ML 591 - Dot Matrix Printer OKI - Free user manual and instructions

USER MANUAL ML 591 OKI

Every effort has been made to ensure that the information in this document is complete, accurate and up-to-date. OKIDATA assumes no responsibility for the results of errors beyond its control. Okidata also cannot guarantee that changes in software and equipment made by other manufacturers, and referred to in this handbook, will not affect the applicability of the information in this manual. Mention of software products manufactured by other companies does not necessarily constitute endorsement by Okidata.

© 1994, 1995, 1996, 1998, 2001 by Okidata.

Revised edition, September 2001.

Written and produced by the Okidata Training & Publications Department. Please address any comments on this publication to:

Training & Publications Department

Okidata, Division of Oki America, Inc.

2000 Bishops Gate Blvd.

Mount Laurel, NJ 08054-3405

OKIDATA and MICROLINE are registered trademarks/marques déposées/marcas eeggistradas, Oki Electric Industry Company, Ltd. OKISMART TYPER is a trademark of Oki Electric Industry Company, Inc.

ENERGY STAR is a registered trademark of the United States Environmental Protection Agency.

IBM and PC are registered trademarks of International Business Machines Corporation.

Epson is a registered trademark of Epson America, Inc.

Year 2000 Compliance

All products currently sold by Okidata are Year 2000 Compliant. Each product contains information technology that accurately processes date and time data between the years 1999 and 2000. These products, when used in combination with products purchased from other manufacturers, whose products properly exchange date and time information, will accurately process the date and time. All future products are committed to meeting the same Year 2000 compliance.

ENERGY STAR®

As an ENERGY STAR partner, Okidata has determined that this product meets the ENERGY STAR guidelines for energy efficiency.

Important Safety Instructions

Your OKIDATA printer has been carefully designed to give you years of safe, reliable performance. As with all electrical equipment, however, there are a few basic precautions you should take to avoid hurting yourself or damaging the unit:

• Read the setup and operating instructions in this handbook carefully. Be sure to save it for future reference.
• Read and follow all warning and instruction labels on the printer itself.
• Unplug the printer before you clean it. Use only a damp cloth; do not use liquid or aerosol cleaners.
• Place your printer on a firm, solid surface. If you put it on something unsteady, it might fall and be damaged; if you place it on a soft surface, such as a rug, sofa, or bed, the vents may be blocked, causing it to overheat.
• To protect your printer from overheating, make sure no openings on the printer are blocked. Don't put the printer on or near a heat source, such as a radiator or heat register. If you put the printer in any kind of enclosure, make sure it is well ventilated.
• The printhead can get quite hot when it's been printing for a length of time. Don't touch the printhead until it's had a chance to cool.
• Do not use your printer near water, or spill liquid of any kind into it.
• Be certain that your power source matches the rating listed on the back of the printer. If you're not sure, check with your dealer or with your local power company.
• Your printer has a grounded, 3-prong plug as a safety feature, and it will only fit into a grounded outlet. If you can't plug it in, chances are you have a non-grounded outlet; contact an electrician to have it replaced with a grounded outlet. Do not use an adapter to defeat the grounding.
• The printer must be installed near a power outlet which remains easily accessible.
• To avoid damaging the power cord, don't put anything on it or place it where it will be walked on. If the cord becomes damaged or frayed, replace it immediately.
• If you're using an extension cord or power strip with the printer, make sure that the total of the amperes required by all the equipment on the extension is less than the extension's rating. Generally, the total ratings of all equipment plugged into any one power line should not exceed 15 amperes. Don't exceed this unless you know that the power line your equipment is plugged into has a rating above 15 amperes.
• Aside from the routine maintenance described in this handbook, don't try to service the printer yourself; opening the cover may expose you to shocks or other hazards. Don't make any adjustments other than those outlined in the handbook — you might cause damage requiring extensive repair work.
• If anything happens that indicates that your printer is not working properly or has been damaged, unplug it immediately and have your printer serviced. These are some of the things to look for:

The power cord or plug is frayed or damaged.
Liquid has been spilled into the housing, or the printer has been exposed to water.
The printer has been dropped or its cabinet has been damaged.
The printer doesn't function normally when you're following the operating instructions.

1: Setting Up Your Printer 1

Unpacking 2
Check The Contents 2
Remove the Protective Film 3
Remove the Shipping Retainers 3
Install the Ribbon Cartridge 4
Connect to Your Computer and to the Power Line 5
Turn on the Printer 6

2: Loading Paper 7

Single-Sheet Paper 8

Preliminaries 9
Loading Single-Sheet Paper 10
Setting the Top of Form for Single-Sheet Paper 12
Temporarily Changing the Top of Form Setting for Single-Sheet Paper 13

Rear-Feed Paper 14

Preliminaries. 15
Loading Rear-Feed Paper 16
Temporarily Changing the Top of Form Setting for Rear-Feed Paper 19

Paper Handling Features 20

Tear Feature 20
Form Tear-Off Feature 21
Paper Park Feature 24
Switching from Continuous-Form Paper to Single-Sheet Paper 25
Switching from Single-Sheet Paper to Continuous-Form Paper 26

3: Testing Your Printer 27

The Font Test (Self Test) 28
The Rolling ASCII Test 28

4: Setting Up Your Printer with Software 29

Basic Terminology 30
Emulations 30
Changing Emulations 30
Selecting a Printer Driver 31

5: Using the Control Panel 32

Print Mode 36
Indicator Lights 36
Menu Mode 38
Entering the Menu Mode 39
Exiting the Menu Mode 39
The Printer Menu 40
Active Buttons in Menu Mode. 41

6: Problem Solving & Maintenance 42

Problem Solving 43

Clearing Rear-Feed Paper Jams 48
Solving the Problem of Continuing Rear-Feed Jamming. 49
Clearing Single-Sheet Feed Jams 51

Cleaning the Housing. 52

7: Accessories & Replacement Parts. 53

Accessories 54
Replacement Parts 54

Reference Section 1: English 55

Reference Section 2: French 64

Reference Section 3: Spanish 75

Reference Section 4: Portuguese 84

Unpack your printer and check to be sure you have the following items:

• printer
• diskette
• power cord
• ribbon cartridge

If you are missing any of these items, contact your dealer immediately

Printer

Imprimante

Impresora

Impressora

Diskette Disquette

Disquete

Disquete

Power cord

Remove the Protective Film

Peel the plastic film from the carriage cover (1). Pull up on the carriage cover and peel the plastic film from the access cover (2), then swing carriage cover back into place.

