OKIDATA ML320 Turbo User manual

ML320/321 Turbo
User's Guide
OKIDATA
QUIETPARKTEAR
FF/LOAD
LF
SEL
SEL
POWER ALARM MENU
GROUPEXIT ITEM SET PRINT
MENU SHIFT TOF
Micro Feed
Up
Micro Feed
Down
PRINT QUALITY
CHARACTER PITCH
HSD
NLQ
UTL
SSD
10 12 15
17 20 PROP
English

Every effort has been made to ensure that the information
in this document is complete, accurate, and up-to-date.
OKIDATA assumes no responsibility for the results of
errors beyond its control. OKIDATA 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 OKIDATA.
© 1997, 1998 by OKIDATA. All rights reserved.
Revised edition September, 1998.
Written and produced by the Okidata Training & Publica-
tions Department. Please address any comments to
Training & Publications Department
Okidata, Division of Oki America, Inc.
2000 Bishops Gate Blvd.
Mount Laurel, NJ 08054-4620
Year 2000 Compliance
All products currently sold by Okidata areYear 2000
Compliant. Each product contains information technology
that accurately processes date and time data between the
years 1999 and 2000. These products, when used in combi-
nation with products purchased from other manufacturers,
whose products properly exchange date and time informa-
tion, will accurately process the date and time. All future
products are committed to meeting the sameYear 2000
compliance.
ENERGY STAR
As an ENERGY STAR®Partner,
Okidata has determined that this
product meets the ENERGY STAR
guidelines for energy efficiency.
OKIDATA and MICROLINE are registered trademarks/marques/marca
registrada Oki Electric Industry Company, Ltd.
OKILINK is a registered trademark of Oki Electric Industry Company,
Ltd. CompuServe is a registered trademark of CompuServ Inc. Energy
Star is a trademark of the United States Environmental Protection
Agency. Epson is a registered trademark of Epson America, Inc. IBM is
a registered trademark of International Business Machines Corp.
Microsoft and Windows are registered trademarks or trademarks of
Microsoft Corporation in the U.S. and other countries.

E-i
Safety
Your OKIDATA printer has been carefully designed to give
you years of safe, reliable performance. As with all electrical
equipment, there are a few basic precautions you should take
to avoid hurting yourself or damaging the printer:
• Read the setup and operating instructions in this manual
carefully. Be sure to save it for future reference.
• Read and follow all warning and instruction labels on the
printer itself.
• Unplug the printer before you clean it. Use only a damp
cloth; do not use liquid or aerosol cleaners.
• Place your printer on a firm, solid surface. If you put in on
something unsteady, it might fall and be damaged; if you
place it on a soft surface, such as a rug, sofa, or bed, the
vents may be blocked, causing it to overheat.
• To protect your printer from overheating, make sure no
openings on the printer are blocked. Do not put the printer
on or near a heat source, such as a radiator or heat register.
If you put the printer in any kind of enclosure, make sure it
is well ventilated.
• The printhead can get quite hot when it has been printing
for a length of time. Do not touch the printhead until it has
had a chance to cool off.
• Do not use your printer near water, or spill liquid of any
kind into it.
• Be certain that your power source matches the rating listed
on the back of the printer. If you are not sure, check with
your dealer or with your local power company.
• Your printer has a grounded, 3-prong plug as a safety
feature, and it will only fit into a grounded outlet. If you
can not plug it in, chances are that you have an older,
non-grounded outlet; contact an electrician to have it
replaced with a grounded outlet. Do not use an adapter to
defeat the grounding.
• The printer must be installed near a power outlet which
will remain easily accessible.
• To avoid damaging the power cord, do not put anything on
it or place it where it will be walked on. If the cord be-
comes damaged or frayed, replace it immediately.

English
• If you’re using an extension cord or power strip with the
printer, make sure that the total of the amperes required by
all the equipment on the extension is less than the
extension’s rating. Generally, the total ratings of all
equipment plugged into any one power line should not
exceed 15 amperes. Don’t exceed this unless you know
that the power line your equipment is plugged into has a
rating above 15 amperes.
• Do not poke anything into the ventilation slots on the sides
of the printer; you could get a shock or cause a fire.
• Aside from the routine maintenance described in this
handbook, don’t try to service the printer yourself; opening
the cover may expose you to shocks or other hazards.
Don’t make any adjustments other than those outlined in
the handbook — you might cause damage requiring
extensive repair work.
E-ii Safety Instructions
• If anything happens that indicates that your printer is not
working properly or has been damaged, unplug it immedi-
ately and follow the procedures in Section 6 for having
your printer serviced. These are some of the things to look
for:
—The power cord or plug is frayed or damaged.
—Liquid has been spilled into the housing, or the printer
has been exposed to water.
—The printer has been dropped or its cabinet has been
damaged.
—The printer doesn’t function normally when you’re
following the operating instructions.

