Formax ColorMax 7 User manual

ColorMax 7
Digital Color Printer
OPERATOR MANUAL
Revision 2
6/2014

SAFETY PRECAUTIONS
THIS EQUIPMENT PRESENTS NO PROBLEM WHEN USED PROPERLY.
HOWEVER, CERTAIN SAFETY RULES SHOULD BE OBSERVED WHEN
OPERATING THE DIGITAL COLOR PRINTER.
BEFORE USING THE PRINTER, YOU SHOULD READ THIS MANUAL
CAREFULLY AND FOLLOW THE 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 the machine is in use. Before clearing a jam,
be sure machine mechanisms come to a stop.
 Always turn off the machine before making adjustments, cleaning the machine, or performing
any maintenance covered in this manual.
 The power cord and power supply supplied with the machine should be plugged into a
properly grounded, easily accessible wall outlet near the machine. Failure to properly ground
the machine can result in severe personal injury and/or fire.
 The power cord and wall plug is the primary means of disconnecting the machine from the
power supply.
 DO NOT use an adapter plug on the line cord or wall outlet.
 DO NOT remove the ground pin from the line cord.
 DO NOT route the 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 the 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 the 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 Formax USA, 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 Formax USA nor any of its agents or
employees shall be responsible for any inaccuracies contained herein.
Memjet® is a registered trademark.
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
Front View..........................................................................................................................1
Rear View...........................................................................................................................2
Print Engine Area................................................................................................................3
Behind the Ink Tank Door ...................................................................................................4
Section 2 –Installing the Printer..................................................................................5
Transport Inspection...........................................................................................................5
Tools Needed .....................................................................................................................5
Choosing the Location.........................................................................................................6
Operating Conditions..........................................................................................................6
Unpacking ..........................................................................................................................7
Accessory Box Contents.......................................................................................................................... 8
Removing the cardboard Shipping Insert and Shipping Tape ................................................9
Installing Media Guides ....................................................................................................10
Connecting the Printer......................................................................................................12
Plugging in the Printer .......................................................................................................................... 12
Powering the Printer ON and OFF ........................................................................................................ 12
Connecting to the Computer................................................................................................................ 13
Minimum Computer System Requirements ......................................................................................... 13
Installing the Printer Software (Driver & Toolbox) .............................................................14
Connecting the Printer via Network (Ethernet Port)............................................................................ 17
Installing the Ink Tanks .....................................................................................................19
Ink Tank Anatomy................................................................................................................................. 19
Procedure (Installing the Ink Tanks): .................................................................................................... 20
Installing the Printhead Cartridge......................................................................................22
Printhead Cartridge Protective Packaging............................................................................................ 22
Procedure (Installing the Printhead Cartridge) .................................................................................... 24
Envelope Printing Attachment Kit .....................................................................................28
Installing/Removing the Head Media Guide ........................................................................................ 28
Installing/Removing the PPS Spacers ................................................................................................... 30
Section 3 –Operating the Printer ..............................................................................31
Control Panel Functions....................................................................................................31
Printer Status Light Indicators ...........................................................................................32
Setting up the Feed...........................................................................................................35
Printer Driver Properties...................................................................................................38

