Instruction/ maintenance manual of the product DFX-5000 Epson
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User’s Manual EPSON Y47599108002.
EPSON ® DFX-5000 User’s Manual.
FCC COMPLIANCE STATEMENT FOR AMERICAN USERS This equipment generates and uses radio frequency energy and if not installed and used properly, that is, in strict accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions, may cause interference to radio and television reception.
Table of Contents Introduction ................................. Options ...................................... About This Manual ........................... Conventions Used in This Manual .............. Where to Get Help ............................
Maintaining and Transporting the Printer .............. 5-1 Cleaning the Printer .................................. 5-2 Replacing the Ribbon ................................. 5-3 Transporting the Printer .............................. 5-8 Using the Printer Options .
Introduction The Epson ® DFX-5000 printer is an advanced dot matrix printer designed for business applications. The printer combines high performance and reliability with a wide range of features including high-speed printing and automatic paper handling.
Options The following options are available for use with your DFX printer. For detailed information on the installation and use of these options, see Chapter 6. Pull tractor This option improves the handling of heavy multi-part forms and labels. It also enhances printing alignment on preprinted forms.
About This Manual This user’s manual provides step-by-step instructions for setting up and operating the DFX-5000 printer. It also includes information that you will need for your daily use of the printer. Chapter 1 shows you how to unpack, set up, and connect the printer.
Conventions Used in This Manual WARNINGS must be followed carefully to avoid damage to your printer and equipment. Cautions must be followed to ensure that your printer operates correctly. Notes contain important information and useful tips on the operation of your printer.
Chapter 1 Setting Up the Printer Unpacking the Printe r . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-2 Checking the parts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-2 Removing the protective materials .
Unpacking the Printer Because the printer weighs approximately 65 pounds, you should not lift or carry it by yourself. Two people should carry it by the bottom. Checking the parts Check to see that you have the parts shown below and that nothing has been damaged during transportation.
Removing the protective materials The printer is protected during shipping by several pieces of foam packaging, two brackets, and a carriage support bar. These protective items must be removed before you turn on the printer. After removing the protective materials as described below, store them with the other packaging material.
3. Use the cross-head screwdriver to remove the two screws and the two locking brackets from the inside of the printer. WARNING: Be sure to remove all protective materials before you turn on the printer.
The illustration below shows a good printer location. An optional printer stand designed for the DFX-5000 is also available. See your Epson dealer for details.
WARNING: l Avoid locations that are subject to direct sunlight, excessive heat, moisture, or dust. l Avoid using electrical outlets that are controlled by wall switches or automatic timers. Accidental disruption of power can wipe out information in both your computer’s memory and your printer’s memory.
The printer parts The following illustration gives you a detailed view of the printer and the names of the important parts. You can refer to this illustration when you set up and operate the printer. This illustration is also on the inside back cover of this manual.
Control panel indicator lights The indicator lights on the control panel let you check the current status of the printer. Below is an illustration of the control panel lights and a description of their functions. These functions are described more fully in Chapters 2 and 3.
Control panel buttons The buttons on the control panel let you control most of the printer’s operations, Below is an illustration of the control panel buttons and a description of their functions. These functions are described more fully in Chapters 2 and 3.
Assembling the Printer Since the printer comes almost completely assembled from the factory, all you need to do is install the ribbon cartridge and attach the power cord. Installing the ribbon cartridge Before installing the ribbon cartridge, make sure the printer is turned off.
2. Slide the print head to the middle of the printer. 3. Remove the plastic separator from the middle of the ribbon cartridge. (You will not need the separator again and can discard it.) Next, detach the ribbon guide from the cartridge and turn the ribbon-tightening knob in the direction of the arrow to take up any slack in the ribbon.
4. Hold the ribbon cartridge with both hands and lower it into the printer as shown below. Pulling the cartridge toward you, slide the hooks nearest you over the corresponding two pins in the printer. Then push the cartridge down into position until the other two hooks snap into place over the mounting pins in the printer.
6. Insert the ribbon guide over the metal pins on each side of the print head as shown below. The smaller end of the guide should be on top, with its angled edge toward the platen. Turn the ribbon-tightening knob again to remove any slack in the ribbon.
8. Close the printer’s top cover. Attaching the power cable Follow these steps to attach the power cable: 1. Check the label on the printer’s rear panel to see if the voltage required by the printer matches that of your electrical outlet. If it does not match, contact your Epson dealer without connecting the power cable.
2. Plug the power cable into the AC inlet on the printer’s rear panel. Note: If you move to another country, you may need to change the voltage of the printer.
WARNING: Whenever you turn off the power, wait at least five seconds before turning it back on. Rapid switching on and off can damage the printer. Loading paper for the self test Next, you need to load continuous paper that is at least 15 inches wide.
2. Release the sprocket lock levers on both the right and left sprocket units by pulling each lever down. 3. Slide the left sprocket unit all the way to the left.
4. Now slide the right sprocket unit to approximately width of your paper. (Do not lock it in place yet.) match the 5. Slide the two paper supports so that they are spaced evenly between the sprocket units.
6. Open both sprocket covers. 7. Be sure your paper has a clean, straight edge, and then fit the first five holes in the paper over the pins of the sprocket units as shown below. The side of the paper that you want to print on should be facing you. Now close the sprocket covers.
8. Slide the right sprocket unit so that the paper is straight no wrinkles. Lock the sprocket unit in place by pushing sprocket lock lever up. 9. Close the printer’s front cover.
WARNING: Before turning on the printer, be absolutely sure you have removed all protective materials. Turning on the printer while the print head cannot move may seriously damage the mechanism. 10. Turn on the printer. The print head moves to the middle of the printer and the POWER and PAPER OUT lights come on.
Running the self test The self test prints out the settings of the printer’s DIP switches and the characters in the printer’s memory. The test can be run in either draft,, high-speed draft, or near letter quality (NLQ) mode. Your printer’s default setting is high-speed draft mode.
If you want to run the self test in NLQ mode, follow Steps 1 and 2 above using the FORM FEED button instead of the LINE FEED button. Here is part of a self test printout run in NLQ mode: Country U.S.A. Page length (inch) 11 SWl- sw2- sw2- sw2- sw2- -.
