AstroJet 300P User manual

AstroJetTM
300P/500P PRINTER
OPERATOR MANUAL
ASTRO MACHINE CORP.
630 Lively Blvd..
Elk Grove Village, IL 60007
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
www.astromachine.com

SAFETY PRECAUTIONS
THIS EQUIPMENT PRESENTS NO PROBLEM WHEN USED PROPERLY.
OBSERVE SAFETY RULES WHEN OPERATING ASTROJET 300/500 PRINTER.
BEFORE USING PRINTER, READ THIS MANUAL CAREFULLY AND FOLLOW
RECOMMENDED PROCEDURES, SAFETY WARNINGS, AND INSTRUCTIONS:
Keep hands, hair, and clothing clear of rollers and other moving parts.
Avoid touching moving parts or materials while machine is in use. Before clearing a jam, be sure
machine mechanisms come to a stop.
Always turn machine off before making adjustments, cleaning machine, or performing any
maintenance covered in this manual.
Use power cord supplied with machine. Plug it into a properly grounded, easily accessible wall
outlet located near machine. Failure to properly ground machine can result in severe personal
injury and/or fire.
Power cord and wall plug are primary means of disconnecting machine from power supply.
DO NOT use an adapter plug on line cord or wall outlet.
DO NOT remove ground pin from line cord.
DO NOT route power cord over sharp edges or trap it between furniture.
Avoid using wall outlets that are controlled by wall switches, or shared with other equipment.
Make sure there is no strain on power cord caused by jamming between equipment,
walls or furniture.
DO NOT remove covers. Covers enclose hazardous parts that should only be accessed by a
qualified service representative. Report any cover damage to your service representative.
This machine requires periodic maintenance. Contact your authorized service representative for
required service schedules.
To prevent overheating, do not cover vent openings.
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.
AstroJetTM is a registered trademark of Astro Machine Corp.
Hewlett-Packard is a registered trademark of Hewlett-Packard Corporation.
Windows 98, 2000, NT and XP are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation.
IBM is a registered trademark of International Business Machines.
All other trademarks are the property of their respective holders.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical,
including photocopying, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher

TABLE OF CONTENTS
i
Table of Contents
SECTION 1 –Getting Acquainted 1
Operator View 1
Rear View 2
Control Panel 3
SECTION 2 –Installing Printer 5
Choose a Location 5
Connecting Printer 5
Connecting to Computer 5
Install Inkjet Cartridges 6
Setting up Feed 6
Installing Printer Driver 7
SECTION 3 –Operating Printer 9
Printer Operation 9
Purge While Printing 11
Printer Driver Properties 11
Printing from Microsoft Word 15
Printing from DeskTop Mailer®17
Using Barcodes with DeskTop Mailer®17
SECTION 4 - Maintenance 21
Inkjet Cartridge 21
Cleaning Printhead 22
Purging Nozzles 23
Jams in Printer 23
Replacing Sheet Separators 23
Cleaning 24
Feed Rollers and Forwarding Rollers 24
Cleaning Media Sensor 24
SECTION 5 –Troubleshooting Guide 25
HP Inkjet Print Cartridges 25
Printer 26
APPENDIX A –Specifications 27
APPENDIX B –Supplies and Optional Hardware 28
Supplies 28
Optional Hardware 28
INDEX 29

SECTION 1
GETTING ACQUAINTED
1
SECTION 1 –Getting Acquainted
NOTE: AstroJet 300 and 500 are similar in operation. Difference is AstroJet 300 has only one
print speed regardless of print resolution. AstroJet 500 has variable printing speeds based on
print resolution.
Operator View
1.
Safety Cover –Encloses Printheads. When raised, trips a switch that interrupts
feeding of media and stops Printer.
2.
Media Side Guides –Help guide media to Printheads.
3.
Rear Media Guide –Holds media against Front Plate.
4.
Rear Media Support –Holds longer media in position.
5.
Printer LCD Display –Displays information about Printer status.
6.
Printer Control Panel –Keys used to operate Printer.
7.
Media Thickness Adjustment Knob –Used to set Printheads at proper height
for printing on media. Always raise Printheads to their uppermost position
when storing Printer.

