Manual

Transcription

Manual

Rev.A
WARRANTY
With the exception of the printhead, EPC Labs, Inc. warrants the GSP-1086
thermal gray scale printer to be free of any defects and in good working order for
a period of one year from date of delivery. The printhead is warranted for a
period of 90 days after delivery. In the event of failure of any part(s) due to
defect in material or workmanship occurring within the warranty period, EPC will
repair or replace the product at no charge for parts and labor performed at a
company designated repair facility.
EPC will not be obligated to, or liable for, repair or replacement of the product
due to the misuse, abuse, misapplication, or the modification of the product
without prior written consent from EPC Labs. This includes the use of
unauthorized recording medium (thermal film and/or paper) which may cause
irreparable damage to the printhead as well as the entire recorder. In addition,
EPC will not be liable for damages, lost revenue, lost wages, lost savings, or any
other consequential or incidental damages arising from same.
The user of this product will be responsible for packing and shipping the failed
product properly, and for the
shipping charges associated
with the return of the product to
an EPC repair facility. EPC
will be responsible for returning
the product to the place of
origin, and all associated
costs.
EPC LABORATORIES, INC.
EPC LABORATORIES, INC. 42A Cherry Hill Drive, Danvers, MA 01923
Phone: (978) 777-1996 Fax: (978) 777-3955 E-mail: epc@epclabs.com, www.epclabs.com
Rev.A
WARNING PAGE
HIGH VOLTAGE!! - When this symbol appears it implies that that the forthcoming
operation will require the technician to take special safety steps around an
exposed electrical circuit.
STATIC DEVICE - This symbol implies the procedure should be performed in a static
safe workstation.
GENERAL CAUTION NOTE - This symbol implies that there is a general point of
interest. In some cases it may be for operator or product safety.
General precautions:
•
Keep away from live circuits. Operating and maintenance personnel
must, at all times, observe all safety regulations pertaining to
electronic equipment.
•
To prevent damage, caution must be exercised when removing or
inserting printed circuit boards (PCBs).
•
The TGR PCBs contain components sensitive to electrostatic
discharge (ESD). Approved ESD prevention techniques must be used
when working on or handling PCBs. ESD-sensitive components are
usually labeled, as shown to the right:
•
Avoid the use of flammable or toxic cleaning fluids such as carbon
tetrachloride.
•
Use care when soldering. Avoid breathing the fumes from
soldering, use proper eye protection, and be sure the area is well ventilated.
Phone: (978) 777-1996 Fax: (978) 777-3955 E-mail: epc@epclabs.com, www.epclabs.com
Table of Contents
Rev.A
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Chapter
Section
Description
Specifications
1
Page
i
Getting Started
1.0
General ……………………………………………………….
1-1
1.1
Controls & Features …………………………………………
1-1
1.1.1
Control Panel …………………………………………………
1-1
1.1.2
Keyboard Interface ………………………………………….
1-1
1.1.3
RS-232 Command Interface ……………………………….
1-2
1.1.4
Analog Data ………………………………………………….
1-3
1.1.5
Digital Data …………………………………………………..
1-3
1.2
A Sample Session …………………………………………..
1-5
1.2.1
TGR Preparation …………………………………………….
1-5
1.2.2
Load Paper …………………………………………………..
1-5
1.2.3
Power-up ……………………………………………………..
1-6
1.2.4
Check Paper Feed …………………………………………..
1-6
1.2.5
Secure Take-up Reel ……………………………………….
1-7
1.2.6
Check Test Pattern ………………………………………….
1-7
1.2.7
Print Some Data ……………………………………………..
1-8
1.2.7.1
Printing Analog Data ..………………………………………
1-10
1.2.7.2
Printing Parallel Data ……………………………………….
1-10
2
System Overview
2.0
General ……………………………………………………….
2-1
2.1
Mechanical Frame ……..……………………………………
2-1
2.2
Electronic Components …..…………………………………
2-1
2.2.1
Passive Backplane ….………………………………………
2-1
2.2.2
Microprocessor Board ……………………………………...
2-2
2.2.3
Digital I/O Board ….…………………………………………
2-2
i
Phone: (978) 777-1996 Fax: (978) 777-3955 E-mail: epc@epclabs.com, web: www.epclabs.com
Table of Contents
Chapter
2
Rev.A
Section
Description
Page
2.2.4
EPC Enhanced Analog Interface Board ………………….
2-2
2.2.5
ISA Control Board …………………………………………..
2-3
2.2.6
Motor Drive PC ………………………………………………
2-3
2.2.7
Thermal Printhead ..…………………………………………
2-4
2.3
Power System …….…………………………………………
2-4
2.3.1
Line Input Module ……………………………………………
2-5
2.3.2
Logic Supply …….…………………………………………..
2-5
2.3.3
Printhead Supply ……………………………………………
2-5
2.3.4
Motor Drive PC ………………………………………………
2-6
2.3.5
Printhead Relay ….………………………………………….
2-6
2.3.6
Printhead Capacitor ……….………………………………..
2-6
2.3.7
System Cooling ……...………………………………………
2-6
2.4
Paper Transport System ……………………………………
2-6
2.4.1
Feed Roll Magazine ..….……………………………………
2-6
2.4.2
Paper Feed Block ...…………………………………………
2-6
2.4.3
Print Roller Assembly ……………………………………….
2-7
2.4.4
View Panel …………………………………………………...
2-7
2.4.5
Pinch & Drive Rollers ……………………………………….
2-7
2.4.6
Stainless Steel Gear Train …………………………………
2-7
2.4.7
Stepper Motor ……………………………………………….
2-8
2.4.8
Chart Module ………………………………………………..
2-8
2.4.9
Chart Clock Circuit .…………………………………………
2-8
2.4.10
Take-up Motor ……………………………………………...
2-9
2.4.11
Take-up Blocks ……………………………………………..
2-9
2.4.12
Take-up Chamber ……………………………………….….
2-9
2.5
Error Sensors ………………………………………………..
2-9
2.5.1
EPC Paper Sensor Interlock ……………………………….
2-10
2.5.2
Printhead Not Engaged Switch ………………………….…
2-10
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Table of Contents
Chapter
2
Rev.A
Section
Description
Page
2.5.3
Paper Out Sensor …………………………………………..
2-10
2.5.4
Printhead Thermistor ……………………………………….
2-10
3
Theory of Operation
3.0
General ………………………………….……………………
3-1
3.1
Analog Data Acquisition …………………………………….
3-1
3.2
Trigger Characteristics .…………………………………….
3-1
3.2.1
Internal Trigger Mode ….……………………………………
3-1
3.2.2
External Trigger Mode ..…………………………………….
3-2
3.3
Analog Signal Conditioning ...………………………………
3-2
3.3.1
Input Amplifier / Primary Gain Stage ...……………………
3-2
3.3.2
Time Varied Gain ……………………………………………
3-2
3.3.3
Signal Polarity ……………………………………………….
3-3
3.3.4
Bandpass Filters …….………………………………………
3-3
3.3.5
Threshold Stage ….…………………………………………
3-3
3.4
Signal MUX ……..……………………………………….…..
3-4
3.5
Digitization ……………..……………………………….……
3-4
3.5.1
Scan Rate .……………………………………………….…..
3-4
3.5.2
Calculating Record Scale ……………………………….….
3-5
3.5.3
Delayed Scans ………………………………………………
3-5
3.5.4
Calculating Delay ……………………………………………
3-5
3.5.5
Scan and Delay Limitation …………………………………
3-6
3.5.6
Line Stacking ………………………………………………..
3-6
3.6
Digital Data Acquisition …………………………………….
3-6
3.6.1
Data Transmission ………………………………………….
3-7
3.6.2
Embedded Control Codes ………………………………….
3-7
3.6.3
Pixel Depth …………………………………………………..
3-7
3.6.4
Data Shifting and the GIGO Theory ……………………..
3-8
3.6.5
Data Decimation …………………………………………….
3-9
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Table of Contents
Chapter
3
Rev.A
Section
Description
Page
3.6.6
Parallel Port Hardware ……………………………………..
3-9
3.6.6.1
Data Register ………………………………………………..
3-10
3.6.6.2
Status Register ………………………………………………
3-10
3.6.6.3
Control Register ……………………………………………..
3-10
3.6.6.4
Extended Capabilities ………………………………………
3-11
3.7
RS-232 Input …………………………………………………
3-11
3.7.1
RS-232 Data …………………………………………………
3-11
3.7.2
RS-232 Commands …………………………………………
3-12
3.8
Keyboard Interface ………………………………………….
3-12
3.9
Message and Annotation Functions ………………………
3-12
3.9.1
Basic Event Marks …………………………………………..
3-12
3.9.2
Printing Messages …………………………………………..
3-13
3.9.3
Message Attributes ………………………………………….
3-13
3.9.4
Autoevent ……………………………………………….……
3-13
3.9.5
Automsg ………………………………………………….…..
3-13
3.9.6
Using Fix Numbers …………………………………….……
3-13
3.9.7
Printing Navigation Data ………………………………..…..
3-14
3.10
Thermal Printing ……………………………………….…….
3-14
3.10.1
Data Loading ……………………………………...…………
3-14
3.10.2
Print Cycle ……………………………………………………
3-15
3.10.3
Printhead Signals ……………………………………………
3-15
3.10.4
Printhead Logic ……………………………………………...
3-15
3.10.5
Print Methods ………………………………………………..
3-16
3.10.5.1
Magnitude Weighted Compare …………………………….
3-16
3.10.5.2
Equal Weighted Compare ………………………………….
3-16
3.10.5.3
Binary Weighted Compare …………………………………
3-16
3.10.6
Dot Modulation ………………………………………………
3-17
iv
Table of Contents
Chapter
Section
4
5
Appendix A
Rev.A
Description
Page
Maintenance & Troubleshooting
4.0
General Overview of Troubleshooting ….…………..…….
4-1
4.1
General Maintenance ……………………………………….
4-1
4.1.1
Keep the Area Clean ……………………………………….
4-1
4.1.2
Clean the Paper Feed Chamber ……………………...…..
4-1
4.1.3
Clean the thermal Printhead ……………………….…….
4-2
4.1.4
Handling and Storing Thermal Media ……………….……
4-3
4.1.5
Quick Troubleshooting Method ……………………….……
4-4
4.1.6
Replacement Procedure ……………………………………
4-5
4.2
Basic Adjustments and Fuse Change …………………….
4-5
4.2.1
Drop-out on Paper ………………………………………….
4-6
4.2.2
Changing the Power Fuse …………………………………
4-7
4.3
Verifying Recorder Operation ……………………………...
4-7
4.3.1
Running the Test Pattern ………………………………….
4-8
4.3.2
Checking Out the Analog Functions ……………….……..
4-9
4.3.2.1
Verifying the Key Out ………………………………………
4-9
4.3.2.2
Verifying the Scan Speeds ………………………………..
4-10
4.3.2.3
Verifying the Delay Setting ………………………………..
4-12
4.3.2.4
Verifying the Gain And Threshold ………………………...
4-13
4.3.2.5
Checking Out the Digital Functions ………………………
4-13
Engineering Drawings and Schematics
Command Protocol
v
Table of Contents
Rev.A
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vi
Specifications
Rev.A
MODEL 1086-500 SPECIFICATIONS
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION
Dimensions
17.6"W x 19.3"H x 6.7"D.
Weight
50lbs.
Media
Heat sensitive thermal paper or high grade plastic film 23dB Dynamic range.
Paper Length
150 feet / 45.72 meters.
Film Length
130 feet / 39.62 meters.
