Epson C823572 (Ethernet) Service manual

Service Manual

FX-880/FX-1180

Epson America, Inc.

TM-FX88/1180

EPSON

FX-880/FX-1180

Service Manual

ii

Revision

1 st

Release

Date

August 1998

EPSON FX-880/FX-1180 Service Manual

1. Product Description ................................................................................1-1

2. Operating Principles ...............................................................................2-1

3. Disassembly and Assembly....................................................................3-1

4. Adjustments ...........................................................................................4-1

5. Troubleshooting......................................................................................5-1

6. Maintenance...........................................................................................6-1

7. Appendix ............................................................................................... A-1

EPSON FX-880/FX-1180 Service Manual iii

iv

EPSON FX-880/FX-1180 Service Manual

Preface

The EPSON FX-880 and EPSON FX-1180 are identical products, except for their width. To permit printing on wider paper, the FX-1180 has a wider body than the FX-880, but is the same as the

FX-880 in all other respects. Unless noted otherwise, all information and instructions in this manual can be used to service either printer.

EPSON FX-880/FX-1180 Service Manual v

vi

EPSON FX-880/FX-1180 Service Manual

FCC COMPLIANCE STATEMENT

FOR AMERICAN USERS

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 and television reception. However, there is no guarantee that interference will not occur in a particular installation. If this equipment does cause interference to radio and 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 receiver.

•

Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit different from that to which the receiver is connected.

• Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician for help.

WARNING

The connection of a non-shielded equipment interface cable to this equipment will invalidate the FCC Certification of this device and may cause interference levels that exceed the limits established by the FCC for this equipment. It is the responsibility of the user to obtain and use a shielded equipment interface cable with this device. If this equipment has more than one interface connector, do not leave cables connected to unused interfaces.

Changes or modifications not expressly approved by the manufacturer could void the user's authority to operate the printer.

FOR CANADIAN USERS

This Class B digital apparatus meets all requirements of the Canadian Interference-Causing Equipment Regulations.

Cet appareil numérique de la classe B respecte toutes les exigences du Règlement sur le materiel brouilleur du

Canada.

COPYRIGHT NOTICE

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the written permission of Epson

America, Inc. No patent liability is assumed with respect to use of the information contained herein. Neither is any liability assumed for damages resulting from the use of the information contained herein. While every precaution has been taken in the preparation of this book, Epson America, Inc., assumes no responsibility for errors and omissions.

Neither Epson America, Inc., nor its affiliates shall be liable to the purchaser of this product or third parties for damages, losses, costs, or expenses incurred by purchaser or third parties as a result of: accident, misuse, or abuse of this product or unauthorized modifications, repairs, or alterations to this product.

Epson America, Inc., shall not be liable against any damages or problems arising from the use of any options or any consumable products other than those designated as Original EPSON Products or EPSON-Approved Products by Seiko

Epson Corporation.

EPSON FX-880/FX-1180 Service Manual vii

TRADEMARKS

EPSON



and ESC/P



are registered trademarks and ESC/P 2



, EPSON FX-880



, and EPSON FX-1180



are trademarks of Seiko Epson Corporation. Epson Connection is a service mark of Epson America, Inc.

General Notice: Other product names used herein are for identification purposes only and may be trademarks of their respective companies. EPSON disclaims any and all rights in those marks.

20770 Madrona Avenue

Torrance, CA 90509-2842

viii

EPSON FX-880/FX-1180 Service Manual

PRECAUTIONS

Precautionary notations throughout the text are categorized relative to:

2. damage to equipment.

WARNING

Signals a precaution which, if ignored, could result in serious or fatal personal injury. Great caution should be exercised in performing procedures preceded by a WARNING heading.

CAUTION

Signals a precaution which, if ignored, could result in damage to equipment.

Always observe the precautionary measures itemized below when performing repair/maintenance procedures.

WARNING

1. Always disconnect the product from both the power source and host computer before performing any maintenance or repair procedure.

2. No work should be performed on the unit by persons unfamiliar with basic safety measures dictated for all electronics technicians in their line of work.

3. In performing testing described in this manual, do not connect the unit to a power source until instructed to do so. When the power supply cable must be connected, use extreme caution in working on the power supply and other electronic components.

CAUTION

1. Repairs on EPSON products should be performed only by an EPSON-certified repair technician.

2. Make certain that the source voltage is the same as the rated voltage listed on the serial number/rating plate. If the EPSON product has a primary AC rating different from the available power source, do not connect it to the power source.

3. Always verify that the EPSON product has been disconnected from the power source before removing or replacing printed circuit boards and/or individual chips.

4. To protect sensitive µP chip and circuitry, use static discharge equipment, such as anti-static wrist straps, when accessing internal components.

5. Replace malfunctioning components only with those components recommended by the manufacturer; introduction of second-source ICs or other nonapproved components may damage the product and void any applicable EPSON warranty.

EPSON FX-880/FX-1180 Service Manual ix

1. Product Description

Features ..................................................................................................................................................... 1-1

Accessories................................................................................................................................................ 1-3

Hardware Specifications ............................................................................................................................ 1-4

Paper Handling Specifications........................................................................................................... 1-5

Envelopes .............................................................................................................................. 1-8

Input data buffer............................................................................................................................... 1-10

Reliability.......................................................................................................................................... 1-12

Firmware Specifications........................................................................................................................... 1-14

Control Codes and Fonts................................................................................................................. 1-14

Parallel Interface (Forward Channel)................................................................................... 1-15

Parallel Interface (Reverse Channel) .................................................................................. 1-17

Interfaces............................................................................................................................. 1-18

Preventing Data Transfer Timeout in the Host ................................................................................ 1-19

Control Panel Operation........................................................................................................................... 1-20

Overview of Functions ..................................................................................................................... 1-20

Operation in Normal Mode .................................................................................................. 1-20

Operation at Power-On........................................................................................................ 1-21

Operation in the Default Setting Mode ................................................................................ 1-21

Details of Selected Functions .......................................................................................................... 1-22

Changing the Default Settings ............................................................................................. 1-23

Bidirectional Adjustment Function ....................................................................................... 1-25

Printer States and Error Reporting........................................................................................................... 1-27

Initialization ...................................................................................................................................... 1-27

Conditions Indicated by the LEDs and Beeper ................................................................................ 1-28

Main Components.................................................................................................................................... 1-29

EPSON FX-880/FX-1180 Service Manual

1-i

Product Descriptions

1-ii

EPSON FX-880/FX-1180 Service Manual

Product Description

Features

The EPSON FX-880 and FX-1180 are small-footprint, 9-pin serial impact dot matrix printers. Except for their width, the two printers are exactly the same. The FX-1180 has a wider carriage unit and paper handling mechanism, and prints on wider paper than the FX-880.

The main features of the FX-880 and FX-1180 are:

Print Speed High speed draft

Draft

NLQ

Feeding Method Friction feed

Push tractor feed

Push and pull tractor feed

Pull tractor feed

Cut-sheet feeder

Feeder

410 cps at 10 cpi

(max. 455 cps at 12 cpi)

310 cps at 10 cpi

77 cps at 10 cpi

(front, rear)

(front, rear)*

(front, rear, bottom)

(CSF, optional)

Front push tractor, rear push tractor,

CSF bin1/bin2 (optional), roll paper holder (optional) pull tractor (optional)

Paper/Media

Printable columns

Built-in fonts

Single sheet, continuous, and multi-part paper, envelopes, card stock, labels, and roll paper**

FX-1180: 136 columns (at 10 cpi)

FX-880: 80 columns (at 10 cpi)

Bitmap fonts:

EPSON Draft

EPSON Roman

10, 12, 15 cpi

10, 12, 15 cpi, proportional

EPSON Sans Serif 10, 12, 15 cpi, proportional

Barcode fonts:

EAN-13, EAN-8, Interleaved 2 of 5, UPC-A, UPC-E,

Code 39, Code 128, POSTNET

Notes:

*Additional tractor is required.

**Roll paper is not available on all models, and is not available in the U.S.

EPSON FX-880/FX-1180 Service Manual

1-1

Product Description

Character tables Standard version

NLSP version

11 tables

19 tables

Character sets

Input buffer

12 international character sets and one legal character set

32KB or 0KB (selectable in the default-setting mode or using the

EPSON Remote! utility with Windows 95)

Acoustic noise Approximately 55 dB(A), ISO 7779 pattern

Reliability Total print volume 6.5 million lines, except printhead

MTBF 4000 power-on hours (POH) at 25% Duty-Cycle

Printhead life

Ribbon life

200 million strokes per wire

3 million characters (in Draft mode at 10 cpi with

approximately 14 dots per character)

Interfaces One standard bidirectional, 8-bit, parallel interface with IEEE-1284 nibble mode support, and one optional Type B level 2 interface slot

Control codes ESC/P and IBM 2380 Plus (for the FX-880) or 2381 Plus (for the

FX-1180) character emulation

Copy capability 1 original + 5 copies

1-2

Figure 1-1. Exterior of FX-880

(FX-1180 similar but wider)

EPSON FX-880/FX-1180 Service Manual

Product Description

Accessories

Table 1-1. Items Included with the Printer

Enclosed item

User’s guide

Driver diskette

Ribbon cartridge 1

Quantity

1-2. Consumables and Optional Units

Item

FX-1180

Ribbon cartridge 8755

High capacity cut sheet feeder (bin1) C806401

Second bin cut sheet feeder (bin2) C806391

Push/pull tractor unit 1038519

Roll paper holder

Front paper guide

8310

C814031

Part Number

FX-880

8750

C806381

C806371

C800201

8310

C814021

Front sheet guide

0KB type-B Serial interface card

32KB type-B intelligent serial I/F card

Coax type-B I/F card

Twinax type-B I/F card

C814011

C823051

C823071

C823141

C823151

Multi-protocol Ethernet type-B I/F card C823572

Bi-directional parallel type-B I/F card C823452

LocalTalk I/F card C823121

C814001

C823051

C823071

C823141

C823151

C823572

C823452

C823121

EPSON FX-880/FX-1180 Service Manual

1-3

Product Description

Hardware Specifications

This section describes the hardware specifications of the FX-880 and FX-1180.

Printing Method

Printing method

Number of pins

Pin arrangement

Pin diameter

Print color

Print direction

Impact dot matrix

9 pins

0.0114 inch (0.29 mm)

Black

Bidirectional logic seeking when printing text and graphics.

Unidirectional text or graphics printing can be selected with software commands.

Printing Specifications

Copy capability 1 original + 5 copies

Table 1-3. Print Speed and Printable Columns

Printing Mode Character Pitch Printable Columns Print Speed (cps) at 10 cpi

FX-1180 FX-880 Normal Copy

High-speed draft 10 cpi

Draft 10 cpi

NLQ 10 cpi

136

410

310

345

260

Notes:

1. Both printers can print a maximum of 455 cps at a pitch of 12 cpi.

2. If the power supply voltage drops below the lower limit, the printer stops until the voltage returns to the normal range. The printer then resumes printing, but more slowly than before.

3. If the printhead temperature rises above the upper limit, the printer stops until the printhead cools down to the normal temperature. The printer then resumes printing, but more slowly than before.

4. When the platen gap lever is set at position 2 or higher, the printer goes into copy mode. In copy mode, the print speed slows to prevent the dot wires from getting stuck in the thicker paper as the printhead travels across the page. Note that “copy mode,” as used in this manual, does not refer to overstrike, a function not supported by the FX-880 or FX-1180 printer.

1-4

EPSON FX-880/FX-1180 Service Manual

Product Description

Table 1-4. Print Resolution

Print Mode Horizontal density

High-speed draft 90 dpi

Draft

NLQ

Bit image

120 dpi

240 dpi

60, 72, 80, 90 or

120 dpi

120 or 240 dpi

Vertical density

72 dpi

144 dpi

72 dpi

Adjacent dot printed?

Yes

Control codes ESC/P and IBM 2380/2381 Plus character emulation.

Paper Handling Specifications

Paper feed methods Friction feed (front, rear)

Push tractor (front, rear)

Pull tractor (front, rear, bottom)

Push and pull tractor (additional tractor required)

CSF bin1/bin2 (optional)

Roll paper holder (optional)

Paper path Manual Insertion

CSF

Tractor

Front in, front out

Rear in, front out

Rear, front, or bottom in, front out

Paper capacity Single-bin cut-sheet feeder: up to 50 sheets of 22 lb (80 g/m

) paper

Note:

The total thickness of the paper stack can be up to 0.20 inches

(5 mm).

Line spacing

High-capacity cut-sheet feeder: up to 150 sheets of 22 lb (82 g/m

) paper up to 25 plain or bond envelopes up to 30 airmail envelopes

Note:

The total thickness of the paper stack can be up to 0.59 inches

(15 mm).

1/6 inch or programmable in increments of 1/216 inch

EPSON FX-880/FX-1180 Service Manual

1-5

Product Description

Feed speed

Table 1-5. Feed Speed

Mode

Normal

Copy

Release lever

Type of Feed

1/6 inch

Continuous

1/6 inch

Continuous

Speed

62 ms/line

5.0 inches/sec (0.127 m/sec)

83 ms/line

3.1 inches/sec (0.078 m/sec)

Set the paper release lever using the following table.

Table 1-6. Paper Release Lever Position

Lever Position

Single-sheet position

Paper Entrance

Front insertion

CSF bin1

CSF bin2

From rear using roll paper holder

Front push tractor position

From front using front push tractor, or using front push and pull tractors in combination

Rear push tractor position

From rear using rear push tractor, or rear push and pull tractors in combination

Pull tractor position From front, rear, or bottom using topmounted pull tractor

Paper Types

Cut sheet (single sheet and multi-part)

Card stock

Cut sheet (single sheet and multi-part)

Envelopes, card stock

Cut sheet (single sheet)

Roll paper

Continuous paper (single sheet and multi-part)

Paper thickness lever Set the paper thickness lever, as indicated in the following table.

Table 1-7. Paper Thickness Lever Position

Lever Position Paper Thickness (inches)

Minimum

0.0024

Maximum

0.0047

0.0075

0.0102

0.0126

0.0142

0.0157

0.0205

Paper Thickness (mm)

Minimum

0.065

Maximum

0.12

0.19

0.26

0.32

0.36

0.40

0.19

0.26

0.32

0.36

0.40

0.52

1-6

EPSON FX-880/FX-1180 Service Manual

Product Description

Paper Specifications

This section describes the types of paper that can be used with this printer.

Cut Sheets

Width

Length

Thickness

Weight

Quality

Table 1-8. Specifications for Cut Sheets (as single sheets of paper)

FX-1180:

FX-880:

5.8 to 16.5 inches (148 to 420 mm)

5.8 to 10.1 inches (148 to 257 mm)

Front entry: 7.2 to 14.3 inches (182 to 364 mm)

Rear entry: 3.6 to 14.3 inches (92 to 364 mm)

0.0025 to 0.0055 inches (0.065 to 0.14 mm)

14 to 24 lb (52 to 90 g/m

)

Plain or recycled paper; neither curled, folded, nor crumpled

Note:

Printing on recycled paper or card stock is available only at normal temperatures and humidity.

Insertion

Width

Length*

Copies

Total thickness

Weight

Quality

Joining

Table 1-9. Specifications for Cut Sheets (as multi-part forms)

Front or rear entry

FX-1180:

FX-880:

5.8 to 16.5 inches (148 to 420 mm)

5.8 to 10.1 inches (148 to 257 mm)

7.2 to 14.3 inches (182 to 364 mm)

1 original + 5 copies

0.0047 to 0.018 inches (0.12 to 0.46 mm)

12 to 15 lb (40 to 58 g/m

)

Carbonless multi-part forms, neither curled, folded, nor crumpled

Apply glue in a straight line at the top or at one side of a form.

Notes:

1. * Maximum length, including perforation area. Length excluding perforation area is 11.7".

2. Do not use CSF bin 2 when printing a multi-part form.

B B

A The minimum top and bottom margins are

0.17 inch (4.2 mm).

B The minimum left and right margins are 0.12

inch (3 mm).

The maximum printable width is 8 inches (203.2

mm) for the FX-880 and 13.6 inches (345.4 mm) for the FX-1180.

Figure 1-2. Margins for Cut Sheets

EPSON FX-880/FX-1180 Service Manual

1-7

Product Description

Envelopes

Table 1-10. Specifications for Envelopes

Envelope type

Width

No.6

6.5 inches (165 mm)

No.10

9.5 inches (241 mm)

4.1 inches (105 mm) Length

Insertion

3.6 inches (92 mm)

Rear entry only

Total thickness 0.0063 to 0.020 inches (0.16 to 0.52 mm)

The variation in thickness in the print area, due to envelope construction,

Weight must be within 0.0098 inches (0.25 mm).

12 to 24 lb (45 to 90 g/m

)

Quality Airmail envelopes without glue on the flap, bond envelopes, and plain envelopes.