TABLE OF CONTENTS
ii
Using the Toolbox Utility...................................................................................................44
Printing ............................................................................................................................51
Printhead Cartridge Conditioning......................................................................................................... 51
Section 4 –Software Setup Information.....................................................................53
General Software Setup Info .............................................................................................53
Adobe®Acrobat/Reader Setup Tips ...................................................................................54
Setting Up a Job in Satori Bulk Mailer®...............................................................................55
Setting Up a Job in Microsoft Word®(2007) .......................................................................62
Section 5 –Operator Maintenance ............................................................................66
Replacing the Ink Tanks ....................................................................................................66
Cleaning Ink Tank Contacts & Prism ..................................................................................................... 66
Ink Tank Storage & Shelf Life................................................................................................................ 67
Ink Tank Service Life ............................................................................................................................. 67
Ink Tank Disposal .................................................................................................................................. 68
Cleaning the Printhead Cartridge ......................................................................................68
Replacing the Printhead Cartridge.....................................................................................70
Printhead Storage & Shelf Life.............................................................................................................. 71
Printhead Service Life........................................................................................................................... 71
Printhead Disposal................................................................................................................................ 71
Inspecting & Cleaning the Lip of the Capping Station .........................................................72
Inspecting the Wiper Roller...............................................................................................73
Cleaning/Replacing Service Station Items..........................................................................74
Removing the Service Station............................................................................................................... 74
Cleaning the Service Station ................................................................................................................. 76
Installing the Service Station ................................................................................................................ 79
Still Experiencing Print Quality Issues?................................................................................................. 82
Inspecting/Replacing the Waste Ink Tray...........................................................................83
Replacing the Sheet Separators.........................................................................................84
Clearing Media Jams.........................................................................................................84
Cleaning the Printer Body .................................................................................................86
Cleaning the Feed Rollers and Forwarding Rollers..............................................................86
Cleaning the Encoder Wheel .............................................................................................86
Cleaning the Feed Sensor..................................................................................................87
Cleaning Other Items inside the Print Engine .....................................................................88
Grit Rollers (Media Transport Rollers).................................................................................................. 88
Media (Paperpath) Sensors .................................................................................................................. 88
Capping Station Lip............................................................................................................................... 88
Paperpath Surfaces............................................................................................................................... 88
Printing Platen Surface ......................................................................................................................... 88
Cleaning the Ink Revolver Couplings .................................................................................................... 90

TABLE OF CONTENTS
iii
PRINTER MAINTENANCE SCHEDULE ..................................................................................91
Preparing Printer for Transport .........................................................................................93
Local relocation .................................................................................................................................... 93
Remote relocation or shipping ............................................................................................................. 93
Section 6 –Troubleshooting Guide ............................................................................95
Print Quality Issues:..........................................................................................................95
Examples of Print Quality Issues (including possible causes and solutions)......................................... 96
The Ink Tank(s) ...............................................................................................................102
The Printhead Cartridge..................................................................................................103
The Printer .....................................................................................................................105
Dots or Lines Printed on Media .......................................................................................................... 105
Power Problems ................................................................................................................................. 105
Service Station Problems.................................................................................................................... 106
Interface Communication Problems................................................................................................... 107
Feeding Problems ............................................................................................................................... 108
Errors and Warnings .......................................................................................................109
Printer Alert Window Messages......................................................................................................... 109
Toolbox System Status Messages....................................................................................................... 110
Appendix A –Printer Specifications .........................................................................114
Appendix B –Supplies and Optional Hardware ........................................................115
Appendix C –Quick Reference Info ..........................................................................117
Control Panel Light Sequences –Quick Reference............................................................117
Driver Properties Printing Adjustments - Quick Reference ...............................................118

TABLE OF CONTENTS
iv
NOTES
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________

SECTION 1
GETTING ACQUAINTED
1
Section 1 –Getting Acquainted
Front View
1.
Control Panel –Provides printer controls. See "Control Panel Functions" section
2.
Side Guide Locking Knob –Used to secure the position of the side guide.
3.
Rear Media Support Guide –Provides the proper angle to enhance paper feeding and
separation.
4.
Media Support Wedge –Allows for adjustments in stack angle, based on media type and length.
Helps to force the media against the separation area. Narrow and wide wedges are provided with
the printer to accommodate different media widths.
5.
Adjustable Media Side Guide –Adjusts to hold the paper/media against the Media Registration
Side Guide.
6.
Media Registration Side Guide –All media is registered against this guide. It has two positions.
Inner position for media measuring 3" to 8.5" in width.
Outer position for media measuring 8.6" to 9.5" in width.
7.
Sheet Separator Locking Screws –These thumb screws (four total) are used to secure the
positions of the sheet separators.
8.
Top Cover –Provides access to the Print Engine.
9.
Ink Tank Door –Hinged door access to the Service Station, Ink Tanks and Waste Ink Tray.
NOTE: On earlier units the cover above the Ink Tank Door had to be removed to access the Service Station.