Temperature
0ο to 65οC - Operating, -28ο to 65οC - Storage.
HARDWARE SPECIFICATIONS
HARDWARE
Host Processor
486DX2 / 66MHz, Minimum.
CPU Bus
16 bit industry standard architecture (ISA).
Control Panel
Sealed membrane type, software defined.
Displays
Twin 2x40 LCD displays with LED back lights.
POWER
Power Supply
Logic = 65 Watts, Printhead = 200 Watt, Auto-ranging
100-120VAC and 200-240VAC, 47-63Hz.
Power Consumption
80 Watts non-printing. 130 Watts peak.
PRINTING
Gray Levels
Selectable: 8, 16, 32, 64 levels.
Printhead
2048 pixels @ 203 DPI.
Maximum Line Speeds
(approx.)
@8 Shades: 15ms
@32 Shades: 26ms
@16 Shades: 18ms
@64 Shades: 43ms
Chart Speeds Fixed
75, 80, 100, 120, 150, 200, 240, 300 LPI.
Chart Speeds Variable
1.6kHz max clock, BNC input. 1/1200th inch per clock.
i
EPC LABORATORIES, INC. 42A Cherry Hill Drive Danvers, MA 01923
Specifications
Rev.A
ANALOG INTERFACE
Dual Signal Input
0V to 10V SIGNAL BNC inputs. 2K ohm Input
Impedance.
External Trigger Input
TTL EXT TRIG BNC input with slope sense.
Internal Key Output
TTL KEY OUT BNC with polarity selection.
156us pulse width.
Gain, Threshold, Polarity
Independently controlled for each channel.
Min input signal 500 mV.
Time Varied Gain
Selects one of 255 logarithmic gain curves.
HIGH Pass: 83Hz, 100Hz, 166Hz, 200Hz, 250Hz, 333Hz,
Band Pass Filtering
500Hz and 1.0kHz
LOW Pass: 1.0kHz, 1.2kHz, 2.0kHz, 2.4kHz, 3.0kHz, 4.0kHz,
6.0kHz and 12.0kHz
Scan
.005 to 10secs, 1ms resolution.
Key
.010 to 10secs, 1ms resolution.
Delay
0.000 to 8secs, 1ms resolution.
PARALLEL
INTERFACE
Interconnect
25 Pin Sub D, Metal shell.
Data Input
8 Bit Centronics Compatible, 2048 bytes per raster line.
Handshake
Low Active host /STB on Pin 1.
Low Active printer /ACK on Pin 10.
High Active printer BUSY on Pin 11.
Busy cycles on end of line (2048 bytes).
/ACK cycles on every /STB.
Burst Rate Bandwidth
Over 250kHz.
Sustained Bandwidth
Based on gray levels.
COMMAND
INTERFACE
QWERTY Keyboard
Jack for commands and annotation.
9 Pin Sub D, RS-232
For commands and GPS.
ii
Specifications
Rev.A
MENU SETTINGS
LEFT DISPLAY SETTINGS
First menu Row
TIME
Set / view system time.
24 Hour Clock.
DATE
Set / view system date.
01/01/99 format.
SAVE TO
CONFIG 1 to 4
Selects config file to be loaded.
SETTINGS
CONFIG 1 to 4
Selects config file to be saved.
Second menu Row
TRIGGER
TRG SLOPE
EXTERNAL / INTERNAL Designates trigger mode.
RISING / FALLING
Edge to trigger on (external).
POSITIVE / NEGATIVE
Polarity of key out pulse.
OFF, 2, 3, 4, 5
# of lines to average.
008, 016, 032, 064
# of gray levels.
MEDIA
FILM / PAPER
Type of print media.
SCL LINES
OFF, 5, 10, 20
Equally spaced grid lines.
0 to 32766
Fix # counter.
KEY OUT
STACKING
Third menu Row
SHADES
FIX #
Fourth Menu Row
SWEEP A
STANDBY, RS-232,
PARALLEL, ANALOG
1200, 2400, 4800, 9600,
19200, 38400, 57600,
115200
FORWARD / REVERSE
Selects sweep direction for Ch A.
SWEEP B
FORWARD / REVERSE
Selects sweep direction for Ch B.
DATA INPUT
BAUD RATE
Selects Data interface.
Selects baud rate of Serial Port.
RIGHT DISPLAY SETTINGS
First Menu Row
CONTRAST
LPI
EVENT
WIDTH
-30% to 40%
75, 80, 100, 120, 150,
200, 240, 300,
EXTERNAL
SOLID, DASHED, TICK,
MESSAGE
2048
% of nominal print intensity.
Selects number of lines per inch
to print.
Determines action when event is
triggered.
Display width in pixels, fixed.
iii
Specifications
Rev.A
Second Menu Row
BP FILTERS
LOW PASS
HIGH PASS
TVG
OFF / ON
3.0kHz, 6.0kHz, 2.0kHz
1.2kHz, 2.4kHz, 4.0kHz
1.0kHz, 12.0kHz
250Hz, 500Hz, 166Hz,
100Hz, 200Hz, 333Hz,
83Hz, 1.0kHz
OFF, 1 to255
Activates Band Pass Filter.
Selects low pass frequency.
Selects high pass frequency.
Selects 1 of 255 logarithmic
curves.
Third Menu Row
SIGNAL
SINGLE / DUAL
KEY RATE
00.010 to 10.000
SCAN RATE
00.005 to 10.000
DELAY
00.000 to 08.000
Selects between single channel
and side scan mode.
Time between key out pulses in
seconds (internal trigger only).
Sweep speed in seconds.
Amount of time to delay printing of
sweep in seconds.
Fourth Menu Row
AUTO-EVENT
OFF, 1 to 32766
AUTOMESG
OFF, 1 to 32766
DATA TYPE
3 to 8 BIT
REPEAT LN
1 to 5 LINES
Determines how many lines to
print before initiating selected
EVENT.
Determines how many lines to
print before printing selected
MESSAGE.
Sets word length of incoming
digital data.
Number of times to repeat each
line.
Fifth Menu Row
MESSAGE
MARGIN
CHAR SIZE
BACKGROUND
TIME, DATE, SETTINGS,
GPS $GPGGA, FIX #,
Selects which message to print.
USER 1, USER 2,
USER 3
0.00 > 10.00
Annotation margin in inches.
1>5
Font size of annotated characters.
WHITE / DATA
Background behind annotation.
iv
Specifications
Rev.A
Pin Out of Centronics 25-Pin ‘D’ Connector
Pin #
Signal
Description
1
/STROBE
Terminated by a 500Ω resistor to +5V.
2
D0
Terminated by a 10kΩ resistor to +5V.
3
D1
4
D2
5
D3
6
D4
7
D5
8
D6
9
D7
10
/ACK
11
BUSY
12
PAPER
13
SELECT
14
/AUTO LF
Not terminated.
15
/ERROR
16
/INIT
17
/SELECT IN Not Terminated.
18 - 25 GROUND
v
Specifications
Rev.A
Pin Out of RS-232 9-Pin ‘D’ Connector:
Pin #
Signal
Description
1
DCD
Data Carrier Detect.
2
RX
Receive Data.
3
TX
Transmit Data.
4
DTR
Data Terminal Ready.
5
GND
Signal Ground.
6
DSR
Data Set Ready.
7
RTS
Request To Send.
8
CTS
Clear To Send.
9
RI
Ring Indicator.
vi
Chapter – 1 Getting Started
Rev.A
CHAPTER ONE - GETTING STARTED
1.0 GENERAL:
This is the EPC Model GSP-1086 Thermal Graphic Recorder, or TGR for short.
The 1086 has become an industry-standard paper recorder for analog and digital
sonar data – interfaced to virtually every major acquisition system in the
oceanographic community. The recorder is simple to use. This manual covers
the latest series of 1086 recorders, the “500” series. The 500 Series
incorporates exciting new features like Bandpass Filtering and Time Varied Gain.
Data throughput, system diagnostics, and reliability have also been improved
from previous 1086 recorders. Please take a few moments to read through this
section. If you have used analog and/or digital gray scale recorders in the past,
there is enough information here to get started on a typical application.
1.1 CONTROLS AND FEATURES:
All functions of the 1086 recorder are implemented by any of three input
methods:
•
•
•
The Control Panel (sometimes referred to as the User Interface)
The Keyboard Interface
The RS-232 Command Interface
1.1.1 CONTROL PANEL:
The Control Panel on the 1086 is
comprised of two Liquid Crystal Displays
(LCDs) and a series of membrane switches or “soft keys”. The majority of the
switches are positioned around the LCD displays such that the function that is
visible on an LCD can be changed by pressing the switch nearest to it (left/right).
The arrow keys to the left of each display scroll the entire menu to the next group
of functions (up/down). Each LCD displays four functions at a time. The left LCD
has a total of four function groups, the right LCD has five. Items that are likely to
be changed frequently (CONTRAST, SCAN RATE, etc.) are located on the right
LCD. There is also a row of fixed functions silk-screened on the buttons along
the top edge of the panel. The functions of these keys are self-explanatory.
Some of the buttons are used, and some of them are reserved for later use. It is
not necessary to have a function visible on a LCD to modify its setting. The
setting can be changed at any time by one of the other input methods.
1.1.2 KEYBOARD INTERFACE:
EPC Labs has some advice. Learn the command set and use the keyboard
interface. This method of changing functions is much easier and less intrusive to
1-1
Rev.A
data collection than using the Control Panel. Keystrokes from the QWERTY
compatible keyboard are buffered via an interrupt driven process to the
microprocessor. While the keystrokes are being buffered, data collection
continues normally. When the [ENTER] key is pressed to terminate and send the
command, the function is implemented with minimal effect on printing. The
Control Panel is read by a process called polling -- which is much less efficient
than the interrupt service routine. When you hold a panel switch down, the
processor dedicates itself to just that function and all printing stops (until the
switch is released). This is particularly problematic when changing analog scales
– you may need to scroll from 125 ms to 250 ms which will take a few seconds.
The easier method would be to type in the following
command:
SCN 0.250 [ENTER]
While you are typing, the characters will appear on the left LCD. If you make a
mistake, just hit the [ENTER] key and start over. After correctly entering the
string and pressing the [ENTER] key, you may hear a very slight hesitation, this
is normal. All recorder functions can be implemented in this manner. Make sure
there is at least one space between the Mnemonic and the Argument. The
general format is as follows:
Mnemonic Argument [ENTER]
“Mneomic” is a three-letter function identifier (SCAN RATE in the previous
example) and ”Argument” is the new setting. The entire command set can be
found in Appendix A.
1.1.3 RS-232 COMMAND INTERFACE:
The entire command set can also be implemented over the 1086’s
Serial Interface. The Serial Interface is of the RS-232 variety and
can be driven using a three wire, null-modem cable connected to a
PC or other serial equipment. On a standard 9-Pin to 9-Pin system,
the cable should connect Pin 5 to Pin 5 (ground), Pin 3 to Pin 2
(Rx to Tx), and Pin 2 to Pin 3 (Tx to Rx). Make sure the BAUD RATE on the two
systems match (115200 for best performance). BAUD RATE on the 1086 can be
set from the left LCD on the Control Panel.
Commands are sent in identical fashion to the Keyboard. The three-letter
identifier and any subsequent argument strings are separated by a single blank
space (20 Hex, 32 Decimal, ‘ ‘ ASCII). The last argument is immediately
terminated by a Carriage Return / Line Feed pair of characters (0D/0A Hex,
13/10 Decimal, <CR/LF> ASCII). For example, to print an alphanumeric
message on top of some data that is being printed, you could write the following
character string to your computers COM Port:
1-2
Rev.A
MES HELLO WORLD, THIS IS A TEXT STRING<CR/LF>
The string “HELLO WORLD, THIS IS A TEXT STRING” would then print out on
the record, complete with spaces, commas, and all other printable characters.
