User’s Guide for the ImageCard® IV Printer ImageCard® Series May 2003 Part No.
ii Please note and heed the WARNING and CAUTION labels that have been placed on the equipment for your safety. Please do not attempt to operate or repair this equipment without adequate training. Liability statement This Datacard® product has been built to the high standards of DataCard Corporation. See “Safety and compliance” on page A-1 for the statement of liability. Regulatory compliance This Datacard® product conforms to regulatory requirements as specified in North America and Europe.
iii Contents Chapter 1: Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-1 About this manual . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-2 Audience . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-2 Serial numbers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-2 About the ImageCard IV printer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
iv Loading supply in the cartridge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Replacing the supply cartridge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Changing the topcoat in the topcoat station . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Removing the topcoat cartridge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Loading topcoat in the cartridge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Replacing the topcoat cartridge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
v Magnetic stripe test card . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-8 Problems with card appearance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-9 Print station . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-10 Topcoat (T panel) applied using the print module . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-16 Optional topcoat station . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
vi Optional key . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Tray latching pin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Fuse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Card input tray . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Card output tray . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Overview 1 This chapter presents the following: • The purpose of this manual • Who should use this manual • The Datacard® ImageCard® IV photo ID printer, including a description of the printer, its components, and the driver • Optional features of the ImageCard IV printer that may or may not be part of your printer • How information about optional features is identified in this manual • How the ImageCard IV printer and the driver work User’s Guide for the ImageCard® IV Printer
1-2 Overview About this manual This manual provides detailed information about the Datacard® ImageCard® IV photo ID printer. This User Guide works with the online e-Guide, which you can see using the desktop icon installed with the printer driver. Figure 1-1 shows the e-Guide icon.
1-3 Overview card. Magnetic stripe encoding, smart card programming, overlay, and topcoat are options that can be purchased as part of the printer. The printer driver receives digital information from a card creation application and processes the data to send to the printer. When the printer receives the data, it prints the card. The driver keeps track of the progress of the card in the printer and sends data for the next card as soon as the printer is ready and the data is available.
1-4 Overview Features of the ImageCard IV printer include: • Card input and output trays Whenever you print a card, the printer automatically picks a card from the card input tray, and then moves it to the card output tray when the card is complete. The card output tray includes a reject bin for canceled, rejected, or incomplete cards. Each tray holds up to 250 cards (with a nominal thickness of 0.030 inches (0.76 mm)). The large capacity reduces the need to handle cards.
1-5 Overview Messages also include help, so the operator can follow illustrated steps for correcting the condition causing the message. • Modular stations The printer has a modular design so that major functions, such as card input, card cleaning, printing, and card output, are each contained in their own station. Each station is easy to use and is independent of other stations. When messages are displayed, they identify the station affected, so you know exactly where to take action.
1-6 Overview • Particle detection Card stock might have particles embedded in the plastic, which can cause problems with printing. The particle detector identifies cards with embedded particles and rejects them. While the particle detector adapts to smart card chips or other features that might be on the card, at times a feature (such as a signature panel) might be detected as a particle. To allow for such features, you can set the particle detection sensitivity.
1-7 Overview How options are identified in this manual This manual describes all of the features of the ImageCard IV printer, including all the options. Because many printers do not have all options, the following method is used to help you identify information that applies to an option.
1-8 Overview How the printer works The ImageCard IV printer produces personalized cards. The following describes the process used to print cards: The numbers in Figure 1-6 illustrate each step. 1 The printing process begins with a card creation application running on a PC. In a card creation application, you assemble the elements of the card design.
1-9 Overview 6 – The full-color images are printed using a dye-diffusion, thermal-transfer printing process. True-black images such as monochrome images or barcodes are printed using a mass transfer process. – If both sides of the card are printed (duplex printing) the card moves to the turret, which turns the card and moves it back into the print station. – When printing is complete, the card moves to the turret, which delivers it to the next station.
1-10 Overview “security key not found” messages, “parallel port data error” messages, or might notice that the card creation application operates slowly. If the security key requires a compatible-mode port, obtain and install a separate parallel port so you have a compatible-mode port for the security key and an ECP port for the printer.
Getting started 1 This section describes what to do before installing the Datacard® ImageCard® IV photo ID printer.
2-2 Getting started General requirements When choosing a site for the ImageCard IV printer and its supplies, consider the following general requirements: • Keep all dust, dirt, food, liquids, etc. away from the ImageCard IV printer at all times. • Keep the top cover closed at all times, except when changing supplies, fixing problems, or performing maintenance. • Do not use supplies or cards that have been dropped on the floor or have otherwise become contaminated.
2-3 Getting started • Single phase, 3-wire grounded receptacle only The maximum input current for the ImageCard IV printer is 5 amps at 100 VAC applied. Physical requirements The ImageCard IV printer requires an environment that accommodates its physical dimensions and weight. The printer weighs between 60 and 75 pounds or 27.3 and 34.1 kilograms. The weight varies depending on the options installed in the printer.
2-4 Getting started Environmental requirements The ImageCard IV printer requires the following environmental conditions for optimal operation: • • Operating relative humidity: 20% to 80% non-condensing Operating temperature range: 55° F to 80° F (13° C to 27° C) If you store the ImageCard IV printer, provide an environment with the following conditions: • • Storage relative humidity: 20% to 80% non-condensing Storage temperature range: 0° F to 100° F (-17.8° C to 37.
2-5 Getting started 4 Slide the printer and packing material out of the shipping carton (step 1 in Figure 1-2). 5 Remove the back shipping cushion (step 2 in Figure 1-2). 6 Remove the accessory bag (step 3 in Figure 1-2). Remove this User's Guide from the bag. 7 Remove the top shipping cushions (step 4 in Figure 1-2). Set the shipping cushions aside. 8 Remove all the wrapping around the printer. ! The printer weighs 60 to 75 pounds (27 to 34 kilograms). Use proper lifting techniques.
2-6 Getting started 3 4 2 1 ICIV056U Figure 1-4: Push and lift to open the top cover 12 Remove the internal shipping material from the print station (step 3 in Figure 1-4). i The printer has a pocket on the back wall with sample cards that were printed on this printer in the factory. Leave the cards in place. 13 Close the cover of the printer and press down to latch it. ♦ The printer is shipped with supplies in place, which may not match your intended use.
2-7 Getting started • Blank cards. Twenty-five (25) blank cards or ten (10) blank high-coercivity magnetic stripe cards are provided for testing only. Use them only when asked to by your service representative. • Input/output tray latching pin. One extra pin, which you can use to secure the input tray or output tray if a pin is lost. • CD-ROM with the printer driver. It includes installation programs for the printer driver and an electronic Release Notes document for each operating system.
2-8 Getting started Optional supplies include: • • • Laminate supply material Topcoat supply material Cleaning stick See “Supplies and cards” on page B-1 for details about supplies, including choices available, ordering information, and conditions for storing supplies. General office supplies might also be used with the ImageCard IV printer, including: • • • Office tape to attach ribbon or supply material to cores. Clean, soft cloth for general cleaning of the printer.
Setting up the printer 3 This chapter describes how to set up the printer and get it running after it has been unpacked.
3-2 Setting up the printer Connecting the printer This section explains how to connect the printer to the PC that runs the printer driver and then to a power source. It also explains how to connect the optional smart card cable. If the printer is connected over a network, see the e-Guide for ImageCard IV Printers for connection information. Connect communication cables 1 Attach the interface cable to the ECP parallel port on the PC (step 1 in Figure 3-1).
3-3 Setting up the printer Contactless smart card module Contact smart card module or contact station 2 Power cord receptacle Service port Printer parallel port 1 ICIV054U PC serial port (COMx) Figure 3-2: Attach the optional smart card serial cable(s) 3 If your printer has a smart card module, the ports to use correspond to the module installed: – The lower port is installed for a contact smart card module or a contact station. – The upper port is installed for a contactless module.
3-4 Setting up the printer Verify that serial port settings are correct using the steps in “PC port settings” on page C-1. ♦ Connect the power cord 1 Attach the power cord to the power receptacle on the back of the printer (step 1 in Figure 3-3). 2 1 ICIV052U Figure 3-3: Attach the power cord 2 E Plug the other end of the power cord into a single phase, 3-wire grounded receptacle with 90-130V AC or 195-254V AC at 50 or 60 Hz (step 2 in Figure 3-3).
3-5 Setting up the printer 1 2 ICIV013U Figure 3-4: Turn key to lock or unlock printer When the printer's top cover is unlocked, the input tray cover, input tray, output tray cover, and output tray can be opened or removed. The lock does not affect the ability to operate the printer. 2 1 ICIV030U Figure 3-5: Lock secures cover, trays, and tray covers ♦ Loading cards Load cards when beginning work or when the card tray is low on cards or empty.
3-6 Setting up the printer Load cards 1 If the printer is printing while you load cards, press the Ready button to pause the printer (Figure 5-1). 2 Lift the input tray cover and set aside (step 1 in Figure 3-7). 3 Hold the card tray and slide the card pusher to the left (step 2 in Figure 3-7). Latch the card pusher in the notch on the bottom of the card tray. i Do not touch the surface of cards before printing them. Handle cards by the edges or wear gloves to protect cards.
