Print head attachment hardware

Connector

Head angle

Do NOT adjust tighten these

Print head pivot

Print head assembly : Replacement print heads are shipped pre-assembled to the mounting bracket shown here. To ensure uniform contact pressure across its width, the head is free to rotate ± 2° about its center pivot. It is secured to the bracket by four button head screws, tightened to allow a sliding fit.

Electric Shock Caution • Make sure power is disconnected before working on the print head. Also note that the head will likely be destroyed if power is reapplied while you are in porcess of reconnecting the cable, or if the plug is not seated properly.

Replacing the print head

1.Open the main cover, then power OFF.

2.Remove the color ribbon.

3.Unplug the cable from the print head.

4.Remove only the fasteners 1, 2, and 3 in the photo on the preceding page, then lift the print head clear.

5.Make a note of the resistance entered on the replacement printhead’s label (should be between 2400 and 3600 Ù.

6.Connect the cable to the replacement printhead, making sure it is seated properly, see “STOP” above. Install the print head, securing it with shoulder bolts 1 and 2, fully tightened, then loosely with socket head cap screw 3 (with plain washer) through the slot in the bracket.

7.Pivot the head assembly forward to bring the angle adjust button head in contact with the print head frame, then tighten screw 3.

8.Make sure the cable is not inhibiting free rotation of the print head about its pivot.

9.Power ON, then check print quality as follows.

10.Enter the printhead resistance in the driver Properties “Print Station Adjustment” screen, page TN4-4.

Print quality tests and adjustments

The objective in the following is to find the best compromise between image quality and ribbon wrinkling. In the printer driver go to Printing Preferences

>Image Adjustment, then set both Brightness and Contrast to 50 (default condition).

1.Run IDPrint Lite, Tech Note 8, then select

Graytone.bmp as Image 1.

2.Print two or three cards with the graytone image.

3.If you are satisfied with the overall appearance and uniformity of the image, you might wish to leave well alone. If you feel some improvement could be achieved, proceed to Step 4.

4.Referring to the photo on the preceding page, mark the head-angle-adjust button head with a fiber tip pen to serve as a reference. Loosen screw #3 just enough to allow sliding movement of the printhead bracket.

5.Unlock the angle adjust button head screw, turn it a quarter-turn counterclockwise, then re-lock it. This will have the effect of rotating the head counterclockwise a fraction of a degree when you snug the button head against the printhead frame. Tighten screw #3.

6.Print another graytone card for comparison. If there is a noticeable improvement, try another quarter-turn adjustment, then print again.

7.If the print quality is seen to deteriorate rather than improve, return to the as-shipped setting of the head angle screw, then try rotating it clockwise in quarter-turn increments.

980541-001 Rev. A

P640i Card Printer User Guide

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