Remove the Shipping Retainers

Open the access cover and remove the shipping retainer for the printhead (1). Lift the paper separator and remove the second shipping retainer (2).

1

2

3

Retainer
Cale
Retenedo
Protetor

4

Lift here
Soulevez ici
Levanteaquí
Levante aqui

Install the Ribbon Cartridge

Note: Leave the ribbon shield on the cartridge!

Make sure the printer is turned off. Slide the printhead to the center of the platen (1). Holding the ribbon cartridge as shown (2), fit the grooves in the flat end of the cartridge over the posts on the ribbon plate (3). Lower the front of the cartridge over the printhead until it snaps into place (4). Turn the knob in the direction of the arrow on the cartridge to take up the ribbon slack (5).

1

2
Ribbon shield Protection du ruban Protector de la cinta Proteçao da fita

3

4

5
Knob
Bouton de manoeuvre
Perilla
Pino deavanço da fita

Connect to Your Computer and to the Power Line

Turn both the computer and the printer off. Plug the parallel interface cable (you must supply the cable) into the parallel interface port on the back of the printer (1) and secure it in place with the wire loops (2).

Note: FCC regulations require the use of a shielded cable no longer than 6 ft. (1.8 m).

Plug the power cord into the power socket on the back of the printer (3), then plug the other end into a grounded outlet.

1

2

3

Turn on the printer (the power switch is on the right side of the housing).

The printhead crosses back and forth along the platen and the pins gently fire to determine the printhead gap setting. The POWER light (1) comes on. The ALARM light (2) also comes on, indicating that there is no paper loaded.

Use single-sheet paper for letterhead stationery, memos, and envelopes. It is also recommended for printing graphs and charts because it provides the most accurate control of the paper, producing solid black graphics and vibrant color charts.

Note: If you have continuous-form paper in the paper path, press the PARK button on the front panel to remove it from the path before loading single-sheet paper!

Make sure the printer is turned on and that the ALARM light (1) is on, indicating that there is no paper in the paper path.

Note: If the ALARM light is off, continuous-form paper is loaded in the paper path. Press the PARK button (2) to remove it from the path before attempting to load single-sheet paper.

Préliminaires

Move the paper lever to the position marked TOP (1). Unsnap the paper separator from the housing, then swing it upright to the position illustrated (2): make sure the wire feed guide is against the separator. Adjust the paper feed guides to fit the width of the paper and place a sheet of paper in the paper separator (3). The paper automatically feeds into the printer. The printhead travels back and forth, gently firing its pins to sense the paper thickness and set the printhead gap.

Important! If you are printing envelopes, you need to enter the printer Menu, go to the "Top Feed" group and change the setting for "Gap Control" to 6 to ensure optimum printing performance (see pages 39-41).

1

2

3

Note: If the sheet of paper doesn't feed in properly, the "15" light on the front panel flashes. To correct this, press the SHIFT and RESET buttons simultaneously (1), then reload the paper.

Setting the Top of Form for Single-Sheet Paper

Make sure the printer is deselected (SEL light off—press the SEL button to deselect). To set the Top of Form (the position where the first line of printing begins) for single-sheet paper, use the front panel buttons indicated below (1). When you are done press the SEL button. The location of the printing is indicated by the red line on the paper shield.

Note: To reset the Top of Form to the factory default, turn off the printer, then hold the PARK and QUIET buttons while turning the printer back on.

To set Top of Form higher, press and hold SHIFT button while pressing LF button.

To set Top of Form lower, press and hold SHIFT button while pressing LF/LOAD button.

Temporarily Changing the Top of Form Setting for Single-Sheet Paper

To temporarily change the Top of Form setting for a page, deselect the printer (press SEL button) and press the LF button (1) until you reach the Top of Form position you want to use. The printer retains this setting until the next sheet feeds in.

Load continuous-form paper on the rear-feed paper path for printing spreadsheets, long reports, etc. For graphics or charts, use the single-sheet paper path to obtain the best results.

Note: If you have single-sheet paper in the paper path, press the FF/LOAD button to remove it from the path before loading rear-feed paper. The ALARM light comes on.

Make sure the printer is turned on and that the ALARM light (1) is on, indicating that there is no paper in the paper path.

Note: If the ALARM light is off, paper is loaded in the paper path. Press the FF/LOAD button (2) to remove single-sheet paper or the PARK button (3) to remove continuous-form paper from the path before proceeding.

Préliminaires

Loading Rear-Feed Paper

Move the paper lever to the position marked REAR (1). Lift the front edge of the paper separator and swing it up (2). Pull up on the lock levers to release the rear-feed tractors and swing open the tractor covers, then move the right-hand tractor to fit the width of the paper you're installing (3).

1

2

3

Pull the paper through the opening between the printer and the rear cover, and place the first two holes on each side of paper over tractor pins (1). Close the tractor covers and move the left tractor to align the edge of the paper with the reference mark for that paper size (2). Lock the left tractor by pushing back on its lock lever: move the right tractor so that the paper holes are centered on the pins, then lock the right tractor by pushing back on its lock lever (3).

1

Tractor covers closed

Close the paper separator and swing the wire feed guide forward so that it rests on the pull-up roller assembly (1).

Note: The wire feed guide keeps the continuous-form paper from curling back into the printer.

Push the FF/LOAD button (2). The paper automatically feeds into the printer and the ALARM light goes out. The printhead travels back and forth, gently firing the pins to sense the thickness of the paper and to set the printhead gap. Press the SEL button to select the printer, then set the Top of Form using the procedure described for single-sheet paper on page 12.

1

Temporarily Changing the Top of Form Setting for Rear-Feed Paper

To change the Top of Form setting for a single page, deselect the printer (press SEL button) and press the LF button until you reach the Top of Form position you want to use. The printer retains this setting for one page only.

To change the Top of From setting for multiple pages of continuous-form paper, deselect the printer (press SEL button) and press the LF button to move to the new Top of Form position, then press and hold the SHIFT button while pressing the QUIET/TOF button. The printer retains this setting until you park the continuous-form paper or until you change the Top of Form again.

