GRAPHTEC JS500 User manual

JS500
INKJET PRINTER
USER’S MANUAL
MANUAL NO. JS500-UM-151

i
To Ensure Safe and Correct Use
· To ensure the safe and correct use of your printer, read this manual thoroughly prior to use.
· After reading this manual, store it in a safe place for reference as necessary.
· Do not allow small children to touch the printer.
· The following describes important points for safe operation. Be sure to observe them strictly.
Conventions Used in This Manual
To ensure the safe and correct use of the printer as well as to prevent human injury and property damage, the
safety precautions provided in this manual are ranked in the three categories described below. Be sure to gain
a full understanding of the difference between each of the categories before reading the Manual.
This category provides information that, if ignored, is highly likely to cause fatal or
serious injury to the operator.
This category provides information that, if ignored, is likely to cause fatal or serious
injury to the operator.
This category provides information that, if ignored, could cause injury to the operator
or damage to the printer.
Description of Safety Symbols
The symbol indicates information that requires careful attention (including
warnings). The specic point requiring attention is described by an illustration or
text within or next to the symbol.
The symbol indicates an action that is prohibited. Such prohibited action is
described by an illustration or text within or next to the symbol.
The symbol indicates an action that must be performed. Such imperative action
is described by an illustration or text within or next to the symbol.
DANGER
WARNING
CAUTION

ii
Safety Precautions
To ensure the safe and correct use of your printer, be sure to observe the following points.
■ Installation Precautions
WARNING
Do not install the printer in the vicinity of volatile solvents such as
alcohol or thinner.
● A volatile solvent coming into contact with any of the internal electrical
components may result in a re hazard or electric shock.
Do not place objects such as those listed below on top of the printer.
● Objects such as these coming into contact with any of the internal electrical
components may result in a re hazard or electric shock.
• Metallic objects such as necklaces
• Objects such as glasses, vases, houseplants, etc. that contain water or
other uids.
If any of these objects does come into contact with the internal electrical
components immediately turn off the power, remove the plug from the power
outlet, and either contact the store where you purchased your printer or your
nearest Graphtec representative.
CAUTION
Do not use the printer in an unstable location such as on a slope or
a location that is subject to a lot of vibration.
● Such locations may cause the printer to tip over and cause injuries.
Do not place heavy objects on top of the printer.
● Such objects may tip over or fall off, causing injuries.
If the printer is mounted on its dedicated stand, be sure to use the
caster stoppers to x the stand in place and prevent it from moving
while the printer is being used.
● If the stand is not xed in place, the printer may tip over and cause injuries.
Prohibited
Shock hazard
Don’t use
around water
Prohibited
Prohibited
Prohibited

iii
Avoid using the printer in the following locations.
● Use in such locations may result in a re hazard or electric shock.
• Excessively humid or dusty locations
• Locations exposed to direct sunlight
• Locations exposed to high temperatures
• Locations near ames or moisture
● Use at the following places may result in malfunction or failure.
• Near equipment which generate a strong magnetic force or magnetic eld.
● Use this printer in places where the ambient temperature is between 20 to 28°C
centigrade and humidity is between 40 to 70% (non-condensing).
Leave plenty of space around the printer.
● Leave sufcient space for operations in front of and behind the printer.
Prohibited
Approx. 3 m
(front side)
Approx. 2 mApprox. 2 m
Approx. 3 m

