Primera Pictura 310s User manual

CCoolloorrSSiiggnnPPrriinntteerr
User’s Manual

Notices
The information in this document is subject to
change without notice.
THE PRINTER MANUFACTURER MAKES NO
WARRANTY OF ANY KIND WITH REGARD TO
THIS MATERIAL, INCLUDING, BUT NOT
LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF
MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A
PARTICULAR PURPOSE.
The printer manufacturer shall not be liable for
errors contained herein or for incidental damages
in connection with the furnishing, performance, or
use of this material.
This document contains proprietary information
which is protected by copyright. All rights are
reserved. No part of this document may be
photocopied, reproduced, or translated into
another language without the prior written consent
of the printer manufacturer.
The Color Sign Printer has had the following
patents issued:
5,378,072
5,480,242
Trademark Acknowledgements
IBM is a registered trademark of International
Business Machines Corporation. Windows is a
registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation.
Apple and Macintosh are registered trademarks of
Apple Computer, Inc. ColorSync, QuickDraw,
System 7, LocalTalk, and TrueType are trademarks
of Apple Computer, Inc. Adobe, Adobe Illustrator,
and Type Manager are trademarks and PostScript
is a registered trademark of Adobe Systems,
Incorporated. All other trademarks are the
property of their respective owners.
Printing History
Edition 1.0, #970724
© Copyright 1997
All rights reserved.
iii

For Users in the United States:
This equipment has been tested and found to
comply with the limits for a Class A digital device,
pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits
are designed to provide reasonable protection
against harmful interference in a residential
installation. This equipment generates, uses, and
can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not
installed and used in accordance with the
instructions, may cause harmful interference to
radio communications. However, there is no
guarantee that interference will not occur in a
particular installation. If this equipment does
cause harmful interference to radio or television
reception, which can be determined by turning the
equipment off and on, the user is encouraged to try
to correct the interference by one or more of the
following measures:
■Re-orient or relocate the receiving antenna.
■Increase the separation between the equipment
and receiver.
■Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit
different from that to which the receiver is
connected.
■Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV
technician for help.
Use of a shielded cable is required to comply with
the Class A limits of Part 15 of the FCC Rules.
You are cautioned that any changes or
modifications not expressly approved in this
manual could void your authority to operate
and/or obtain warranty service for this equipment.
For Users in Canada:
This digital apparatus does not exceed the Class A
limits for radio noise for digital apparatus set out
on the Radio Interference Regulations of the
Canadian Department of Communications.
Le present appareil numerique nÕemet pas de
bruits radioelectriques depassant les limites
applicables aux appareils numeriques de la class A
prescrites dans le Reglement sur le brouillage
radioelectrique edicte par le ministere des
Communications du Canada.
iv

v
Table of
Contents
Section 1: Introduction
A. How Your Color Sign Printer Works .........1
B. Special Features ............................................2
Section 2: Safety Precautions .........................3
Section 3: Getting Started
A. Choosing a Good Location ..........................8
B. About Moisture Condensation ...................8
C. Unpacking and Inspection ..........................8
D. Identifying the Parts .....................................9
E. Removing the Ribbon Cartridge ..............10
Section 4: Ribbons and Print Media
A. Introduction..................................................12
B. About Ribbons ............................................12
C. Loading Ribbon into the
Ribbon Cartridge ........................................14
D. Placing the Ribbon Cartridge
into the Printer ............................................15
E. About Print Media.......................................16
F. Specialty Supplies and Applications .......17
G. Loading Print Media into the
Supply Tray .................................................18
H. Inserting the Media Tray Assembly
into the Printer.............................................20
I. Important Print Media Information..........21
Section 5: Powering Up the Printer
A. Applying Power .........................................23
B. Running the Self Test .................................24
Section 6: Using the Color Sign Printer
with an IBM-PC or Compatible
A. Connecting the Color Sign Printer to
Your PC ........................................................26
B. Installing the Windows GDI Printer
Driver Software............................................27
C. Installing the 32-Bit Print Spooler
for Windows 95 ...........................................30
D Configuring Your ComputerÕs
Parallel Port..................................................32
E. Setting Up the Windows GDI Printer
Driver ...........................................................35
Section 7: Using the Color Sign Printer
with a Macintosh
A. Connecting the Color Sign Printer to
your Macintosh ...........................................41
B. Installing the Color QuickDraw
Printer Driver Software .............................42
C. Choosing the QuickDraw
Printer Driver ..............................................44
D. Setting Up the QuickDraw
Printer Driver ..............................................45