Caution! Do not use the platen knob to advance the paper to the tear position!

Press the TEAR button (1) to advance continuous forms up to the tear position so you can easily tear off a printed sheet without wasting paper or readjusting the printer.

To return the paper to the print position, press the TEAR button again.

Note: The Tear feature can not be used when the optional pull tractor is installed.

Form Tear-Off Feature

This feature automatically moves continuous-form paper up to the tear position after the selected amount of time. The paper will return to the initial printing position when the printer receives data.

This feature is normally turned off. To activate it, hold the SHIFT button and press the SEL button to enter the Menu Mode (1). Press the LF button until the Rear Feed group appears (2), press the FF/LOAD button until Form Tear-Off appears (3), press the TEAR button (4) until the setting you want appears — 500 ms, 1 sec, or 2 sec — then hold the SHIFT button while pressing the SEL button to exit the Menu Mode (1).

Caution! Do not engage Form Tear-Off when printing on labels.

Form Tear-Off Feature (continued)

To adjust the tear position with the Forms Tear-Off feature engaged, press and hold the SHIFT button while using the LF button (1) to feed the paper down in small increments or the FF button (2) to feed the paper up in small increments.

To set the Top of Form with the FormTear-Off feature engaged, push and hold the SHIFT and TEAR buttons (3) to see the current Top of Form setting. Then continue to hold the SHIFT button, release the TEAR button and press the LF button (4) to move the paper down or the FF button (5) to move the paper up to set the Top of Form.

Form Tear-Off Feature (continued)

Note: Some programs, such as high resolution graphics packages, pause occasionally while sending data to the printer. If the pause lasts more than two seconds, the paper advances to the tear-off position until more data is received. No data is lost, but this extra paper movement can cause uneven print registration in graphics. If you have this problem, enter the printer Menu, go to the Rear Feed group and change the setting for Form Tear-off to Off.

If you have problems setting the Top of Form high enough on the page when using Forms Tear-Off, see "Problem Solving" in Chapter 6.

Press the PARK button (1) to move continuous-form paper out of the paper path. To move the parked continuous-form paper back to the print position, press the FF/LOAD button.

Switching from Continuous-Form Paper to Single-Sheet Paper

Tear off printed pages, then press the PARK button (1) to remove the continuous-form paper from the paper path. Lift the paper separator to the upright position and move the paper lever to the position marked TOP (2). Load single-sheet paper into the paper separator. The printer automatically feeds the sheet of paper into the print position.

Switching from Single-Sheet Paper to Continuous-Form Paper

To switch from single-sheet paper to continuous-form paper which has been parked:

Press the FF/LOAD button (1) to remove the single-sheet paper from the paper path. Lower the paper separator to the continuous-forms position. Move the paper lever to the position marked REAR (2). Press the FF/LOAD button (1) to advance the continuous-forms paper into the print position.

The Font Test (Self Test)

The Font Test provides a printout containing samples of each available typeface.

To run the Font Test, load paper and turn off the printer, then press and hold the LF button (1) for several seconds while turning the printer on.

The Rolling ASCII Test

The Rolling ASCII Test provides a continuous printout of all 96 ASCII characters.

To start the Rolling ASCII Test, load paper and turn off the printer, then press and hold the QUIET button (2) for several seconds while turning the printer on

Test de fontes (auto test)

Your printer emulates the following printers: Epson LQ (the factory default), IBM Proprinter, IBM AGM.

Changing Emulations

Your printer is set at the factory for the Epson LQ emulation. If you wish to change to one of the other emulations, hold the SHIFT button and press the SEL button to enter the Menu Mode (1). Press the TEAR button until the emulation you wish to engage prints (2). Exit the Menu Mode and save your settings by holding the SHIFT button while you press the SEL button (1).

Terminologie de base

Emulations

Selecting a Printer Driver

The table summarizes the various printer drivers which will work with your printer. The drivers are listed in order by decreasing compatibility as you go down the list: use one as close to the top of the list as possible. If your software does not have a printer driver from near the top of the list, call the software manufacturer to see if they have added any drivers to those supplied when you purchased your software.

Important! Check your software documentation for instructions on how to install a printer driver

Emulation/Emulation/Emulación/Emulación

Epson LQ	IBM Proprinter	IBM X24e AGM/XL24e AGM
Okidata ML 590/1 Epson Epson LQ 870/1170 Epson LQ 800/1000 Epson LQ 2550, for color Epson LQ 2500 Epson LQ 1500 Epson FX Epson JX Epson LX Epson RX Epson MX	Okidata ML 590/1 IBM IBM Proprinter X24e/XL24e IBM Proprinter X24/XL24 IBM Proprinter IBM Graphics Printer	Use this emulation only when you've selected an IBM Proprinter X24e/XL24e driver and you need to usepson LQ high density graphics. N'utilisez esta émulation qu'une fois que vous avez sélectionné un gestionnaire IBM Proprinter X24e/XL24e et que vous avez besoin d'utiliser des graphiques haute densité Epson LQ. Utilice esta emulación solamente quando haya selecciónado un controlador de impressora IBM Proprinter X24e/XL24e y deba utiliser grafícos de alta densidad Epson LQ. IBM Graphics PrinterUse esta émulation somente se tiver seleçãoado um driver IBM Proprinter X24e/XL24e e precisar usarpson LQ para grafi-cos de alta densidade.

Press to select/ deselect printer. Press while holding SHIFT button to enter Menu Mode.

Menu Mode:

Press while holding SHIFT button to exit Menu Mode.

Print Mode:

Press to feed paper down line by line.

Press while holding SHIFT button to move Top of Form up on page.

Menu Mode:

Press to advance to next Group.

Print Mode:

Press to move continuous-form paper up for tear off or back down for printing.

Menu Mode:

Press to advance to next Setting for the item.

Print Mode:

Press to select Print Quality.

Print Mode:

Press to engage/ disengage Quiet mode.

Press while holding SHIFT button to set temporary Top of Form on continuous-form paper.

Print Mode:

Lights indicate whether printer is in Letter Quality (LQ) or Utility mode.

Print Mode:

Lights indicate font selected: Roman or Swiss are selected when both lights to their right and left are lit.

