12/08 Rev. 5.

01-01 SERVICE MANUAL

DPM – PEM – ALX 92x

Fault location
Error sources ................................................ 2 Reading out diagnosis data ...........................7
Notes about fault location .......................... 2 Reading out via serial interface .................8
Data transmission ..................................... 2 Storing on CF card ...................................10
Display ...................................................... 2
Gap detection ............................................ 3
Material transport ...................................... 3
Ribbon, ribbon guide ................................. 3
Feed roller, print roller ............................... 4
Position of the print image ......................... 5
Print quality ............................................... 5
Transport unit ............................................ 6
Plug-in card ............................................... 6
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DPM – PEM – ALX 92x

Error sources

Notes about fault location

Status reports should be printed to check the mechanical and electronic
function capabilities – provided that no obvious no defects are evident.

Data transmission
Problem Possible cause
No or damaged data Faulty data cable
Wrong interface selected
Setting of transmission
parameters incorrect
Faulty pin assignment of
the data cable
Incorrect handshake si-
gnals
Selection
CPU board defective
Permitted cable length
exceeded
[1] Possible faults caused by data transmission
Solution
Check, if the right data cable is applied
Check, if INTERF. PARAM. > EASYPLUGINTERPR>
Interface is set correctly
Check, if the transmission parameters for the
selected interface are set correctly (not for
Centronics)
Change or replace cable pin assignment, see
topic section Service Electronics 
Check parameter setting (only for serial inter-
face)
Select standard character set
Check and if necessary replace CPU board
Do not exceed cable length

Display
Problem Possible cause Solution
Display blank, but Operation panel does not Replace CPU board. Required change index:
background light on match the CPU board. at least -05, see topic section „Spare Parts“
or Operation panel was repla-
ced by a new one and con-
Random frozen
nected to a CPU board with
display or
change index below -05 (e.
Random strange g. A1159-04)
characters displayed
Display dark Plug connector loose Check and if necessary plug in again
Display defect Check and if necessary replace display
CPU board defective Check and if necessary replace mainboard
Button function faulty Plug connector loose Check and if necessary plug in again
Buttons defective Check and if necessary replace buttons or
display board
CPU board defective Check and if necessary replace mainboard
[2] Possible faults at the display
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DPM – PEM – ALX 92x

Gap detection
Problem Possible cause Solution
Gap detection not Photoelectric switch Check with SERVICE FUNCTION > Sensor test, if
possible defective necessary replace the photoelectric switch
Photoelectric switches set Use SYSTEM PARAMETER > Sens. punch-LS to alter
incorrectly sensitivity
False photoelectric switch Select "Punched" or "Reflex" using
selected SYSTEM PARAMETER > Light sens. type
Print position shifted Gap position not re- Correct photoelectric switch zero line using
in or against print di- cognised consistently due PRINT PARAMETERS > Punch offset
rection to gap contour
[3] Possible faults caused by the gap detection

 Sensortest instruction: see topic section „Electronics“, paragraph „Sensor

test“.

Material transport
Problem Possible cause Solution
No feed function Stepper motor plug loose Check and if necessary plug in
Stepper motor defective Check and if necessary replace motor
CPU board defective Check and if necessary replace mainboard
Feed button defective Check and if necessary replace display board
Jolted print image Material unwinder blocked Check and if necessary loosen
Material shifts Material guide set Check and if necessary set
incorrectly
Backing paper Rewinder control needs Adjust the rewinder control, see topic section
rewinder runs conti- adjustment Electronics , paragraph „Settings“.
nuously or never runs
Backing paper tears
off
[4] Possible faults caused by material transport

Ribbon, ribbon guide

Problem Possible cause Solution
Unfounded ribbon Ribbon unwind mandrel is Fix core to mandrel (spring plate), shift spring
end message not turned plate if the thread has stripped.
Photoelectric switch Check and if necessary replace (see also pa-
defective rameter SERVICE FUNCTIONS > Sensor test)
Ribbon is not being Ribbon core slips through Fix core to mandrel (spring plate), shift spring
rolled up plate if the thread has stripped.
Toothed belt defective Check and if necessary replace the belt
[5] Possible faults caused by the ribbon guiding
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DPM – PEM – ALX 92x

Problem Possible cause Solution

Ribbon tears during Printhead temperature is Check setting of print contrast (press Prog.
printing process too high button in on-line mode or parameter
PRINT PARAMETER > Print contrast) and if necessa-
ry correct.
[5] Possible faults caused by the ribbon guiding

Feed roller, print roller

Feature Possible cause Solution
Wear High running performance replace roller
Thermal bar contact too check and if necessary correct
high
Pressure roller does not run check and if necessary set
on material
Material deposits clean (roller cleaner)
Ink residue Ribbon prints directly on clean and prevent direct printing on roller
feed roller (roller cleaner)
Deformation Printing directly on feed rol- avoid direct printing
ler
High running performance replace roller
Power setting too high for check print contrast setting (press Prog. but-
bar ton in on-line mode or parameter
PRINT PARAMETER > Print contrast) and if necessary
correct.
Damage by operator replace roller and draw attention to proper
care
[6] Faults, which can occur at the print and/or feed roller.

