibration or color linearization, is not included here because that is a function of the print server / RIP, not the printer itself. Media Advance Calibration: Media advance is the only calibration that must be performed manually, there is no automated equivalent. The media advance typically should be recalibrated whenever one of the following occurs: change in pass mode, change of media type, change in apparent output quality. A substantial change in supply roll diameter (e.g., a full roll to a near-empty roll) can affect media advance and may require recalibration as well. There are two methods available for media advance calibration:
- 34 inch/900mm and 10 inch/250mm Calibration patterns, also called length/measurement tests. These measured distance calibrations are similar to the method used for previous generations of ColorSpan printers. The longer patterns are more accurate, but use more media. In many cases the smaller patterns can be used and still achieve acceptable results. These calibrations are the most objective and reliable methods. For the length/measurement tests a rule of good quality is of the utmost importance. A wooden yardstick from the state fair is not sufficient, and under no circumstances should anyone attempt to use a shorter ruler and add up the combined lengths. We recommend McMaster-Carr (www.mcmaster.com) as a resource for purchasing a good rule. McMaster-Carr part number 1943A35 for a Stainless Steel Cork-Backed Rule is a good compromise between precision and cost. - Media Feed Number. An alternative method for setting the media advance rate is through input of the Media Feed Number (MFN). Each media feed number is a unique number that represents a particular advance rate. Each time the media advance rate is calibrated or otherwise adjusted, a new MFN is displayed on the control panel. By recording MFNs that correlate to good advances on various media types, the operator can build a lookup table of MFNs to use for each media. When a particular type of media is loaded, the MFN last used successfully with that media can be entered at the control panel. When working with rigid media, the MFN method is highly reliable from one piece to the next. With roll fed, a particular Media Feed Number may not always be exactly correct, due to variables such as roll size, but it does provide a rapid way to put the machine in what is probably the right ballpark for that media type.

Printhead Calibrations: There are three different printhead calibrations, which are performed at various times to compensate for changes to the printer setup and performance:
- Jet Mapping: individual jets that are not printing correctly are identified so that alternate, working jets can be substituted in their place. This is the process of jet replacement. This calibration is recommended for at least daily inspection, if not more frequently during heavy production.

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- Bidirectional Registration: the timing of when to fire jets is adjusted so that dot placement is accurate when printing in either direction. Bidirectional accuracy is affected most by changes to the carriage height above the surface of the media. Provided an accurate initial calibration, the Designjet H printer can mathematically recalculate the bidirectional registration when either or both media thickness and/or head height are changed. - Head-to-Head Registration: the timing of when to fire the jets is adjusted so that the relationship of the color planes is accurate in the X-axis (i.e., direction of carriage travel). Because the relationship of the printheads in the X-axis is very stable, this calibration is seldom required. Calibration of the Y-axis is not a user function and is performed only by service personnel on an as-needed basis.

Calibration of the printheads can be performed automatically by the onboard image sensor or else manually through user interaction. The automated calibrations will be discussed first. Automatic Calibration (AutoJet, AutoBidi, Auto Head-to-Head, and Full AutoSet): The automatic calibrations use the onboard image sensor to measure printed patterns, then make adjustments based on that is observed. The full automated calibration is called AutoSet. AutoSet consists of three separate parts: AutoJet, which measures jetting performance; AutoBidi, which corrects the bidirectional printing accuracy, and Auto Head-to-Head, which aligns the printheads to each other in the X-axis (left to right, or the same direction as carriage travel). When a full AutoSet calibration is performed, three sets of patterns are printed and scanned. The first is the Bidirectional registration. The second is the Head-to-Head. The third is jet mapping. At the conclusion of each stage, a summary table is printed that indicates if the calibration was successful for each printhead. For servicing or troubleshooting the printer, the summary table may be configured to print more detail. The constituent components of AutoSetAutoJet, AutoBidi, AutoH2Hcan be run separately if desired. The individual calibrations are found in the Menu -> Calibrate Printer -> Auto Calibrations menu of the control panel. Selecting the appropriate component rather than running an entire AutoSet can be time-saving. For example, if the carriage head height is changed, only AutoBidi is required. If the printheads are cleaned, only AutoJet may be necessary, taking approximately 20 minutes to complete. Manual Printhead Calibrations: Equivalent procedures to all of the above calibrations can be performed manually from the Menu -> Calibrate Printer -> Manual Calibrations menu on the printers control panel. Manual Jet Mapping allows the user to visually examine for missing jets and enter the corresponding printhead and jet at the control panel. BiDi or Bidirectional Calibration ensures that the carriage places dots

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accurately when moving in either left-to right or right-to-left direction. Manual Head Registration aligns the printheads with each other in the X axis. See the printers User Manual for additional documentation of these procedures. A common question that arises is whether there is an advantage to using a manual calibration over an automatic one, or vice-versa. Both manual and automatic calibrations have the same degree of precision, but the accuracy of manual calibrations depends on the operators skill level. In general, the manual calibrations can be performed faster (by a skilled operator) than the automatic versions. The automatic versions, however, allow the operator to perform other tasks while the printer takes care of itself. The printer also may be more consistent as it has a fixed set of rules for interpreting the patterns, while an operator may vary his or her judgement based on external factors. On the other hand, manual jet mapping has the additional advantage of allowing the operator to judge when a jet is firing, but may not be firing in a consistent manner. So there is no simple answer to this question.

