User manual EPSON FX-880+ - QUICK GUIDE

EPSON FX-880+/FX-1180+ Quick Guide Buttons and Lights 1 Font button Selects one of the fonts. Font lights Indicate which font is selected. 4 Tear Off/Bin button Feeds continuous paper forward to the tear-off position. Feeds continuous paper backward from the tear-off position to the top-of-form position. Selects a cut-sheet feeder bin when the cut-sheet feeder is installed. Tear Off/Bin light 2 Reset When you press both the Font and Pitch buttons simultaneously, the printer clears buffer and returns to its default settings. 3 Pitch button Selects one of the pitch settings. Pitch lights Indicate which pitch is selected. Flashes when continuous paper is in the tear-off position. On when bin 1 of the optional cut-sheet feeder is selected. Off when bin 2 of the optional cut-sheet feeder is selected. Buttons and Lights (1/2) EPSON FX-880+/FX-1180+ Quick Guide 5 LF/FF button Feeds paper line by line when pressing shortly. Ejects a single sheet or advances continuous paper to the next top-of-form position when held down. 6 Micro adjust 10 When you hold down the Pause button for three seconds, the printer enters the micro adjust mode. In this mode, you can press the LF/FF D and Load/Eject U buttons to adjust the top of form or tear off position. See "Micro Adjust Function." 7 Load/Eject button Loads a single sheet of paper. Ejects a single sheet of paper if a sheet is loaded. Loads continuous paper from the standby position. Feeds continuous paper backward to the standby position if a sheet is loaded. 8 Pause light On when the printer is paused. Flashes when the printer is in the Micro Adjust mode. Lock When the lock-out mode is on, the Paper Out and Pause lights flash if a locked button is pressed. 11 Paper Out light On when no paper is loaded in the selected paper source or paper is not loaded correctly. Flashes when paper has not been fully ejected or a paper jam has occurred. 9 Pause button Stops printing temporarily, and resumes printing when pressed again. When held down for three seconds, enters the Micro Adjust mode. When pressed again, exits the Micro Adjust mode. Buttons and Lights (2/2) EPSON FX-880+/FX-1180+ Quick Guide Default Settings The default settings control many printer functions. While you can often set these functions through your software or printer driver, you may sometimes need to change a default setting from the printer's control panel using the default-setting mode. For a detailed description of the settings you can change in the default-setting mode, see "Understanding default settings." For instructions on changing the settings, see "Changing default settings." Setting Packet mode 0 slash Options Off, Auto / 0, 0 (the zerocharacter with a slash) Off, On Off, On Buzzer Auto CR (carriage return)* IBM character table* Page length for front tractor Table 2, Table1 Length in inches: 3, 3.5, 4, 5.5, 6, 7, 8, 8.5, 11, 70/6, 12, 14, 17 Length in inches: 3, 3.5, 4, 5.5, 6, 7, 8, 8.5, 11, 70/6, 12, 14, 17 Standard model: italic, PC 437, PC 850, PC 860, PC 863, PC 865, PC 861, BRASCII, Abicomp, Roman 8, ISO Latin 1, PC858, ISO8859-15 All other models: Italic, PC 437, PC 850, PC 437 Greek, PC 853, PC855, PC 852, PC 857, PC 866, PC 869, MAZOWIA, Code MJK, ISO 8859-7, Bulgaria, PC 774, Estonia, PC 866 LAT., ISO 8859-2, PC 866 UKR, PC-APTEC, PC-771, PC-AR864, PC708, PC720 Italic U.S.A., Italic France, Italic Germany, Italic U.K., Italic Denmark 1, Italic Sweden, Italic Italy, Italic Spain 1 Understanding default settings This section describes the settings and options available in the default-setting mode. These settings are shown in the following table and explained in detail after the table. To access and change a setting, see "Changing default settings." Page length for rear tractor Character table Default-setting mode Setting Skip over perforation Auto tear-off Auto line feed Print direction Software I/F (interface) mode Auto I/F (interface) wait time Parallel I/F bidirectional mode Options Off, On International character set for italic table** Off, On Off, On Bi-D, Uni-D ESC/P, IBM PPDS Auto, Parallel, USB, Option 10 seconds, 30 seconds * This setting is available only in IBM PPDS emulation mode. ** The options available for this setting vary depending on the country. Off, On Default Settings (1/4) EPSON FX-880+/FX-1180+ Quick Guide Skip over perforation This feature is available only when continuous paper is selected. When you turn on this feature, the printer provides a one-inch (25.4 mm) margin between the last line printed on one page and the first line printed on the next page. Because most application program margin settings override margin settings from the control panel, you should use this setting only if you cannot set your top and bottom margins using your application. Software When you select ESC/P, the printer operates in the EPSON ESC/P mode. When you select IBM PPDS, the printer emulates an IBM printer. I/F (interface) mode The printer provides a slot for an optional interface in addition to its built-in parallel interface and USB interface. You can choose Auto (automatic), Parallel, USB