vi
Section 8: Using the Print Backgrounder for
Macintosh
A. Introduction..................................................54
B. Installing the Backgrounder ......................54
C. Printing with the Backgrounder ...............54
D. The Backgrounder Status Window ..........55
E. Backgrounder Menus .................................55
F. Problems During a Background Print .....57
G. Batch Printing...............................................58
Section 9: Printing with Your Color Sign
Printer
A. Interpreting the LED Indicator Lights......59
B. Printing a Process Color Image
with a Paneled Ribbon................................60
C. Printing a Process Color Image
with Spot-Color Resin Ribbons .................61
D. Printing a One Color Image with
a Spot-Color Resin Ribbon.........................63
E. Printing a Multi-Spot-Color Image
with Spot-Color Resin Ribbons .................64
Section 10: Maintenance
A. Supplies Required .......................................66
B. Cleaning the Printhead...............................67
C. Cleaning the PrinterÕs Case........................68
D. Cleaning the Inside of the Printer .............68
E. Clearing a Print Media Jam........................68
F. Clearing a Ribbon Jam................................69
G. Cleaning the Drive Roller...........................69
H. Cleaning the In-Feed Rollers .....................70
Section 11: Troubleshooting
A. General Troubleshooting for the
Color Sign Printer........................................71
B. Troubleshooting for the Color Sign
PrinterÕs Macintosh Printer Driver
and Backgrounder Software ......................82
Section 12: Technical Specifications ...........84
Appendix A: Interfacing Information
A. Introduction .................................................86
B. Centronics-type Parallel Interface ............86
C. Mini 8-Pin Serial Interface .........................87
Index ..................................................................88

1
Introduction
Thank you for
choosing the
Color Sign
Printer. The Color
Sign Printer has
been designed to
provide you with
stunning, high-
quality color
output on
outdoor-durable
vinyl, paper,
transparency film
or even T-shirt
transfer paper. It
offers many
features which
make printing
full-color signs,
labels, decals,
proofs, layouts,
and heat transfers
very fast, easy
and exciting.
A. How Your
Color Sign
Printer Works
The Color Sign Printer utilizes two different, yet
closely related printing technologies to achieve its
remarkable output Ñ thermal transfer and dye-
sublimation.
Thermal Transfer
Thermal transfer is a process which uses either a
resin-based or a wax-based ribbon roll as a carrier
for transferring color to either ribbonsÕ appropriate
type of print media (see Section 4 for more
information on these ribbons and the appropriate
print media for each). Such ribbons are available in
single spot colors and/or in a paneled form which
includes each of the yellow, magenta, and cyan
process colors on the same ribbon roll. By
providing each of the process colors, paneled
ribbons allow you to conveniently produce full-
color images automatically, from a single ribbon.
As the ribbon and print media pass simultaneously
beneath the Color Sign PrinterÕs printhead,
thousands of thermal elements within the
printhead melt the colored inks, thus transferring
thousands of tiny colored dots from the ribbon
onto the print media. If using a paneled ribbon, the
print media automatically makes a separate pass
for each colored panel on the ribbon. By combining
different colored dots from each ribbon panel in
different combinations (this process is called
ÒditheringÓ), the Color Sign Printer is able to print
up to 16.7 million colors.
Dye-Sublimation
Dye-sublimation is similar to thermal transfer in
that it still involves a paneled, multi-pass process
beneath the same thermal printhead. The
difference, however, lies within the special dye-
sublimation ribbon and print media and in the
transfer process itself.
Unlike a thermal transfer ribbon, each colored
panel on a dye-sublimation ribbon is composed of
a colored dye rather than a colored ink. When the
dyes on the ribbon are heated beneath the thermal
printhead, they vaporize and diffuse into the
surface of the special dye-receptive print media. By
varying the heat intensity of each thermal element
within the printhead, the Color Sign Printer is able
to change the value and hue of each transferred dot
of color. This results in the blending of one colored
dot into the next, producing continuous-tone,
photo-realistic, color-accurate images with no
dithering.
1

