Gerber ODYSSEY XP User manual

Owner’s Guide

COPYRIGHT
COPYRIGHT2002 Gerber Scientific Products, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
This document may not be reproduced by any means, in whole or in part, without
written permission of the copyright owner.
This document is furnished to support the Gerber ODYSSEY XP Plotter. In
consideration of the furnishing of the information contained in this document, the party
to whom it is given assumes its custody and control and agrees to the following:
1. The information herein contained is given in confidence, and any part thereof shall
not be copied or reproduced without written consent of Gerber Scientific Products,
Inc.
2. This document or the contents herein under no circumstances shall be used in the
manufacture or reproduction of the article shown and the delivery of this document
shall not constitute any right or license to do so.
Information in this document is subject to change without notice.
PRINTED IN USA
GSP, GERBER EDGE, and GRAPHIX ADVANTAGE are registered trademarks, and Gerber ODYSSEY XP, GA,
OMEGA, MacImprint, GERBER MAXX, Automatic Material Alignment, and GerberMag, are trademarks of
Gerber Scientific Products, Inc. HPGL is a trademark of Hewlett-Packard Company. Scotchcal is a trademark of 3M
Corporation. Windows is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation in the US and other countries.

FCC NOTICE
Warning: Changes or modifications to this unit not expressly approved by the party
responsible for compliance could void the user’s authority to operate the equipment.
Note: This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class A
digital device, pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC rules. These limits are designed to provide
reasonable protection against harmful interference when the equipment is operated in a
commercial environment. This equipment generates, uses, and can radiate radio
frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with the instruction
manual, may cause harmful interference to radio communications. Operation of this
equipment in a residential area is likely to cause harmful interference in which case the
user will be required to correct the interference at his own expense.
RS-232 shielded cables must be used with this unit to ensure compliance with the Class A
FCC limits.
This Class A digital apparatus complies with Canadian ICES-003.
Cet appareil numérique de la classe A est conforme à la norme NMB-003 du Canada.

Contents
Chapter 1: Introduction ................................................................................................ 1
Features......................................................................................................................................... 1
In this manual ...............................................................................................................................2
Safety............................................................................................................................................3
Customer support.......................................................................................................................... 3
Chapter 2: Getting Started ........................................................................................... 4
Unpacking and setting up the plotter ............................................................................................4
Connecting the data and power cables..........................................................................................4
Turning on the plotter ................................................................................................................... 5
Adding the ODYSSEY XP to the cutting software ......................................................................5
Loading material...........................................................................................................................6
Cutting clear material..................................................................................................................12
Turning off skew control ............................................................................................................12
Checking and measuring the available cutting area....................................................................14
Installing tools ............................................................................................................................15
Changing knife blades ................................................................................................................16
Adjusting knife blade exposure ..................................................................................................17
Chapter 3: Running Jobs.............................................................................................19
Learning the control panel ..........................................................................................................20
Running jobs...............................................................................................................................22
Pausing, restarting, and canceling jobs ....................................................................................... 25
Automatically cutting off a job ................................................................................................... 26
Making jobs fit............................................................................................................................ 27
Aligning with printed images......................................................................................................28
Chapter 4: Tool Settings............................................................................................. 29
Using the ODYSSEY XP with Gerber software.........................................................................29
Determining which rule set is used.............................................................................................30
Choosing the material .................................................................................................................32
Setting the tool force................................................................................................................... 33
Adjusting corners........................................................................................................................ 36
Setting the speed ......................................................................................................................... 39
Setting acceleration..................................................................................................................... 40

Chapter 5: Advanced Functions................................................................................ 42
Repeats........................................................................................................................................42
Material pulldown.......................................................................................................................43
Pouncing .....................................................................................................................................45
Factory default settings...............................................................................................................48
Communications .........................................................................................................................51
Chapter 6: Troubleshooting....................................................................................... 54
Version number ..........................................................................................................................54
Warning messages ......................................................................................................................55
Error messages............................................................................................................................ 57
Common problems/solutions ...................................................................................................... 62
Chapter 7: Maintenance............................................................................................. 64
Cleaning...................................................................................................................................... 64
Cut strip replacement ..................................................................................................................69
AC fuse replacement................................................................................................................... 70
Chapter 8: HPGL Support ........................................................................................... 71
HPGL command set.................................................................................................................... 71
HPGL test file .............................................................................................................................73
Changing the HPGL units........................................................................................................... 74
Appendix: Specifications............................................................................................ 75
Index ............................................................................................................................... 76