3-7 Setting up the printer ! If you use a topcoat station, an overlay station or both, use composite cards with a nominal thickness of at least 0.030 inch (0.76 mm). 7 Hold the card tray and release the card pusher to hold cards in place. 8 Replace the input tray cover. 9 If your printer has a locking cover, press down and turn the keylock one-quarter turn counterclockwise . 10 If you paused the printer, press the Ready button to resume printer operation.
3-8 Setting up the printer ! If you use a topcoat or overlay station, you must use cards that are at least 0.030 inch or 0.760 mm thick. E Make sure the debower latch drops into position. ON OFF iciv080u Figure 3-8: Lift the handle, move the debower, and lower it 3 E Close the cover of the printer. If needed, lock the printer. E If you are setting up the printer, check the bow on the test card when you make it.
3-9 Setting up the printer Set the card separator 1 Remove the cover of the input tray. If the tray has a latch, turn the latch onequarter turn counterclockwise to release the tray (Figure 3-9). 2 Lift the input tray and set aside (Figure 3-9). i Do not tip the tray upside down. The latching pin can fall out and the pin is required for the tray to operate properly.
3-10 Setting up the printer Card separator Card separator knob .035 - .055 inch (.89 - 1.4 mm) .018 - .028 inch (.46 - .71 mm) Guide roller iciv071u Figure 3-10: Set the card thickness – If the card cannot move past the separator, turn the card separator knob clockwise – 5 until the card can slide past the separator. Then, turn the card separator knob clockwise normal variations in thickness. one-quarter turn to allow for Check the setting using a few more cards of the desired thickness.
3-11 Setting up the printer Use the following guidelines to decide whether the setting is correct: – If the card almost touches the card separator, you have successfully completed the setting (Figure 3-11). Continue with step 6. – If the card touches the card separator and the card appears bent, the setting is too narrow. Return to step 3 to set the card separator again.
3-12 Setting up the printer • Several other connection methods are available, including printer sharing over a network, and installing two printers on parallel ports on a PC. See the e-Guide for ImageCard IV Printers for information on these installation alternatives. • You can also directly connect the printer to a network using a print server. See the SmartDriver Direct Network Guide for more information.
3-13 Setting up the printer 7 Click “To Install Driver.” The License Agreement page appears. 8 Click “Agree” to accept the license agreement. The “Connect the Printer and PC” page appears. 9 Click “Parallel Cable (LPT).” The “To use a Parallel Cable (LPT)” page appears. 10 Click “Add Printer” to start the Add Printer Wizard. 11 Click “Next” on the first page of the Add Printer Wizard.
3-14 Setting up the printer 22 From the User Information page, click “View Release Notes” if you want to view detailed information about the printer driver installed. The WordPad application opens and displays the release notes. Click the Close or Exit button when you are done viewing release notes. 23 From the User Information page, click “e-Guide for ImageCard IV Printers.” The SmartDriver e-Guide Installation dialog box opens. 24 Click OK to start the self-extraction (zip) program. The WinZip . . .
3-15 Setting up the printer E If the installation program does not start, make sure the CD-ROM is installed correctly. If needed, start the Demo32.exe application on the CD-ROM. Figure 3-13: Driver installation program 5 Click “Install Driver.” The SmartDriver installation program starts. Figure 3-14: SmartDriver installation dialog box 6 Click Next on the first Printer Driver Setup dialog box.
3-16 Setting up the printer E 8 9 If you used a different sequence to start installation, you might have a slightly different sequence of prompts. The installation program displays a question asking whether you would like to view the Release Notes. Do one of the following: – Click Next to continue. – Click Yes and then Next to open the Release Notes in WordPad. Close the Release Notes when you have viewed the information. Choose the e-Guides to install.
3-17 Setting up the printer Changing required printer settings After installing the printer driver, there are several other tasks you might need to perform. The required tasks are: • For Windows 2000, XP, and NT, set permissions to the printer for other users of the PC. See “Setting printer permissions” on page 3-20 for the steps to follow. • For Windows 2000, XP, and NT, make sure that users of the printer have permission to write files to the temp file location specified in the PC configuration.
3-18 Setting up the printer Printing sample cards The printer is shipped with cards that are printed in the factory. You can also print a sample card, which looks like one of the factory-printed cards, using the Printer Toolbox. Print sample cards 1 Begin with the printer powered on and connected to the PC, supplies loaded, the printer driver installed, and Windows running. 2 By default, the Printer Toolbox is open when Windows starts. If needed, doubleclick the icon for the Printer Toolbox.
3-19 Setting up the printer • Supplies are installed in all cartridges and cartridges are loaded correctly. “Loading supplies” on page 4-1 for more information. • The printer is ready to print. Both panel lights on the printer should be steady green before you send a sample card. “Using the printer” on page 5-1. • Use the driver sample card, not a card from a card creation application, to verify that the printer and driver are working together.
3-20 Setting up the printer Setting printer permissions If the PC to which the printer is attached has other users, set permissions that: • Make all features of the printer and driver available to users, including messages. (Messages inform users when they need to change the ribbon, load cards, and fix problems.) • Prevent any access to the printer by unauthorized users. Set printer permissions for Windows 2000 and XP 1 From the Windows taskbar select Start, then Settings, and then Printer.
3-21 Setting up the printer • For a user connected through a network using Printer Sharing, select Allow only for the Print permission. (Select Deny for Manage Printers and Manage Documents.) 8 Select Apply to save the change. Save changes for each name. 9 Repeat steps 5 through 8 to add other users or groups. 10 Select OK to close the Properties dialog box. ♦ Set printer permissions for Windows NT 1 From the Windows taskbar select Start, Settings, and then Printers. The Printers window appears.
3-22 Setting up the printer User’s Guide for the ImageCard® IV Printer
Loading supplies 4 This chapter explains how to load supplies in the ImageCard IV printer. It describes: • How to change the print ribbon • How to change the cleaning tape • How to change the laminate (overlay) supply • How to change the topcoat supply For information about loading cards, see “Loading cards” on page 3-5. To ensure nearly uninterrupted operation, you can have additional cartridges for all supplies used in your printer.
4-2 Loading supplies Change the print ribbon This section describes the three steps of changing the print ribbon: • Remove the print ribbon cartridge • Load the print ribbon in the cartridge • Replace the print ribbon cartridge Removing the print ribbon cartridge Remove the print ribbon cartridge from the printer when the "print ribbon empty" message appears, or when changing the type of ribbon you use.
4-3 Loading supplies 1 2 3 iciv168u Figure 4-2: Remove the print ribbon cartridge 3 Move the printhead cage to the resting position (step 2 in Figure 4-2). 4 Using the handle, lift the print ribbon cartridge straight up until the cartridge is above the printhead cage (step 3 in Figure 4-2). Remove the cartridge from the printer. E Some cartridges have a movable handle while others have two non-movable handles.
4-4 Loading supplies 4 Place the full supply roll on the right spool holder (step 1 in Figure 4-3). Place the empty take-up spool on the left spool holder (step 3 in Figure 4-3), with the ribbon in front of the glide rollers (step 2 in Figure 4-3). Take-up spool 3 New supply ribbon Glide rollers 1 2 Ribbon take-up knob iciv165u Figure 4-3: Load print ribbon in the cartridge 5 Press on the spools and turn them slightly (if needed) until the spools click into place.
4-5 Loading supplies 1 2 3 2 1 1 S iciv170u Figure 4-4: Replace the print ribbon cartridge in the printer 3 Lower the print ribbon cartridge into the printer (step 1 in Figure 4-4). Make sure the ribbon passes between the printhead cage and the print platen roller. E Make sure the print ribbon passes through the color sensor (marked “S” in Figure 4-4). 4 Press down firmly to seat the print ribbon cartridge in the printer. Lower the cartridge handle if needed.
4-6 Loading supplies Removing the cleaning tape cartridge Remove the cleaning tape cartridge when a "Cleaning tape empty" message appears or when setting up the printer. Remove the cleaning tape cartridge 1 Push down on the corner of the printer's top cover to unlatch it. Lift the top cover to the fully upright position. ! When the top cover opens, the interlock switch removes power from all motors and fans. If overlay or topcoat stations are installed, power is removed from the heaters.
4-7 Loading supplies Load cleaning tape in the cartridge 1 Place the cleaning tape cartridge upside down on a level surface, such as a table, with the glide roller toward you. 2 Pull up firmly on the full take-up roll to remove it. E Do not re-use cleaning tape. The cleaning mechanism does not operate properly if you attempt to re-use cleaning tape. 3 Remove the end of the cleaning tape from the empty supply spool. Dispose of used cleaning tape according to your policy.
4-8 Loading supplies Glide roller 2 4 Empty take-up spool 3 1 Full supply roll iciv180u Figure 4-6: Load cleaning tape in the cartridge 12 Press down on the take-up spool and turn slightly (if needed) until the spool fully covers the spool holder ribs (step 4 in Figure 4-6). E Make sure the material winds clockwise . 13 Pick up the cleaning tape cartridge and turn it over. 14 Turn the take-up knob to remove any slack in the cleaning tape.