Connecting the Printer to Your Computer If the self test printed correctly, you are now ready to connect the printer to your computer. Your printer has two separate interface connections: a Centronics ® -compatible parallel interface and an RS-232C compatible serial interface.
WARNING: Never plug more than one interface cable into the printer at one time. This may damage the printer. Connecting the parallel interface Follow these steps to connect your computer’s parallel interface cable to the printer: 1. Turn off both your printer and computer.
3. 4. Plug the cable connector securely into the parallel interface (the socket on the left). Squeeze the wire clips together until they lock in place on either side of the connector. If your cable has a ground wire, connect it to the printer’s ground connector.
5. Open the plastic clamp to the right of the parallel and serial interfaces by pressing on its top tab. Insert the cable in the plastic clamp and close the clamp, as shown below. 6. Close the interface cover. Caution: Always close the interface cover before using the printer.
7. Plug the other end of the cable into the computer. (If there is a ground wire at the computer end of the cable, attach it to the ground connector at the back of the computer.) Connecting the serial interface Before using the printer’s serial interface, you need to select serial communication by changing the printer’s DIP switch settings.
3. 4. Plug the cable connector securely into the serial interface (the socket on the right). If your cable has a ground wire, connect it to the printer’s ground connector. If your cable connector has screws that you have to tighten using a screwdriver, you may need to open the top cover of the printer guide for easier access.
5. Insert a screwdriver through the two holes and fasten the the cable connector. screws of Note: The screws on the serial interface cable connector must fit into connector lock nuts on the printer.
7. Open the plastic clamp on the right by pressing on its top tab. Insert the cable in the plastic clamp, as shown below. 8. Close the interface cover. Caution: Always close the interface cover before using the printer. 9. Plug the other end of the cable into your computer.
Setting Up Your Application Software Now that you have set up and tested the DFX-5000, you can start using it with your application software programs. Most software programs let you specify the type of printer you are using so that the program can take full advantage of the printer’s features.
Chapter 2 Loading and Using Paper Using the Two-Tractor System ............................. 2-2 Positioning the paper supply ............................ 2-2 Loading Paper onto the Front Tractor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-3 Loading Paper onto the Rear Tractor .
Using the Two-Tractor System The DFX-5000’s paper handling system consists of a front push tractor and a rear push tractor. Both tractors are easy to load and operate, and both accommodate a wide variety of paper types, including labels and multi-part forms.
The following illustration shows three ways to position your printer and paper: with the front tractor loaded, with the rear tractor loaded, and with both tractors loaded. Note: Make sure that your stack of printed pages does not interfere with the rear tractor’s paper supply.
3. Release the sprocket lock levers on both the right and left sprocket units by pulling each lever down. 4. Slide the left sprocket unit all the way to the left.
5. Now slide the right sprocket unit to approximately width of your paper. (Do not lock it in place yet.) 6. match the Slide the two paper supports so that they are spaced evenly between the two sprocket units.
7. Open both sprocket covers. 8. Fit the first five holes in the paper over the pins of the sprocket units as shown below. (The side of the paper that you want to print on should be facing you, and the paper should have a clean, straight edge.) Now close the sprocket covers.
9. Slide the right sprocket unit so that the paper is straight and has no wrinkles. Lock the sprocket unit in place by pushing the sprocket release lever up.
11. Turn on the printer. The print head moves to the middle of the printer and the POWER and PAPER OUT lights go on. Also, either the front or rear tractor arrow on the PAPER SELECT indicator lights up, depending on which tractor was selected when the printer was turned off last.
l If the rear tractor indicator arrow is lit up, make sure the printer is off line and then press the FRONT/REAR button to switch to the front tractor. When the printer switches tractors, it also loads the paper automatically. 13. Press the ON LINE button to put the printer on line so it is ready to print.
2. Open the printer’s top cover by lifting its front edge up and away from you, as shown below. 3. The top cover has two flaps that can be opened independently. One flap is on the top part of the cover and the other, shown below, is on the back side.
4. Release the sprocket lock levers on the rear tractor’s right and left sprocket units by pushing each lever back- place.
6. Now slide the right sprocket unit to approximately match the width of your paper. (Do not lock it in place yet.) 7. Slide the two paper supports so they are spaced evenly between the two sprocket units.
8. Open both sprocket covers. 9. With the side of the paper you want to print on facing down, insert your paper through the opening at the rear. You may find it easier to load the paper by standing to the side of the printer. That way you can feed the paper into the rear opening with one hand and pull it through with the other.
10. Fit the first five holes in the paper over the pins of the sprocket units as shown below. Now close the sprocket covers. 11. Slide the right sprocket unit to a position so that the paper is straight and has no wrinkles. Lock the sprocket unit in place by pulling the sprocket lock lever forward.
12. Close the top cover and the back flap. The paper is now loaded to the standby position. 13. Turn on the printer. The print head moves to the middle of the printer and the POWER and PAPER OUT lights go on.
14. Check the PAPER SELECT indicator to see which tractor is selected: l If the rear tractor arrow is lit up, press the LINE FEED/LOAD button to load the paper. l If the front tractor arrow is lit up, make sure the printer is off line and then press the FRONT/REAR button to switch to the rear tractor.
Adjusting the Top of Form Position The top of form position is the position the printer feeds the paper to when it loads the paper or performs a form feed.
3. The red line on the ribbon mask shows you where the bottom edge of your first line of text will print. This position is based on the first printable line of text. If your software inserts a top margin of five lines, your text will actually print five lines below the top of form position.
5. Press the ON LINE button to put the printer on line. The printer remembers your new top of form position even after the printer is turned off, reset, or initialized.
3. Use the MICRO FEED buttons to position your paper to where you want the bottom edge of your next line of text to fall. If you are printing on labels, use only the forward-feeding (top) MICRO FEED button. 4. When you are finished, press the ON LINE button to exit the top of form mode.
1. If the printer is on line, press the ON LINE button to take it off line. Now open the paper separator cover (the flap on the top part of the printer’s top cover). This exposes the printer’s tear-off edge. 2. Press the TEAR OFF button to enter the tear-off mode.
3. If you need to adjust the position of the perforation so that it meets the printer’s tear-off edge, press the MICRO FEED buttons to feed the paper forward or backward in 1/216th-inch increments. (You can also hold down either MICRO FEED button to feed the paper continuously.
