OmniPrint FreeJet320 TX User manual

User’s Manual
FreeJet320 TX®
Digital Direct to Garment Printer
A Product of OmniPrint International
Costa Mesa, CA
Aug 2009 Version 2880 v1.0
Authorized Dealer:
International Machine Group Inc.
Anaheim, CA

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Basic Safety
Instructions
Please review this entire manual before attempting to print.
Follow all warnings printed on and about the printer.
Use the power source type indicated on the printer’s label and in this manual.
Connect all equipment to grounded outlets. Do not use the same outlet for any other
system, such as a copy machine, an air conditioning unit or a Heat Press that may cycle
ON and OFF.
Place the printer where the power outlet is easily seen.
Do not use damaged power cords.
If you are using an extension cord, ensure the extension cord’s power amp rate does not
exceed that of the printer’s cord.
Keep electromagnetic devices and other potential sources of magnetic fields away from
your printer.
Avoid using the printer in locations that have high humidity, shocks, vibrations, debris or
dust.
Allow enough space around the printer for proper ventilation.
Do not locate the printer near heat sources such as radiators or heat vents.
Do not locate the printer in direct sunlight.
Place the printer on a stable surface that extends beyond the length and width of the
printer supports. The printer will not work properly if it is tilted or leaning.
When packing and moving the printer, do not set the printer on its side or upside down.
This may cause the ink to spill and/or mechanical damage.
Turn the printer OFF before cleaning. Clean with a new, damp cloth and avoid spilling
any liquid on the printer.
Caution:
When turning off the printer always use the Main Power Button. DO NOT unplug the
power cord to power the printer off.
Do not block any of the printer’s vents or insert foreign object into its slots to override
safety features.
Do not attempt to service the printer yourself beyond the troubleshooting techniques you
have been trained on or are covered in this Manual.
Keep the machine on a level surface at all times.

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Safety Instructions for Ink:
• ALWAYS KEEP INK OUT OF REACH OF CHILDREN.
• When handling ink, avoid contact with skin. If contact occurs wash thoroughly with soap and
water. For eye contact, flush with water for 15 minutes and get medical attention.
• DO NOT put your hand in the printer or touch the ink bottles while the printer is in operation.
• DO NOT MOVE PRINT HEAD BY HAND - doing so may damage the printer.
• If you remove the ink bottles, place them in individual dust, dirt and debris free area.
• Store unused ink in a cool dark place.
• Allow ink to warm to room temperature before using them after
storage.
• Do not touch the IC chip on the ink cartridges. This will adversely affect normal printing
operations.

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User’s Manual
FreeJet320 TX
An Overview
This manual contains the latest and most accurate information at the time of printing.
We reserve the right to make product changes and improvements at any time. Some product
Photos in this Manual may vary slightly from the currently shipping machine.

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Introduction
The FreeJet TX is an inkjet printer that is modified and used to print on most types of fabric
material (The ink will not work on waterproof nylon and most synthetic materials.). Designed
specifically for fabric materials, Omni Ink requires only a post-treatment of heat to cure when
printed on light colored garments and a pretreatment solution and post treatment heat cure
when using White Omni White Ink on dark garments.
The FreeJet TX is based on standard inkjet technology, with the NEW Epson 2880 being the
heart of the system. This means you can expect your printer to be reliable AND versatile. The
FreeJet TX is also fast, printing a standard, garment sized image in less than two minutes.
Whether it’s a shirt, a towel, mouse pads, tote bags, bibs or baseball caps, the possibilities are
endless.
FreeJet TX Important Points
Please review the entire manual before attempting to print on garment.
The Basics
You probably can’t wait to get started and we share your enthusiasm for the garment decoration
process. However, before you print that first shirt, there are a few basics that need to be
covered.
The FreeJet TX prints best on 100% cotton. Printing on dark colored 50% cotton/50% polyester
blends with White ink is NOT recommended because you will notice a discoloration of your
image. In addition, when printing on 100% polyester or other synthetic materials, you may not
achieve the same print brightness and wash fastness.
Your printer is ONLY compatible with Windows XP, 2000 or Vista Operating Systems and the
latest versions of OmniPrint Direct RIP are included as part of your kit.
For avid users of Photoshop, CorelDRAW, Illustrator etc., you may choose to work within the
application of choice and still set up the image properly for printing. However, the final design
MUST be Imported/Opened into OmniPrint Direct RIP for output if you will be printing
with White ink. Your best option is to use transparent files as your print ready files such as
.png and .psd files.
The complete list of files that can be used are: .bmp,.dib,.gif,.jpg,.pcx,.png,.psd,.tif,.tiff,.tga
Macintosh Users can still create an image in their favorite graphics application; they will just
have to transfer it to OmniPrint Direct RIP for printing.
Every image MUST print to OmniPrint Direct RIP for final output. OmniPrint Direct RIP works as
the Queue and Print Manager, allowing you to not only select different Print Modes and other
attributes, but also archive print jobs for future reprints.
Maintenance

