Genicom 38 Series User manual

GenicomGenicom
38XX/39XX
Quick Reference Guide
GEK-01022

Quick Reference Guide GEK-89604
1
Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION.................................................................................................................................. 2
SETTING UP THE PRINTER .............................................................................................................. 3
SELECTING A GOOD LOCATION.............................................................................................................. 3
UNPACKING THE PRINTER ..................................................................................................................... 3
SELECTING PROPER VOLTAGE............................................................................................................... 3
POWERING ON THE PRINTER ......................................................................................................... 4
POWER CORDS...................................................................................................................................... 4
PLUG IT IN AND TURN IT ON................................................................................................................. 5
TESTING THE PRINTER .................................................................................................................... 6
INSTALLING THE RIBBON....................................................................................................................... 6
LOADING PAPER/FORM ......................................................................................................................... 9
HOW TO LOAD A FORM........................................................................................................................ 13
PRINTING A TEST PATTERN................................................................................................................. 15
PRINT HEAD GAP ADJUSTMENT........................................................................................................... 17
ADJUST TOP-OF-FORM........................................................................................................................ 17
PAPER HANDLING ............................................................................................................................ 18
PAPER HANDLING CONFIGURATION..................................................................................................... 18
ADJUST PAPER TENSION IN REAR PAPER PATH..................................................................................... 18
MANUAL PAPER PATH ........................................................................................................................ 20
MANUAL PATH AUTO-LOADS THE NEXT SHEET ................................................................................... 21
CONNECTING THE PRINTER TO A HOST SYSTEM ................................................................... 24
ATTACH TO A DATA SOURCE............................................................................................................... 24
QUICK STATUS ................................................................................................................................... 25
MAINTENANCE ................................................................................................................................. 26
REMOVING THE PRINTER RIBBON ........................................................................................................ 26
ROUTINE CLEANING............................................................................................................................ 27
ERROR HANDLING AND TROUBLESHOOTING ......................................................................... 30
PROBLEM CAUSE AND POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS........................................................................................ 30
LCD MENU MAP ................................................................................................................................ 33

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INTRODUCTION
This Quick Reference Guide covers the 38XX model and 39XX
model printers. They are heavy duty, serial dot matrix printers
with a dual paper path and auto print head gap adjustment.
Among some of the advanced features of the printers are:
•automatic or semiautomatic print head gap adjustment
•remote or local selection of emulations
•remote or local selection of paper paths
•automatic loading of a second paper path when the first path
is empty
•the ability to store, for subsequent recall, four user-defined
sets of parameters called formats
Other characteristics include:
•input voltage: switch-selectable 115V or 230V
•power dissipation: 130 watts maximum
•hardware interfaces: menu selectable CENTRONICS parallel
and RS-232 serial
•standard emulations: menu- or host-selectable ANSI X3.64,
IBMGP, IBM Proprinter XL, DEC LA-210, Epson FX286e, and
GENICOM 3410.
•standard fonts: menu- or host-selectable Gothic, Gothic Italic,
Micro Gothic, Wide Gothic, Courier, Courier Italic, OCR-A,
and OCR-B.
•ANSI Oversized: rotatable, expandable to 18700 points in 10-
point increments.
•ANSI bar codes: Twenty-five styles, rotatable and scaleable.
Reference usage:
•Warning: Warnings are used to alert a user of a hazard that
could cause personal injury or severe damage to the
equipment.
•Caution: Cautions are used where there is a risk of damaging
the equipment, parts or supplies.
•Note: Indicates that additional information is available.
NOTE: Complete specifications can be found in the 3870
User’s Manual, SCS Guide (Model 3972), and IPDS
Guide (Model 3974).