4. Tear off the page using the tear-off edge on the printer’s top cover. 5. Press the TEAR OFF button to feed the paper back to the top of form position, and then press the ON LINE button to put the printer on line so it is ready to print. (Or instead, press the ON LINE button to feed the paper back and put your printer on line at the same time.
Switching Between Front and Rear Tractors You can easily switch between paper loaded on the front tractor and paper loaded on the rear tractor. The following steps describe the procedure for switching from the front tractor to the rear tractor, but you can follow the same steps to switch from the rear tractor to the front tractor.
2. If you have a printed document still in the printer, or excess paper that has been fed through the printer, use the automatic tear-off feature described in the previous section to tear off the document or excess paper.
4. 5. Press the FRONT/REAR button to switch to the rear tractor. The front-loaded paper automatically feeds back to the standby position and the rear-loaded paper is advanced to the top of form position. Press the ON LINE button to put the printer back on line so it is ready to print.
Q 1 WARNING: Never change paper using the following l procedure if labels are already loaded in the printer. Instead, completely remove the labels first by tearing off the fresh supply below the tractor and pressing FORM FEED or LINE FEED to eject the remaining labels.
3. Press the FRONT/REAR button to switch to the rear tractor. The front-loaded paper automatically feeds back to the standby position. 4. Open the printer’s front cover. (To change the rear-loaded paper, open the printer’s top cover and the back flap.
5. Open the sprocket covers and remove the paper from the tractor. 6. Load the new paper as described in Steps 1 through 13 on page 2-3 (or for rear-loaded paper, Steps 1 through 15 on page 2-9).
Printing on Special Paper The DFX-5000 can print on various types of paper, including multi-part forms and labels. It can also handle a variety of paper thicknesses, from thin paper to six-part forms. The printer automatically adjusts to the thickness of your paper.
Using labels When using labels in the DFX-5000, always choose the type mounted on continuous paper with sprocket holes for use with a tractor. Labels should be used in the front tractor only. You load labels the same way that you load continuous paper.
Chapter 3 Using the Printer Operating the Control Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-2 Control panel indicator lights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-2 Control panel buttons . . . . . . . . . .
Operating the Control Panel The DFX-5000’s control panel gives you access to several powerful features. The control panel buttons let you control paper loading, printing and tear-off positions, and more.
The PAPER OUT light comes on when the printer is out of paper. This light goes on whenever there is no paper positioned behind the print head, even if there is paper loaded on the tractors in the standby position. The ON LINE light comes on when the printer is on line and ready to receive and print data from your computer.
Control panel buttons The control panel buttons let you perform printer operations quickly and easily. Most buttons work only when the printer is off line.
The LINE FEED/LOAD button lets you advance or load paper when the printer is off line. To feed your paper one line, press this button once. Hold the button down to feed paper continuously. To load paper, there must be paper loaded in the standby position in the selected tractor.
the paper to the desired position. See the section on adjusting the top of form position in Chapter 2. To reset the tear-off position, take the printer off line and press the TEAR OFF button to enter the tear-off mode and feed the paper to the tear-off position.
The FRONT/REAR button lets you select the front or rear tractor when the printer is off line. If you have been using paper loaded on one tractor, first remove the printed output before switching the tractor.
Using DIP Switches The DFX-5000 has two sets of DIP switches. DIP switches control a variety of printer functions such as page length and printing speed. DIP switch settings are shown in the DIP switch tables starting on page 3-10 and in the Quick Reference card at the back of this manual.
4. Open the DIP switch cover. 5. Use a pointed instrument, such as the tip of a pen or pencil, to turn the switch either on or off. A DIP switch is on when it is up, and off when it is down. Note: Always make sure that the printer is turned off before changing the DIP switch settings.
6. Close the DIP switch cover and replace the paper. 7. Turn on the printer to initialize the new settings. When you change a DIP switch setting, the new settings take effect only after you turn on or reset the printer. DIP switch tables The following tables show the settings for each DIP switch.
International character set Interface/Parity selection Interface type Parallel Serial Serial Serial Parity Odd Even None Switch 2-5 Switch 2-6 OFF OFF ON ON OFF ON ON Baud rate selection Using the Pri.
DIP switch functions The different features you can control with the printer’s DIP switches are described below. Condensed mode When DIP switch 1-1 is on, your documents are printed in condensed mode. Condensed mode reduces the size of your text characters to approximately 60% their normal width.
Slashed zero When DIP switch 1-2 is on, the printer prints slashed zeros (Ø). When the DIP switch is off, the printer prints open zeros (0). This feature is useful for clearly distinguishing between uppercase O and zero when printing documents such as program lists.
The Epson Extended Graphics character table and the italics character table are shown below. Epson Extended Graphics character table 3-14 Using the Printer.
Italics character table Input buffer The printer’s input buffer provides additional memory to free up the computer while you print large amounts of text or graphics. The input buffer is enabled when DIP switch 1-4 is off. To disable the buffer, turn DIP switch 1-4 on.
but you can select NLQ Sans Serif with the software command ESC k. See the Command Summary in Chapter 8. Draft mode produces lower-resolution characters at a fast printing speed. The DFX-5000 has two printing speeds for draft mode, draft and high-speed draft.
In addition to the eight character sets you can select with DIP switches, you can select the five character sets shown below using the ESC R software command.
The following printout compares the two printing speeds. High-speed draft Normal draft We’ve just seen your excellent ad for miniature zebras in a recent back issue of Trader's Times.
Interface type and parity If your computer is set up for serial communication, you need to change DIP switches 2-5 and 2-6 so that your printer and computer can communicate properly. These two DIP switches control the interface type and parity. (You may also need to select a different baud rate.
Using Your Printer With Application Programs Now that you’ve set up and tested the printer, you can start using it with your application programs. Most application programs let you specify the type of printer you’re using so that the program can take full advantage of the printer’s features.
procedure. If you’re still having trouble printing, see Chapter 7 for troubleshooting information. Using word processors Word processors usually let you use a fixed set of printer features by placing markers around the text to be altered.
by about 65% if you select condensed printing with a DIP switch. You can also select 12 cpi, condensed mode, or both with a software command. The table below shows you the number of characters that can fit on a line using these available options.