4-9 Loading supplies 2 Take-up knob Glide roller 1 1 Glide roller shaft iciv040u Figure 4-7: Replace the cleaning tape cartridge 3 Lower the cleaning tape cartridge into the printer. 4 Press down firmly to seat the cleaning tape cartridge in the printer. 5 Press down on the lock (step 2 in Figure 4-7) to secure the cleaning tape cartridge in the printer. E On some cartridges, press down and turn the lock clockwise cleaning tape cartridge.
4-10 Loading supplies Removing the supply cartridge Remove the supply cartridge when a "Supply empty" message appears, or when setting up the printer. Remove the overlay cartridge 1 Push down on the corner of the printer's top cover to unlatch it. Lift the top cover to the fully upright position. ! When the top cover opens, the interlock switch removes power to all motors and fans. Power is removed from the heater in the overlay (and topcoat) stations. Overlay (and topcoat) stations remain HOT.
4-11 Loading supplies Loading supply in the cartridge After removing the supply cartridge from the printer, remove the used material and load new material. Load supply in the cartridge 1 Place the supply cartridge upside down on a level surface, such as a table, with the wide side away from you. 2 Remove the spool caps (if used). 3 Pull up firmly on the full take-up spool to remove it. 4 Remove the end of the supply material from the empty supply spool if needed.
4-12 Loading supplies 10 Lift the label on the supply roll and unroll about 8 inches from the supply roll. 11 Wind the supply material in front of the guides and around the take-up spool (step 3 in Figure 4-9). Make sure that the material will wind counterclockwise . 12 Press the label onto the take-up spool to secure the supply material (step 4 in Figure 4-9).
4-13 Loading supplies 1 2 1 3 iciv035u Figure 4-10: Replace the overlay cartridge 3 Lower the overlay cartridge into the printer (step 1 in Figure 4-10). Make sure the supply material passes between the heated roller and the platen roller. Turn the supply knobs if needed to take up slack so the material does not wrinkle as the cartridge is pushed in place. 4 Press down to seat the overlay cartridge in the printer.
4-14 Loading supplies • Replace the topcoat cartridge i If you change the type of supply material you use, see “Changing operational settings” on page 6-15 for the complete process to follow. Removing the topcoat cartridge Remove the topcoat cartridge when a "Topcoat empty" message appears or when setting up the printer. Remove the topcoat cartridge 1 Push down on the corner of the printer's top cover to unlatch it. Lift the top cover to the fully upright position.
4-15 Loading supplies 4 Lift the cartridge straight up until the cartridge is above the edge of the printer (step 3 in Figure 4-11). Remove the cartridge from the printer. ♦ Loading topcoat in the cartridge After removing the topcoat cartridge from the printer, remove the used topcoat material and load new topcoat material. You also can load additional cartridges to provide nearly uninterrupted operation.
4-16 Loading supplies 1 2 4 3 iciv150u Figure 4-12: Load topcoat in the cartridge 8 Make sure the ribs inside the spool align with the grooves in the spool holder. Press on the spool and turn the supply roll slightly (if needed) until the spool fully covers the spool holder ribs. 9 Lift the label on the supply roll and unroll about 8 inches from the supply roll. 10 Wind the supply material in front of the guides and around the take-up spool (step 3 in Figure 4-12).
4-17 Loading supplies i If you have more than one optional station, make sure you match the cartridge with the station. 2 Align the topcoat cartridge so the spools in the cartridge are over the spindles in the station. 1 2 1 3 iciv148u Figure 4-13: Replace the topcoat cartridge 3 Lower the topcoat cartridge into the printer (step 1 in Figure 4-13). 4 Press down firmly to seat the topcoat cartridge in the printer.
4-18 Loading supplies User’s Guide for the ImageCard® IV Printer
Using the printer 5 This chapter provides information to help you run the ImageCard IV printer effectively and efficiently.
5-2 Using the printer Buttons and lights Two ImageCard IV printer buttons control the printer directly. Printer panel lights provide information about the printer’s current state. Buttons Use the Power button and Ready button to control the printer directly. (The printer driver also includes controls that affect the printer. Power button The Power button controls the power to the printer and all stations in it.
5-3 Using the printer 2 When the printer has been paused, press the Ready button to resume operation. 3 If there are no problems in the printer, the printer finishes cards in the printer and moves them to the output tray. ♦ Clear cards from the printer 1 To clear the cards currently in the printer, press and hold the Ready button until a tone sounds. If there is no error, the printer moves partly processed cards to the reject bin and removes card data from the printer memory.
5-4 Using the printer Status Light Description The printer is starting. Red Amber Green The printer is ready and waiting for cards. Steady green The printer is busy printing cards. Blinking green The printer is paused without an error. Steady amber Blinking amber The printer has issued a message. See the PC for the message. The printer has a problem that requires service. Steady red The printer top cover is open, such as when replacing supplies or fixing a problem.
5-5 Using the printer 3 Make sure the power cord and interface cable are connected. If needed, see “Connecting the printer” on page 3-2 for more information. 4 Press the printer Power button to turn on power (1). Observe the printer panel lights (2). See “Panel lights” on page 5-3. The printer initializes all enabled stations and makes audible sounds. Panel lights 2 Power button ICIV185U 1 Figure 5-3: Power on the printer 5 Press the PC Power switch to turn on the power to the PC.
5-6 Using the printer data, be sure to use an application in which you can save the result and edit it again, such as Windows WordPad™ or Word. See “Print from a PC application” for the steps to follow. E With any application, test your card design to verify the results. This section also describes some situations that might occur when making cards. Use a card creation application 1 Follow the instructions for the card creation application to capture, format, and save the data for the card.
5-7 Using the printer 3 1 ICIV079U Figure 5-4: Load an exception card 5 Hold the card input tray and release the card pusher to hold all cards in place. Replace the card input tray cover. 6 In the card creation application, send the exception card to print. 7 The ImageCard IV printer picks the exception card and uses the data from the card creation application to process it. 8 When the exception card is complete, it is placed in the output tray along with all other printed cards.
5-8 Using the printer – Set the paper size to CR80 Card 2.13" x 3.38". – Set all the margins to the same value as the driver. (You can set the margins in the application wider than the driver, if desired.) – Set the orientation for the card design—either portrait or landscape. 4 Format the text to print using only a TrueType ( ) font. To print using the K (solid black) panel of the print ribbon, choose the Black color in the application.
5-9 Using the printer the printer is busy. For a directly networked printer, the print server manages jobs from any PCs that send jobs to the printer. ♦ Operating tips • For the most current information about messages, see the online help for each message. • Whenever you are encoding magnetic stripe data or programming smart cards, be sure to handle incomplete cards according to your policy for handling the confidential data that might be on the card.
5-10 Using the printer To maintain the quality of printing or to correct problems you see with card quality, consider the following: • Quality of the card stock Make sure that cards meet the card quality requirements as described in “Card specifications” on page B-7. The blank cards on which you print can have surface irregularities, such as an uneven surface. If you see dropped out areas, as shown on the card in Figure 5-5, the quality of the card stock might cause the problem.
5-11 Using the printer Card features Several card features can influence the card production rate. They include: • Smart card programming Smart card programming is controlled by a custom application that sends data to the smart card module. The printer does not control the speed at which smart card programming occurs. The card waits in the smart card module until the custom smart card application indicates that programming is complete.
5-12 Using the printer Recover from opening the top cover ! When the top cover opens, the interlock switch removes power to the motors and fans. Power is removed from the heater in the topcoat and overlay station. The topcoat and overlay stations remain HOT. 1 Check the card location. – If the card is in the print station, the card stops printing immediately. This can cause damage to the print ribbon.
5-13 Using the printer i You can remove the card from the print station or allow the printer to clear the card. 5 Replace the print ribbon cartridge. See “Replacing the print ribbon cartridge” on page 4-4. 6 Close the cover of the printer and press to latch it. If the printer has a lock, lock the printer. 7 Select the Retry, Cancel, or Okay button on the message box displayed on the PC. The card moves to the reject bin. 8 Return to the card creation program to send the card to print again.
5-14 Using the printer 4 Hold the card output tray and release the output tray card pusher. 5 Replace the output tray cover. If the printer has a lock, lock the printer. ♦ Remove rejected cards Remove rejected cards from the reject bin when the "Reject bin full" message appears or when removing completed cards. Cards are rejected by the optional particle detector and when a problem occurs while personalizing a card. 1 If the printer has a lock, unlock the printer.
5-15 Using the printer • Printing a test card in a printer with a magnetic stripe module, when the card does not have a magnetic stripe (use a card with a magnetic stripe and make sure the stripe is oriented correctly) Messages issued by the printer at startup and some communication messages can be displayed on more than one directly networked PC with a SmartDriver installed. In most cases, a message appears on the PC that sent the card job that has a problem.
5-16 Using the printer 5 Depending on the situation, the message box might be removed automatically or you might need to respond. Cards still in the printer might be ejected. The message box can have one or more of these buttons: 6 – Retry: Clears the card from the printer. The driver sends the card or cards to the printer again. If the problem is corrected, normal operation resumes. – Cancel: Clears the card from the printer. The card is not sent to print again.