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Although the FreeJet TX is “simply” an inkjet printer, the number one technical issue is a lack of
maintenance of the machine. There are three main areas of concern:
• Printing on garments is not the same as printing on paper- a garment gives off much more lint
and this lint must be cleaned up regularly.
• The amount of ink deposited on fabrics is far greater than on paper. This means all ink supply
lines must be feeding properly as well as all excess ink must be cleaned up daily to prevent
build-up.
• When printing with white ink, you must apply a Pretreatment. This solution can settle inside the
printer and create numerous problems; therefore we recommend you pretreat garments as far
away as possible (i.e. in separate area).
If you adhere to the required maintenance schedule, printing with the FreeJet TX will be easy,
rewarding and profitable!
Important Support Information
The FreeJet TX is sold through a world wide dealer network. If you purchased your FreeJet TX
from one of our authorized US dealers, you should call your dealer for support. Our dealers are
trained, certified and provided with the most up-to-date support information available for Inkjet
Technology.
Dealer Information:
International Machine Group Inc.
1714223-0464
Office Hours: 8:00am-4:30pm PST
Support Hours: 8:00am-5:00pm PST
Monday through Friday
http://imachinegroup.com
Omniprint International
2950 Airway Ave, Ste B4
Costa Mesa, CA 92626
www.omniprintonline.com.
949-484-4181: Phone
614-748-4970: Fax
[email protected]: E-mail
Support hours: 9am – 7pm (Pacific) Monday through Friday

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TABLE OF CONTENTS
I. Site Preparation Guidelines
II. Quick Tour of Printer
Overview
A. FreeJet 320TX Textile Printer
B. Wet Cap & Printer Maintenance System
C. Print Head Assembly
D. Print Head Carriage
E. Ink Chip Reset Assembly
F. Infrared Laser Height Sensor
G. Shirtboards (pallets for garments)
III. Unpacking Instructions
IV. Setting up the FreeJet 320TX
Overview
A. FreeJet power supply set up
B. Filling Bulk Ink Bottles
C. Filling the Cleaning Fluid Container
D. Charging the FreeJet with Ink
V. Software Installation
Overview
A. Installing the Microsoft USB drive
B. Install the Omniprint Direct Rip software & USB “HASP” dongle
C. Installing the Epson R2400 Stylus Photo printer driver
VI. Initializing the FreeJet 320TX
VII. Nozzle Check Procedure
Overview
A. Turning on the FreeJet 320TX Main Power Switch
B. Starting the Epson Print Engine
C. Perform Head Cleaning Procedure
D. Register Adult Shirtboard (pallet)
E. Shirtboard Height Adjustment Procedure
F. Perform Nozzle Check
VIII. Installing the Omniprint FreeJet320 TX DirectRip Printer Environments
IX. Pre-Treating Dark Garments
X. Daily Operating Procedures
A. Start Up
B. Printing on White Garments
C. Printing on Colored and Dark Garments
D. Shut Down
XI. Preparing Artwork
XII. Packing the FreeJet 32TX for Transport
XIII. Training Check List/Sign Off