Chapter 4 Getting the Most from Your Printer Enhancing Your Printing ................... Print quality and fonts .................. Character pitch ......................... Character size ........................... Emphasized and double-strike printing .
Enhancing Your Printing Your printer’s DIP switches control the printing style of a whole document. Software commands, on the other hand, let you change anything from a single character to the entire document.
For NLQ printing, the DFX-5000 offers two fonts, Roman and Sans Serif. NLQ Roman is automatically selected when you select the NLQ mode with a DIP switch or with the software command ESC x 1. To select NLQ Sans Serif, you must use the software command ESC k.
Note: High-speed draft is available only with 10 cpi printing (the printer’s default pitch). Also, the only print enhancement that can be combined with high-speed draft is underlining. If other enhancements or character sizes are selected, the printer switches to normal draft speed.
Note: High-speed draft is available only in 10 cpi. If you select 12 cpi or proportional, the print speed temporarily switches to normal draft speed until 12 cpi or proportional is turned off. Character size Condensed and double-wide printing are two ways to change the width of printed characters.
Note: High-speed draft will temporarily switch to normal draft speed if condensed or double-wide printing is selected. Emphasized and double-strike printing Emphasized and double-strike printing give your documents added emphasis.
Italic printing You can use italic characters for special emphasis or as an alternative typeface. Some software programs let you select italics for the entire document, but with software commands you can select italics for a single word or phrase. Here is an example of italic printing: This is NLQ printing.
Sending Commands to the Printer This section describes how you can send commands directly to the printer, allowing you to take full advantage of your printer’s capabilities. ASCII codes Your computer communicates with your printer using a standardized set of numbered codes called ASCII codes (American Standard Code for Information Interchange).
Escape sequences Although there are more than 30 control codes available to control the operation of your printer, many more codes are required to run today’s sophisticated printers. Therefore, ASCII codes are grouped in sequences that represent certain functions.
Using the Command Summary The commands listed in the Command Summary consist of various combinations of ASCII codes. You can use either the ASCII characters or their decimal or hexadecimal equivalents. For example, the command to turn on subscript is ESC S1 in ASCII characters.
Selecting typestyles with Master Select Your printer has a special command called Master Select that allows you to choose many possible combinations of nine printing enhancements. To send Master Select codes to the printer, you must first choose the combination of features you want.
The variable n is a number that identifies the typestyle or combination of typestyles. To find the value of n, look at the Master Select table below and add up either the decimal or hexadecimal numbers for the features you want. Master Select table Feature Dec.
Consider these things when you use the Master Select command: l Master Select cancels any of the listed features that you do not set. For example, if you have already set 12 cpi, and you try to use Master Select to set emphasized double-strike only, the character width is reset to 10 cpi.
Chapter 5 Maintaining and Transporting the Printer Cleaning the Printer ....................................... 5-2 Replacing the Ribbon ..............
Cleaning the Printer To keep your printer operating at its best, you should clean it thoroughly several times a year. The following steps show you how to clean the printer. If you have installed the optional pull tractor, remove it before cleaning the printer.
WARNING: l Never use alcohols or thinners to clean the printer. These chemicals can damage the printer components as well as the case. l Be careful not to get water on the printer mechanism or electronic components. l Do not use a hard or abrasive brush.
3. Lift the ribbon guide off the print head as shown below. 4. Pull up on the side of the ribbon cartridge as shown below to release it from the printer’s mounting pins.
Caution: Make sure you don’t pull on the flat gold cable beneath the ribbon cartridge. 5. Move the print head back to the middle of the printer. 6. After taking the new ribbon cartridge out of the box, remove the separator piece from the ribbon cartridge as shown below.
7. Hold the ribbon cartridge with both hands and lower it into the printer as shown below. Pulling the cartridge toward you, slide the hooks nearest you over the corresponding two pins in the printer. Then push the cartridge down into position so that the remaining two hooks snap into place over the mounting pins in the printer.
9. Fit the plastic ribbon guide onto the metal pins on each side of the print head, as shown below. The smaller end of the guide should be on top, with its angled edge toward the platen. Turn the ribbon-tightening knob to remove any slack in the ribbon.
Transporting the Printer If you need to transport your printer some distance, carefully repack the printer using the original box and packing materials. The following steps show you how to repack your printer. 1. 2. 3. Turn off the printer and remove any paper installed in the printer.
4. Open the printer’s top cover and slide the print head to the far right. Detach the ribbon guide from the print head as shown below, and then remove the ribbon cartridge. 5. Using a cross-head screwdriver, reattach the carriage guide support bar. ~-___- .
6. Reattach the two locking brackets and insert the print head protector as shown below. Then insert foam packing material for the paper bail. 7. Close the printer’s top cover and put the printer back in its original box. WARNING: Even when you need to carry the printer only a short distance, do not carry it by yourself.
Chapter 6 Using the Printer Options Using the Pull Tractor .................................... 6-2 Installing the pull tractor ............................... 6-2 Using the pull tractor with front tractor .................. 6-5 Using the pull tractor with rear tractor .
Using the Pull Tractor The optional pull tractor (#8309) provides optimum continuous paper handling. The pull tractor is especially useful with continuous multi-part forms and labels. For best results, use the pull tractor with either the printer’s front or rear built-in tractor, as described in this section.
2. Use the cross-head screwdriver to remove the paper separator. 3. Using the two screws you just removed from the printer’s original paper separator, install the paper separator that comes with the pull tractor.
4. Close the paper separator cover and open the printer’s top cover. 5. Holding the pull tractor with its gears to the left, fit the tractor’s front notches over the mounting shaft of the printer.
6. Tilt the pull tractor back until its rear latches click into place over the printer’s rear mounting pins. 7. Close the printer’s top cover. Using the pull tractor with the front tractor If you .
The following steps show you how to load paper using the optional pull tractor with the printer’s built-in front tractor. 1. Turn on the printer and open the top cover.
5. Adjust the sprocket units to match the width of your paper. 6. Slide the two paper supports so that they are spaced evenly between the two sprocket units.
7. Fit the sprocket holes of the paper over the sprocket pins. 8. If there is slack in the paper, or if the holes in the paper do not align properly with the sprocket pins, use the tractor feed knob to adjust the position of the paper as shown below. Slide the knob to the right first, and then turn it as necessary.
