ASTRO ATS-8900 User manual

ASTRO
ATS-8900
TABBER/STAMP
AFFIXER
OPERATOR MANUAL

SAFETY PRECAUTIONS
THIS EQUIPMENT PRESENTS NO PROBLEM WHEN USED PROPERLY.
OBSERVE THE FOLLOWING SAFETY RULES WHEN OPERATING THE ASTRO
ATS-8900 TABBER, LABELER, AND STAMP AFFIXER.
BEFORE USING THE ATS-8900, READ THIS MANUAL CAREFULLY AND
FOLLOW RECOMMENDED PROCEDURES, SAFETY WARNINGS, AND
INSTRUCTIONS:
9 Keep hands, hair, and clothing clear of rollers and other moving parts.
9 Avoid touching moving parts or materials while the machine is in use. Before clearing a jam, be
sure machine mechanisms come to a stop.
9 Always turn off the machine before making adjustments, cleaning the machine, or performing any
maintenance covered in this manual.
9 Use the power cord supplied with the machine and plug it into a properly grounded, easily
accessible wall outlet located near the machine. Failure to properly ground the machine can result
in severe personal injury and/or fire.
9 Power cord and wall plug are the primary means of disconnecting the machine from the
power supply.
9 DO NOT use an adapter plug on the line cord or wall outlet.
9 DO NOT remove the ground pin from the line cord.
9 DO NOT route the power cord over sharp edges or trap it between furniture.
9 Avoid using wall outlets controlled by wall switches, or shared with other equipment.
9 Make sure there is no strain on the power cord caused by jamming between equipment,
walls or furniture.
9 DO NOT remove covers. Covers enclose hazardous parts that should be accessed by a qualified
service representative. Report any cover damage to your service representative.
9 This machine requires periodic maintenance. Contact your authorized service representative for
required service schedules.
9 To prevent overheating, do not cover the vent openings.
9 Use this equipment only for its intended purpose.
In addition, follow any specific occupational safety and health standards for your workplace or area.
This manual is intended solely for the use and information of Astro Machine Corp. its designated
agents, customers, and their employees. The information in this guide was obtained from several
different sources that are deemed reliable by all industry standards. To the best of our
knowledge, that information is accurate in all respects. However, neither Astro Machine Corp. nor
any of its agents or employees shall be responsible for any inaccuracies contained herein.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical,
including photocopying, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher

TABLE OF CONTENTS
i
TABLE OF CONTENTS
SECTION 1 – Getting Acquainted 1
Front View 1
Tabber Rear View 2
FF-30 Feeder Connections 3
Tabber Control Panel 4
SECTION 2 - Assembly and Installation 5
Assembly 5
Installing the Reel Assembly 5
Install FF-30 Feeder 6
SECTION 3- Operating the Tabber 8
Adjusting the Feeder 9
Adjusting the Tabber 10
Adjusting Tab Fold Positioning 11
Operating the Tabber 13
Exceeding Tabbing Rate 14
Running a Pre-Programmed Job 15
SECTION 4 – Programming the Tabber 17
Advanced Soft Key 17
Control Panel Backlight 17
Version 18
Diagnostic 18
Job # Key 18
Automatic Tab Sensor (V-Tab) Adjustment 19
Manual Tab Sensor (V-Tab) Adjustment 21
Manual Tab/Stamp Positioning Features 23
Automatic Tab/Stamp Positioning Features 27
Manual Product Length Input 29
SECTION 5 – Maintenance 30
Cleaning 30
Rollers and Transport Belts 30
Cleaning the Sensors 30
Lubrication 32
SECTION 6 –Troubleshooting 33
Jams 33
Tab Placement Problems 33
Stamp Placement Problems 35
Tabber Operation Problems 36
Diagnostics 37
Appendix - Specifications 40
Index 41

ii
NOTES
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GETTING ACQUAINTED
1
SECTION 1 – Getting Acquainted
Front View
1
Control Panel – Control and program Tabber.
2
Pressure Roller Assembly – Presses tab to media.
3
Reel – Load tabs or stamps on Reel Assembly.
4
Take-up Reel – Winds up tab web after tab is applied.
5
Media Height Adjustment Knob – Permits operator to raise or lower Head
Assembly to adjust for media thickness.
6
FF-30 Feeder Assembly
–
Used to feed media to Tabber.
7
Feeder Interface Cable
– When connected to Tabber, allows Tabber to
control Feeder.
8
Media Support
– Supports media while it is being fed.
9
Media Guides
– Help hold media in place while it is being fed.