SEL

SEL

MENU

EXIT

POWER

SHIFT

ALARM

LF

Micro Feed Down

GROUP

FF/LOAD

Micro Feed Up

ITEM

TEAR

SET

PARK

PRINT

QUIET

TOF

PRINT QUALITY

COURIER

#

PRESTIGE

#

GOTHIC

ROMAN-

CHARACTER PITCH

Print Mode:

Press and hold while pressing LF button or FF/ LOAD button to change Top of Form setting.

Press and hold while pressing RESET button to reset printer.

Press and hold while pressing SEL button to enter Menu Mode.

Menu Mode:

Press and hold while pressing SEL button to exit Menu Mode.

Print Mode:

Press to feed in or eject sheet of paper, or to advance continuous-form paper to print position.

Press while holding SHIFT button to move Top of Form down on page.

Menu Mode:

Press to advance to next Item.

Print Mode:

Press to move continuous-form paper out of the paper path to "parked" position.

Menu Mode:

Press to print out current menu settings.

Print Mode:

Press to select Character Pitch. Press while holding SHIFT button to reset printer.

Print Mode:

Lights indicate which Character Pitch is selected.

Print Mode :

1 POWER Light: Lights whenever the printer is on.
2 SEL Light: Lights when the printer is selected and ready to receive data. If this light is not lit, the printer can not receive data. This light flashes when the printer is in the Print Suppress mode.
3 ALARM Light: Lights when an error condition exists, such as when the printer is out of paper, if there is a paper jam, or if the paper lever is set to the wrong paper path for the paper loaded. If this light flashes, and continues to flash after you turn the printer off then on again, contact your service representative.
4 QUIET Light: Lights when the printer has been placed in the QUIET state.

Mode Impression

Voyants lumineux

Important! Any commands your software sends will override the front panel settings.

Note: Your printer has eight bar codes, EAN8, EAN13, UPC-A, UPC-E, CODE39, Interleaved 2 of 5, and Code 128 sets A, B and C. For more details, use the Okidata Taxable Facts (call 1-800-OKIDATA and follow the recorded instructions).

To reset the character pitch to the factory default (10 cpi), deselect the printer, then hold the SHIFT button while pressing the CHARACTER PITCH button.

When your printer is in the Menu Mode, you can use the front panel buttons to change the defaults for the printer parameters. The changes you make in the Menu Mode are automatically saved in your printer's memory when you exit the Menu Mode and are retained even if you turn the printer of.

To reset your printer to the factory defaults for the menu, turn the printer off, then press and hold the SEL and LF buttons while turning the printer back on again.

Caution! If you have the printer in the Menu Mode and turn the printer off without first exiting, any changes you have made in the menu will be lost.

Press simultaneously to reset printer to defaults

To place your printer in the Menu Mode, hold the SHIFT button while pressing the SEL button. The MENU light comes on and the SEL light goes out.

Exiting the Menu Mode

When you are done making changes in the Menu Mode, exit the mode (saving the changes you have made) by holding the SHIFT button while pressing the SEL button. The MENU light goes out and the SEL light comes on.

Press simultaneously to enter or exit Menu Mode.

MENU light glows when printer is in Menu Mode.

The printer menu is made up of groups. Within each group is a list of items, each of which has various settings.

The illustration at the right shows a printout of the factory settings for the menu. To generate a printout of the menu, hold the SHIFT button and press the SEL button to enter the Menu Mode, then press the PARK button.

For a table showing the settings for each item within each group, see the Reference Section at the back of this manual.

Printer Control	Emulation Mode	EPSON LQ
Font	Print Mode	LQ Courier
Font	Pitch	10 CPI
Font	Proportional Spacing	No
Font	Style	Normal
Font	Size	Single
Symbol Sets	Character Set	Set I
Symbol Sets	Language Set	American
Symbol Sets	Zero Character	Slashed
Symbol Sets	Code Page	USA
Rear Feed	Line Spacing	6 LPI
Rear Feed	Form Tear-Off	Off
Rear Feed	Skip Over Perforation	No
Rear Feed	Page Length	11 "
Rear Feed	Gap Control	Auto Gap
Bottom Feed	Line Spacing	6 LPI
Bottom Feed	Form Tear-Off	Off
Bottom Feed	Skip Over Perforation	No
Bottom Feed	Page Length	11 "
Bottom Feed	Gap Control	Auto Gap
Top Feed	Line Spacing	6 LPI
Top Feed	Bottom Margin	Valid
Top Feed	Page Length	11 "
Top Feed	Gap Control	Auto Gap
Top Feed	Wait Time	1 sec
Set-Up	Graphics	Uni-directional
Set-Up	Receive Buffer Size	64K
Set-Up	Paper Out Override	No
Set-Up	Print Registration	0
FWD (FWD) (REV)
Set-Up	Operator Panel Function	Full Operation
Set-Up	Reset Inhibit	No
Set-Up	Print Suppress Effective	Yes
Set-Up	Auto LF	No
Set-Up	Time Out Print	Valid
Set-Up	Auto Select	No
Set-Up	Smoothing	Valid
Set-Up	Ribbon Selection	Black Ribbon
Set-Up	Printhead Gap Adjust	0
Set-Up	Graphics Speed	High
I-Prime		Buffer Print
Parallel I/F	Pin 10	+5v
Parallel I/F	Auto Feed XT	Invalid

Active Buttons in Menu Mode

1 GROUP Button: Each time you press this button, the menu line that prints shows the next group.
2 ITEM Button: Each time you press this button, the menu line that prints shows the next item within that group.
3 SET Button: Each time you press this button, the menu line that prints shows the next setting for that item.
4 PRINT Button: Press this button to print out a listing of the current settings for each item.

Problem: Nothing happens when I turn on the printer.

Solution: The printer may not be plugged in. Check the power cord connection to the outlet and to your printer. If you're using a power strip, make sure it's turned on. Check to be sure that the circuit breaker hasn't tripped.

Problem: The printer doesn't print when the computer sends data.

Solutions: (1) The printer may be deselected. If the SEL light is out, press the SEL button to select the printer.

(2) The printer cable may be loose: check to be sure that it is securely connected to both the printer and your PC.

Problem: I've installed a brand new ribbon and the printing is smeared and streaked.