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V. Hardware Systems
In this section, the primary hardware components of the printer have been grouped into five categories, or systems. Each category represents a major subdivision of the total printer function. By grouping the components in this manner, it is hoped that the technicians thinking will be directed to the appropriate components when troubleshooting a particular issue. After reviewing this section, a technician should understand that a Y-axis registration issue, for example, requires close scrutiny of the media advance motor, pinch rollers and grit roller, and possibly the physical alignment of the printheads, but not the carriage drive motor or encoder strip. The five systems are: 1. The Carriage Drive System 2. The Media Advance System 3. The Ink Delivery System 4. The Electronics System 5. UV Lamp System (UV)

1. Carriage Drive System

This system encompasses all parts related to applying ink in the X-axis. The primary components in this system are enumerated below. Carriage - The carriage assembly comprises four subsystems: trolley plate, headboard, camera assembly, and penholder. The encoder reader may be considered a subsystem of the headboard, although it resides physically in the trolley plate. The carriage should be inspected for all of the following conditions: - Carriage properly leveled against rail and platen. - Penholder level from front to back. See FRM instructions 0706411 for details on adjusting penholder tilt. - Encoder sensor is clean of dust or debris. - Camera is able to focus and able to identify each color. Camera lens and LEDs must be clear of ink and media fiber build-up. - Bearings/wheels are clean and run true on rail with no noise. Most noise issues stem from dirt on the wheels rather than bearing failure. Always clean the rail and bearings/wheels thoroughly before considering carriage replacement. - No interference from trolley or encoder reader with rail. When installing a new trolley, place the new part on the rail to test clearances before proceding with the service. Rail - This part is not an FRM, if damaged the printer must be replaced. - Must be clean of any foreign debris, including dust. - Cannot have damage on any wheel-bearing surfaces that would produce banding.

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- Rail height must be properly calibrated to achieve correct head height. - Stainless-steel strips are flat in the rail across the width. If the strips are too long, installation of the idler and carriage drive bracket will compress them, creating slight ripples in the strips that will negatively affect output. If ripples are detected, remove the idler and flatten the strip. Trim the excess and replace the idler. Main Carriage belt - Tension is crucial for this part. Tension is best judged by examining the idler. When properly tensioned, the tab on the idler fork will extend approximately 0.40" from the bracket. If the belt is too tight, the tab will extend more than 0.40" as the fork/spring is unable to push the pulley far enough to the outside. If the belt is too loose, the tab will extend less than 0.40", as the spring will push the fork all the way to the front and push the pulley too far to the outside. - Belt is secure in trolley/head, cannot slip or move when pulled. Placement of belt in trolley/head should be all the way in the slot, with bracket securely in place. Belt slippage after installation is a principal cause of belt tension problems. - If removing, but not replacing, a belt (e.g., to remove the carriage), it is helpful to mark the belt prior to removal to show how far the belt must be reinserted into the carriage. - Belt does not ride high or off of pulleys. This can induce noise and banding. - Belt cannot be twisted inside the rail. - Belt should be parallel from pulley to carriage. Installing the belt at an angle into either side of the carriage will result in unwanted belt travel up and down the pulleys. Carriage Drive Assembly - This assembly consists of a bracket, motor, pulley/shaft, and timing belt. FRMs for the complete assembly or for the constituent elements are available. - The bracket must be securely attached to the rail. - Motor must be mounted flush to mounting bracket, this to prevent pulley canting. - Drive shaft bearings must run true with no noticeable drag or roughness. Must be held fast to shaft, no slippage. - The timing belt should have a measured deflection of approximately 1/8". - Drive shaft pulleys must be in proper alignment with belts, no slippage. - Noise from the drive assembly may often be traced to the tensioning spring between the motor and bracket. Attempt adjustment (i.e., repositioning) of this spring before considering component replacement.

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Idler - The idler is composed of a bracket, spring, fork, and pulley. The pulleys position is affected by the prongs of the fork; as they bend the pulley gets canted. The fork prongs must be parallel to the idler bracket. - The spring sets the tension, no adjustment is needed. However, if the spring is fully compressed there will be insufficient tension; if it is fully extended there may be too much tension. See comments about belt tension under the Main Carriage Belt section as well. Encoder Strip - The encoder is made of a Mylar strip that is very robust. The encoder sensor reads a wide area of the strip, so small scratches do not cause a problem. - The encoder must be clean and cannot be broken, cut, or torn. - The strip must sit completely flush against the rail or the alignment will be off between it and the head encoder sensor. Typical misalignment problems are noise, head drag, and encoder scratches, which produce a fine white dust. - The strip can be installed in the rail with some leeway in left-to-right placement. However, installation of the strip as far to the left as possible is recommended. Track - This assembly is also known as the Chain or Igus Chain. The assembly comprises individual links, the head data cable (LVDS/Low-voltage data system), and the head power cable. Related to, but not part of, the track assembly is the gray plastic conduit that shelters the cables between the electronics and the track itself. - The assembly must be aligned parallel to the rail. If the track runs off or outside of its foam support channel banding will appear where the links are hitting the rail. - The LVDS twisted-pair cable must have slack between the head board connection and the 90 degree bend that leads into the chain. Without slack the cable will get pulled at the head board connection, which can lead to a corrupted data flow to the headboard. - Both the LVDS and power cables must be secured by tie wraps at the end of the track, before they turn to connect to the headboard. Failure to secure the LVDS cable can result in LVDS errors or other headboard-related errors.