iv
Be careful of the following when connecting a ground wire.
● [Items which allow connection to a ground wire]
• Ground terminals of electric outlets
• Ground terminals after completion of grounding work (type D)
● [Items which do not allow connection to a ground wire]
• Water pipes
Water pipes may have plastic parts in the middle which do not serve as grounding.
It is possible to connect a ground wire to water pipes which are approved by the waterworks department to
use for grounding.
• Gas pipes
They may cause explosions or res.
• Ground terminals for telephone lines and lightning conductors
These may get a high-voltage current from lightning which may cause res or electric shocks.
■ Power Supply Precautions
WARNING
Do not damage the power cable, or modify it in any way. Moreover,
do not place heavy objects on the power cable, pull on the cable, or
bend it excessively.
● There may be current leakage from the damaged parts, resulting in a re
hazard or electric shock.
● Do not unplug or plug in the power cable when your hands are wet, such
action may result in electric shock.
Do not connect multiple devices to the same power outlet.
● Use of the printer in such a condition may result in a re hazard or electric
shock.
Do not bundle or tie-wrap the power cable.
● Use of a bundled power cable may result in a re hazard or electric shock.
Make sure that the power cable is rmly inserted into the power
outlet.
● Use of a power cable when the plug is not completely inserted into the power
outlet may result in a re hazard or electric shock.
Do not use a power cable other than the one supplied with your
printer.
● Use of a different power cable may result in a re hazard or electric shock.
Prohibited
Prohibited
Prohibited
Prohibited

v
CAUTION
The rated voltage for this printer is AC 200 - 240 V. Use an appropri-
ate power source and voltage for the specications of this printer.
●
Using this printer with a power source and voltage which are not compatible
with the specications may result in a re or an electric shock.
●
The operating conditions of this printer are as follows. Use a power source
which meets these conditions.
Power source and voltage: AC 200 - 240 V
Power supply frequency: 50/60Hz
When disconnecting the power cable, be sure to hold on to the plug,
and not pull on the cable itself.
●
Pulling on the cable will expose the core wires, or cause damage such as
broken wires. Current leakage from the exposed or damaged areas may result
in a re hazard or electric shock.
As a general rule, do not use an extension cord.
●
Use of an extension cord may result in a re hazard or electric shock. If you
must use an extension cord, unbundle it, and make sure that the power plug is
rmly inserted into the extension cord socket.
Make sure that the power plug can be readily unplugged at any time,
and that there are no objects placed in its vicinity.
● Objects placed in the vicinity of the power plug will prevent its removal in an
emergency.
Be sure to ground the earth terminal.
●
Electric leaks which occur when no grounding wire is connected may lead to
res or electric shocks.
●
Be sure to have a ground connection.
●
Be sure to have a ground connection before connecting a power plug to a
power source. Be sure to remove a ground connection after disconnecting a
power plug from a power source.
Grounding
wire required

vi
■ Handling Precautions
WARNING
Do not disassemble or modify the printer.
●
Such actions may result in a re hazard or electric shock.
If the printer makes an unusual noise, generates smoke, overheats,
emits a strange odor, or otherwise functions abnormally,
immediately turn off the power, remove the plug from the power
outlet, and either contact the store where you purchased your
printer or your nearest Graphtec representative.
●
Use of the printer in such a condition may result in a re hazard or electric
shock.
Do not use ammable aerosols or similar products in the vicinity of
the printer.
●
The gas contained in the spray may cause a re hazard or electric shock if it
comes into contact with the printer's internal electrical components.
Before moving the printer, make sure that the power switch is in the
"off" position and that the power plug has been removed from the
power outlet.
●
If the printer is moved while it is still plugged into the power outlet, he power
cable may be damaged and cause a re hazard or electric shock.
Disassembly
prohibited
Prohibited

vii
CAUTION
Take care not to drop metallic items such as paper clips or staples,
or spill water, other uids or ammable solvents (alcohol, benzene,
thinner, etc.) inside the printer.
●
Metallic items or uids coming into contact with the internal electrical
components may result in a re hazard or electric shock. If such items or uids
fall or are spilled inside the printer, immediately turn off the power, remove
the power plug from the power outlet and either contact the store where you
purchased the printer or your nearest Graphtec representative.
Do not insert your hands inside the printer during a printing
operation or when paper is being loaded.
●
Moving parts inside the printer may cause injuries.
Prohibited
Appropriately connect interface cable.
●
Connecting cables in the wrong direction may result in failure.