GETTING ACQUAINTED
2
Tabber Rear View
1
Emergency Stop Input – Permits an Emergency Stop of Tabber from an
existing safety c
ircuit when properly wired. Jumper plug must be used
when
this feature is not used.
2
Emergency Stop Output – Permits Tabber to control emergency stopping
of another machine.
3
Tabber/Feeder Control Cable – Connect Feeder here to permit automatic
operation of Feeder when used with Tabber.
4
Main Power Switch – Turns Tabber ON and OFF.
5
Fuse – Main power fuse for Tabber.
6
Power Inlet Connection – Power Cord plugs in here.

GETTING ACQUAINTED
3
FF-30 Feeder Connections
1
Tabber/Feeder Control Cable – Permits Tabber to control Feeder when Mode
Switch is in the Automatic position.
2
Power Inlet Connection – Power Cord plugs in here.
3
Fuse – Feeder Fuse is located here.
4
Main Power Switch – Turns Feeder ON and OFF.
5
Mode Switch – Selects either Automatic mode (Tabber controls Feeder) or
Manual mode (Feeder speed is controlled manually by Feeder Speed Control).
6
Feeder Speed Control – Controls Feeder speed when Feeder Mode Switch is
in Manual position.
7
Media Thickness Adjustment – Adjusts height/pressure of Forwarding Rollers
(Exit Rollers) to accommodate media thickness.

GETTING ACQUAINTED
4
Tabber Control Panel
1
TRANSPORT POWER SWITCH – Turns Tabber transport power ON*.
2
SPEED CONTROL – Adjusts Tabber speed.
NOTE: M
aximum speed of Tabber is controlled by software.
T
abber Speeds:
Single Tabs
: Applies up to 20,000 pieces per hour
Double Tabs
: Applies 12,000 pieces per hour
Triple Tabs
: Applies 8,000 pieces per hour.
(Exceeding these speeds causes Tabber to stop.)
3
LCD DISPLAY – Keeps operator informed of Tabber status.
4
KEY PAD – Used to set the adjustments and program the Tabber
5
EMERGENCY STOP – When Tabber is properly connected to Feeder and/or
other pieces of equipment
, pushing this button stops all machines. T
urn button
clockwise to release (reset) it.
6
SOFT KEYS – Used to step through various menu options to program Tabber.
7
STOP KEY – Stops Tabber and holds it in a ready state to resume operation.
8
RUN KEY – Press to start Tabber when running a job.
9
INFO KEY – Press to change display to Information mode.
10
SAVE KEY – Used to save entries into memory.
11
CLEAR KEY – Press to clear any incorrect entry before it is saved in memory.
*Transport power will not activate unless all safety and emergency stop circuits are closed.

ASSEMBLY AND INSTALLATION
5
SECTION 2 - Assembly and Installation
The ATS-8900 is shipped in a single carton.
Assembly
Choose a Location
Place the Tabber with its Feeder on a sturdy worktable or cabinet at least 12 inches from any
walls. Allow enough room to place the Feeder on the same work surface. Protect the Tabber
from excessive heat, dust, and moisture – avoid placing it in direct sunlight.
CAUTION
THE UNIT IS HEAVY.
IT IS STRONGLY R
ECOMMENDED THAT TWO TECHNICIANS REMOVE THE
TABBER FROM THE CARTON AND PLACE IT ON THE WORKING SURFACE.
Installing the Reel Assembly
1. Place the Reel Assembly over the Guide
Pin [1]. Make sure that the Head is over
Guide Pin [2] while you are tightening the
Tab Positioning Knob [3] clockwise.
NOTE: Make sure the plastic bushings
[4], located at the front and back of the
hole for Guide Pin [1], are installed.