Notes:

1. Printing on envelopes should be done only at normal temperatures and humidity.

2. Do not use CSF bin 2 when printing on envelopes.

3. Insert the longer side of the envelope horizontally.

A The minimum top and bottom margins are 0.17 inch (4.2 mm).

B The minimum left and right margins are 0.12 inch (3 mm).

Figure 1-3. Margins for Envelopes

Continuous Paper

Table 1-11. Specifications for Continuous Paper (single sheet and multi-part)

Insertion

Width

Length

Copies

Total thickness

Weight

Weight (multi-part)

Quality

Joining

Front entry, rear entry, bottom entry

FX-1180:

FX-880:

4 to 16 inches (101.6 to 406.4 mm)

4 to 10 inches (101.6 to 254 mm)

4 to 22 inches (101.6 to 558.8 mm)

1original + 5 copies

0.0025 to 0.018 inches (0.065 to 0.46 mm)

14 to 22 lb (52 to 82 g/m

)

12 to 15 lb (40 to 58 g/m

)

Plain paper, recycled paper, carbonless multi-part

Apply small dots of glue, or paper staple (crimp) both the right and left sides.

1-8

EPSON FX-880/FX-1180 Service Manual

Product Description

Insertion

Table 1-12. Specifications for Continuous Form Labels

Minimum label size

Front (push or pull tractor, but preferably pull) or bottom (pull tractor)

See the figure below:

2.5" (63.5 mm)

Label

Corner Radius 0.1" (2.5 mm)

Backing sheet width

Figure 1-4. Label

FX-1180: 4 to 16 inches (101.6 to 406.4 mm)

FX-880: 4 to 10 inches (101.6 to 254.0 mm)

4 to 22 inches (101.6 to 558.8 mm) Backing sheet length

Backing sheet thickness 0.0028 to 0.0035 inches (0.07 to 0.09 mm)

Total thickness

Label weight

0.0063 to 0.0075 inches (0.16 to 0.19 mm)

17 lb (68 g/m

)

Quality AVERY Continuous Form labels, AVERY Mini-Line labels, or labels of equal quality

Notes:

1. Printing on labels is available only at normal temperatures and humidity.

2. The base sheet for the labels must be continuous paper.

A The minimum top and bottom margins (above and below the perforation) are 0.17 inch (4.2 mm).

B The minimum left and right margins are 0.51 inch (13 mm).

The maximum printable width is 8 inches (203.2 mm) for the FX-880 and 13.6 inches (345.4 mm) for the FX-1180.

Figure 1-5. Margins for Continuous Paper

EPSON FX-880/FX-1180 Service Manual

1-9

Product Description

Roll paper

Table 1-13. Specifications for Roll Paper

Insertion

Maximum paper width

Thickness

Weight

Quality

Rear entry

FX-1180: 16 inches (406.4 mm)

FX-880: 8.5 inches (216 mm)

0.0028 to 0.0035 inches (0.07 to 0.09 mm)

14 to 22 lb (52 to 82 g/m

)

Plain paper; neither curled, folded, nor crumpled

Note:

Using roll paper requires an optional roll paper holder.

B B

A The minimum top and bottom margins are 0.17 inch (4.2 mm).

B The minimum left and right margins are 0.12 inch (3 mm).

The maximum printable width is 8 inches (203.2 mm) for the

FX-880 and 13.6 inches (345.4 mm) for the FX-1180.

Figure 1-6. Margins for Roll Paper

Ribbon Cartridge

Item

Type

Color

Ribbon life

Table 1-14. Statistics for the Ribbon

Specifications

Fabric

Black

3 million characters

(in draft mode at 14 dots per character)

Input data buffer

0 Kb or 32 Kb

Note:

The size of the input data buffer depends on the printer’s default settings.

1-10

EPSON FX-880/FX-1180 Service Manual

Product Description

Electrical Specifications

Electrical specifications for the FX-880 and FX-1180 depend on both the model and the type of power supply it contains:

Table 1-15. Electrical Specifications for the 120 V Version

Item

Rated voltage

Specification

120 VAC

Input voltage range 103.5 to 132 VAC

Rated frequency range 50 to 60 Hz

Input frequency range 49.5 to 60.5 Hz

Rated current

Power consumption

Insulation resistance

Dielectric strength

0.7 A (maximum 1.6 A, depending on the character type)

FX-1180: Approximately 36 W (ISO/IEC 10561 letter pattern)

FX-880: Approximately 34 W (ISO/IEC 10561 letter pattern)

ENERGY STAR Compliant

10 M

Ω

minimum (between AC line and chassis)

1000 VAC rms 1 min or 1200 VAC rms 1 sec (between AC line and chassis)

Table 1-16. Electrical Specifications for the 230 V Version

Item

Rated voltage

Input voltage range

Specification

220 to 240 VAC

198 to 264 VAC

Rated frequency range 50 to 60 Hz

Input frequency range 49.5 to 60.5 Hz

Rated current

Power consumption

Insulation resistance

Dielectric strength

0.4 A (maximum 0.9 A, depending on the character type)

FX-1180: Approximately 36 W (ISO/IEC 10561 letter pattern)

FX-880: Approximately 34 W (ISO/IEC 10561 letter pattern)

ENERGY STAR Compliant

10 M

Ω

minimum (between AC line and chassis)

1000 VAC rms 1 min or 1200 VAC rms 1 sec (between AC line and chassis)

EPSON FX-880/FX-1180 Service Manual

1-11

Product Description

Table 1-17. Electrical Specifications for the UPS Version

Item

Rated voltage

Specification

100 to 120 VAC or 220 to 240 VAC

Input voltage range 90 to 132 VAC or 198 to 264 VAC

Rated frequency range 50 to 60 Hz

Input frequency range 49.5 to 60.5 Hz

Rated current

Power consumption

Insulation resistance

Dielectric strength at 120 V: 0.8 A (maximum 2.0 A, depending on the character type) at 230 V: 0.5 A (maximum 1.0 A, depending on the character type)

FX-1180: Approximately 36 W (ISO/IEC 10561 letter pattern)

FX-880: Approximately 34 W (ISO/IEC 10561 letter pattern)

ENERGY STAR Compliant

10 M

Ω

minimum (between AC line and chassis)

1500 VAC rms 1 min (between AC line and chassis)

Reliability

Item

Total print volume

MTBF

Printhead life

Table 1-18. Reliability Statistics

Specifications

6.5 million lines (except printhead)

4000 power-on hours (POH)

200 million characters/wire

Environmental Requirements

The printer requires the following conditions while operating or in storage:

Table 1-19. Environmental Requirements

Item

Temperature

Relative Humidity

Specifications

41 to 95

F (5 to 35

C), operating

59 to 77

F (15 to 25

C), operating

-22 to 140

F(-30 to 60

C), storage

*1, *2

10 to 80%, operating

30 to 60%, operating

*1, *2

0 to 85%, storage

Notes:

2. During printing on envelopes, card stock, labels, multi-part forms, roll paper, or recycled paper.

1-12

EPSON FX-880/FX-1180 Service Manual

Product Description

Safety Approvals

The FX-880 and FX-1180 have met the following safety approvals:

Table 1-20. Safety Information

Version

120 V

230 V

UPS

Safety Standards

UL 1950 with D3,

CSA C22.2 No. 950

EN60950 (VDE, NEMKO)

UL 1950, CSA C22.2 No. 950

EMI

FCC part 15 subpart B class B,

CSA C108.8 class B

EN55022 (CISPR pub. 22) class B,

AS/NZS 3548 class B

FCC part 15 subpart B class B,

CSA C108.8 class B

CE Marking

The following table lists CE marking information for the 230 V version.

Table 1-21. CE Marking for the 230 V Version

Low Voltage Directive 73/23/EEC EN60950

EMC Directive 89/336/EEC EN55022 class B

EN61000-3-2

EN61000-3-3

EN50082-1

IEC801-2

IEC801-3

IEC801-4

Acoustic Noise

Level Approximately 55 dB (A) (ISO 7779 pattern)

EPSON FX-880/FX-1180 Service Manual

1-13

Product Description

Firmware Specifications

This section provides detailed information about firmware for the FX-880 and FX-1180.

Control Codes and Fonts

Control codes

Typefaces

ESC/P 2 and IBM 2380/2381 Plus character emulation

Bit map fonts

EPSON Draft

EPSON Roman

10 cpi, 12 cpi, 15 cpi

10 cpi, 12 cpi, 15 cpi, proportional

EPSON Sans Serif 10 cpi, 12 cpi, 15 cpi, proportional

Bar code fonts

EAN-13, EAN-8, Interleaved 2 of 5, UPC-A, UPC-E, Code 39, Code 128,

and POSTNET

Character sets

12 international character sets and one legal character set

Character tables

Table 1-22. Character Tables

Standard version

Character Tables

Italic

PC437 (US Standard Europe)

PC850 (Multilingual)

PC860 (Portuguese)

PC861 (Icelandic)

PC863 (Canadian-French)

PC865 (Norwegian)

Abicomp

BRASCII

Roman 8

ISO Latin 1

Bitmap Fonts

EPSON Draft

EPSON Roman

EPSON Sans Serif

1-14

EPSON FX-880/FX-1180 Service Manual

Product Description

Interface Specifications

The FX-880 and FX-1180 provide a bidirectional 8-bit parallel interface and a Type-B optional interface slot as standard.

Parallel Interface (Forward Channel)

Transmission mode

Adaptable connector

Synchronization

Handshaking

Signal level

8 bit parallel, IEEE-1284 compatibility mode

57-30360 (AMPHENOL) or equivalent

/STROBE pulse

BUSY and /ACKNLG signals

TTL compatible (IEEE-1284 level 1 device)

Table 1-23. Pin Assignments for Forward Channel

Pin

2 to 9

16,33

19-30

15,34

Signal

/STROBE

DATA1 to 8

/ACKNLG

BUSY

SLCT

/AFXT

/INIT

/ERROR

/SLIN

Logic H

+5V

Chassis

GND

Return

GND Pin

20 to 27



In/Out

Out



Out

Functional Description

Strobe pulse. Input data is latched at falling edge of the signal.

Each signal, from bit 0 to bit 7, represents parallel input data. HIGH means data 1; LOW means data 0.

This signal (negative pulse) indicates that the printer has received data and is ready to accept more data.

This signal’s HIGH level means that the printer is not ready to accept data.

This signal’s HIGH level means the printer has a paper-out error.

Always HIGH when the printer is powered on.

Not used.

This signal’s negative pulse initializes the printer.

This signal’s LOW level means the printer is in an error state.

This signal is always HIGH when printer power is ON.

This line is pulled up to +5 V through 3.9K

Ω

resistor.

This line is pulled up to +5 V through 1.0K

Ω

resistor.

Chassis GND.

Signal GND.

Not connected.

Note:

In/Out refers to the direction of signal flow from the printer’s point of view.

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Product Description

The BUSY signal is active (HIGH) under the following conditions:

■

While receiving data.

When the input buffer is full.

When the INIT signal is active LOW.

When the /ERROR or PE signal is active.

During hardware initialization.

In the self-test mode.

In the adjustment mode.

In default-setting mode.

The /ERROR signal is active LOW under the following conditions:

■

If there is a release lever error.

If there is a paper-out error.

If there is a paper-jam error.

The PE signal is active HIGH under the following conditions:

■ If there is a paper-out error

DATA

DATA (n) t hold

STROBE t setup

BUSY t ready t bus y

ACKNLG t stb t reply t ack t nbusy t nex t

DATA (n+1)

Figure 1-7. Data Transmission Timing

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Product Description

Table 1-24. Maximum and Minimum Timings for Data Transmission

Parameter tsetup thold tstb tready tbusy treply tack tnbusy tnext ttout* ttin**

Minimum

500 nsec



500 nsec

Notes:

* Rise and fall time of output signals.

** Rise and fall time of input signals.

Parallel Interface (Reverse Channel)

Transmission mode

Adaptable connector

Synchronization

Handshaking

Signal Level

IEEE-1284 nibble mode

57-30360 (Amphenol) or equivalent

Refer to the IEEE-P1284 specification

IEEE-1284 level 1 device

TTL compatible

Data transmission timing Refer to the IEEE-1284 specification

Maximum



500 nsec



10 us



120 nsec

200 nsec

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Product Description

Table 1-25. Pin Assignments for Reverse Channel

Pin

2 to 9

Signal Return

GND Pin

In/Out*

HostClk

DATA1

∼

PtrClk

20 to 27 In

PtrBusy, DataBit-3,7 29

Out

Functional Description

Host clock signal

Parallel input data to the printer

Printer clock signal

Printer busy signal and reverse channel transfer data bit 3 or 7

AckDataReq,

DataBit-2, 6

Xflag, DataBit-1, 5

Out

HostBusy

/INIT

/Data Avail,

DataBit-0, 4

1284-Active

Logic-H

+5 V

Chassis

GND



Out



Acknowledge data request signal and reverse channel transfer data bit 2 or 6

X-flag signal and reverse channel transfer data bit 1 or 5

Host busy signal

Not used

Data available signal and reverse channel transfer data bit 0 or 4

1284 active signal

This line is pulled up to + 5 V through 3.3K

Ω resistor.

This line is pulled up to +5 V through 1.0K

Ω resistor

Chassis GND

Signal GND

16, 33,

19-30

15, 34 NC   Not connected

Note:

* In/Out refers to the direction of signal flow from the printer’s point of view.

Interfaces

The FX-880 and FX-1180 include one built-in parallel interface card and one built-in card slot. The card slot accepts a variety of Type-B optional interface cards, as indicated by the table below.

Table 1-26. Type B Optional Interface Cards

Catalog Number

C823051

C823071

C823141

C823151

C823572

C823452

C823121

Interface

Serial interface card

32 KB intelligent serial interface card

Coax interface card

Twinax interface card

Ethernet interface card

Parallel interface card

LocalTalk interface card

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Product Description

Interface Selection

The printer selects the interface automatically, unless the user manually overrides it.

Manual selection

The user can override automatic selection by selecting either the built-in parallel or the optional Type-B interface in the default setting mode. (See “Control Panel Operation” later in this chapter.)

Automatic selection

Normally, interface selection is automatic. (This is the factory-set default, but it can be changed in the default settings.) With automatic selection enabled, the printer initializes to the idle state and scans its interfaces. When the printer receives data, the interface that receives the data first is selected. As long as the host continues sending data or the printer interface is busy, the selected interface remains active.

When the host stops transferring data and the printer sits in standby for the number of seconds specified in the default settings, the printer returns to the idle state and the interface is de-activated.

Interface state and interface selection

When the printer is initialized or returns to the idle state after printing, three things happen:

■

The parallel interface goes into the ready state.

If an optional interface card is installed, the printer sends it an enable command.

If a serial interface card is installed, it sends an XON code and sets the DTR signal to SPACE.

When an interface is not selected, various things can happen:

■

When the parallel interface is not selected, it goes into a busy state.

When an optional interface card is installed and not selected, the printer sends a disable command to the optional interface.

When the Type-B serial interface card is installed and it is not selected, the interface sends an

XOFF code and sets the DTR signal to MARK.

Interrupt signals, such as the INIT signal for the parallel interface, are not effective unless the interface to which it is directed is selected.

Preventing Data Transfer Timeout in the Host

Generally, a host abandons data transfer to a peripheral when the peripheral is in the busy state for a period of 30 seconds or more, depending on the default settings of the host. To prevent time-out in the host, the printer begins receiving data more slowly after the input buffer has received several hundred bytes of data. Data transfer may then slow to as little as a few bytes per minute, with the printer registering a busy state only if the input buffer fills completely.

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Product Description

Control Panel Operation

This section tells how to use the FX-880 and FX-1180 control panel.

Control Panel

The printer control panel contains four non-lock-type pushbuttons and one lock-type power button, as well as various LEDs to report on printer functions.

Font

Draft

Draft Condensed

Roman

Roman Condensed

Sans serif

Sans serif Condensed

Tear Off/Bin

Tear off

Bin 1

Bin 2

LF/FF Load/Eject

Micro Adjust

Figure 1-8. Control Panel

Pause Paper Out

Operate

3sec

Overview of Functions

You can use the control panel to access a variety of printer functions; some of these functions are accessible only when the printer is in certain states, as explained below.

Operation in Normal Mode

During normal operation, the panel buttons perform the functions shown below.

Buttons

Operate

Pause

Load/Eject

Table 1-27. Operation in Normal Mode

Function

Turns the printer on and off.

Alternates between printing and non-printing states.

Activates the micro-adjust and font selection functions if held down for more than 3 seconds while the printer is not printing (buffer is empty); pressing it again turns these functions off.

Loads or ejects paper.

Micro feeds forward, when the micro-adjust function is enabled.

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EPSON FX-880/FX-1180 Service Manual

LF/FF

Tear Off/Bin

Product Description

Performs a line feed if pressed momentarily.

Performs a form feed if held down continously.

Micro feeds backward, when the micro-adjust function is enabled.