B. Special
Features With its dual function thermal transfer/dye-
sublimation color printing capability, the Color
Sign Printer offers you incredible printing
versatility. Its wax thermal transfer mode delivers
fast, inexpensive color output or proofs on paper
stock, while its resin thermal transfer mode prints
outdoor-durable labels, signs, and decals on long-
lasting vinyl print media. And with its dye-
sublimation mode, you get continuous-tone, photo-
quality output no other color printing technology
can match.
Switching back and forth between these printing
methods is easy. All you do is load either the
thermal transfer ribbon with the appropriate print
media or the dye-sublimation ribbon with its print
media, and select the appropriate printing choice
from within the included software printer driver.
The entire change-over process only takes about 15
to 20 seconds.
And, best of all, operation is simple and straight
forward. The Color Sign Printer will print from any
IBM-PC¨or compatible running Windows¨
3.1x/Windows 95 or any Macintosh¨/PowerPCª
which has system software 7.0 or higher, a Geo-
compatible serial port, and which supports Color
QuickDrawª. This means that you can use the
printer with virtually any software package
running under these operating environments
without any special set-up or configuration beyond
the initial installation of the specific software driver
and interface cable.
To begin using the Color Sign Printer, please refer
to the remainder of this manual. This UserÕs
Manual is your complete step-by-step guide to
setting up and printing with your powerful, new
Color Sign Printer.
2

2
Safety
Precautions
3
Before operating the unit, please read the following safety precautions carefully.
Warnings
CAUTION!
TO PREVENT FIRE OR SHOCK HAZARD, DO NOT EXPOSE THE UNIT
TO RAIN OR MOISTURE. TO REDUCE THE RISK OF ELECTRIC
SHOCK, DO NOT REMOVE FRONT, TOP, SIDE, OR REAR PANELS. NO
USER-SERVICEABLE PARTS INSIDE. REFER SERVICING TO
QUALIFIED SERVICE PERSONNEL.
■Operate the unit only on 120 VAC, 60 Hz, if operating within the United
States or Canada. For printers that have been shipped outside of the United
States and Canada, operate the unit only on 230/250 VAC. If you have any
doubt as to whether you have a unit with the correct voltage rating for your
countryÕs power supply, DO NOT ATTEMPT TO USE THE UNIT. Contact
your dealer or the factory.
■Stop operation immediately if any liquid or solid object should fall into the
cabinet. Unplug the unit and have it checked by qualified service personnel.
■Do not disassemble the cabinet. Refer servicing only to qualified personnel.
Sicherheits-
ma§nahmen
Vor Inbetriebnahme bitte die folgenden Sicherheitsma§nahmen beachten.
Sicherheitshinweise
VORSICHT!
ZUR VERH†TUNG VON FEUERGEFAHR ODER STROMSCHL€GEN
DAS GER€T VOR REGEN ODER FEUCHTIGKEIT SCH†TZEN. UM DIE
GEFAHR VON STROMSCHL€GEN ZU VERHINDERN, KEINE
GER€ATEABDECKUNGEN ABNEHMEN. DAS GER€T ENTH€LT
KEINE TEILE, DIE VOM BENUTZER GEWARTET WERDEN K…NNEN.
WARTUNGSARBEITEN D†RFEN NUR VON QUALIFIZIERTEM
FACHPERSONAL DURCHGEF†HRT WERDEN.
■Innerhalb der USA und Kanada das GerŠt nur mit 120 V Wechselstrom und
60 Hz betreiben. Drucker, die au§erhalb der USA oder Kanada verwendet
werden, dŸrfen nur mit 230/250 V Wechselstrom betrieben werden. Wenn
Sie nicht sicher sind, ob Ihr GerŠt fŸr die in Ihrem Land verwendete
Nennspannung ausgelegt ist, DAS GER€T NICHT IN BETRIEB
NEHMEN. Wenden Sie sich in diesem Fall an Ihren HŠndler oder den
Hersteller des GerŠtes.
■Den Betrieb sofort unterbrechen, wenn ein Gegenstand in das GehŠuse
gefallen oder FlŸssigkeit eingedrungen ist. Den Netzstecker ziehen und das
GerŠt von qualifiziertem Wartungspersonal ŸberprŸfen lassen.
■Keine GehŠuseteile abnehmen. Wartungsarbeiten nur von qualifiziertem
Fachpersonal durchfŸhren lassen.