ASSEMBLY AND INSTALLATION
6
2. When the Reel Assembly is completely
seated, plug in the Reel Assembly Cord
[5], as shown.
Install FF-30 Feeder
1. The pin [A] on the Feeder should mate
with the hole [B] on the Tabber body.
2. The Feeder is properly aligned with the
Tabber body as shown.

ASSEMBLY AND INSTALLATION
7
Plugging in the Feeder and Tabber
Make sure that the Emergency Stop Switch of the Tabber is in the OFF position and the Main
Power Switch above the power cord receptacle is in the OFF position. Make sure that the Power
Switch on the Feeder is in the OFF position also.
1. Connect one end of the Tabber
power cord [1] to the rear of the
Tabber in the corresponding
receptacle.
2. Connect one end of the Feeder
power cord [2] to the rear of the
Feeder in the corresponding
receptacle.
3. Plug the other end each cord into
a 115-220 Volt AC, 50/60 Hz.
grounded outlet.
CAUTION
Do not use adapter plugs or extension
cords to connect the Tabber or the
feeder to the wall receptacle.
Do not use outlets controlled by
wall switches.
Do not use an outlet that shares the
same circuit with large electrical
machines or appliances.
4. Connect Feeder Interface Cable [3] to Feeder and to lower connector on Tabber.

OPERATING THE TABBER
8
SECTION 3- Operating the Tabber
ATS-8900 is capable of applying up to three tabs or stamps to the media in one pass.
The steps required to set-up the Tabber for applying tabs or stamps are:
x
Load tabs or stamps
x
Set up the feed
x
Set up the Tabber
x
Program the Job
x
Run the Job
WARNING!
BEFORE LOADING TABS OR STAMPS TURN OFF THE TABBER OR PRESS
THE EMERGENCY STOP BUTTON TO PREVENT THE TAB DRIVER ROLLER
FROM TURNING DURING THE LOADING PROCESS
Loading Tabs/Stamps
1. Remove the Reel Side Guide and install the Tab Roll with the tabs unwinding face up
from the right side of the roll. Remove approximately 30 tabs from the roll to create a
leader.
2. Release the Unwind Drive Press Roller by rotating it to the left and thread the leader over
the Unwind Drive Roller. Rotate the Unwind Drive Press Roller so that it contacts the
Unwind Drive Roller.
3. Thread the leader into the Bin then over the Bin Idler Roller. Adjust the Roller Tension
Spring so that it lightly touches the tab backing.
4. Continue threading the leader under the Idler Roller then through the slot in the Tab
Sensor and Applicator.
Tip: It is easier to thread the tabs through the Tab Applicator when the Media Thickness Control Knob is
turned fully clockwise (transport pressure raised to its highest position).
5. Lift the Drive Press Roller, and then thread the leader between the Drive Roller and the
Drive Press Roller. Bring the Drive Press Roller in contact with the Drive Roller
6. Thread the web over the Take-up Idler Roller and the loop the web over the pegs in the
Take-up Reel.
7. Make sure that the Adjustable Web Guides on the Idler Rollers and Take-up Idler Roller
lightly contact the edge of the Tab backing.

OPERATING THE TABBER
9
Adjusting the Feeder
The Feeder is properly aligned with the Tabber when it is installed. The Operator Side Guide in
the Feeder is fixed in position for proper alignment of the media.
Adjusting the Feeder to feed media:
1. Open the non-operator Side Guide to provide
room for the media.
2. Loosen the Separator Locking Knobs and raise
the Sheet Separators. Install one sheet of media
under the Separators and lower Separators to
contact the media. Tighten the Locking Knobs.
NOTE: For media thicker than 1/2-folded sheets
add one sheet of the material to the media
before tightening the Locking Knobs. This gives
thicker media a little more room to feed.