Advances continuous-feed paper to the tear-off position; if pressed again, repositions the paper to top-of-form

(TOF).

Selects CSF bin 1 or CSF bin 2.

Operation at Power-On

To access these functions, the button indicated below must be pressed while turning on the printer.

Buttons

Load/Eject

LF/FF

Load/Eject

LF/FF

Pause

Tear Off/Bin

Pause

Tear Off/Bin

Tear Off/Bin + LF/FF

Table 1-28. Operation at Power On

Function

Performs a self-test in NLQ mode.

Performs a self-test in draft mode.

Performs a data dump.

Clears the line counter (a value stored in the EEPROM, used to indicate ribbon life).

Performs a bidirectional adjustment.

Activates the Mode 1 default setting function.

Activates the Mode 2 default setting function.

Operation in the Default Setting Mode

When the printer is in the default setting mode, the panel buttons perform the functions shown below.

Buttons

Tear Off/Bin

Load/Eject

Table 1-29. Operation in Default Setting Mode

Function

Selects the setting to be adjusted from a printed menu.

Changes the setting’s value.

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Product Description

Details of Selected Functions

This section explains how to use several of the more complex functions.

Micro-Adjust Function

The micro-adjust function lets you set the top of form (TOF) and tear-off positions for your paper. Which position you adjust depends on whether the paper is in the TOF or the tear-off position when you make the adjustment. Adjustments can be made in increments of 1/216 inch. Use the Load/Eject button to move the paper up, and the LF/FF button to move it down.

You can activate the micro-adjust function by pressing the Pause button for at least 3 seconds when:

The data buffer is empty and the printer is on-line.

The paper is at the TOF or tear-off position.

When you press the Pause button again, the printer exits micro-adjust mode and the new position is automatically saved to the EEPROM so that the setting is not cleared if the printer is turned off.

Tear-off Function

The tear-off function advances continuous paper to the tear-off position. There are two modes for this function: auto tear-off and manual tear-off. You can select the tear-off mode in the default settings, explained later in this chapter.

Auto tear-off

In auto tear-off mode, the printer automatically advances the paper to the tear-off position when it has finished printing. After you tear the paper off at the perforation, the paper feeds back to the TOF position when a new print job is sent to the printer. The auto tear-off function is activated when:

Auto tear-off has been set to ON in the default settings.

The release lever has been set to one of the tractor positions.

The data buffer is empty and the printer is on-line.

More than 3 seconds have passed since the host computer finished transferring print data.

Manual tear-off

In manual tear-off mode, you must press the Tear Off/Bin button to advance the paper to the tear-off position. Pressing the button again returns the paper to TOF. The manual tear-off function can be activated if:

Auto tear-off has been set to OFF in the default settings.

The release lever has been set to one of the tractor positions.

The printer is off-line; or, if the printer is on-line, the data buffer is empty.

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Product Description

Paper handling when in the tear-off mode

If you press the Pause button with the printer off-line, the printer feeds the paper back to the TOF position for the next page and brings the printer back on-line.

If you press the Pause button with the printer on-line, the printer feeds the paper back to the TOF position for the next page and takes the printer off-line.

Pressing the LF/FF button feeds the paper back to the TOF position for the next page and executes a line feed.

Pressing the Load/Eject button feeds the paper back to the TOF position for the next page and ejects paper backward.

If the printer is turned off while in the tear-off mode, the tear-off position is saved, and paper is fed back to the TOF position for the next page when you turn the printer on again.

Changing the Default Settings

Default settings are special settings stored in the printer’s EEPROM which remain active even after turning off the printer. The FX-880 and FX-1180 both have two default setting modes. You can change different printer settings in each of these modes.

When you enter the default setting mode, the printer prints out instructions for changing the settings, as well as a menu of options. In general, you use the Tear Off/Bin button to select from the printed menu the setting you wish to change, and the Load/Eject button to change the value of the setting. In addition to these buttons, you use four LEDs: the Font and TearOff/Bin LEDs to follow your menu selections, and the

Pause and Paper Out LEDs to see the current settings.

Default Settings (Mode 1)

Refer to the following flowchart and its accompanying table to adjust the default settings in mode 1.

START

Hold down the Tear off/Bin switch and turn on the printer.

The language selection menu prints.

Change the language?

YES

Push the Load/Eject switch to select a different language.

Push the Tear off/Bin switch to select the default setting you wish to change.

Push the Load /Eject switch to change the setting's value.

Finished?

YES

Push the Tear off/Bin switch.

The default settings menu and selection guide are printed.

Turn the printer off to save the settings.

END

Figure 1-9. Changing Default Settings (Mode 1)

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Product Description

Note that in the following table, factory settings are shown in bold.

Table 1-30. Default Settings (Mode 1)

Item

Skip over perforation

Auto tear off

Auto line feed

Print Direction

I/F mode

Auto I/F wait time

Software

0 slash

High speed draft

Input buffer

Beeper

Auto CR*

I.B.M. character table*

Setting/Value

On, Off

Bi-d, Uni-d

Auto, Built-in Parallel, Optional Type-B

10 sec, 30 sec

ESC/P, IBM 2380/2381 Plus

O, Ø

On, Off

On, Off

table 2, table 1

Note:

* Auto CR and I.B.M. character table are available only when IBM 2380/2381 Plus emulation is selected.

Default Settings (Mode 2)

Refer to the following flowchart and its accompanying table to adjust the default settings in mode 2.

START

Hold down the Tear off/Bin and LF/FF switches and turn on the printer.

The language selection menu prints.

Change the language?

YES

Push the Load/Eject switch to select a different language.

Push the Tear off/Bin switch to select the default setting you wish to change.

Push the Load /Eject switch to change the setting's value.

Push the Tear off/Bin switch.

Finished?

YES

Turn the printer off to save the settings.

The default settings menu and selection guide are printed.

END

Figure 1-10. Changing Default Settings (Mode 2)

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Product Description

Note that in the following table, factory settings are shown in bold.

Table 1-31. Default Settings (Mode 2)

Item

Page length for front tractor

Page length for rear tractor

Character tables

International character sets for

Italic table *

Setting/Value

3 inch, 3.5 inch, 4 inch, 5.5 inch, 6 inch, 7 inch, 8 inch, 8.5 inch,

11 inch, 70/6 inch, 12 inch, 14 inch, 17 inch

3 inch, 3.5 inch, 4 inch, 5.5 inch, 6 inch, 7 inch, 8 inch, 8.5 inch,

11 inch, 70/6 inch, 12 inch, 14 inch, 17 inch

Italic, PC437, PC850, PC860, PC863, PC865, PC861, BRASCII,

Abicomp, ISO Latin 1, Roman 8

NLSP version:

Italic, PC437, PC437 (Greek), PC774, PC850, PC852, PC853,

PC855, PC857, PC866, PC866 (Latin), PC866 (UKR), PC869, ISO

Latin 1T, MAZOWIA, Code MJK, Bulgaria, Estonia, ISO 8859-2, ISO

8859-7

Italic U.S.A, Italic France, Italic Germany, Italic U.K., Italic

Denmark 1, Italic Sweden, Italic Italy, Italic Spain 1

Note:

* The options available for this setting vary by country.

Restoring Factory-Set Defaults

You can return all settings to their factory defaults by pressing the Tear Off/Bin and Load/Eject buttons while turning on the printer.

Bidirectional Adjustment Function

The bidirectional adjustment function allows you to adjust alignment at the following print speeds:

High-speed draft mode

Draft mode

NLQ

The bidirectional adjustment can be performed either with a stand-alone printer, or using the adjustment program with a host computer connected to the printer. With a stand-alone printer, enter the bidirectional adjustment mode by pressing the Pause button while turning on the printer; the flowchart on the next page outlines this procedure.

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Product Description

To perform the adjustment with a host computer, see Chapter 4,

Adjustments

START

Hold down the Pause switch and turn on the printer.

An instruction guide prints.

The first alignment pattern prints, consisting of 25 numbered rows of sample output.

Note: Each time you go through this cycle, you adjust alignment at a different print speed, as follows:

1. High-speed draft mode

2. Draft mode

3. NLQ mode

Finished?

NO YES

Turn the printer off to save the settings.

Follow the printed instruction guide to select the most closely aligned pattern. Load/Eject selects a higher-numbered print pattern, and LF/FF selects a lower-numbered one.

END

Finalize your selection by pressing the

Tear Off/Bin switch, and the next alignment pattern prints.

Figure 1-11. Bidirectional Adjustment

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Product Description

Printer States and Error Reporting

This section describes various printer states and how the printer uses its beeper and LED indicators to report errors.

Initialization

Hardware Initialization

Initialization occurs when the printer is turned on or when the printer receives an /INIT signal (negative pulse) or cold-reset command (remote RS command). Initialization does the following:

Initializes the printer mechanism.

Clears all data in the buffers.

Cancels downloaded character definition.

Places the printer in standby state, if no errors occur.

Executes software initialization (see below).

Software Initialization

The control code ESC @ also initializes the printer. This initialization

Clears all unprinted data from the buffers.

Resets all printer settings to their default values.

Error Conditions

If any of the following occurs, the printer reports an error and automatically goes off-line:

Paper out, paper jam, or paper eject error

Release lever operation error (detected when the position of the release lever does not match the paper path)

Carriage control, power supply voltage, or CG access error

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Product Description

Conditions Indicated by the LEDs and Beeper

The following table shows how to interpret the printer’s indicators.

Table 1-32. Beeper and LED Indicators

Pause

Paper Out

Pause

Paper Jam

Paper Eject

Error

Head Hot

Blinks

Micro-adjust Blinks

Tear Off

Bin Selection



Font Selection 

Fatal Error Blinks

On Release Lever

Operation

Error

Illegal

Operation



Notes:

Paper Out



Blinks



Blinks



Blinks



Tear off/Bin Condensed Font



Blinks



Beeper



❍

●

❍

●

❍

●

❍

● ●



Blinks 



● ● ● ● ●

  

❍

*1 The Tear Off/Bin LED is ON when bin 1 is selected, and OFF when bin 2 is selected. The LED blinks when continuous paper is in the tear-off position.

*2 The two font LEDs display the selected font.

❍

Indicates a beep lasting 100 ms followed by 100 ms of silence.

●

Indicates a beep lasting 500 ms followed by 100 ms of silence



Indicates that the LED or beeper is not used to indicate this condition.

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EPSON FX-880/FX-1180 Service Manual

Product Description

Main Components

The main components of the FX-880 and FX-1180 are designed for easy removal and repair. The main components include the following:

C229 MAIN Board Assembly

C229 PSB/PSE/PSH Board Assembly

C229 PNL Board Assembly

Printer Mechanism (M-3J10)

Housing

Upper Housing

C229 PNL

Control Panel

Printer Mechanism

C229 PSB/PSE/PSH

Power Supply

Lower Housing

Figure 1-12. Main Components.

C229 MAIN

Board Assembly

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1-29

2. Operating Principles

Printer Mechanism Operation .................................................................................................................... 2-1

Printhead ........................................................................................................................................... 2-2

Paper Handling Mechanisms ............................................................................................................ 2-4

Ribbon Advance Mechanism............................................................................................................. 2-9

Platen Gap Adjustment Mechanism .................................................................................................2-11

Paper Feed Motor.............................................................................................................................2-11

Circuit Operation ...................................................................................................................................... 2-12

Power Supply – Circuit Types.......................................................................................................... 2-12

Power Supply Operation...................................................................................................... 2-12

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Operating Principles

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EPSON FX-880/FX-1180 Service Manual

Operating Principles

Printer Mechanism Operation

This section describes the FX-1180 and FX-880 printer mechanism, which features a 9-pin serial impact dot matrix printhead. The printer mechanism consists of the following parts:

Printhead

Carriage

Paper handling mechanisms

Ribbon advance mechanism

Platen gap adjustment mechanism

Paper feed (PF) motor

Carriage (CR) motor

Sensors

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2-1

Operating Principles

Tractor

Rear PE Sensor

Front PE Sensor

Parallelism Bushing

Release Lever

PF Motor

Platen Roller

Printhead

CR Guide Shaft

Release Sensor

Parallelism Bushing

CR Motor

Carriage Unit

Ribbon Feed Mechanism

PG Adjust Lever

HP Sensor

Timing Belt

Figure 1. Printer Mechanism

Printhead

The printhead transfers ink to the printed page by means of 9 wires which strike the ink ribbon as the printhead travels across the page. Each wire has its own drive coil that is actuated by a separate signal from the printhead drive circuitry. Figure 2 depicts one of the nine independent drive coil mechanisms.

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EPSON FX-880/FX-1180 Service Manual

Operating Principles

As shown in the diagram below, the head driving coil, when energized, pulls against the actuating plate.

This thrusts the dot wire against the ink ribbon and creates a printed dot. (The ribbon mask prevents the ribbon from smudging the paper as the printhead moves back and forth across the page.)

After striking the ink ribbon, the driving coil is shut off and the dot wire returns to its original position. This is accomplished by the wire resetting spring, which is aided by the rebound action of the dot wire hitting the platen.

Since the printhead heats up after a period of use, it is equipped with a thermistor to detect head temperature. Voltage changes reflecting changes in the thermistor’s resistance are output to the CPU.

Should the printhead overheat, the CPU detects this and automatically stops printing until the printhead cools.

Pivot

Figure 2. Printhead Drive Coil Mechanism

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Operating Principles

Carriage Unit

The carriage unit transports the printhead back and forth across the printed page. It is driven by the carriage (CR) motor—a stepper motor—via the timing belt, which connects to the underside of the carriage. The carriage slides along the carriage guide shaft, which maintains the printhead’s horizontal alignment with the platen, while the base frame provides further support and maintains the printhead’s vertical alignment. The home position (HP) sensor detects the home position of the carriage at power-on and when the CR motor changes direction.

Carriage Guide Shaft

Figure 3. Carriage Unit

Paper Handling Mechanisms

Cut sheets are fed by friction. Continuous paper is fed by tractor. There are three ways to feed paper with tractors: the push tractor method, the pull tractor method, and the push-pull tractor method. During normal operation, the printer is set up with only one tractor, which functions as either a push or pull tractor, depending on where it is attached on the printer. To use the push-pull tractor feed method, an optional tractor must be attached.

The paper release lever is used to switch PF motor torque between cut sheet (friction) feeding and continuous paper (tractor) feeding. In addition, the paper release sensor detects the release lever’s setting position. This lets the main logic board know what type of paper is loaded and how many lines to print per page. (Cut sheets print at 61 lines per page, while continuous paper prints at 66 lines per page.)

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Operating Principles

Paper Paths

Different kinds of paper feed through the printer in different ways. The paths different kinds of paper follow are divided into four groups, depending on the entrance the paper is fed from (front, rear, bottom, or top).

Top Entrance

The following figure shows the paper path for friction feeding using the top entrance. The top entrance is used only for the friction feed method. When the top entrance is used, the rear PE sensor senses when paper is out.

Figure 4. Paper Path for Friction Feeding Using the Top Entrance

Rear Entrance

Figures 5, 6, and 7 show the paper paths for tractor feeding using the rear entrance. The rear entrance can be used for any of the following paper feed methods: push tractor feed, pull tractor feed, or push-pull tractor feed. When the rear entrance is used, the rear PE sensor senses when paper is out.

Figure 5. Paper Path for Push Tractor Feeding Using the Rear Entrance

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Operating Principles

Figure 6. Paper Path for Pull Tractor Feeding Using the Rear Entrance

2-6

Figure 7. Paper Path for Push-Pull Tractor Feeding Using the Rear Entrance

EPSON FX-880/FX-1180 Service Manual

Operating Principles

Bottom Entrance

The following figure shows the paper path for tractor feeding using the bottom entrance. The bottom entrance is used only for pull tractor feeding. When the bottom entrance is used, the front PE sensor senses when paper is out.

Figure 8. Paper Path for Pull Tractor Feeding Using the Bottom Entrance

Front Entrance

Figures 9 through 12 show the paper paths for the front entrance. The front entrance can be used with any of the following paper feed methods: friction feed, push tractor feed, pull tractor feed, or push-pull tractor feed. When the front entrance is used, the front PE sensor senses when paper is out.

Figure 9. Paper Path for Friction Feeding Using the Front Entrance

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Operating Principles

Figure 10. Paper Path for Push Tractor Feeding Using the Front Entrance

2-8

Figure 11. Paper Path for Pull Tractor Feeding Using the Front Entrance

EPSON FX-880/FX-1180 Service Manual

Operating Principles

Figure 12. Paper Path for Push-Pull Tractor Feeding Using the Front Entrance

Summary of Paper Paths

The various paper paths diagrammed above are summarized below in tabular form:

Table 1. Possible Combinations of Feed Methods and Paper Entrances

Feed Method

Friction

Push tractor

Pull tractor

Push-pull tractor

Top

Yes

Paper Entrance

Rear Front

No Yes

Yes

Bottom

Yes

Ribbon Advance Mechanism

The ribbon advance mechanism is driven by the same timing belt that moves the printhead back and forth across the printed page. To make the ribbon feed in one direction only, the timing belt connects to a specially designed gear linkage which always turns the ribbon advance roller counterclockwise, no matter which direction the printhead is moving.