or Option for the interface mode. When you select Auto, the printer automatically selects the interface that is receiving data, and uses that interface until the end of the print job. The Auto setting allows you to share the printer among multiple computers without changing the interface mode. If only one computer is connected to the printer, you can select Parallel, USB or Option, depending on which interface your computer uses. Auto tear-off When auto tear-off is on and you are using continuous paper with the front or rear push tractor, the printer automatically advances the paper perforation to the tear-off position, where you can easily tear off the printed page(s). When the printer receives data again, it automatically moves the paper back to the top-of-form position and starts printing, so you can use all of the next page. When auto tear-off is off and you are using continuous paper with the front or rear push tractor, you need to move the perforation to the tear-off position manually by pressing the Tear Off/Bin button. Auto I/F (interface) wait time When the printer is in the auto interface mode and it receives no data from the currently selected interface for the amount of time specified with this setting, it determines which interface is receiving data and switches to that interface. You can specify either 10 seconds or 30 seconds for the auto interface wait time. Auto line feed When auto line feed is on, the printer accompanies each carriage return (CR) code received with a line feed (LF) code. Parallel I/F bidirectional mode Print direction You can select auto print direction, bidirectional printing (Bi-D), or unidirectional printing (Uni-D). Printing is normally bidirectional; however, unidirectional printing allows for precise vertical printing alignment. The Parallel Interface bidirectional transfer mode is used when this feature is on. If bidirectional transfer mode is unnecessary, turn this off. Default Settings (2/4) EPSON FX-880+/FX-1180+ Quick Guide Packet mode Make sure to select AUTO when you print from Windows applications using the printer driver included in the Printer Software CD-ROM that comes with the printer. Turn this feature off if you have connection troubles while printing from applications based on other operating systems such as DOS. Page length for front tractor This setting allows you to set the page length (in inches) for the continuous paper loaded on the front push tractor. Page length for rear tractor This setting allows you to set the page length (in inches) for the continuous paper loaded on the rear push tractor. 0 slash 0 The zero character has a slash (/) when this feature is on; it has no slash (0) when this feature is off. The slash allows you to easily distinguish between the uppercase letter "O" and a zero. Character table You can select among various character tables. International character set for italic table You can select among several international character sets for the italic character table. Each character set contains eight characters that vary depending on the country or language, so you can customize the italic table to suit your printing needs. Buzzer (beeper) The printer beeps when an error occurs. See "Error Indicators" for more information on printer errors. If you do not want the printer to beep when an error occurs, turn off this setting. Auto CR (carriage return) This setting is available only in IBM PPDS emulation mode. When auto carriage return is on, each line feed (LF) code or ESC J code is accompanied by a carriage return (CR) code so the printer moves the next printing position to the left margin. When this setting is off, you must send a CR code after the line feed code to move the printing position to the left margin. IBM character table This setting is available only in IBM PPDS emulation mode. When you select Table 1, hex codes 00H to 1FH and 80H to 9FH of the character tables are used for the control codes. When you select Table 2, hex codes 00H to 1FH are used for the control codes and 80H to 9FH are used for characters. Default Settings (3/4) EPSON FX-880+/FX-1180+ Quick Guide Changing default settings Follow these steps to enter the default-setting mode and change the printer's default settings: Note: To print the language selection and default-setting mode instructions, you need three sheets of A4 or letter size single-sheet paper or three pages of continuous paper that is at least 279 mm (11 inches) long and 210 mm (8.3 inches) wide. See "Continuous Paper with the Pull Tractor" and "Single Sheets with the Paper Guide" for instructions on loading continuous paper and single sheets. If you use single sheets, you need to load a new sheet of paper each time the printer ejects a printed sheet from the paper guide. 1. Make sure paper is loaded and the printer is turned off. The printed instructions list the settings you can change, describe how to change them, and show you how the control panel lights help you make settings. Use these instructions to change the printer's default settings from the control panel. Note: The arrows in the instructions indicate the printer's current settings. 