1.1.4 ANALOG DATA:
The Analog Interface is discussed in greater detail in chapter 3. If you
are not familiar with analog concepts, you should study that chapter.
The 1086 is capable of scanning in analog data and presenting it in
a variable scale from five milliseconds to ten seconds with one millisecond
resolution. Each scan cycle is started by an Internal or External synchronization
pulse. This Key Pulse must be TTL in nature (positive or negative going). In
Internal Trigger mode, the period of the Key Pulse is determined by the setting of
KEY RATE on the right LCD. An independent Delay function is implemented in a
similar manner to offset the start of the sweep from the initial Key Pulse (Time
Zero or T0). Clearly labeled controls on the Interface Panel of the unit control the
Gain (Amplitude), Threshold (DC Offset), and Polarity (Gates A/C components of
signal) of the incoming signal. Presentation is Single Channel (A Channel =
100% of record width) or Dual Channel (A and B are 50/50%) with independent
Sweep Direction controls. The time bases (Scan, Key, and Delay) are common
to both channels. New features on the 500 series also provide signal filtering,
time varied gain (TVG) and stacking.
1.1.5 DIGITAL DATA:
Like the Analog Interface, the 1086’s digital concepts are presented more
comprehensively in chapter 3. This paragraph is for those who have
strong computer knowledge.
Digital Data can be sent from a Host source to the printer (Target) as a
stream of binary values, using a straight through 1 to 1 cable. Each byte
of data sent corresponds to a pixel on the printhead – there are no
headers, escape sequences, terminators, or synch bytes. A stream of
2048 bytes must be sent for each line. A byte value of 0x00 corresponds
to a white dot, The DATA TYPE function on the Control Panel determines
what value is used for a black dot. By setting DATA TYPE to 8 BIT, the
input range is selected from 0 to 255 (0xFF).
In this case, sending 2048 bytes all of the value 0x7F (127d) would cause
a single solid line to be printed with an intensity of 50% of full scale (midlevel gray).
1-3
Rev.A
The data can be sent over a Centronics compatible 8-Bit connection or over a
null modem RS-232 connection, as discussed in paragraph 1.1.3. To select one
or the other, simply choose “PARALLEL” or “RS-232” from the DATA INPUT
function on the Control Panel. If you choose RS-232, you will not be able to
simultaneously send commands and image data, only image data.
Here is a program, written in C, for generating a gray scale ramp over the
Parallel Interface on a standard PC:
//---------------------------- headers ------------------------------------------------------#include <dos.h>
#include <bios.h>
#include <stdio.h>
//--------------------------- prototypes ---------------------------------------------------void main(void);
void send_byte(unsigned char b);
//--------------------------- globals --------------------------------------------------------unsigned char pbuff[2048];
//-------------------------- code ------------------------------------------------------------void main(void)
{
int ctr, shd=0;
for(ctr=0; ctr<2048; ctr++){
pbuff[ctr]=shd;
if((++shd) >255)
shd=0;
}
while(!kbhit()){
for(ctr=0; ctr<2048; ctr++)
send_byte(pbuff[ctr]);
}
return;
}
//----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------void send_byte(unsigned char b)
// heart and soul of parallel print driver
{
outp(0x378, b);
// put data byte on DATA PORT
while(!(inp(0x379)&0x80));
// loop on BUSY signal until clear
outp(0x37A, 0x0D);
// drive strobe line low active
outp(0x37A, 0x0C);
// return strobe line idle high
return;
}
//----------------------- end of program ----------------------------------------------------------1-4
Rev.A
With the exception of the BIOS call on kbhit(), this program is very efficient and
fast. You can use the send_byte() logic in your own code – be sure the port
addresses are accurate. The example is for a generic PC. EPC does not
recommend using the Serial Port for sending image data. Not only do you lose
the ability to send serial commands (like navigation messages), the transmission
tends to be rather slow. At the fastest speed of 115000 Baud, the throughput is
only about five lines per second. A properly written parallel printer driver can
achieve line rates of over 60 lines per second.
1.2 A SAMPLE SESSION:
The following paragraphs provide the simple sequence of events required to print
data.
1.2.1 TGR PREPARTION:
Situate the recorder on a clean, stable platform and connect to a 100 –120 VAC
or 200 - 240 VAC power source. Make interface connections by either
connecting the appropriate analog BNC cables or a parallel 25 Pin one to one
cable from computer to recorder. Make sure the host system is not
attempting to send data.
1.2.2 LOAD PAPER:
Load only EPC qualified paper. First, open the Print Roller Assembly by sliding
the Side Latches to the right and then lifting the two black handles away from the
Printhead. The latches are normally locked in place by two silver colored
plungers – one is located just above the CHANNEL A GAIN control, the other is
just below the second set of arrow keys on the left LCD (fig 1-1). Pull the two
plungers straight out to slide the Side Latches to the right. Once the Print Roller
Assembly is pivoted open, you will see the paper feed area (fig 1-2). Snap the
roll of media (paper or film) into to two blocks on either side of the chamber. The
paper should feed such that the outside surface of the paper rests against the
Printhead (fig 1-3). With the paper properly positioned, close and secure the
Print Roller Assembly. Next, roll the Pinch Roller Cams to the right, opening a
space between the Drive Roller and Pinch Roller (1-4). Thread the paper
through this space and then close BOTH Pinch Roller Cams.
1-5
Rev.A
FIGURE 1-1
FIGURE 1-2
FIGURE 1-3
FIGURE 1-4
1.2.3 POWER-UP:
Make sure the Recorder is plugged into a AC power source that
supplies either 100 –120 VAC or 200 – 240 VAC @ 47-63Hz. After
switching the 1086’s line power ON, the Microprocessor will go through
its boot sequence. During this sequence, listen for a single beep and
watch the LCDs. If there is a problem with some of the internal circuitry,
the recorder will attempt to report what is wrong. If there is nothing
wrong, the machine will become operational with menus displayed after
about 15 seconds.
1.2.4 CHECK PAPER FEED:
RAPID
Now that the paper is threaded properly and the unit is under power,
check the chart advance by pressing the RAPID button on the upper
right-hand side of the Control Panel. The paper should advance.
Press the RAPID key again to stop the chart drive. This is a critical test
that should be performed every time the unit is turned on. A malfunctioning chart
drive can destroy the printhead, rollers, and gears.
1-6
Rev.A
1.2.5 SECURE TAKE-UP REEL:
TAKE
UP
If you plan on printing any significant amount of data, you will want to fasten
the paper to a take-up core. For the Take-up Reel to wind properly, the end
of the chart must be trimmed evenly and secured carefully to the core. Using
the stainless-steel roller as a guide, trim the paper in a straight line with a
sharp instrument (fig 1-5). Snap a core into the chamber, making sure that the
teeth on the aluminum paper block (top) are grabbing into the small notches on
the core’s white end plug. Next, toggle the RAPID key on and off to carefully
feed paper out to the core. The paper should run under the core, around, and
just over the top – a small amount of core should still be visible. Use three
equally spaced pieces of scotch tape to secure the paper to the core (fig 1-6).
After making sure that the edges of the paper are equidistant from the white end
plugs, press the TAKE-UP key to enable the Take-up Motor. The paper should
become taught, but not rip off the core. Test the setup by pressing the RAPID
key again, the chart should move smoothly and take-up evenly. Careful
preparation on this step will insure no take-up problems during data collection.
FIGURE 1-5
FIGURE 1-6
1.2.6 CHECK TEST PATTERN:
Like checking the Chart Drive, inspecting the Test Pattern is a critical
power-up procedure. This simple step insures that the majority of the
sub-systems in the recorder are working properly.
TEST
Assuming that the feed roll has been properly loaded and the chart drive has
been checked, the 1086’s Internal Test Pattern can now be printed. Press the
1-7
Rev.A
TEST button. Depending on how the SHADES and CONTRAST functions are
set, you should see a gray level ramp being printed (fig 1-7). While the Test
Pattern is printing, adjust CONTRAST and SHADES to your liking. You can also
change the Lines Per Inch (LPI) setting to adjust line spacing. Press TEST again
to stop the pattern. If there are any dropouts in the Test Pattern, refer to the
Troubleshooting section of this manual (4.2.1).
FIGURE 1-7
1.2.7 PRINT SOME DATA:
TEST
Set the DATA INPUT field on the left LCD to the PARALLEL or
ANALOG (whichever source you are using). Next, you will want to
run through every single menu, configuring those items germane to
your application. Following is Table 1-1, showing how to configure each item for
each application:
1-8
Rev.A
TABLE 1-1 SAMPLE SETTINGS
SETTING
SET TO
TIME
DATE
SAVE TO
SETTINGS
TRIGGER
TRG SLOPE
KEY OUT
FIX #
SHADES
MEDIA
STACKING
SCL LINES
DATA INPUT
BAUD
SWEEP A
SWEEP B
CONTRAST
LPI
EVENT
WIDTH
BP FILTERS
LOW PASS
HIGH PASS
TVG
SIGNAL
KEY RATE
SCAN RATE
DELAY
AUTOEVENT
AUTOMESG
DATA TYPE
REPEAT LN
MESSAGE
MARGIN
CHAR SIZE
BACKGROUND
NOW
TODAY
CONFIG_1
CONFIG_1
INT/EXT
RISE/FALL
POS/NEG
0
16
FILM
OFF
OFF
PAR/ANLG
115200
FORWARD
FORWARD
0
200
SOLID
2048
OFF
12.0 kHz
83 Hz
OFF
SINGLE
0.125
0.100
0.000
OFF
OFF
8 BIT
1
TIME
0.00
2
WINDOW
DATA LCD
B
B
B
B
A
A
A
B
B
B
B
B
B
S
B
B
B
B
B
D
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
B
B
D
B
B
B
B
B
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
R
R
R
R
R
R
R
R
R
R
R
R
R
R
R
R
R
R
R
R
REMARKS
TIME OF DAY
CURRENT DATE
SAVE SETTINGS TO FILE
LOADED CONFIGURATION
INT=MASTER, EXT=SLAVE
POLARITY OF EXT TRIGGER
POLARITY OF INT KEY OUT
SEQUENTIAL FIX NUMBRNG
GRAY LEVELS IN IMAGE
PAPER OR PLASTIC FILM
DISABLE LINE AVERAGING
DISABLE SCALE LINES
INTERFACE SELECTION
SERIAL PORT Rx SPEED
PRINT DIRECTION A CHAN
PRINT DIRECTION B CHAN
DARKNESS/INTENSITY
LINE SPACING
VERTICAL GRID LN TYPE
DIGITAL SYNCH COUNT
ANALOG FILTERS ON/OFF
HIGH FREQ CUTOFF
LOW FREQ CUT OFF
TIME VARIED GAIN
DUAL OR SINGLE CHANNEL
ANALOG SYNCH RATE
ANALONG DISPLAY WIDTH
T0 TO SWEEP OFFSET
AUTOMATIC EVENT LINES
AUTOMATIC ANNOTATION
DIGITAL INPUT RANGE
PRINT DATA x TIMES
ANNOTATION ON RECORD
LOCATION OF ANNOTATION
FONT SIZE OF ANNOTATION
APPEARANCE OF ANNOT.