viii
■ Maintenance and Inspection Precautions
WARNING
Be sure to turn off the power and remove the power plug from the
power outlet before performing any cleaning operations.
●
Failure to do so may result in a re hazard or electric shock. Moreover, there
is a risk of injury if the printer starts to move during a cleaning operation.
To clean the printer, use a cloth that has been dampened with
neutral detergent and then well wrung out. Do not use volatile
solvents such as alcohol, benzene or thinner to clean the printer.
●
A volatile solvent coming into contact with any of the internal electrical
components may result in a re hazard or electric shock.
CAUTION
At least once a year, remove the power plug from the power outlet and clean the prongs and
surrounding areas.
●
A build-up of dust may result in a re hazard.
Do not apply any lubricant to mechanical sections of this printer.
●
This may deteriorate the performance of this printer which may lead to
malfunction or failure.
●
Subsequent short circuits or heat generation may result in a re or an electric
shock.
When cleaning or checking the inside of the printer, make sure that a metallic object such as
a necklace or bracelet does not come into contact with any of the internal components.
●
Such actions may result in injuries or an electric shock.
When replacing roll paper, loading paper, or removing paper that has become jammed in the
printer, take care not to cut yourself on the edges of the paper.
●
Sharp paper edges may cause injuries.
Prohibited
Prohibited
When removing paper that is jammed inside the printer, take care not to get ink from the
paper on your clothing or hands.
●
Ink may adhere to your clothing or hands.

ix
■ Precautions on Handling the Consumable Items
CAUTION
Do not touch any metallic parts on the print heads after a printing
operation.
●
These parts will be hot, and may cause burns.
●
Printing malfunctions may occur.
●
There is a risk of damage from static electricity.
Do not touch the ink cartridge openings or the head section of the print heads.
●
Your ngers may become stained with ink.
●
Printing malfunctions may occur.
Do not drop or shake the print heads or ink cartridges.
●
Such actions may cause the ink to leak or spatter, with the risk of staining your
surroundings and clothing.
●
The head section may become damaged, making the print head unusable.
As a safety precaution, store the print heads and ink cartridges in a location out of the reach
of small children.
●
If ink is licked or ingested accidentally, consult a doctor immediately.
The print heads are consumable items
●
The print heads are consumable items. If printing is not performed correctly
even after the print heads have been cleaned or adjusted, replace them with
new ones. See "Chapter 9 Maintenance" for further details.

x
■ For those with a cardiac pacemaker
This printer generates a faint magnetic power. Anyone with a cardiac pacemaker who feels any
abnormality should move away from this printer.
And consult a doctor immediately.
■ Precautions to observe when removing jammed paper
When removing paper that has become jammed inside the printer, take care not to get ink from the
paper on your clothing or hands. There is a possibility of ink adhering to your clothing or hands.
■ Precautions to Note When Unpacking the Printer
If the printer was stored in a location where the temperature dropped below 10°C, allow sufcient
time for the printer to become acclimatized to room temperature (the operating environment
specication is the range from 20°C to 28°C) before mounting the print heads. (We recommend
that you allow at least two hours for the printer to become acclimatized.)
■ Precautions to observe when handling the paper
● Paper may not be fed correctly and may become jammed if the leading edge of the roll paper
is not straight or if there is adhesive from the fastening tape remaining on the paper. Make sure
that the leading edge is straight before loading the paper in the printer.
● Depending on the storage conditions, the paper may become creased and/or the leading edge
may curl up. The use of creased or curled paper may cause paper jams. Remove the creased or
curled sections before loading the roll paper in the printer.
(If you are using a cut sheet, remove the creased section before loading the sheet in the printer.)
■ Notes on the print heads
Do not perform any unnecessary print head removal or mounting operations.

