Oki ML280eco User manual

USER'S GUIDE
ML280eco

PREFACE > 2
Every effort has been made to ensure that the information in this document is
complete, accurate, and up-to-date. The manufacturer assumes no responsibility for
the results of errors beyond its control. The manufacturer also cannot guarantee that
changes in software and equipment made by other manufacturers and referred to in
this Guide will not affect the applicability of the information in it. Mention of software
products manufactured by other companies does not necessarily constitute
endorsement by the manufacturer.
While all reasonable efforts have been made to make this document as accurate
and helpful as possible, we make no warranty of any kind, expressed or implied, as
to the accuracy or completeness of the information contained herein.
The most up-to-date drivers and manuals are available from the OKI Data global
website:
https://www.oki.com/printing/
Copyright © 2017. All rights reserved.
OKI and Microline are registered trademarks of Oki Electric Industry Co., Ltd.
Hewlett-Packard, HP, and LaserJet are registered trademarks of Hewlett-Packard
Company.
Microsoft, MS-DOS and Windows are registered trademarks of Microsoft
Corporation.
Apple, Macintosh and Mac OS are registered trademarks of Apple Computer Inc.
Other product names and brand names are registered trademarks or trademarks of
their proprietors.
This product complies with the requirements of the Council
Directives 2014/30/EU (EMC), 2014/35/EU (LVD), 2014/53/EU
(RED) and 2011/65/EU (RoHS) as amended where applicable, on
the approximation of the laws of the member states relating to
electromagnetic compatibility, low voltage and restriction of
hazardous substances.

CONTENTS > 3
CONTENTS
Notes, Cautions and Warnings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Introduction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Using this Manual . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Online usage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Printing Pages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Getting Started . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Location . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Contents and Unpacking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Removing the shipping restraint . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Installing/Replacing the Ribbon Cartridge . . . . . . . 11
Ribbon Cartridge Handling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Installing the Platen Knob . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Adjusting the Head Gap. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Fitting the Paper Separator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Setting up your Printer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Power Connection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Loading Paper . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Rear feed continuous form fan-fold paper . . . . 17
Bottom feed continuous form fan-fold paper. . . 19
Top feed single sheet paper . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Testing your printer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Computer Connections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Parallel (LPT) Connection, IEEE 1284 . . . . . . . 23
USB Connection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Serial Connection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Printer Drivers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Operating your Printer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Front Panel Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Setting Printer Defaults . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Entering the MENU mode. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Default Menu selections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Using the pull Tractor Unit (if fitted) . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Using the Roll Paper Stand (if fitted) . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Loading the Paper . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Replacing the Ribbon Cartridge. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

CONTENTS > 4
Adjusting the Printhead Gap . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Loading Paper . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Testing your printer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Troubleshooting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
General Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Clearing Paper Jams . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
Rear Feed Jams . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
Rear Feed, Repeating Paper Jams . . . . . . . . . 41
Single Sheet Paper Jams . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
Parts and Accessories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
Purchasing Parts & Accessories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
Contact Us . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49

CONTENTS > 5
NOTES, CAUTIONS AND WARNINGS
CAUTION!
A caution appears in this manual like this. A caution provides
additional information which, if ignored, may result in
equipment malfunction or damage.
WARNING!
A warning appears in this manual like this. A warning provides
additional information which, if ignored, may result in a risk of
personal injury.
NOTE
A note appears like this. A note provides additional information to
supplement the main text.
NOTE
This product is not intended for use in the immediate visual field on the
display work place. To avoid disturbing reflections on the display work
place, this product shall not be placed in the immediate field of vision.

INTRODUCTION > 6
INTRODUCTION
Congratulations on purchasing this Oki printer!
In this chapter you will find a summary of the main features of your
printer followed by some advice on how to use this User's Guide to
get the most from your printer.
The ML280eco is an entry level 9 pin dot-matrix printer. It is fast,
robust, compact and light. Outstanding reliability, compact size and
ease of use make it ideal for industrial workstation applications, as
well as customer service points in wholesale, retail and service
environments.
USING THIS MANUAL
This manual will lead you logically through the unpacking, setting
up and operation of your printer to help you to make the best use
of its many advanced features. Also included are guidelines for
troubleshooting and maintenance to ensure that it continues to
perform at its best. Instructions are also provided for adding
optional accessories as your needs evolve.
The User's Guide has been written using one printer as a
model, and the illustrations/screenshots reflect this. What
you see will be appropriate to the model you are installing.
The User's Guide has been designed to provide you with a
clear presentation on the installation and maintenance of
your new printer. This information is compiled in the logical
sequence required to result in a successful installation.
NOTE
The information in this manual is supplemented by the extensive
online help facility associated with the printer driver software.
In addition, we provide a Technical Reference Guide for those
users requiring more in-depth Technical information. This is
available in English only.