5-17 Using the printer 4 – Unlatch and remove the card input tray and output tray. – Remove the print ribbon cartridge and optional supply cartridges. Carry cartridges to a secure location such as a safe, locking drawer, or locking closet. Close PC applications and power off other equipment (including the PC) following your established procedure. i If you store the printer for several months, remove supplies before storing it.
5-18 Using the printer User’s Guide for the ImageCard® IV Printer
Using the printer driver 6 This chapter describes the tasks you perform using the printer driver.
6-2 Using the printer driver Working with Properties and other driver dialog boxes Printer driver settings and data are organized in a set of dialog boxes or pages where settings for the printer are displayed and can be changed. Printer driver settings and data are organized differently for Windows Me and 98, Windows 2000, Windows XP, and Windows NT. Use the section that applies to the operating system you use.
6-3 Using the printer driver • When the printer is installed, the default spool setting is “Spool printing so program finishes printing faster.” Use this setting, not “Print directly to printer.” • When the printer is installed, “Enable bi-directional support” is selected. This setting is required to display messages, print test cards, and for normal printerdriver communication. The printer or driver might stop operating if bi-directional communication is disabled.
6-4 Using the printer driver Use the Properties dialog box Make sure the printer power is on and the printer is connected to the PC. 1 Select Start from the Windows taskbar. 2 From the Windows Start menu, select Settings and then Printers. The Printers window appears. 3 Click once on the SmartDriver icon. 4 Select File from the Printers menu bar, and then select Properties. The SmartDriver Properties dialog box appears.
6-5 Using the printer driver Properties & Printing Preferences for Windows 2000 & XP The Printing Preferences dialog box includes the following settings or data: • Print on both sides (duplex printing) • Print ribbon type • Card design settings, such as landscape or portrait orientation • Printer type • Print blocking pattern • Cleaning interval • Whether to apply topcoat or overlay material to the front of the card, back of the card, or both • Magnetic stripe encoding formats, coercivity,
6-6 Using the printer driver Figure 6-2: Properties dialog box, Windows 2000 and XP 5 Select the tab that contains the information you want to view or change. 6 If you make changes, click OK to save the settings and close the dialog box. If you do not want to make changes, click Cancel to close the Properties dialog box. 7 If you change the port, reboot the PC and power the printer off and on.
6-7 Using the printer driver Figure 6-3: Printing Preferences dialog box, Windows 2000 and XP 5 If the setting you want to change appears, select the setting. 6 If the setting you want to change does not appear, click the Advanced button to display the Advanced Options dialog box. Click the plus sign (+) if needed to see all selections. When you click a selection, a list of choices appears next to the selection. Click the arrow on the box to see the selections available.
6-8 Using the printer driver E E If the selections you want to use are not available (are grayed out), make sure the feature is available in the printer. Also make sure that the printer is powered on and connected to the PC, and then resume the Printer Toolbox. See “Using the Printer Toolbox” on page 6-10. For a network-connected printer, see the e-Guide for ImageCard IV Printers. 7 To view help for settings, click on the What's This help button and then click any setting in the Printer Features list.
6-9 Using the printer driver 1 Select Start from the Windows NT taskbar. 2 From the Windows NT Start menu, select Settings and then Printers. The Printers window appears. 3 Click once on the SmartDriver icon. 4 Select File from the Printers menu bar, and then select Properties. The SmartDriver Properties dialog box appears. Figure 6-5: Properties dialog box, Windows NT 5 Select the tab that contains the information you want to view or change.
6-10 Using the printer driver i If you have the Printer Toolbox open, you can click the Default Document Properties button on the Status page to open the Default Document Properties dialog box. Figure 6-6: Default Document Properties dialog box, Windows NT 5 E Select the tab that contains the information you want to view or change. On the Advanced tab, click the plus sign (+) if needed to see all selections available. When you click a selection, choices appear in the “Change. . . “ box.
6-11 Using the printer driver Figure 6-7: Printer Toolbox icon The Printer Toolbox starts as part of Windows startup and is displayed by default. If you exited the Printer Toolbox, it starts again after a card is printed or after the Properties, Printing Preferences, or Default Document Properties dialog box is opened. The Printer icon shows the state of communication between the printer and driver, listed in the table below.
6-12 Using the printer driver Use the Help button on the Printer Toolbox for more information about each window.
6-13 Using the printer driver Viewing Printer Toolbox information The Printer Toolbox displays the following status information: • The top line displays the current printer or driver status. • If the printer is directly connected to this PC, the second line displays any messages. If the printer is shared through a network, this line indicates where to find information about messages.
6-14 Using the printer driver Minimizing the Printer Toolbox The Minimize button closes the Printer Toolbox dialog box. The program continues to run. Starting or quitting Advanced Setup The Advanced Setup button on the Printer Toolbox changes the printer driver from printing mode to Advanced Setup mode. After you start Advanced Setup, additional tabs appear on the Printer Toolbox where you can change printing intensity, position of printing, and laminator settings.
6-15 Using the printer driver Changing operational settings This section describes the operational settings for the printer that you can change using the printer driver. These settings can be used to customize the performance of your printer to meet the demands of your card design. Detailed information about how to change settings is available in help for each tab.
6-16 Using the printer driver • Position of printing on the card You can change where the printing is positioned on the card. When you select “Edge to edge” as the Print Margin value, you should set the position of printing on the card for best appearance and smooth operation. (Print Margin is set in the Properties, Document Default Properties, or Printing Preferences dialog box.) You can also change the position of printing to address card quality concerns.
6-17 Using the printer driver module, make sure the magnetic stripe test cards and the printer have the same coercivity. – Permanent marker (for recording data on cards) or a pen (if you record data on paper). – Paper and tape, if you want to create log pages. A log page has “test cards” taped to it with corresponding data (such as setting values) written on the page.
6-18 Using the printer driver User’s Guide for the ImageCard® IV Printer
Maintaining the printer 7 This chapter describes how to maintain the ImageCard IV printer for optimal performance.
7-2 Maintaining the printer Using the cleaning card The rollers in the printer should be cleaned periodically with the ImageCard IV cleaning card to ensure card quality and continued smooth operation of the printer. The cleaning card is sticky and removes particles and other debris from inside the printer, especially from the rollers. See “Cleaning supplies” on page B-10 for information about cleaning cards.
7-3 Maintaining the printer 5 Close the printer's top cover and push down to latch it. 6 Remove the card input tray cover. Hold the tray and latch the card pusher in the notch on the bottom of the card input tray. Move cards back to rest on the card pusher. i Do not touch the printing surface of the cards. 7 Peel off the protective paper from the cleaning card. Figure 7-1: Remove the protective paper from the cleaning card 8 Place the cleaning card in the card input tray as shown in Figure 7-2.
7-4 Maintaining the printer The printer picks the cleaning card and automatically moves it through the printer several times. The printer will eject the cleaning card when the cleaning cycle is complete. 11 Remove the used cleaning card from the reject bin. If you perform other cleaning tasks now, set the card aside to use for other tasks during this cleaning session. Discard at the end of the cleaning session. i Do not use the same cleaning card when you run a cleaning card in the printer again.
7-5 Maintaining the printer • Cleaning the card input and output trays and cavities • Using the cleaning card Cleaning the outside of the printer The outside of the printer should be kept clean for best appearance and to prevent air intake and exhaust fans from moving debris inside the printer or becoming obstructed. The frequency of cleaning depends on the environment in which the printer operates. If the printer is used in a clean environment, clean the outside of the printer at least once a month.
7-6 Maintaining the printer i Topcoat supply material can release small particles as the material is used. Particles accumulate around the lower card track and other horizontal surfaces. Particles also can stick to cards or rollers. i Holographic topcoat particles are easy to see, while clear topcoat particles are not as visible. Some supply lots will release more particles, called flash, than other lots. Adjust your cleaning practices to suit the current supply lot.
7-7 Maintaining the printer 4 Use a lint-free cloth to clean the visible surfaces inside the printer. ! Do not clean the green printed circuit boards inside the printer. 5 Use the vacuum cleaner to remove any visible particles from inside the printer. i If a topcoat station is installed, be sure to clean the base of the topcoat station and its tracks. ! Do not allow any wires or cables to enter the vacuum cleaner nozzle.
7-8 Maintaining the printer 10 Continue with other cleaning tasks, such as cleaning the card input and output trays and cavities. ♦ Cleaning the card trays and cavities The card input tray requires regular cleaning because it holds unprocessed cards, which can have particles or powder on them. The card output tray should be kept clean so it does not negatively affect card quality. The cavities that hold the card input and output trays include sensors that monitor whether trays are empty or full.
7-9 Maintaining the printer Figure 7-6: Clean sensor windows in the card tray cavities 7 Use the vacuum cleaner to clean all visible surfaces on the inside and outside of the card trays and their covers. 8 Close the cover of the printer if it is open and press to latch it in place. 9 Replace the card input and output trays and their covers and latch them in place. Lock the printer if needed. 10 Plug the power cable into the receptacle.