D=DIGITAL S=SERIAL A=ANALOG B=BOTH R=RIGHT L=LEFT N/A=NOT APPLICABLE
1-9
Rev.A
1.2.7.1 PRINTING ANALOG DATA
If you wish to print analog data, make sure DATA INPUT is set to
ANALOG and all other functions are set in accordance with the
Table 1-1. If the host analog source is providing the Key Pulse,
set the 1086 TRIGGER to EXTERNAL and make sure there is a
connection between KEY OUT on the host to TRIG IN on the 1086.
Conversely, if the 1086 is the master, connect the KEY OUT
on the 1086 to the TRIGGER (or SYNCH) INPUT on the host and
make sure the 1086 TRIGGER is set to INTERNAL. For EXTERNAL
TRIGGER mode, select RISING or FALLING for the appropriate
TRIG SLOPE; On INTERNAL TRIGGER, make sure the KEY OUT
polarity is set correctly. As the recorder is triggering, adjust SCAN,
KEY, DELAY, GAIN, THRESHOLD, and POLARITY to see what
happens.
If you have no analog source, you can actually print the 1086’s own
Key Pulse. Connect the KEY OUT jack to the SIGNAL A jack,
set the GAIN to 1.0, POLARITY to ‘+’, and THRESHOLD to mid-level.
Next, make sure the recorder is set to ANALOG, TRIGGER to INTERNAL,
SCAN RATE to 0.005, KEY RATE to 0.125, KEY OUT to POSITIVE,
and DELAY to 0.000. The 1086 should print a dark bar, about 5/16”
wide, along the top margin of the record (assuming SWEEP A = FORWARD).
The 5/16” bar is about 63 pixels out of 2048, or roughly 3% of the display width.
Since the SCAN RATE is set to 5 ms, we know that the width of the KEY PULSE
should be about 3% of that, or 156µS.
1.2.7.2 PRINTING PARALLEL DATA:
To print parallel digital data, configure the recorder in accordance with the
previous table and select PARALLEL for the DATA INPUT. Next, make
sure a proper cable connection already exists between the 1086 (see 1.1.5)
section and host computer. From the host computer, begin sending data to
the parallel port. If you do not have specific software for sending digital
images to the recorder, EPC has enclosed an evaluation version of the
Image Processing Utility (IPU) with this manual. Load this software onto a
Windows type PC and follow the on-screen prompts. If you need further
assistance with printer driver development, EPC offers a Developer’s
Toolkit and many assorted software utilities on its web page at
URL: http://www.epclabs.com
or can be contacted by electronic mail:
E-mail: epc@delphi.com.
1-10
Chapter – 2 System Overview
Rev.A
CHAPTER TWO – SYSTEM OVERVIEW
2.0 GENERAL:
The following paragraphs will describe, in detail, the systems of the 1086 and
offer a comprehensive discussion on data collections and thermal printing.
2.1 MECHANICAL FRAME:
EPC Labs designs all of its equipment to withstand the harsh environments
commonly found in aircraft, ships, and other demanding applications. The
framework of the 1086 is constructed with ¼” aluminum plate that is machined to
extremely demanding tolerances (+/- 5/10000th of an inch in some cases). To
resist corrosion, most metal parts are hard anodized to a smooth black finish or
undergo a chemical chromate plating process. The heavy gage metal and strict
tolerances insure that the printing and paper transport mechanisms maintain
accurate registration over long periods of time in varied conditions.
2.2 ELECTRONIC COMPONENTS:
There are a number of electronic sub-systems in the 1086. This section will
attempt to describe the function of each circuit board, power supply, sensor,
switch and connector.
2.2.1 PASSIVE BACKPLANE:
The Passive Backplane (P/N 171051) provides the 1086 with a backbone for the
system’s electronics suite. This six-slot circuit board, which sits in the middle of
the machine, acts as the common bus for the other circuit boards to share data
across. Four LED lamps on the board show the status of the logic voltages
required to run the 1086 (+5VDC, +12VDC, -5VDC, -12VDC).
2-1
EPC LABORATORIES, INC. 42A Cherry Hill, Danvers, MA 01923
Rev.A
2.2.2 MICROPROCESSOR BOARD:
All operation of the 1086 is governed by and carried out on
the 80x86 processor board (µP Board for short). The
Microprocessor Board (P/N 802398) is a powerful Single
Board Computer (SBC) with a rich set of onboard peripheral
components. Some of the onboard peripherals (IDE interface, Floppy Controller,
Parallel Printer I/O) are not presently utilized. Other components of the single
board computer (RS-232, Keyboard I/O, and Flash Disk) are essential. Found in
the #6 slot (closest to the Take-up), this circuit board is basically a small and very
rugged PC. The User Interface, I/O Boards, and error sensors are monitored
and/or controlled by an embedded program that is loaded into system memory
after boot-up. During the boot sequence, the BIOS (Basic Input/Output System)
loads the DOS (Disk Operating System) from the Flash Memory, and then calls
the 1086 embedded program. The program sits in an endless loop, reading the
interfaces for input stimuli, i.e. the arrival of data or some sort of user input.
When an event occurs, the program branches off and takes the appropriate
action to deal with that stimulus. If you were to insert a VGA card into the ISA
Backplane and connect a monitor and keyboard, you would be able to watch
and, if desired, interrupt the boot-up process.
2.2.3 DIGITAL I/O BOARD:
The Digital I/O Board (P/N 802039) is responsible for all of
the internal digital input and output operations that go on in
the recorder. This board has nothing to do with digital data
acquisition. Usually located in the #3 slot (from the
printhead side), the Digital I/O Board can be identified by
the two 50 pin ribbon cables connected to it. These cables carry digital signals to
the LCD’s and from the error sensors and Control Panel switches. The board is
simple in construction. It interfaces to the ISA (Industry Standard Architecture)
Bus with standard address decode circuitry and provides its 96 bits of I/O via four
82C55A parallel peripheral interface chips. Each chip has three eight-bit
registers that can be configured as either input or output. Most of the bits are
used.
2.2.4 EPC ENHANCED ANALOG INTERFACE BOARD:
The primary data interfaces of the 1086 (Analog and
Centronics Parallel) are implemented on the EPC
Enhanced Analog Board (P/N 802351). Sitting in the #4
slot (next to the Digital I/O Board), the board can be
identified by the two locking header connectors along its
2-2
Rev.A
top edge. One of the connectors (26 pins) provides the interface to the 25 Pin
Parallel Input connector on the front of the unit. The other connector (40 pins)
interfaces to the BNC jacks, Gain controls, Threshold controls, and Polarity
switches. Discrete circuitry on the board is used to amplify, rectify, and filter
incoming analog data. Digital components provide key pulse timing, analog-todigital scan clocks, data buffering, and filter frequency programming. The
majority of the digital logic (address decoding, analog timing, parallel interface
handshake, and bus interface) is carried out in a single chip, the Xilinx XC95108
84 pin CPLD (PLCC through-hole socket). This versatile package is In-System
Programmable (ISP) via industry standard JTAG interconnect and stores its fuse
pattern utilizing modern Flash memory technology.
2.2.5 ISA CONTROL BOARD:
The Control Board (P/N 802221), like the
Analog Board, is manufactured by EPC
Labs. Its primary function is to drive the
Thermal Printhead and carry out the
advanced logic required to print gray scale
data. In addition to the bus interface circuitry (gates and buffers) the ISA Control
Board employs two large FPGAs (Field Programmable Gate Arrays) for loading
the printhead, counting the shade cycles, and modulating the enable pulses that
actually turn the pixels on. There is also and on-board A/D converter used for
reading the temperature of the printhead. Temperature information is fed to the
µP board, which then compensates for ambient conditions – and shuts down the
system if it becomes too hot.
2.2.6 MOTOR DRIVE PC:
“Motor Drive PC” (P/N 802392) is a bit of a misnomer.
Though this circuit board provides the clock circuit
which ultimately drives the system stepper motor, the
primary purpose of the board is to distribute power and
signals to a variety of different sub-systems. The Chart
Drive Module is one of the more important subsystems, so this circuit board derives its name from that. Additionally, EPC
recorders have always had a Motor Drive PC, so we couldn’t break with tradition.
Located underneath the Control Panel, the Motor Drive PC has interconnections
to the following components:
•
Power Supply – Power bus distribution to several components that need
various voltages.
•
Printhead – Power (+24VDC, +5VDC, and GND) connection for Thermal
Printhead.
2-3
Rev.A
•
LCD Displays – Signal patch from 50 pin Digital I/O Board interconnect to 14
pin display connectors. Backlight power supply to LCDs.
•
Digital I/O Board – Signal routing for error sensing, Printhead Relay enable,
LCD interface, and Chart Drive Clock programming.
•
Passive Backplane – Power distribution to system Backplane.
•
External Chart Drive BNC – Interconnection to Chart Drive Clock circuit for
External Chart Clock Input.
•
External Event Mark BNC – Interconnection to Event Mark latch which is then
read via the Digital I/O Board.
•
Error Sensors -- Connection of Paper Out Sensor, Printhead Not Engaged
Switch, and EPC Paper Sensor to Digital I/O Board.
•
Chart Module – Power and Clock connection to Chart Drive Module.
•
Printhead Relay – Connection of Printhead Power Relay (24V enable) to
Power Supply and Digital I/O Board.
•
Printhead Capacitor – Location of 11,000µF cap across main outputs of 24
Volt Printhead supply.
•
Chart Clock PAL – Digital I/O Board interface for programming the Chart
Clock Logic (Programmable Array Logic).
•
Take-up Motor – Power connection and enable circuit for 12V Take-up Motor.
2.2.7 THERMAL PRINTHEAD
The one-step thermal printing process is accomplished by the Thermal
Printhead. The Printhead is comprised of an aluminum mounting plate, some
drive circuitry (shift registers, latches, etc), a ceramic substrate, and an array of
2048 individual heater elements (resistors). The elements, called pixels, are
spaced at 203 dots per inch (8 dots/mm) across a 10.08” (256 mm) active print
width. Vertical alignment of the pixels is within a 4/10,000th of an inch tolerance.
Each resistive element consumes a nominal 0.4 watts and the average
impedance is between 1320Ω and 1520Ω.
2.3 POWER SYSTEM
The power system in the 1086 500 Series is different from its predecessors. In
conjunction with support components, two AC/DC supplies are used to generate
the five DC voltages required by the unit.
2-4
Rev.A
2.3.1 LINE INPUT MODULE:
Serving as the entry point for system power, the Line Input Module has
three major functions. First, it provides the interconnections to a suitable
AC source (100-120 or 200-240VAC, 50-60 Hz). Second, the module’s
three-amp fuse protects against over-current situations. Finally, the
ON/OFF switch for the recorder is located on the Module.
Caution: Connecting the 1086 to unsuitable AC line source may cause
severe damage to the unit and/or serious injury to personnel.
PRINTHEAD POWER SUPPLY
LOGIC POWER SUPPLY
2.3.2 LOGIC SUPPLY:
Located on the Power Supply Bracket, underneath the Interface Panel, the Logic
Supply (P/N 400275) can be identified as the silver colored, small module. This
AC/DC supply has quad DC outputs (+5V, +12V, -5V, -12V) and accepts a wide
AC input range (84-265 VAC, 50-60 Hz). All four of the output voltages must be
operating correctly for the system to run. The Bandpass Filter section of the
Analog Board is the only circuit that uses the –5VDC, the rest of the voltages are
used in multiple places.