2. Media drive system

This system encompasses all parts related to applying ink in the Y-axis, allowing ink to be laid vertically. Typical anomalies caused by the media drive will show as horizontal bands of some kind. These bands can be intermittent but typically are spaced evenly. Media Drive Assembly (motor and bracket) - The drive must be calibrated to advance the correct linear length of media. - The motor must be securely mounted to its bracket, and the bracket in turn securely mounted to the platen. Grit roll - The grit roll shaft must be perfectly straight, any bend in it will fully disable

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the module. Do not confuse bend and flex; the shaft will flex back and forth when unsupported by the bearings (e.g., when removed from the printer); a bend in this case is describing a shaft that has been damaged with a permanent angle or deflection in it. The shaft will always flex but will retain its true straight position. - The rollers themselves cannot have any grit material missing that would cause a flat spot on the roller. - The rollers should be seated in the bracket/bearings such that theyre not rubbing. - The plastic, U-shaped grit roll bearings, which provide support to the assembly at alternate rollers, are more susceptible to wear than the shaft itself. In problem cases where the grit roll is suspected, changing only the bearings first may be more worthwhile (and less expensive, easier to ship...). The points where the bearings support the shaft can be lubricated by the application of a small quantity of grease, ColorSpan P/N 090854. - The media drive gear, mounted on the hub of the grit roll shaft, is a precisionmachined piece. If the gear is not within tolerance and specifications, runout banding will occur. - The drive gear is secured to the shaft hub by four screws. A grit washer must go between the gear and the hub. - Take care not to damage the gear when performing service of any kind. Pinch rollers - The alignment of the rollers is crucial for stable and consistent media feed with proper nip tension. If any roller is not to spec you will likely experience feed problems: skewing, buckling, cockling, etc. Correct alignment is top-dead-center of grit roller. The Designjet H pinch rollers are self-aligning when installed correctly. - The rollers cannot have flat spots. If multiple rollers do have flat spots, turn each roller so that the flat areas are not aligned. This will prevent immediate problems, and over time the rollers will reround themselves. - Over time, media particles will build up on the rollers. Clean with water until no residue is apparent. Media Spool - The media spool should sit in its holders evenly, not at an angle. - The media on the spool must be fed into the nip evenly and straight. - The collet must fit securely into the medias cardboard core. Both left and right collets should be tightened to grip the core. - If the media core is notched, be certain that the spines of the collet do not fall into the core notches. Rigid Media Support Tables - One of the keys to successful output on rigid media is the condition of the tables and the attached fences - The tables must be made coplanar to the platen and each other. See Knowledgebase article 10027, Table Setup, for a detailed description - Use a 24" or larger framing square to square the output fence to the pinch roll-

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ers. The fence must be positioned appropriately so that lifting the table causes the light-blocking brush to move as well. - Once the output fence is positioned and squared, use a long straight-edge (48" or more) to set the input fence position parallel and coplanar with the output fence. - The movable fence on the input side can also be adjusted using the set screws to change both the angle and the height above the table rollers. - The flat metal extension, attached to the table near the pivot point, bridges the table to the platen. This extension has been known to become deformed. If media feed problems are encountered, check the condition of these extension and reform them as necessary.

3. Ink Delivery System

The ink delivery system on the Designjet H parallels in structure the design found on the DisplayMaker 72s Gator solvent printer and subsequent solvent and UV printers, consisting of: Off-Head Supply (1 liter per color channel) Tubing Printheads (1 or 2 per color channel, depending on model) Air Vacuum Service Station The air vacuum system is a discrete set of parts subject to its own discussion, but its sole purpose is interaction with the ink system, so it will be included in this discussion. The service station, while clearly not part of ink delivery, is integral to the performance of the printheads and so is included here. Each of these subsystems is described in detail below. Off-Head Supply (OHS) and Tubing - The Off-Head Supply consists of these components. There is one instance of each component per color channel: - 1-Liter bag-in-box, with integral filter and quick-connector. This complete assembly is a consumable part and is disposed of when empty. - Ink profiler - Quick-connect receptacle - Ink pump (includes two short lengths of tubing) - Check Valve - Large ink filter (considered permanent, i.e., not a consumable part) After passing through the above components, ink flows through a long tube in the track assembly until it reaches the printheads. A single OHS (off-head supply) control board interfaces with the ink profilers and the ink pumps. This board in turn communicates with the I/O board in the main electronics box.

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Printheads - In the H35100 and H35500 printers, with one head per color channel, the ink tube exits the track and connects to the printhead. In the H45100 and H45500, with two heads per color channel, the inbound ink tube from the track connects directly to the left printhead of the pair. This printhead is termed the Master printhead; the right printhead receives ink via a U-tube from the Master, so it is termed the Slave printhead. Ink level in the printhead is monitored by a system of thermistors ( = thermal + resistor). The thermistors change their electrical resistance according to temperature. The air thermistor is isolated within a chamber in the printhead reservoir, while the ink thermistor descends into the reservoir where it can contact ink.