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Operating Principles

In the figure below, black arrows indicate directional movement when the printhead carriage travels left to right. In this case, motion transfers through the gear linkage as follows:

Belt Pulley

→

Sun Gear

→

Planet Gear

→

Gear 1

→

Ribbon Driving Gear

Note that the belt pulley and the sun gear are on the same axle and rotate together as a unit.

When the printhead carriage changes direction, the planet gear, which pivots on the planet gear lever, disengages from gear1, swings over, and engages with gear 2. Motion then continues to pass through gear 3 and on to the ribbon driving gear. In this way, the ribbon driving gear always turns counterclockwise, no matter which direction the printhead is moving.

Planet Gear

Gear 1

Belt Pulley

Sun Gear

Gear 3

Gear 2

Planet Gear Lever

Figure 13. Ribbon Advance Mechanism

The ribbon cartridge itself contains several mechanisms to ensure proper guidance of the ribbon. At the entrance slot, a pressure roller clamps the ribbon against the advance roller, enabling the advance roller to

“grab” the ribbon and draw it in. The ribbon brake spring, attached to the exit slot of the cartridge case, prevents slack in the ribbon and keeps its tension at a constant level. Finally, the ribbon mask prevents the ribbon from brushing against the paper.

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Operating Principles

Platen Gap Adjustment Mechanism

The platen gap (the gap between the platen and the printhead) can be adjusted to allow the printer to use paper of different weights or thicknesses. When the platen gap adjust lever is moved forward or backward, the carriage guide shaft rotates. Because the carriage guideshaft is eccentric at the ends, this rotation moves the carriage either toward or away from the platen, and changes the platen gap. The platen gap (PG) sensor detects the position of the adjust lever. The correct platen gap is 0.38 mm

0.02

mm with the adjust lever set to position 0. If the lever is set to position 2 (the 5th slot from the top) or higher, the printer goes into copy mode.

Figure 14. Platen Gap Adjustment Mechanism

Paper Feed Motor

The paper feed (PF) motor advances the paper at minimum increments of 1/216 inch. This motor is a 2-2 phase, constant-voltage stepper motor. CPU ports P70 to P73 generate phase signals to drive the motor.

PFA to PFB are turned on or off within the

PA1476H (IC1), depending on the phase data sent from the

CPU.

When pin A19 of the CPU goes HIGH, D1 outputs +35 volts to hold the motor stationary.

EPSON FX-880/FX-1180 Service Manual

2-11

Operating Principles

Circuit Operation

Power Supply – Circuit Types

The FX-1180 and FX-880 printers can be powered by any of three power supply boards: the C229 PSB board (120 V), the C229 PSE board (230 V), or the C229 PSH board (UPS). The output of these boards supplies the DC current necessary to drive the printer control circuits and the printer drive mechanism.

Though all three boards provide the same output, their primary circuitry differs.

The input voltages and fuse ratings for these boards are shown in the following table.

Table 2. Power Supply Boards

Board Input Voltage Input Frequency Range Fuse F1 Rating

C229 PSB 85 to 138 VAC 49.5 to 60.5 Hz

C229 PSE 187 to 276 VAC 49.5 to 60.5 Hz

C229 PSH 85 to 276 VAC 49.5 to 60.5 Hz

4 A / 125 V, 250 V

T2.0 A / 250 V

T4.0 A / 250 V

Power Supply Operation

The table below describes the two power supply output voltages and lists their applications.

Table 3. Power Supply Output Voltages and Applications

Output Voltage (DC)

+5 V

+35 V

Rated Output Current

0.7 A

0.8 A

Applications

❏ Main control board

logic circuitry

❏ Sensors

❏ Control panel LEDs

❏ Printhead drive

❏ CR motor drive

❏ PF motor drive

The power supply circuit consists of a line filter, a ZC-RCC (Zero-Cross Ringing Choke Converter) switching circuit, and a 5 V chopper regulator IC. When AC power enters the printer from an external power source, the line filter circuit removes high-frequency noise. The AC voltage then undergoes full wave rectification and is smoothed to produce direct current. The voltage is then fed through the switching circuit and a secondary smoothing circuit to produce a stepped down +35 VDC voltage; feedback ensures stable output. A second, additional output at +5 VDC is produced by a chopper regulator IC which draws from the 35 V supply.

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EPSON FX-880/FX-1180 Service Manual

Operating Principles

To protect the printer, the power supply board incorporates over-voltage and over-current protection circuitry. If the 5 V supply exceeds +7 VDC, or if the 35 V supply exceeds +36 VDC, the operation of the

ZC-RCC switching circuit is immediately stopped, and its output falls to zero. In addition, a voltage drop protection circuit protects the printer in case of a short circuit in any component that draws from the +35

VDC line. If a voltage drop is detected, this also stops the operation of the ZC-RCC. Fuse F1 protects the power supply itself.

Normally, the printer is turned on and off using the Operate switch on the front control panel. When the printer is turned off, the switching circuit is de-energized and output at +35 VDC stops. However, since the Operate switch is in the secondary circuitry, current continues to flow in the primary circuitry as long as the printer remains plugged in. Therefore, you should unplug the printer from the external AC power source before performing maintenance.

The following figure shows the power supply circuitry in block diagram form.

AC input Line Filter

ZC-RCC Switching

R l i

+35 VDC

Regulator IC

Regulator

+5VDC

PSC

Figure 15. Power Supply Circuit Block Diagram

C N 1

F u s e S w i t c h i n g F E T

P h o t o - c o u p l e r

T r a n s f o r m e r

R e g u l a t o r I C

C N 2

D i o d e B r i d g e

Figure 16. Power Supply Board Component Layout (C229 PSB/PSE/PSH)

EPSON FX-880/FX-1180 Service Manual

2-13

Operating Principles

Control Circuit

The C229 MAIN board is the control circuit board for the FX-1180 and FX-880. The control circuit includes a TM96C141AF CPU that runs at 14.47 MHz, an E05B50 gate array that contains various memory management functions, a reset IC, EEPROM, etc. The table below shows the functions of the main board components.

Table 4. MAIN Board Components and Functions

Component

TMP96C141AF

E05B50

PST594E

AT93C46

PSRAM

ROM

SLA7024M

A2917SEB

Comparator

Address

IC3

IC2

IC1

IC4

IC5

IC7

IC8

IC11

IC12

Function

CPU; controls the C229 main board. It performs the functions below:

❏ Receives data from the host computer and loads it to the input buffer in RAM

❏ Expands the input data held in the buffer to create image data

❏ Loads the image data to the image buffer in RAM

❏ Transfers the image data to the printhead drive circuit

❏ Controls various printer mechanism parts, such as motors.

Gate array; performs the functions below:

❏ Controls the printhead

❏ Controls the parallel and optional type B interface

❏ Controls the control panel

❏ Controls the PF motor and changes over the CR motor current

Reset IC for performing a system reset.

EEPROM, used to store information such as top-of-form position.

The PSRAM contains the CPU working area and buffers.

2/4 MB EEPROM and Mask ROM.

Driver circuit for the carriage return (CR) motor.

Driver circuit for the paper feed (PF) motor.

Power-off signal sensing.

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EPSON FX-880/FX-1180 Service Manual

The following illustration shows the control circuits in block diagram form.

Control Panel

Parallel I/F

Type B I/F

(Optional)

Printhead

CG PSRAM

ROM

Printhead

Driver

G.A.

E05B50

(IC2)

Address Data Bus

Reset IC

EEPROM

CPU

TMP96C141AF

(IC3)

Operating Principles

Thermistor

PG Sensor

Rear PE

Sensor

Front PE

Sensor

HP Sensor

Release Lever

Sensor

PF Motor

Driver

CR Motor

Driver

35 V Sensor

Figure 17. Control Circuit Block Diagram

EPSON FX-880/FX-1180 Service Manual

2-15

Operating Principles

Data from the host computer is first stored in the printer’s input buffer. The printer then converts it into image data, stores it in the image buffer, and then transfers it to the printhead via the gate array. This is shown in the diagram below:

H o s t c o m p u t e r

PF Motor Driver IC

CN3

P r i n t d a t a c o n v e r s i o n

I m a g e d a t a t r a n s f e r

C P U

D a t a l a t c h a n d d a t a o u t p u t

G a t e a r r a y

Figure 18. Data Flow

I n p u t b u f f e r

I m a g e b u f f e r

R A M

P r i n t h e a d d r i v e r

CR Motor Drive IC Gate array

E05B50 c i r c u i t

Print Head Driver

CPU

PSRAM

PROM

EEPROM

Figure 19. MAIN Board Component Layout (C229)

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EPSON FX-880/FX-1180 Service Manual

3. Disassembly and Assembly

Overview................................................................................................................................................. 3-1

Printer Disassembly Precautions .................................................................................................. 3-1

Tools.............................................................................................................................................. 3-2

Service Checks after Repair ......................................................................................................... 3-3

Screw Specifications..................................................................................................................... 3-4

Printer Disassembly and Assembly........................................................................................................ 3-5

Printhead Removal ....................................................................................................................... 3-6

HP (Home Position) Sensor Removal .......................................................................................... 3-7

Disassembly Preparation .............................................................................................................. 3-8

Upper Housing Removal............................................................................................................... 3-9

C229 Main Board Removal......................................................................................................... 3-11

C229 PSB/PSE Board Removal ................................................................................................. 3-13

ROM Removal ............................................................................................................................ 3-14

Platen Removal........................................................................................................................... 3-15

Printer Mechanism Removal....................................................................................................... 3-17

Printer Mechanism Disassembly................................................................................................. 3-19

CR Motor Removal ........................................................................................................ 3-19

PF Motor Removal ......................................................................................................... 3-21

PF Gear Train Disassembly........................................................................................... 3-22

PG (Platen Gap) Sensor Removal................................................................................. 3-24

Release Lever Sensor Removal .................................................................................... 3-25

Front PE (Paper End) Sensor Removal......................................................................... 3-26

Rear PE Sensor Removal.............................................................................................. 3-27

Carriage Removal .......................................................................................................... 3-28

Rear Paper Guide Removal........................................................................................... 3-30

Ribbon Drive Removal ................................................................................................... 3-32

ESPON FX-880/FX-1180 Service Manual

3-i

Disassembly and Assembly

3-ii

ESPON FX-880/FX-1180 Service Manual

Disassembly and Assembly

Overview

This chapter describes procedures for disassembling the EPSON FX-880 and FX-1180. Unless otherwise specified, you can assemble the components by reversing the disassembly procedures.

Printer Disassembly Precautions

When working on the EPSON FX-880 or FX-1180, follow the warnings and cautions below.

WARNING

■

Disconnect the power cable before opening the printer case.

Do not open the printer for at least five minutes after disconnecting the power cable to allow the electrolytic capacitor to discharge completely.

Never touch primary parts of the power supply unit (including the heat sink) while the power supply cable is connected to the power socket. The heat sink is not electrically isolated.

Don’t touch the heat sink even after power has been disconnected, as it may be very hot.

Don’t touch the printhead after printing, as it may be very hot.

CAUTION

■

Use only recommended tools for maintenance work.

Use only recommended lubricants and adhesives. (See Chapter 6.)

Always follow the instructions in this manual when you perform any adjustment on the printer.

(See Chapter 4.)

ESPON FX-880/FX-1180 Service Manual

3-1

Disassembly and Assembly

Tools

Table 3-1 lists the required tools for disassembling, assembling, or adjusting the printer. Use only the specified tools to avoid damaging the printer.

Multimeter

Oscilloscope (50 MHz min.)

Table 3-1. Required Tools

Name

Phillips screwdriver (no. 2)

Phillips screwdriver (no. 1)

Hexagonal box driver (7 mm diagonal)

Tweezers

Round-nose pliers

E-ring holder #6

Soldering Iron

Thickness gauge (t=0.42 mm)

Extractor (for removing rivet in PSB)

Availability EPSON Part No.

Commercially available B743800200

Commercially available B743800100

Commercially available

B741700200

B741000100

B740400100

B740800800

B740200100

Commercially available B776702201

Commercially available



Commercially available 

EPSON part EXTRACTOR

Note:

An oscilloscope is required only for making repairs at the component level.

3-2

ESPON FX-880/FX-1180 Service Manual

Disassembly and Assembly

Service Checks after Repair

Before returning the printer after service, use the check list in Table 3-2, which provides a record to make servicing and shipping more efficient.

Category

Printer mechanism

Operation

Component

Printhead

Carriage mechanism

Paper

Table 3-2. Inspection Check List for the Repaired Printer advance mechanism

Item to Check

Are any wires broken?

Are any wires worn out?

Does the carriage move smoothly?

Movement noisy?

Mechanism dirty?

Mechanism oily?

Is the CR motor at the correct temperature (not overheating)?

Is paper advancing smoothly?

Movement noisy? Mechanism dirty? Mechanism oily? Paper jamming?

Status

Checked Not necessary

Checked

Not necessary

Checked

Not necessary

Checked

Not necessary

Paper path

Is the paper feed motor running at the correct temperature (not overheating)?

Is the

type

of paper in the printer feeding smoothly?

Checked Not necessary

Checked

Not necessary Is the tractor feeding the paper correctly?

Is the paper path clear of all obstructions?

Is the platen free of damage?

Ribbon mask Is the ribbon mask free of distortion?

Self-test Was the self-test successful?

On-line test

Adjustments Platen gap

Firmware

Bi-D adjustment

ROM chip

Was the on-line test successful?

Is the platen gap adjusted correctly?

Is the bi-directional print position adjusted correctly?

Check that the printer has the latest

ROM version.

Checked

Not necessary

Checked Not necessary

Checked

Not necessary

Checked

Not necessary

Checked Not necessary

Packing Has the ribbon been removed?

Checked

Not necessary Ribbon cartridge

Attachments and accessories

Have all the printer’s attachments and accessories been included in the package?

Checked

Not necessary

ESPON FX-880/FX-1180 Service Manual

3-3

Disassembly and Assembly

Screw Specifications

Table 3-3 lists the abbreviations used in the following pages for small parts, such as screws and washers.

Table 3-3. Screw Types and Abbreviations (I)

Abbreviation Description

CBS

CBB

CBP

CB(O)

Cross Bind-head screw

Cross Bind-head S-tight screw

Cross Bind-head B-tight screw

Cross Bind-head P-tight screw

Cross Pan-head screw

Cross Bind-head screw with outer toothed lock washer

Head

Bind-head

Table 3-4. Screw Types and Abbreviations (II)

Body Washer

S-tight Outer toothed lock washer

Pan-head B-tight

P-tight

3-4

ESPON FX-880/FX-1180 Service Manual

Disassembly and Assembly

Printer Disassembly and Assembly

This section provides disassembly procedures. The basic order for disassembly is shown in the flowchart below. Exploded diagrams are also provided in the Appendix. Refer to the Appendix if necessary to see how components fit together.

WARNING

Before disassembling any part of the printer, note the warnings in Printer Disassembly Precautions on page 3-1.

Main Components Disassembly

START

Disassembly Preparation Printhead Removal

Upper Housing Removal HP Sensor Removal

Printer Mechanism

Removal

Printer Mechanism Disassembly

START

CR Motor Removal PF Motor Removal

Carriage Removal PF Gear Train Removal

C229 Main Board

Removal

C229 PSB/PSE Board

Removal

Platen Removal

Ribbon Drive

Removal

Rear Paper Guide

Removal

ROM Replacemant

Figure 3-1. Disassembly Flowchart

PG Sensor

Removal

Release Sensor

Removal

Front PE Sensor

Removal

Rear PE Sensor

Removal

ESPON FX-880/FX-1180 Service Manual

3-5

Disassembly and Assembly

Printhead Removal

1. Remove the top cover.

2. Remove the 2 CBS screws (M3 x 8) securing the printhead to the carriage assembly.

3. Disconnect the FFC from the printhead and remove the printhead.

WARNING

Wait for five minutes after unplugging the printer before removing the printhead; it is very hot and needs to cool down.

CAUTION

After replacing the printhead, perform the platen gap adjustment (see Chapter 4).

CBS (M3 x 8)

Printhead

Head FFC

3-6

Figure 3-2. Printhead Removal

ESPON FX-880/FX-1180 Service Manual

Disassembly and Assembly

HP (Home Position) Sensor Removal

1. Remove the top cover.

2. Release the hook securing the HP sensor to the printer.

3. Disconnect the cable from the sensor and remove the sensor.

Hook

Cable

HP Sensor

Figure 3-3. HP Sensor Removal

ESPON FX-880/FX-1180 Service Manual

3-7

Disassembly and Assembly

Disassembly Preparation

1. Remove the paper guide, top cover, front cover, and knob. Remove the tractor and paper eject cover by pushing the tabs on each end.