9. Close the sprocket covers. Slide the sprocket units so that the paper is straight and smooth, and then lock them into place. 10. Adjust the top of form position as described in in Chapter 2. 11. Press the FORM FEED button to feed the paper out the back of the printer.
The automatic tear-off feature does not work when the pull tractor is installed. To tear off documents, press the FORM FEED button to advance the paper to a point where it can be torn off. The following steps show you how to load paper using the optional pull tractor with the printer’s built-in rear tractor.
2c. Tilt the pull tractor back until the rear latches click into place over the printer’s rear mounting pins. 3. 4. Use the FORM FEED button to advance the paper to the pull tractor. Release both sprocket lock levers on the pull tractor by pulling them toward you.
5. Adjust the sprocket units to match the width of your paper. 6. Slide the two paper supports so that they are spaced evenly between the two sprocket units.
7. Fit the sprocket holes of the paper over the sprocket pins. 8. If there is slack in the paper, or if the holes in the paper do not align properly with the spocket pins, use the tractor feed knob to adjust the position of the paper as shown below. Slide the knob to the right first, and then turn it as necessary.
9. Close the sprocket covers. Slide the sprocket units so that the paper is straight and smooth, and then lock them into place. 10. Adjust the top of form position as described in in Chapter 2. 11. Press the FORM FEED button to form feed the paper out the back of the printer.
2. 3. Open the top cover and locate the levers that lock the pull tractor in place on the printer. Pull these levers forward to release the pull tractor. Then lift the tractor up and out of the printer. Close the printer’s top cover and open the paper separator cover.
4. Using the cross-head screwdriver, remove the paper separator that came with the pull tractor. 5. Reinstall the original paper separator and close the paper separator cover. Using Interface Boards You can use optional interface boards to supplement your printer’s built-in serial and parallel interfaces.
Choosing an interface board Optional interface boards can be divided into three main categories: l IEEE-488 interfaces that provide standardized connections, trouble-free operation, and the ability to connect computers, printers, and other devices on the same line so they can share data freely.
1. Turn off both your printer and your computer. 2. If the interface board comes with a FG (frame ground) wire that is not already attached to the board, attach the wire as shown below on the right. FG wire attached FG wire not attached 3. Open the printer’s interface cover.
4. Plug the connector of the cable securely into the interface board as shown. 5. If the connector has tightening screws (as shown in the illustration above), use a screwdriver to secure the cable to the interface board. If the connector has clamps instead, squeeze them together to secure the cable to the interface board.
6. Place the board in the option slot, carefully inserting the pins of the board into the mating connector in the option slot. 7. Use a cross-head screwdriver to secure the board with the four screws provided.
8. Remove the screw from the CG (chassis ground) connector on the printer and then use the cross-head screwdriver to connect the FG wire from the interface board to the CG connector, as shown below. 9. Set the DIP switches on the interface board according to the manual accompanying your interface board.
Chapter 7 Troubleshooting Problems and Solutions .................................... 7-2 The printer does not print ................................ 7-2 The printer stops printing ................................ 7-3 The printout is spaced incorrectly .
Problems and Solutions This section discusses potential problems and their likely solutions. If you are still having problems after trying the solutions in this section, you may want to try using the data dump mode, a mode that helps advanced users determine the causes of communication problems between the printer and the computer.
l Make sure that all protective materials are removed. If not, turn off the printer, remove the protective materials, and turn the printer back on. See the section on removing protective materials in Chapter 1. If the printer still does not print, disconnect the printer from the computer and try the self test described in Chapter 1.
The printout is spaced incorrectly l If all the text is printed on the same line, no line feed command is being sent at the end of each line of text. Turn DIP switch 2-4 on. l If the printer is inserting extra blank lines between lines of text, extra line feed commands are being sent.
l The printer may not be securely connected to the computer. Check both ends of the cable between the printer and the computer. l Your software’s font, page layout, printer port, or other printer settings may not be selected properly.
Paper does not feed properly The paper may not be mounted on the sprockets correctly. Make sure the sprocket holes of the paper fit correctly over the sprockets. Make sure the sprockets are positioned to match the width of your paper and that they are locked in place with their covers closed.
To use the data dump mode, follow these steps: 1. To enter the data dump mode, hold down the FORM FEED and LINE FEED buttons at the same time while you turn on the printer. 2. Next, run either an application program or one you have written in any programming language.
Chapter 8 Command Summary Using the Command Summary ............................ 8-2 Control key chart ....................................... 8-4 Commands in Numerical Order . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-5 Commands Arranged by Topic .
Using the Command Summary This chapter lists and describes all the commands available on the DFX. The first part of this chapter lists all commands in numerical order and gives the page number where each is fully described.
The simplest type of command consists of a single character to be sent to the printer. For instance, to print in condensed mode the code format is: ASCII code: SI Decimal: 15 Hexadecimal: 0F This code can be sent from a program by sending the code 15 directly.
Control Key Chart Some application programs can use control key codes for decimal values 0 through 27. The table below gives you the proper values. The Control Key column indicates that you press the control key at the same time you press the key for the letter or symbol in that column.
Commands in Numerical Order This section lists all the DFX commands, with their decimal and hexadecimal values. The numbers in the columns on the right are the page numbers in this chapter where a complete description of the command can be found.
ASCII Dec Hex Description ESC 0 ESC 1 ESC 2 ESC 3 ESC 4 ESC 5 ESC 6 ESC 7 ESC : ESC < ESC = ESC > ESC ? ESC @ ESC A ESC B ESC C ESC CO ESC D ESC E ESC F ESC G ESC H ESC I ESC J ESC K ESC L ESC M.
ASCII Dec ESC T 84 ESC U 85 ESC W 87 ESC Y 89 ESC Z 90 ESC 92 ESC ^ 94 ESC a 97 ESC b 98 ESC k 107 ESC l 108 ESC p 112 ESC t 116 ESC x 120 DEL 127 Hex Description Page 54 Cancel superscript / subscri.
Commands Arranged by Topic This section lists and describes all the commands. Printer Operation Initialization: ESC @ Format: Initialize Printer ASCII code: ESC @ Decimal: 27 64 Hexadecimal: 1B 40 Comments: Resets the printer mode and clears the buffer of printable data on the print line preceding the command.