4
Consignes
de sŽcuritŽ
Avant dÕutiliser lÕappareil, pri•re de lire attentivement les consignes de sŽcuritŽ
suivantes.
Avertissements
ATTENTION !
POUR EVITER TOUT RISQUE DÕINCENDIE OU DÕELECTROCUTION, NE
PAS EXPOSER LÕAPPAREIL A LA PLUIE OU A LÕHUMIDITE. POUR EVITER
TOUTE DECHARGE ELECTRIQUE, NE PAS RETIRER LES PANNEAUX
AVANT, SUPERIEUR, LATERAUX OU ARRIERE. NE PAS TENTER DE
REPARER SOI-MEME LES PIECES A LÕINTERIEUR DE LÕAPPAREIL.
CONFIER LÕENTRETIEN DE LÕAPPAREIL A UN PERSONNEL QUALIFIE.
■Faire fonctionner lÕappareil uniquement sur courant alternatif de 120 V, 60 Hz
aux Etats-Unis ou au Canada. Pour les imprimantes expŽdiŽes en-dehors des
Etats-Unis et du Canada, faire fonctionner lÕappareil uniquement sur courant
alternatif de 230/250 V. En cas de doute sur la tension nominale du bloc
dÕalimentation local, NE PAS TENTER DÕUTILISER LÕAPPAREIL.
Contacter le distributeur ou lÕusine.
■Arr•ter immŽdiatement le fonctionnement si un liquide ou un solide venait ˆ
sÕinfiltrer ˆ lÕintŽrieur de lÕarmoire. DŽbrancher lÕappareil et le faire vŽrifier
par un personnel qualifiŽ.
■Ne pas dŽmonter lÕarmoire. Confier lÕentretien de lÕappareil ˆ un personnel
qualifiŽ.
Antes de operar la unidad, por favor, lea detenidamente las siguientes
precauciones de seguridad.
Advertencias
ÁPRECAUCION!
PARA EVITAR PELIGROS DE INCENDIO O CHOQUE ELECTRICO, NO
EXPONGA LA UNIDAD A LA LLUVIA NI A LA HUMEDAD. PARA
REDUCIR EL RIESGO DE CHOQUE ELECTRICO, NO QUITE LOS
PANELES DELANTERO, SUPERIOR, LATERALES NI TRASERO. EL
INTERIOR NO TIENE PIEZAS REPARABLES POR EL USUARIO. PARA
SERVICIO DE REPARACION Y MANTENIMIENTO, SOLICITE LA
ATENCION DE UN TECNICO DE SERVICIO AUTORIZADO.
■Opere la unidad s—lo a 120 VCA, 60 Hz, si la opera dentro de los Estados
Unidos o Canad‡. Para las impresoras que han sido enviadas fuera de los
Estados Unidos y Canad‡, opere la unidad s—lo a 230/250 VCA. Si no est‡
seguro de que su unidad est‡ especificada con el rŽgimen correcto de voltaje
para la corriente de su pa’s, NO INTENTE USAR LA UNIDAD. P—ngase en
contacto con su distribuidor o con la f‡brica.
■Detenga la operaci—n inmediatamente si algœn l’quido u objeto s—lido cayera
en el armario. Desenchufe la unidad y h‡gala revisar por un tŽcnico de
servicio autorizado.
■No desarme el armario. Para servicio de mantenimiento, solicite la atenci—n
de un tŽcnico autorizado.
Precauciones
de seguridad