2.3.3 PRINTHEAD SUPPLY:
The 24 volt Printhead Supply (P/N 400274) is the black colored module located
next to the Logic Supply. This supply is Auto ranging and accepts only input
Voltages between 100 -120VAC and 200 – 240VAC. The Printhead Supply only
generates a single adjustable DC output. Both the Printhead and the Chart
Module require this output to run. Depending on the characteristics of the
Printhead, the supply may be trimmed down somewhere between 22 and 24
volts.
2-5
Rev.A
2.3.4 MOTOR DRIVE PC:
As mentioned in paragraph. 2.2.6, the Motor Drive PC acts as a key distribution
bus, bringing power to many of the sub-assemblies in the 1086.
2.3.5 PRINTHEAD RELAY:
Mounted directly to the Motor Drive PC, the Printhead Relay (P/N 450004) is
responsible for gating power (the 24V supply, specifically) to the Printhead. To
preserve the life of the Printhead, power needs to be removed when not printing.
A logic signal from the Digital I/O board toggles the Relay off in non-printing
situations.
2.3.6 PRINTHEAD CAPACITOR:
Also mounted to the Motor Drive PC, the 11,000µF Printhead Capacitor (P/N
151131) provides a storage tank of power for the in-rush current requirements of
the Printhead during printing.
2.3.7 SYSTEM COOLING:
A 12 volt fan is strategically located to cool the Power Supply and system
electronics.
2.4 PAPER TRANSPORT SYSTEM:
The chart drive mechanism in the 1086 is comprised of several components – all
of which are discussed in the following paragraphs.
2.4.1 FEED ROLL MAGAZINE:
The Feed Roll Magazine, or Paper Feed Chamber, is located on the left-hand
side of the machine (adjacent to the Printhead). A roll of 1086 media is generally
about 2.5 inches in diameter (130-150 ft. in length) and fits easily in this cavity. If
necessary, larger rolls could be accommodated. For instructions on how to load
paper, please refer to paragraph 1.2.2 in the previous chapter.
2.4.2 PAPER FEED BLOCKS:
Two black Delrin blocks hold the Feed Roll secure in the Paper Feed
Chamber. Each block has a set-screw located where the white end
plug on the paper core snaps into place. The set-screws are used
to adjust the tension on the roll so it does not vibrate during operation.
Vibration can cause the roll to unravel slightly, which in turn, causes
the paper to walk to one side or the other. Because the blocks are
2-6
Rev.A
made out of plastic, never ship the recorder with a roll of paper installed.
Shipping the recorder with paper loaded can cause damage to the blocks.
2.4.3 PRINT ROLLER ASSEMBLY:
The Print Roller Assembly has three main functions. First, it encloses the Feed
Roll in its chamber. Second, the metal plate on top of the assembly (called the
Feed Roll Cover) provides a smooth surface for the paper to travel
across. The aluminum plate is also an ideal table for writing
on a printed record. Last, and most importantly, the
mechanism is responsible for holding the Print Roller
(platen) against the Printhead. This calculated fit presses
the paper against the element line of the head in a precise manner for printing.
2.4.4 VIEW PANEL:
The View Panel is merely a continuation of the Feed Roll Cover. It is a sturdy
electro-coated plate that covers the Electronics Chamber and provides a smooth
stable surface for the paper to move across.
2.4.5 PINCH & DRIVE ROLLERS:
A pair of rollers, one stainless steel and one urethane-coated, are located
between the View Panel and the Take-up Chamber. These two rollers are called
the Pinch Roller (stainless) and Drive Roller (urethane) and are responsible for
pulling the paper across the viewing area. The Pinch Roller is held against the
Drive Roller under strong spring tension and “pinches” the paper between the
two rollers. As discussed in the previous chapter, the Pinch Roller Cams can be
used to pull the Pinch Roller away from the Drive Roller so that paper may be
threaded between the two. The urethane-coated Drive Roller connects to a
Stainless Steel Gear Train.
2.4.6 STAINLESS STEEL GEAR TRAIN:
Due to the large amount of torque required to accurately step the
paper at high rates of speed, the 1086 uses a series of reduction gears
connected to the Drive Roller. EPC has found that stainless steel is
the best material for the gear cluster. Though this causes the
machine to be audibly louder, precise chart speed is maintained. The
nylon gears that were formerly used would sometimes compromise
print quality by warping. The Gear Train is located underneath the
Control Panel.
2-7
Rev.A
2.4.7 STEPPER MOTOR:
EPC has used the EAD Stepper Motor found in the 1086 (P/N
350001) for more than 20 years. This time proven device is mounted
to the aluminum side riser, just under the Control Panel. The motor
is driven in full copper mode (all four phases are driven with
commons to each pair) by the 24 volt power supply. Full step
resolution is 1.8° or 200 steps for one full revolution. The Chart
Module used to control the Motor is capable of ½ step operation for finer
increments.
2.4.8 CHART MODULE:
The Chart Module (P/N 350011) is the liaison between the chart
drive logic and power in the 1086 and the Stepper Motor. Taking
control signals and distributed voltages from the Motor Drive PC,
the Chart Module is responsible for pulsing the phases of the
Stepper Motor in accordance with the Lines Per Inch (LPI) setting.
One signal in particular, the clock signal on pin 10, governs the
distance that the paper is advanced for each printed line.
Configured for ½ step operation, a single clock pulse will
advance the chart approximately 1/1200th of an inch. So, for a
chart speed of 200 LPI, the Chart Module needs to receive a burst of six clocks
for every printed line. The burst of clocks has a maximum frequency of about 1.6
kHz. The Chart Clock Circuit on the Motor Drive PC uses 1.2kHz as its base
frequency.
2.4.9 CHART CLOCK CIRCUIT:
As mentioned in earlier passages, the Chart Clock electronics are located on the
Motor Drive PC. The circuit is composed of a programmable oscillator, a PAL
(Programmable Array Logic), and some discrete components. The
programmable oscillator is configured to run at 1.2kHz to derive the 1086’s
Internal Chart Speeds (see Table 2-1). The PAL (EP610T), is programmed by a
bit code from the Digital I/O board as to the number of chart clocks to send for a
given line (or clocks to count in External Chart Clock mode). A couple of RC
(Resistor/Capacitor) networks surround the circuit to filter noise and buffer the
signal inputs. If you are using the External Chart Clock Input, make sure the
burst rate frequency of the input clocks is less than 1.6kHz and that you send at
least four clocks (300 LPI) per line of data to be printed. The Chart Clock Circuit
will not print a line until at least four external clocks have been counted. This
safety mechanism protects the printhead and the paper from overheating.
2-8
Rev.A
Table 2-1: Chart Clock Requirements
LPI SETTING
75
80
100
120
150
200
240
300
CLOCK PER LINE
16
15
12
10
8
6
5
4
LINE PITCH
0.0133 in (0.339 mm)
0.0125 in (0.318 mm)
0.0100 in (0.318 mm)
0.0083 in (0.212 mm)
0.0067 in (0.169 mm)
0.0050 in (0.127 mm)
0.0042 in (0.106 mm)
0.0033 in (0.085 mm)
2.4.10 TAKE-UP MOTOR:
A 12 VDC Take-up Motor (P/N 802223) is mounted to side riser, underneath the
Control Panel. The motor is used to turn a hub which attaches to the Take-up
Core. Power leads from the motor connect to a power transistor circuit on the
Motor Drive PC. This transistor circuit is then enabled or disabled by an I/O bit
from the Digital I/O Board.
2.4.11 TAKE-UP BLOCKS:
There are two different support blocks used to secure the Take-up Core into the
Take-up Chamber. The support on the Control Panel side of the machine is
donut-shaped and has two spring plungers protruding into the cavity that the end
plug of the core snaps into. The two plungers are there to positively grab the
core by the two small slots in the end plug. This mechanism allows the Take-up
Motor to spin the Take-up Core. The other Paper Take-up Block is identical to
the Paper Feed Blocks. It allows the core to spin in place without grabbing hold
of it.
2.4.12 TAKE-UP CHAMBER:
The Take-up Chamber is located at the opposite end of the recorder from the
Paper Feed Chamber (Feed Roll Magazine). The cavity is spacious enough to
wind a complete roll of paper even though the roll will not be as small and tight as
the original feed roll.
2.5 ERROR SENSORS (INTERLOCKS):
The 1086 has several safety interlocks to
prevent damage to the unit in the event of
an illegal operating condition. The
sensors are detailed in the following
sections.
Out of Paper Sensor Reflector
2-9
Rev.A
2.5.1 EPC PAPER SENSOR INTERLOCK:
Located in one of the Paper Feed Blocks, the EPC Paper Sensor determines the
presence of EPC qualified paper. Using unauthorized recording medium may
cause irreparable damage to the Printhead. In addition, the paper sensor verifies
that the roll of paper is orientated correctly.
2.5.2 PRINTHEAD NOT ENGAGED SWITCH:
Located just above the upper Paper Feed Block, the Not Engaged Switch
connects to the system I/O Board via the Motor Drive PC. When this switch is
open, an error message will appear on the left LCD and the machine will not
operate. The interlock is an attempt to insure that no printing takes place when
paper is not properly loaded.
2.5.3 PAPER OUT SENSOR:
The Paper Out Sensor is mounted to a bracket in the lower
region of the Paper Feed Chamber. This device is an optical
device that is activated by a reflector mounted on the underside of
the Print Roller Carriage. When all paper has been discharged, a beam from the
sensor bounces off the reflector and back to the sensor’s pickup. In this event,
an error message is displayed and the machine becomes inoperative. The
interlock is an attempt to insure that no printing takes place when paper is not
properly loaded.
2.5.4 PRINTHEAD THERMISTOR:
Read via an A/D converter on the ISA Control Board, the Printhead Thermistor
relays temperature information to the embedded program. Once the temperature
of the Printhead exceeds 150° Fahrenheit, the machine will stop operating until it
cools to 120°F. During the cooling period it is a good idea to shut the recorder off
and move it to a well ventilated area.
2-10
Chapter – 3 Theory of Operation
Rev.A
CHAPTER THREE – THEORY OF OPERATION
3.0 GENERAL:
This chapter gives a very detailed account of what goes on during analog and
parallel data acquisition, line buffering, data formatting, and thermal printing.
3.1 ANALOG DATA ACQUISITION:
The 1086 can be connected to a variety of Side Scan Sonar systems and Subbottom Profilers. The purpose of the host sonar system is to provide the
electronics, drive circuitry, and electro-mechanical components that generate an
acoustic impulse in the water. The impulse reflects off of objects either on top of
the sea floor or underneath it. Many of these reflections return to the source of
the impulse where they can be measured by a sensitive device called a
hydrophone. Impulses that reflect off of hard objects will cause the hydrophone
to create stronger analog signals while reflections from soft objects generate
weaker returns. The varying analog signals are then digitized and printed by the
1086. This whole sequence of events, called a sweep or a line scan, is based on
repetitive synchronization pulses that trigger the sonar and recorder.
3.2 TRIGGER CHARACTERISTICS:
Generally, analog sonars are used as synchronous devices. The impulse that
occurs in the water is the result of a trigger pulse being generated at a set rate.
The rate is dependent on many factors, such as, how fast the device can actually
be triggered, the distance the impulse has to travel, and the speed of the vessel.
This trigger pulse, often called a key pulse, represents “time zero” of the impulse
– the baseline after which all events occurring during the pulse period are
measured. The key pulse can be generated by either the recorder or the sonar
system. When the recorder is used to trigger the sonar (recorder “KEY OUT” to
sonar “TRIGGER IN”), the recorder is said to be the “master” and the sonar is the
“slave”. Exactly the opposite holds true for when the sonar system is used to
trigger the recorder.