7-10 Maintaining the printer 2 Remove the power cord from the power receptacle. Unlock the printer if needed. 3 Push down on the corner of the printer's top cover to unlatch it. Lift the top cover to the fully upright position. 4 Remove the print ribbon cartridge. See “Removing the print ribbon cartridge” on page 4-2. i Move the cable away from the printhead to avoid pinching the printhead cable wires. 5 Press the printhead cage stop and move the printhead back.
7-11 Maintaining the printer Printing surface iciv073u Figure 7-8: Clean the printing surface of the printhead 8 Lift the printhead to move it to the resting position. Do not latch the printhead at this time. 9 Replace the print ribbon cartridge. See “Replacing the print ribbon cartridge” on page 4-4. 10 Close the cover of the printer and press to latch it. Lock the printer if needed. 11 Plug the power cable into the power receptacle. Resume normal operation of the printer.
7-12 Maintaining the printer 3 Push down on the corner of the printer's top cover to unlatch it. Lift the top cover to the fully upright position. 4 Remove the print ribbon cartridge. See “Removing the print ribbon cartridge” on page 4-2. 5 If the printer has a topcoat or overlay station in location 1, remove the supply cartridge to enable the card track gate to open farther. See “Removing the topcoat cartridge” on page 4-14.
7-13 Maintaining the printer A ICIV084U Figure 7-10: Gently clean the magnetic stripe head 9 Close the card track gate. 2 1 ICIV085U Figure 7-11: Close the card track gate 10 Replace the print ribbon cartridge. Also replace the topcoat or overlay cartridge if it was removed. See “Loading supplies” on page 4-1. 11 Close the cover of the printer and press to latch it. Lock the printer if needed. 12 Plug the power cable into the power receptacle. Resume normal operation of the printer.
7-14 Maintaining the printer Cleaning the heated roller At times, the heated roller in the optional overlay or topcoat station can have deposits that affect card appearance. Clean the heated roller to remove deposits and improve card appearance. Clean the heated roller 1 Power off the printer. The heated roller in the overlay or topcoat station operates at 400° F (200° C). Wait 30 minutes or until the heated roller area is cool.
7-15 Maintaining the printer 2 1 iciv006u Figure 7-12: Clean the heated roller 5 Replace the supply cartridge. 6 Close the cover of the printer and press to latch it. Lock the printer if needed. 7 Power on the printer to resume card production. 8 Repeat if needed. ♦ Replacing the printhead cartridge The printhead in the ImageCard IV printer has a direct effect on print quality. The printhead is subject to wear, which reduces card quality.
7-16 Maintaining the printer 3 Push down on the corner of the printer's top cover to unlatch it. Lift the top cover to the fully upright position. 4 Remove the print ribbon cartridge. See “Removing the print ribbon cartridge” on page 4-2. 5 Put on the ESD strap. Follow the instructions with the strap. 6 Push the locking tabs to the side (step 1 in Figure 7-13). Remove the printhead cable from the printhead board (step 2 in Figure 7-13).
7-17 Maintaining the printer 2 1 ` A iciv072u Figure 7-14: Press the printhead cage stop i Avoid bumping the wheel at the bottom of the supply spindle (A in Figure 7-14). 8 Push up on both sides of the printhead cartridge to release the printhead from the cage. Pull the printhead cartridge back until both side pins release from the clips (Figure 7-15). Side pin Side pin Clip iciv086u Figure 7-15: Remove the printhead from the cage 9 Remove the printhead from the printhead cage.
7-18 Maintaining the printer 3 1 2 4 iciv179u Figure 7-16: Guide the printhead cable through the cage ♦ After you remove the printhead cartridge, replace it with a new printhead. Replace the printhead cartridge 1 Make sure the power for the printer is off. i You can damage the printhead if you do not power off the printer. i Make sure that the ESD strap is on and connected to the printer, according to the instructions on the package. 2 Remove the new printhead cartridge from the packaging.
7-19 Maintaining the printer 3 2 1 iciv179u Figure 7-17: Pass the connector through the printhead cage 4 Lift the printhead cage to move it to the resting position. 5 Grasp the printhead and align the side pins with the clips in the printhead cage. Press firmly on the ribbed side of the printhead (step 1 in Figure 7-18) and then the flat side (step 2 in Figure 7-18) in until the pins are firmly seated in the clips. i Make sure both side pins are firmly seated in the clips.
7-20 Maintaining the printer 6 Align the connector and the receptacle with the green label away from the printhead. The connector fits into the receptacle in only one way, as shown in Figure 7-19. iciv181u Figure 7-19: Align the cable notch with the slot 7 Press the printhead cable into the connector on the printhead board until it is seated (Figure 7-20). ! Do not press on the wires of the cable. iciv090u Figure 7-20: Attaching the printhead cable to the board 8 Open the cleaning pen.
7-21 Maintaining the printer 11 Replace the print ribbon cartridge. See “Replacing the print ribbon cartridge” on page 4-4. 12 Close the cover of the printer and press to latch it. Lock the printer if needed. 13 Plug the power cable into the power receptacle. 14 Make a printer test card. See “Making and evaluating test cards” on page 8-4. Evaluate the printing on the test card. See “Problems with card appearance” on page 8-9 for guidance on solving most problems.
7-22 Maintaining the printer User’s Guide for the ImageCard® IV Printer
Troubleshooting 8 This chapter explains how to troubleshoot the Datacard® ImageCard® IV photo ID printer and how to obtain service.
8-2 Troubleshooting When you experience problems using the printer, follow these guidelines: • Record the printer model serial number located on the back of the printer, shown in Figure 8-1. Label with serial number ICIV089U Figure 8-1: Location of printer serial number i The last three or four digits form the sequential serial number, shown in Figure 8-2.
8-3 Troubleshooting Troubleshooting guide Use the following to help you locate information about different types of problems. Problem Location Printer beeps without a message displayed on the PC See “Responding to messages” on page 5-14. Installation problems See “Installing the printer driver” on page 3-11. Appearance of printed cards See “Problems with card appearance” on page 8-9. Communication between PC and printer See “Setup tips” on page 3-18.
8-4 Troubleshooting If the card creation application does not print the card as expected, but the test card and sample card print, the card creation application is likely not set or operating properly. Making and evaluating test cards You can make the following types of test cards. • Printer test cards verify the function of the printer. You print them using controls on the printer.
8-5 Troubleshooting 2 1 ICIV183U Figure 8-3: Press and hold Ready button (1) and then Press Power switch (2) 4 Release the Ready button. You hear the internal components initialize. Allow 30 to 60 seconds for the printer to begin printing the test card. The status light will flash green while the printer is processing the data. Ei If the printer includes a topcoat station, an overlay station, or both, the stations might require time to heat up.
8-6 Troubleshooting Blue Cyan Red Magenta Green Dark Blue Yellow Black Black Black Border Figure 8-4: ImageCard printer test card (using color ribbon) E Your service provider might ask you to use a different procedure to make a printer test card. The card printed might have additional areas printed on it. For UltraGrafix printers, the test card is printed with one color, such as black. Check the following: • The test card has the pattern shown on the front of the card.
8-7 Troubleshooting Windows test page Follow these steps to print a Windows test page on all supported operating systems. Print the Windows test page Ei The printer must be connected to the PC with the driver installed, and both printer and PC must be running. 1 Select Start from the Windows taskbar. 2 Select Settings and then Printers (Printers and Faxes on Windows XP) from the Windows Start menu. The Printers (and Faxes) window appears. Click once on the printer icon.
8-8 Troubleshooting Win NT Print Microsoft Windows N T winNTtp Figure 8-6: Windows test page, landscape orientation The Windows test page can have a different appearance, depending on the operating system and how the printer is connected to the PC. E The Windows test page is generated by Microsoft Windows. The small size of the card, compared to printer paper, means that some of the text is not printed on the card.
8-9 Troubleshooting 4 – Three-track: IAT formatted data (IATA data on track 1, ABA data on track 2, and TTS data on track 3). See “Magnetic stripe encoding” on page D -1 for more magnetic stripe information. – NTT track: NTT formatted data on the track. Test the card by passing it through a card reader that will display the data encoded on the card. The encoded data should match the data printed on the test card.
8-10 Troubleshooting Print station Table 8-1 describes problems that can originate in the print station. Table 8-1: Print quality problems What you see Possible causes Solutions One or more unprinted lines run the entire length of the card. The printhead might be dirty or damaged. Clean the printhead. See Chapter 7. Run a test card. See this chapter. If cleaning does not solve the problem, replace the printhead. See Chapter 7.# Part of the printed card is blank. Text is not printed on the card.
8-11 Troubleshooting Table 8-1: Print quality problems What you see Possible causes Solutions The leading or trailing edge of the printed card is not the expected color. Cards might be slipping in the card track. Clean the inside of the printer. Run a cleaning cycle, then clean the rollers. See Chapter 7. Two cards might have been picked. Set the card thickness. See Chapter 3. Fan cards before inserting them in the card cartridge. The print ribbon might not be Datacardrecommended.