Ink Thermistor descends into ink

Air Thermistor isolated from ink in air chamber

Each channel has its own ink thermistor. In 2-heads-per-color (2x) machines, the Master printhead (the left printhead of the pair, which also has the inbound ink connection) has the ink thermistor. A single air thermistor is shared between pairs of ink channels. So black and cyan share an air thermistor; magenta and yellow share an air thermistor; and light cyan and light magenta share an air thermistor. The ink thermistors and air thermistor in a channel pair (e.g., black and cyan) are a matched set and must all be replaced together. The illustrations below show the arrangement

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for the H35100 (fewest number of printheads) and the H45500 (greatest number of printheads.
The 1-by, 4-color (4 printheads) configurations Air thermistors Ink thermistors T = Electronically mated thermistor triplets
1 K 2 3 4 Y C M

The 2-by, 6-color (12 printheads) configuration Air thermistors Ink thermistors T = Electronically mated thermistor triplets
1 K 2 K 3 C 4 C 5
M

6
M

7
Y

8
Y

10 11 12

LC LC LM LM

Reading the Ink/Air Thermistor Status The ink/air thermsitor status can be viewed either in Tools | Service | Ink System Tests | Ink/Air Thermistors or on page 3 of the System Information screens. The status screen looks like this: Ink 116 119 115 118 118 116 Air 85 85 85 85 83 83 Thresh 105 105 105 105 103 103 Status INK INK INK INK INK INK

Black Cyan Magenta Yellow Lt. Cyan Lt. Magenta

The Ink and Air columns show the current readings from those thermistors. Recall that a single air thermistor is shared between two channels, so the Air value shown for cyan is merely a copy of the value for black, and so on. The Thresh column (short for threshold) is the Air value plus 20. The ink acts as a coolant; as ink empties from the printhead and temperature inside increases, the values go down.

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The air thermistor is the reference. The ink thermistor is compared to the air thermistor; if an ink thermistor reaches the corresponding threshold value, the printer concludes that the ink reservoir is empty, and so the ink pump is commanded to run. The pump runs a fixed interval of time, then the ink is allowed to settle in the printhead reservoir and another set of readings is taken. If there is still no ink detected by the thermistors, the pump is commanded to run for another cycle. (Note: there are software rules about when the pumps are allowed to run; for example, a pump will not run while the printer is in Sleep mode.) A perfectly-matched triplet of thermistors should have same value when all three are actually in air. If an ink thermistor has slightly higher value than its air thermist or, that is acceptable; but an ink thermsitor in air that reads lower than its air thermistor opens the possibility for ink overfills of the printhead. If no ink is detected by the thermistors after a few pump cycles, an Action is displayed on the control panel indicating that the printer is unable to fill the printheads with ink. This can be the end result of a number of possible causes: - empty ink box - ink pump deprimed (may occur if ink box is run to dry) - no flow from ink box - check in-line filter on box - check flow from quick-connect on box - ink pump not running (unlikely) - use pump test in control panel to test; pump is very quiet so audible detection is difficult. Remove enclosure and place a fingertip on the center pump spindle, which can be felt to turn if pump when operating. - check valve blocked (less likely, but possible) - large filter blocked (unlikely) - thermistor failure (fails to detect the presence of ink; can lead to an overfilling of the printheads) - headboard failure (fails to properly negotiate with the thermistors) (unlikely) Air Vacuum / Pressure - The air system consists of these components: - pressure pump - a vacuum pump/sensor/regulator assembly (along with various fittings and tubing, generally all replaced as an assembly) - vacuum accumulator or vacuum reservoir - tubing - valve/manifold assembly at the carriage The pressure pump is used only when servicing the printheads via the Purge procedure. At any other time, the vacuum components are in operation to keep the small (15 ml.) quantity of ink suspended in the printhead reservoir. The

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valve/manifold assembly on the carriage opens and closes on command from the printer electronics to allow pressure to be applied. The normal state of the valve is open, allowing the vacuum to act on the ink in the printheads. Service Station - Height & Position: for effective wiping, the carriage position and service station height must be properly calibrated. Use the embedded software routine to calibrate. - Wiper Condition: since wiping occurs only periodically (on average, less than once per print job), the wipers will wear slowly. Inspect the wiper blades periodically for wear, but more importantly for any build-up of ink solids that should be wiped away. Use the same wipes as for the printheads themselves, to avoid transferring lint of paper dust to the printheads. - Wiper rails: the two round rails that guide the wiper head in the Y-axis (front to back) will become sticky if contaminated with ink. This will inhibit wiper-head motion and the printheads may not be serviced correctly by a Purge, and will show many missing jets in the Prime Bar pattern. Clean the rails with isopropyl alcohol and apply grease from FRM 0900854.

