System information

Mach 5 (950C) Common Issues and Solutions.doc Rev. 12-19-11 Neopost USA Addressing Group
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10. The Toolbox displays "… Ink_Low" or “Ink_Out …", but Ink % Levels do not agree.
Example: Toolbox displays “Ink_Out_Magenta”, but it also shows the Magenta Ink Level as 23%.
NOTE: See Item #9 for information on the “Ink_Out_Any” condition.
Possible Causes:
a. One or more Ink Tanks are Low or Empty.
b. Printer was NOT placed on a sturdy, level table. Level the Table surface, NOT the body of the Printer
.
If the printer is not placed on a sturdy, level table, the “Visible Ink Level” will not be accurate.
There are two methods the printer uses to monitor and calculate the amount of ink available in each
Tank. These two methods are explained below.
Visible Ink Level: A sensor looks at the prism on the Tank, to determine the visible level of ink in the
Tank. This type of ink level monitoring is present in all five Ink Tank slots. If any of the sensors see no ink
in the Tank; the printer will be stopped and the Toolbox will display “Ink_Out…”.
Drop Count Calculation: The printer calculates ink usage by the number of ink drops fired.
This information is used to display the graphical representation of Ink levels (Ink %) in the Toolbox.
This “drop count” information is also written to the chip on the Ink Tank, so it travels with the Tank; in case
the Tank is removed and re-inserted at some later time.
c. Printer is over-estimating the amount of ink used for some functions.
The factory has determined that the current firmware (110513_d) is over-estimating the amount of ink
used for cleaning, wiping, priming and spitting activities. The “virtual ink level” is depleted each time one
of these activities occurs. In addition to the printer’s automatic use of these activities; if the operator also
uses the Toolbox features to run these activities, this exaggerates the issue.
Example: Frequent system depriming and priming will reduce the drop count level. Each time the system
is primed the drop count level (Ink % shown in the Toolbox and written to Ink Tank) is reduce by 1%.
Possible Solutions:
a. If a specific Ink tank is identified (Example: Ink_Out_Magenta); power-down the printer, using the
ON/OFF button, and replace the Ink Tank that is identified in the Toolbox as low or out. Then power up
the printer.
If a specific Ink Tank is not
identified (Example: Ink_Out_Multiple); power-down the printer, using the
ON/OFF button, install a set of new (full) Ink Tanks and power-up the printer. If issue is resolved by
replacing all Ink Tanks; then you can swap the old Tanks back into the printer, one at a time, to identify
the Tank or Tanks that are giving this condition.
b. Make sure the printer is on a sturdy, level
table. Level the Table surface, NOT the body of the Printer.
If this rule is not followed, the visible ink level readings will NOT be accurate. See Item #1 for details.
c. Check for a future firmware update to improve the accuracy of “estimated ink usage” for the cleaning,
wiping, priming and spitting activities.
WARNING! Please be sure to power off the printer (using the ON/OFF button) before swapping Ink Tanks.
What to do if an Ink Tank is giving the “Ink_Out” condition, but there is still plenty of ink in the Tank?
Contact the Addressing Group (610-650-9170) and obtain a Credit RA#, to send the Tank back for inspection
and possible partial credit. You will be credited based on the approximate amount of ink left in the Tank.
The following weights can be used to determine the approximate amount of ink left in an Ink Tank
New, Full Color Ink Tank (C,M,Y) = ~15.2 oz (plastic tank with full amount of ink)
New, Full Black Ink Tank (K) = ~15.4 oz (plastic tank with full amount of ink)
Empty Ink Tank = ~5.9 oz (empty plastic tank only)
Therefore the ink in a full Color Tank weights ~9.3 oz. and the ink in a full Black Tank weights ~9.5 oz.
NOTES:
• The only time it should be necessary to deprime the system is when you are planning to transport the
printer.
• Do not
use the “System Deprime” feature to remove or replace a printhead cartridge. In this case,
you should use the “Release Printhead” feature or button.
• It is normal for the printer to see the Ink Tank as “out of ink”, when the printer has determined that the
percentage of ink left in the Tank is at 2% or less. This is done in an effort to prevent the Ink from
emptying from the tubes; which would require re-priming (causing ink level differences).