OPERATING THE TABBER
10
3. Move the Adjustable Side Guide to within 1/32-inch of the media and tighten the
Locking Knob.
4. Adjust the Rear Media Support Guide so
that the media is approximately 1/2-inch
above the Media Support as shown.
NOTE: This is a starting guideline. Height
of media above Support Guide may vary to
obtain optimum feeding.
5. Forwarding Rollers on the Feeder are
adjustable for media thickness. This is
particularly helpful when feeding media
over 1/8-inch thick. To adjust the
Forwarding Rollers, loosen the Locking
Knob [3], place a piece of media under
the Forwarding Rollers [4], and then
tighten the Knob.
NOTE: To increase or decrease the
pressure on the Forwarding Rollers,
adjust the lever [5] while tightening the
Locking Knob [3].
Adjusting the Tabber
The Tabber is equipped with two Paper Guides and an adjustable set of Angular Rollers to help
guide the media into position for tabbing. Adjust these Guides as follows:
1. Place one of the two Media Guides next to the
Fixed Media Guide. Then place the Adjustable
Guide next to it as shown in the photo.

OPERATING THE TABBER
11
2. The two Media Guides [1] should be just
resting on the belts. Too much pressure will
cause the media to stall while being fed.
Additionally, the Guides should be
positioned between 1/8" and 1/4" of the
edge of the media to prevent the edges from
curling. The Center Media Guide [2] should
be placed so that the Guide Rollers are on
the belt nearest to the Fixed Media Guide
[3]. The Center Media Guide [2] should not
be placed on any other belt except the one
nearest to one of the Fixed Media Guides [3].
NOTE: The Center Media Guide [2] can be set at an angle to increase the push against
the Fixed Media Guide [3]. Additionally, all of the Guide Rollers on the Center Media
Guide [2] should be riding on the same Transport Belt.
Adjusting Tab Fold Positioning
Once the tabs are loaded, the next step is to adjust the tab positioning.
1. Loosen Locking Knob [1] that holds Exit
Roller Assembly in position, then slide it
in the direction of the arrow. Lift the Exit
Roller Assembly and pivot it to the right.
2. Applicator Head can be positioned
two ways:
Position A is used for applying tabs.
Position B is used for applying stamps.
Press down on the Locking Lever [2] and
slide the Applicator Head into the
appropriate position.

OPERATING THE TABBER
12
3. Release the two Press Rollers to take the
tension off the Tab web.
4. Pull the Tab from the take-up end of the
web until approximately 1/2 of the
Tab/Stamp is showing.
5. Adjust the Tab Position Knob [5] to
center the Tab on the edge of the belt as a
starting point.
6. Adjust the tab web so that it is in position
against the back of the Reel Guide and
the Spring Guides on the Idler Rollers are
lightly touching the tab web.
7. Insert one piece of media [3] into the front of
the Tabber and adjust the Media Thickness
Control Knob [4] up or down until you feel a
drag on the piece of media.

OPERATING THE TABBER
13
8. Release the Emergency Stop Switch. Turn the Main Power Switch on the Tabber and the
Feeder ON. If the Feeder Interface Cable is attached, make sure that the Selector Switch
on the Feeder is set to Automatic.
9. Refer to the instructions under “Operating the Tabber” and run one piece through the
Tabber.
10. Check the positioning of the Tab or
Tabs on the piece and adjust the Fine
Positioning Knob [5] to center the Tab
on the piece. Turning the Knob
clockwise will place more of the Tab
on the bottom of the piece and turning
the Knob counterclockwise will place
more of the Tab on the top of the piece.
11. When you are satisfied with the tab-positioning, run the job.
Operating the Tabber
Start up the Tabber in the following sequence:
1. Check that the Emergency Stop Switch is in the operate position. Turn the Tabber ON by
pressing the Main Power Switch on the Feeder and the Main Power Switch on the
Tabber, then press the Green Transport Power Switch on the Tabber Control Panel.
NOTE: If Feeder Interface Cable is installed, make sure that Feeder Selector Switch is
set to Automatic so the Speed Control on the Tabber will control Feeder speed.
2. Start-Up screen at right appears. Soft
keys (at bottom of display) control the
following functions:
a. Job # - Used to select one of four
programmable jobs. More
information can be found under
Programming the Job section.
b. Pass-Thru – When Pass-Thru is showing, the Tabber will tab pieces as they are
fed through it. Pressing this soft key will take the Tabber out of the tabbing mode
and puts it in the pass-through mode. In Pass-Thru mode, display shows
Operate. When Operate is showing, motor and main drive belts of the Tabber
will run, but Tabber will not tab. This mode is used when the Tabber is in-line
with other equipment and you do not want to tab the pieces going through the
machine.