5. When you finish making settings, turn off the printer and exit the default-setting mode. Note: You may exit the default-setting mode by turning off the printer at any time. Any settings you have made remain in effect until you change them again. c Caution: Whenever you turn off the printer, wait at least five seconds before turning it back on; otherwise, you may damage the printer. 2. Turn on the printer while holding down the Font button. The printer enters the default-setting mode and prints the language selection instructions (one page). 3. Press the Font button until the Font and Pitch lights indicate the language you want, as described in the language selection instructions. 4. Press the Tear Off/Bin button to print the default-setting mode instructions (two pages) in the language you selected. Default Settings (4/4) EPSON FX-880+/FX-1180+ Quick Guide Error Indicators You can identify many common printer problems using the lights on the control panel. If your printer stops working and one or more control panel lights are on or flashing or the printer beeps, use the following table to diagnose and fix the problem. If you cannot fix your printer problem using this table. State of panel lights n Paper Out n Pause Beep pattern ··· Problem Solution No paper is loaded in the selected paper source. Load paper in the printer or select a different paper source; the Paper Out light goes off. Then press the Pause button; the Pause light goes off and the printer starts printing. ··· The paper is not loaded correctly. Remove your paper and reload it correctly. See "Continuous Paper with the Pull Tractor" or "Single Sheets with the Paper Guide" for instructions on loading the type of paper you want to use. n Pause ··· The paper release lever is set to the wrong position. Set the paper release lever to the position for the paper source you want to use. If paper from another paper source is currently in the paper path, press the Load/Eject button to eject the paper; then move the paper release lever to the desired position. f Paper Out n Pause ··· A single sheet of paper is not fully ejected. Press the Load/Eject button to eject the sheet. ··· Continuous paper is not fed to the standby position. Tear off the printed page at the perforation; then press the Load/ Eject button. The printer feeds the paper to the standby position. ··· Paper is jammed in the printer. To clear the paper jam, see "Clearing Paper Jams" in the Reference Guide. f Pause -- The print head is overheated. Wait for a few minutes; the printer resumes printing automatically once the print head cools. f Paper Out f Pause f Tear Off/Bin f f Pitch f f Font ····· An unknown printer error has occurred. Turn off the printer and leave it off for several minutes; then turn on the printer again. If the error recurs, contact your dealer. n = on, o = off, f = flashing ··· = short series of beeps (three beeps), ····· = long series of beeps (five beeps) Note: The printer beeps once if you press a control panel button when the corresponding function is not available. Error Indicators (1/1) EPSON FX-880+/FX-1180+ Quick Guide Paper-Thickness Setting Before you start printing, you may need to change the paper-thickness setting depending on the type of paper you are using. Follow these steps: 1. Turn the printer off and open the printer cover. The paper-thickness lever is located on the left side of the printer. The numbers next to the lever indicate the thickness setting. 2. Use the table below to select the appropriate paper thickness. Paper type* Lever position Ordinary paper: Single sheets Continuous paper Thin paper Carbonless multipart forms with: 2 parts (original + 1 copy) 3 parts (original + 2 copies) 4 parts (original + 3 copies) 5 parts (original + 4 copies) 6 parts (original + 5 copies) Continuous paper with labels Envelopes 0 or 1 0 -1 or 0 1 2 3 4 5 2 2 to 6 5 6 4 3 2 1 0 -1 * See the paper specifications for more information. Note: When the temperature is 5°C (41°F) or less, set the paper-thickness lever one position lower to improve print quality. When the temperature is 35°C (95°F) or more, set the paper-thickness lever one position higher to improve print quality. Paper-Thickness Setting (1/1) EPSON FX-880+/FX-1180+ Quick Guide Continuous Paper with the Rear Push Tractor Note: It is recommended that you close the flap on the front cover if paper is not loaded from the front slot. 2. Set the paper release lever to the rear push tractor position. 3. Release the left and right sprockets by pulling the blue sprocket lock levers forward. Follow these steps to load paper using the rear push tractor: 1. Make sure the printer is turned off and the tractor is installed in the rear push position. Also make sure the paper guide is removed. Continuous Paper with the Rear Push Tractor (1/2) EPSON FX-880+/FX-1180+ Quick Guide 4. Slide the left sprocket approximately 12 mm (0.5 inch) from the far left position and push the blue lever back to lock it in place. Then slide the right sprocket to match the width of your paper, but do not lock it. Move the center support midway between the two sprocket units. 