3.2.1 INTERNAL TRIGGER MODE:
When the 1086 is set to Internal Trigger (1086 is master), it will produce a pulse
on its KEY OUT connector at the rate specified in the KEY RATE field. The
pulse is 156 µS in width, TTL. The polarity of the pulse is selectable in the KEY
OUT field.
3-1
Rev.A
3.2.2 EXTERNAL TRIGGER MODE:
In External Trigger (1086 is slave), the recorder waits to receive a TTL trigger
pulse to initiate a line scan sequence. The pulse can be positive or negative
going – there is a slope selection under the TRG SLOPE field. It is important to
understand the nature of the sonar’s key pulse when operating in this mode. If
the host pulse is very long, several milliseconds, and the slope field is not set
correctly, the recording of the signal will actually be delayed by the length of the
key pulse. In shallow water applications this could represent a significant error in
the scale of the record.
3.3 ANALOG SIGNAL CONDITIONING:
The sonar’s analog output is brought to the 1086 through one or both of the
signal input jacks on the front of the machine. These inputs have a 2kΩ
impedance and can print signals from 0-10V. Input bandwidth is –3dB when Vin
is a one-volt peak-to-peak, 200kHz sine wave. *
3.3.1 INPUT AMPLIFIER / PRIMARY GAIN STAGE:
The first and primary gain stage is linear and occurs at the signal input. The
circuit is based on an adjustable 20kΩ potentiometer loop around the 2kΩ input
resistor and op-amp. This network gives the 10-turn GAIN Controls a range of 010 with extremely fine resolution.
3.3.2 TIME VARIED GAIN:
The next stop for the incoming signal is the non-linear spreading loss amplifier.
Since the impulse in the water attenuates and propagates over distance, signals
that are coming from further away tend to be weaker. By ramping the gain during
the course of the sweep, this problem can be offset to produce more uniform
looking data. The non-linear amp (AD600) works by amplifying the input signal
as a logarithmic factor of a control voltage input on one of its pins. By changing
the control voltage over time, you change the shape of the log curve. The control
voltage is a linear ramp that increases from 0 to Ref over the course of a sweep.
The Ref voltage is set by an eight bit control code written to a D/A Converter with
a maximum output of 2.5 Volts. This eight bit code is what the user sets from the
control panel. For instance, if the recorder is set for a 100 ms sweep, and TVG is
set to 128 (out of 255 max), the Ref voltage will ramp (linearly) from 0 to 1.25
volts over the 100ms scan period. This will cause the spreading loss amp to use
a logarithmically increasing gain that increases at a rate about half as fast as it is
capable of increasing. In general, bigger numbers in the TVG field will cause
larger amounts of gain towards the end of the scan, as the gain curves get
steeper and steeper.
* high bandwidth op-amps required.
3-2
Rev.A
3.3.3 SIGNAL POLARITY:
The digitizing circuitry in the 1086 only recognizes DC voltages. The analog
signals generated by sonar systems are usually AC. The third input stage
handles this polarity issue. The POLARITY switches on the Interface Panel allow
an operator to select Positive, Negative, or Both (+,-,+/-) portions of the signal to
view. If the ‘+’ selection is used, the negative going portion of the AC signal is
gated off. If the ‘-‘ setting is used, The positive part of the wave is removed and
the negative portion is rectified. When ‘+/-‘ is selected, the negative half is
rectified allowing the A/D converter to see the amplitudes of both portions of the
signal.
3.3.4 BANDPASS FILTERS:
Low and mid frequency (0-12kHz) sonar signals are commonly affected by
undesirable electrical noise emanating from generators, cabling, and other
shipboard equipment. For this reason, the 1086 has a Bandpass Filter available
on Channel A (ostensibly for sub-bottom data). There are a pair of switchedcapacitor filters (MF10) that are used in tandem to form a high pass cutoff
frequency and a low pass cutoff frequency. The cutoff frequency for each filter is
a derivative of a base oscillator input. The Low Pass Filter passes any signal
with a frequency that is less than 1/50th of its base clock. The High Pass Filter is
configured to pass any frequency greater than 1/100th of its base clock. The
oscillator input for each of the two filters is derived from two separate, digitally
programmable oscillators. Changing the Low Pass or High Pass setting on the
panel causes different control codes to be sent to the programmable oscillators,
thus changing the base input frequency for the corresponding filter. These filters
are only used together to set up a distinct ‘notch’. They can not be used
independently to set an open ended band. As the input frequency approaches
either of the frequencies visible on the control panel, it will attenuate about 3 dB,
and then drop rapidly to nothing as the frequency goes beyond the cutoff. The
BP FILTERS control enables or disables the pair of filters by means of an analog
switch (MAX333).
3.3.5 THRESHOLD STAGE:
Two independent Threshold controls are provided to add (or subtract) DC offset
to the signal on either channel. This final stage is useful to eliminate small
components of noise commonly found near signal ground. By increasing offset,
the signal noise drops below ground where it can no longer be digitized and
printed. The overall effect on the main signal is usually minimal.
3-3
Rev.A
3.4 SIGNAL MUX:
The conditioned signal outputs from the Channel A and Channel B Threshold
Amplifiers are presented to the same MAX333 Quad Analog Switch used to
enable and disable the Bandpass Filters. The switch has an A/B input that
determines which channel is presented to the A/D Converter for digitizing. If
Single Channel operation is selected, the A/B input remains in a steady state,
allowing only Channel A to pass through to the A/D Converter input. When Dual
Channel mode is used, the switch is clocked (by control logic) at one half the
frequency of the A/D Converter clock. This causes each channel to be sampled
on every other clock cycle to the A/D. Some may argue that this cuts the
bandwidth of the converter in half. While this is true, only half as many samples
need to be taken for a given channel since both channels have to share the
record width (1024 dots each as opposed to 2048 dots for one channel only).
3.5 DIGITIZATION:
For every key pulse, the acoustic impulse is created, turned into an analog
signal, and then conditioned in some or all of the ways described above. The
entire pre-digitization process is designed to provide the 1086’s A/D Converter
(MAX153) with a clean, 0-5V signal. In general, A/D converters take an input
voltage and, when enabled (clocked), turn that voltage into a number. The act of
clocking the converter once is called taking a sample. By taking several samples
over a period of time, a series of numbers can be generated to represent the
changing amplitude of the signal over that period of time. The period is referred
to as a sweep or a scan. The 1086 takes 2048 samples during one scan – one
sample for each dot on the printhead. These values are eight bit binary numbers
in the range from 0-255. A value of 0 (0x00) corresponds to an input voltage of
0V, which translates to a white dot on the printed record. Conversely, a sample
with a value of 255 (0xFF) is the result of a 5 volt input signal and produces a
black dot on the paper. All the values in between produce a proportionate level
of gray.
3.5.1 SCAN RATE:
As stated previously, a Scan sequence is initiated each time the sonar is
triggered. The Scan Rate is the period of time in which the 1086 collects the
2048 samples for the next printed line. Because the number of samples is fixed
at 2k, shorter scan periods will yield higher resolution data. Scan Rate is usually
a function of how far the acoustic impulse must travel to reflect back with useful
data. Fast scan rates are indicative of short range/shallow water applications.
3-4
Rev.A
3.5.2 CALCULATING RECORD SCALE:
Figuring out the appropriate scan rate for an application is the job of the operator
or scientist running the equipment. Still, EPC receives many calls inquiring about
this procedure. As a general rule of thumb, the distance or range on a record
can be calculated with the following formula:
D = S x (V/2)
Where:
D = Distance
S = Scan Rate
V = Velocity of Sound in Water (approx. 4800 Feet / Second)
Ex.
Single Channel Mode
Scan Rate = 0.100
Velocity = 4800 ft/s
D = 0.100 x (4800/2) à 240 Feet
In the above example, the width of the entire record would correspond to 240
feet. The reason the V constant is divided by two, is because we are only
interested in the one-way travel time of the acoustic impulse, that is, the time it
took to reflect back to the hydrophone.
3.5.3 DELAYED SCANS:
Some seismic applications occur in extremely deep water. These types of
applications require that the scan of data for a given line be delayed for a period
after the sonar creates its impulse. This way, the sound has time to travel to the
point of interest and return before the 1086 starts sampling. Without this
function, the operator would be forced to use excessively long scan periods
which, as stated earlier, have much less resolution. Also, the resultant record
would be dedicated to printing mostly water column instead of geology.
3.5.4 CALCULATING DELAY:
A useful delay period can be determined using the same math that was used in
the Scan Rate example. Suppose there is a region to be profiled that is sitting in
3100 feet of water and we want to create a record of the first 400 feet of that
region. A good first configuration would be to set a scan rate for 500 feet and a
delay period that would gate out 3000 feet of the water column.
3-5
Rev.A
Using: D = S x (V/2) to calculate the Scan Rate:
500 = S x 2400
S = (500/2400) à Scan Rate = 0.208 Seconds
Next, use the same formula to calculate Delay (d), plugging 3000 in for the
Distance (D):
3000 = d x 2400
d = (3000/2400) à Delay Period = 1.250 Seconds
It is important to note here that these equations are very approximate. They are
general rules that do not take into account how the velocity constant changes
with salinity, temperature, and most importantly, geology.
3.5.5 SCAN AND DELAY LIMITATIONS:
While configuring Scan and Delay on the Control Panel, it is important to not
enter invalid settings. Doing so will cause the recorder to drop lines of data –
resulting in inaccurate ground track. The Scan Period and Delay Period added
together should never be greater than the Key Period.
3.5.6 LINE STACKING:
Many analog based sonar systems are subject to noise as discussed in
paragraph 3.3.4. In addition to the analog bandpass filters, the 1086 offers a
digital method of filtering the data called stacking. Because this algorithm is
applied to the data after digitization, it will work in digital acquisition as well.
Stacking is a method of averaging whole lines against other whole lines of data.
In a three line stack, each pixel in each successive line becomes part of a
running average. The average value of the last three dots is then printed for that
pixel number (column). The net result of this process tends to make strong
signals more pronounced and weak signals less pronounced. Strong returns
usually occur in repeatable trends whereas noise is random. A single dot of
noise which is averaged with two subsequent white dots becomes a very small,
barely visible dot. Conversely, several dots of legitimate signal return average
together to make a larger, more intense series of dots.
3.6 DIGITAL DATA ACQUISITION:
The collection of digital parallel data on the 1086 is, by contrast to analog data
collection, a very simple process. More and more sonar systems today are using
personal computers to digitize, store, format, and view data. Since the data in
these systems is already in a digital format, the Printer Port on the PC can be
3-6
Rev.A
used to easily transmit the data to the 1086. The following paragraphs describe
how this is accomplished.
3.6.1 DATA TRANSMISSION:
The 1086 is a line scan type printer. When a line’s worth of data has
accumulated in its input buffer, the 1086 prints the line and then advances the
paper. This occurs after 2048 bytes of data have been transmitted from the host
to the 1086. Each successive byte of data corresponds to each sequential pixel
on the printhead. That is, the first byte transmitted is encoded with the intensity
information for ‘pixel 0’ at the top of the record. The 2048th byte contains the
level information for ‘pixel 2047’. After the 2048th byte is received, the line prints
and the paper advances. The next byte received is then assigned back to pixel 0
again. In normal operation, there are no synchronization bytes or control codes –
just raw binary data that synchronizes on a byte count of 2048.
