Printronix P8000 Series User manual

Maintenance Manual
Printronix P8000 Cartridge Ribbon Printer Series
of Line Matrix Printers

Maintenance Manual
P8000 Series Cartridge Ribbon Printer

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Table of Contents
1 Maintenance Overview ......................................... 15
Printronix P8000 Series Cartridge Ribbon Printer (CRP) .......................15
Order the Correct Spares.................................................................18
Printer Serial Number.......................................................................19
How to Identify a P8000 Cartridge Ribbon Printer ...........................19
H-Series Printers..............................................................................20
HD Printers.......................................................................................20
Zero Tear Pedestal (ZTP) Printers...................................................20
Printer Configuration Code...............................................................21
Forms Handling................................................................................21
Important Maintenance Notes.................................................................22
Notices .............................................................................................23
About this Manual ...................................................................................23
How to Use this Manual ...................................................................24
Safety Notices.........................................................................................25
Hinweise zur Sicherheit ..........................................................................25
Indicators and Controls...........................................................................26
Indicators..........................................................................................26
Control Panel Keys ..........................................................................26
Mechanical Controls.........................................................................32
Tools and Test Equipment......................................................................34
Plugging in the Printer ............................................................................35
Printronix Customer Support Center.......................................................36
Printronix Supplies Department........................................................36
2 Preventive Maintenance ....................................... 37
Cleaning the Printer ................................................................................37
Cleaning the Exterior........................................................................37
Cleaning the Interior.........................................................................38
Cleaning the Shuttle Frame Assembly ...................................................40
Low Speed (P8X05, P8X10, P8X03H).............................................40
High Speed (P8215, P8X00HD, P8X06H, P8X08H, P8220)............42
Cleaning the Card Cage Fan Assembly .................................................45

Table of Contents
3 Troubleshooting .................................................... 47
Introduction.............................................................................................47
Troubleshooting Aids..............................................................................47
Start Here... ............................................................................................48
Troubleshooting Display Messages........................................................49
Diagnostics for EXX, BAD NVM, or ILL NVM Errors ..............................50
Fault Messages (ASCII in Alphabetical Order).......................................51
P8000 CRP H-Series (Numerical Prefix Listing) ..............................92
Troubleshooting Other Symptoms........................................................131
General Symptom List....................................................................132
Communications Failures .....................................................................153
Diagnostic Printer Tests........................................................................155
Selecting and Running Diagnostic Printer Tests............................156
Boot Diagnostics Menu.........................................................................163
Factory Menu........................................................................................165
Exception Menu....................................................................................168
Autodump on Printer Exception .....................................................168
Firmware Diagnostic Port .....................................................................169
Diagnostic Cable ............................................................................ 169
Capturing Information.....................................................................169
Hex Code Printout ................................................................................171
How to Print a Hex Dump...............................................................172
ASCII Character Set .............................................................................175
Soft vs. Hard Reset...............................................................................176
4 Adjustments and Tests ....................................... 177
Introduction...........................................................................................177
Adjustments and Tests...................................................................177
Preparing the Printer for Maintenance..................................................178
Returning the Printer to Normal Operation ...........................................179
Belt, Paper Feed Timing, Adjustment ...................................................180
Belt, Platen Open, Adjustment..............................................................182
Paper Scale Alignment .........................................................................184
Platen Gap Adjustment.........................................................................186
Hammerspring Assembly, Versions 1 and 2 ..................................186
Hammerspring Assembly, Version 3..............................................188
Paper Out Adjustment ..........................................................................189
Hammer Phasing Adjustment...............................................................192
Downloading Firmware.........................................................................194
Firmware File Types (.prg) and (.exe) ..................................................195
Web Page Download............................................................................196
Windows Driver Download....................................................................198

Table of Contents
Automatic Download (.exe)...................................................................199
Manual Two-Key Download Sequence.................................................201
Manual Three-Key Download Sequence ..............................................202
Sending Firmware in Download Mode..................................................203
Sending Firmware via Ethernet (LPR)............................................203
Sending Firmware via USB ............................................................203
Installing a Microsoft Loopback Adapter ........................................204
Sending Firmware via Parallel........................................................209
Sending Firmware via Serial ..........................................................210
Reprogramming the Security Key.........................................................211
How to Reprogram the Security Key..............................................211
Coil Temperature Adjustment ...............................................................213
Dynamic Paper Tension Adjustment ....................................................214
Tractor Belt Tension Adjustment ..........................................................216
Shuttle Electrical Short Check ..............................................................217
Hammerbank Power Cable Shorts Test ...............................................218
Cable Shorts Test .................................................................................219
Main Wire Harness Test Diagnostic .....................................................221
Set Printer Serial Number.....................................................................222
5 Replacement Procedures ................................... 225
Organization of this Chapter .................................................................225
Replacement Procedures .....................................................................225
List of Removal / Installation Procedures .......................................225
Belt, Paper Feed Timing ................................................................227
Belt, Platen Open ...........................................................................228
Cartridge Interface Board (CIB)......................................................229
Control Panel Assembly - Cabinet Model.......................................230
Control Panel Assembly - Pedestal Model.....................................231
Controller Board .............................................................................232
Cover Assembly, Hammerbank / Ribbon Mask..............................234
Cover Assembly, Shuttle................................................................235
Dashpot..........................................................................................236
Electronics Barrier Panel................................................................237
Fan Assembly, Cabinet Exhaust ....................................................238
Fan Assembly, Card Cage .............................................................239
Fan Assembly, Hammerbank.........................................................239
Magnetic Pickup (MPU) Assembly.................................................240
Paper Feed Motor ..........................................................................241
Paper Ironer ...................................................................................242
Paper Guide Assembly ..................................................................243
Platen .............................................................................................244