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SETTING UP THE PRINTER
Selecting a Good Location
Choose a printer location that is:
level and solid
Print head speeds are very high. If the printer table is not
extremely stable, the printer may cause the printer table to rock.
away from direct sunlight, away from heaters and heating vents
Ribbon inks dry out in the sun. High temperatures degrade
plastic and stress electrical components
away from excessive dust or moisture
Dust shortens print head and gear train life. Very high humidity
causes paper handling problems.
within 6 feet (1.8 meters) of a grounded AC outlet
The length of the power cord is approximately 6.5 feet (2 meters).
suitable for using the bottom paper path
The printer stand must have a slot through which to feed paper.
A suitable pedestal is available from the dealer. The bottom
paper path is the best choice for labels, bar code labels, multi-
part forms, card stock and other hard-to-feed stock.
Unpacking the Printer
Packaged with the printer is an Unpacking/Re-packing
Instruction Sheet, this Quick Reference Guide, a power cord, a
ribbon cartridge, two paper guides, and a tractor assembly.
Selecting Proper Voltage
WARNING: Do not select 115V and plug the printer into
230V!
If the printer is plugged into 230V when set to 115V and power is
applied, the power supply will be seriously damaged. On the other
hand, if 230V is selected and the printer is plugged into 115V, it
will not be damaged, but the printer won’t work.
Check the voltage selector
Printers shipped to the U.S. and to Canada have the switch on
the back of the printer set to 115V. Printers shipped to other
countries are shipped with the switch set to 230V. Either 115V
or 230V will be visible in the window on the switch. Most
installations in the U.S. use 115V.

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If the voltage needs to be changed
Use a slender object such as a paper clip that has been
straightened. When setting the printer for 115V, while power
switch is off, slide the switch to the left so it shows 115V. While
power switch is off, slide it to the right for 230V operation.
POWERING ON THE PRINTER
Power Cords
Do not use two-wire extension cords or adapters that allow
connection to ungrounded outlets.
A 6.5-foot power cord is shipped with the printer. The power cord
included with printers sold for 115V installations in the U.S. and
Canada is ready to use. International model printers are shipped
with a power cord which can be used in a number of European
countries.
For units to be operated at 115V, use a UL Listed/CSA Certified
three-conductor cord set, #18 AWG minimum, Type SVT or SJT.
The maximum length is 15 feet. There must be a NEMA 5-15P
(parallel blade, grounding type) plug on one end and a CEE 22/5
socket on the other end. The cord set should be rated 10A, 250V
and have a grounding plug with safety approvals appropriate for
the country in which the equipment will be installed.
For units to be operated at 230V inside U.S. and Canada, use a
UL Listed/CSA Certified three-conductor cord set, #18 AWG
minimum, Type SVT or SJT. The maximum length is 15 feet.
There must be a NEMA 6-15P (tandem blade, grounding type)
plug on one end and a CEE 22/5 socket on the other end. The
cord set should be rated 10A, 250V and have a grounding plug
with safety approvals appropriate for the country in which the
equipment will be installed.
Voltage Selector Switch
Power
Receptacle
Power ON/OFF Switch
Voltage Selector
Switch

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For units to be operated at 230V outside the U.S. and Canada,
use a three-conductor cord set, EUR-H05VV-FG31,0 minimum,
with a CEE 22/5 socket on one end. The cord set should be rated
10A, 250V and have a grounding plug with safety approvals
appropriate for the country in which the equipment will be
installed. The cord set should be marked HAR.
Plug It In and Turn It On
Plug in the power cord.
Make sure the power switch is off. The power switch is on the
back of the printer. Press the switch down to be sure it is off. Plug
the female end of the cord to the power receptacle on the back of
the printer under the power switch. Plug the male end into an AC
outlet.
Turn on the power switch.
All four lights on the control panel come on for a few seconds. The
print head moves to its home position on the left. All lights go
out. The fault light flashes on and off.
The LCD should say Fault :Paper Out
The liquid crystal display on the front panel shows this message
until paper is loaded.
If the printer did not power on.
Check the AC outlet with another appliance. Make sure the
voltage selector switch is set for the right voltage. (See Selecting
the Proper Voltage)
If the printer beeps ...
If the printer emits a series of short beeps, something is wrong.
Note the number of beeps and call for service.
Power ON/OFF Switch