Solution: The shield on the ribbon may be either loose or missing. Move the printhead to the center of the platen (CAREFUL! the printhead may be HOT!) and lift off the ribbon cartridge. If the ribbon shield is loose, secure it in place properly. If it's missing, locate it and reinstall it.

Problem: The printing is too light or too dark.

Solution: The head gap setting needs adjustment. Enter the Menu Mode and change the setting for "Printhead Gap Adjust" under the Group "Setup." The default setting is 0. If the printing is lighter, change the setting to -1; if it's darker, change it to +1.

Problem: The ALARM light is on and the Character Pitch 15 light is flashing.

Solution: This indicates a paper loading error. Press the SHIFT and RESET buttons simultaneously. Before trying to load paper again, check to be sure that you have the paper lever in the correct position for the paper path you're using. If the paper lever is in the correct position and you're using continuous-form paper, check to see if the paper is properly on the tractors and has not jammed up.

Problem: The first line is printing too far down on the page and I can't get it any higher using the SHIFT-LF/ Micro Feed Down keys.

Solution: The setting for the Top of Form will be restricted if you have the Form Tear-Off feature engaged when you set the Top of Form. To correct for this, enter the Menu Mode and change the setting for Form Tear-Off in the Rear-Feed group ( or in the Bottom Feed group if you have the optional bottom-feed tractor installed) to Off. Then exit the Menu and set the Top of Form. When the Top of Form is set, enter the Menu Mode again and change the Form Tear-Off setting back to your original setting. (See Chapter 5 for information on the Menu Mode.)

Problem: I need to load paper, but the Alarm light is not on.

Solution: Press and release the SEL button, then hold the SHIFT button and press the RESET (Character Pitch) button. The ALARM light will come on and you will be able to load the paper.

Problem: My word processor files don't print the way I have the menu and front panel set.

Solutions: Before sending a file to the printer, many word processors send either an "initialization string" or an I-Prime signal to the printer.

The initialization string contains commands that change the printer to a default set of features. These commands override front panel or Menu settings. To set your printer to ignore the reset command, enter the printer Menu and change the Reset Inhibit item in the Set-Up group to Yes. Please note that while this stops the reset command from resetting your printer, other commands in the initialization string may still override the printer Menu and/or front panel settings.

The I-Prime signal is sent over the parallel interface (pin 31) and automatically overrides any settings you have made using the front panel. To eliminate this problem, enter the printer Menu and change the I-Prime item in the Parallel I/F group to Invalid.

Problem: The Print Quality and Character Pitch buttons on the front panel won't work.

Solution: The Operator Panel Function item on the printer menu can be used to disable these buttons. If the printer is a part of a customized system or if it is used by a number of people, the system manager may have used this option to make sure the printer is always set properly.

Problem: Static electricity causes my continuous-form paper to stick.

Solution: Sometimes static charges can build up on continuous-form paper, making it cling to the paper separator. If you have this problem during high-volume printing jobs, try moving the paper guides together so that the paper rests on the guides rather than on the separator itself.

Clearing Rear-Feed Paper Jams

Caution! Always turn the printer off before you turn the platen knob!

Turn the printer off and open the paper separator 1). Use the platen knob to back the continuous-form paper out of the printer, removing any ripped pieces of paper. Re-load paper (2): open tractor covers, mount first two holes in paper on pins, close tractor covers. Turn the printer on and press the FF/LOAD button (3).

1
Paper separator
Déparateur de papier
Separador de papel
Separador do papel

2

3

EXIT POWER

SHIFT

ALARM
GROUP

ITEM

MENU
3

ALARM

Platen knob
Bouton de manoeuvre du rouleau d'impression
Perilla del rodillo
Botao do cilindro

Solving the Problem of Continuing Rear-Feed Jamming

If the rear-feed paper keeps jamming, you probably have bits of paper stuck in the paper path.

Turn the printer off. Open the access cover, lift off the pull-up roller assembly (1) and remove any bits of paper from around the carriage. Open the paper separator and use the platen knob to back the paper out of the printer (2). Fold some single-sheet, continuous-form paper over three times to produce a page four sheets thick and load it onto the tractor pins (3).

1

2

3

Solving the Problem of Continuing Rear-Feed Jamming (continued)

Turn the platen knob to bring the quadruple-thick paper up around the platen. This will bring jammed pieces of paper up and out.

Back the quadruple-thick paper out of the printer using the platen knob. Replace the pull-up roller assembly (1), re-load your regular continuous-form paper (2), and close the paper separator and the access cover (3). Turn the printer back on and press the FF/LOAD button (4).

1

2

3

4

Turn the printer off. Rotate the platen knob to back the paper out of the carriage (1). If necessary, open the access cover and lift the pull-up roller assembly to provide access to remove any ripped pieces from around the carriage (2), then re-install the pull-up roller assembly and close the access cover. Turn the printer back on and place a new sheet of paper in the paper separator (3).

1

2

Pull-up roller assembly

Cleaning the Housing

Caution! Never use solvents or strong detergents on the housing — they could damage it!

You should clean the printer every six months (or after about 300 hours of operation).

Turn the printer off and move the paper out of the paper path. Open the access cover and remove the pull-up roller assembly (1). Remove any loose pieces of paper from the carriage area, then use a clean, dry cloth to dust around the carriage and platen (2). Re-install the pull-up roller assembly and close the access cover (3). Turb the printer back on.

1

How to Get Information on Programming Codes 58

How to Order Parts 58

Specifications 59

FCC Radio Frequency Interference Information 61

Material Safety Data Sheet 62

Menu Table

The table below lists the Menu entries for your printer. The factory defaults are shown in bold italic.

Note: The table includes all possible Menu settings available with your printer. Some of the entries, as noted, appear only when a specific emulation is selected or when the appropriate option is installed.