SECTION 1
GETTING ACQUAINTED
2
Rear View
1.
Main Power Switch, Receptacle and Fuse –Plug in AC power cord here. Switch turns main
power ON/OFF. Fuse provides over-current protection. Fuse rating: 2.5A, 250V, slow blow.
CAUTION: Make sure power cord is disconnected from printer before checking/replacing fuse.
WARNING: Press the ON/OFF Button, located on the control panel, to properly power-down the
print engine. Wait until all control panel lights turn off, before you turn off the main power
switch.
For best system performance, it is recommended to keep the print engine powered-up at all times.
2.
USB Port Connection –(USB 2.0) The USB cable attaches to the printer here.
3.
Network Connection –(Ethernet) The network cable plugs in here.
4.
Sheet Separators –Used to separate a single piece of media from the stack. There are four sheet
separators on this printer.
5.
Feed Rollers –Used to deliver the bottom piece of media from the stack, through the sheet
separation area, and present it to the first set of transport rollers.
6.
Media Support Wedge Thumb Screw –Used to secure the Media Support Wedge to the Rear
Media Support Guide.
7.
Counter –LCD displays number of pieces fed into the Print Engine. Reset button zeros counter.
NOTE: The number of pieces fed will normally be higher than the number of pieces printed.
8.
Rear Media Support Guide Knob –Attaches the Rear Media Support Guide to the body of the
printer.

SECTION 1
GETTING ACQUAINTED
3
Print Engine Area
1.
Antistatic Brush Assembly –Contains an antistatic brush that is used to help reduce static
energy and remove paper dust from the media. This assembly also contains pressure rollers and
fingers that help guide the paper into the print engine.
2.
Printhead Latch –When closed; the Ink Revolver Couplings extend/connect with the Printhead
Cartridge. When opened; the Ink Revolver Couplings retract/disconnect from the Printhead
Cartridge, providing access for Printhead Cartridge installation/removal/replacement.
WARNING! Never attempt to open the Printhead Latch manually, severe damage will result. Use
the Printhead Release button function in the Toolbox utility on your PC,
3.
Print Ink Channels Button* –Prints 5 bars (1 bar from each ink tank) to indicate how well the
Printhead Nozzles are working. Lightly press the button with a non-conductive tool.
*Same function can be accessed through the Printer Toolbox Diagnostics screen on your computer.
4.
Ink Revolver Couplings –Connects the ink hoses to the Printhead Cartridge. The Printhead
Latch extends and retracts the couplings from the Printhead.
5.
Printhead Latch Release Button* –Initiates a Printhead Latch release cycle. If system is primed
with ink; a “System Deprime”cycle will occur before the Printhead Latch is released. Lightly
press the button with a non-conductive tool.
*Similar function can be accessed through the Printer Toolbox User Interface screen on your computer. If you are
replacing the printhead; it is best to use the “Release Printhead” button from the Toolbox utility.
6.
Clamshell Latches –Lift both latches at the same time to release and swing open the
“Clamshell” (top section of the Print Engine).
Do NOT open the Clamshell while the Printer is operating.
Do NOT let the Clamshell drop. Close it gently and then release the latches slowly.
Make Sure the Clamshell is closed and locked before operating.
7.
Printhead Cartridge –Memjet®Printhead. Capable of printing an 8.5" wide full color print area.

SECTION 1
GETTING ACQUAINTED
4
Behind the Ink Tank Door
1.
Ink Tank Securing Latches –Used to hold the Ink Tanks securely into the slots and against the
electrical contacts within the print engine.
CAUTION! Before removing/installing Ink Tanks; please be sure to power-down the Print
Engine or press the “Replace Ink Tanks” button, in the Toolbox. If this rule is not followed
damage to the Ink Tanks may result, rendering them unusable.
NOTE: Please be sure that both sides, at the bottom part of the latch, are engaged.
2.
Ink Tanks –Five Ink Tanks are used in the printer.
Cyan (C), Yellow (Y), Magenta (M), Black (K), Black (K)
3.
Waste Ink Tray –The purpose of this tray is to catch the waste ink produced by the system. This
tray is filled with absorbent material. This tray must be replaced when it becomes saturated.
Please inspect routinely. The tabs located at the left and right sides of the tray secure the tray to
the print engine frame. Please be sure the tabs “click” into the frame, to secure the tray's position.
4.
Service Station –Contains four major components.
- Wiper Roller Assembly - cleans the Printhead Cartridge of excess ink and debris.
- Capping Station - keeps the Printhead capped, hydrated and protected when not in use.
- Printing Platen - provides the base to support media during feeding and printing.
- Tray –holds all of the above components and captures the waste ink. The waste ink eventual
makes its way from the Service Station Tray into the Waste Ink Tray.
Please refer to the “Operator Maintenance” section for information on how to properly maintain
the Service Station and its components.
4
2
1
3