8-12 Troubleshooting Table 8-1: Print quality problems What you see Possible causes Solutions Printed card images (photos) are blurry. The image capture system needs adjustment. See the information for the image capture system. Printed cards, including text, are blurry. The rollers may be dirty. Run a cleaning cycle, then clean the rollers. See Chapter 7. The cards may not meet specifications. Obtain and use a different supply of cards. See Appendix A. The printhead may be dirty.
8-13 Troubleshooting Table 8-1: Print quality problems What you see Possible causes Solutions Printed card images (photos) look faded. The image capture system needs adjustment. See the information for the image capture system. Printed cards, including text, look faded. Print ribbon may have been stored improperly or damaged. Change the print ribbon. See Chapter 4. Print a test card. See Chapter 8. The cards may not meet specifications. Obtain and use a different supply of cards. See Appendix A.
8-14 Troubleshooting Table 8-1: Print quality problems What you see Possible causes Solutions The printed card shows small unprinted spots. The card is scratched, the card surface is uneven, or the card edge has burrs. If the problem occurs frequently, obtain and use a different supply of cards. See Appendix A. The printer rollers might be dirty. Run a cleaning card. See Chapter 7. The printer might need cleaning. The cleaning mechanism might not be operating often enough.
8-15 Troubleshooting Table 8-1: Print quality problems What you see Possible causes Solutions The card shows irregular lighter or darker spots. The print ribbon is wrinkling because the intensity setting is too high. Lower the printhead intensity setting. See the e-Guide. The printhead is not aligned correctly. The card shows wrinkles in dark areas of printing. Part or all of the printed image is expanded. Contact your service representative. The printhead intensity is too high.
8-16 Troubleshooting Table 8-1: Print quality problems What you see Possible causes Solutions Black-and-white images are poorly dithered. The image capture system needs adjustment. See the information for the image capture system. Brightness, contrast, or sharpness might not be set for the card design. Change settings on the Color Settings tab of the Printer Toolbox. See the e-Guide.
8-17 Troubleshooting Table 8-2: Topcoat (T panel) quality problems—print ribbon What you see The topcoat shows bands across the width of the card. The topcoat shows lines along the length of the card. A short edge of the topcoat does not stick to the card. The card shows irregular lighter or darker spots. # Possible causes The printhead intensity is too low. Increase the printhead intensity setting for topcoat. See the e-Guide.# The printhead is not aligned correctly.
8-18 Troubleshooting Optional topcoat station This section describes problems that might originate in the topcoat station. Table 8-3: Topcoat quality problems—topcoat station What you see Possible causes Random scratches appear in the topcoat of the printed card. Solutions The inside of the printer is dirty. Clean the inside of the printer. See Chapter 7. Run a test card. See Chapter 8. Supplies were mishandled. Store supplies in a clean environment.
8-19 Troubleshooting Table 8-3: Topcoat quality problems—topcoat station What you see Solutions The guide bars in the cartridge are bent or misaligned. Use a new topcoat cartridge. See Appendix A. The topcoat station needs fine tuning. Contact your authorized service representative. The Apply Material setting is No. Change the setting. See Chapter 3. Clear topcoat or laminate supply is installed in the topcoat cartridge.
8-20 Troubleshooting Optional overlay station This section describes problems originating in the optional overlay station. Holographic or clear laminate can be applied in the overlay station. When you apply laminate, you might see problems. Use this table to address problems you see with laminate. i If your printer has the optional topcoat station, see Table 8-3. Table 8-4: Overlay quality problems What you see Possible causes Supply material sticks to leading edge of the card.
8-21 Troubleshooting Table 8-4: Overlay quality problems What you see Laminate patch is off a long edge of the card. Jane Doe Laminate patch is not parallel to card edges. Jane Doe Laminate patch is off the trailing edge of the card. Possible causes Supply material is not loaded correctly in the cartridge. Load the supply roll correctly. See Chapter 4. Supply material is wound loosely on supply roll, possibly because of hand winding. Remove used supply from the take-up spool.
8-22 Troubleshooting Table 8-4: Overlay quality problems What you see Possible causes Laminate patch is off the leading edge of the card. Solutions An overlay patch is on the driver roller. Use a cleaning card. See Chapter 7. The rollers are dirty. Use a cleaning card. See Chapter 7. The supply tracker is slipping. Clean the supply tracker. See Chapter 7. Jane Doe Be sure your hands and the materials used are clean and free of grease or oil. Laminate patch is wrinkled on the card.
8-23 Troubleshooting Table 8-4: Overlay quality problems What you see Possible causes The surface of the card or laminate appears uneven. The temperature setting is too high. Change the temperature setting. See the e-Guide.# The heated roller is damaged. Turn off the power to the printer. Contact your service representative. The card stock is not compatible with the laminate material. Obtain and use cards that meet specifications or stop using laminate. The supply was missing a laminate patch.
8-24 Troubleshooting Packing the printer for shipping When service requests that you return the printer to a service center for repair, pack the printer for shipping. You might also need to pack the printer to send it to another location. Pack the printer 1 Turn off the power to the printer. Unlock the printer if needed. 2 3 Remove the power cord from the printer and power receptacle. Remove the interface cable and any other cables attached to the printer.
8-25 Troubleshooting 7 Close the cover and press down to latch it. 8 Use the original shipping carton, plastic bag, and foam shipping cushions. 9 Latch the card trays to the printer so they do not move during shipment. You can also use clear packing tape to further secure the trays and their covers. 10 Place the plastic bag around the printer and close it. 11 Place the printer on the bottom shipping cushion. 12 Place the top shipping cushion on the printer (step 1 in Figure 8-8).
8-26 Troubleshooting 16 Place the rear shipping cushion in the box, covering the back of the printer, when the printer is completely in the carton (step 4 in Figure 8-8). 17 Close the cardboard flap at the opening to the shipping carton (step 5 in Figure 8-8). 18 Close the outside flaps on the shipping carton (step 6 in Figure 8-8). 19 Secure the carton with shipping tape. Be sure to wrap around the shipping carton several times to secure it. 20 Put a shipping label on the carton.
Safety and compliance A This appendix presents: • Regulatory compliance information • Safety information • Trademark acknowledgments Regulatory compliance Notice for USA (FCC notice) This equipment generates, uses, and can radiate radio frequency energy. If it is not installed and used in accordance with this instruction manual, it may interfere with radio communications.
A-2 Notice for Taiwan and China 警告使用者： 這是甲類的資訊產品，在居住的 環境中使用時，可能會造成射頻 干扰，在這种情況下，使用者會 被要求采用某些适當的對策。 Notice for Japan This equipment is in the Class A category of information technology equipment based on the rules of the Voluntary Control Council for Interference by Information Technology Equipment (VCCI). When used in a residential area, radio interference may be caused. In this case, the user may be required to take appropriate corrective actions.
A-3 73/23/EEC. Therefore, safety issues pertaining to operation and repair of Datacard® equipment are primarily environmental and human interface. The following basic safety tips are given to ensure safe installation, operation and maintenance of Datacard® equipment and are not to be considered as comprehensive on all matters of safety. Safe environment • Connect equipment to a grounded facility power source. Do not defeat or bypass the ground lead.
A-4 User’s Guide for the ImageCard® IV Printer
Supplies and cards A This appendix describes specifications, part numbers, and handling for supplies and components used with the Datacard® ImageCard® IV photo ID printer.
B-2 Personalization supplies Print ribbon and optional topcoat and laminate supplies are used to personalize cards. This section describes Datacard®-certified personalization supplies for the Datacard® ImageCard® IV photo ID printer and how to store them. i Use Datacard-certified supplies in the printer. Print ribbons The ImageCard IV printer uses print ribbon with color panels. Color panels are identified by initials for their color as follows: Y=Yellow, M=Magenta (red), C=Cyan (blue).
B-3 Ribbon type Part number Images printed One panel set prints: Panel description Colors YMCKKT# 806124-112 Up to 110 Three colors, two true black panels, and topcoat Full-color and true black Front–three colors & true black back–true black & topcoat YMCKTKT 806124-106 Up to 95 Three colors, true black, topcoat, true black, and topcoat Full-color and true black Front–three colors, true black & topcoat back–true black & topcoat Dye-diffusion black ribbon Black Not applicable 597568-101 860
B-4 Laminate material Use Datacard DuraGard® laminate material in the ImageCard IV printer if the printer includes an optional overlay station. (Laminate is also called overlay.) Some material types can only be used with the newer metal heated roller. The overlay station has a light blue dot on it if it contains a metal heated roller. If you use 1.0 mil or 1.1 mil laminate, you must also use composite (not PVC) cards because of the heat required to apply 1.0 mil or 1.1 mil material.
B-5 Name DuraGard Smart Card 1.0 mil Clear Laminate Part number Heater roller 553277-102 Metal only Description Die-cut polyester patches, 1 mil thick, on a carrier material. Patch covers all of the card except the area of the smart card chip. About 250 uses. DuraGard 0.5 mil Clear Laminate 557171-001 Either Full-card die-cut polyester patches, 0.5 mil thick, on a carrier material. About 300 uses. DuraGard Smart Card 0.5 mil Clear Laminate 557171-002 Either Die-cut polyester patches, 0.