4. Electronics Assembly

The electronics assembly is the complete command and control center of the printer. Rasterized images and all functions go through and are processed by the electronics. The most important thing to consider with the electronics is that the proper voltage is coming into the machine without excessive fluctuation. The printer will not work properly with a fluctuating line voltage The electronics assembly consists of these components: - Motherboard - The motherboard is a standard Intel-class part. It holds all the daughter boards/cards, the processor, RAM, and attendant computer components. The onboard ethernet port handles VideoNet communications with the server. - I/O board - The I/O board is responsible for coordinating all electrical and electronic functions of the printer. It must send correct voltages to the various motors, retain registration data and user configurations, and the embedded printer software. Registration data and all other user settings are stored on the I/O board. - ATX power supply - Powers motherboard and all other computer-like components. - 24-volt power supply (integrated with 36-volt supply) - The 24-volt power supplies provides voltage to the vacuum fans, the pressure pump, the enclosure cooling fans, the carriage drive motor, the rail height motors, the camera board, the air valves, and a variety of other sensors and relays. - 36-volt power supply (integrated with 24-volt supply) - The 36-volt power supply provides voltage to the media drive motor, the printhead heaters, and the printhead jets. - Power distribution board - AC relays (qty. 2) - controls power to the service station vacuum and the ionizer

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bars. The service station vacuum is powered only during the Purge or related ink maintenance procedures; the ionizer bars are powered only when the UV lamps are on. - VideoNet pass-through and short cable: the external VideoNet cable from the print server plugs into the printer leg. This is pass-through connector to a 3 cable that runs from the leg to the electronics box. When troubleshooting communications issues, bypass this pass-through and connector by plugging the external cable directly into the electronics box. - UV power supply: see below

5. UV Lamp System

The UV system is somewhat intermingled with both the carriage assembly and the electronics assembly. The twin lamps move with the carraige, but are not otherwise integral to the rest of the X-axis mechanics. The power supply for the lamps is housed in the electronics assembly, but is similarly unrelated to any other aspects of printer operation. UV Lamp - identified as left and right. The lamp should be kept conceptually distinct from the bulb. Just as in most lighting applications, the lamp is the permanent fixture; the bulb is a consumable meant to be replaced over time. The lamp is replacable as a complete FRM (exluding the bulb), but has these internal components: - cooling fans (2) - shutter motor - shutter linkage - shutter/reflector - shutter home sensor - shutter motor encoder - lamp control board - temperature thermistor - air filter: this thin foam pad keeps ink dust and other particles from being pulled into the fans and onto the bulb. The filters should be changed periodically. UV Power supply - receives power input via the power distribution board, then outputs via a separate cable to each lamp assembly. There are no servicable parts within the power supply, it is replaced as an assembly.

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VI. Component Replacement

This section involves hands-on component removal and reinstallation. Only the main printer Field Replaceable Modules (FRMs) are covered. Many elements are common between the Solvent and UV engines. The common elements are addressed first, followed by the unique solvent components, then by the unique UV components. Key items for replacement (in recommended order of removal) include: Service Station Assembly Service Station Vacuum Electronics Box Ink Pump Vacuum assembly Pinch Roller Assembly Media drive motor (with bracket) Grit Roll Shaft Media thickness sensor Rail lift motor Carriage Drive System UV Lamp Headboard Trolley Wheels (perform while headboard is removed) Printhead Camera Assembly

Calibration

In addition to component replacement, a number of calibrations are crucial to printer operation. These include: Rail height calibration Media thickness sensor calibration Image sensor height (focus) calibration Carriage tilt & saber angle Printhead Y-axis alignment Shutter calibration

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Part VII. Printer Service Menu Supplement

The printer User Manual describes most of the printer menu and function options. The following is a supplemental explanation of many of the functions found in the Service Printer menu, which are not well-documented anywhere in the User Manual. Items preceded by an asterisk (*) are visible only when the POD test has enabled the hidden menu functions. Some items that are revealed in this way on the printer are not documented here, that is because they are for printer build and test use only and have no value from a field service perspective.

Device Tests

These options test or show the status of various electromechanical functions of the printer. Device Test Wizard: runs all of the following tests in sequence. Vacuum Fan Test: runs the platen vacuum fans to test for correct operation. UV Lamp Tests: this submenu tests various functions of the UV lamp system. UV Lamps On/Off - turns lamps on or off UV Shutter Open/Close - opens and closes the shutters on demand. Response time between button press and shutter action may not be instantaneous; this is normal. The shutters cannot be tested while the lamps are on. Blower On/Off - runs the cooling fans in each lamp. The cooling fans cannot be turned off while the lamps are on. Exhaust Fans - these are the fans in the top cover and the circulating fan within the service-side enclosure (not visible without removing the endcap). Media Thickness Sensor Test: measures the thickness of the currently-loaded media and displays the detected value on the control panel. Rail, Switch & Sensor Test: allows the user to raise and lower the rail and shows the status of the media-out sensor and the front cover-open switch. Profiler Test: commands the printer to identify and verify profilers in each position. The printer will report the profiler color and percentage remaining. Particularly useful when the printer is not connected to a RIP that can show profiler status. Service Station Tests: allows the user to raise and lower the service station height, move the wiper head front to back, and shows the wiper head home sensor status (home / not home). Also allows the service station vacuum to be turned on and off.