xi
■ Precautions on handling ink cartridges and consumable items
WARNING
Never put ink cartridges close to a re.
●
Ink cartridges are ammable and may be a re hazard.
Prohibited
Take care not to ingest ink or get it into your eyes.
●
This may cause breathing difculty or damage to your eyes. If ink gets into
your eyes, immediately rinse with clear water, and consult a doctor.
●
If you ingest ink accidentally, do not try induce vomiting; immediately consult a
doctor.
Prohibited
Store ink cartridges in a location out of reach of small children.
If ink adheres to this printer, immediately wipe it off.
●
Leaving the ink as is may cause damage to the surface coating of this printer.
Prohibited
CAUTION
Take care regarding the following issues.
●
Do not use any ink other than those specied because it may not only disturb
printing quality, but also cause a malfunction which will prevent appropriate
maintenance procedures.
●
Do not use ink after the expiration date because it may cause a malfunction.
●
Put ink cartridges after use in a plastic bag, and dispose of them as industrial
waste. If there are any local regulations on a disposal method, comply with the
applicable rules.
●
Take care not to get ink on your skin or clothing. If ink gets on your skin,
immediately rinse it off by using soap and water.
●
Periodically check the amount of the waste ink in waste ink bottles to avoid an
overow.
●
When removing waste ink bottles, place paper on the oor to avoid stains from
leaked ink.
●
Store ink in a dark cold place. Never store it at locations exposed to high
temperatures or direct sunlight. This may affect its performance.
●
Do not disassemble ink cartridges.
●
Paper for commercially available solvent ink is appropriate for this printer.

I
PREFACE
Thank you for choosing the Graphtec JS500 inkjet printer.
Please read this manual thoroughly before attempting to use your new product to ensure that you use it safely
and correctly.
Notes on this Manual
(1) No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or
by any means, without the prior written permission of Graphtec Corporation.
(2) The product specications and other information in this manual are subject to change without notice.
(3) While every effort has been made to provide complete and accurate information, please contact your sales
representative or nearest Graphtec vendor if you nd any unclear or erroneous information or wish to make
other comments or suggestions.
(4) Notwithstanding the stipulations in the preceding paragraph, Graphtec Corporation assumes no liability for
damages resulting from either the use of the information contained herein or the use of the product.
Registered Trademarks
All names of companies, brands, logotypes, and products appearing in this manual are the trademarks or
registered trademarks of their respective companies.
Copyright
This User's Manual is copyrighted by Graphtec Corporation.

C-1
Contents
To Ensure Safe and Correct Use .....................................................................................i
Safety Precautions ..........................................................................................................ii
PREFACE ....................................................................................................................... I
Notes on this Manual ...................................................................................................................I
Registered Trademarks................................................................................................................I
Copyright......................................................................................................................................I
Chapter 1 Before Using the Printer..................................................1-1
1.1 Checking the Contents of the Package....................................................................................1-1
1.2 Parts Names and Functions.....................................................................................................1-3
Front View ................................................................................................................................1-3
Main Parts................................................................................................................................1-4
LCD Control Panel ..................................................................................................................1-5
Print Carriage...........................................................................................................................1-5
Maintenance station.................................................................................................................1-6
Front cover...............................................................................................................................1-6
Side of the printer body (left)....................................................................................................1-7
Side of the printer body (right)..................................................................................................1-7
Rear of the printer body ...........................................................................................................1-8
Rear of the printer body (right) ................................................................................................1-8
Chapter 2 Connection and Preparations..........................................2-1
2.1 Connecting to the Power Supply..............................................................................................2-1
2.2 Turning the Power On and Off .................................................................................................2-2
Turning the printer On ..............................................................................................................2-2
Turning the printer Off .............................................................................................................2-2
Turning the heater On ..............................................................................................................2-3
Turning the heater Off .............................................................................................................2-3
Turning the dryer unit On .........................................................................................................2-4
Turning the dryer unit Off .........................................................................................................2-4
2.3 Mounting the Ink Cartridges.....................................................................................................2-5
2.4 Connecting the Printer to a Computer......................................................................................2-6
Connecting the USB interface cable ........................................................................................2-6
Chapter 3 Loading the Paper...........................................................3-1
3.1 Feeding the paper....................................................................................................................3-2
For printing (for normal use) ....................................................................................................3-2
Rolling up the paper.................................................................................................................3-2
Stopping the feeding of the paper............................................................................................3-2
3.2 Taking up the paper..................................................................................................................3-3
Automatic taking up the paper .................................................................................................3-3