Paper Eject Cover

Tractor

Paper Guide

Top Cover

Knob

3-8

Front Cover

Figure 3-4. Disassembly Preparation

ESPON FX-880/FX-1180 Service Manual

Disassembly and Assembly

Upper Housing Removal

1. Follow the disassembly preparation procedures (see page 3-8).

2. Remove the 2 CBS (M3 × 6) screws and a CBB (4 × 12) screw securing the upper housing to the lower case. See Figure 3-5.

3. Set the release lever to the friction feed position.

4. Lift the front of the upper housing and disconnect the control panel FFC from the control panel connector.

5. Release the 2 hooks securing the control panel to the bottom-front of the upper housing, and remove the control panel.

6. Lift the upper housing by the front and remove it.

ESPON FX-880/FX-1180 Service Manual

3-9

Disassembly and Assembly

During re-assembly, note the following points:

When replacing the upper housing, seat the hooks on the upper housing in the corresponding holes in the rear of the lower housing; then close the housing.

The release lever collar can be replaced after the upper housing has already been installed.

Control Panel FFC

Control Panel

Release Lever Collar

CBB Screw (4 x 12)

Release Lever Sheet

CBS Screw (M3 x 6)

Upper Housing

CBS Screw (M3 x 6)

Release Lever

3-10

Lower Case

Control Panel FFC

Figure 3-5. Upper Housing Removal

ESPON FX-880/FX-1180 Service Manual

Disassembly and Assembly

C229 Main Board Removal

1. Follow the disassembly preparation procedure (see page 3-8).

2. Remove the upper housing (see page 3-9).

3. Remove the 5 CBS (M3 × 4) screws and 3 CBB (3 × 12) screws securing the shield cover to the printer mechanism and lower housing; then remove the shield cover. See Figure 3-6.

4. Remove the connector cables from CN3, CN4, CN5, CN6, CN7, CN8, CN9, CN10, CN11, and CN12 on the C229 main board.

Note: Most of the cables are easily removed by pulling them straight up and out of their sockets.

However, with CN3, CN8, and CN9, you must first raise the head of the connector socket. To do this, grasp the two small tabs on each end of the socket’s head, and pull straight up. Then pull out the cable.

5. Remove the 2 CBS (M3 × 12) screws securing the upper interface cover to the upper interface grounding plate, then remove the grounding plate.

6. Remove the remaining 5 CBB (3 × 12) screws that secure the C229 main board to the lower case.

7. Remove the interface board guide.

8. Remove the 2 CP (M3 × 8) screws securing the lower interface grounding plate to the parallel interface on the C229 main board, then remove the lower interface grounding plate.

9. Remove the C229 main board.

The edges of the shield plate are very sharp.

WARNING

CAUTION

Be sure to match the connectors to the correct cables by color – blue to blue, yellow to yellow, etc.

The red wire on the cables for CN3, CN8 and CN9 must be in the Pin No. 1 position.

After replacing the main board, perform the Default Setting and Bi-d Adjustments to write the new settings to the EEPROM (see Chapter 4).

ESPON FX-880/FX-1180 Service Manual

3-11

Disassembly and Assembly

CBS Screw (M3 x 4)

CBB Screw (3 x 12)

Lower I/F Grounding Plate

Shield Cover

CBS Screw (M3 x 4)

Upper I/F Grounding Plate

CBB Screw (3 x 12)

CP Screw (M3 x 8)

I/F Guide Board

C229 PSB/PSE Board

CBB Screw (3 x 12)

C229 Main Board

ROM

CBS Screw (3 x 12)

Upper Interface Cover

Printer Mechanism

3-12

Figure 3-6. Main Board Removal

Lower Case

ESPON FX-880/FX-1180 Service Manual

Disassembly and Assembly

C229 PSB/PSE Board Removal

WARNING

The primary parts of the power supply are connected to the main power line. Unplug the printer before servicing, and wait at least 5 minutes for the filter capacitor to discharge.

The heat sink is

not

electrically isolated from the main power line. Never touch the heat sink while the printer is plugged in.

The heat sink gets very hot during operation. Avoid touching the heat sink for at least 5 minutes after unplugging the printer.

1. Follow the disassembly preparation procedure (see page 3-8).

2. Remove the upper housing (see page 3-9).

3. Remove the 5 CBS (M3 × 4) screws and 3 CBB (3 × 12) screws securing the shield cover to the printer mechanism and lower housing, then remove the shield cover (see page 3-11).

4. Disconnect the connector cable from CN3 on the C229 main board.

5. Disconnect the power cable connector from CN1 on the C229 PSB/PSE board. See Figure 3-7.

Note: To remove the connector, squeeze the latch on the top part of the connector between your thumb and forefinger. While holding the circuit board down with your other hand, pull the connector up and off.

6. Remove the 1 remaining CBB (3 × 12) screw on the C229 PSB/PSE board.

7. Use the Extractor to remove the rivet from the C229 PSB/PSE board.

Note: To remove the rivet, center the Extractor on top of the rivet and push down to force the

Extractor’s teeth under the head of the rivet. Then remove the rivet with a pull-and-twist motion.

When re-installing the power supply board, use a CBB (3 × 12) screw in place of the rivet.

ESPON FX-880/FX-1180 Service Manual

3-13

Disassembly and Assembly

C229 PSB/PSE Board

CN1

CBB Screw (3 x 12)

Rivet

Lower Case

C229 Main Board

Figure 3-7. Power Supply Board Removal

ROM Removal

1. Follow the disassembly preparation procedures (see page 3-8).

2. Remove the upper housing (see page 3-9).

3. Remove the 5 CBS (M3 × 4) screws and 3 CBB (3 × 12) screws securing the shield cover to the printer mechanism and lower housing, then remove the shield cover (see page 3-11).

4. Remove the ROM from the C229 main board.

3-14

ESPON FX-880/FX-1180 Service Manual

Disassembly and Assembly

Platen Removal

1. Follow the disassembly preparation procedure (see page 3-8).

2. Remove the upper housing (see page 3-9).

3. Remove the 2 CBS (M3 × 8) screws securing the platen cover. See Figure 3-8.

4. Rotate the platen shaft holders on either end of the platen until the tabs on the holders line up with the cutouts on the two side frames.

5. Slide the platen slightly to the right, then lift up to remove it.

CAUTION

When replacing the platen, perform the platen gap adjustment (see Chapter 4).

ESPON FX-880/FX-1180 Service Manual

3-15

Disassembly and Assembly

Platen Shaft Holder

Left Side Frame

CBS Screw (M3 x 8)

Platen Cover

Platen

Platen Shaft Holder

Right Side Frame

3-16

Figure 3-8. Platen Removal

ESPON FX-880/FX-1180 Service Manual

Disassembly and Assembly

Printer Mechanism Removal

1. Follow the disassembly preparation procedure (see page 3-8).

2. Remove the upper housing (see page 3-9).

3. Remove the 5 CBS (M3 × 4) screws and 3 CBB (3 × 12) screws securing the shield cover to the printer mechanism and lower housing, then remove the shield cover (see page 3-11).

4. Disconnect the connector cables from CN3, CN4, CN5, CN6, CN7, CN8, CN9, CN10 and CN11 on the C229 main board.

5. Remove the 2 CBB (4 × 12) screws securing the front frame to the lower housing, then remove the front frame. See Figure 3-9.

6. Remove the 4 printer mechanism mounting screws, then lift the printer mechanism out to remove it.

CAUTION

After replacing the printer mechanism, perform the platen gap and Bi-d adjustments (see Chapter 4).

ESPON FX-880/FX-1180 Service Manual

3-17

Disassembly and Assembly

Mechanism Mounting Screw

Front Frame

Printer Mechanism

CBB Screw (4 x 12)

Mechanism Mounting Screw

3-18

Lower Housing

Figure 3-9. Printer Mechanism Removal

ESPON FX-880/FX-1180 Service Manual

Disassembly and Assembly

Printer Mechanism Disassembly

CR Motor Removal

1. Remove the printer mechanism (see page 3-17).

2. Release the tension spring.

3. Disengage the timing belt from the CR motor pinion and hang it on the nearby hook.

4. Remove the 2 carriage mounting screws securing the CR motor assembly to the right subframe, then remove the CR motor.

5. Remove the 2 CB (M3 × 6) screws securing the CR motor to the motor bracket, then remove the CR motor.

Carriage Mounting Screw

Tension Spring

CR Motor

CR Motor Bracket

CB Screw (M3 x 6)

Hook

Timing Belt

Right Subframe

Figure 3-10. CR Motor Removal

ESPON FX-880/FX-1180 Service Manual

3-19

Disassembly and Assembly

When reassembling the CR motor, position it on the bracket as shown below:

CR Motor Bracket

CR Motor

Cable

Figure 3-11. Positioning the CR Motor on its Bracket

CAUTION

After replacing the CR motor or timing belt, perform the Bi-d adjustment (see Chapter 4).

3-20

ESPON FX-880/FX-1180 Service Manual

Disassembly and Assembly

PF Motor Removal

1. Remove the printer mechanism (see page 3-17).

2. Release the motor cable from the printer mechanism.

3. Set the release lever to the tractor feed position (forward).

4. Remove the 2 CBS (M3 × 8) screws securing the PF motor to the right sub frame, then remove the

PF motor.

CAUTION

If the release lever is in the friction feeding position, the PF motor cannot be removed.

Release Lever

MOVE LEVER

FORWARD

PF Motor

CBS Screw (M3 x 8)

Right Subframe

Cable

Figure 3-12. PF Motor Removal

ESPON FX-880/FX-1180 Service Manual

3-21

Disassembly and Assembly

PF Gear Train Disassembly

1. Remove the printer mechanism (see page 3-17).

2. Remove the CR motor (see page 3-19).

3. Remove the PF motor (see page 3-21).

4. Remove the head FFC from the right subframe of the printer mechanism.

5. Remove the 2 CBS (M3 × 8) screws securing the right subframe, then remove the right subframe.

6. Remove the gears.

Compression Spring 200

Spur Gear, 21

Spur Gear, 27

Spur Gear, 34.5

Release Lever

Intermittent Gear

Right Subframe

CBS Screw (3 x 8)

Plain Washer

Spur Gear, 34.5

Spur Gear, 34

Tractor Cam Clutch

Figure 3-13. PF Gear Train Disassembly

Head FFC

3-22

ESPON FX-880/FX-1180 Service Manual

Disassembly and Assembly

CAUTION

When assembling, engage the hole in the tractor cam clutch with the lower tab of the release lever.

Be sure to properly match the release lever with the teeth of the intermittent gear, as shown below.

Release Lever

Intermittent Gear

Tab

Figure 3-14. Release Lever and Intermittent Gear

ESPON FX-880/FX-1180 Service Manual

3-23

Disassembly and Assembly

PG (Platen Gap) Sensor Removal

1. Remove the printer mechanism (see page 3-17).

2. Release the 2 hooks securing the PG sensor to the left frame of the printer mechanism.

3. Disconnect the cable from the sensor and remove the sensor.

Hook

PG Sensor

Left Frame

Figure 3-15. PG Sensor Removal

3-24

ESPON FX-880/FX-1180 Service Manual

Disassembly and Assembly

Release Lever Sensor Removal

1. Remove the printer mechanism (see page 3-17).

2. Release the 2 hooks securing the release lever sensor to the right subframe of the printer mechanism.

3. Disconnect the cable from the sensor and remove the sensor.

Release Sensor

Hooks

Right Subframe

Figure 3-16. Release Lever Sensor Removal

ESPON FX-880/FX-1180 Service Manual

3-25

Disassembly and Assembly

Front PE (Paper End) Sensor Removal

1. Remove the printer mechanism (see page 3-17).

2. Release the 2 hooks securing the front PE sensor to the rear paper guide.

3. Disconnect the cable from the sensor, then remove the sensor.

Rear Paper Guide

Hook

Front PE Sensor

Figure 3-17. Front PE Sensor Removal

3-26

ESPON FX-880/FX-1180 Service Manual

Disassembly and Assembly

Rear PE Sensor Removal

1. Remove the printer mechanism (see page 3-17).

2. Carefully stand the printer mechanism on end.

3. Release the 2 hooks securing the rear PE sensor to the rear paper guide.

4. Release the 2 hooks attaching the rear paper guide to the sensor, slide the sensor to the rear, and pull down to remove it.

5. Disconnect the cable from the sensor.

Rear Frame

Rear Paper Guide

Hooks

Figure 3-18. Rear PE Sensor Removal

Rear PE Sensor

ESPON FX-880/FX-1180 Service Manual

3-27

Disassembly and Assembly

Carriage Removal

1. Remove the printer mechanism (see page 3-17).

2. Remove the printhead FFC (see page 3-6).

3. Remove the platen (see page 3-15).

4. Remove the hexagon nut and washer securing the release lever to the CR guide shaft, then remove the lever.

5. Remove the parallel adjustment bushing from the CR guide shaft.

6. Disengage the timing belt from the CR motor (see page 3-19).

7. Move the carriage to the far-right end of the CR guide shaft, and remove both the carriage and CR guide shaft by lifting them from the front frame.

8. Release the timing belt from the 2 clips at the bottom of the carriage assembly.

Washer

Hexagon Nut

Release Lever

Parallel Adjustment Bushing

Carriage

Oil Pad

Timing Belt

Carriage Guide Shaft

Front Frame

Figure 3-19. Carriage Removal

CAUTION

After replacing the carriage, perform the platen gap adjustment (see Chapter 4).

3-28

ESPON FX-880/FX-1180 Service Manual

Disassembly and Assembly

CAUTION

When attaching the timing belt to the carriage, secure the timing belt to the left and right clips of the carriage assembly as shown below. Make sure there is no slack in the timing belt.

Clip

Timing Belt

Wrong

Right

Figure 3-20. Attaching the Timing Belt

ESPON FX-880/FX-1180 Service Manual

3-29

Disassembly and Assembly

Rear Paper Guide Removal

1. Remove the printer mechanism (see page 3-17).

2. Remove the platen (see page 3-15).

3. Remove the hexagon nut and the washer securing the adjust lever to the CR guide shaft, then remove the lever. See Figure 3-21.

4. Remove the parallel adjustment bushing from the CR guide shaft (see page 3-28).

5. Remove the PG sensor (see page 3-24).

6. Remove the cable from the HP sensor.

7. Remove the 4 CBS (M3 × 8) screws securing the left frame of the printer mechanism, then remove the left frame. See Figure 3-21.

8. Remove the printhead FFC from the rear frame of the printer mechanism.

9. Remove the 2 CBS (M3 × 8) screws securing the rear frame to the right frame.

10. Push the hook on the bottom of the rear paper guide, then slide the rear paper guide out from the rear frame.

3-30

ESPON FX-880/FX-1180 Service Manual

Disassembly and Assembly

CBS Screw (M3 x 8)

Left Frame

Rear Paper Guide

Hook

Rear Frame Rear Frame

Figure 3-21. Rear Paper Guide Removal

CBS Screw (M3 x 8)

ESPON FX-880/FX-1180 Service Manual

3-31

Disassembly and Assembly

Ribbon Drive Removal

1. Remove the printer mechanism (see page 3-17).

2. Remove the platen (see page 3-15).

3. Remove the hexagon nut and the washer securing the adjust lever to the CR guide shaft, then remove the lever.

4. Remove the parallel adjustment bushing from the CR guide shaft. (see page 3-28)

5. Remove the PG sensor cable (see page 3-24).

6. Remove the HP sensor cable from the left frame.

7. Remove the 4 CBS (M3 × 8) screws securing the left frame, then remove the left frame.

8. Remove the CBC (M3 × 8) screw and the CBB (3 × 8) screw securing the ribbon drive.

9. Release the ribbon drive from the roller drive, then remove the ribbon drive.

CBC Screw (M3 x 8)

Ribbon Drive

Roller Drive

3-32

CBB Screw (3 x 8)

Front Frame

Figure 3-22. Ribbon Drive Removal

ESPON FX-880/FX-1180 Service Manual

4. Adjustments

Adjustment Overview ........................................................................................................................................... 4-1

Required Adjustments .................................................................................................................................. 4-1

Adjustment Tools.......................................................................................................................................... 4-1

Adjusting and Resetting the Printer...................................................................................................................... 4-2

Platen Gap Adjustment................................................................................................................................. 4-2

Factory Settings............................................................................................................................................ 4-4

Bidirectional Adjustment ............................................................................................................................... 4-6

EPSON FX-880/FX-1180 Service Manual

4-i

Adjustments

4-ii EPSON FX-880/FX-1180 Service Manual

Adjustments

Adjustment Overview

Required Adjustments

Whenever you remove or replace parts, you must perform certain adjustments. The required adjustments are shown in Table 4-1 according to the type of repair performed.