SECTION 1
GETTING ACQUAINTED
2
Rear View
1.
Separator Locking Knob –Locks Separator in place after it is adjusted.
2.
Sheet Separator –Separates each piece of media as it is fed.
3.
USB Port –Connects Printer to your computer using your USB Port.
4.
Parallel Port –Connects Printer to Parallel Printer Port on your computer.
5.
Main Power Fuse –Protects all electronic circuits in Printer.
6.
Motor Circuit Breaker –Protects Printer’s Motor from overload.
7.
Main Power Switch –Turns Printer ON and OFF.
8.
Power Receptacle –Power cord plugs in here.

SECTION 1
GETTING ACQUAINTED
3
Control Panel
1.
ON LINE key –Indicator lights when data is sent to Printer and printing is ready to
begin. Also turns Printer offline to access Menu mode.
2.
- key –In Menu mode, use this key to scroll to previous selection.
3.
ENTER key –Starts and stops printing.
4.
FAULT Indicator –Lights when there is a problem with printing process.
5.
RESET key –Resets Printer to “standby” state.
6.
+ key –In Menu mode, use this key to scroll to next selection.
7.
MENU key –Puts Printer in Menu mode to access operator functions.
8.
TEST PRINT key –Puts Printer in Test mode and prints a sample copy to check
Printer’s output.
9.
OPERATOR DISPLAY –Indicates Printer status including menus, error messages.
NOTE: A complete description of functions and operation of Printer Keys
is found in SECTION 3 –Operating Printer.

SECTION 1
GETTING ACQUAINTED
4
NOTES

SECTION 2
INSTALLING PRINTER
5
SECTION 2 –Installing Printer
Before using Printer:
Choose a location for Printer
Plug in Printer and connect it to computer
Install Inkjet Cartridges
Set up feed on Printer
Install Printer Driver (depending on model)
Choose a Location
Place Printer on a sturdy worktable or cabinet at least 12" from any walls. Protect Printer from
excessive heat, dust, and moisture –avoid placing it in direct sunlight.
Connecting Printer
Plugging in Printer
Make sure Main Power Switch is turned OFF.
1. Connect one end of power cord to rear
receptacle on Printer.
2. Plug other end into 115-220 Volt AC,
50/60 Hz. grounded outlet.
CAUTION
DO NOT USE ADAPTER PLUGS OR
EXTENSION CORDS TO CONNECT
PRINTER TO WALL OUTLET.
DO NOT USE ON OUTLETS
CONTROLLED BY WALL SWITCHES.
DO NOT USE ON OUTLETS THAT
SHARE THE SAME CIRCUIT WITH
LARGE ELECTRICAL MACHINES OR
APPLIANCES.
Connecting to Computer
Parallel Port: Plug Parallel Printer Cable
from computer into rear port on Printer.
Latch two locking clips.
USB Port: Plug cable into USB connector (located
next to Parallel Port). Cable connecting Printer to
computer must not exceed 6 feet long.
NOTE: Parallel Port may be used for all versions
of Windows. USB Port is used only for Windows
ME, 2000, XP, and later versions.

SECTION 2
INSTALLING PRINTER
6
Install Inkjet Cartridges
Printer has 3 Inkjet Cartridges.
To install cartridges:
1. Remove Inkjet Cartridge from packaging.
Take care not to touch copper contacts,
metal plate, or gold printhead. Remove
protective tape from Printhead.
2. Open Latch Lever holding Inkjet
Cartridge in place.
3. With Cartridge’s Printhead pointing
down, slide Cartridge into Holder and
push down and toward contacts in Holder.
4. Make sure Cartridge is seated in Holder.
Close Latch Lever to secure Cartridge.
DO NOT force Lever into place.
(See diagram.)
5. Repeat Steps 1-4 above for remaining
Inkjet Cartridges.
Ink in Cartridge may be harmful
if swallowed. Keep new and
used Cartridges out of reach of
children. Discard empty
Cartridges immediately.
Setting up Feed
Printer is equipped with four Sheet Separators, two
Side Guides, and a Rear Media Guide.
Adjust Sheet Separators individually:
1. Move Side Guides so locking screws
are accessible.
2. Loosen locking screw (as shown) and raise
Separator. Tighten locking screw to hold
Separator in place.
3. Place media under Separators in center
position on Table.
4. Loosen Separator locking screw. Place
Separator on media and tighten locking
screw. Repeat for each Separator that has
media under it.