3.6.2 EMBEDDED CONTROL CODES (SYNCH AND REPEAT):
There is only a single ‘command’ available over the parallel interface. The full
command set is implemented on the serial interface or the keyboard. Using the
parallel interface, it is possible to synchronize (reset to zero) the byte (pixel)
counter for incoming data and set a repeat count with a single one byte
command. For this command to have any effect, the 1086 must not be set to “8
BIT” in the DATA TYPE field. When set to anything other than “8 BIT” the 1086
will decode byte values over 240d (0xF0) as a combination reset/repeat
command. The upper nibble of the byte must be set to F (0xF?, 1111b) and then
the lower nibble will be decoded as a repeat count. The repeat count (how many
times each line of new digital data will be printed) remains active until a new
repeat count is set. For instance, suppose the 1086 is in 6 BIT data mode and
has received 2046 bytes of valid data when it receives a byte of 0xF3. In this
case, the previous 2046 pixels of information are discarded and the pixel counter
is reset to zero. Additionally, the line repeat count is set to three. This means
each 2048 valid bytes of successive data will be printed three times in a row until
a new repeat code is set. Line repeating is a common method for stretching out
the printed record, or speed-correcting, in side scan applications.
Note for Developers: A good method for keeping the record synchronized is to
use six bit data and proceed every 2048 byte stream with a byte value of 0xF1.
Every line transmission will only be 2049 bytes long, and the record should stay
synchronized.
3.6.3 PIXEL DEPTH:
Having stated that a host program must send 2048 bytes per raster line of data,
it’s worth asking what each byte of data means to the 1086. Each byte is
encoded with the intensity information (shade) that its corresponding pixel is to
3-7
Rev.A
print. A byte value of zero (0x00) will always produce a white dot on the record.
The value required to print a black dot is dependent on what the DATA TYPE
field is set to. If DATA TYPE is set to “6 BIT”, the host program should only send
data in the range of 0x00 to 0x3F (000000b to 111111b, 0d to 63d). For many
systems, 8 BIT is a natural setting, since many A/D converters produce eight bit
values in the range 0x00 to 0xFF (00000000b to 11111111b, 0d to 255d). The
top end of the range always determines what a black dot should be. All bytes in
between will be an appropriate level of gray. It is important to note that the
SHADES selection has no effect at all on DATA TYPE. The 1086 maintains an
internal Look-up-Table to translate the data range into the available gray levels to
print. If the 1086 is set to print sixteen levels of gray, it is perfectly legal (and
actually advisable) to use a six or eight bit data format.
3.6.4 DATA SHIFTING AND THE GIGO THEORY:
At EPC Labs, we are often accused of doing a poor job printing someone’s digital
data. Usually, The GIGO (Garbage-In, Garbage-Out) theory applies. As a ruleof-thumb, if the Internal Test Pattern on the 1086 produces a nice gray ramp,
there is nothing wrong with the machine. Muted, flat, or otherwise poor looking
digital data is usually the result of an incorrect DATA TYPE setting or data that
has not been properly justified. One major error that developers make is
assuming that the pixel values that are assigned to video memory for their CRT
displays will map identically to the printer. For starters, computer monitors are
inherently black whereas paper is usually white. This causes most printer and
VGA palettes to be inverted to one another. Also, color displays work on three
components of color, red, green and blue. The green ‘gun’ usually contains the
bulk of the intensity information. The TGR paper of course is primarily working
with one color (black) and is only capable of presenting information based on a
portion of this single color. As a point of interest, color VGA values can be
converted to gray scale using the following formula:
Gray Value = (0.59 x Green Value) + (0.11 x Blue Value) + (0.30 x Red Value)
3
Rather than fiddling with this formula, the best method for a developer to use is to
buffer the values directly from the digitizer and shift them into the appropriate bit
field. For instance, many popular A/D cards will generate a series of 12 bit
values to represent the incoming analog data. The general logic required to map
a 12 bit integer to a pixel configured for six bit data input is coded as follows:
send_byte((unsigned char)((val>>6)&0x3F));
This ‘C’ code divides the 12 bit value by 26 by using the shift operator (>>) and
then casts the value as an unsigned, eight bit character before passing it to the
transmission procedure. The ‘0x3F’ bit mask is added as a redundant safe guard
3-8
Rev.A
to insure that the resultant value is formatted strictly within the 0x00-0x3F range.
This code should produce no ill side effects.
3.6.5 DATA DECIMATION:
Another problem software engineers run into during driver development is
incompatible transformation sizes. As previously stated, the 1086 requires 2048
bytes of data to print a line. Not many VGA adapters use a horizontal pixel
resolution of 2048. Common resolutions for the ‘X’ plane are 1280, 1024, 800, or
640. A clever way for a developer maximize bandwidth and minimize
transformation problems would be to collect 2048 samples per shot and use a
video resolution of 1024 x 768. This way the video adapter is in a fairly high
resolution mode that maps as an even derivative of the 1086’s line size.
Corrected data values can then be sent to the 1086 as one byte for every pixel.
From this data, an algorithm can easily be created to generate video data as a
product of every two printer pixels. If the digitizer produces more samples than
the number of dots on the 1086, similar methods of decimation can be used.
Suppose the A/D card produces 4096 12 bit samples (common binary number)
for every shot and stores them in an integer array called ad_data[4096]. A line of
data (called pbuff[2048]) can easily be generated for transmission with the
following code:
//----------------------------------- code segment ------------------------------------------------------------------------------int ctr, idx=0;
for(ctr=0; ctr<2048; ctr++){
pbuff[ctr] = ((((ad_data[idx] >= ad_data[idx+1]) ? ad_data[idx] : ad_data[idx+1]) >> 6) & 0x3F);
idx+=2;
send_byte(pbuff[ctr]);
}
//------------------------------- end code segment -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This segment obviously relies heavily on in-lining to accomplish several
operations in a few lines of code. Notice the peak detection that takes place in
the inner most set of parenthesis. EPC feels that this algorithm works better than
averaging for data decimation. Consider a black bit of data and a white bit of
data immediately adjacent to one another. What provides a stronger image of
those two dots, a single gray dot, or a single black dot? If the number of samples
cannot be evenly divided by 2048, it is really up to the developer to choose a
method that is best suited for the type of data being printed.
3.6.6 PARALLEL PORT HARDWARE:
The pin assignments for the Parallel Interface can be found in the specifications
section of this manual or any PC reference. What is significant to note in this
section is how the 1086 implements its parallel data handshake. In general, the
Parallel Printer Port (running in compatibility mode) on most PCs is comprised of
three registers. These registers are written to or read from by host software so
3-9
Rev.A
as to control the TTL signal lines that physically connect a computer to the 1086.
A good programming example appeared earlier in this manual demonstrating
how to access these registers directly.
3.6.6.1 DATA REGISTER:
On most PCs, the Data Register is mapped to the address space at 0x378. If a
secondary ‘LPT2’ exists, it can usually be found at 0x278. In either case, the
Data Register is referred to as the Base Address from which the other two
registers (Status and Control) are sequentially enumerated. The register
contains an internal latch which allows data values written to it to be read back.
Writing a value to this port will drive the non-inverting outputs on the parallel
connector appropriately (D0 to D7 on pins 2 through 9, respectively). Consider
the following instruction:
outp(0x378, 0xF1);
This macro would cause pins 2, 6, 7, 8, and 9 to be driven to a TTL high state, or
logical ‘1’, while pins 3, 4, and 5, would be driven low to ‘0’.
3.6.6.2 STATUS REGISTER:
The register located at BASE+1 (normally 0x379) is the Status Register. This
register consists of five input bits that pertain to the readiness of the printer. The
following table shows the logic associated with this register and how the 1086
implements its signals:
Bit #
Pin
TTL LEV WHEN ‘1’ IS READ
NAME
1086 USAGE
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
15
13
12
10
HIGH
HIGH
HIGH
HIGH
N/A
N/A
N/A
/ERROR
SLCT
PAPER
/ACK
7
11
LOW
BUSY
N/A
N/A
N/A
IDLE HIGH – NOT USED
IDLE HIGH – NOT USED
IDLE LOW – NOT USED
ACTIVE LOW – DRIVEN,
NOT NEEDED
ACTIVE HIGH – DRIVEN,
MUST BE OBSERVED
3.6.6.3 CONTROL REGISTER:
The Control Register is located at BASE+2 (commonly 0x37A) and implements a
set of four output signals, all of which are inverted. The most critical of these
signals is the strobe line on pin #1. When this signal is driven low and then high
again by the host, whatever data is in the Data Register is transmitted to the
1086’s input buffer. The host should never drive this signal unless BIT 7 of the
3-10
Rev.A
Status Register (Busy) is inactive. These are the only two critical handshake
signals that the 1086 implements. The general logic for sending a byte at the
register level is clearly defined in the programming example at the beginning of
this manual.
Bit #
Pin
TTL LEV WHEN ‘1’ IS
WRITTEN / READ
NAME
1086 USAGE
0
1
2
3
Bit #
1
14
16
17
Pin
LOW / LOW
LOW / LOW
LOW / HIGH
LOW / LOW
TTL LEV WHEN ‘1’ IS
WRITTEN / READ
/STROBE
/AUTOFEED
/INITIALIZE
/SELECT
NAME
REQUIRED
NOT USED
NOT USED
NOT USED
1086 USAGE
4
5
6
7
INT
-
1=ENABLED IRQ7
-
IRQ EN
N/A
N/A
N/A
CAN BE USED
N/A
N/A
N/A
3.6.6.4 EXTENDED CAPABILITIES:
The IEEE-1284 specification outlines a comprehensive method by which a
parallel port’s capabilities can be extended. The 1086 has no means for
‘negotiating’ these modes with a host computer. Electrically, the input circuitry
can support the EPP (Enhanced Parallel Port) part of the specification, provided
the right cable is used. This mode allows burst rate input at up to 1.0 MHz. The
DMA based closed loop handshake in the ECP portion of the standard is not
supported, nor is PS/2 derived bi-directional port. If you have a need to work
with the extended registers in a custom application, please feel free to contact
EPC Labs, as it has reasonable knowledge of this standard.
3.7 RS-232 INPUT:
The 1086 can receive commands or data over its DCE configured serial port.
The minimum cabling required to connect to a host computer is a three wire null
modem (Tx to Rx, Rx to Tx, and GND to GND). Baud Rate is selectable on the
1086 and must match the host. Furthermore, the host must configure its port to
use eight data bits, no parity, and one stop bit (8,N,1). Once this connection is
made, the 1086 will accept either commands or data, not both.
3.7.1 RS-232 DATA:
EPC Labs does not recommend using the serial port for printing data. Even with
the fastest baud rate of 115.2kbits per second, printing will be relatively slow. If
you must use this interface for data, make the appropriate connections and set
DATA INPUT to ‘RS-232’. The transmitted data must then be formatted in
3-11
Rev.A
accordance with the same rules that govern parallel digital data from the previous
section. The synch/repeat control code is not available in this mode of operation.
3.7.2 RS-232 COMMANDS:
Primarily, the RS-232 interface on the 1086 is used for receiving commands.
Just about every function on the 1086 can be remotely implemented using the
rich command set. Each RS-232 command consists of a header followed by one
or more arguments. The header and each subsequent argument is separated by
a white space (0x20). The command string should be terminated with a Carriage
Return / Line Feed (0x0D / 0x0A) pair of characters. The entire command set is
implemented in the typeable ASCII range – making it easy to test commands
from a terminal emulator. As was the case with sending serial data, the host
system must be configured for 8,N,1 with a baud rate that matches the 1086. In
the following example, the command string would cause 5.2 inches of paper to
advance on the 1086:
FEED 5.2<CR/LF>
The full command set is described in the Protocol section of this manual
(Appendix A).