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CHAPTER I. SITE PREPARATION GUIDELINES
To prepare for the installation of your FreeJetTX Direct-To-Garment printer please respond to
the following information:
1. FreeJet Electrical Requirements: 110V, 25watt, 1 phase, 50/60 Hz. The FreeJET
should have a dedicated outlet/electrical supply for the Freejet. Do NOT plug other high
power use items such as an air conditioning unit, heat press, etc. into the same circuit.
To protect the warranty, the Freejet printer must be protected from electrical surges. A
‘UPS’ (uninterruptable power supply) with battery back-up is highly recommended. In
the event of a power failure, this will allow you to perform a complete turn off procedure,
allowing the print head to safely return to its capping position. At a minimum, use a
power strip with surge protection.
2. Host Computer: You will need to supply a computer to run the unit and house the
Omniprint Direct Rip software. The computer (or laptop) should have Windows O.S. with
XP or Vista, 2 GB ram, dual core processer, with at least 4 USB ports. Adobe
Photoshop is highly recommended as complementary graphics software.
3. Room Environment: The FreeJet TX should not be exposed to direct sunlight, direct
airflow, dusty areas, strong magnetic forces or excessively high humidity. The machine
does not like to be too dry or too moist with a level of 40% to 80% relative humidity being
ideal. For dry months, it may be necessary to humidify the room. Ultrasonic humidifiers
can be purchased for a reasonable price at your local home repair store. Since you will
be handling wet ink to refill the Bulk System ink bottles, you should also protect any
carpet or floor covering with mats.
Like any Hi-Tech electronic device, your inkjet printer does NOT like being in a hot or
cold shop or a garage without proper air-conditioning controls. If left unattended for
several days or weeks in a hot dry environment, the print head will clog. To prevent
clogging place the print head on the exclusive FreeJet TX head capping unit when not in
use. If your FreeJet TX is not going to be used for more than a week at a time it will be
necessary to drain the ink lines.
At night, and when the printer is not in use, cover the machine to protect it from airborne
dust and debris.
4. Working Space: The FreeJet dimensions are 42”l x 25”w 18”h.
a. The recommended dedicated working space for the FreeJet is 6’x6’. The
FreeJet needs to be placed on a sturdy table or platform that can withhold 200
lbs and incorporate the entire footprint of the printer, 42”l x 25”w. No part of the
FreeJet should overhang the table or platform. A comfortable working height is
30”.
b. When using White ink, you must apply a Pre-treatment to the garments before
printing. DO NOT spray this Pretreatment near your FreeJet TX. We suggest
you pre-treat garments in a separate area, if possible but at a minimum, make an
enclosure around the pretreatment area to limit the amount of overspray in the
area. The Pretreatment is sticky and can damage the Print Head as well as the
Encoder Strip.
5. Pre-Treat: It is necessary to pre-treat any garments that will be printed with white ink.
There are 2 options. An automatic pre-treat machine or a hand held spray gun device.

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The Speed Treater Automatic Pre-Treat System is recommended and sells for $4750
through National UV Supply. For manual pre-treating, the Wagner, model W550 is
recommended and can be purchased at a local home repair Store.
6. Heat Press: This is needed to cure the shirts. The Hix SP-650P 16x20 Auto Open
heat press or the Geo Knight DK-20 16x20 with auto pop are recommended. Both units
sell for $1,350 and can be purchased through National UV Supply.
7. Supplies: Your unit comes with a set of CMYK inks (250 ml each) and 500ml of white
ink plus, 250 ml of cleaning solution and 1 gallon of pre-treat for dark garments.
Additional inks, cleaning fluid, lint free wipes, curing sheets for the pre-treat and ink, etc.
are available for purchase through National UV Supply. Please contact National UV
Supply for a price list and ordering instructions.