Precau•›es
de
Seguran•a
5
Precauzioni
per la
Sicurezza
Prima di dare inizio al funzionamento dellÕunitˆ siete pregati di leggere
attentamente le seguenti precauzioni di sicurezza.
Avvertenze
ATTENZIONE!
ONDE EVITARE IL PERICOLO DI INCENDIO O SCOSSA ELETTRICA,
NON ESPORRE LÕUNITË ALLA PIOGGIA OD UMIDITË. EVITARE DI
RIMUOVERE I PANNELLI ANTERIORE, SUPERIORE, LATERALE O
POSTERIORE PER RIDURRE IL RISCHIO DI SCOSSA ELETTRICA. LA
MANUTENZIONE DELLE PARTI INTERNE DELLÕUNITË NON é DI
COMPETENZA DELLÕUTENTE. AI FINI DELLA RIPARAZIONE
RIVOLGERSI AL PERSONALE DI COMPETENZA.
■Negli Stati Uniti e Canada lÕunitˆ funziona solo con alimentazione a 120
VAC, 60 Hz. Le stampanti destinate ad altri paesi funzionano solo con
alimentazione di 230/250 VAC. Qualora non abbiate la certezza che il
trasformatore e la spina di cui disponete siano quelli adeguati allÕ
alimentazione erogata nel vostro paese, NON USARE LÕUNITË. Rivolgersi
piuttosto al rivenditore o la fabbrica del luogo.
■Arrestare immediatamente il funzionamento dellÕunitˆ qualora si verifichi
un versamento di liquido o la caduta di un oggetto solido al suo interno.
Staccare la spina e rivolgersi al personale di assistenza qualificato.
■Non smontare la struttura dellÕalloggiamento. Le riparazioni vanno
effettuate solo dal personale di competenza.
Antes de operar a unidade, por favor leia cuidadosamente as seguintes
precau•›es de seguran•a.
Advert•ncias
CUIDADO!
PARA EVITAR O PERIGO DE INCæNDIO OU CHOQUE ELƒTRICO,
NÌO EXPONHA A UNIDADE Ë CHUVA OU UMIDADE. PARA
REDUZIR O RISCO DE CHOQUE ELƒTRICO, NÌO REMOVA OS
PAINƒIS DIANTEIRO, SUPERIOR, LATERAIS OU TRASEIRO. NÌO Hç
PE‚AS NO INTERIOR QUE POSSAM SER CONSERTADAS PELO
USUçRIO. PARA MANUTEN‚ÌO, PE‚A ASSISTæNCIA A UM
TƒCNICO QUALIFICADO.
■Opere a unidade somente em 120 VAC, 60 Hz, se estiver operando nos
Estados Unidos ou Canad‡. Para impressoras enviadas para fora dos Estados
Unidos e Canad‡, opere a unidade somente em 230/250 VAC. Se voc• tiver
dœvidas a respeito da gradua•‹o correta de voltagem para a alimenta•‹o de
energia do seu pa’s, NÌO TENTE USAR ESTA UNIDADE. Entre em
contato com seu revendedor ou com a f‡brica.
■Se qualquer l’quido ou objeto cair dentro do gabinete, p‡re a opera•‹o
imediatamente. Desligue a unidade da tomada e chame um tŽcnico
qualificado.
■N‹o desmonte o gabinete. Para manuten•‹o, pe•a assist•ncia somente a um
tŽcnico qualificado.

6

7

3
Getting
Started
A. Choosing a
Good Location Place the unit in a location with adequate air
circulation to prevent internal heat build up.
1. Use the dimensions specified in Section 12 as a
guideline for the minimum clearances to the unit.
2. Do not place the unit in a location where the
ventilation holes located on the rear of the unit
could become blocked.
3. Do not install unit near heat sources, such as
radiators or air ducts, or in a place subject to direct
sun-light, excessive dust, mechanical vibration, or
shock.
B. About
Moisture
Condensation
If the unit is brought directly from a cold to a warm
location, or is placed in a very damp room,
moisture may condense inside the unit. Should this
occur, print quality may not be optimum. Leave the
unit turned off in a warm, dry room for several
hours before using. This will allow the moisture to
evaporate.
C. Unpacking
and Inspection While unpacking your printer, inspect the carton to
ensure that no damage has occurred during
shipping. Make sure that all supplied accessories
are included with your unit. The following items
should be included within the Color Sign PrinterÕs
packaging:
■Printer
■Power Cord
■Interface Cable
■Media Supply Tray
■Media Tray Cover
■Ribbon Cartridge
■3-Color Resin Ribbon (50 Prints)
■#300-Series White Calendered Vinyl (50 Sheets)
■Printer Driver Diskette (3.5Ó)
■32-Bit Print Spooler Diskette (3.5Ó); for use in
Windows 95 only
■Warranty Statement and Registration Card
■This manual and other printed information
Save the carton and packing materials. They will
come in handy when transporting the unit.
8