Contents
Selecting an Emulation .................................................... 11
Selecting a Printer Driver ................................................ 12
Printer Drivers ............................................................. 12
OKIDATA Drivers....................................................... 12
Section 2: Maintaining your Printer
Replacing the Ribbon Cartridge ...................................... 13
Clearing Paper Jams ........................................................ 13
Rear-Feed Jams ........................................................... 13
Correcting Repetitive Rear-Feed Jams ................... 14
Single-Sheet Jams ....................................................... 17
Cleaning the Housing ...................................................... 18
Section 3: UsingYour Printer
Print Mode: Indicator Lights ........................................... 19
Print Mode: Control Panel Keys...................................... 20
Selecting the Print Quality .......................................... 21
Selecting the Character Pitch ...................................... 22
E-iii
Section 1: Getting Started
Features.............................................................................. 1
OptionalAccessories ......................................................... 1
Unpacking.......................................................................... 1
Getting to KnowYour Printer ............................................ 2
Removing the Shipping Restraints .................................... 3
Installing/Replacing the Ribbon Cartridge ........................ 4
Connecting to the Computer.............................................. 5
Connecting to the Power.................................................... 5
Loading Paper.................................................................... 6
Loading Continuous Forms (Rear Feed) ....................... 6
Loading Single Sheets (Top Feed) ................................ 8
Setting the Top of Form (TOF) ..................................... 9
Temporarily Changing the Print Start Position ......... 9
Resetting Top of Form to the Standard Setting......... 9
Switching Paper Paths ................................................... 9
Setting the Printhead Gap............................................ 10
Running the Self Tests ..................................................... 11
Font Sample Test ......................................................... 11
ASCII Test ................................................................... 11

English
Menu Mode: Control Panel ............................................. 22
Entering and Exiting the Menu Mode ......................... 23
Resetting the Menu...................................................... 23
Printing the Menu Settings.......................................... 23
Changing the Menu Settings ....................................... 23
Summary of Menu Settings......................................... 24
Explanations of Menu Items ....................................... 27
Using the Printer's Features ............................................. 29
Tear Feature................................................................. 29
Forms Tear-Off Feature ............................................... 30
Paper Park Feature ...................................................... 30
Section 4:Troubleshooting .....................................................31
Section 5: Specifications ........................................................34
Section 6: Service
Getting Service and Support............................................ 37
Your Dealer ................................................................. 37
The Okidata Customer Support Center ....................... 37
OkidataAutomated Information Service ................ 37
Okidata Customer Support Representatives ........... 37
Okidata Faxable Facts............................................. 38
Okidata Service Locations .......................................... 38
E-iv Contents
Purchasing Replacement Parts &Accessories................. 39
Ways to Purchase......................................................... 39
Replacement Parts ....................................................... 39
Manuals ....................................................................... 39
Accessories.................................................................. 40
Section 7: Commands
Epson FX Commands ...................................................... 41
IBM Proprinter III Commands ........................................ 43
MICROLINE Standard Commands................................. 45
FCC/IC/CE Statements.............................................................47
Warranty....................................................................................49
Index..........................................................................................51
Material Safety Data Sheet ......................................................53