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CHAPTER II. QUICK TOUR OF PRINTER
Overview:
The FreeJet320TX Textile Printer is fully assembled and requires little
mechanical set up. The unit consists of two main parts; the Printer Box
Assembly which houses the Epson Print Engine and the integrated Printer
Base which has the Control Panels, Ink Supply and Maintenance System and
the Platform to hold the ShirtBoards for the garments. The Platform remains
stationary (except for the vertical axis height adjustment) as the Printer Box
moves forward and backwards over the garments during printing.
There is a yellow “Printer Box Shipping Bracket” attached to the back left rear
corner of the Printer Box which MUST be removed during set-up and installed
during shipment / transport of the unit. This shipping bracket keeps the
Printer Box from moving during transport.
Shipping bracket in Stored Position Shipping Bracket in Installed Position

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A. FreeJet320TX Textile Printer:
1. Printer Base with Printer Box Front View—Z Axis Control Panel
(Platform Height)
2. Back View—Main Power Switch, Power Cord and Computer Cable
Connections
3. Right Side View—Main Control Panel
4. Left Side View—Service Access Panels2
5. Top View—Pallet Platform
B. “Wet Cap” and Printer Maintenance System
1. Waste Fluid Container
2. Manual Suction Pump (Tall Spring Syringe Mechanism)
3. Cleaning Fluid Container
4. Manual Fluid Pump (small soft plastic “dome” shaped module with Fluid
Line Clip.
1 2 3 4
5
1
23
4

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C. Print head Assembly:
1. Ink Lines and Ink Line Clips
2. Dampers (plastic filter reservoirs)
3. Ink Chip Module and Indicator Lights
4. Pump-Wiper Capping Ink System Assembly
D. Print Head Carriage and Encoder Strip
1
2
3
4

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E. Ink Chip Reset Assembly
F. Infrared Laser Height Sensor

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G. Additiomal ShirtBoards (Pallets for Garments) available for purchase
Chest ShirtBoard (pallet) Youth ShirtBoard (pallet) Sleeve ShirtBoard (pallet)
Hat Board (pallet)

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CHAPTER III. Unpacking Instructions Setting up the FreeJet 320TX
Save the Crate and All Packing Materials
Failure to follow this step will VOID YOUR WARRANTY.
Your FreeJet TX is a large piece of equipment and it is shipped in a sturdy crate with bracing to
hold delicate components in place. Unpack your printer with care and please retain all shipping
materials, bags, boxes and directions received with the printer. These items will be needed in
the event the machine must be returned for repair or transported to another location. If you
return or ship a FreeJet TX without using the original shipping carton you may void the warranty.
The crate may be disassembled for storage.
The FreeJet TX is shipped fully assembled in one large crate. You MUST be very careful
transporting your FreeJet TX. It is very heavy and delicate piece of equipment. DO NOT
uncrate your printer until it has reached its final destination. Do not uncrate and start the setup
process of your printer without contacting your dealer. The exterior crate dimensions are 49” x
30” x 27”. As shipped, the packing material will allow for this and prevent damage to your
printer as long as the crate is not dropped.
Important Note:
The printer and shipping crate combined weigh close to 200 pounds.
DO NOT attempt to lift the machine with less than TWO PEOPLE.

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CHAPTER IV. SETTING UP THE FREEJET 320TX
OVERVIEW:
The FreeJet320TX Textile Printer should be set-up BEFORE connecting it to the
computer and BEFORE turning on the Main Power Switch. The Computer Software
set-up will be done BEFORE connecting the computer to the printer. (See the
“Setting Up the Computer” section of this manual.) You will need both Filtered
Power and the software configured Computer to complete the FreeJet320TX
installation and perform a Nozzle Check (after charging the ink system). A “UPS”
(Un-interruptible Power Supply/Battery Backup) or a Surge Protector is
MANDATORY FOR THE WARRANTY. The Computer (Windows XP or VISTA
Operating System) must have the Epson Stylus Photo R2880 Driver, the Epson USB
(if necessary, may not be needed for visa installations) Driver and the OmniPrint
DirectRip software and HASP USB dongle (needed to open and operate the
DirectRip).
Note: Make a backup copy of all your software installation discs as well as the
serial number of your software and the serial number of your machine. Lost
software and dongles cannot be duplicated and if lost a new one will need to
be purchased.
A. Remove the yellow shipping brackets holding the print engine in place.
B. Plug the FreeJet into a UPS power source that is plugged into a dedicated outlet
for the FreeJet. NOTE: Do NOT connect the USB computer cable to the
FreeJET at this point, you will connect it after installing the Epson 2880
driver.
C. Fill the Bulk Ink Bottles/Getting Ready to Print