Group	Item	Settings
Printer Control	Emulation Mode	Epson LQ, IBM PPR, IBM AGM
Font	Print Mode	LQ Courier, LQ Roman, LQ Swiss, LQ Swiss Bold, LQ Orator, LQ Gothic, LQ Prestige, Utility
	Pitch	10 cpi, 12 cpi, 15 cpi, 17.1 cpi, 20 cpi,
	Proportional Spacing	No, Yes
	Style	Normal, Italics
	Size	Single, Double
Symbol Sets	Character Set	Set I, Set II
	Language Set	American, French, German, British, Danish I, Swedish, Italian, Spanish I, Japanese, Norwegian, Danish II, Spanish II, Latin American, French Canadian, Dutch, Publisher
	Zero Character	Slashed, Unslashed
	Code Page	USA, Canada French, Multilingual, Portugal, Norway
Rear Feed	Line Spacing	6 LPI, 8 LPI
	Form Tear-Off	Off, 500ms, 1 sec, 2 sec
	Skip Over Perforation	No, Yes
	Page Width (Model 591 only)	13.6", 8"
	Page Length	11", 11-2/3", 12", 14", 17", 3", 3.5", 4", 5.5", 6", 7", 8", 8.5"
	Gap Control	Auto Gap, Semi Auto Gap, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9
Bottom Feed	Line Spacing	6 LPI, 8 LPI
	Form Tear-Off	Off, 500ms, 1 sec, 2 sec
	Skip Over Perforation	No, Yes
	Page Width (Model 591 only)	13.6", 8"
	Page Length	11", 11-2/3", 12", 14 ", 17", 3", 3.5", 4", 5.5", 6", 7", 8", 8.5"
	Gap Control	Auto Gap, Semi Auto Gap, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9
Top Feed	Line Spacing	6 LPI, 8 LPI
	Form Tear-Off (with optional Roll Paper Stand installed)	Off, 500ms, 1 sec, 2 sec
	Bottom Margin	Valid, Invalid
	Page Width (Model 591 only)	13.6", 8"
	Page Length	11", 11-2/3", 12", 14", 17", 3", 3.5", 4", 5.5", 6", 7", 8", 8.5"
	Gap Control	Auto Gap, Semi Auto Gap, 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 , 9
	Wait Time	1sec, 2 sec, 500ms
	Page Length Control	By MENU Setting, by Actual Page Length
Set-Up	Graphics	Uni-directional, bidirectional
	Receive Buffer Size	64K, 1 Line, 32K
	Paper Out Override	No, Yes
Set-Up (continued)	Operator Panel Function	Full Operation, Limited Operation
	Print Registration	0, 0.05 mm Left, 0.10 mm Left, 0.15 mm Left, 0.20 mm Left, 0.25 mm Left, 0.25 mm Right, 0.20 mm Right, 0.15 mm Right, 0.10 mm Right, 0.05 mm Right
	Reset Inhibit	No, Yes
	Print Suppress Effective	Yes, No
	Auto LF	No, Yes
	Auto CR (appears only when IBM Proprinter emulation is selected)	No, Yes
	SI Select Pitch, 10 cpi (appears only when IBM Proprinter emulation is selected)	17.1 CPI, 15 CPI
	SI Select Pitch, 12 cpi (appears only when IBM Proprinter emulation is selected)	20 CPI, 12 CPI
	Time Out Print	Valid, Invalid
	Auto Select	No, Yes
	Ribbon Selection (Optional color ribbon must be installed in order to print in colors other than black)	Black Ribbon, Black, Yellow, Magenta, Cyan, Violet, Orange, Green
	Printhead Gap Adjust	0, -1, +1
	Graphics Speed	High, Low
Parallel I/F	I-Prime	Buffer Print, Buffer Clear, Invalid
	Pin 18	+5v, Open
	Auto Feed XT (appears only when Epson LQ emulation is selected)	Invalid, Valid
Serial I/F (appears only when optional Serial Interface is installed)	Parity	None, Odd, Even
	Serial Data 7/8 Bits	8 Bits, 7 Bits
	Protocol	Ready/Busy, X-On/X-Off
	Diagnostic Test	No, Yes
	Baud Rate	19200 bps, 9600 bps, 4800 bps, 2400 bps, 1200 bps, 600 bps, 300 bps
	Busy Line	SSD-, SSD+, DTR, RTS
	DSR Signal	Valid, Invalid
	DTR Signal	Ready on Power Up, Ready on Select
	Busy Time	200 ms, 1 sec
CSF Bin 1 (appears only with optional Cut Sheet Feeder installed)	Line Spacing	6 LPI, 8 LPI
	Bottom Margin	Valid, Invalid
	Page Width (Model 591 only)	13.6", 8.5"
	Page Length	11", 11-2/3", 12", 14", 17", 3", 3.5", 4", 5.5", 6", 7", 8", 8.5"
	Gap Control	Auto Gap, Semi Auto Gap, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9
CSF Bin 2 (appears only with optional Cut Sheet Feeder installed)	Line Spacing	6 LPI, 8 LPI
	Bottom Margin	Valid, Invalid
	Page Length	11", 11-2/3", 12", 14", 17", 3", 3.5", 4", 5.5", 6", 7", 8", 8.5"
	Gap Control	Auto Gap, Semi Auto Gap, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9

How to Get Information on Programming Codes

The Microline Reference Manual provides complete lists of all the commands, along with information on their use. You may view this document by accessing it on the CD provided with your printer.

How to Order Parts

Note: See page 54 for a listing of parts and accessories for your ML590/591 printer.

Before you order, make sure you know your printer model number (on the front of the unit) and have the correct part number and description of the item. For information on parts not listed, please call our toll-free number 1-800-OKIDATA or consult the dealer where you purchased your printer.

1. Consult the dealer where you purchased your printer.
2. Locate an Authorized Okidata Reseller by visiting our web site, www.okidata.com.

3. In the United States, purchase directly from Okidata:

4. Via the Internet at www.okidata.com

5. Order toll-free by phone at 1-800-OKI-DATA (1-800-654-3282) using VISA, MasterCard, or America Express.
6. In Canada, call 1-888-309-4570.