Optional Accessories
• Top-Mount Pull Tractor
• Bottom-Mount Push Tractor
• Serial Interface Board
• Cut Sheet Feeder which takes up to 100 sheets
• Roll Paper Stand (ML320 Turbo only)
See Section 6 for ordering information.
Unpacking
➊Printer ➋Ribbon cartridge ➌Power Cord
Any of the above missing? Contact your dealer.
QUIETPARKTEAR
FF/LOAD
LF
SEL
SEL
POWER ALARM MENU
GROUPEXIT ITEM SET PRINT
MENU SHIFT TOF
MicroFeed
Up
MicroFeed
Down
PRINT QUALITY
CHARACTER PITCH
HSD
NLQ
UTL
SSD
10 12 15
17 20 PROP
Section 1:
Features
• Super reliable, durable operation: 10,000 hours MTBF!
• Expandable head gap for handling forms up to 0.031"
(0.79 mm) thick through the bottom feed path using the
optional push and/or pull tractor.
• Advanced paper handling, with built-in rear push tractor
and zero-tear forms capability
• Blazing print speeds:
— 300 cps in Utility mode
— 390 cps in High Speed Draft (HSD) mode
— 435 cps in Super Speed Draft (SSD) mode
• 100% backward compatible with Okidata ML320/321
E-1
Getting Started
➌
➋
➊

E-2 Section 1
Set up for Single-Sheet FeedSet up for Rear Feed of Continuous Forms
Getting to KnowYour Printer
QUIETPARKTEAR
FF/LOAD
LF
SEL
SEL
POWER ALARM MENU
GROUPEXIT ITEM SET PRINT
MENU SHIFT TOF
Micro Feed
Up
Micro Feed
Down
PRINT QUALITY
CHARACTER PITCH
HSD
NLQ
UTL
SSD
10 12 15
17 20 PROP
QUIETPARKTEAR
FF/LOAD
LF
SEL
SEL
POWER ALARM MENU
GROUPEXIT ITEM SET PRINT
MENU SHIFT TOF
Micro Feed
Up
Micro Feed
Down
PRINT QUALITY
CHARACTER PITCH
HSD
NLQ
UTL
SSD
10 12 15
17 20 PROP
Paper Separator Access Cover
Control Panel On-Off Switch
Paper Lever
Acoustic Cover (Open)
Access Cover
Control Panel
Paper Lever
On-Off Switch
Platen Knob
Paper Guides
Paper separator
Platen Knob
Acoustic Cover

Getting Started E-3
3. Replace the paper separator .
Note: Save the shipping retainers and the packing material
in case you ever need to ship the printer.
Removing the Shipping Restraints
1. Open the access cover (➊) and remove the printhead
shipping retainer (➋).
2. Grasp the tabs on the paper separator (➊), lift it off and
remove the shipping retainer (➋).
➋
➊
➊
➋➋

E-4 Section 1
4. Unpack the ribbon cartridge.
5. Install the new ribbon cartridge.
6. Turn the take-up knob in the direction of the arrow to
take up any ribbon slack.
Installing/Replacing the Ribbon Cartridge
1. Make sure the printer is turned OFF.
2. Center the printhead (➊).
M
3. If you are replacing the ribbon: swing the front of the
cartridge up off the printhead, then lift the cartridge out
and discard it.
Caution! The printhead may be HOT!
➊Important!
Do NOT remove the
ribbon shield from
the ribbon!
Grip points
Take-up knob
Ribbon shield

Getting Started E-5
Connecting to the Power
1. Make sure both the printer and the computer are OFF.
2. Plug the power cord into the back of the printer (➊),
then into a grounded outlet (➋).
3. Turn the printer on.
Connecting to the Computer
Note: FCC regulations require the use of a shielded cable
no longer than 6 ft. (1.8 m).
An IEE 1284-compatible parallel cable is needed for
bi-directional communications.
If you purchased the Serial Interface accessory, see
the instruction sheet provided with it.
1. Plug the interface cable into the parallel port (➊) and
secure it with the wire loops.
2. Attach the other end of the cable to your computer.
➋
➊
➊

E-6 Section 1
2. Grasp the paper separator by the tabs and lift it off the
printer.
3. Pull up on the lock levers and open the tractor covers,
then move the right tractor over to fit the width of the
paper.
Loading Paper
Loading Continuous Forms (Rear Feed)
We recommend the rear-feed path for printing reports, etc.,
on single-thickness, continuous-form paper. For graphics or
charts, it's best to use the single-sheet path (top feed).
Note: If you have paper in the paper path, be sure to
remove it before installing rear-feed paper.
1. Move the paper lever to the position marked “REAR.”
Lock Lever
Upper Tractor
Cover
Pins
Lower Tractor
Cover