7. Slide the right sprocket to remove any slack in the paper; then lock it in place by pushing the blue sprocket lock down. 8. Attach the paper guide and lay it flat on the printer. Open the edge guides all the way to the left and right, then raise the continuous paper support. * approx. 12 mm (0.5 inch) The triangle mark on top of the printer indicates the point furthest to the left where printing can begin. 5. Make sure your paper has a clean, straight edge. Then open both sprocket covers and fit the first four holes of the paper, with the printable side down, over the tractor pins. 9. Turn on the printer. When the printer receives data, it automatically loads the paper and starts printing. If the first line on your page appears too high or low, you can change its position using the Micro Adjust function as described in "Micro Adjust Function." c Caution: Never use the knob to adjust the top-of-form position; this may damage the printer or cause it to lose the top-of-form position. 6. Close the sprocket covers. Continuous Paper with the Rear Push Tractor (2/2) EPSON FX-880+/FX-1180+ Quick Guide Continuous Paper with the Front Push Tractor Follow these steps to load paper using the front push tractor: 1. Make sure the printer is turned off. 2. Open the front cover and the flap. Make sure the tractor is installed in the front push position. 4. Release the left and right sprockets by pushing the blue sprocket lock levers backward. 3. Set the paper release lever to the front push tractor position. Also set the paper-thickness lever (located under the printer cover) to the proper position for your paper's thickness. See "Paper-Thickness Setting" for instructions. 5. Slide the left sprocket approximately 12 mm (0.5 inch) from the far left position and pull the blue lever forward to lock it in place. Then slide the right sprocket to match the width of your paper, but do not lock it. Move the center support midway between the two sprocket units. * approx. 12 mm (0.5 inch) Continuous Paper with the Front Push Tractor (1/2) 10 5 0 EPSON FX-880+/FX-1180+ Quick Guide 6. Remove the front cover by pushing it straight down, as shown below. 10. Attach the front cover with the continuous paper positioned as shown below. 7. Make sure your paper has a clean, straight edge. Then open both sprocket covers and fit the first four holes of the paper, with printable side up, over the tractor pins. 11. Make sure the paper guide is lying flat on the printer and the edge guides are open all the way to the left and right. Then raise the continuous paper support. 8. Close the sprocket covers. 9. Slide the right sprocket to remove any slack in the paper; then lock it in place by pushing the sprocket lock down. 12. Turn on the printer. When the printer receives data, it automatically loads the paper and starts printing. If the first line on your page appears too high or low, you can change its position by using the Micro Adjust function as described in "Micro Adjust Function." c Caution: Never use the knob to adjust the top-of-form position; this may damage the printer or cause it to lose the top-of-form position. Continuous Paper with the Front Push Tractor (2/2) EPSON FX-880+/FX-1180+ Quick Guide Continuous Paper with the Pull Tractor Loading paper with the pull tractor Note: It is recommended that you close the flap on the front cover if paper is not loaded from the front slot. 2. Set the paper release lever to the pull tractor position. 3. Release the sprockets by pulling the sprocket lock levers forward. Follow these steps to load paper using the pull tractor: 1. Make sure the printer is turned off, and the printer cover is removed. Also make sure the tractor is installed in the pull position and the paper guide is lying flat on the printer. Continuous Paper with the Pull Tractor (1/4) EPSON FX-880+/FX-1180+ Quick Guide 4. Slide the left sprocket approximately 12 mm (0.5 inch) from the far left position and push the lever back to lock it in place. Then slide the right sprocket to match the width of your paper, but do not lock it. Move the center support midway between the two sprocket units. Front slot Before you load paper in the front slot, remove the front cover. Then load paper with the printable side facing up. Bottom slot Load paper in the bottom slot with the printable side facing up. * approx. 12 mm (0.5 inch) 5. Make sure your paper has a clean, straight edge. Then open the sprocket covers. Note: Make sure the printer is off before you insert the paper in the paper slot. If you insert the paper while it is on, a paper jam may occur. 6. Insert the paper into the front or bottom paper slot as shown in the illustration below until it emerges between the platen and the ribbon guide. Then pull up the paper until the perforation between the first and second pages is even with the top of the printer's ribbon. Continuous Paper with the Pull Tractor (2/4) EPSON FX-880+/FX-1180+ Quick Guide 7. Fit four holes of the paper over the tractor pins on both sprockets. Then close the sprocket covers. 