Table of Contents
Platen Open Motor .........................................................................248
Platen Stop Assembly ....................................................................250
Power Supply Board ......................................................................251
Power Switch .................................................................................252
Ribbon Drive Motor ........................................................................253
Security Key ...................................................................................254
Shaft, Splined.................................................................................256
Shaft, Support ................................................................................258
Shuttle Frame Assembly ................................................................259
Spring, Extension, Hammerbank ...................................................261
Switch Assembly, Paper Detector..................................................262
Switch Assembly, Platen Interlock .................................................263
Tractor (L/R)...................................................................................264
Weld Sensor...................................................................................264
6 Illustrated Parts Breakdown................................ 265
Illustrations of Printer Components.......................................................265
7 Principles Of Operation....................................... 303
Line Matrix Printing ...............................................................................303
Printing Rates .......................................................................................306
Printing Mechanism ..............................................................................306
Shuttle Frame Assembly.......................................................................307
Shuttle Drive Motor ........................................................................307
Hammerbank Assembly .................................................................308
Paper Transport System.......................................................................309
Ribbon Transport System .....................................................................310
Integrated Print Management System ..................................................311
Operation .......................................................................................311
Logical Control of the Printer ................................................................313
Control Panel........................................................................................314
Controller Board....................................................................................315
Power Supply Board.............................................................................315
AC Power ....................................................................................... 315
Printer Interface ....................................................................................316
Graphics ...............................................................................................316

Table of Contents
A Wire Data ........................................................... 317
Cable Routing .......................................................................................320
Low Speed - Cabinet Model...........................................................320
Low Speed - Pedestal Model .........................................................321
High Speed - Cabinet Model ..........................................................322
High Speed - Pedestal Model ........................................................323
Low Speed Controller Board.................................................................324
High Speed Controller Board................................................................334
Power Supply........................................................................................343
Low Speed: 300, 500, and 1000 LPM Models ...............................343
High Speed: 600, 800, 1500, and 2000 LPM Models ....................345
B Abbreviations ..................................................... 369
C Metric Conversion Tables .................................. 377
D SureStak™ Power Stacker ................................ 379
Contents ...............................................................................................379
Introduction ...........................................................................................380
Stacker Operation.................................................................................380
Stacker Problems .................................................................................385
Stacker First Inspection..................................................................385
Stacker Confidence Check.............................................................386
Stacker Motor Check......................................................................387
Removing the Power Stacker ...............................................................390
Installing the Power Stacker .................................................................396
Replacing the Constant Force Spring...................................................408
Replacing the Timing Belts...................................................................410
Replacing the Roller Drive Shaft...........................................................413
Illustrated Parts Breakdown..................................................................416
List of Illustrations ..........................................................................416
E Zero Tear Pedestal (ZTP) Printer....................... 427
Contents ...............................................................................................427
Overview...............................................................................................428
Operation..............................................................................................429
Load Paper and Set Up the Tractors .............................................429
Remove Paper ...............................................................................430
Adjust the Paper Guides ................................................................431
Position the Paper Out Sensor.......................................................432
Set the Tear Bar Distance..............................................................433
Set the Top Of Form ......................................................................434