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Image Sensor Tests: this submenu tests various functions of the Image Sensor. The Image Sensor is the imaging device used to measure media and perform AutoSet calibrations. Visually Examine LEDs: allows the operator to visually examine if each LED is firing correctly. The control panel will indicate what LED should be operating at a given moment. Whitepoint: tests the Image Sensors sensitivity to whitepoint readings. Take a Picture of White Paper: the Image Sensor takes a picture of the media and then prints a 400% enlargement of what was seen. This option can help identify a dirty lens. Take Raw Picture of Dots: prints a small pattern of dots and takes a picture, then prints a magnified image of what was seen. This test is principally for checking hardware functionality. Take Enhanced Picture of Dots: similar to above, but uses the printers refinement algorithms to image and print the picture. This test is principally for checking software functionality. Run the Take Raw Picture of Dots first to confirm hardware functionality. Color Sensor Tests: this submenu tests various functions of the Color Sensor (also called Photodiode). The Color Sensor is the imaging device used to perform color linearization and color profiling. Blackpoint and Whitepoint: tests the Color Sensors sensitivity to whitepoint and blackpoint readings. Visually Examine LEDs: allows the operator to visually examine if each LED is firing correctly. The control panel will indicate what LED should be operating at a given moment. Test Cooling Fan: allows the turning on or off of the fan over the color sensor. *Print and Read Patches *Run Whitepoint Tests *Run White Patches Test

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Pod Test: enables hidden menus for production development and testing. The method for enabling these menus should be kept private from non-qualified end users and operators. The functions that are enabled in these menus can cause serious impairment to normal printer function if used incorrectly. To enable the hidden menu options, use the following keystrokes: U = Up D = Down UUUU UDUD UUDD UUUD

When you have completed the necessary operations, reboot the printer (shutdown and restart) to return the menu to the normal state.

Print Tests

Print Test: the user selects one or more of the printheads to test, then the printer begins printing with only those heads until canceled by the user. Print Y Calibration Patterns *Horizontal Dot Accuracy Test: select two contrasting colors and print a series of fine horizontal lines. Consistent color across the width and length of the print indicates proper horizontal dot placement. Shifting colors indicate uneven dot placement. Similar to the Horizontal Line Test but with additional controls. *Vertical Dot Accuracy Test: select two contrasting colors and print a series of fine lines. Consistent color across the width and length of the print indicates proper vertical dot placement. Shifting colors indicate uneven dot placement.

Ink System Tests

This submenu tests various functions of the ink system. Air Valves: operates each of the air pressure/vacuum valves individually. Prime Ink Pumps: From time to time one or more of the pumps may fail to draw ink from its reservoir. This option steps an operator through repriming the pump to restore normal operation. *Ink Pumps: run each pump individually. Ink/Air Thermistors: displays the temperature measurements being taken by the ink and air thermistor pairs in each of the master printheads. This is the same information that can be seen in the Printer Status screens accessed through the Front Page button.

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Pressure Pump: runs the air pressure pump. Vacuum Pressure: displays the current vacuum setting in inches of water (H2O). Pressing Proceed will update the display, so you can immediately see the result of adjusting the regulator. *Initial Ink Fill: Printer production use only. To fill a printer in the field (at installation or any other time), use the menu options found in Maintenance -> Printhead Procedures. *Prep for Shipping: Printer production use only. To prepare a printer that is already in the field for shipping, use the instructions found in document 0706419, Repackaging Instructions. Disable On-Head System: selecting this option puts the printer in a non-printing state that can be reset only by rebooting the printer.

* Service Calibrations

This submenu holds all of the service-level calibrations. The entire submenu is visible only when the POD test has been enabled. Some calibrations do depend on other calibrations being completed properly first. Touchscreen Calibration: calibrates the control panel so that the location of presses is accurately sensed. Head Height Calibration: This sets the rail height so that the carriage is the same height from the belt across the width of the printer. Calibration requires a 0.070 thickness gauge. Media Thickness Sensor Calibration: once the sensor has been adjusted to an acceptable range of values, the printer moves the rail up and down repeatedly to take sample readings. This calibrates the sensitivity of the sensor so that it accurately detects different thicknesses. Service Station Calibration: This sets the height of the service station tray, finds the leading edge of the printheads with the wiper head, and sets the left-to-right position of the carriage over the wiper head. UV Lamp Shutter Calibration: allows the user to visually inspect and move the UV shutters through control panel buttons so that the shutters are completely open. Printhead Y Calibration: this initiates the interface for the manual adjustment of the Y-axis alignment of the printheads.

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Image Sensor Height Calibration: this finds the correct focus height for the image sensor. A fine-line grid pattern is printed. The LCD then displays a real-time image of the sensors view of this grid. The technician uses buttons on the control panel to raise and lower the rail in fine increments until the image in the LCD shows crisp dots.

The images above show the control panel display during this calibration. The image on the left is out of focus at the start of the procedure; on the right, in focus just prior to accepting the calibration setting. Image Sensor Position Calibration: the exact position of the image sensor assembly relative to printhead no. 1 varies slightly from engine to engine. This option runs a routine that allows the printer to determine the exact relationship so that printing occurs in the right place relative to the measured locations of the media edges. This is a concern primarily in edge-to-edge printing only. Media Sensor Position Calibration: Prints a pattern that allows for calibrating the position of the media sensor.

Reset Motor Positions

Allows the operator to reset to their home positions each of the following: Carriage Rail Service Station Shutters

Access Printheads

Moves the carriage to the center of the platen.

Measure Media Width

Commands the carriage to measure the width of the media without going through the complete Load Media process.