12. Remove any slack in the paper by pressing the LF/FF button. c Caution: Always remove any slack from the paper; otherwise print quality may deteriorate. 8. Slide the right sprocket to remove any slack in the paper, then lock it in place. 9. Open the edge guides on the paper guide all the way to the left and right, then raise the continuous paper support. 13. When the printer receives data, it will start printing at the current position without advancing the paper. If necessary, follow the steps in "Micro Adjust Function" to adjust the current position of the paper. c Caution: Never use the knob to adjust the top-of-form position; this may damage the printer or cause it to lose the top-of-form position. 14. Attach the printer cover by inserting the front tabs into the slots on the printer, then lowering the cover into place. 15. Send a print job to the printer. The printer starts printing from the top-of-form position. After you finish printing, tear off the printed document at the perforation nearest the paper exit slot. 10. If you are using the front slot, open the flap on the front cover. Then, reattach the front cover as shown below. 11. Turn on the printer. Continuous Paper with the Pull Tractor (3/4) EPSON FX-880+/FX-1180+ Quick Guide Removing paper from the pull tractor Follow these steps to remove continuous paper from the pull tractor: 1. After you finish printing, tear off the paper supply at the perforation nearest the paper entry slot. 2. To feed paper forward and eject it, hold down the LF/FF button. c Caution: Never press the Load/Eject or Tear Off/Bin button when you are using the pull tractor; the paper could come off the pull tractor and jam the printer. Continuous Paper with the Pull Tractor (4/4) EPSON FX-880+/FX-1180+ Quick Guide Single Sheets with the Paper Guide Note: It is recommended that you close the flap on the front cover if paper is not loaded from the front slot. 3. Slide the left edge guide until it locks in place next to the triangle mark on the paper guide. Next adjust the right edge guide to match the width of your paper. Follow these steps to load paper in the paper guide: 1. Make sure the paper guide is in the upright position. Then set the paper-thickness lever (located under the printer cover) to 0 if you are using ordinary single-sheet paper. (If you are using envelopes, see "Special Papers" for instructions on setting the paper-thickness lever.) Also move the paper release lever to the single-sheet position. 4. Insert a sheet of paper with the printable side down between the edge guides until it meets resistance. The printer feeds the paper automatically and is ready to print. 6 5 4 3 2 1 0 -1 2. Turn on the printer, if necessary. If the first printed line on your page appears too high or low, you can use the Micro Adjust function to adjust the top-of-form position. See "Micro Adjust Function" for more information. Single Sheets with the Paper Guide (1/1) EPSON FX-880+/FX-1180+ Quick Guide Single Sheets with the Single-Bin Cut-Sheet Feeder The single-bin cut-sheet feeder holds up to 50 sheets of paper. When it is installed, you still can use the paper guide to load single sheets and envelopes one at a time. Note: It is recommended that you close the flap on the front cover if paper is not loaded from the front slot. -1 3 2 1 1. Make sure the paper guide is removed, and set the paper release lever to the single-sheet position. Also make sure the paper-thickness lever (located under the printer cover) is set to 0. 6 5 4 Follow these steps to load paper in the single-bin cut-sheet feeder: c 2. Slide the left paper guide of the cut-sheet feeder so it is aligned with the triangle mark. Next, slide the right paper guide to roughly match the width of your paper. Slide the paper support midway between the paper guides. Caution: Do not load multipart forms, carbon paper, envelopes, or labels in the single-bin cut-sheet feeder. 1. Paper guides 2. Paper support Single Sheets with the Single-Bin Cut-Sheet Feeder (1/2) EPSON FX-880+/FX-1180+ Quick Guide 3. Pull both paper set levers forward until the paper guides retract and lock open to allow paper loading. 8. Attach the stacker-support wires to the paper guide as shown below, if necessary. 4. Take a stack of paper (up to 50 sheets) and fan it. Next, tap the side and bottom edges of the paper on a flat surface to even up the stack. 5. Insert the paper stack printable side down along the left paper guide. 9. Install the paper guide with the attached stacker-support by fitting the notches on the paper guide straight down over the mounting posts on the printer. Slide the edge guides to the middle of your paper. 6. Adjust the right paper guide so that it matches your paper's width. Make sure the position of the guide allows the paper to move up and down freely. 