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TESTING THE PRINTER
Installing the Ribbon
The print head has to back away from the striker bar in order to
provide clearance to slide the ribbon guide onto the print head
nozzle.
The print head automatically backs away from the striker bar any
time the printer is turned on and there is no paper under the
print head.
If there is paper under the print head -
Press the PARK/PATH key. The printer should retract the paper,
and the LCD should say Fault:Paper Out.
Remove the top door.
Unpack the ribbon and unwrap it.
Hold the cartridge as shown. Take the shipping tape off the
ribbon guide and the plastic piece marked “remove” from the left
arm of the ribbon. Squeeze the ears on the ribbon guide together
and slip the ribbon guide up off the cartridge.
Top Door Removal

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If the ribbon is twisted, untwist it.
Untwist it as much as possible. There is a resident half-twist in
the ribbon that may end up between the ribbon guide and one
end of the cartridge. The ribbon will still work like this, but will
not work if the half-twist is on the ribbon guide itself. Turn the
ribbon advance knob to tighten the ribbon fabric.
WARNING: If the printer has been printing for a while, the
print head may be HOT!
Move the print head left or right until it’s centered between the middle pair of exit
rollers.
The print head must be centered between pairs of rollers in order
to install the ribbon guide onto the print head nozzle.
Centering the Print Head
Exit Rollers
Print Head Nozzle
Printer Ribbon
Ribbon Guide
Ribbon Advance Knob

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Wiggle the ribbon guide onto the print head nozzle and snap it down flush.
The ribbon guide fits snugly between the exit rollers. Center the
ribbon guide over the print nozzle. Start with the front end of the
ribbon guide pointing slightly up and then rotate it down onto the
print head nozzle. It should snap down into place with moderate
pressure.
Find the ribbon drive spindle.
Look down into the printer toward the left side and notice a small
shaft sticking up vertically through a shiny plate.
Flush Fit-No Gap
Ribbon
Guide
Print Head
Nozzle
Hub Rear of Cartridge
Ribbon Drive Spindle

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Seat the cartridge on the ribbon drive spindle.
Lay the cartridge down in the printer about where it should go
and wiggle it around until the ribbon drive spindle slips up into
the hub of the cartridge. Turn the ribbon advance knob clockwise
and feel the ribbon drive gears turning in the printer.
Snap the ribbon cartridge down on the supports.
There are snaps on the bottom of the cartridge at the rear
corners. These snap onto corresponding posts in the printer.
Gently push the rear corners of the cartridge down at both ends
until the snaps snap into place.
Turn the ribbon advance knob clockwise to make sure the ribbon is taut.
Slide the print head back and forth...
Verify that the print head moves smoothly without binding or
snagging the ribbon.
Loading Paper/Form
Each printer is shipped with a set of tractors installed in the rear.
A second set of tractors is packed in a box for installation in the
front/bottom paper path. The procedure for loading sprocket-feed
paper is the same for the rear, front, or bottom paper paths.
The tractor that holds the left edge of the paper will be referred to
as the home-position tractor. The other tractor will be called the
far tractor.
It is necessary to adjust the location of both tractors in order to:
•Fit the width of paper being used.
•Position left side of paper to proper left margin print position.
Ribbon
Advance
Knob
Support
Foot
Adjusting the Ribbon Advance Knob

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Open the rear door.
Open the doors on both tractors.
Front View
Rear Door
Rear View
Home-Position
Tractor Door

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Rear View
Feed Pins
Feed Holes Paper Scale
Move the home position tractor as necessary to align the paper.
If necessary, position the home-position tractor so that the edge
of the paper aligns with the “0” on the paper scale. Pull the
home-position tractor locking lever forward and adjust the tractor
postion.
Move the far tractor as necessary to fit your paper.
If necessary, pull the far tractor locking lever forward and adjust
the far tractor’s position so that it matches the width of the paper.
Put paper in the far tractor and close the door.
Make sure the leading edge of the paper is parallel with the
tractor shafts. Sprocket-feed holes in the paper should engage
three to five of the pins of the tractor belt. Make sure that the
same number of pins are engaged on both tractors. For the rear
path, the side of the paper to be printed on faces down.
Paper Scale
Rear View
Locking
Lever
Home-Position
Tractor

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Move the far tractor to tighten the paper.
Stretch the paper enough so it does not sag, but not so tightly as
to distort the pin-feed holes.
Lock the far tractor.
Push the locking lever toward the printer to secure the tractor.
Check the paper.
There must not be any tears or wrinkles.
Close the home-position tractor door.