C-2
Removal of the paper from the Media Take-up Roller..............................................................3-3
Stopping the taking up of the paper .........................................................................................3-3
3.3 Setting a roll paper...................................................................................................................3-4
Setting a roll paper...................................................................................................................3-4
3.4 Setting the roll paper for taking-up printing ..............................................................................3-9
How to set the roll paper when the Media Take-up unit is used...............................................3-9
How to set a paper core......................................................................................................3-9
How to set the roll paper on a paper core......................................................................... 3-11
How to adjust the Media Take-up Sensor ........................................................................3-12
When the sensor is correctly adjusted ..............................................................................3-14
When the sensor is not correctly adjusted ........................................................................3-14
3.5 Detecting the paper width and the position where the paper is set ........................................ 3-15
Setting the paper width detection (Media Detect) function ....................................................3-15
Executing the Media Detect function......................................................................................3-16
3.6 Setting the Print Position (printing starting position) ..............................................................3-17
Setting the moving direction of the Printhead Carriage .........................................................3-17
Changing the Print Position (printing starting position) ..........................................................3-17
Setting the paper feeding direction ........................................................................................3-18
3.7 Setting the Margin (the margin on the paper edge) ..............................................................3-20
Chapter 4 Control Panel...................................................................4-1
4.1 Control Panel ..........................................................................................................................4-1
Control Panel ..........................................................................................................................4-1
4.2 The LCD display when the power is turned on ........................................................................4-2
Main Menu (When the Media Detect is set to "Off").................................................................4-2
Main Menu (When the Media Detect is set to "On").................................................................4-2
4.3 Menu Tree ................................................................................................................................4-3
Menu Tree ................................................................................................................................4-3
4.4 Functions of each menu...........................................................................................................4-4
Menu 4-4
4.5 Online Mode........................................................................................................................... 4-11
Chapter 5 Software ..........................................................................5-1
5.1 "GPU" and "JS RIP" .................................................................................................................5-1
Major characteristics of "GPU" and "JS RIP" ...........................................................................5-1
GPU (Graphtec Print Utility)................................................................................................5-1
JS RIP.................................................................................................................................5-1
Operation systems supporting "GPU" and "JS RIP" ................................................................5-1
5.2 Installing "GPU"........................................................................................................................5-2
5.3 Uninstalling "GPU" ...................................................................................................................5-4
5.4 Start up "GPU" .........................................................................................................................5-5
5.5 Explanation of functions in the Print Setup ..............................................................................5-5