Getting Started E-7
7. Fine-tune the position of the right tractor to center the
holes in the paper on the pins, and push back the right
lock lever.
8. Reinstall the sheet guide and place the wire guide (➊) on
the pull-up roller assembly (➋).
9. Press FF/LOAD. The paper feeds into the printer.
Note: The standard setting for the Top of Form (where the
printing begins) is 1-inch down from the top of the
page. To change the setting, see page 9.
5. Place the first two holes in the paper over the tractor pins
on either side and close the tractor covers.
6. Move the left tractor to align the edge of the paper with
the appropriate reference mark (➊), and push back the
lock lever. ➋
➊
➊

E-8 Section 1
4. Make sure the wire feed
guide (➊) is secured
in the sheet guide.
5. Adjust the paper feed guides (➊) for the width of the
paper and place a sheet of paper in the separator. The
paper will feed into the printer.
QUIETRK
TOF
PRINT QUALITY
CHARACTER PITCH
HSD
NLQ
UTL
SSD
10 12 15
17 20 PROP
Note: The standard setting for the Top of Form (where the
printing begins) is 1-inch down from the top of the
page. To change the setting, see page 9.
Loading Single Sheets (Top Feed)
Use the single-sheet path for letterhead stationary, memos,
and individual envelopes.
Note: If you have continuous-form paper in the path, press
PARK to remove it before loading single sheets.
1. Make sure the printer is on and deselected (SEL light
off).
2. Place the paper lever in the position marked “TOP.”
3. Open the carriage cover and lift the paper separator to
the single-sheet position.
QUIETPARKTEAR
FF/LOAD
LF
SEL
SEL
POWER ALARM MENU
GROUPEXIT ITEM SET PRINT
MENU SHIFT TOF
MicroFeed
Up
MicroFeed
Down
PRINT QUALITY
CHARACTER PITCH
HSD
NLQ
UTL
SSD
10 12 15
17 20 PROP
➊
QUIETPARKTEAR
FF/LOAD
LF
SEL
SEL
POWER ALARM MENU
GROUPEXIT ITEM SET PRINT
MENU SHIFT TOF
MicroFeed
Up
MicroFeed
Down
PRINT QUALITY
CHARACTER PITCH
HSD
NLQ
UTL
SSD
10
➊
Important!
If the paper does not feed
in, remove it. Check the
paper lever position. Make
sure the ALARM light is
on: if it is flashing, hold the
SHIFT key and press the
CHARACTER PITCH
(RESET) key. Reload the
sheet of paper.

Getting Started E-9
Temporarily Changing the Print Start
Position
To change the print start position lower for one page only:
1. Press SEL to deselect the printer.
2. Press LF to change the position of the Top of Form.
Resetting TOF to the Standard Setting
1. Turn the printer off.
2. Hold PARK + QUIET/TOF while turning the printer back
on.
Switching Paper Paths
To switch from continuous-forms to single-sheet feed:
1. Tear off any printed pages.
2. Press PARK.
3. Move the paper separator to the single-sheet feed
position.
4. Place the wire feed guide in the paper separator.
5. Move the paper lever to the position marked “TOP.”
6. Place a sheet of paper in the paper separator.
Setting the Top of Form (TOF)
When setting the Top of Form, use the red line (➊) on the
paper shield as a reference:
M
1. Make sure the printer is deselected (SEL light off).
QUIETPARKTEAR FF/LOAD
LF
SEL
SEL
POWER ALARM MENU
GROUPEXIT ITEM SET PRINT
MENU SHIFT TOF
Micro Feed
Up
Micro Feed
Down
2. Press and hold SHIFT (➊), then
☛Press LF (➋) to move Top of Form higher (paper
moves down)
☛Press FF/LOAD (➌) to move Top of Form lower
(paper moves up)
3. Press SEL (➍) to re-select the printer.
➊➋➌
➍
➊