Table of Contents
Control Panel Menus ............................................................................435
Performance Considerations ................................................................436
How to Set the ZTP Printer to Help Mitigate Paper Jams ..............437
Removing the Paper Ironer ............................................................438
Adjustments and Tests .........................................................................439
List of Adjustments and Tests Procedures.....................................439
Preparing the ZTP Printer for Maintenance ...................................440
Returning the Printer to Normal Operation.....................................440
Barrier Panel ..................................................................................441
Belt, Paper Feed Timing, Adjustment ............................................442
Paper Guide Leaf, Front, Center, Outer.........................................444
Paper Out Sensor, Adjustment ......................................................444
Paper Tension, Horizontal..............................................................444
Replacement Procedures .....................................................................445
List of Removal / Installation Procedures.......................................445
Belt, Paper Feed Timing ................................................................446
Control Panel Assembly.................................................................447
Paper Feed Motor ..........................................................................448
Paper Guide Leaf, Center ..............................................................449
Paper Guide Leaf, Front.................................................................449
Paper Guide Leaf, Outer ................................................................449
Paper Out Sensor ..........................................................................450
Shaft, Splined.................................................................................452
Shaft, Support ................................................................................455
Tractor (L/R)...................................................................................456
Tractor Assembly Support Gate.....................................................456
Illustrated Parts Lists ............................................................................458
Illustrations of ZTP Components....................................................458
F Paper Specifications And Forms Design ............ 475
Introduction...........................................................................................475
General Paper Specifications ...............................................................476
Paper Guidelines ..................................................................................477
Terms and Definitions ....................................................................477
Environmental Considerations .......................................................479
Form Types ....................................................................................479
Form Weight...................................................................................479
Form Thickness..............................................................................479
Form Evenness ..............................................................................479
Tractor Pin Engagement ................................................................479
Methods of Forms Attachment .......................................................480
Chaff Content .................................................................................481

Table of Contents
Form Design Checklist..........................................................................482
Summary ..............................................................................................485
Storage and Handling ....................................................................485
G Customer Support.............................................. 487
Printronix Customer Support Center.....................................................487
Printronix Supplies Department ............................................................487
Corporate Offices..................................................................................488
H Communication Notices ..................................... 489
Notices..................................................................................................489
Energy Star...........................................................................................491
Communication Statements..................................................................492
Software License Agreement................................................................496

Table of Contents

15
1Maintenance Overview
Printronix P8000 Series Cartridge Ribbon Printer (CRP)
Printronix®has been the global leader in industrial printing solutions for over
30 years, earning a reputation for designing and manufacturing leading edge
products and delivering them to market with unsurpassed service and
support.
The Printronix P8000™ Line Matrix Printing Platform extends the series of
technology innovations that cement Printronix’s leadership position. Line
matrix printing is Printronix’s flagship technology, and it remains the
workhorse solution for supply-chain and back-office printing applications
because of its reliability, lower cost of ownership and flexibility of printing
applications.
•Most reliable printer ever – provides more up time and lower operating
costs
•Cartridge ribbons – deliver darker image, last longer, and costs less to
operate than other print technologies
•Integrated print management system – provides precise control over print
quality, print costs, and job planning
•Tabletop, cabinet, pedestal, enclosed pedestal, or zero tear pedestal
(ZTP) styles – best user access and forms handling flexibility
•Unsurpassed ease of use – larger graphics LCD simplifies operation and
enhances productivity

Table 1. P8000 Series Models and Configurations
Model Number Configuration Print Speed
(Lines per Minute)
P8003H
P8003HZT
P8005
P8005ZT
P8010
P8010ZT
P8006H
P8006HZT
P8000HD
P8000HDZT
P8203H
P8205
P8210
P8215
P8220
P8215 (with stacker)
P8220 (with stacker)
P8206H
P8208H
P8200HD
16
Chapter 1 Printronix P8000 Series Cartridge Ribbon Printer (CRP)
LMPPLS
(Line Matrix Printer Pedestal Low Speed)
300
300
500
500
1000
1000
LMPPHS
(Line Matrix Printer Pedestal High Speed)
600
600
600
600
LMPCLS
(Line Matrix Printer Cabinet Low Speed)
300
500
1000
LMPCHS
(Line Matrix Printer Cabinet High Speed)
1500
2000
1500
2000
600
800
800

17
Five printer configurations are available:
Tabletop (P80XX or P80XXH)
•The tabletop models are designed for space constrained environments,
allowing for the printer to be placed on a desk or tabletop for quiet use.
•Paper guides allow for paper input under the table or as a small stack on
the table.
•Output forms are easily accessible from the front of the printer.
•Using the top paper exit, this printer is ideal for short print runs and easy
access to output.
•Available in the following print speeds:
ASCII – 500 and 1000 line per minute models
H-Series – 300 and 600 line per minute models
Cabinet (P82XX , P8200HD, or P82XXH)
•The enclosed cabinet models provide for near silent operation, making
these printers perfectly suitable for use in the quietest of office
environments.
•Provides the best paper handling for large print runs. All paper input and
output is contained inside the cabinet and protected from bumping and
contamination.
•Highly effective combination of moveable fences and chains allows for
precise stacking all the way up to a full box of paper.
•For tougher forms that tend not to refold well, a SureStak power stacker
option is available for the 1500, 2000, H-Series, and OpenPrint HD
enclosed cabinet models.
•Available in the following print speeds:
ASCII – 500, 1000, 1500 and 2000 line per minute models
H-Series – 600 and 800 line per minute models
OpenPrint HD (available only for cabinet models)
Pedestal (P80XX, P8000HD, or P80XXH)
•The pedestal model has a clamshell design that allows easy access to all
controls providing faster ribbon replacements and easier paper loading.
•Oversized casters are standard making movement easy.
•Available in the following print speeds:
ASCII – 500 and 1000 line per minute models
H-Series – 300 and 600 line per minute models