Repair Procedure

Printhead removal or replacement

Printer mechanism replacement

Printer mechanism removal

Main board replacement

Timing belt replacement

Platen replacement

Carriage assembly replacement

CR motor replacement

EEPROM initialization

Table 4-1. Required Adjustments

Platen Gap

⊗

—

⊗

—

⊗

—

Factory Settings Bi-D Print Alignment

—

⊗

—

⊗

—

⊗

Notes:

⊗

means the adjustment is required.

—

means the adjustment is not required.

Adjustment Tools

The following table shows the tools required for each adjustment.

Table 4-2. Required Adjustment Tools

Adjustment

Platen gap

Factory settings

Bi-D print alignment

Required Tool

Thickness gauge

Adjustment program diskette

EPSON FX-880/FX-1180 Service Manual 4-1

Adjustments

Adjusting and Resetting the Printer

Platen Gap Adjustment

If the CR guide shaft has been removed, or if the parallelism adjustment bushing has been rotated, you must perform the platen gap adjustment. Symptoms of a mis-adjusted platen gap include faint printing (if the gap is too wide), or smudge marks appearing on the page (if the gap is too narrow). If any of these symptoms appear, you must perform the platen gap adjustment.

1.

Remove the upper housing as described in Chapter 3,

Disassembly and Assembly

2.

Remove the printhead from the carriage assembly as described in Chapter 3.

3.

Using tweezers, remove the ribbon mask from the carriage assembly.

Ribbon Mask

Carriage Assembly

Figure 4-1. Ribbon Mask Removal

4.

Re-install the printhead on the carriage assembly.

5.

Set the paper adjustment lever to “0” (the second step position from the rear).

6.

Rotate the CR guide shaft so that the large countersunk hole on the left edge of the shaft faces upward.

Parallelism Adjustment Bushing

CR Guide Shaft Carriage Assembly

4-2

Large countersunk hole

Small countersunk hole

Figure 4-2. Setting CR Guide Shaft

EPSON FX-880/FX-1180 Service Manual

Adjustments

7.

Move the carriage assembly to the right edge.

8.

Slightly loosen the hexagonal nut securing the PG adjust lever and the CR guide shaft.

9.

Set the thickness gauge to 0.38 mm and insert it between the printhead and platen.

10.

Insert a screwdriver into the countersunk hole located on the left side of the CR guide shaft and turn the screwdriver until the platen and the printhead touch each other lightly.

11.

Move the carriage assembly to the left edge.

12.

Insert the thickness gauge (0.38 mm) between the printhead and platen.

13.

Insert the screwdriver into the countersunk hole and turn the screwdriver until the platen and printhead touch each other lightly.

14.

Continue performing adjustment steps 10 through 13, rotating the parallelism adjustment bushing until the parallelism gap is correct on each end. The difference between the right and left gaps should be less than

0.02 mm.

15.

Move the carriage assembly to the center of the printable area.

16.

Insert the thickness gauge between the printhead and the platen, and rotate the CR guide shaft until the platen gap is 0.365

0.015 mm.

0.365+/-0.015

Printhead

Platen

Figure 4-3. Platen Gap

17.

When the adjustment is complete, re-tighten the hexagonal nut on the PG adjust lever.

18.

Remove the printhead and install the ribbon mask.

19.

Re-install the printhead in the carriage assembly.

CAUTION

Do not rotate the platen during adjustment.

EPSON FX-880/FX-1180 Service Manual 4-3

Adjustments

Factory Settings

The printer’s factory settings are stored in the EEPROM on the main board. Therefore, if you replace the main board, you must restore the settings using the adjustment program.

CAUTION

When using the adjustment program, do not select any options that are not described in this manual. The adjustment program is the same as the check program used in the factory and includes many options that are not needed for service. If you select options other than those indicated in this manual, the printer may go into an error state and need to be reset.

The new factory settings are saved only after printing a test pattern, as described in the instructions below.

Do not turn the printer off or exit the adjustment program until you have first printed a test pattern.

1.

Connect the printer to the host computer with a parallel interface cable.

2.

Place continuous paper in the printer, according to the model indicated below:

FX-880:

FX-1180:

10-inch wide paper

15-inch wide paper

3.

Run the adjustment program on the host computer.

4.

The printhead wire select menu appears. Press

↑

↓

to select 9 pins from the list, and press Enter.

Program : xxxxxSetting:

VR 0 = x VR 1 = x

** **

[ Printer setting ]

>(1) 9 pins

(2) 24 pins

VR 2 = x

5.

The market setting menu appears. Referring to Table 4-3, press

↑ or

↓

to select your market from the list and press Enter. If you need to change your selection, press Esc to display the market setting menu again. An example (for EAI) is shown below:

Program : xxxxxSetting:

9 pins VR 0 = x VR 1 = x

** **

[ Setting File ]

(6) ITALIC (1) DEFSTD

>(2) USASTD

(3) EURSTD

(4)

(5)

NLSP

RUSSIAN

VR 2 = x

4-4 EPSON FX-880/FX-1180 Service Manual

Adjustments

Table 4-3. Market List

Destination

EAI, EAI (Latin)

EURO, EDG, EUL, EUL

(SCANDINAVIA), EFS,

EIS, EIB

EDG (NLSP)

EUL (MIDDLE EAST),

EAL, ESP, EHK

Code

USASTD

EURSTD

NLSP

DEFSTD

6.

The process selection menu appears. Press

↑

↓

to select In line and press Enter.

Program : xxxxxSetting:

9 pins VR 0 = x VR 1 = x

** **

[ Process select ]

>(1) In line

(2) Out-Going

VR 2 = x

7.

The carriage width select menu appears. Press

↑

↓

to select a column width for your printer model, and press Enter:

FX-880:

FX-1180:

80 columns

136 columns

Program : xxxxxSetting:

9 pins VR 0 = x VR 1 = x

** In line**

[ Carriage Width ]

>(1) 80 column

(2) 106 column

(3) 136 column

VR 2 = x

8.

The main menu appears. Press

↑

↓

to select FF paper and press Enter. The printer starts printing the test pattern.

Program : xxxxxSetting:

9 pins VR 0 = x VR 1 = x

** In line**

VR 2 = x

[ Main Menu ]

(1) Bi-D Adjust (6) Envelope

>(2)FF paper

(3) ---- N/A ----

(7) – SUB MENU

9.

After the test pattern is printed, turn the printer off to store the factory settings in the EEPROM.

10.

Press Esc several times to quit the program.

EPSON FX-880/FX-1180 Service Manual 4-5

Adjustments

Bidirectional Adjustment

You can perform the bidirectional adjustment with the adjustment program or from the control panel. This section describes how to make the adjustment with the adjustment program. To make the adjustment from the control panel, see “Control Panel Operation” in Chapter 1.

CAUTION

When using the adjustment program, do not select any options that are not described in this manual. The adjustment program is the same as the check program used in the factory and includes many options that are not needed for service. If you select options other than those indicated in this manual, the printer may go into an error state and need to be reset.

1.

Follow steps 1 through 7 under “Factory Settings” on page 4-4 to display the main menu, shown below:

Program : xxxxxSetting:

9 pins VR 0 = x VR 1 = x VR 2 = x

** In line**

[ Main Menu ]

>(1) Bi-D Adjust (6) Envelope

(2)FF paper (7) – SUB MENU

(3) ---- N/A ----

2.

Press

↑

↓

to select Bi-D Adjust and press Enter. The printer starts printing the test pattern.

3.

The Bi-D adjustment menu appears. Three modes are listed in the menu, and each mode corresponds to a different print speed. To perform the Bi-D adjustment, you must test the printer at all three speeds. Press

↑ or

↓

to select the desired Bi-D printing mode, and press

←

→

to change the setting’s value.

Cancel Print

[ESC] [SPACE]

< Bi-D Adjustment >

> Mode 0 = x

Mode 1 = x

Mode 4 = x

Speed Value Write Default

[

↑ ↓

] [

←→

] [RET] [HOME]

4.

Press the space bar to print the four-line Bi-D pattern for the current print mode, as shown below.

4-6

Figure 4-4. Bi-D Adjustment Pattern

EPSON FX-880/FX-1180 Service Manual

Adjustments

5.

Repeat steps 3 and 4 until you achieve satisfactory alignment. Alignment is correct when the vertical lines on the H’s line up within the margins of error specified below (see a on Figure 4-4):

All modes

Mode 0

Mode 1

Mode 4

Less than 0.05 mm (at the center of the test pattern)

Less than 0.3 mm (at the left and right sides of the test pattern)

Less than 0.2 mm (at the left and right sides of the test pattern)

Less than 0.05 mm (at the left and right sides of the test pattern)

6.

Press Enter to set the adjustment value for each mode.

7.

Turn off the printer to store the Bi-D settings in the EEPROM.

8.

Press Esc several times to quit the program.

EPSON FX-880/FX-1180 Service Manual 4-7

5. Troubleshooting

Overview .................................................................................................................................................... 5-1

Motors................................................................................................................................................ 5-2

Printhead ........................................................................................................................................... 5-4

Sensors.............................................................................................................................................. 5-6

Unit Level Troubleshooting ........................................................................................................................ 5-7

Flowchart 1 – Printer Does Not Operate at Power-On ...................................................................... 5-8

Flowchart 2 – Abnormal Carriage Operation ..................................................................................... 5-9

Flowchart 3 – Problem With Printing During Self-test ..................................................................... 5-10

Flowchart 4 – Printer Does Not Feed the Paper Correctly ...............................................................5-11

Flowchart 5 – Abnormal Control Panel Operation ........................................................................... 5-12

Flowchart 6 – Fails to Print from PC ................................................................................................ 5-13

Repairing the Power Supply Circuit Board ............................................................................................... 5-14

Repairing the Main Board Assembly........................................................................................................ 5-17

Repairing the Printer Mechanism............................................................................................................. 5-21

EPSON FX-880/FX-1180 Service Manual

5-i

Troubleshooting

5-ii

EPSON FX-880/FX-1180 Service Manual

Troubleshooting

Overview

This chapter contains flowcharts and checkpoint tables to help you troubleshoot the printer. Use the flowcharts to isolate a faulty unit based on abnormal symptoms. Use the checkpoint tables to identify the faulty part or unit by checking the values or ranges listed for each component.

After completing a repair, perform the appropriate adjustments and any required lubrication. See

Chapter 4 for adjustments, and Chapter 6 for information about lubrication points.

START

Unit Level

Troubleshooting

Unit Repair

(C229 PSB/PSE Board)

Unit Repair

(C229 MAIN Board)

Unit Repair

Printer Mechanism

Disassembly and Adjustment

END

Figure 5-1. Troubleshooting Process Flowchart

The table below lists tools required for troubleshooting.

Table 5-1. Required Tools

Tool Description

Oscilloscope Greater than 50 MHz recommended.

Multimeter Digital recommended. (Analog can be used.)

EPSON FX-880/FX-1180 Service Manual

5-1

Troubleshooting

The following table lists error conditions and shows how they are identified by the beeper and indicator lights.

Error Condition

Paper out error

Pause

Release lever error On

Paper eject error

Head hot

Blinks

Table 5-2. Error Conditions

Indicator

Paper Out Tear Off/ Bin Font

Blinks



Fatal error Blinks Blinks Blinks

Beeper

❍ ×

● ×

❍ ×



Blinks



Notes:

1.

❍

indicates that the beep sounds for 100 ms with an interval of 100 ms.

2.

●

indicates that the beep sounds for 500 ms with an interval of 100 ms.

3. A fatal error condition is caused by either a carriage jam or an improper voltage sensed by the power supply.

Motors

You can use a multimeter to make sure the PF and CR motor coils are good. To check the motors, disconnect their cables from CN8 and CN9 on the main board, and clip the meter’s leads directly to the exposed wires on the ends of the cables. The table below shows the expected resistance values for each motor. When replacing a cable, be sure to insert its red wire at pin 1.

Motor

Connector

Number

Common

Pin

Number

PF Motor

CN8

CR Motor

CN9

Test Pin

Number

Table 5-3. Motor Test Points

Test Method

(Set meter to ohms. Disconnect motor from main board after printer is powered off.)

Meter Reading

3 Place one lead on pin 1 and the other lead on pin 3.

16.0

Ω ±

10% at 77

F (25

4 Place one lead on pin 2 and the other lead on pin 4.

1, 2, 3, 4 Place one lead on pin 5 and the other lead on each of 4 test pins.

2.7

Ω ±

10% at 77

F (25

5-2

EPSON FX-880/FX-1180 Service Manual

Troubleshooting

Motor Drivers

If a motor is not working but its coils seem okay, check the driver. Also, check the driver whenever you find a defective motor. (When a motor is defective, it sometimes damages the driver.)

PF Motor Driver

To check the PF motor driver (IC11), disconnect the motor cable from CN8 on the main board. Measure the resistance across the pins as shown below. Any pin from 7 through 17 can be used as the second pin

(these are all tied together to the ground). The meter readings should hold constant, and all readings should be within 10% of each other.

Motor Coil

Table 5-4. PF Motor Driver Resistance Values

Pins to Measure Across

7-17

Expected Resistance Level

Constant and all within

10%

CR Motor Driver

To check the CR motor driver (IC8), make sure the cable connector from the motor is plugged in at CN9 on the main board. Measure the resistance across the pins as shown below. The meter readings should hold constant, with the high readings within 10% of each other and the low readings within 10% of each other.

Table 5-5. CR Motor Driver Resistance Values

Pins to Measure Across

8 4

Expected Resistance Levels

High Both readings should be constant and within

10% of each other.

High

Low

Both readings should be constant and within

10% of each other.

EPSON FX-880/FX-1180 Service Manual

5-3

Troubleshooting

Printhead

You can check for an open circuit in the printhead’s solenoid coils by using a multimeter and the table below. Note that the test pin numbers shown in Figure 5-2 match the individual printhead solenoids (dot wires).

Remove the printhead by following the instructions in Chapter 3. Be sure to perform the platen gap adjustment after replacing or re-installing the printhead.

Common Pin

Number

Table 5-6. Printhead Solenoid Resistance Test Points

Test Pin Number Test Method

1, 4

2, 6

5, 9

3, 7

Specifications

Place one lead on pin C1 and the other pin on pin 1 to test solenoid 1.

Place one lead on pin C1 and the other lead on pin 4 to test solenoid 4.

Place one lead on pin C2 and the other pin on pin 8 to test solenoid 8.

Place one lead on pin C3 and the other pin on pin 2 to test solenoid 2.

Place one lead on pin C3 and the other lead on pin 6 to test solenoid 6.

Place one lead on pin C4 and the other pin on pin 5 to test solenoid 5.

Place one lead on pin C4 and the other lead on pin 9 to test solenoid 9.

Place one lead on pin C5 and the other pin on pin 3 to test solenoid 3.

Place one lead on pin C5 and the other lead on pin 7 to test solenoid 7.

8.19

0.8

Ω at 77

F (25

8.19

0.8

Ω at 77

F (25

8.19

0.8

Ω at 77

F (25

8.19

0.8

Ω at 77

F (25

8.19

0.8

Ω at 77

F (25

Printhead Connector Printhead

5-4

C2 4

View A

Printhead Connector

Figure 5-2. Printhead Connector Pin Alignment

EPSON FX-880/FX-1180 Service Manual

Troubleshooting

Printhead Driver

If the printhead is not working but its solenoids test okay, check the driver circuitry. Also, check the driver whenever you find a defective solenoid in the printhead. (When a solenoid goes out, it sometimes damages the driver.) When testing, you should make sure that all transistors within any group in the table below have readings consistent with each other, within

10%. The printhead may be left connected during this procedure, but the printer itself must be unplugged from the power supply.

Table 5-7. Printhead Driver Test Points

Transistor

Power Transistors (for individual dot wire solenoids)

Q2,Q3,Q4,Q5,Q6,Q7,Q8,

Q9,Q10

Power Transistors (for common leads on printhead)

Q21,Q22,Q23,Q24,Q25

Small-signal Transistors

(surface-mount type)

Q11,Q12,Q13,Q14,Q15

Small-signal Transistors

(surface-mount type)

Q16,Q17,Q18,Q19,Q20

Leads to Measure Across Meter Reading (resistance)

→

Neither open nor shorted.

→

Neither open nor shorted.

O.L.

→

Neither open nor shorted.

→

Neither open nor shorted.

→

Neither open nor shorted.

→

Neither open nor shorted.

→

O.L.

Neither open nor shorted.

→

O.L.

Neither open nor shorted.

Note: The middle lead on the surface-mounted transistors corresponds to the base.

EPSON FX-880/FX-1180 Service Manual

5-5

Troubleshooting

Sensors

You can test a sensor by disconnecting its cable connector from the main board and applying the meter’s leads directly to the exposed (uninsulated) side of the connector.