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How to load a form
Close the Top Cover
If the LCD says
LOCKED See “Control Panel Lockouts”, Chapter 5, in the
3870 User’s Manual.
Press and release PARK/PATH until the LCD says
Path Rear.
Path >Rear The rear paper path is now selected. Wait a few
seconds for the function to time out.
Fault :Paper Out The paper path selection function has timed out.
The printer is now ready to load a form.
Press the FF/Load key.
ADJUSTING GAP Paper should move into position to be printed. The
Fault light will go out and the print gap will be
adjusted for the form that was just loaded.
Make sure paper feeds without difficulty
Press the FF/Load key once. Paper will feed out of
the printer.

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Make sure the exit rollers engage the form.
Print lines may be skewed if the exit rollers do not
engage the edges of the form. Open the top cover
and look at the form. If the exit rollers do not
engage the edges of the form, press the
PARK/PATH key to park the form, and pull the
home-position tractor locking lever forward, adjust
the tractor position so that the edge of the paper
lines up with “0” on the position guide label behind
the tractor.
Line Registration on the First Form
Precise line registration depends on the form being
fully engaged by the exit rollers. The printer is not
guaranteed to hold specified line registration for
the first inch of the first form. This also applies to
cut sheets loaded from the manual paper path.
If a form did not load.
Check the paper path selection. Make sure that the
form is loaded in the tractors that correspond to
the paper path selection. If paper is jammed, take
the paper out of the tractors and pull the jammed
paper out of the printer from the tractor side and
try again with a fresh form.
If a form is loaded, the fault light should be out.
If it is not, press the CLEAR key. When the printer
is shipped, it is configured so that a paper-out
fault is automatically cleared when a form is
loaded. There is a software option that can be set
so the CLEAR key must be pressed to clear the
fault, see Chapter 2 of the 3870 User’s Manual.
Exit Roller
Exit Rollers
Foam
Exit Rollers Engagement

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Format 4 The LCD shows which format is assigned to the
current paper path. The format number can be 1,
2, 3, or 4 or See Chapter 6 in the 3870 User’s
Manual for information about formats. The default
format for both the rear and front/bottom tractor
path is Format 4.
If the ON LINE LED is on, then the printer is ready
to receive data from the host computer.
If the ON LINE LED is not on, then push the ON
LINE key once. If paper is properly loaded and no
other errors occur, then the ON LINE LED will turn
on indicating the printer is ready to receive data
from the host computer.
Printing A Test Pattern
The test pattern is called a rolling-ASCII pattern. The first 96
printable characters in the ASCII chart are printed over and over
again for as long as the test pattern is run. The test pattern is
printed according to how the printer is currently set in terms of
margins, font, quality, characters per inch (cpi), lines per inch
(lpi), etc. Some reasons for printing a test pattern are:
•To test the printer when starting it for the first time.
•To see how a different font, cpi, or lpi setting looks on paper.
CAUTION: Do not print off the paper!
Printing off the paper can damage the print head. Do not use the
13.6" option unless using wide paper!
If the form is less than eight inches wide...
Use the LCD Menu to set a right margin less than
the form width. See Chapter 3 of the 3870 User’s
Manual.
If a fault message is displayed...
The LCD shows what the problem is. Clear the
fault.
If some other message is displayed...
The LCD menu may have been accessed. Press
FIRST and then ENTER to exit the menu.