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Replace Printhead

This initiates the interface for replacing a printhead. The servicing technician is prompted to select the desired color channel to be emptied of ink.

Fill Replaced Printhead

After a printhead has been replaced, this routine refills that channel and prompts the servicing technician to update the printhead voltage values for the affected head(s).

Print Info Pages

Commands the printer to print a text copy of all current printer settings and additional printer information. This option is invaluable as a remote troubleshooting/diagnostic tool, as it produces a snapshot of all printer settings. The printed page can then be faxed, scanned and emailed, or sent in with additional samples for evaluation.

Install Shipping Restraint

This procedures walks the operator through installing the carriage shipping restraint. If this restraint is to be used, it is very important that this menu option be invoked and followed. This option sets software flags so that on the next power-up, the printer does not attempt to move the rail while the restraint is installed. Doing so will inflict severe damage to the printer.

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VIII. Printhead Y-Axis Alignment

The Y-Axis alignment refers to the vertical or up-and-down relationships of the printheads in the carriage. This relationship is mechanically fixed, as each printhead is secured to the penholder by two screws. Ordinarily the Y-axis alignment does not require adjustment or inspection except when a printhead is replaced. Even in those situations no adjustment may be necessary if the replacement procedure is correctly followed. For this reason the Y-axis alignment is considered a service level calibration as opposed to an operator level calibration. The Y-axis alignment has a crucial role in determining output quality. The normal problem of misregistration of the four different color planes is minimal compared to the possible defects that can be caused on a H45100 or H45500 by bad interlace of the two heads of the same color. If the interlace of the heads is not precise, artifacts will appear in the output, colors may be muted, and the overall print quality will suffer.

A Multi-stage Process

On the H45100 and H45500, there are two stages to a full Y-axis calibration: color-tocolor alignment and heads-within-color alignment. On the H35100 and H35500, there is only color-to-color. For both printers, another pattern called the Verification pattern also used.

Stage 1: Color-to-Color

Color-to-color alignment involves only the master printheads of each color on the H45100 and H45500, or each of the printheads on the H35100 and H35500. Regardless of case, black is the reference color, i.e., it does not move, and the other colors are adjusted to the appropriate relationship against black. The color-to-color process on the UV printers uses a straighforward 0 pixel relationship between black and the other three colors. In other words, If the lines are directly on top of each other, then the relationship is correct. While perfection should always be the goal, an error in the color-color-alignment has only a very slight effect on output. If, for example, the cyan color-to-color alignment is off by 1/2 pixel, the net result is that the entire cyan color plane of the output image will be shifted 1/2 pixel up or down relative to the other colors. Since the size of the ink droplet is larger than a single pixel anyway, the appreciable effect of this offset will be negligible. The same cannot be said of the Heads Within Color alignment, which does have a significant impact on print quality. On the H35100 and H35500, completion of this stage effectively completes the procedure. There is no heads within color stage on those printers and the verification stage adds no new information to the first pattern.

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Stage 2: Heads Within Color

The heads-within-color is the more critical stage. The master head of each color channel, which was positioned correctly during the preceding color-to-color calibration, becomes the reference head for the slave head of that same color. Once correct registration of the master heads is confirmed, the interlace within a color can be examined. The theoretical description of the interlace is as follows: with the master head as the starting point, the slave is 4 pixels below. The illustration below shows this relationship.
Master Slave

8 pixels

8 pixels

A. Master printhead pattern. Jets are physically spaced 8 pixels apart.

B. Slave printhead pattern. Jets are physically spaced 8 pixels apart.

4 pixels

C. Combined patterns. The resulting interlace is lines spaced 4 pixels apart.

In a correctly aligned pair of printheads, the composite pattern will show the interlaced lines equally spaced from top to bottom. If the spacing is not equal, decide if the lines printed by the slave printhead are too close or too far from the master and make an adjustment accordingly. This may take several iterations.

Stage 3: Verification

The Verification pattern, while of enormous assistance on the UVR-UVX and 9840 printers, does not add as much new information on the Designjet H. On the H35100 and H35500, the verification patterns are no different from the color-to-color patterns.

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Examples

The illustrations on the following pages show examples (magnified many times) of the desired interlace and several ways (out of many possibly others) in which the interlace could be incorrect. The main thing to bear in mind is simply that the lines should be evenly spaced from top to bottom. Anything other than even spacing indicates an out-ofalignment condition.

Master printhead Slave printhead

The example above shows correct alignment. All lines are evenly spaced, no two lines are any closer or farther apart than any other two lines.

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Master printhead Slave printhead

The example above shows the slave head shifted up. We trust that it is not the case that the master head is shifted down, because the position of the master head should already have been set and confirmed during the color-to-color stage.

Master printhead Slave printhead

The example above shows the slave head now too low.

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Master printhead Slave printhead

The example above shows the slave head directly on top of the master.

Master printhead Slave printhead

This final pattern shows a slave printhead that is shifted so far up that it is now higher than the master. The significance of the different line lengths can now be appreciated. The longest line, jet 1 of the master, must always be the topmost line in the pattern.