Specifications

Print Method:

Impact dot matrix

Printhead:

24 pins, 0.20mm diameter, automatically adjusting to paper thickness, with thermal protection

Print Speed:

Mode	Characters Per Inch (cpi)	Characters Per Second (cps)
Utility	10	300
	12	360
	15	450
	17.1	257
	20	300
Letter Quality (LQ)	10	100
	12	120
	15	150
	17.1	171
	20	200

Characters Per Line (cpl):

Setting	ML 590	ML 591
10 cpi	80 cpl	136 cpl
12 cpi	96 cpl	163 cpl
15 cpi	120 cpl	204 cpl
17.1 cpi	137 cpl	233 cpl
20 cpi	160 cpl	272 cpl

Emulations:

Epson LQ and IBM ProPrinter, co-resident

Interface:

Standard: Centronics parallel Optional: RS-232C serial

Graphics Resolution:

360 × 360 dots per inch maximum

Resident Fonts

Letter Quality:

Courier (10 cpi/12 cpi/proportional, with superscript/subscript)

Letter Gothic (10 cpi/12 cpi/proportional, with superscript/subscript)

Orator (10 cpi/12 cpi)

Prestige (10 cpi/12 cpi)

Roman (10 cpi/12 cpi; 18 point: 96 ASCII and foreign language characters)

Swiss, Swiss Bold (10 cpi/12 cpi, with superscript/subscript; 18 point: 96 ASCII and foreign language characters)

Utility:

Gothic (10 cpi/12 cpi, with superscript/subscript; proportional)

Bar Code:

Code 39, UPC A, UPC E, EAN 8, EAN 13, Interleaved 2 of 5,

Code 128, Postnet

Buffer Size:

64K

Reliability

Mean Time Between

Failures (MTBF):

6000 hours at 25% duty cycle and 35% page density

Mean Time to Repair (MTTR):

15 minutes

Printhead life:

200 million characters average in 10 cpi utility mode at 25% duty and

35% page density

Ribbon Life

(on average, 10 cpi utility):

black ribbon: 4 million characters

color ribbon: black = 1.5 million characters

cyan = 1.5 million characters

magenta = 1.5 million characters

yellow = 0.8 million characters

Paper type	Feed	Weight	Width range
Cut sheets	Top only	14 to 24 lb.	ML 590: 7.2" to 8.5" ML 591: 7.2" to 14.3"
Single-part continuous forms	Rear, Bottom	12 to 24 lb.	ML 590: 3" to 10" ML 591: 3" to 16"
Carbonless, multi-part continuous form (original + 4 copies)	Rear, Bottom	9 to 11 lb.	ML 590: 3" to 10" ML 591: 3" to 16"
Interleaf, multi-part continuous forms (original + 4 copies)	Rear, Bottom	10- to 12- lb. paper, 9- lb. carbon	ML 590: 3" to 10" ML 591: 3" to 16"
Labels	Bottom only	N.A.	ML 590: 3" to 10" ML 591: 3" to 16"
Envelopes, single feed	Top	24 lb. max.	6.5" to 9.5"
Envelopes, continuous feed, non-overlap type	Rear, Bottom	24 lb. max.	6.5" to 9.5"
Card stock	Bottom only	120 lb. max.	ML 590: size 5" x 8" ML 591: size 5" x 14"
Transparencies	Top only		8.5" x 11"

Paper Specifications

Width, Minimum: 3"

Width, Maximum: Model 590: 10"

Model 591: 16"

Weight: 12 to 24 lb.

Thickness, Rear feed: 0.014" (0.36 mm)

Thickness, Bottom feed: 0.017" (0.44:mm)

Dimensions (W x D x H)

Model 590: 17 × 15 × 6.5 inches (431 x 380 x 166 mm)

Model 591: 23 × 15 × 6.5 inches (585 x 380 x 166 mm)

Weight

Model 590: 16.5 lb. (7.5 kg)

Model 591: 19 lb., 13 oz. (9 kg)

Environmental Requirements

Operating Temperature: 41 to 104^ (5 to 40^ )

Storage Temperature: 14 to 122^ (-10 to +50^ )

Operating Humidity: 20 to 80% RH

Storage Humidity: 5 to 95% RH

Electrical requirements

120 volts ac (+5.5%) -15% 50 or 60Hz (± 2%)

Also available for 230/240 volts ac (+10%) -14% ,50 or 60Hz (± 2%)

Federal Communications Commission

Radio Frequency Interference Statement for 120-Volt Models

WARNING: This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B digital device, pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference in a residential installation. This equipment generates, uses and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with the instructions, may cause harmful interference to radio communications. However, there is no guarantee that interference will not occur in a particular installation. If this equipment does cause harmful interference to radio or television reception, which can be determined by turning the equipment off and on, the user is encouraged to try to correct the interference by one or more of the following measures:

• Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna.
• Increase the separation between the equipment and the receiver.
• Plug the unit into an outlet on a circuit different from that to which the receiver is connected.
• Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/television technician for help.

Note It is the responsibility of the user to obtain the required shielded cable in order to ensure compliance of this equipment with FCC regulations.

Changes or modifications not expressly approved by OKIDATA may void your authority to operate this device.

Federal Communications Commission

Radio Frequency Interference Statement for 230/240-Volt Models

WARNING: This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class A digital device, pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference when the equipment is operated in a commercial environment. This equipment generates, uses and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with the instructions, may cause harmful interference to radio communications. Operation of this equipment in a residential area is likely to cause harmful interference in which case the user will be required to correct the interference at his own expense.

Note It is the responsibility of the user to obtain the required shielded cable in order to ensure compliance of this equipment with FCC regulations.

Changes or modifications not expressly approved by OKIDATA may void your authority to operate this device.

Canadian Department of Communications

Radio Interference Statement for 120-Volt Models

This OKIDATA apparatus complies with the Class B limits for radio interference as specified in the Canadian Department of Communications Radio Interference Regulations.

Canadian Department of Communications

Radio Interference Statement for 230/240-Volt Models

This OKIDATA apparatus complies with the Class A limits for radio interference as specified in the Canadian Department of Communications Radio Interference Regulations.

European Union Council of the European Communities

Statement of Electromagnetic Conformance for 230/240-Volt Models

This product complies with the requirements of the Council Directive 89/336/EEC on the approximation of the laws of the member states relating to electromagnetic compatibility.

MATERIAL SAFETY DATA SHEET

58087501

For ML 590/591 Black Ribbon (P/N 52106001)

For more information, contact Okidata at

2000 Bishops Gate Blvd.

Mount Laurel, NJ 08054-4620

For Emergency Information,

call 1-800-OKIDATA

Emergency First Aid Procedures

Emergency	Procedure
Contact occurs with eyes	Flush eyeswith large quantities of water for 15 minutes, keeping eyelids open with fingers. Seek medical attention.
Contact occurs with skin	Wash thoroughly with soap and water.