SECTION 2
INSTALLING PRINTER
7
5. Adjust Side Guides to within 1/32" from
sides of media. Tighten locking screws on
Side Guides.
6. Adjust Rear Guide by loosening
locking screw, then position Guide so
media is raised approximately 1/2"
above Feed Table.
7. Turn Media Thickness Knob [A]
fully counterclockwise.
Place a piece of media [B] under
Printhead Carriage.
Adjust Media Thickness Knob
clockwise until Printhead Carriage
just touches media.
Turn Media Thickness Knob
counterclockwise until media [B]
can be pulled from under Print Carriage
with a slight pull.
8. Test feed media by pressing ON LINE key, then ENTER key.
Press ENTER to stop feeding, then press ON LINE key to stop Printer.
NOTE: When Printer is not in use always raise Printheads to their maximum up position.
Installing Printer Driver
Printer Driver (included) must be installed on your computer before you install AstroPrint Software.
NOTE: Driver for Printer should start when installed. If it does not, then use steps below:
1. Close any applications running on your computer.
Restart computer before installing Driver.
2. Install CD in CD drive and click START.
Click RUN, then type the following:
D:\Setup.exe (where D is the CD drive). Click OK.
3. “Add Printer Wizard (n.nn)”window opens.
Click Next>.
4. Type in your Name and Company. Click Next>.
4

SECTION 2
INSTALLING PRINTER
8
5. Select Printer Port LPT1. Then click Next>. “Add Printer Wizard”appears.
Select your printer from table below, then click Next>
Printer
Driver
AJ 300P
AstroJet 300
AJ 500P
AstroJet 500
6. Next screen allows you to
“Name Your Printer”.
Unless another printer has the
same name on your system or
network ignore this step and
click Next>.
7. Click Finish to complete
installation.

SECTION 3
OPERATING PRINTER
9
SECTION 3 –Operating Printer
Once Printer Driver is installed, you are ready to start printing. This section is divided into three parts. The
first describes function of Printer Control Panel. The second section describes Driver Properties and
various options available when you run a job. The third section describes how to Set Up a Job to Print
from Microsoft Word.
Printer Driver installed in Section 2 should be set as default driver. It is then accessible through
applications such as Microsoft Word. Other types of applications and database management software will
work in a similar manner using Printer Driver. This Section further assumes that feed is set up and Printer
is connected to your computer.
Printer Operation
When Printer is first turned ON, ON LINE key light blinks. Display shows “Printer Offline / Enter for
Paper Feed”. TEST key light is OFF. In this mode, pressing ENTER starts paper feeding, but no
printing takes place.
To print, Printer must be on line. Once on line, display changes to “Printer Online / Waiting for Data”.
In this mode, when a job is sent, Printer will be ready to print when ENTER is pressed.
The following describes operation of Printer’s various menu options to customize Printer operation.
Printer Control-Panel Keys are used to access various functions that help operator control Printer.
TEST key
Pressing TEST key places Printer in Test Print mode. “Working”appears in lower half of display, after a
short time, display changes to “Enter to feed”. Pressing ENTER starts printing process and prints Test
Print. To stop feeding, press ENTER again.
NOTE: If Printer is set to start automatically, (see “MENU key”below) Printer starts printing Test
Print once it is loaded without pressing ENTER. In this case, pressing ENTER stops paper feed.
To exit Test Print mode, press TEST key again and Printer returns to its ready state.
Press and hold TEST to make Printer enter “Service Menu” where various Printer functions can be tested.
To exit “Service Menu”, press TEST a second time. “Service Menu” is primarily used by service
personnel to diagnose problems should they occur. Use “+”or “-”keys to scroll through menu. Pressing
ENTER tests the function.
To check Ink Cartridge ink levels when you enter “Service Menu”, press “-”key and amount of ink
remaining appears as a percentage in lower half of display window.
MENU key
Used to access special features built into Printer and to customize Printer operation. Basic features are
accessed by pressing MENU. Use “+” or “-” keys to access features.
Features available under this mode are as follows:
NOTE: If ON LINE key is ON you cannot enter Menu mode.
Take Printer offline by pressing ON LINE key.
Media Thickness Setup –First item to appear in display is “Media Thickness Setup”, (if Printer is
equipped with an Automatic Media Thickness Control). Use this feature to preset Printhead height
for various media thicknesses.