INTRODUCTION > 7
ONLINE USAGE
This manual is intended to be read on screen using Adobe Acrobat
Reader. Use the navigation and viewing tools provided in Acrobat.
You can access specific information in two ways:
In the list of bookmarks down the left hand side of your
screen, click on the topic of interest to jump to the required
topic. (If the bookmarks are not available, use the Table of
Contents).
In the list of bookmarks click on Index to jump to the Index.
(If the bookmarks are not available, use the Table of
Contents). Find the term of interest in the alphabetically
arranged index and click on the associated page number to
jump to the page containing the subject.
PRINTING PAGES
The whole book, individual pages, or sections may be printed. The
procedure is:
1. From the toolbar, select [File], then [Print] (or press the
Ctrl + P keys).
2. Choose which pages you wish to print:
(a) All pages, for the entire manual.
(b) Current page for the page at which you are looking.

INTRODUCTION > 8
(c) Pages from and to for the range of pages you specify
by entering their page numbers.
3. Click on OK.

GETTING STARTED > 9
GETTING STARTED
LOCATION
Select a firm, solid surface on which to site your printer.
Allow enough space around the printer to easily access the
platen knob and the various paper feed paths.
Make sure a suitable grounded power outlet is available
nearby.
Read the Installation Safety Booklet.
CONTENTS AND UNPACKING
If any items are missing, contact your dealer immediately.
Keep your packing materials and carton in case you ever
need to ship or transport the printer.
1. Printer 6. Installation Safety booklet
2. Ribbon Cartridge 7. Pan European limited Warranty
3. Power Cord(s) - AC 8. Printer Software CD
4. Platen Knob 9. Setup Guide
5. Sheet Separator
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5
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GETTING STARTED > 10
Do not plug the printer into the AC supply until the following
steps have been completed:
REMOVING THE SHIPPING RESTRAINT
1. Remove any packing tape. Insert your hand in the top cover
slot (2) and remove the access cover (1) by lifting it.
2. Remove the printhead shipping restraint. Keep shipping
restraint for future use.
3. Reinstall the access cover.
2
1

GETTING STARTED > 11
INSTALLING/REPLACING THE RIBBON CARTRIDGE
RIBBON CARTRIDGE HANDLING
Leave unused ribbon cartridges in their packages until
needed.
Careful; the ribbon ink may cause permanent stains.
Ribbon ink on skin or clothing can usually be removed with
soap and water.
Make sure the printer is turned OFF.
1. Open the access cover and center the printhead (1).
CAUTION!
When replacing a Ribbon Cartridge, make sure you have the
correct replacement ribbon for your printer. The wrong ribbon
will not print when installed in your printer.

GETTING STARTED > 12
2. When replacing a Ribbon Cartridge, first remove the old one .
3. Unpack the ribbon cartridge and install it on the printhead.
WARNING!
If you are replacing the ribbon Cartridge, the printhead may be
HOT!
1
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3
X

GETTING STARTED > 13
4. Press gently on the ribbon cartridge until you feel it click into
place.
5. Turn the take-up knob (a) in the direction of the moulded
arrow to take up any ribbon slack.
6. Replace the access cover.
INSTALLING THE PLATEN KNOB
If the Platen Knob is not already fitted, align the key way (a)
correctly and push it firmly into place.
CAUTION!
Do not remove the ribbon shield ("X" in graphic above) from
the ribbon!
a
a

GETTING STARTED > 14
ADJUSTING THE HEAD GAP
The head gap is the distance between the print head and the platen
roller. When you use envelopes or multi-part forms you will need to
have a larger gap than when using plain paper. Use the
recommended head gap to ensure the best print quality and easy
paper feed.
To adjust the print head gap, move the coloured lever located to the
left of the ribbon cartridge (a), to the correct position for the type of
stationery being used......
.....as detailed in the following table:
CAUTION!
Incorrect setting of the print head gap can cause print head
damage or ribbon jams. To avoid these problems set the print
head gap for the type of stationery being used.
PAPER TYPE WEIGHT LEVER POSITION
Single part paper 14 - 20lb (52 - 75gm) 1, 2
Form
Two part
Three part
Four part
9 - 11 lb. (35 - 40 gm) with a
maximum thickness of
0.28mm
2 - 3
3
3
a