Sensor

Connector

Number

CN4

(HP Sensor)

CN6

(Front PE

Sensor)

CN10

(Release Lever

Sensor)

1: RELEASE

2. GND

CN11

(PG Sensor)

Printhead thermistor

Test Pin

Number

1: HP

2: GND

1: PE

2: GND

1: PG 1

2: GND

T pins

Table 5-8. Sensor Test Points

Test Method

(Set meter to ohms. Check that printer power is off.)

Meter Reading

Short: Home position

Open: Not home

Place one lead on pin 1 and the other lead on pin 2, and check the continuity while toggling the sensor lever.

Place one lead on pin 1 and the other on pin 2, and check the continuity while toggling the sensor lever.

Open: Paper loaded

Short: No paper

Place one lead on pin 1 and the other on pin 2, and check the continuity while toggling the sensor lever.

Open: Friction feed mode

Short: Tractor mode (either push, pull, or push and pull)

Place one lead on pin 1 and the other on pin 2, and check the continuity while moving the sensor lever from –0 to 6.

Meter should toggle between:

Open and Short.

(Open: PG –1 to 3)

Place one lead on one pin T, and the other on the second pin T to check resistance. See Figure 5-2.

Approximately 14K

Ω

(at 62.6

F, or 17

Power Supply

The output voltages of the power supply can be measured by pulling out the flat cable (CN2) from connector CN3 on the main board.

Table 5-9. Output Voltage of the Power Supply Board

Connector

CN2 (flat cable on the power supply board)

Pin

1, 2

3, 4

5, 6

7, 8

Output voltage

+ 35 V

+ 5 V

Note: The ground terminals GP and GL are connected and are not separate grounds.

5-6

EPSON FX-880/FX-1180 Service Manual

Troubleshooting

Unit Level Troubleshooting

When a problem occurs, you can identify the defective unit based on the symptoms. The table below lists symptoms for certain problems. Once a problem is identified, refer to the flowchart that corresponds to the problem.

Table 5-10. Symptoms and Problems

Symptom

The printer does not operate at power on.

Abnormal carriage operation.

❏ When the printer is powered on, the carriage moves away from home position after a moment and stops.

❏ When the printer is powered on, the carriage returns to home position, but the printer fails to enter the READY mode.

Problem with printing during self-test.

❏

Self-test is not printed.

Abnormal printing.

❏ Print quality is poor.

Printer does not feed paper correctly.

Problem Description

❏ LEDs do not light.

❏ Carriage does not move.

❏ No paper is fed.

❏ Paper feed is irregular.

❏ Paper jam occurs.

Control panel operation is abnormal.

❏ No response to pressed buttons.

❏ Abnormal indication on the control panel.

Printer fails to print from PC.

❏ Self-test prints correctly, but data from the PC does not print correctly.

❏ Printer does not print.

❏ Printer error message appears on screen.

Flowchart No.

Flowchart 1

Flowchart 2

Flowchart 3

Flowchart 4

Flowchart 5

Flowchart 6

EPSON FX-880/FX-1180 Service Manual

5-7

Troubleshooting

START

Is the AC power line voltage normal?

YES

Use only normal input voltage.

Has fuse F1 on the power supply board blown out?

Disconnect the power cable from CN3 on the C229

MAIN board, and measure the +35 volt line at pin 7 or 8 of CN2, and the +5 volt line at pin 3 or 4.

YES

Replace the fuse.

Does the fuse blow again?

YES

Is the output voltage of the power supply normal?

YES

Replace the power supply board.

THE PRINTER DOES NOT

OPERATE AT POWER-ON

Is the problem solved?

YES

Check resistance of printhead solenoids and PF and CR motors.

If abnormal, replace the defective unit.

Is the problem solved?

YES

Replace the main board.

END

Flowchart 1. The Printer Does Not Operate at Power-On

5-8

EPSON FX-880/FX-1180 Service Manual

START

Are connectors on the C229 MAIN board connected securely?

YES

Is the CR guide shaft obstructed, or the CR timing belt broken?

YES

Does the carriage stop after moving to the right or left margins?

YES

Are the CR motor coils defective?

(See Table 5-3.)

YES

Check the CR motor driver on the C229 MAIN board, and replace the board if defective. (See Table 5-5.)

Secure the connectors.

Remove the obstruction or replace the belt.

Check the HP sensor and replace if defective.

Replace the CR motor.

Troubleshooting

ABNORMAL CARRIAGE

OPERATION

Is the problem solved?

YES

Is the problem solved?

YES

Is the problem solved?

YES

Is the problem solved?

YES

END

Flowchart 2. Abnormal Carriage Operation

EPSON FX-880/FX-1180 Service Manual

5-9

Troubleshooting

START

Run a self-test.

PROBLEM WITH PRINTING

DURING SELF-TEST

Does anything print at all?

Make sure the connectors on the C229 MAIN board are connected securely.

YES

Do vertical lines in the printout align?

Perform the bidirectional alignment adjustment.

YES

Check the ribbon and adjust the platen gap.

Is the printing too faint?

YES

Are there missing dots?

YES

Check the FFCs using a multimeter.

Replace if defective.

Is the problem corrected?

YES

END

Replace the printhead.

Is the problem corrected?

YES

Replace the

C229 MAIN board.

END

5-10

Flowchart 3. Problem With Printing During Self-test

EPSON FX-880/FX-1180 Service Manual

START

Is paper loaded correctly?

YES

Load paper correctly.

Troubleshooting

PRINTER DOES NOT FEED THE

PAPER CORRECTLY

Is the problem solved?

YES

Are connectors CN5 and CN6 connected securely?

YES

Secure the connectors.

Is the problem solved?

YES

Does the platen knob rotate smoothly with the power turned off?

Check for worn gears or obstructions in the

PF mechanism.

YES

Is something stuck in the paper path?

YES

Remove the obstruction.

Are the PF motor coils defective?

(See Table 5-3.)

YES

Replace the PF motor.

Check to see if the

PF motor driver is defective. If so, replace the C229

MAIN board.

Flowchart 4. Printer Does Not Feed the Paper Correctly

Is the problem solved?

YES

Is the problem solved?

YES

Is the problem solved?

YES

END

EPSON FX-880/FX-1180 Service Manual

5-11

Troubleshooting

START

ABNORMAL CONTROL PANEL

OPERATION

Do the control panel buttons sound and feel normal when pressed?

YES

Replace the

PNL board.

Check to make sure the FFC is securely connected to the

C229 MAIN board and to the PNL.

Is the problem solved?

YES

Is the problem solved?

YES

Replace the

FFC.

Is the problem solved?

YES

Replace the

C229 MAIN board.

END

Flowchart 5. Abnormal Control Panel Operation

5-12

EPSON FX-880/FX-1180 Service Manual

START

Run the self-test.

Does the self-test print correctly?

YES

Check the default settings.

Go to

Flowchart 3.

Is the problem solved?

YES

Does the printer print from DOS?

YES

Check to see if the I/F cable is loose, and if it is, reconnect it.

Otherwise, replace it.

Check the software application and printer driver for proper settings.

Troubleshooting

PRINTER FAILS TO PRINT

FROM PC

Is the problem solved?

YES

Replace the

C229 MAIN board.

END END

Flowchart 6. Printer Fails to Print from PC

EPSON FX-880/FX-1180 Service Manual

5-13

Troubleshooting

Repairing the Power Supply Circuit Board

This section describes how to identify and repair problems with the C229 PSB/PSE/PSH power supply board. The table below lists symptoms, likely causes, and solutions to various problems. The checkpoints refer to waveforms, resistances, and other values that should be present when the component is working properly. Sometimes, the same solution may be offered for an entire class of problems; in this case, the checkpoints should be used for reference or as aids to further investigation.

F u s e S w i t c h i n g F E T

P h o t o - c o u p l e r

T r a n s f o r m e r

R e g u l a t o r I C

C N 1

C N 2

D i o d e B r i d g e

Figure 5-3. Power Supply Board Layout

Table 5-11. Repairing the C229 PSB/PSE Board

Symptom

The printer does not operate.

.

Condition

The +35 V line does not test at the correct voltage.

Possible

Cause

Fuse F1 is blown.

The transformer coil (T1) is open.

Switching FET

(Q1) is defective.

Checkpoint

Examine the fuse to see if it’s blown.

Measure the resistance of the T1 transformer coil.

Check the voltage waveform between the source and drain of Q1.

Solution

Replace the power supply board.

5-14

EPSON FX-880/FX-1180 Service Manual

Troubleshooting

Symptom

The printer does not operate.

(continued)

Table 5-11. Repairing the C229 PSB/PSE Board (continued)

Condition

The +35 V line is defective.

(continued)

Possible

Cause

Q2 or Q3 is defective.

(continued)

Checkpoint

Check the voltage waveform between the collector and emitter of Q2 and Q3.

Solution

Replace the power supply board.

PC1 is defective Check the voltage waveform at pins 5 and 7 of PC1. The frame may be used as the ground.

Replace the power supply board.

EPSON FX-880/FX-1180 Service Manual

5-15

Troubleshooting

Symptom

The printer does not operate.

(continued)

Table 5-11. Repairing the C229 PSB/PSE Board (continued)

Condition

The +5 V line is defective.

Possible

Cause

IC51 is defective.

Checkpoint

Check the voltage waveform at pin 5 of IC51. You can use pin 9 as the ground.

Solution

Replace the power supply board.

Check the voltage waveform at pins 9 and 10 of IC51.

Use the frame as the ground.

Replace the power supply board.

5-16

EPSON FX-880/FX-1180 Service Manual

Troubleshooting

Repairing the Main Board Assembly

This section describes how to identify and repair problems with the C229 MAIN board. The table below lists symptoms, likely causes, and solutions to various problems. The checkpoints refer to waveforms, resistances, and other values that should be present when the component is working properly.

Sometimes, the same solution may be offered for an entire class of problems; in this case, the checkpoints should be used for reference or as aids to further investigation.

PF Motor Driver IC

CN3

CR Motor Drive IC Gate array

E05B50

Print Head Driver

CPU

PSRAM

PROM

EEPROM

Figure 5-4. Main Board Layout

EPSON FX-880/FX-1180 Service Manual

5-17

Troubleshooting

Table 5-12. Repairing the C229 Main Board Assembly

Symptom Condition

The printer does not operate.

The CPU does not operate.

Possible

Cause

Defective operation of the reset circuit.

Checkpoint

While turning on the power, check the voltage waveforms for the +5 VDC line (pin 3 of

IC1) and the reset signal (pin

1 of IC1). You can use pin 4 as the ground.

Solution

Replace the main board.

5V line

/RESET

The ROM selection jumper is defective.

Check the signal waveform at pin 22 of IC7 and pin 30 of

IC6. (The signal should be present at one pin, but not the other.) You may use pin

15 as the ground.

Replace the power supply board.

5-18

EPSON FX-880/FX-1180 Service Manual

Troubleshooting

Symptom

The printer does not operate.

(continued)

Table 5-12. Repairing the C229 Main Board Assembly (continued)

Condition

The CPU does not operate.

(continued)

Possible

Cause

The CPU is defective.

Checkpoint

Check the signal at pin 26 or

27 of IC3 (This is the CPU’s clock signal.) Pin 28 may be used as the ground.

Solution

Replace the main board.

Carriage operation is abnormal.

The carriage does not operate.

IC8 is defective.

Check the carriage motor phase control signals at pins

5, 6, 16, and 17 of IC8; also, check the motor drive signals at pins 1, 8, 11, and 18 of

IC8. The chassis frame may be used as the ground.

Replace the main board.

Pin 5 of IC8

Pin 1, of IC8

EPSON FX-880/FX-1180 Service Manual

5-19

Troubleshooting

Symptom

Paper feeds abnormally

Table 5-12. Repairing the C229 Main Board Assembly (continued)

Condition

Paper does not feed

Possible

Cause

IC11 is defective.

Checkpoint

Check the paper feed motor phase control signals at pins

1, 2, 23, and 24 of IC11; also check the motor drive signals at pins 3, 6, 18, and 21 of

IC11. Any pin 7-17 may be used as the ground, or use the chassis frame.

Solution

Replace the main board.

Pin 1 of IC11

Pin 3 of IC 8

Self-test printing is abnormal.

The self-test does not execute, or the printer does not print a particular dot.

❏ One of the transistors between Q2 and Q10 is defective.

❏ One of the transistors between Q11 and Q25 is defective.

Check the printhead drive signal at the collector and base of Q2 through Q10. In each case, the emitter may be used as the ground.

Replace the main board.

BASE of Q5

Data from the host prints incorrectly.

Data corruption occurs when the interface is used.

The CPU or IC2 is defective.

5-20

EPSON FX-880/FX-1180 Service Manual

Troubleshooting

Repairing the Printer Mechanism

This section provides instructions for repairing the printer mechanism. It describes various problems, symptoms, likely causes, checkpoints, and solutions. The checkpoint column shows items to be checked, including proper values to be set for each component of the printer mechanism. For disassembly instructions, see Chapter 3. For adjustment instructions, see Chapter 4.

Table 5-13. Repairing the Printer Mechanism

Symptom Condition

CR operation is abnormal.

Carriage does not move even after power is turned on.

Possible

Cause

A foreign object is blocking the mechanism.

Checkpoint

Manually move the timing belt to check that the motor rotates normally.

Solution

Remove any foreign objects.

The platen gap may be badly adjusted.

CR motor is defective

The pulley drive is defective.

Check for the proper adjustment. (See Chapter 4.)

❏ Measure the coil resistance of the motor. (It should be

Ω ±

10%. See Table

5-3.)

❏ If there’s a short circuit in the motor, see if there’s also a short-circuit in the driver circuit (IC8) on the main board.

Check to see if the pulley is broken or worn out.

Adjust the platen gap.

Replace the CR motor or main board.

Replace the pulley drive.

The CR motor rotates, but the carriage does not move.

The carriage moves a little to the left, then stops.

The carriage stops after moving to the right or left margins.

The timing belt is defective.

The carriage does not move smoothly.

The HP sensor is defective.

❏ Check whether the timing belt is installed correctly on the carriage.

❏ Make sure the timing belt is not broken or worn out.

Check that the carriage moves smoothly when moved by hand.

Use the multimeter to check the HP sensor. (See Table

5-8.)

Replace or reinstall the timing belt.

Clean and lubricate the CR guide shaft and frame, or replace the CR motor.

Replace the HP sensor.

EPSON FX-880/FX-1180 Service Manual

5-21

Troubleshooting

Symptom

Printing is abnormal.

Abnormal paper feed.

Table 5-13. Repairing the Printer Mechanism (continued)

Condition

The carriage moves, but no printing occurs.

Possible

Cause

Printhead FFC is disconnected or damaged.

The printhead is defective

Checkpoint

Check that the head FFC is connected securely to the board and carriage.

Measure the coil resistance of the printhead. See Table

5-4. It should be about 8

Ω

A dot does not print.

The printout is uneven or too light.

Printing is performed; however, paper does not feed, or does not feed smoothly.

The printhead is defective.

❏ Check to see if the printhead wire is broken.

❏ Measure the printhead coil resistance. See Table 5-6.

It should be about 8

Ω

❏ If there’s a short circuit in the coil, check to see if there’s a short circuit in the driver too.

The printhead is defective.

Check to see if the printhead wire is broken.

The platen gap is not adjusted properly.

There are foreign objects in the paper path.

Set the gap adjustment lever to the first position. The platen gap should be 0.365

0.015.

Visually inspect the paper path.

Solution

Connect or replace the printhead FFC.

Replace the printhead; if necessary, replace the printer driver.

Replace the printhead.

Replace the printhead driver, if necessary.

Replace the printhead.

Adjust the platen gap. See

Chapter 4.

Remove any foreign objects.

PF motor does not operate normally.

❏ Check to see if there are foreign objects blocking the motor or drive gear.

❏ Check to see if the gears are damaged or worn out.

The PF motor is defective.

❏ Measure the coil resistance of the PF motor. See Table

5-3. It should be about 16

Ω

10%.

❏ If there’s a short circuit in the coil, check to see if there’s a short circuit in the driver too.

Remove any foreign objects, or replace the gears.

Replace the PF motor; if necessary, replace the driver.

5-22

EPSON FX-880/FX-1180 Service Manual

Troubleshooting

Table 5-13. Repairing the Printer Mechanism (continued)

Symptom

Ribbon feed is abnormal.

The printout appears dirty.

Printing without paper

Condition

The ribbon is not fed.

Possible

Cause

The ribbon cartridge is defective.

There are foreign objects caught in the gears of the ribbon feed mechanism.

The planet gear or planet gear lever is defective.

Checkpoint

Remove the ribbon cartridge.

Rotate the ribbon feed roller manually to check that the ribbon cartridge feeds the ribbon normally.

❏ Move the carriage manually from left to right to make sure the RD ratchet rotates.

❏ Check to see if foreign objects are caught in the ribbon feed mechanism.

Look at the ribbon drive gears as you move the carriage manually to make sure they’re working properly.