 Maintenance and cleaning

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Position of the print image

Problem
Print position shifted
in or against print di-
rection
Print shifted at right
angles to document
[7] Unsatisfactory print position and the possible reasons.
Possible cause Solution
Incorrect parameter setting Check parameter PRINT PARAMETER > Y-Print offset
or Easy Plug command (#Jx), if necessary
correct
Gap position is recognised Correct sensor zero line with parameter
incorrectly due to gap con- PRINT PARAMETER > Gap offset
tour
Material unrolling blocked Check and if necessary correct
or too sluggish
Material guide set too Check and if necessary set
narrowly
Pressure rollers positioned Check and if necessary set
incorrectly or not at all
Material guide not set Check and if necessary set
correctly

Print quality
Problem Possible cause
Print faded Printhead dirty or defective
Printhead setting incorrect
Ribbon and material not
aligned
Ribbon possibly super-
imposed
Poor or uneven print Print roller damaged or
soiled
Feed in order but no Printhead setting too low
print image
Ribbon inserted incorrectly
(colour side)
Printhead not fixed to
bracket
Printhead defective
Printhead cable not or in-
correctly plugged in
CPU board defective
[8] Unsatisfactory print quality and the possible reasons
Solution
Clean or replace thermal bar, see topic
section Maintenance 
Check settings (e.g. print contrast, print head
resistance) and alter if necessary
Check ribbon type and material type, if nec.
alter
Insert new ribbon
Check and if necessary clean or replace roller
Check setting print contrast (press Prog. but-
ton in on-line mode or parameter
PRINT PARAMETER > Print contrast) and if nec. cor-
rect.
Check and if necessary correct
Fix thumb screw
Check printhead and if necessary replace it
Check and if necessary plug in again
Check and if necessary replace mainboard
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DPM – PEM – ALX 92x

Transport unit
Feature Possible cause Solution
No material transport Pressure rollers set in- Check and if necessary set
correctly
Drive belt defect Check and if necessary replace belt
Stepper motor defect Check and if necessary replace motor
Board defect Check and if necessary replace board
[9] Faults, which can occur at the transport unit.

Plug-in card
Problem Possible cause Solution
Plug-in card is not Contacts dirty Check and if necessary replace
recognised Card defective Check and if necessary replace
Card type does not corre- Check and if necessary replace
spond to approved type
[10] Possible problems with plug-in cards
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DPM – PEM – ALX 92x

Reading out diagnosis data

With the diagnose dump function, device
internal operation states can be read via
serial connection and be saved in a text
file. This way, the last device internal com-
munication can be captured and analysed
(comparable to the black box in an air-
plane).
The function is helpful, if the device got in
an undefined state. This happened for ex-
ample, if…
y printing suddenly stops.
y the status message „unmanaged interrupt“
appears on the display.
y the device suddenly doesn´t react on
keystrokes any more.
In those cases, the log file is generated au-
tomatically.
There are two ways of storing the log file:
y Reading out via the serial interface and
storing it on the host PC.
y Storing on CF card.
¯ Alternatively, the log file can be read out
using another than the serial interface or
using the debug interface, see Easy-Plug
manual , #!XM command.
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Reading out via serial interface

Prerequisites
y Firmware (at least):
Version Printing device
3.22 AP 4.4 (16 MB), AP 5.4, AP 7.t
4.22 64-xx Gen. 2, DPM, ALX 92x
A
5.02 64-xx Gen. 3, PEM

y Terminal program, e. g. „Hyperterminal“ (is

delivered with Windows operating
systems).
Carrying out
1. Connect the printing device to a PC, using [1] Enter a name (A) for the new connection.
the serial interface. Set the transfer para-
meters to 115 kB, n, 8, 1 (default setting).
2. Start Hyperterminal.
The window „Connection Description“ [1]
opens.
3. Name the new connection [1A]. Click OK.
The window „Connect“ opens.
4. Select the serial port of the PC and click
OK.
The window „COM1 Properties“ [2] opens
(if COM1 was selected).
5. Set the transfer parameters to
115 kB, n, 8, 1 and click OK.
The Hyperterminal main window opens.

[2] Set the transfer parameters.

6. Open the menu „Transfer“ and click

„Record Text“ [3]. An input window opens.
Enter the file name for the record file and
click „Start“.
7. At the printer operation panel press all four
buttons simultaneously.
This starts data being read out of the print-
ing device and being displayed in the
Hyperterminal main window [4]. At the
same time, the data are saved in the record
[3] Hyperterminal main window.
file.
8. To stop the transmission, click „Cancel“ in
the menu „Transfer > Record text...“.
Generating further record files:
« Close Hyperterminal and start new.
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DPM – PEM – ALX 92x

[4] Read out data.

« Send the generated files with a descriptioin

of the circumstances in which the error oc-
cured per email to the technical support at
Avery Dennison.
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Storing on CF card
Prerequisites
Firmware (at least):
Version Printing device
3.31 AP 4.4 (16 MB), AP 5.4, AP 7.t
4.31 64-xx Gen. 2, DPM, ALX 92x
5.31 64-xx Gen. 3

Carrying out
1. Call SERVICE/DIAGNOS. > Diagnosis to CF.
Diagnosis to CF
Diagnose AP 5.4

The second line shows the initial 16 char-

acters of the default file name. The com-
plete file name is:
„Diagnose AP 5.4 203 Dpi A429403110613.log“
y AP 5.4 203 Dpi: Printer type and printhead
resolution
y A429403110613: Serial number of the
CPU board; equals the string in
SERVICE DATA > CPU BOARD DATA > Serial number
2. Press the online button twice to
acknowledge and to store the file name.

Typing in a new file name:

1. Press the prog button to dismiss the
default file name.
2. Select each character of the new file name
by pressing the cut/feed buttons and
acknowledge it by pressing the online
button.
3. Finally press the online button twice to
acknowledge and store the file.
¯ Alternatively, type in the file name on an
optional keyboard connected to the
printer and acknowledge by pressing
online.
The log file will be stored in the \LOGFILES
directory on CF card.