1
Chapter 1:
Introduction
Thank you for purchasing the Gerber ODYSSEYXP plotter, a state-of-
the-art plotter designed for use with Gerber OMEGAand GRAPHIX
ADVANTAGE(GA) software as well as other software using the
HPGLcommand set. In addition to handling and cutting vinyl films
and mask materials, the ODYSSEY XP is specially designed to cut jobs
printed on the GERBER MAXXprinter.
Features
The ODYSSEY XP plotter has many features that make it easy and
convenient to use:
♦Automatic Material Alignmentwith edge alignment sensors provide
quick and easy loading.
♦Active Material Edge Tracking Control/Slew Control during jobs
assures long-term, accurate cutting and plotting with minimum
supervision.
♦The ODYSSEY XP draws, cuts, and pounces designs on a variety of
material types and dimensions:
Material length −from 6" (15.2 cm) to as long as a 50 yd (45 m) roll
Material width −from 5" (12.7 cm) to 52" (132.1 cm)
Maximum cutting width - 49" (124.5 cm)
♦Jobs can be controlled entirely from OMEGA or GA version 6.2.1 or
higher. Selecting a specific material automatically sends the
appropriate tool settings for that material to the ODYSSEY XP.
♦Pounce instructions can be sent from OMEGA or GA 6.2 or higher.
♦The control panel and display provide fast and easy settings
adjustment. Tool settings and other parameters can be made right at
the plotter.

2CHAPTER 1
Introduction
♦The ODYSSEY XP calculates the job extremities when it receives a job.
If the job will not fit or the starting position must be adjusted, it
displays an appropriate message (when used with OMEGA or GA).
♦Repeats (up to 9999 copies) of the last job plotted can be run from the
ODYSSEY XP.
♦The operator can suspend a job, move the material for easy viewing,
and resume the job without affecting the material or job.
♦You can upgrade the plotter firmware by downloading new firmware
from your PC.
In this manual
This manual contains the following sections:
Introduction presents basic information about this manual.
Getting Started tells you how to connect the ODYSSEY XP, use the
control panel and menus, load material, and install tools.
Running Jobs presents the procedures for using the ODYSSEY XP
control panel for cutting, plotting, and pouncing single and multiple
jobs.
Tool Settings shows how to use either the plotter or Gerber OMEGA or
GA software to choose tool settings.
Advanced Functions describes functions beyond routine job cutting.
Troubleshooting provides a list of error messages and possible
solutions.
Maintenance describes routine cleaning and replacement procedures.
HPGL Support presents information about using the HPGL command
set to support the ODYSSEY XP plotter.
Conventions used in this manual
The following conventions are used in this manual:
WARNING: A warning statement contains information which, if not
observed, could result in personal injury.
CAUTION: A caution statement contains information which, if not
observed, could result in damage to the equipment.
Note: A note contains important information which could affect successful
completion of a task.

3
Tip: A tip is a hint to help you do something more efficiently or quickly.
This typestyle portrays messages that appear on either the ODYSSEY XP
message display or your computer monitor.
A dotted box around Start-Job is used to indicate a blinking
display.
Safety
WARNING: Unplug the power cord before performing any
maintenance. Voltage is present inside the system even after the power
switch is turned off. All voltage is removed only when the power cord
is unplugged.
CAUTION: Static electricity may damage electronic components.
Ground yourself by touching any bare metal inside the plotter frame
prior to handling electronic components.
Customer support
If you require assistance, please contact your Gerber distributor or
contact the Gerber Field Service Department at:
800-828-5406 (USA and Canada)
860-643-1515 (International)
860-648-8376 (fax)
e-mail: [e-mail]
www.gspinc.com

4CHAPTER 2
Getting Started
Chapter 2:
Getting Started
This chapter contains the steps you need to prepare the plotter for
cutting:
♦unpacking and setting up the plotter
♦connecting the data and power cables
♦turning on the plotter
♦adding the ODYSSEY XP to the cutting software
♦loading material
♦installing tools
♦changing knife blades
♦adjusting knife blade exposure
Unpacking and setting up the plotter
The ODYSSEY XP is shipped from the factory in reusable packaging
materials. Included with the plotter is the booklet ODYSSEY XP
unpacking, assembling, and repacking instructions. Follow these instructions
to unpack the plotter, assemble the stand, and mount the plotter on the
stand. Save the packaging materials and instructions in case you need to
ship the plotter in the future.
Connecting the data and power cables
The ODYSSEY XP is supplied with a serial cable and power cord. They
plug into the plotter at the left rear corner (when you are facing the
front).
To connect the data and power cables
1Connect the 25-pin connector end of the serial cable to the connector
on the plotter and tighten the screws.