The ribbon feeds correctly when the carriage moves in one direction, but fails to feed when the carriage moves in the opposite direction.

There are ink spots or dirt on the printout.

Printing continues past the end of the page.

❏ The ribbon mask is positioned incorrectly.

❏ The platen gap is not adjusted correctly.

The PE sensor is defective.

❏

Make sure the ribbon mask is positioned correctly.

Set the gap adjustment lever to the first position, then check the platen gap.

It should be 0.365

0.015.

Check the PE sensor. See

Table 5-8.

Solution

Replace the ribbon cartridge.

Remove any foreign objects. If there are no foreign objects, replace the ribbon feed mechanism.

Replace the ribbon feed mechanism.

❏ Reinstall the ribbon mask.

❏ Adjust the platen gap. See

Chapter 4.

Replace the PE sensor.

EPSON FX-880/FX-1180 Service Manual

5-23

6. Maintenance

Preventive Maintenance............................................................................................................................. 6-1

Lubrication.................................................................................................................................................. 6-1

EPSON FX-880/FX-1180 Service Manual

6-i

Maintenance

6-ii

EPSON FX-880/FX-1180 Service Manual

Maintenance

Preventive Maintenance

To keep the printer in optimum condition and prevent printer problems, vacuum the printer mechanism to remove dust and paper debris and regularly clean the exterior case with denatured alcohol. After cleaning the unit, check that it is properly lubricated as described under

Lubrication

, below. Also inspect the springs and rollers to see that they are operating properly.

CAUTION

■

Disconnect the printer from the external AC power source before performing any maintenance procedures.

CAUTION

■

Do not use thinner, trichloroethylene, or ketone-based solvents on the plastic components of the printer.

Lubrication

Table 6-1 describes the recommended lubricants. These lubricants have been tested extensively and have been found to comply with the needs of this printer. Using other lubricants may cause the printer to malfunction, especially at low temperatures.

CAUTION

■

Never use lubricants other than those specified below. Using other lubricants may damage the printer and components.

Table 6-1. Lubricants

Type Name Quantity Availability Part No.

Grease G-26

Oil O-2

40 mg

40 cc

EPSON

B702600001

B710200001

Apply lubricant to the printer at the points shown in Figures 6-1 through 6-5. Table 6-2 lists each lubrication point along with its recommended lubricant. Before applying lubricant, make sure the surface to be lubricated is clean. Do not apply too much lubricant, because this may damage nearby components.

Note:

Apply lubricant before reassembling the printer.

EPSON FX-880/FX-1180 Service Manual

6-1

Maintenance

Table 6-2. Lubrication Points

Ref. No.

Lubrication Points

1 Cam surface on the 34.5 mm spur gear

The shaft end of the PF drive roller assembly

The platen gap adjustment slots on the left frame (excluding the two slots at the bottom)

Oil pad

The contact points for the gear and shaft in the ribbon drive assembly

The inside hole and three shafts in the ribbon drive assembly

Various contact points for the ribbon drive gear assembly

6 contact points for the paper guide and release shaft.

Lubricant

G-26 (5 mg)

G-26 (3 mg for each slot)

O-2 (0.6 ml)

G-26 (3 mg)

G-26

6-2

EPSON FX-880/FX-1180 Service Manual

Maintenance

Spur Gears (34.5)

: Lubrication Point Ref. No.(1)

Tractor Clutch Cam

Figure 6-1. Lubrication Point 1

Gap Adjustment Lever

Lubricate all these slots.

Platen Gap Adjustment Slot

: Lubrication Point Ref. No.(3)

: Lubrication Point Ref. No.(2)

Figure 6-2. Lubrication Points 2 and 3

EPSON FX-880/FX-1180 Service Manual

6-3

Maintenance

6-4

: Lubrication Point Ref. No. 4

Figure 6-3. Lubrication Point 4

: Lubrication Point Ref. No.(5)

: Lubrication Point Ref. No.(6)

: Lubrication Point Ref. No.(7)

Figure 6-4. Lubrication Points 5, 6, and 7

EPSON FX-880/FX-1180 Service Manual

: Lubricating Point (8)

Figure 6-5. Lubrication Point 8

Release Shaft

Maintenance

EPSON FX-880/FX-1180 Service Manual

6-5

Appendix

Connector Summary .................................................................................................................................. A-1

Component Layout..................................................................................................................................... A-7

Exploded Diagrams.................................................................................................................................. A-11

Dimensions and Weight ........................................................................................................................... A-15

Circuit Diagrams ...................................................................................................................................... A-17

EPSON FX-880/FX-1180 Service Manual

A-i

Appendix

A-ii

EPSON FX-880/FX-1180 Service Manual

Appendix

Connector Summary

Figure A-1 illustrates how primary components are connected. Table A-1 lists connector descriptions and locations.

C229 PSB/PSE

Board

CN1 CN2

Parallel I/F

Type-B I/F

(optional)

CN3

CN1

CN2

C229 MAIN Board

CN7

CN11

CN10

CN9

CN8

CN6

CN5

CN4

Printer Mechanism

M-3J10 (FX-880)

M-3J60 (FX-1180)

Printhead

PG Sensor

Release Sensor

CR Motor

PF Motor

Rear PE Sensor

Front PE Sensor

HP Sensor

CN12

Panel

Figure A-1. Cable Connections

EPSON FX-880/FX-1180 Service Manual

A-1

Appendix

Table A-1. Connector Summary

Board

C229 Main Board

Assembly

Connector

CN1

C229 PSB/PSE/PSH

Board Assembly

CN2

CN3

CN4

CN5

CN6

CN7

CN8

CN9

CN10

CN11

CN12

CN1

CN2

Pin Description

36 Parallel interface

Type B interface (Optional)

DC input, Power on/off signals

Home Position (HP) sensor

Rear Page End (PE) sensor

Front PE sensor

Printhead, thermistor

Paper Feed (PF) motor

Carriage Return (CR) motor

Release lever position sensor

Paper Guide (PG) sensor

Control panel

AC line input

DC output, Power on/off signals

Pin

2 to 9

I/O

Signal

/STROBE

Table A-2. Connector Pin Assignments-CN1

Function

Strobe pulse. Input data is latched at the falling edge of the signal.

Parallel input data to the printer.

In DATA 1 to DATA

Out /ACKNLG

Out

BUSY

Out SLCT

In /AFXT

 NC

 GND

 Chassis

Out Logic H

Pulse signaling that the printer has received data and is ready to accept more data.

HIGH signal indicates that the printer is not ready to accept data.

HIGH signal indicates that the printer is out of paper.

Always HIGH when the printer is powered on.

Not used.

Not connected.

Signal ground.

Chassis ground.

This line is pulled up to +5 V through 3.9K

Ω

A-2

EPSON FX-880/FX-1180 Service Manual

Pin

19 to

I/O

Table A-3. Connector Pin Assignments-CN1 (continued)

Signal

 GND

In /INIT

Out /ERROR

 GND

 NC

Out +5 V

Out /SLIN

Function

Signal ground.

Initializes the printer.

Indicates an error condition.

Signal ground.

Not connected.

This line is pulled up to +5 V through 1.0K

Ω

Always HIGH when the printer is powered on.

Table A-4. Connector Pin Assignments-CN2

Pin

1 to 6

I/O



Out



Out

Signal

TXD

/READY

RXD

/RST

INH

/CMREQ

/WRRDY

Out

17 Out

18 Out

19 to 24 

Out

In/Out D7

In/Out D6

/RDRDY

/WR

/RD

/CS

GND

In/Out D5

In/Out D4

Function

+5 VDC line

Transmit data

Ready to receive data

Receiving data

No connected

Reset

Inhibit

Command request

Write ready

Read request

Write

Read

Chip select

Ground

Address bus bit 3

Address bus bit 2

Address bus bit 1

Address bus bit 0

Data bus bit 7

Data bus bit 6

Data bus bit 5

Data bus bit 4

EPSON FX-880/FX-1180 Service Manual

Appendix

A-3

Appendix

Pin

Table A-5. Connector Pin Assignments-CN2 (continued)

I/O Signal

In/Out D3

In/Out D2

In/Out D1

In/Out D0

Function

Data bus bit 3

Data bus bit 2

Data bus bit 1

Data bus bit 0

Table A-6. Connector Pin Assignments-CN3

Pin

I/O

Out

Signal

PSC

3 to 4

5 to 6

In PWDN

 +5 V



GND

 +35 V

9 to 10  GP

Function

Power Signal Control

Power down

+ 5 VDC line

Ground

+35 VDC line

Ground

Table A-7. Connector Pin Assignments-CN4

Pin I/O Signal



GND

Function

Home position sensor signal

Ground

Table A-8. Connector Pin Assignments-CN5

Pin I/O



Signal

+5 V

GND

Function

+5 VDC line

Rear PE sensor signal

Ground

Table A-9. Connect Pin Assignments-CN6

Pin I/O



Signal

GND

Function

Front PE sensor signal

Ground

A-4

EPSON FX-880/FX-1180 Service Manual

Table A-10. Connector Pin Assignments-CN7

Pin I/O Signal

1  +5 V

Out

HTMP

HEAD3

Out

HEAD1

HEAD5

Out

HEAD7

HEAD9

HEAD8

HEAD4

HEAD6

HEAD2

Function

+5 VDC line

Head temperature signal

Head Data 3

Head Data 1

Head Data 5

Head Drive Common 3 and 7

Head Data 7

Head Drive Common 5 and 9

Head Data 9

Head Data 8

Head Data 4

Head Drive Common 3

Head Drive Common 8

Head Data 6

Head Drive Common 1 and 4

Head Data 2

Table A-11. Connector Pin Assignments-CN8

Pin I/O Signal

1 Out PFA

2 Out PF-A

Out PFB

Out PF-B

Function

PF Motor Phase A

PF Motor Phase B

Table A-12. Connector Pin Assignments-CN9

Pin I/O Signal

Out

CRA

CR-A

CRB

Out CR-B

 +35 V

Function

CR Motor Phase A

CR Motor Phase B

CR Motor Common

EPSON FX-880/FX-1180 Service Manual

Appendix

A-5

Appendix

Table A-13. Connector Pin Assignments-CN10

Pin I/O Signal



RELEASE

GND

Function

Release sensor signal

Ground

Table A-14. Connector Pin Assignments-CN11

Pin I/O Signal



PG1

GND

Function

PG sensor signal

Ground

Table A-15. Connector Pin Assignments-CN12

Function Pi n

I/O Signal



+5 V

Out POUTL

Out PAUSE

Out TOFFL

9 In

10 In

Out FONT2L

Out FONT1L

FONTSW

LFFFSW

LDEJSW

PAUSESW

11 In

12 

PSC

GND

+5 VDC line

Paper Out LED

Pause LED

Tear Off/Bin LED

Font LED

Font button

FF/LF button

Load/Eject button

Pause button

Power switch control signal

Ground

A-6

EPSON FX-880/FX-1180 Service Manual

Component Layout

Appendix

Figure A-2. C229 MAIN Board Component Layout

EPSON FX-880/FX-1180 Service Manual

A-7

Appendix

Figure A-3. C229 PSB Board Component Layout

A-8

EPSON FX-880/FX-1180 Service Manual

Appendix

Figure A-4. C229 PSE Board Component Layout

EPSON FX-880/FX-1180 Service Manual

A-9

Appendix

Figure A-5. C229PSH Component Layout

A-10

Figure A-6. PNL Board Component Layout

EPSON FX-880/FX-1180 Service Manual

Dimensions and Weight

FX-1180

Dimensions:

Weight:

W 23.2 inches (590mm)

D 13.8 inches (350mm)

H 6.1 inches (154mm)

21.2 lbs. (9.6 kg)

Appendix

23.2" (590 mm) 13.8" (350 mm)

Figure A-11. Physical Specifications for FX-1180

EPSON FX-880/FX-1180 Service Manual

A-15

Appendix

FX-880

Dimensions:

Weight:

W 16.3 inches (415mm)

D 13.8 inches (350mm)

H 6.1 inches (154mm)

16.8 lbs. (7.6 kg)

16.3" (415 mm) 13.8" (350 mm)

A-16

Figure A-12. Physical Specification for FX-880

EPSON FX-880/FX-1180 Service Manual

Appendix

Circuit Diagrams

CN1

+5V

FONT2L

FONT1

TOFFL

POUL

PAUL

FONTSW

LFFFSW

LDEJSW

PAUSSW

1 3

SW2

2 5 4

1 3 SW1

2 5 4

1 3

SW0

2 5 4

6 5 4

SW4

3 2 1

LED4

LED3

LED2

LED1

LED0

1 3

SW3

2 5 4

PSC

GND

PANEL

Figure A-13. PNL Circuit Diagram

EPSON FX-880/FX-1180 Service Manual

+5V

GND

0.1u

25V

A-17

140

108

140

101

541

606

107

140

500

120

126

140

100

118

126

450

126

104

125

109

125 125

113

125

106

125

105

123

119

102

135

127

132

127

330

129

127

138

126

122

123

127

133

127

200

117

110

137

128

115

112

116

112

111

400

373

400

101

EXPLODED DIAGRAM FOR FX-880(1)

610

573

585

606

584

610

583

614

571

610

524

610

502

505

521

610

505

565

558

536

650

510

589

610

619

551

548

546

542

504

603

552

123

615

523

522

544

586

604

577

600

123

586

552

545

575

588

568

532

525

534

530

527

621

622

620

531

528

533

535

564

582

563

576

560

569

600

579

570

557

556

562

599

602

619

559

565

561

572

617

623

613

503

587

613

550

543

547

549

551

610

EXPLODED DIAGRAM FOR FX-880(2)

608

592

505

578

526

594

598

501

601

597

607

595

593

505

610

123

581

618

601

607

595

596

591

616

590

524

609

610

529

108

140

380

101

541

500

140

120

606

118

450

104

126

330

128

115

100

107

101

EXPLODED DIAGRAM FOR FX-1180(1)

116

135

105

119

102

127

122

138

126

112

125

106

125

109

125 125

113

123

127

133

127

132

127

300

129

127

117

123

137

200

110

111

112

373

400

504

610

573

551

548

585

606

610

584

610

583

614

571

610

505

502

523

522

505

524

610

521

565

558

510

536

650

619

563

589

610

564

582

546

553

542

552

123

615

586

604

600

123

586

560

569

600

576

579

603

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EXPLODED DIAGRAM FOR FX-1180(2)

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Epson C823572 (Ethernet) Service manual

Service Manual

Epson America, Inc.

Service Manual

ii

Table of Contents

iv

Preface

The EPSON FX-880 and EPSON FX-1180 are identical products, except for their width. To permit printing on wider paper, the FX-1180 has a wider body than the FX-880, but is the same as the

FX-880 in all other respects. Unless noted otherwise, all information and instructions in this manual can be used to service either printer.

vi

FCC COMPLIANCE STATEMENT

FOR AMERICAN USERS

viii

PRECAUTIONS

WARNING

CAUTION

WARNING

CAUTION

1. Product Description

1-i

1-ii

Features

*Additional tractor is required.

**Roll paper is not available on all models, and is not available in the U.S.

1-1

1-2

Accessories

1-3

Hardware Specifications

Printing Method

Printing Specifications

1. Both printers can print a maximum of 455 cps at a pitch of 12 cpi.

2. If the power supply voltage drops below the lower limit, the printer stops until the voltage returns to the normal range. The printer then resumes printing, but more slowly than before.

3. If the printhead temperature rises above the upper limit, the printer stops until the printhead cools down to the normal temperature. The printer then resumes printing, but more slowly than before.

1-4

Paper Handling Specifications

1-5

1-6

Paper Specifications

Cut Sheets

Width

Length

Thickness

Weight

Quality

FX-1180:

FX-880:

5.8 to 16.5 inches (148 to 420 mm)

5.8 to 10.1 inches (148 to 257 mm)

Front entry: 7.2 to 14.3 inches (182 to 364 mm)

Rear entry: 3.6 to 14.3 inches (92 to 364 mm)

0.0025 to 0.0055 inches (0.065 to 0.14 mm)

14 to 24 lb (52 to 90 g/m

)

Plain or recycled paper; neither curled, folded, nor crumpled

Printing on recycled paper or card stock is available only at normal temperatures and humidity.

Insertion

Width

Length*

Copies

Total thickness

Weight

Quality

Joining

Front or rear entry

FX-1180:

FX-880:

5.8 to 16.5 inches (148 to 420 mm)

5.8 to 10.1 inches (148 to 257 mm)

7.2 to 14.3 inches (182 to 364 mm)

1 original + 5 copies

0.0047 to 0.018 inches (0.12 to 0.46 mm)

12 to 15 lb (40 to 58 g/m

)

Carbonless multi-part forms, neither curled, folded, nor crumpled

Apply glue in a straight line at the top or at one side of a form.

1. * Maximum length, including perforation area. Length excluding perforation area is 11.7".

2. Do not use CSF bin 2 when printing a multi-part form.

1-7