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Notation Regarding Changing Ink Brands
Your FreeJet320 TX shipped with OmniPrint Textile Ink. With a normal inkjet printer, it
is a very common practice to change from the manufacturer’s brand of ink to third
party inks. However, this can result in poor quality prints and mechanical failure when
using specially formulated textile inks. All textile inks are NOT created equal and
should not be mixed. Although not recommended; should you decide to try another
brand of textile ink in your printer, before doing so you MUST flush out the entire Bulk
Ink System using a special flushing solution available from OmniPrint International.
Additionally, use of non OmniPrint Inks will void your warranty.
Failure to perform this process can result in a mixture of the two brands, creating a
chunky mess that might clog in the ink tubes. In fact, this mixture will permanently clog
the Print Head. OmniPrint is not responsible for any damage to your printer or
replacement of the Print Head should you use another manufacturer’s ink. If you do
experience problems with another manufacturer’s ink you must contact THAT
manufacturer for any available remedies.
1. Your FreeJet TX uses a specially designed Bulk Ink System that holds about 200
ml of ink per color (x8) and allow for easy re-filling as needed.
2. Your printer comes with 8 oz. (250 ml) bottles of Cyan, Magenta, Yellow and
Black OmniPrint Ink, along with 500 ml of OmniPrint Bright White. You will also
have 8 ink bottles. 1 bottle will be used to hold each of the 4 colors and 4 bottles
will be used for Bright White.
3. During initial setup, and whenever ink bottles run low, you must fill them
manually. Choose an area where spills will not do much damage and protect the
area with newspaper, paper towels or a drop cloth. It is recommended you also
wear disposable gloves.
4. To fill a bottle, refer to the color coding on the bottle holder for the correct ink to
add, then remove the cap and pour the ink directly into the bottle. DO NOT
overfill the bottle. It is recommended that the bottle be filled to the top of its
widest part. Filling the bottle beyond this point may lead to spillage.
5. Twist the cap onto the filled bottle and repeat the procedure for each color until
all eight Bulk Ink bottles have been filled. Please note that the air hole in the
bottles should be clean and clear for air to flow through, additionally clean rim of
bottle to insure no ink builds up at the rim or cap.
6. The bottles are positioned in the bulk in carriage with the ink line tubing inserted.
Do not remove the ink line from the bottle when filling with ink. Keeping the ink
lines in the bottle will help to insure the same ink color remains in the ink lines
and bulk bottles.
D. Fill the Cleaning Fluid Container:
1. USE ONLY FreeJet Cleaning Fluid—full strength.

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2. The Cleaning Fluid Bottle is part of the “Wet Cap” cleaning system located just
behind the printer box near the Manual Suction Pump (spring plunger). The
Bottle has a SPECIAL CAP that allows it to be filled with cleaner, inverted and
screwed onto the cleaning station. DO NOT unscrew the plastic bottle from the
WHITE CAP while the bottle is on the printer station; UNSCREW the white bottle
cap from the printer cleaning station so the cap will stay on the bottle. Then,
unscrew the white bottle cap from the clear plastic bottle and fill it ¾ full with
Cleaning Fluid.
3. IMPORTANT: Invert and screw the filled bottle on the cleaning station but DO
NOT TIGHTEN. Instead, fully screw the cap on, THEN BACK IT OFF ½ A
TURN. This allows air to enter the bottle as the fluid is pumped out. The
cleaner bottle will compress if its not loosened to allow air to flow in.
E. Charging the FreeJet320TX with Ink:
1. Remove any ShirtBoards from the printer platform.
2. Turn on the main power supply on the back of the machine. ( Do not turn on
Main Epson power yet)
3. Open the Printer Box Cover so that you can observe the Print Head
Assembly.
4. Unclip all 8 ink lines to open or allow ink to pass. Move each plastic clip UP
or DOWN the line ¼” so that the line can fully open and you will not be
closing the line in the same spot each day. TAKE CARE NOT TO PULL UP
on the ink line and Damper (below the clips). HOLD the ink line just below
or above the ink line clip as you move them. Gently push down on the ink
line so that the Dampers are NOT pulled up.