DC3 Format: Deselect Printer ASCII code: DC3 Decimal: 19 Hexadecimal: 13 Comments: Puts the printer into the deselected state until select printer code (DC1) is received.
ESC U Format: Turn Unidirectional Mode On/Off ASCII code: ESC U n Decimal: 27 85 n Hexadecimal: 1B 55 n Comments: The following values can be used for n: 1: Mode is turned ON. (The decimal or hexadecimal values 0 0: Mode is turned OFF. and 1 or the ASCII characters “0” and “1” can be used.
ESC > Format: ASCII code: ESC > Decimal: 27 62 Hexadecimal: 1B 3E Comments: Sets the MSB bit of all incoming data as 1. Set MSB to 1 ESC # Cancel MSB Control Format: ASCII code: ESC # Decimal: 27 35 Hexadecimal: 1B 23 Comments: Cancels the MSB control set by ESC = or ESC >.
Data Control CR Carriage Return Format: ASCII code: CR Decimal: 13 Hexadecimal: 0D Comments: Prints the data in the buffer and returns the print position to the left margin. A line feed may be added if DIP switch 2-4 is ON or if the AUTO FEED XT line on the parallel interface is held LOW.
Vertical Motion Form feeding: FF Format: Form Feed ASCII code: FF Decimal: 12 Hexadecimal: 0C Comments: Prints the data in the print buffer and advances the paper to the top of the next form according to the current page length.
ESC N Format: Set Skip Over Perforation ASCII code: ESC N n Decimal: 27 78 n Hexadecimal: 1B 4E n Comments: The variable n is the number of lines skipped between the last line printed on one page and the first line on the next page.
ESC 0 Format: Select 1/8-inch Line Spacing ASCII code: ESC 0 Decimal: 27 48 Hexadecimal: 1B 30 Comments: Sets the line spacing to 1/8 of an inch for subsequent line feed commands.
ESC 3 Select n/216-inch Line Spacing Format: ASCII code: ESC 3 n Decimal: 27 51 n Hexadecimal: 1B 33 n Comments: Sets the line spacing to n/216 of an inch for subsequent line feed commands. The 3 is the character three and not ASCII code 3. The value of n must be from 0 to 255.
Vertical tabbing: VT Format: Tab Vertically ASCII code: VT Decimal: 11 Hexadecimal: 0B Comments: Advances the paper to the next tab setting in the channel selected by ESC /. If no channel has been selected, channel 0 is used. If no vertical tabs have been selected, the paper advances one line.
ESC b Set Vertical Tabs in Channels Format: ASCII code: ESC b c n1 n2 ... 0 Decimal: 27 98 c n1 n2 ... 0 Hexadecimal: 1B 62 c n1 n2 ... 00 Comments: Functions the same as ESC B, except that the variable c selects a channel for the vertical tabs, which must be between 0 to 7.
Horizontal Motion Margins: ESC 1 Format: Set Left Margin ASCII code: ESC 1 n Decimal: 27 108 n Hexadecimal: 1B 6C n Comments: Sets the left margin to n columns in the current character size. Settings made in the proportional mode are treated as 10 cpi.
Print head movement: BS Backspace Format: ASCII code: BS Decimal: 8 Hexadecimal: 08 Comments: Prints out data in the print buffer, then moves the print position one space to the left. Backspacing can be performed up to, but not beyond, the left margin setting.
ESC Format: Set Relative Position ASCII code: ESC n1 n2 Decimal: 27 92 n1 n2 Hexadecimal: 1B 5C n1 n2 Comments: Determines the position (relative to the current position) at which printing of following data will start. To find n1 and n2, first calculate the displacement required in 1/120ths of an inch.
ESC D Set Horizontal Tabs Format: ASCII code: ESC D n1 n2 ... 0 Decimal: 27 68 n1 n2 ... 0 Hexadecimal: 1B 44 n1 n2 ... 00 Comments: This command allows setting of up to 32 horizontal tabs, which are entered as n1, n2, n3, etc. (from 1 to 255) with the 0 character or any value less than the previous one terminating the command.
ESC k Format: Select NLQ Font ASCII code: ESC k n Decimal: 27 107 n Hexadecimal: 1B 6B n Comments: This command affects only the near letter quality typestyle, not draft.
ESC ! Master Select Format: ASCII code: ESC ! n Decimal: 27 33 n Hexadecimal: 1B 21 n Comments: Selects any valid combination of the modes in the table below. The variable n is determined by adding together the values of the desired modes from the table.
Print Size and Character Width ESC P Select 10 cpi Format: ASCII code: ESC P Decimal: 27 80 Hexadecimal: 1B 50 Comments: Selects 10 characters per inch printing. This command is normally used to cancel 12 cpi. ESC M Select 12 cpi Format: ASCII code: ESC M Decimal: 27 77 Hexadecimal: 1B 4D Comments: Selects 12 characters per inch printing.
ESC p Turn Proportional Mode On/Off Format: ASCII code: ESC p n Decimal: 27 112 n Hexadecimal: 1B 70 n Comments: The following values can be used for n: 1: Mode is turned ON. (The decimal or hexadecimal values 0 0: Mode is turned OFF. and 1 or the ASCII characters “0” and “1” can be used.
ESC SI Select Condensed Mode Format: ASCII code: ESC SI Decimal: 27 15 Hexadecimal: 1B 0F Comments: Duplicates the SI command. This command is not available in NLQ. DC2 Cancel Condensed Mode Format: ASCII code: DC2 Decimal: 18 Hexadecimal: 12 Comments: Cancels condensed printing set by SI, ESC SI, or DIP switch.
ESC SO Select Double-Wide Mode (one line) Format: ASCII code: ESC SO Decimal: 27 14 Hexadecimal: 1B 0E Comments: Duplicates the SO command. This command is available in both draft and NLQ.
Print Enhancement ESC E Select Emphasized Mode Format: ASCII code: ESC E Decimal: 27 69 Hexadecimal: 1B 45 Comments: Makes text bolder by printing each dot twice, with the second dot slightly to the right of the first. This command is available in both draft and NLQ.
ESC H Cancel Double-Strike Mode Format: ASCII code: ESC H Decimal: 27 72 Hexadecimal: 1B 48 Comments: Turns off the double-strike mode selected by ESC G.