OPERATING THE TABBER
14
c. Advanced – Press this key to place the Tabber in Advanced Mode. This mode is
used to select the Automatic Tab Sensing Program and to access more
information regarding the soft key menus.
3. Press RUN key (located below soft keys on Control Panel) to start the Tabber. Adjust the
Speed Control to set the speed of the Tabber. Press the STOP key located below the soft
keys to stop the Tabber. Pressing the large Emergency Stop button will shut down the
entire Tabber and lock out the other keys. To restart from an Emergency Stop, release
the button by turning it clockwise, then press the RUN key.
When the Tabber is running, the screen
at right appears. It contains the
following information:
a. The number of the programmed
job that is running.
b. The number of tabs being
applied to the piece.
c. The rate or speed in pieces per hour.
d. The number of pieces that have been run. This can be reset by pressing the
CLEAR key on the Control Panel before starting the job.
Operation of the Tabber is the same whether you are tabbing, applying labels or stamps. Refer to
the parts of this section regarding setting up the Tabber for the type of application you are
performing for more information.
Exceeding Tabbing Rate
IMPORTANT
THE MAXIMUM SPEED OF THE TABBER IS CONTROLLED BY THE
SOFTWARE. TABBER SPEEDS:
SINGLE TABS – APPLIES UP TO 20,000
PIECES PER HOUR,
DOUBLE TABS – APPLIES 12,000
PIECES PER HOUR,
TRIPLE TABS
– APPLIES 8,000 PIECES PER HOUR. EXCEEDING THESE
SPEEDS WILL CAUSE THE TABBER TO STOP.
THE TAB PLACED ON THE
END OF THE PIECE IS NOT COUNTED IN THE ABOVE.
If you exceed the maximum speed of the
Tabber for the job you are running the Run
Screen changes and the Exceeding Tabbing
Rate message flashes for 15 seconds.

OPERATING THE TABBER
15
After 15 seconds*, if the Tabber isn't slowed
down, Maximum Tabbing Rate Exceeded
screen appears and the Tabber will stop.
To restart, reduce Tabber speed and press RUN
key on Control Panel.
*If the Tabber is slowed down during the
warning period it will switch back to the Run
Screen and continue to operate.
Running a Pre-Programmed Job
Up to four jobs may be programmed into the Tabber's memory. To run a pre-programmed job
release the Emergency Stop Button, then:
1. Press the Job # soft key.
2. Select the Job (1-4) you wish to run. In
our example, we are selecting Job # 2
using the soft key 2.
3. “Select Option to Edit” screen appears.
Press RUN key on Control Panel to start
Tabber.
NOTE: To check the setup, press and
hold the INFO key on the Tabber
Control Panel and a screen appears
containing the settings and adjustments
for the job you are running.

OPERATING THE TABBER
16
INFO SCREEN INFORMATION
Item
Description
Job #
The number of the Job that is currently selected.
#Tabs
The number of Tabs being applied.
Tab Pitch
The distance between the lead edge of the tab and the next tab
including the space between tabs, plus 0.01".
Paper-L
The length of the piece in inches.
Offset
Distance from the leading edge of mail piece to leading edge of
tab/stamp.
TabV
The voltage on the Sensors when a tab is present under the
S
ensors. Clear and Opaque Tabs will have different voltage
readings.
Trip
This voltage is used to determine the difference between the Tab
and the Backing to cause the tab to feed.
Tab Type
There are two tab types: Clear and Opaque.
(See Appendix B for samples.)
4. Pressing the RUN key changes the screen
to the running mode so that the Rate in
Pieces per Hour and the number of Pieces
Run are displayed.
5. To stop the Tabber, press the Red Stop key next to the RUN key on the Control Panel.