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5. CHARGING THE INK LINES - The New FreeJet 320TX has an automated
ink charging system that will load the ink lines for you. To activate the
feature you must press the
“power button” and “down” together for 2 seconds. You will now hear the
pump start to work and draw ink through the lines. Pay attention to the lines
themselves to monitor the progress of the ink fill.
Ink will flow through the lines to the dampers and the Print Head by using
suction generated by the cap pump. As the length of each ink line is
different each ink line will fill at different rates. You may close the clips as
ink starts to reach the dampers to allow others to “catch up”. Once all inks
are filled the same you can unclip all the lines and continue suction. After
some time the ink charge will finish on it’s own and you can start another ink
charge if needed. To cancel an ink charge you have already started, simply
press the power button by itself once and it will stop the ink charge. There
will be times where you might only need a small portion of an ink charge and
that is why it can easily be stopped at any time before it’s own stopping
setting. Every printer is tested before shipping and Head Preservative Fluid
is left in the Print Head and Dampers and the Head Capping Station.
6. TroubleShooting Tips.
1. After a nozzle check (described in Section VII) is completed and you still
see major nozzles missing. You can perform this function again.
2. You can also manually “draw” Ink and prime the print heads with the
supplied Syringe.
a. Open Left waste cover
b. Locate waste tube and unscrew connector.
c. Connect the Syringe to the waste line as shown below and
pull ink. Tip-you should feel some slight pressure as you
draw ink and ink should fill into the syringe.
d. Fill the syringe half way with ink and perform 2 cleanings
from the Epson 2880 driver
e. Perform a nozzle check again.

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7. You can also manually charge the ink with the external Wet Capping system
do this process by following the steps below.
a. Completely depress the Manual Suction Pump Plunger 3 or 4 times or until
you see the clear Waste Fluid Bottle start to collapse. DO NOT continue to
pump if the bottle severely deforms. You have now created vacuum
suction which will start to pull Ink through the Ink Lines and Waste Fluid
System. NOTE: You will see preservative fluid enter the Waste Fluid Bottle
as Ink flows through the Ink Lines into the Print Head Assembly. Depress
the Suction Pump as necessary to keep ink flowing into the lines.
b. Continue to pump as necessary to pull ink into all 8 lines past the Ink Clips
into the Dampers. NOTE: The 8 lines will fill at different rates due to
different line length and other reasons. As the Ink Lines completely fill,
CLOSE the Ink Line Clips on the filled lines. Keep pulling ink into all 8
lines.
8. When all lines are filled, RELESE the vacuum in the Waste Ink Bottle by
OPENING THE CAP slightly (to let air in) and then tightening.
9. Unclip (Open) all 8 Ink Lines in preparation for a Nozzle Check. Before you
can perform a Nozzle Check procedure, you must have the Epson print
driver software installed on your computer. Proceed to the “Software
Installation” Chapter. NOTE: You will need the Computer, the Epson Stylus
Photo R2880 Driver (supplied on Setup CD or available from the Epson
website, the USB Cable (supplied with the FreeJet 320TX) and “Line
Filtered” power hooked up to the FreeJet 320TX.
10. Releasing the Print Carriage for Maintenance and other operations
1. Press Function + up at the same time.
2. You will hear the print head unlock.
3. Manually move the print head left away from capping assembly as shown
below.