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Adjusting the Y-Axis Alignment

Field Service Note 0706411, Carriage Assemblies, has a detailed description, with photographs, of the this adjustment. The present document provides the conceptual fundamentals; consult 0706411 for a step-by-step process. Printhead Y-axis alignment can be summarized in the following steps: 1. Turn the adjustment screws by hand until they are snug against the printheads. This step attempts to ensure that the printheads will remain in their current location when the screws that hold them in place are loosened. Do not overtighten; the high resolution threads of the adjustment screws could be damaged. 2. Print the Color-to-Color pattern. This allows you to inspect the registration of the color planes. Make any necessary adjustments to the color-to-color relationships and confirm the new alignment before continuing. (H35100 and H35500 printers skip to step 7). 3. Print the Heads-within-Color pattern. This will show the composite interlace for each color. Each of the patterns should resemble one or another of the examples depicted above. Examine the composite pattern with at least a 10-power loupe and make your decisions about what lines need to moveboth in what direction and how far. 4. Based on what you see, use a pen to mark above each pattern how far to move each head. This will help you keep track of what adjustments you intend to make. A complete turn (360) of the adjustment screw will move the head 4 pixels. A recommended system is to mark an arrow up or down and the number of pixels you wish to adjust. Repeat for each head. 5. Follow the step-by-step instructions in FSN 0706411 to make the actual adjustments. 6. Repeat steps 3-5 until the Heads-within-Color pattern shows even spacing of the interlace lines. 7. When you think you have all heads aligned, print the Verification pattern. On the H35100 and H35500, this will not be any different than the Color-to-Color pattern. On the H45100 and H45500, the Verification pattern repeats the Headswithin-Color pattern but adds two new patterns. These new patterns print all of the master heads on top of each other and print all of the slave heads on top of each other. If either pattern shows colors peeking out from the overlapping lines, then one or more heads are still out of alignment.

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Part XI. Troubleshooting

Some troubleshooting techniques have been mentioned in passing in the preceding sections. This section points to other documents that may be of use or discusses additional topics and techniques.

LVDS Errors

LVDS errors are discussed in Tech Note 2735.

Carriage motion failures Vertical Banding

Carriage motion failures are discussed in Tech Note 2734.

Vertical banding is discussed in Knowledgebase article 10048, Identifying Sources of Vertical Banding.

Ink Overfills

An ink overfill occurs when the printheads are, for one reason or another, over-filled with ink, causing the ink to travel into other parts of the printer, specifically the air vacuum/ pressure system. Recovery from an overfill involves three steps: 1. Clearing ink from the air system. If the ink has reached the air valve/manifold assembly, the assembly must be replaced. The air tubing may discolor from ink contact, but does not necessarily require replacement. In extreme cases the ink could reach all the way to the vacuum assembly, requiring replacement of that component as well. 2. Isolating the cause of the overfill. Most ink overfills occur when there is erroneous data fed to the printer by the ink/air thermistors in the printheads. (See Section V for a detailed description of the thermistor system.) In some cases, damage to the headboard (e.g., during improper reinstallation) could lead to a similar effect. In even rarer cases, a defect in the printhead reservoir allows a good set of thermistors to report inaccurate information. To determine if the thermistors are the cause (which is most likely), remove the thermistors from the printheads so they are exposed to air, leaving them connected to the headboard. A perfectly-matched triplet of thermistors should have same value when all three are actually in air. If an ink thermistor has slightly higher value than its air thermist or, that is acceptable; but an ink thermsitor in air that reads lower than its air thermistor opens the possibility for ink overfills of the printhead.

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3. Remedying the cause. Replace any set of thermistors that does not have a good match among all three. If a second set of thermistors causes another overfill, remove that set and swap it with another set that is not causing overfills. If the problem remains with the original color channel (i.e., the overill does not follow the thermistors), then the headboard can be suspected.

Jetting
Jets out clustered at front of printhead, all colors affected: this generally signals that the wiper head in the service station is not reaching the front of the printheads. An out-of-calibration service station or service station wiper rails that have a build-up of ink on them will prevent proper wiping. Remove the enclosure, clean and regrease the rails (use P/N 0900854), recalibrate, and test. Vacuum-related problems: either too much vacuum or not enough vacuum applied to the printheads can cause jet drop-out during printing. Too much vacuum inhibits the flow of ink from the reservoir to the jets. Cancel a print and quickly inspect the orifice plates. If dry, there may be too much vacuum (a Warning on the control panel should also be present in such a case). If the orifice plates are wet with ink, there may be insuffcient vaccum. Ink is drooling out of the jets and pooling on the orifice plate. This inhibits the jetted drops from exiting the printhead. Check for leaks in the system from printhead all the way back to the vacuum assembly. Clean or replace the vacuum restrictor and replace the vacuum air filters. There is also a vacuum troubleshooter built in to the control panel; use this tool to help isolate leaks.

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Part X. Overview of HP RIP Software (formerly Kodiak Print Server) Installation

drivers protocol

VideoNet Card Internet Information Services (IIS) HP RIP Software Licensing

User Interface
Ports
Hot Folders TCP/IP Winlink Routing Tiling/Scaling

Input Queues

RIP Output Queues Printers RIP Save Filters ColorMark+

Color Adjustment

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XI. Administrative Topics

Refer to document TN4848, Reseller-ASP Handbook for this section. Topics to emphasize include: Parts Ordering Website Communications Channels