D. Identifying
the Parts This illustration shows the features found on the
front of your Color Sign Printer.
The On-Line Button takes the printer on- and off-
line. When the printer is on-line, the on-line LED
light will turn ON. When the printer is off-line, the
on-line light will turn OFF. The printer must have
its on-line light ON in order to print. When
flashing, the on-line light also serves to indicate a
number of other printer conditions. Such
conditions are discussed in Section 9-A of this
manual.
The Cancel Button cancels the print job currently
being printed. After a print job is canceled, both
LED lights will once again turn ON. Any print
media remaining in the printer after the cancel
button is pressed will automatically be ejected.
The Cover Release Button opens the printerÕs Top
Cover allowing you to load and/or change print
ribbons.
The Media Tray Assembly is where blank print
media is loaded and where finished output is
ejected.
9
Cover Release
Button
Cancel Button
On-line Button
Cancel LED
On-line LED
Media Tray
Assembly

This illustration shows the switches and input
ports found on the rear panel of the printer. For
more information on these port, please refer to
Sections 6, 7, or Appendix A.
NOTE Leave the small switches on the rear panel of the printer
in the default position unless otherwise instructed by
this manual or a factory technician. The default position
of these switches is for switch #1 and #2 to be DOWN
and for the rest of the switches to be UP.
E. Removing the
Ribbon Cartridge The Ribbon Cartridge is what holds a print ribbon
in place inside the printer. A single Ribbon
Cartridge is included with your Color Sign Printer.
During shipment, this cartridge is fastened to the
inside of the unit. To remove the Ribbon Cartridge
from the inside of the printer, refer to the following
steps:
10
Parallel
Interface
Serial
Interface
Power Input Port
On
Off Power
Switch

1. Press the Cover Release Button. Allow the
cover to swing up and open.
2. With the cover open, you can see the Ribbon
Cartridge.
3. Remove the shipping tape from both sides of
the cartridge. GRASPING EACH SIDE OF THE
CARTRIDGE, lift it straight up and carefully
remove it from the printer.
You are now ready to go on to Section 4 to learn
about print ribbons, print media, and how each is
loaded into the printer.
11

4
Ribbons and
Print Media
A. Introduction The Color Sign Printer is able to produce a variety
of output by using a variety of different print
ribbons. Each of these ribbons is unique, and each
requires its own compatible print media. To make it
easy for you to remember which ribbons are to be
used with which print media and which type of
output each set of print supplies will produce, the
Color Sign PrinterÕs print supplies are divided into
three separate categories Ñ dye-sublimation, resin
thermal transfer, and wax thermal transfer.
This section describes the ribbon and print media
in each of these categories and explains how to
install these print supplies into your printer. This
section also explains the Color Sign PrinterÕs
specialty supplies which can be used to create
positive film for screens, fabric transfers, and even
photo coffee mugs.
B. About Ribbons Dye-Sublimation
For photo-quality, full-color printing with no
dithering, the Color Sign Printer offers both a
3-color (C,M,Y,O) and a 4-color (C,M,Y,K) dye-
sublimation ribbon. The 3-color dye-sublimation
ribbon, called FotoShieldª, provides the three
process colors of yellow, magenta, and cyan along
with a clear overlay panel which makes printed
images more durable. Due to its increased print
longevity and fade resistance, this ribbon is ideal
for printing digital photographs or indoor, photo-
quality signage.
The 4-color dye-sublimation ribbon also provides
the three process colors of yellow, magenta, and
cyan but provides a black panel in place of an
overlay panel. With its added black panel, this
ribbon is ideal for printing pre-press proofs,
layouts, or any other image which requires true
black text or graphics.
NOTE Since the 4-color ribbon does not include a protective
overlay, the longevity of its printed images will be
significantly less than that of the 3-color FotoShield
ribbon. If maximum dye-sublimation print longevity is
required, you must use the 3-color FotoShield ribbon
with overlay.
The 3-color and 4-color dye-sublimation ribbons
produce 50 prints and provide a maximum
printable area of 11.95Ó x 17.4Ó (304 x 442mm). Dye-
sublimation ribbons are distinguished by their
GRAY plastic cores and can be use only in
conjunction with the Color Sign PrinterÕs special
dye-receptive paper (see Part E of this section for
more information on dye-sublimation paper).
12