ESC T Format: ASCII code: ESC T Decimal: 27 84 Hexadecimal: 1B 54 Cancel Superscript/Subscript Comments: Cancels either superscript or subscript. ESC - Turn Underlining Mode On/Off Format: ASCII code: ESC - n Decimal: 27 45 n Hexadecimal: 1B 2D n Comments: The following values can be used for n: 1: Mode is turned ON.
ESC 5 Cancel Italic Mode Format: ASCII code: ESC 5 Decimal: 27 53 Hexadecimal: 1B 35 Comments: Cancels the mode selected by ESC 4. This command is available in both draft and NLQ.
ESC SP (space) Format: Set Intercharacter Space ASCII code: ESCS P n Decimal: 27 32 n Hexadecimal: 1B 20 n Comments: Sets the amount of space added to the right of each character, in addition to the space already allowed in the design of the character.
ESC R Select an International Character Set Format: ASCII code: ESC R n Decimal: 27 82 n Hexadecimal: 1B 52 n Comments: See the section on international character sets in Chapter 3 for full information on international character sets.
ESC : Format: Copy ROM into RAM ASCII code: ESC : 0 n 0 Decimal: 27 58 0 n 0 Hexadecimal: 1B 3A 00 n 00 Comments: This command copies the characters in the ROM into RAM SO that specific characters can be redefined.
ESC 6 Format: Printable Code Area Expansion ASCII code: ESC 6 Decimal: 27 54 Hexadecimal: 1B 36 Comments: Enables the printing of codes 128 through 159 (decimal) as characters, not control codes. See Appendix A for the characters that are printed with these codes.
Graphics ESC K Format: Select Single-Density Graphics Mode ASCII code: ESC K n1 n2 Decimal: 27 75 n1 n2 Hexadecimal: 1B 4B n1 n2 Comments: Turns on eight-pin single-density graphics mode (60 dots per inch). The total number of columns = n1 + (n2 x 256).
ESC Z Select Quadruple-Density Graphics Mode Format: ASCII code: ESC Z n1 n2 Decimal: 27 90 n1 n2 Hexadecimal: 1B 5A n1 n2 Comments: Turns on eight-pin quadruple-density graphics mode (240 dots per inch). The total number of columns = n1 + (n2 x 256).
ESC ? Reassign Graphics Mode Format: ASCII code: ESC ? s m Decimal: 27 63 s m Hexadecimal: 1B 3F s m Comments: Changes one graphics mode to another. The variable s is a character (K, L, Y or Z), which is reassigned to a mode m (0-7). (See ESC * for graphic modes.
Appendix A Reference Tables Proportional Width Tabl e . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-2 Character Tables.........
Proportional Width Table This table lists the widths of your printer’s proportional characters. The values given are in 120ths of an inch. (For example, a value of 12 is 12/120ths of an inch.
Reference Tables A-3.
Code CHR T Width 12111 12/11 8110 10111 8110 12/12 12/12 12/12 12/12 12112 12112 10111 10111 ll/ll ll/ll 12/11 12112 12/12 11/11 12/12 12112 12/12 11/12 12/12 8110 IO/l2 ll/ll 11/12 12/12 12111 12112 .
D3 D4 D5 D6 D7 D8 D9 DA DB DC DE DF EO El E2 E3 E4 E5 E6 E7 E8 E9 EA EB EC ED EE EF FO Fl F2 F3 F4 F5 F6 F7 Width 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12/12 11/11 10112 12/12 10/12 11/12 11/12 12/12 10.
Character Tables The character tables on the next two pages are selected by setting DIP switch 1-3 or using the ESC t software command. For the Epson Extended Graphics character table, the ESC 6 and ESC 7 software commands let you select whether hex codes 80 to 9F are characters (ESC 6) or control codes (ESC 7).
I,, I?^ 10 j '1' ! 3 14 15 ! 6 ! 7 18 ) 9 / A 1 B j C ( D ) E ( F ) E. I KY” I 0000 0001 0010 0011 0100 0101 0110 0111 1000 1001 1010 1011 1100 1101 1100 1111 I I III I I I I I I I I I I I.
I/ 7 0111 ii.
Appendix B Technical Specifications Printer Specifications .......... Printing .................... Paper ...................... Mechanical ................. Electrical ................... Environmental .............. .......................... B-2 ..
Printer Specifications Printing Printing method: 9-pin impact dot matrix Printing speed: Pitch Quality Characters/second/line 10 high-speed draft 533 10 normal draft 400 10 near letter quality 80 12 draft 480 12 near letter quality 96 Printing direction: Line spacing: Bidirectional logic seeking for text printing.
Buffer: 3Kbyte (DIP switch selectable valid/invalid) Character fonts: Available pitches (char. per in.) Character tables: Standard ASCII character set (plus italic characters) 13 international charact.
Printable area: Continuous paper 4 to 16 inches (101 to 406.4mm) left margin-0.51 to 1.22 in. I right margin-0.51 in 1 0.35 in. or more T Paper thickness: Front-up to 0.018 inches (0.46 mm) Rear-up to 0.012 inches (0.30 mm) Number of copies: With continuous, multi-part paper only: Front-one original plus up to five copies, maximum thickness of 0.
Mechanical Ribbon: MCBF: MTBF: 6000 power-on hours Print head life: 200 million characters at 14 dots per character Dimensions and weight: Cartridge ribbon, available in black only (#8766).
Insulation resistance: 10 M ohms between AC power line and chassis Dielectric strength Can withstand 1.5 KV rms (between AC line and applied for 10 seconds or chassis): 1,250 V applied for one minute .
Interface Specifications The DFX-5000 is equipped with both a parallel and a serial interface. WARNING: Do not plug in the built-in parallel interface cable and an optional interface cable at the same time because this may damage your printer.
B-8 Technical Specifications.
Note: l All interface conditions are based on TTL level. Both the rise and fall of each signal must be less than 0.2 microseconds. * Data transfer must be carried out by observing the ACKNLG or BUSY signal. (Data transfer to this printer can be carried out only after the receipt of the ACKNLG signal or when the level of the BUSY signal is LOW).
Printing enabled/disabled signals and control conditions The table below shows the relationship between printing being enabled or disabled, the on line/off line status, and the receipt of the data control characters, DC1 or DC3.