C-3
5.6 Adjusting the position of the head............................................................................................5-8
5.7 Installing "JS RIP" ..................................................................................................................5-12
5.8 Uninstalling "JS RIP" .............................................................................................................5-13
5.9 Start up "JS RIP"....................................................................................................................5-14
5.10 Setting up models of JS RIP ..................................................................................................5-14
5.11 Printing from "JS RIP" ............................................................................................................5-17
5.12 Aborting the printing from the printer......................................................................................5-17
5.13 Canceling printing from "JS RIP" ...........................................................................................5-17
Chapter 6 Cleaning system..............................................................6-1
6.1 Purpose of head cleaning ........................................................................................................6-1
6.2 Jam Test...................................................................................................................................6-1
6.2.1 Purpose of the Jam Test .................................................................................................6-1
6.2.2 How to perform the Jam Test....................................................................................6-1
6.3 Firing (empty ejection) .............................................................................................................6-2
6.3.1 Purpose of the Firing operation ................................................................................6-2
6.3.2 How to perform the Firing .........................................................................................6-2
6.3.3 How to set the Firing Volume (the amount of empty ejections) ................................6-2
6.4 Printhead Cleaning...................................................................................................................6-3
6.4.1 Auto Cleaning ...........................................................................................................6-3
6.4.2 Auto Cleaning (Heavy)..............................................................................................6-4
6.4.3 Manual Cleaning.......................................................................................................6-5
6.5 Cleaning during printing ...........................................................................................................6-7
6.5.1 Flash Mode ...............................................................................................................6-7
In the case that the set value is "0003"...............................................................................6-8
In the case that the set value is "0015"...............................................................................6-8
6.5.2 Cleaning by the Pause (pausing printing by manual operation) function..................6-9
6.6 Changing the Firing Volume (the amount of empty ejections) ..............................................6-10
6.7 Automatic Routine Cleaning...................................................................................................6-10
Chapter 7 Setting the heater............................................................7-1
7.1 Outline......................................................................................................................................7-1
7.2 Front Heater / Pre Heater.........................................................................................................7-2
7.2.1 Explanation of functions............................................................................................7-2
7.2.2 Setting method..........................................................................................................7-2
7.3 Plat form Heater.......................................................................................................................7-3
7.3.1 Explanation of functions............................................................................................7-3
7.3.2 Setting method..........................................................................................................7-3
7.4 P/H Heater ...............................................................................................................................7-4
7.4.1 Explanation of functions............................................................................................7-4
7.4.2 Setting method..........................................................................................................7-4

C-4
7.5 Time to LPM (Low Power Mode) .............................................................................................7-5
7.5.1 Time to LPM..............................................................................................................7-5
7.5.2 Setting method..........................................................................................................7-5
Chapter 8 Dryer Unit ........................................................................8-1
8.1 Connecting the power supply...................................................................................................8-1
8.2 Turning the power ON/OFF......................................................................................................8-2
Turning the dryer unit On .........................................................................................................8-2
Turning the dryer unit Off ........................................................................................................8-2
8.3 Adjustment of the angle (direction of the wind) of the Dryer Unit.............................................8-3
Chapter 9 Maintenance....................................................................9-1
9.1 Replacing the Ink Cartridges....................................................................................................9-1
Ink End 9-1
Replacing the ink cartridges.....................................................................................................9-1
9.2 Replacing the Cleaning Roller..................................................................................................9-3
Replacement interval of the Cleaning Roller ...........................................................................9-3
How to replace the Cleaning Roller..........................................................................................9-3
Handling of the hardened Cleaning Roller ..............................................................................9-3
9.3 Waste ink bottles......................................................................................................................9-4
9.4 Periodical maintenance............................................................................................................9-5
Daily maintenance....................................................................................................................9-5
Moistening the sponge in the cap with Ink Cleaning Solution.............................................9-5
Checking the waste ink bottles ...........................................................................................9-6
Check for interfusion of air (air bubbles) in the printhead tubes .........................................9-6
Weekly maintenance................................................................................................................9-7
Cleaning of the capping unit ...............................................................................................9-7
Clean the Cleaning Roller with Ink Cleaning Solution.........................................................9-8
9.5 Handling of the printer when it will not be used for a while ......................................................9-9
Removal of ink ....................................................................................................................9-9
Cleaning with Ink Cleaning Solution and ll the tubes with Ink Cleaning Solution..............9-9
9.6 Handling of the printer which has been turned off for a while ................................................ 9-11
Moistening the Cleaning Roller with Ink Cleaning Solution............................................... 9-11
Removal of Ink Cleaning Solution ....................................................................................9-11
Filling ink ........................................................................................................................... 9-11
Chapter 10 What to Do if This Happens ........................................10-1
10.1 When an Error Message is Displayed....................................................................................10-1
1. Warning:.............................................................................................................................10-1
2. Error: 10-1
Errors listed below indicate the detail for further check when self test fails ...........................10-1
10.2 Troubleshooting .....................................................................................................................10-2
The Printer Does Not Operate Correctly................................................................................10-2