SECTION 3
OPERATING PRINTER
10
Press Enter to Purge –Purging function is useful for clearing Printhead Nozzles when Printer has
been idle for a time. To activate Purge, press ENTER to feed one piece of media. To purge
Printheads additional times, press ENTER for each additional purge.
NOTE: Printer only purges one piece each time you press ENTER. For additional purges, press
ENTER again for each subsequent purge.
Clear Batch Counter –Pressing ENTER clears number in upper right hand corner of display.
Resetting Counter is usually performed at start of each job.
Turning Printer OFF does not reset this Counter.
Purge First Piece –Turning feature ON causes Printer to send one purge pattern on first piece. After
Purge is completed, next piece will be first record of your database. Once this is turned ON, it remains
ON, even if Printer is turned OFF.
Address Recovery –In event of a Printer jam, recover up to 10 pieces by pressing MENU, then
stepping to “Address Recovery”. Then press ENTER. “Enter: Recover 1 Piece”appears. Use “+”
key to select number of pieces to reprint (1-10), then press ENTER again to start printing process.
Once pieces are printed, press ONLINE key, then ENTER to resume printing job.
Print Enhancement –Pressing “+” or “-” keys brings up this message. Print Enhancement feature is
used when printing to ensure that Printhead Nozzles stay open and prevent loss of descenders on
letters such as “y” or “q” and accent marks that do not appear in every address. Pressing ENTER
turns this function ON or OFF. Function remains as changed until operator changes it again. Turning
Printer ON and OFF does not affect setting.
NOTE: Print Enhancement feature times out after 100 seconds if no media is going through
Printer. Once media starts printing, it will restart.
Automatic Feed –Turning feature ON causes Printer to start feeding once job is sent. If ON LINE
key is ON, Printer starts feeding and printing automatically. To press ENTER to start printing
process, turn this feature OFF. Turning Printer ON or OFF does not affect your selection.
Pause Type: –This feature allows Printer to respond to a “break mark” set in the database used in a
given job. The “break mark” marks the end of a series within the database. For example, addresses
with same postal code or after a set number of entries. There are two “Pause Type:”selections:
Feed Stop –Setting is for standalone desktop units not used in line with other mailing equipment.
Printer stops feeding media for a set amount of time after it “sees” a “break mark”. This allows
time for operator to pack or separate that set of printed pieces before next set starts. Use “+” or “-”
keys to access this feature. Press ENTER to turn this function ON or OFF.
Conveyor Speed Up –Used when Printer is used in line with other mailing equipment (conveyors,
tabbers, etc.) When feature is activated, Printer responds to “break mark” by sending a signal to
conveyor to speed up momentarily. This creates an obvious gap between end of one set of pieces
and beginning of next. Use “+” or “-” keys to access this feature. Press ENTER to turn this
function ON or OFF.
Installing New Printheads –Printer can tell you when a Printhead is running low on ink. To use this
feature, press MENU. Then use “+” or “-” keys to highlight “Enter when head (n) is filled”. Press
ENTER and install a new Cartridge. Repeat for each Cartridge you install. When ENTER is pressed,
display changes to “Head (n) has a new cartridge”. To check Cartridge ink levels, press and hold
TEST PRINT until “Service Menu” appears. Use “+” or “-” keys to scroll to “Service Menu: Ink
Levels, 100%100%100%”. This shows how much ink remains in Cartridge.
NOTE: Feature only works if Cartridges remain in original Head where they were installed. If you
swap Cartridges from one Head to another, levels will not be accurate.