7. Push back the paper set levers to clamp the paper against the guide rollers. The cut-sheet feeder automatically loads paper when the printer receives data. If the first line on your page appears too high or low, you can adjust its position using the Micro Adjust function. See "Micro Adjust Function." Single Sheets with the Single-Bin Cut-Sheet Feeder (2/2) EPSON FX-880+/FX-1180+ Quick Guide Single Sheets with the High-Capacity Cut-Sheet Feeder The high-capacity cut-sheet feeder holds up to 150 sheets of paper or up to 25 envelopes. Note: It is recommended that you close the flap on the front cover if paper is not loaded from the front slot. 2. Pull the lock levers on the edge guides forward to release them. Follow these steps to load paper in the high-capacity cut-sheet feeder: c Caution: Do not load multipart forms, carbon paper, or labels in the high-capacity cut-sheet feeder. 3. Slide the left paper guide until it is aligned with the triangle mark; then lock it in place by pushing back its lock lever. Next, slide the right paper guide to roughly match the width of your paper. Slide the paper support to midway between the paper guides. 1. Set the paper release lever to the single-sheet position. Also make sure the paper-thickness lever (located under the printer cover) is set to 0 if you are using ordinary single-sheet paper. (If you are using envelopes, see "Special Papers" for instructions on setting the paper-thickness lever.) -1 3 2 1 5 6 4 Single Sheets with the High-Capacity Cut-Sheet Feeder (1/2) EPSON FX-880+/FX-1180+ Quick Guide 4. Pull both paper set levers forward until the paper guides retract and lock open to allow paper loading. 7. Adjust the right paper guide so that it matches your paper's width and lock it in place. Make sure the position of the guide allows the paper to move up and down freely. If you are loading envelopes, push back the envelope levers as shown below. 5. Take a stack of paper (up to 150 sheets) and fan it. Next, tap the side and bottom edges of the paper on a flat surface to even up the stack. 6. Insert the paper stack printable side down along the left paper guide. 8. Push back the paper set levers to clamp the paper or envelopes against the guide rollers. The cut-sheet feeder automatically loads paper when the printer receives data. If the first line on your page appears too high or low, you can adjust its position using the Micro Adjust function. See "Micro Adjust Function" for more information. Single Sheets with the High-Capacity Cut-Sheet Feeder (2/2) EPSON FX-880+/FX-1180+ Quick Guide Special Papers Continuous multipart forms Except for setting the paper-thickness lever, you load continuous multipart forms the same way as ordinary continuous paper. See the appropriate section of the Quick Guide for detailed instructions. Note: Be sure your multipart forms do not exceed 0.46 mm (0.018 inch) in thickness. Do not load paper that is curled or has been folded. Thick paper, such as multipart forms with five or six parts, requires a straight paper path to avoid paper jams. Load thick paper in the front or bottom slots. Labels When printing on labels, use only the type of labels that are mounted on continuous backing sheets with sprocket holes for use with a tractor feeder. Do not try to print on single sheets with labels because the printer may not feed labels on a shiny backing sheet properly. Thick paper, such as continuous paper with labels, requires a straight or almost straight paper path. You can load labels in the front (push tractor or pull tractor) or bottom (pull tractor) paper slot; however, for best results, use the tractor in the pull position, and load paper in the front or bottom paper slot. The loading procedure for continuous paper with labels is the same as that for ordinary continuous paper, except that you must set the paper-thickness lever to 2 before printing. See "Continuous Paper with the Pull Tractor" for more information. Single-sheet multipart forms When loading single-sheet multipart forms, you need to use the front paper entry slot with the optional front paper guide or front sheet guide installed on your printer, because thick paper, such as multipart forms with five or six parts, requires a straight paper path to avoid paper jams. To load single-sheet multipart forms, follow the instructions in "Loading paper in the front sheet guide or front paper guide", in the Reference Guide. Note: Be sure your multipart forms do not exceed 0.46 mm (0.018 inch) in thickness. Do not load paper that is curled or has been folded. Special Papers (1/3) EPSON FX-880+/FX-1180+ Quick Guide c Caution: It is best to load continuous paper with labels on the pull tractor. Loading labels on the rear or the front push tractor is not recommended. Never feed labels backward using the Load/Eject or Tear Off/Bin button. When fed backward, labels can easily peel off the backing sheet and cause a paper jam. Because labels are sensitive to temperature and humidity, use them only under normal operating conditions described below: Removing continuous paper with labels To avoid peeling labels off the backing sheet and jamming the printer, follow these steps to remove continuous paper with labels from the printer: 1. Tear off the fresh supply of continuous labels at the perforation nearest the paper entry slot. Temperature 15 to 25°C (59 to 77°F) Humidity 30 to 60% RH Do not leave labels loaded in the printer between jobs; they may curl around the platen and jam when you resume