Serial interface The DFX-5000 built-in serial interface is an RS-232C asynchronous interface with the following characteristics. Dat a format Signal 1 start bit Data word length: 8 bits Odd, even, or no parity 1 stop bit level: Mark (1) 3V to 27V Space (0) +3V to +27V Handshaking: Handshaking by DTR signal or X-on/X-off.
Pin assignment of the serial interface l The column heading “Direction” refers to the direction of signal flow from the printer. B-12 Technical Specifications.
Initialization There are three ways that the printer can be initialized (returned to a fixed set of conditions) as listed in the table below. Hardware Initialization l The printer is turned on. l The printer receives an INIT signal at the parallel interface (pin 31 goes LOW).
Default settings The table below shows the default conditions that become valid when the printer is initialized. Item Default condition Print head position Left side of carriage On/off line status On .
Glossary Note that these definitions apply specifically to printers. If a word is italicized, see that topic for more information. application program A software program that helps you carry out a particular task such as word processing or financial planning.
binary See number systems. bit A binary digit (0 or 1), which is the smallest unit of information used by a printer or computer. See also number systems. buffer See memory. byte A unit of information consisting of eight bits. carriage return The control code that returns the print position to the left margin.
continuous paper Paper that has sprocket-feed holes on each side, is perforated between pages, and comes in a folded stack. Also called fanfold paper. control code Besides the codes for printable characters, the ASCII coding system also includes 33 other codes called control codes.
dot matrix A method of printing in which each letter or symbol is formed by a pattern (matrix) of individual dots. double-strike printing A way of producing bolder characters. Each character is printed twice with the second character printed slightly below the first.
font A style of type designated by a family name, such as Epson Roman or Epson Sans Serif. form In printer terminology, a form is normally the equivalent of a page. form feed A control code and a control panel button. Each advance the paper to the top of the next form.
initialize To establish the initial default status of the printer by turning the printer on or sending an INIT signal. input buffer See memory. interface The connection between the computer and the printer. A parallel interface transmits data one character or code at a time, and a serial interface transmits data one bit at a time.
micro-feed A feature that adjusts the top of form, printing, and tear-off positions. near letter quality (NLQ) One of three print qualities available on your printer. Near letter quality reduces the print speed and increases the number of dots per character to produce high-resolution characters.
paper select indicator The printer icon on the far right side of the control panel. This indicator contains front and rear tractor arrows that light up to show which tractor is selected. See also front tractor arrow and rear tractor arrow. parallel interface See interface.
proportional printing Printing in which the amount of space given to each character varies. For example, an uppercase W receives much more space than a lowercase i. ‘The result looks more like a typeset book than a typewritten draft. pull tractor An optional paper feeder that is useful when printing on preprinted or multi-part forms.
self test A method of checking the operation of the printer. When the self test is run, the printer prints out its current DIP switch settings and the characters that are stored in its ROM. serial interface See interface. standby position The position the paper is in after you manually load it onto the first few pins of the tractor sprockets.
Index The commands in the command summary are not indexed here. See pages 8-l through 8-7 to find where these are described. A American Standard Code for Information Interchange, 4-8 Application progr.
H Hex dump. See Data dump High-speed draft, 4-3-4 I Indicator lights, 3-2-3 Initialization, B-13 - 14 Input buffer, 3-15 Interface boards, optional, 6-16-21 Interfaces.
Protective materials, 1-3, 4 Pull tractor, 6-2-16 R Ready light, 3-2 Rear tractor, loading, 2-9-13 Ribbon installing, l-l0, 14 replacing, 5-3-7 Ribbon guide, 1-11, 1-13 RS-232C, 1-24 S Self test, 1-15.
EPSON” DFX-5000 Quick Reference.
Commands Arranged by Topic This section lists all the DFX commands. The numbers in the columns on the right are the page numbers in Chapter 8 where a complete description of the command can be found.
Overall printing style/Print size Code IDec 1 Hex Function Page 1 ESCx I120 I 78 1 Select NLQ or draft I 8-22 I ESC k 107 66 Select NLC! font 8-23 ESC ! 33 21 Master select 624 ESC P 80 50 Select IO c.
Graphics 1 Code ~ec 1 Hex I Function I Paae ESC K I 1 ! I - 75 48 Select single-density graphics mode 8-37 ESC L 76 4c Select double-density graphics mode 8-37 ESC Y 89 59 Select high-speed double-den.
tear-off edge / / paper separator cover / paper separator power back flap serial interface 7 / ground connector parallel interface interface cover paper ~~~~ ribbon plater mask / front cover.
EPSON OVERSEAS MARKETING LOCATIONS 1 EPSON AMERICA, INC. 20770 Madrona Avenue Torrance CA 90503, U.S.A. Phone: (2 13) 782.0770 Fax: (2 13) 782-5248 EPSON DEUTSCHLAND GmbH Ziilpichar Stra!3e 6, 4000 Dtisseldorf 11 F.R. Germany Phone: (0211) 56030 Telex: 8584786 EPSON UK LTD.
DFX-5000.
EPSON AMERICA, INC. 2780 Lomita Boulevard, Torrance, California 90505 EPSON ® Printed in Japan 91.03-2 m.
An important point after buying a device Epson DFX-5000 (or even before the purchase) is to read its user manual. We should do this for several simple reasons:
If you have not bought Epson DFX-5000 yet, this is a good time to familiarize yourself with the basic data on the product. First of all view first pages of the manual, you can find above. You should find there the most important technical data Epson DFX-5000 - thus you can check whether the hardware meets your expectations. When delving into next pages of the user manual, Epson DFX-5000 you will learn all the available features of the product, as well as information on its operation. The information that you get Epson DFX-5000 will certainly help you make a decision on the purchase.
If you already are a holder of Epson DFX-5000, but have not read the manual yet, you should do it for the reasons described above. You will learn then if you properly used the available features, and whether you have not made any mistakes, which can shorten the lifetime Epson DFX-5000.
However, one of the most important roles played by the user manual is to help in solving problems with Epson DFX-5000. Almost always you will find there Troubleshooting, which are the most frequently occurring failures and malfunctions of the device Epson DFX-5000 along with tips on how to solve them. Even if you fail to solve the problem, the manual will show you a further procedure – contact to the customer service center or the nearest service center