GETTING STARTED > 15
FITTING THE PAPER SEPARATOR
The Paper Separator is utilised when using single sheets (no
carbons) and when using continuous stationery to separate the
ingoing/outgoing paper to prevent paper jams. It is fitted as follows:
1. Grasp the paper separator by either side, with the spring
loaded stays to the rear of the printer.
2. Locate the two hooked lugs on the edges of the paper
separator into the two corresponding slots in the top of the
printer.
3. Release paper separator on to the top of the printer.

SETTING UP YOUR PRINTER > 16
SETTING UP YOUR PRINTER
POWER CONNECTION
Make sure both the printer and the computer are switched OFF.
1. Plug the power cord into the back of the printer, then into a
grounded AC outlet.
2. Switch the Printer ON.
WARNING!
Operations of this equipment are not warranted when the
equipment is connected to UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply)
and/or inverter. Doing so may result in damage of this
equipment. Do not use an UPS and/or inverter.

SETTING UP YOUR PRINTER > 17
LOADING PAPER
Three types of paper can be used with your printer:
Single sheet (with or without the optional cut sheet feeder)
Roll paper (use the correct rollpaper stand)
Fan-fold paper (with or without the optional tractor feed unit)
When using fan-fold paper, adjust the distance between the
sprocket pins at the ends of the platen to the holes in the paper.
Fan-fold paper can be fed from the rear of the printer, or, if a slotted
stand is available, from underneath.
REAR FEED CONTINUOUS FORM FAN-FOLD PAPER
Ensure that the printer is switched OFF and the power supply lead
removed.
1. Place a box of fan-fold paper behind the printer.
2. Remove the Access cover (1).
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3

SETTING UP YOUR PRINTER > 18
3. Move the Bail arm lever (2) (on the left-hand side of the
printer) to the front of the machine to lift the Bail bar.
4. Move the Paper lever (3) (on the right-hand side of the
printer) to the front of the machine, to the fan-fold symbol.
5. Insert the first sheet of paper between the separator paper
guides (4).
Push the paper in just enough so that its sprocket holes
engage the sprocket pins located on the platen ends.
6. Turn the Platen knob (5) to advance the paper until it
appears in front of the platen.
7. Move the Bail arm lever (2) to the rear of the machine to
lower the Bail bar.
8. Use the Platen knob (5) to advance the paper to the first
printing line.
9. Replace the Access cover and switch the printer ON.
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5
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3

SETTING UP YOUR PRINTER > 19
BOTTOM FEED CONTINUOUS FORM FAN-FOLD PAPER
Ensure that the printer is switched OFF and the power supply lead
removed.
1. Place the printer on a slotted printer stand, carefully aligning
the slot in the stand with the slot in the base of the printer.
2. Place a box of fan-fold paper under the printer stand.
3. Remove the Access cover.
4. Move the Bail arm lever (2) (on the left-hand side of the
printer) to the front of the machine to lift the Bail bar.
5. Move the Paper lever (3) (on the right-hand side of the
printer) to the front of the machine, to the fan-fold symbol.
6. Insert the first sheet of paper through the opening in the
printer stand and the bottom of the printer.
7. Adjust the Platen sprocket(s) to align with the sprocket
holes in the paper.
8. Use the Platen knob to gently pull the paper up until it
appears in front of the platen, and above the Bail bar.
9. Move the Bail arm lever to the rear of the machine to lower
the Bail bar (6).
10. Use the Platen knob (5) to advance the paper to the first
printing line.
11. Replace the Access cover and switch the printer ON.

SETTING UP YOUR PRINTER > 20
TOP FEED SINGLE SHEET PAPER
Your printer can accommodate single sheets of 216mm width x 297
or 355mm length paper. Remove the Tractor Feed unit and any
other accessories, then raise the Paper Separator into its upright
position.
1. Switch the printer ON.
2. Move the Paper lever (1) (on the right-hand side of the
printer) to the rear of the machine, to the Blank sheet of
paper symbol.
3. Ensure that the printer is OFF-LINE (press the SELECT
switch if necessary).
Make sure the Bail arm lever (2) is set to the rear of the
machine (in its closed position).
4. Raise the paper separator as shown above.
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