printing. Do not load continuous paper with labels from the rear paper slot. Because the paper path from the rear slot is curved, labels may come off their backing sheets inside the printer and cause a paper jam. Do not load paper that is curled or has been folded. * perforation nearest the paper entry slot 2. Hold down the LF/FF button to eject the remaining labels from the printer. c Caution: Never feed labels backward using the Load/Eject or Tear Off/Bin button. When fed backward, labels can easily come off the backing sheet and cause a paper jam. Special Papers (2/3) EPSON FX-880+/FX-1180+ Quick Guide Envelopes You can feed envelopes one at a time using the paper guide, or you can load multiple envelopes using the optional high-capacity cut-sheet feeder (bin 1 of the double-bin cut-sheet feeder). Before loading envelopes, set the paper-thickness lever to a position from 2 (for thin envelopes) to 6 (for thick envelopes). To load single envelopes, follow the instructions in "Single Sheets with the Paper Guide." To load multiple envelopes, see "Single Sheets with the High-Capacity Cut-Sheet Feeder." If you are using No. 6 envelopes, make sure the left edge guide is aligned with the arrow on the paper guide. Note: Be sure to place the envelope printable side down and insert the top edge of the envelope into the printer first. The print head must not print past the left or right edge of the envelope or other thick paper. Make sure your application program prints entirely within the printable area of your envelope. See "Printer Specifications" in the Reference Guide for more information on the printable area of envelopes. Special Papers (3/3) EPSON FX-880+/FX-1180+ Quick Guide Paper-Type Switching You can easily switch back and forth between printing on continuous paper with a push tractor and printing on single sheets without having to remove or reload the continuous paper. 3. Lower the continuous paper support on the paper guide until it clicks into place, then move the paper guide to the upright position. 4. Set the paper release lever to the single-sheet position. Switching to printing on single sheets Follow the steps below to switch from printing on continuous paper from a push tractor to printing on single sheets. Note: If continuous labels are loaded in the printer, remove them before switching to single-sheet printing. See "Special Papers" for more information. If the tractor is in the pull position, remove any continuous paper from it before switching to single-sheet printing. See "Continuous Paper with the Pull Tractor" for more information. 1. If any printed pages remain in the printer, press the Tear Off/Bin button to advance the paper to the tear-off position. Then tear off the printed pages. 5. Load single sheets as described in "Loading Single Sheets" in the Reference Guide. c Caution: Make sure you tear off your printed document before you press the Load/Eject button in the next step. Reverse feeding several pages at a time may cause a paper jam. 2. Press the Load/Eject button to feed the continuous paper backward to the standby position. The paper is still attached to the push tractor but is no longer in the paper path. Paper-Type Switching (1/2) EPSON FX-880+/FX-1180+ Quick Guide Switching to printing on continuous paper Follow these steps to switch from printing on single sheets to printing on continuous paper with a push tractor: Note: To switch from printing with the optional front sheet guide to printing with the front push tractor, you need to remove the front sheet guide. 1. If a single sheet remains in the printer, press the Load/Eject button to eject it. c Caution: Never use the knob to eject paper; this may damage the printer or cause it to lose the top-of-form position. 2. Make sure that the tractor is installed in the front or rear push position and that continuous paper is loaded on it. 3. Set the paper release lever to the front or rear push position, depending on the tractor position you are using. Your printer loads the continuous paper automatically when you begin printing. Paper-Type Switching (2/2) EPSON FX-880+/FX-1180+ Quick Guide Micro Adjust Function The Micro Adjust function allows you to move the paper forward or backward in 0.118 mm (1/216-inch) increments so that you can make precise adjustments to the top-of-form and tear-off positions. 2. Hold down the Pause button for about three seconds. The Pause light begins flashing and the printer enters the Micro Adjust mode. 3. Press the LF/FF D button to feed paper backward, or press the Load/Eject U button to feed paper forward, until the paper perforation is aligned with the tear-off edge of the printer cover. Adjusting the tear-off position If your paper's perforation is not aligned with the tear-off edge, you can use the Micro Adjust function to move the perforation to the tear-off position. Follow these steps to adjust the tear-off position: c Caution: Never use the knob to adjust the tear-off position; this may damage the printer or cause it to lose the tear-off position. Note: Your tear-off position setting remains in effect until you change it, even if you turn off the printer. 