Hazardous Ingredients

Carbon Black

(Group 2B "Possible Carcinogen"; IARC)

CAS# 1333-86-4

OSHA PEL 3.5mg / m^3

ACGIH TLV N/A

Coloring Material

CAS# Not applicable

OSHA TWA Not applicable

ACGIH TLV Not applicable

Oil

CAS# Not applicable

OSHA TWA Not applicable

ACGIH TLV Not applicable

Additives

CAS# Not applicable

OSHA TWA Not applicable

ACGIH TLV Not applicable

Nylon 6-6 Fabric

CAS# Not applicable

OSHA TWA Not applicable

ACGIH TLV Not applicable

Physical Data

Melting Point: N/A

Boiling Point: N/A

Vapor Pressure: N/A

Vapor Density (Air = 1) : N/A

Evaporation Rate (Butyl Acetate=1): Not applicable

Specific Gravity (H_2O = 1) : No data available

Solubility in Water: No data available

Appearance and Odor: Nylon 6-6 fabric impregnated with liquid black ink

Fire and Explosion Hazard Data

Flash Point (Method Used): N/A

Flammable Limits:

Lower Explosive Limit: N/A

Upper Explosive Limit: N/A

Extinguishing Media: Water, CO_2 , Dry Chemical or Foam

Special Fire and Explosion Procedures: N/A

Unusual Fire and Explosion Hazards: None

Health Hazard Data

Routes of Entry: Ingestion, Eyes, Skin

Health Hazards: None

Reactivity Data

Stability: Stable

Polymerization: Will not occur.

Hazardous Decomposition or Byproducts: None

Conditions to Avoid: N/A

Incompatibility (Materials to Avoid): None

Spill Cleanup and Disposal

Spill Cleanup: If ribbon is inadvertently released, it should be rewound on the reel.

Waste Disposal: Follow appropriate federal, state and local regulations.

Safe Handling and Use

Respiratory Protection: Not applicable

Protective Gloves and/or Eye Protection: Not normally required. Protective gloves desirable in some cases.

Ventilation: Not applicable

Other Protective Equipment and/or Hygienic Practices: Not applicable

Special Precautions

Precautions for Handling or Storage: Store in a dark, cold place. Do not pull ribbon out of cassette except for mounting on printer.

Other Precautions: Not applicable

The information contained in this Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) is based on data considered accurate; however, no warranty is expressed or implied regarding the accuracy of these data or the results to be obtained from the use thereof. Vendor assumes no responsibility for injury to vendee or third person party proximately caused by the product if reasonable safety procedures are not adhered to as stipulated in the MSDS. Furthermore, vendor assumes no responsibility for injury to vendee or third person party proximately caused by use of the product even if reasonable safety procedures are followed. Additionally, vendee assumes the risk of his use of the product.

Table des matieres

Tableau du menu 65

2000 Bishops Gate Blvd. Mount Laurel, NJ 08054-4620

Ventilation: Non applicable

2000 Bishops Gate Blvd. Mount Laurel, NJ 08054-4620

OSHA TWA No applicable

ACGIH TLV No aplicable

Aceite

CAS# No aplicable

OSHA TWA No aplicable

ACGIH TLV No applicable

Aditivos

CAS# No aplicable

OSHA TWA No applicable

ACGIH TLV No aplicable

Tela de Nilón 6-6

CAS# No aplicable

OSHA TWÄ No applicable

ACGIH TLV No aplicable

Dates físicos

2000 Bishops Gate Blvd. Mount Laurel, NJ 08054-4620

Cable requirements 5

Card stock 60

CHARACTER PITCH button 32

Characters per line 59

Color ribbon kit 54

Computer connection 5

Continuous-form paper, removing 24

Control Panel 32, 36 disable function 57

Cut sheet feeder 54

D

Dimensions 60

Drivers 31

E

Electrical requirements 60

Emulations 30-31,56,59 changing 30

Envelopes 8,10,60

Environmental requirements 60

F

Factory defaults 56-58

resetting 38

FCC statements 61

FF/LOAD button 32

Font Test 28

Fonts, resident 59

Form Tear-Off 21-23

G

Graphics resolution 59

GROUP button 22

H

Humidity requirements 60

1

Indicator Lights 36

Interface 59

parallel 5

serial 54

I-Prime signal 46

ITEM button 41

L

Labels 60

Letterhead stationery, loading 8-11

LF button 32

M

Material safety data sheet 62

Menu mode 38-41

Menu settings 56-58

0

Ordering parts 58

P

Paper
loading 7-19
park feature 24
path,switching 25-26
single-sheet 8
specifications 60
tear 20
tear-off feature 21-23

Paper jam,clearing rear-feed 48-50 single sheet 51

Parts ordering 58 replacement, listing 54

POWER light 6,36

Print mode 36-37

Print speed 59

PRINT button 32

PRINT QUALITY button 32

Printhead specifications 59 life 60

Printer drivers 30-31

Printer housing, cleaning 52

Problem solving 43-47

Programming codes 58

Protective Film 3

Pull tractor 54

Push tractor 54

Q

QUIET button 32

QUIET light 36

R

Rear-Feed clearing jams 48-50 paper, loading 14-18

Reliability 60

Replacement Parts 54

Resident fonts 59

Ribbon installation 4 replacement 54 shield 4,43

Roll paper stand 54

Rolling ASCII Test 28

s

SEL light 36

SEL/MENU button 32,38-39

Serial Interface 54

SET button 41

Setting Up 1-6

SHIFT button 32

Shipping Retainers 3

Single-sheet paper loading 8-13

Specifications 59-60

Switching paper paths 25-26

T

TEAR button 32

Tear feature 20

Temperature specifications 60

Testing the printer 28

TOF button 32

Top of Form, setting 45
rear-feed paper 12, 19
reset to factory default 12
single-sheet paper 12-13

Tractors 54

Transparencies 60

U

Unpacking 2

W

Weight 60

A

Accessoires 54

Alimentation arriere
papier, chargement 14-18
suppression des bourages
papier 48-50

B

Emulations 30-31,65,69

changement 30

Enveloppes 8,10,70

Specifications 69-71

Vidautildocabecone 89