Resin Thermal Transfer
For long lasting, outdoor-durable printing, the
Color Sign Printer offers both a 3-color (C,M,Y)
resin thermal transfer ribbon and a variety of spot
color resin ribbons. The 3-color resin ribbon allows
you to automatically print full process color
images. The spot color resin ribbons allow you to
print single or multi-spot-color jobs. Please note
that process color output from the 3-color ribbon
will dither. Due to the nature of resin inks, resin
ribbons are ideal for creating highly-durable signs,
labels, or decals for use in more challenging
environments.
A single 3-color resin ribbon is included with your
printer. This will allow you to begin printing
immediately. 3-color resin ribbons produce 50
prints and have a maximum printable area of up to
11.95Ó x 22Ó (304 x 559mm) when used with the
extended length vinyl. The spot color resin ribbons
produce about 200 prints and have a maximum
printable area of up to 11.95Ó x 24Ó (304 x 610mm).
Resin thermal transfer ribbons are distinguished by
their WHITE plastic cores and should be used only
in conjunction with the #300-Series polyester and
vinyl print media (see Part E of this section for
more information on #300-Series print media).
Wax Thermal Transfer
For quick, inexpensive full-color printing, the
Color Sign Printer offers a 4-color (C,M,Y,K) wax
thermal transfer ribbon. Like the 4-color dye-
sublimation ribbon, this ribbon provides all of the
process colors including the black panel. With its
low cost and fast print speed, the 4-color wax
ribbon is ideal for printing proofs of your designs
or for printing low-durability, temporary indoor
signage. It is also the ribbon required for printing
onto the your printerÕs special T-shirt transfer
paper (see Part F of this section for more
information on specialty supplies).
The 4-color wax ribbon produces 80 prints and
provides a maximum printable area of 11.95Ó x
17.4Ó (304 x 442mm). Wax thermal transfer ribbons
are distinguished by their TAN cardboard cores
and should be use only in conjunction with the
wax thermal transfer paper (see Part E of this
section for more information on wax thermal
paper).
A monochrome wax thermal ribbon (K) is also
available for printing monochrome images onto
paper or onto transparency film for making
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positive film for screens. This ribbon produces 200
prints and provides a maximum printable area of
11.95Ó x 17.4Ó (304 x 442mm).
For added convenience, the Color Sign Printer also
accepts smaller A/A4 Super-size 4-color wax
thermal and dye-sublimation ribbons. These
ribbons produce 50 prints and are perfect for
printing smaller format images in sizes up to
8.8Ó x 11.3Ó (224 x 287mm). Use these ribbons only
with the Color Sign PrinterÕs A/A4 Super-size
(9Ó x 14Ó/229 x 356mm) wax thermal or dye-
sublimation papers. Note that A/A4 Super-size
print supplies are not available for resin thermal
printing. For current selection and availability on
all of the Color Sign Printer ribbons, please contact
your nearest reseller or the printer manufacturerÕs
supplies department.
C. Loading Ribbon
into the Ribbon
Cartridge
Whether using the Ribbon Cartridge supplied with
your printer or using other cartridges purchased
separately, all Color Sign Printer Ribbon Cartridges
can be used with any of the different print ribbons.
As you purchase additional print ribbons, you may
also wish to purchase additional Ribbon Cartridges
for each. This makes the process of switching
ribbons much faster and much more convenient.
Follow these steps to load a print ribbon into a
Ribbon Cartridge:
1. Remove the ribbon from its packaging. Do not
touch the colored portion of the ribbon. Oil or dirt
from your hands can impair print quality. Handle
the ribbon only by the ends of its ribbon cores.
2. The supply end of the ribbon is the end with
the fresh, unused ribbon on it. The take-up end of
the ribbon is the other end.
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Supply
Take-up

3. Place the supply end of the ribbon into the
supply end of the Ribbon Cartridge as indicated.
Make certain that the ribbon is fed from
underneath the supply end of the ribbon roll,
up and over the top of the take-up end of the
ribbon roll.
IMPORTANT! DO NOT REVERSE THE RIBBON. DAMAGE MAY
OCCUR TO THE THERMAL PRINTHEAD!
Once the ribbon is installed into the Ribbon
Cartridge, it can then be placed into the printer.
D. Placing the
Ribbon Cartridge
into the Printer
1. Press the Cover Release Button. Allow the
cover to swing up and open.
2. With the cover open,
place the loaded Ribbon
Cartridge into the printer.
Be certain that the supply
end of the Ribbon
Cartridge is towards the
rear of the printer.
3. Close the cover. When
you start to print, the
notches on the Ribbon
Drive Hub and the take-
up roll will automatically
engage.
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Take-up End
Supply End