1. Make sure the Tear Off/Bin light is flashing (the paper is at the current tear-off position). You may need to press the Tear Off/Bin button to advance the paper to the tear-off position. 1. tear-off edge of the printer cover 2. paper perforation Note: The printer has a minimum and a maximum tear-off position. If you try to adjust the tear-off position beyond these limits, the printer beeps and stops moving the paper. 4. Tear off the printed pages. 5. Press the Pause button to turn off Micro Adjust mode. When you resume printing, the printer automatically feeds the paper back to the top-of-form position and begins printing. Micro Adjust Function (1/2) EPSON FX-880+/FX-1180+ Quick Guide Adjusting the top-of-form position The top-of-form position is the position on the page where the printer starts printing. If your printing appears too high or low on the page, you can use the Micro Adjust function to adjust the top-of-form position. Follow these steps to adjust the top-of-form position: 4. Press the LF/FF D button to move the top-of-form position up on the page, or press the Load/Eject U button to move the top-of-form position down on the page. c Caution: Never use the knob to adjust the top-of-form position; this may damage the printer or cause it to lose the top-of-form position. Note: Your top-of-form position setting remains in effect until you change it, even if you turn off the printer. The top margin setting made in some application software overrides the top-of-form position setting you make with the Micro Adjust function. If necessary, adjust the top-of-form position in your software. 1. Make sure the printer is turned on. 2. Load paper. (If the tractor is in a push position, press the Load/Eject button to advance continuous paper to the current top-of-form position.) If necessary, lift up the printer cover so you can see the paper position. 3. Hold down the Pause button for about three seconds. The Pause light starts flashing and the printer enters the Micro Adjust mode. Note: The printer has a minimum and a maximum top-of-form position. If you try to adjust it beyond these limits, the printer beeps and stops moving the paper. When the paper reaches the default top-of-form position, the printer also beeps and stops moving the paper briefly. You can use the default setting as a reference point when adjusting the top-of-form position. 5. After you set the top-of-form position, press the Pause button to exit the Micro Adjust mode. Micro Adjust Function (2/2) EPSON FX-880+/FX-1180+ Quick Guide Ribbon Cartridge Genuine EPSON ribbon cartridge When printing becomes faint, you need to replace the ribbon cartridge. Genuine EPSON ribbon cartridges are designed and manufactured to work properly with your EPSON printer. They ensure proper operation and long life of the print head and other printer parts. Your printer uses the following ribbon cartridge: EPSON black ribbon cartridge FX-880+: FX-1180+: #8750 #8755 1. Make sure the printer is turned off. The printer is off when the power switch is pressed down to the N side. Replacing the ribbon cartridge Follow these steps to replace the ribbon cartridge: 2. If the printer is connected to an electrical outlet, unplug it from the outlet. 3. Open the printer cover to the upright position, then pull it up to remove it. w Warning: You need to move the print head by hand to replace the ribbon cartridge. If you have just used the printer, the print head may be hot; let it cool for a few minutes before touching it. Ribbon Cartridge (1/3) EPSON FX-880+/FX-1180+ Quick Guide 4. Press the tabs on each side of the paper tension unit upward, then lift the front of the unit and pull it up and out of the printer. 6. Grasp the used cartridge by its handle and pull it up and out of the printer. 5. Make sure that the print head is not hot; if it is, let it cool for a few minutes before touching it. Then slide the print head to the middle of the printer by hand. 7. Remove the new ribbon cartridge from the package and turn the ribbon-tightening knob in the direction of the arrow to remove any slack from the ribbon so it is easier to install. c Caution: Never move the print head while the printer is turned on; this can damage the printer. Ribbon Cartridge (2/3) EPSON FX-880+/FX-1180+ Quick Guide 8. Hold the ribbon cartridge by its handle and insert it into the printer as shown below; then press both sides of the cartridge firmly to fit the plastic hooks into the printer slots. 10. Slide the print head from side to side to make sure it moves smoothly. 9. Use a pointed object, such as a ball point pen, to guide the ribbon between the print head and ribbon guide. Turn the ribbon-tightening knob to help feed the ribbon into place; it should not be twisted or creased. 11. Reinstall the paper tension unit by lowering it onto the printer's mounting pegs. Then press down on both ends of the unit until it clicks into place. 12. Replace the printer cover by inserting the front tabs into the slots on the printer and lowering the cover into place. Then push it down until it clicks. Ribbon Cartridge (3/3)