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The On Line light should be out.
If not, press the ON LINE key.
Press MENU to get into the LCD menu.
Press and release the UP ARROW key until the
LCD says Prog: Utility. Use the DOWN ARROW key
to go back if needed.
Prog: Utility This is the menu selection that contains the test
print selection.
Press ENTER
Utilit: PrntStat
Press and release the UP ARROW key until the
LCD says Utilit: TestPrn. Use the DOWN ARROW
key to go back if needed.
Utilit: TestPrn This is the selection for the test print.
Press ENTER
Test P: 8" Max This is the currently selected test pattern width.
Press the UP ARROW key to toggle between 8 inch
and 13.6 inch test pattern widths.
Press ENTER to turn on the test pattern. Press
ENTER again to turn the test pattern off.

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To exit the menu...
Press the FIRST key.
Press the ENTER key.
Print Head Gap Adjustment
Print head gap is the distance from the print head nozzle to the
striker bar. If this gap is too tight, the printout will smudge. If the
gap is too large, the printout will be light and ragged, and print
head wear will accelerate.
As shipped, the printer will automatically adjust the print head
gap. The printer senses the thickness of a form when it is loaded
and adjusts the print gap accordingly.
The automatic print head adjustment can be fine tuned for best
print quality. Semiautomatic head gap adjustment and fixed head
gap may also be selected. For more information on these
selections see Chapter 7 in the 3870 User’s Manual.
NOTE: The automatic print head adjustment will put a mark
on the first sheet of paper after loading paper.
Adjust Top-of-Form
When loading the very first form, the printer feeds paper so that
the top of the first printable line of characters is slightly below the
top of the paper. Ideally, the application software that composes
the page should advance paper to the first print line upon
printing.
To adjust vertical paper position, make sure the printer is not in
the menu mode. Use the UP ARROW and DOWN ARROW keys to
advance or retract the paper, much like a paper advance knob on
some printers.
Moves paper up by 1/72 inch per click.
Experiment with it and see how it works.
Moves paper down by 1/72 inch per click. Do no
move paper down enough to print on the striker
bar.

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Instead of using the UP ARROW key to adjust the same amount of
offset each time a particular form is loaded, that offset can be
stored in a parameter called top print reference and saved to a
format. If a top print reference is saved, paper will advance to the
right place each time that paper path is loaded. See “Set a Top
Print Reference”, in Chapter 8 of the 3870 User’s Manual.
PAPER HANDLING
Paper Handling Configuration
Use the bottom paper path for thick, or heavy, hard-to-feed
forms. Use the rear path for forms that are easiest to feed.
Pedestals, racks, and baskets shown below are available from the
printer representative or supplier.
Adjust Paper Tension in Rear Paper Path
The printer is shipped with the paper tension set to the minimum
setting. This works for most continuous forms. The paper tension
may need to be adjusted for:
•Multipart forms
•Heavy paper or card stock
•The manual paper path
Fully Attended
Semi-Attended
Unattended
Tear Off
Every One
or Two
Sheets
Tear Off
Every
One or
Two
Sheets
Paper
Rack
Paper
Basket
Paper
Rack
Paper
Shelf
Pedestal
Paper Handling Configurations

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Adjusting paper tension changes the tension between the main
friction roller and the nip roller assembly. This adjustment affects
the rear and manual paper paths, but not the front path.
Low paper tension will cause inconsistent line feeds. High paper
tension will eventually cause the sprocket feed holes to tear out of
the paper. Paper tension and print head gap settings may
interact. Try different settings to find the combination that works
best.
Check the chart.
The chart shows starting points for the paper tension adjustment.
Lever Position Type of Paper
Toward the front of the
printer Use as needed.
Middle position Continuous feed: 15-24lb.
Manual feed: light weight
cut sheets.
Toward the rear of the
printer Manual feed: envelopes, heavy cut sheets.
Open the rear door.
Pull the paper tension adjust lever away from the side frame...
to disengage the lever pin from the hole in the side frame.
Move the lever to the new position.
Make sure the lever pin is in one of the four holes that serve as
detents.
Setting Paper Tension Lever
Paper Tension
Lever