SECTION 3
OPERATING PRINTER
11
A second set of menus is available in display. To activate, press and hold MENU until “Setup Menu”
appears. Step through these items with “+” or “-” keys.
Total Count –Displays total number of prints that passed through Printer. Non-resettable.
BIOS Version –Press “+”key to display current BIOS version.
Bulk Ink –Not used on this model printer. No provisions are made to install larger cartridges.
+ / - key
In various Menu modes these keys are used to step through options.
ON LINE key
If ON LINE key is ON, display shows “Printer Online / Waiting for Data”and light is lit. This means
Printer is ready to print job when it is sent. To have Printer start printing immediately when job is sent,
Automatic Feed feature must be turned ON. If ON LINE key is OFF, display shows, “Printer Offline /
ENTER for Paper Feed”. In this condition Printer can feed paper. Useful for setting up Feeder.
NOTE: If Printer is off line and a job is sent, display shows “Printer Offline / Data Ready to Print”. To
print, press ON LINE key to put Printer on line. If data is sent and Printer is NOT set up to start
feeding automatically and ON LINE key is lit, display shows “Printer Online / ENTER to Start Feed”.
ENTER key
Starts Printer printing when it is on line and Automatic Feed is turned OFF. Also, when Printer is in any
Menu modes, ENTER is used to choose available options.
RESET key
Used to clear Printer Memory and return it to “Standby” state. Key only functions if Printer is offline.
Purge While Printing
To activate Purge in the middle of a job:
Press ONLINE key to pause current job.
Press MENU, then step to “Press Enter to Purge”.
Press ENTER to start purge and press ENTER again to stop purge.
Press ONLINE key, then ENTER to get back to normal printing.
NOTE: If a paper jam occurs during Purge; once purge is finished, use Address Recovery to get
back to normal printing. Otherwise you will lose records.
Printer Driver Properties
Printer Driver describes to Printer how to print your job. It controls Printer operation and allows you to
send fixed and variable text and graphics to Printer. Within your data management software is a “Print”
function. In that “Print”function is a Properties button. It is through Properties that you control your
Printer output. The following describes Properties Windows for Printer and how to use them to customize
Printer’s output.

SECTION 3
OPERATING PRINTER
12
To start printing, click File, then Print. Print window opens.
To print the job, click OK. To use special features built into
AstroJet Printer Drivers, clicking Properties button opens
Properties Window in Windows 98, NT, or ME.
If using Windows 2000 or XP, window at right opens.
Clicking Advanced opens “Options”window. In the
following illustrations windows for Windows 98, NT, and
ME will be on the left. Windows for Windows 2000 and XP
will be on the right.
When Properties Window opens, you
are presented with several tabs in
Windows 98. The following are
standard Windows Printer Driver
functions and should be left at their
defaults: Graphics, Fonts, and Device
Options. Features and Print Heads
tabs are used to set up, change, and
adjust the Printer.
Features Tab
Features Tab/Advanced Options,
(depending on operating system), is
used to change speed and resolution of
Printer, to add a delay to the feed to
provide separation between pieces, and
to print an overlay with the job.
Print Quality has two settings: (1)
for Resolution of print quality and (2)
for appropriate Speed. Changing
resolution to a higher number (e.g.
200 DPI to 600 DPI) increases the
image quality. When resolution is
changed, Belt speed (IPS) is
automatically changed to optimum speed for resolution selected.