B-6 Topcoat material Use Datacard-approved topcoat material in the ImageCard IV printer, if the printer includes an optional topcoat station. The following describes the topcoat supply to use: i If the printer has an optional overlay station, see “Laminate material” on page B-4. Name Part number Description "Genuine Authentic" holographic topcoat 557104-500 Single roll of continuous topcoat for about 625 cards. Clear topcoat 557105-001 Single roll of continuous topcoat for about 625 cards.
B-7 Cards This section describes specifications and quality guidelines for card stock to use with the ImageCard IV printer. It also describes the environmental specifications for storage of card stock. Card specifications For best results with the ImageCard IV printer, use high-quality card stock that meets the specifications and recommendations described in this section. Card size Use CR-80 size cards with the following nominal dimensions: Length 3.37 inches 85.60 mm Width 2.125 inches 53.
B-8 StickiCards StickiCards™ adhesive-backed plastic cards, part number 597640-001, can be used. StickiCards are used to make personalized cards that can be adhered to proximity cards when the card surface is not flat enough to print. The printing surface of the StickiCard (white side) meets the material requirements for use in the printer. When using StickiCards, follow these guidelines: • Store cards in a cool place (such as a refrigerator) to avoid adhesive migration.
B-9 New cards preferred The ImageCard IV printer is designed to print on new card stock. If you print on cards twice, be careful to avoid getting dirt, fingerprints, or other contamination on cards before the second printing. Printing on cards that have been issued might introduce substances that interfere with card printing or damage the printer. See “Problems with card appearance” on page 8-9 to address card appearance problems with pre-printed cards.
B-10 • Make sure that the magnetic stripe on one card does not come in contact with the magnetic stripe on another card. • Make sure that cards with magnetic stripes are stored away from magnets and other magnetic objects. Card storage specifications The cards should be stored in a cool, dry, and dark place. Excessive light can cause yellowing of cards on exposed edges. Keep cards in their original packaging. Cards should be at room temperature when they are installed in the printer and used.
B-11 Heated roller cleaning stick To correct quality problems with topcoat or laminate applied to cards, use the heated roller cleaning stick. The cleaning stick is part number 548369-001. The cleaning stick is reusable. Printer driver CD-ROM The ImageCard IV printer drivers are delivered on a CD-ROM. The CD-ROM also contains associated files and utilities you might need.
B-12 Path Purpose D:\e-Guide\ Select Class with AIT\DS-e-Guide.pdf# and other files with names in the S_xxx.pdf format Select e-Guide files, which contains error recovery procedures linked to help. D:\e-Guide\ ImageCard IV -e-Guide.pdf# and other files with names in the 4_xxx.pdf format ImageCard IV e-Guide, which contains error recovery procedures linked to help. D:\e-Guide\SP Series\ SP_Info_Central.chm and other files with names in the SP_xxxxx.chm format.
B-13 Datacard Web site at www.datacard.com. You also can request the newest release of the printer driver on CD-ROM. The part number changes with each release. The e-Guides are also updated from time to time and can be downloaded from the Datacard Web site at www.datacard.com. Anti-static wrist strap When you change the printhead cartridge, you need to use an anti-static wrist strap, also called an ESD strap.
B-14 ! Do not touch the printing edge of the printhead in the printhead cartridge. If you do, use the cleaning pen to clean it. Print ribbon cartridge i Be sure to change the print ribbon setting in the printer driver when you change the type of print ribbon. Two models of print ribbon cartridge are available. Order the cartridge that matches the one you currently use. #.
B-15 Interface cable The ImageCard IV printer uses an interface cable (part number 806797-001) to connect the port on the printer to the ECP parallel port on the PC. Figure B-7: Parallel port cable Power cable The ImageCard IV printer uses one of the following power cords: • U.S. power cable (part number 804517-001) Figure B-8: U.S.
B-16 Overlay cartridge i If your printer has both topcoat and overlay stations, you must have specific cartridges for topcoat and laminate (overlay). The cartridges are not interchangeable. Three models of overlay cartridge are available. Order the cartridge that matches the one you currently use.
B-17 adjustable overlay cartridge kit is 553402-001. Follow instructions provided with the cartridge to use it. Adjustment Knob Clip Figure B-12: Adjustable overlay cartridge Topcoat cartridge i If your printer has both topcoat and overlay stations, you must have specific cartridges for topcoat and laminate (overlay). The cartridges are not interchangeable. Two models of topcoat cartridge are available. Order the cartridge that matches the one you currently use.
B-18 Figure B-14: Topcoat cartridge, part number 551215-002 Spool cap The spool cap maintains alignment of the supply material in the optional overlay or topcoat cartridge. The spool cap is part number 556900-001. Figure B-15: Spool cap Optional key You can purchase a replacement key for a printer with the optional lock. The key is part number 547069-001.
B-19 Tray latching pin You can purchase a replacement latching pin for the input or output tray. Both trays use the same latching pin. The latching pin is part number 547499-001. Figure B-17: Tray latching pin Fuse The fuse, located in the power receptacle, is part number 804960-017. 3 2 1 Figure B-18: Power receptacle fuse i The power receptacle fuse is a 2.5 ampere slow blow fuse. Card input tray Two card input trays are available, as shown in the following table.
B-20 Figure B-19: Card input tray i Do not tip the trays upside down. The latching pins can fall out and the pin is required for the trays to operate properly. Card output tray Two card input trays are available, as shown in the following table. Order the cartridge that matches the one you currently use.
B-21 Cleaning tape cartridge Two models of cleaning tape cartridge are available. Order the cartridge that matches the one you currently use.
B-22 User’s Guide for the ImageCard® IV Printer
PC port settings A This appendix provides information about the PC on which the printer driver for the Datacard® ImageCard® IV photo ID printer is installed. It describes: • Configuring the ECP parallel port • Setting port values • Configuring the optional smart card serial port This appendix includes a section for settings that are handled the same way in all operating systems and also includes sections for each PC operating system supported by the printer driver.
C-2 PC port settings for all operating systems This section describes how to configure ports. i See the information that accompanies your PC for details about changing the BIOS settings. Configure the ECP parallel port For most PCs, the parallel port is configured as an ECP parallel port in the PC's BIOS. The following applies to some PCs and to the Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows Me, Windows 98, and Windows NT operating systems. 1 Close all open applications. 2 Reboot the PC.
C-3 5 Click the + next to Ports (COM and LPT) to display the port entries. Usually the second installed port is LPT2. 6 Click Printer Port (LPT2), or other entry for the installed port, and then choose the Properties button. The Printer Port (LPT2) Properties dialog box appears. 7 Click the Resources tab. – Make sure that “Use automatic settings” is not chosen. – The “Conflicting device list” should show No conflicts.
C-4 PC settings for Windows 2000, XP & NT 4.0 This section describes the following for PCs running Windows 2000, XP, or NT 4.0. • Setting parallel port values • Setting serial port values Setting parallel port values Port values include the port to which the printer is assigned, the communication mode for the port, and printer spooling. Set parallel port values for Windows 2000, XP & NT 1 From the Windows taskbar choose Start, Settings, and then Printers (Printers and Faxes for Windows XP).
C-5 16 Click OK on the Printer Port (LPT1) Properties dialog box and on the System Properties dialog box to save settings and close the dialog boxes. ♦ Setting a smart card serial port—Windows 2000, XP, and NT For some smart card applications, you connect the PC to the printer’s smart card serial port. The PC should be set to match the printer’s smart card serial port settings. This section describes how to set the PC serial port in the Windows 2000, Windows XP, or Windows NT 4.0 operating systems.
C-6 Figure C-3: Settings dialog box 4 5 Choose the following settings: Setting Value Baud rate 9600 Data bits 8 Parity None Stop bits 1 Flow control None When the settings are correct, click OK to save settings and close the dialog box. ♦ Set the serial port on Windows XP 1 From the Start menu, choose Settings and then Control Panel. 2 From the Control Panel, choose the System icon. 3 Choose the Hardware tab, and then choose the Device Manager button.
C-7 Figure C-4: Communications Port Properties dialog box 5 Choose the Port Settings tab. i If the PC has more than one serial port, make sure you view the settings for the serial port to which the smart card module is attached. 6 7 Choose the following settings: Setting Value Baud rate 9600 Data bits 8 Parity None Stop bits 1 Flow control None When the settings are correct, click OK to save settings and close the dialog box.
C-8 Setting parallel port values—Windows Me and 98 Parallel port values include the port to which the printer is assigned, the communication mode for the port, and printer spooling. Verify port assignment and settings 1 From the Windows taskbar choose Start, Settings, and then Printers. The Printers window appears. 2 Highlight the SmartDriver icon by clicking on it once. 3 From the menu bar, choose File and then Properties. The SmartDriver Properties window appears.
C-9 11 Choose OK or Close on each window to select the choice and close the window. If the Version Conflict dialog box appears, choose Yes to keep the existing version. 12 Choose OK to close the System dialog box and make the changes take effect. ♦ Setting a smart card port for Windows Me & 98 For some smart card applications, you connect the PC to the serial port on the ImageCard IV printer. The PC should be set to match the printer serial port settings.