18
Chapter 1 Printronix P8000 Series Cartridge Ribbon Printer (CRP)
Enclosed Pedestal (P80XX or P80XXH)
•The enclosed pedestal model has a lower enclosure that holds the input
paper while providing for near silent operation.
•The paper enclosure can accommodate a full paper box (12” maximum
length forms).
•The paper output area is not enclosed for easy access to printed media.
•Available in the following print speeds:
ASCII – 500 and 1000 line per minute models
H-Series – 300 and 600 line per minute models
Zero Tear Pedestal (P80XXZT or P80XXHZT)
•Special push tractor configuration enables printing from the very first to
the very last line of a form and then tear-off with no forms lost
•The elimination of wasted forms between jobs can yield significant
savings.
•An ideal solution for supply-chain and back-office applications.
•Available in the following print speeds:
ASCII – 500 and 1000 line per minute models
H-Series – 300 and 600 line per minute models
Order the Correct Spares
When you replace worn or damaged printer components, make sure you
order the correct spares for the model you are servicing. The next section
shows you how to identify a P8000 Cartridge Ribbon Printer.

Printer Serial Number
19
Printer Serial Number
The printer serial number is on the identification label next to the input/output
ports at the rear of the printer. The serial number is also stored in non volatile
memory on the printer’s controller board so it can be shown in the header of
the printer’s configuration printout in the System Information block of the
Administration page of the printer’s webpage, and in the printer’s PNE MIB.
How to Identify a P8000 Cartridge Ribbon Printer
A P8000 CRP has a model number logo and ribbon cartridge logo on the
printer front cover. The model number is an alphanumeric code that identifies
the printer type, its housing, and its maximum rated print speed. The serial
number “C” indicates that this is a cartridge equipped printer. The model
number and serial number of the printer are on the identification label next to
the input/output ports at the rear of the printer. Figure 1 shows how to
interpret a model number.
Printronix Line
Matrix Printer
P8000 CRP Printer
P8003H
Housing Code:
0= Tabletop, Open Pedestal, Enclosed Pedestal, Zero Tear Pedestal
2= Cabinet
Speed Rating:
03 = 300 lines per minute (lpm)
05 = 500 lpm
06 = 600 lpm
08 = 800 lpm
10 = 1000 lpm
15 = 1500 lpm
20 = 2000 lpm
00 = 133 inches per minute (ipm)
H= H-Series printer
HD = High Definition printer
ZT = Zero Tear Pedestal printer
Figure 1. How to Interpret a Model Number
The speed of printing for “real world” print jobs is affected by the interaction of
many variables and varies from print job to print job. For more information,
see “Printing Rates” on page 306.

20
Chapter 1 Printronix P8000 Series Cartridge Ribbon Printer (CRP)
H-Series Printers
H-Series models print the ideogrammic symbols used in China, Hong Kong,
South Korea, and Taiwan. (See Table 2.) These Kanji/Hanzi/Hangul printers
are indicated by the letter H in the model number suffix. (See Figure 1 and
Table 2.) H-Series printers have unique shuttle assemblies which are only
used in H-Series and HD Series printers. These assemblies are not
interchangeable with other Printronix printers.
Table 2. H-Series Character Sets
Character Set Where Used
GB China
BIG-5, with an additional 3000 Cantonese characters Hong Kong
BIG-5
TCA
DCI (1st and 2nd segments)
DCI (3rd segment)
CNS
Taiwan
KSC 5601 South Korea
HD Printers
HD (High Definition) printers use a Windows printer driver to print in high
resolution print quality. HD models print alphabetic character sets as graphic
page images instead of in linear character streams. For this reason, the
speed of HD printers is measured in inches per minute (ipm) instead of lines
per minute (lpm).
Zero Tear Pedestal (ZTP) Printers
Zero Tear Pedestal (ZTP) printers are models equipped with special
hardware and software that permits them to print small jobs or single sheets
without losing a sheet between print jobs. A ZTP printer automatically
presents the current print line to a tear bar when it finishes printing and
presents the perforation of the last form printed to the tear bar. When it
receives more data from the host computer, the printer pulls the form down to
the print station and resumes printing.
See Appendix E on page 427 for more information on ZTP printers.