SECTION 3
OPERATING PRINTER
13
Change speeds to a lower speed as follows:
Feed Delay is used to add more space between pieces as they are being printed. This allows first piece
printed more time to dry before next piece is printed. Adjustment range is in 0.1-second increments.
Feature works at all speeds.
Overlay is used to save time printing when combining a database with fixed information or graphics.
Default is “No overlay”.
To use the Overlay feature: first create a layout in an application such as Microsoft Word. Place all fixed
information and graphics on this layout. Open layout and go to Print in File menu. Click Features, then
click Overlay. Select “Contains overlay”from box, then click Apply and OK.
Click OK in “Print” window. Overlay downloads.
Open job that contains the variable data. Use File,then Print from dropdown menu to open “Print”
window for application. Click Properties, then Features tab. Click on dropdown menu under “Overlay”
and click “Previous job contains overlay”. Click Apply, then OK. When “Print” window reappears,
click OK to send job to Printer. To start printing, press ENTER.
To print a second job using same Overlay, open that job and send it to Printer. If next job does not contain
an Overlay, then click Properties in “Print” window, select Overlay, then No overlay. Click Apply, then
OK. To print next job with a different Overlay, repeat process for first Overlay.
NOTE: Turning Printer OFF, then ON clears Overlay and job.
AstroJet 500
Resolution
Speeds available
150 DPI
Low, Medium, Medium High, and High
200 DPI
Low, Medium, and Medium High
300 DPI
Low, and Medium
600 DPI
Low
AstroJet 300
Resolution
Speeds available
150 DPI
Low
200 DPI
Low
300 DPI
Low
600 DPI
Low

SECTION 3
OPERATING PRINTER
14
Print Heads Tab
Permits slight (0.001") adjustments to position of Printheads in relation to each other. Adjustment is used to
precisely align three Printheads when printing graphics or type that extends beyond width of one Printhead.
Each Head can be moved +/- 0.048" in 0.001" increments.
To move Printhead toward lead edge of your layout, move it in “-”direction.
To move Printhead away from lead edge, move it in “+” direction.
When Printer is turned OFF, changes made in this manner go back to original settings.
Inverse Printing
Paper tab contains one element that is used to reverse or invert printing on Printer.
In normal operation printing is read from operator side of Printer. It is sometimes necessary to turn printing
direction 180 degrees from normal direction. This occurs when, due to layout or method of binding, media
must be fed in reverse direction.
Clicking Paper tab, then Paper Source permits you to reverse printing direction 180 degrees.
Remaining settings on this tab should be left as they are. Paper size is always “Max Print Area” and
Orientation is always “Portrait”. Do not change them.

SECTION 3
OPERATING PRINTER
15
Printing from Microsoft Word
If not using a specific program designed for mailing
applications, it is possible to print your mail pieces using
Microsoft Word. This section covers how to lay out a piece
and to print from Microsoft Word.
To begin, open a new page and turn on Mail Merge
toolbar. Under “Print”, select Address Printer 3 or 3A as
default printer. Go to Page Setup in File menu.
Set all margins to “0”.
NOTE: Select Printer before you do set up so
setting is registered.
Next select Page Size tab and Custom Page. Size of layout
should be 1.5" high by the length of the piece you intend to
print on. (This example uses width of a #10 envelope, 9.5".)
Orientation of the piece is always Portrait. Effective
printing area is 1.5" x 14".
Click OK once this step is completed.
Next, create a text box so you can position the address the proper distance from the lead edge of the piece.
Once page layout is set, you can save it as a template for use later.
When steps above are complete, layout should look like the one below:

SECTION 3
OPERATING PRINTER
16
Click Tools, then Mail Merge. “Mail Merge
Helper”window opens. Click Create, then
Envelopes. “Microsoft Word” window opens.
Click Active Window button, then click Get
Data button. Click Open data source. Locate data
file you intend to use. (This example uses a
Microsoft Excel file.) Select file and “Microsoft
Excel” window opens.
Select entire spreadsheet and click OK.
Next click Edit Main Document. Click Close.
Use “Mail Merge”toolbar and click Insert
Merge Field and begin to build layout by
inserting address fields.
Once layout set-up is
complete, click Mail
Merge icon on toolbar
and “Merge” window
opens.
In Merge to menu are several choices for where how data is exported. See “New Document”and
“Printer”. If choosing “New Document”, merge is created in your word application with a separate record
for each address. If choosing “Printer”, merge is sent directly to Printer and each record is printed.
Next selection is “Records to be merged”. Select All or From:
Last selection is “When merging records”. Default is “Don’t print blank lines when data fields are
empty.”This should be left checked.
Clicking Merge starts merging documents.
If you chose to send merge directly to Printer (and Printer is connected to computer and turned ON),
Printer will start. Pressing ENTER key starts printing process.
If a graphic or fixed text is to be printed with the data, refer to section on Overlays.