C-10 6 Choose the Properties button to display the port settings. i If the PC has more than one serial port, make sure you view the settings for the serial port to which the smart card module is attached. Figure C-6: Settings dialog box 7 Choose the Port Settings tab. 8 Choose the following settings: 9 Setting Value Bits per second 9600 Data bits 8 Parity None Stop bits 1 Flow control None When the settings are correct, click OK to save settings and close the dialog box.
Magnetic stripe encoding A This appendix describes the specifications and characters you can encode on a magnetic stripe in the Datacard® ImageCard® IV photo ID printer, including: • IATA, ABA, and TTS character sets • NTT character sets This appendix also describes basic steps required to set up for magnetic stripe encoding. i To use custom magnetic stripe formats (frequently sent as binary data), contact your service provider for more information.
D-2 • The following table lists formatting choices available and provides information about setup: Format IAT NTT Triple IATA Proprietary Custom Printer Magnetic stripe Module IAT Data can be formatted by: Data is verified by: Use Diagnostics ? ID Works Driver IAT No Magnetic Stripe Fonts (includes Preface) Printer IAT No Escape Codes Printer IAT No ID Works Driver NTT Coercivity Magnetic Stripe Fonts (includes Preface) Printer NTT Coercivity Driver Use printer settings Yes
D-3 • Proprietary formats, used for applications such as driver’s licenses or hotels, can be used with the printer. Obtain the guidance of your service provider or VAR when using proprietary formats. • See the Release Notes file for the operating system you use to identify any limitations that might apply to magnetic stripe encoding. • On Windows 98 and Me, data formatted with magnetic stripe fonts or escape codes cannot be located in rotated fields.
D-4 6 – For Windows 2000 and XP, select Printing Preferences. On the Printing Preferences dialog box, click Advanced to display Advanced settings. – For Windows NT, click Document Default Settings. Click the Advanced tab to display Advanced settings. – If you have the Printer Toolbox open, you can click the Properties (9x), Printing Preferences (2000 and XP), or Default Document Properties (NT) button on the Status page to open the Properties or Advanced dialog box.
D-5 • The driver does not check the data you send. (The printer checks the data.) This is the same behavior as magnetic stripe fonts. On Windows 98, 98 SE, and Me, data formatted with escape codes cannot be located in rotated fields.
D-6 IATA, ABA, and TTS character sets The IAT encoding format selection for the ImageCard IV printer encodes IATA data on track 1, ABA data on track 2, and TTS data on track 3. IATA (International Air Transport Association) The maximum field length for IATA format is 76 characters. IATA allows spaces, upper case alphabetic characters, numeric characters, and the following special characters: !#$%'()*+,-.
D-7 NTT character set The maximum field length for NTT (Nippon Telephone & Telegraph) format is 69 characters. NTT allows spaces, numeric characters, upper case alphabetic characters, lower case alphabetic characters, and special characters. From a PC running a Japanese edition of a supported Windows operating system, NTT also supports 55 Katakana characters. The special characters include: !"#$%&'()*+,-.
D-8 Magnetic Stripe settings used by the ImageCard IV printer The following table presents technical details that apply to encoding magnetic stripe data.
Related publications A This appendix describes other publications for the ImageCard IV printer. • User's Guide for ImageCard IV Photo ID Printer, Part Number 539042-001 This manual provides comprehensive information about using the printer and driver, how to care for the printer, and how to fix problems. The information in this guide is supplemented by the online e-Guide and by help for the printer driver.
E-2 User’s Guide for the ImageCard® IV Printer
Laminate material default settings A This appendix describes the default settings to use for different topcoat and laminate materials. Use these values: • To compare with the settings currently used by the printer • To setup the option station for a material that is not included in the Material Settings list in the Printer Toolbox Use the Advanced Setup Laminator -Advanced tab to view the values in the printer. The default values are based on testing and should be used as starting points.
F-2 The following are default values for laminate materials that can be used in an overlay station with a metal heated roller: Temp Speed Pressure DuraGard 0.5 mil Clear Laminate 180 200 1550 DuraGard 1.0 mil Clear Laminate 200 150 1550 DuraGard 0.6 mil Holographic Laminate 180 200 1550 DuraGard 1.1 mil Holographic Laminate 200 125 1550 The overlay station has a color icon in the location shown if it has a metal heated roller.
Index A AC power cord 2-7, B-15 administrator printer 1-2 settings 6-3 Windows 2000 and XP 3-12 Windows 2000, XP and NT 3-20, C-4 Windows NT 3-15 Adobe Acrobat Reader B-12 advanced setup 6-12, 6-14, 6-15 anti-static wrist strap B-13 API, See application programming interface 1-6 application cards 1-10, 5-7 application programming interface (API) 1-6, 5-6, D-1, E-1 B barcodes printing 1-9 black panel intensity 6-15 preheat 6-15 printing test 5-8 blank cards quality 5-10 test cards 2-7 blocking print 6-3, 6-
2 card separator setting 3-8 carton opening 2-4 packing for shipment 8-24 cartridge cleaning tape B-21 load cleaning tape 4-5 load laminate 4-9 load print ribbon 4-2 load topcoat 4-13 load topcoat or laminate 4-11 print ribbon B-14 printhead 7-15 replace supply 4-12 replace topcoat 4-16 center printing 6-16 character sets magnetic stripe D-6 choices 6-12 cleaning and quality 5-10 card 1-4, 2-7, 7-2, B-10 card tray sensor windows 7-8 change cleaning tape 4-5 cleaning tape cartridge B-21 debower 7-7 heated ro
3 faded cards 8-13 FCC notice A-1 firmware version number 6-13 fixing problems 5-14, 8-3 flash, topcoat 7-2 fonts displaying 5-8 magnetic stripe 5-8, D-2 TrueType 5-8 fuse 2-8, B-19 G green user controls 1-5 H handles, cartridge 1-5 heated roller cleaning stick B-11 heating, option stations 5-9 help Default Document Properties 6-8 message 5-15 Printing Preferences 6-5 Properties 6-4, 6-5, 6-8 holographic topcoat 1-6, B-6 humidity 2-4, B-6, B-10 I icon e-Guide 1-2 options 1-7 printer 6-2 Printer Toolbox 6
4 magnetic stripe (continued) setup D-1 test card 8-8 test card data 8-6 track formats D-1 maintain the printer 7-1 making cards 5-5, 5-9 margins setting print position 6-16 mass transfer printing 1-9 messages about 1-4 buttons 5-16 help 5-14 number 5-15 understanding 5-14 modules See options 1-5 output tray See card output tray 1-4 overlay station about 1-6 adjustable cartridge B-17 apply material 6-5 card debower 3-7 card thickness B-7 cleaning debower 7-7 cleaning heated roller 7-14 cleaning supply trac
5 polyester patch 1-6, B-4 port data 1-9 ECP capable parallel port 1-9, 3-2, C-2 PC requirement 1-9 printer 3-2 service 3-3 smart card serial 3-3, C-5, C-9 position of laminate 6-16, B-17 position of printing 6-16 power button 5-2 cord 2-7, 3-4, B-15 light 5-3 PC 5-5 printer on 5-4 receptacle 2-3 switch 8-5 preheat printing 6-15 print blocking 6-3, 6-5, 6-8 edges and quality 5-10, B-8 jobs 5-3 quality 5-9 topcoat 5-11 print quality blank card 8-10, 8-11 cleaning printhead 7-9 See also image quality 8-10 tex
6 printer driver (continued) PC requirements 1-9 printer type setting 6-2 required settings 3-17 settings 3-17 troubleshooting 8-3 printer parts adjustable overlay cartridge B-17 card input tray 2-8, B-20 card output tray 2-8, B-20 cleaning tape cartridge B-21 data cable 1-10, B-15 ECP parallel cable 1-10 fuse 2-8, B-19 latching pin B-19 optional key B-18 overlay cartridge B-16 power cord B-15 print ribbon cartridge B-14 printhead cartridge 2-8, B-13 spool caps B-18 supply cartridges 2-8, B-14 topcoat cartr
7 security incomplete cards 5-9 key 1-9 print ribbon 5-9 rejected cards 5-13 supplies 5-16 sensor windows 7-8 separator card 3-8 serial port 3-3 serial cable and port 3-3 smart card 2-7, B-15 service obtaining 8-23 printhead 7-15 who to call 1-10, 8-1 Service Pack for Windows 2000 3-12 Service Pack for Windows NT 4.
8 test card (continued) magnetic stripe data 8-6 options 8-6 printer 8-4, 8-6 purposes 8-4 test page Windows 8-7, 8-8 text magnetic stripe 5-8 printing intensity 6-15 TrueType fonts 5-8 tools electrostatic discharge (ESD) strap 2-9 scissors 2-9 vacuum cleaner 2-9 top cover lock option 1-5, 3-4 opening at the wrong time 5-11 topcoat and cleaning frequency 7-5 and production rate 5-11 apply 6-5 card thickness 3-7, B-7 cleaning 7-7 cleaning debower 7-7 cleaning heated roller 7-14 cleaning supply tracker 7-7 fl