E-10 Section 1
Media Setting
12-20 lb paper ........................... 1
20-24 lb bond paper.................. 2
Labels ........................................ 3-4
Envelopes .................................. 4-5
2-part form (with carbon) ......... 1-2
3-part form (with carbon) ......... 2-3
4-part form (with carbon) ......... 3-4
5-part form (with carbon) ......... 4-5
6-part form (with carbon) ......... 5
Note: For dedicated, bottom-feed printing of extra-thick
continuous forms (requires optional push and/or
pull tractor), the printhead gap range can be
expanded to take forms up to 0.031" (0.79 mm)
thick. For more information, call Okidata Faxable
Facts (1-800-654-6651) and follow the recorded
message to have document # 2361 faxed to you.
To switch from single-sheet feed to continuous forms:
1. Press FF/LOAD to remove the single-sheet paper.
2. Lower the paper separator into the continuous-forms
position and swing the wire feed guide over onto the
pull-up roller.
3. Move the paper lever to the position marked “REAR” or
“BOT,” as appropriate.
4. If necessary, load continuous-form paper.
5. Press FF/LOAD.
Setting the Printhead Gap
The printhead gap is the distance between the printhead
and the platen.
Note: Make sure the printer is turned off before you
open the access cover.
To adjust the gap, open the access cover and move the blue
lever (➊) to the recommended setting from the table.
➊

Getting Started E-11
Selecting an Emulation
Your printer has three emulations:
• Epson®FX (ESC/P)
• IBM®Proprinter III (PPSII) — factory setting
• OKIDATA®MICROLINE®Standard
Changing Emulations
1. Make sure paper is loaded.
2. Press SHIFT + SEL: the printer enters the Menu Mode.
3. Press LF: the following line prints:
Printer Control Emulation Mode IBM PPR
4. Press TEAR consecutively until the emulation you wish
to select prints in the right-hand column.
5. Press SHIFT + SEL to save your setting and exit the
Menu Mode.
Running the Self Tests
Font Sample Test ASCII Test
To run the test: To run the test:
Turn the printer Turn the printer
off, then press off, then press
and hold the LF and hold the
key while QUIET key while
turning the turning the
printer back on. printer back on.
To stop the test before it To stop the test:
finishes:
Press SEL. Press SEL.
LF
GROUP
Micro Feed
Down
SEL
SEL
MENU
QUIET
TOF
SEL
SEL
MENU

E-12 Section 1
Okidata MICROLINE Standard
Okidata Microline 320/321T
Okidata Microline 320/321
Okidata Microline 520/521
Okidata Microline 292/293
Okidata Microline 192/193
OKIDATA Drivers
Okidata drivers are available for Microsoft®Windows® 95,
Microsoft Windows 3.1x, and Microsoft Windows NT 3.51
and higher, through any of the following means:
➤Contact the Okidata WorldWide Web site at
http://www.okidata.com
➤Connect with the OKILINK®BBS at
[phone]
➤Contact Okidata on CompuServe®:
1. GO PCHW.
2. In Library #2, select “Printer Utilities.”
➤Mail your request for a diskette (3½") to
OKIDATA, P.O. Box 4603, Trenton, NJ 08650-
9852. Specify # MS-9267 for Windows 3.1x
or # MS-9299 for Windows 95
or # MS-9300 for Windows NT
Selecting a Printer Driver
Before you can use your printer with software, you must
enter the software and select the correct printer driver. If
you have the wrong driver selected, you will see strange
characters, incorrect fonts, etc.
Important! See your software documentation for informa-
tion on how to select a printer driver.
Printer Drivers
The drivers below are listed by decreasing compatibility
with your printer: use one as close to the top of the list as
possible.
Epson FX IBM Proprinter III
Okidata ML320/1T Epson Okidata ML320/1T IBM
Okidata ML320/1 Epson Okidata ML320/1 IBM
Epson FX286e IBM Proprinter III
Epson FX 850/1050 IBM Proprinter II
Epson FX 800/1000 IBM Proprinter
Epson FX IBM Graphics Printer

2. Open the access cover, and remove the pull-up roller
assembly.
Note: Make sure the printer is turned off before you
open the access cover.
3. Remove any torn pieces of paper.
Replacing the Ribbon Cartridge
To replace the ribbon cartridge, see “Installing/Replacing
the Ribbon Cartridge” in Section 1. For the best results, use
genuine OKIDATA ribbons, Part. No. 52102001.
Clearing Paper Jams
Rear-Feed Jams
1. Turn the printer OFF and use the platen knob to back the
paper all the way out.
A
Section 2:
E-13
Maintaining Your Printer

E-14 Section 2
6. Turn the printer on.
7. Press FF/LOAD.
FF/LOAD
ITEM
Micro Feed
Up
4. Remove the paper separator and reload paper.
5. Replace the the paper separator, replace the pull-up roller
assembly, and close the access cover.