3.8 KEYBOARD INTERFACE:
All of the 1086 remote commands can also be implemented on the system’s
keyboard. EPC recommends using a keyboard because changing some
functions, like SCAN RATE, is much easier with a keyboard than scrolling the
values on the Control Panel. It is also less intrusive to data collection because
the keystrokes are buffered in the background through an interrupt driven
process. By contrast, the switches on the Control Panel are polled and the
microprocessor spends much more time decoding the switches than it does
decoding keystrokes. The Protocol section of the manual contains a detailed
description of all remote commands and their functions.
3.9 MESSAGE AND ANNOTATION FUNCTIONS:
The 1086 has a comprehensive set of functions dedicate to marking and
annotating the printed record. Scale Lines, Event Marks, Fix Numbers,
Navigation Data, and Messages can all be easily added to the output. Since
many attributes need to be recurrent, there are provisions for triggering events
and messages automatically at set intervals.
3.9.1 BASIC EVENT MARKS:
Solid, dashed, or tick mark events can be printed on the record by selecting the
type of event and then triggering it. Events can be triggered by a contact closure
3-12
Rev.A
over the EXT MARK BNC connector, pressing the EVT button, sending an
EVENT command, or through the AUTOEVENT facility. When MESSAGE is
selected as the current event type, triggering an event will cause the current
MESSAGE to print instead of an event line. This feature is provided for those
who wish to print messages using the EXT MARK BNC.
3.9.2 PRINTING MESSAGES:
Alphanumeric text strings can be added to the record several ways. Using
remote commands via the Keyboard or RS-232 Interface, any message can be
entered and immediately printed (e.g. MES HELLO WORLD!<CR/LF>). Any of
the preset messages can be printed by simply selecting the desired message in
the MESSAGE field, and then pressing the MSG button. These same messages
can also be triggered using the AUTOMSG function.
3.9.3 MESSAGE ATTRIBUTES:
The size, location, and background of printed text can be controlled by the CHAR
SIZE, MARGIN, and BACKGROUND controls, respectively.
3.9.4 AUTOEVENT:
The AUTOEVENT function is provided to automatically trigger the printing of
event lines. The interval works by line count and that line count is reset
whenever the control is changed. Suppose you are printing at a rate of four lines
per second (0.250 Key Rate) and you wish to print a dashed event line every ten
minutes. Simply select DASHED for the EVENT TYPE, and set AUTOEVENT to
2400 (4 lines per second x 60 seconds per minute x 10 minutes).
3.9.5 AUTOMSG:
The AUTOMSG function will automatically generate the preset text message at a
set line interval. It works identically the same way AUTOEVENT works and
prints the text string with the current attributes.
3.9.6 USING FIX NUMBERS:
It is common practice in surveying to place cyclic event marks on a record and
number those events in ascending order. The FIX # feature on the 1086 does
just that. To use this feature, first set the TGR to a non-printing mode. Next,
select the current fix number to start with under the FIX # field. The next number
that prints will be one greater than what you set. The FIX preset must be
selected under the MESSAGE field and you must decide how you want to trigger
the FIX message. Manual or AUTOMSG type triggers will have the same effect.
A good method is to use AUTOMSG to set up a numbered grid, and then use
manual triggers to number special events. When the FIX is triggered, an event
3-13
Rev.A
line is printed with the fix number just above the line, in the margin. The event
line will reflect whatever is selected in the EVENT TYPE field.
3.9.7 PRINTING NAVIGATION DATA:
Latitude, Longitude, and GPS time can be annotated on the record by using the
1086’s GPS interface. There are several parameters that must be configured to
use this function. The GPS receiver must be properly configured to interface to
the 1086’s serial port, with matching baud rates and data formats (8,N,1). It must
also be configured to output the NMEA 0183 string with the identifier “$GPGGA”.
If the receiver does not have this output string or format available, this procedure
will not work. Prior to making the physical connection between the 1086 and
the GPS receiver, set the following menu items as shown:
FIELD
SETTING
DATA INPUT
BAUD RATE
AUTOMSG
MESSAGE
NOT RS-232
4800 or 9600 to match receiver
As Desired
$GPGGA
Once both pieces of equipment are properly configured, make the cable
connection from the receiver to the 1086. Connecting the receiver before the
1086 is ready to receive ‘GPS’ data, will cause the recorder to try to decode the
GPS output as serial commands. The result will be an endless series of invalid
commands which will most likely hang one or both pieces of equipment. Most
receivers are generally configured as Data Terminal Equipment (DTE) and will
require only a straight cable connection to the 1086’s DCE configured port.
3.10 THERMAL PRINTING:
The following paragraphs describe, in detail, what occurs during the printing
process. This information is provided for those who are interested in the
electronics, the logic, and the methods that are used to create high resolution
images on thermal paper or film.
3.10.1 DATA LOADING:
Once the Microprocessor has determined that there is a line of data available in
the Interface Board’s line buffer, it reads the line out and stores it in a 2K data
array in system RAM. It is at this point in time that any attributes are added to
the data. If there are scale lines, event marks, or alphanumeric messages to
print, the appropriate bit patterns are ANDed or ORed into the data array. The
formatted data array is then transferred byte by byte to the Control Board’s ping
pong buffer using a high speed assembler loop. The Microprocessor Board then
begins the print cycle.
3-14
Rev.A
3.10.2 PRINT CYCLE:
A print cycle involves several steps. The pseudo code below shows the general
logic used by the Microprocessor to drive the Control Board and Chart Drive
circuitry through this process.
OUTPUT NEW DATA TO CONTROL BOARD
TOGGLE PING PONG BUFFER SO NEW DATA IS ‘ON-LINE’
INITIALIZE THE SHADE VALUE TO ZERO
WHILE THE SHADE VALUE IS NOT AT THE LAST SHADE, DO THE FOLLOWING:
LOAD THE SHADE VALUE INTO THE CONTROL BOARDS ‘SHADE’ REGISTER
SET THE STROBE WIDTH (ENABLE PERIOD) FOR THIS PARTICULAR SHADE
ISSUE A ‘START PULSE’ TO THE CONTROL BOARD TO PRINT THE SHADE
WAIT FOR A ‘DONE’ SIGNAL FROM THE CONTROL BOARD
INCREMENT THE SHADE COUNTER, AND CONTINUE TO TOP OF LOOP
NOW THAT ALL SHADES HAVE BEEN ‘STROBED’, ISSUE A TRIGGER PULSE TO THE CHART DRIVE
CIRCUITRY TO ADVANCE THE PAPER
3.10.3 PRINTHEAD SIGNALS:
The Control Board is responsible for driving all the electrical signals to the
Printhead. These signals are described in the following table:
SIGNAL
PIN #
DESCRIPTION
BEO
DATA
/STROBE 1
/STROBE 2
/STROBE 3
/STROBE 4
THERMISTOR
/LOAD
CLOCK
JP-2
JP-3
JP-5
JP-7
JP-9
JP-11
JP-14
JP-21
JP-23
BLOCK ENABLE OUT – GLOBAL ENABLE SIGNAL
SERIAL DATA INPUT TO PRINTHEAD
ENABLE SIGNAL FOR DOTS 0-511
VOLTAGE LEVEL CORRESPONDING TO HEAD TEMPERATURE
LATCH SIGNAL TO ENABLE ALL 2048 DATA BITS IN PHEAD
4 MHz CLOCK FOR LOADING DATA INTO PHEAD SHIFT REG
3.10.4 PRINTHEAD LOGIC:
When a ‘start’ pulse is issued to the Control Board, it begins the process of
loading data to the printhead and then enabling (strobing) the dots. An address
counter on the board cycles up from zero to 2047 at a frequency of 4.0 MHz.
Each successive clock causes the ping pong ram to yield the next byte of data
that defines the depth of the next sequential pixel. The byte is compared to the
current shade value in the shade register. If the byte is greater than or equal to
the current shade, the Control Board cycles the Printhead data line high.
Nanoseconds later the rising edge of the printhead clock signal latches the data
3-15
Rev.A
into a 2048 bit shift register on the printhead. When the last of the data has been
shifted into the head, the Control Board generates a load pulse which causes the
data in the head’s shift register to become ‘active’. It also clears the shift register
so that the next shade’s data can begin loading. The dots on the printhead are
then enabled via the strobe signals. The four strobe lines cycle low, one at a
time, to enable each bank of 512 dots. Each pixel can be thought of as being
driven by an AND gate. The gate has three inputs, one of which, the strobe
signal, is inverted. The other two inputs are the global BEO signal and the data
bit for that dot. If the data bit is set to a logical ‘1’ and BEO is high, the falling
strobe line will cause the output of the gate to sink current through the pixel. The
pixel is nothing more than a resistor that gets hot when current passes through it.
By precisely controlling the duration of the strobe pulses, the energy that a pixel
releases to the paper can be accurately defined. This process is executed once
for each of the shades to print (i.e. sixteen times for sixteen shades). Once the
last shade has been ‘strobed’, the paper is advanced and the next line is loaded.
3.10.5 PRINT METHODS:
The 1086’s Control Board is capable of using any one of three methods for
shading and comparing the printhead data. EPC decided to use the Magnitude
compare method because of the balance between print speed and dot definition.
The pros and cons of each method are stated below.
3.10.5.1 MAGNITUDE WEIGHTED COMPARE:
The 1086’s Control Board uses what is called a Magnitude Weighted Compare
method of printing. What this means is that the shade level of a dot is actually
the sum of all the shade cycles leading up to, and including, the dot’s shade.
So if a particular pixel is to print at a shade level of eight out of 16 (about 50%
gray), that dot will be turned on through each of the first eight strobe cycles, and
then remain idle for the last eight.
3.10.5.2 EQUAL WEIGHTED COMPARE:
In an Equal Weighted Compare method, the dot would only be enabled when the
current shade cycle was exactly equal to the data for that dot. Using the
previous example, the dot in question would be turned on only once, on the
eighth shade cycle. Since the Magnitude method takes advantage of energy
from previous shades, the strobe cycles can be much shorter. This translates to
much faster print speeds than the Equal method.
3.10.5.3 BINARY WEIGHTED COMPARE:
A third technique, called Binary Weighted Compare, is the fastest of the three
methods. In this method, the logic will cycle through the number of bits in the
MAX shade value. A dot is then enabled based on whether the current ‘bit’
3-16
Rev.A
appears in the shade value for that dot. Referring back to our previous example,
the controller would need to go through four cycles (for 16 possible shades) with
the following compare values loaded into the shade register on each cycle: 0x01,
0x02, 0x04, 0x08 (0001b, 0010b, 0100b, 1000b). The dot with the value of eight
would be enabled on the fourth cycle only because the value eight only has one
bit in it (1000b). Though the reduced number of cycles make this method very
fast, a true gray ramp cannot be created because of disproportionate cooling
between shades. Consider how a dot with a data value of five (0x05, 0101b)
would print. It would be enabled on the first cycle, would begin cooling on the
second cycle and then get turned on again in the third cycle. Different shades,
obviously, cool differently. When coupled with the non-linear response curve of
the paper, this method really cannot do a fair job at creating distinct gray levels.
3.10.6 DOT MODULATION:
To complicate matters in an already complicated process, the thermal paper
does not behave in a linear fashion with regards to energy. If a strobe pulse of x
generates a 25% gray level on the paper, stretching the pulse to 2x will not
produce 50% gray. For this reason, and other reasons having to do with cooling,
it is necessary to vary the widths of the enable pulses to the printhead on every
shade cycle. A ‘strobe table’ is maintained in system memory for this function.
The table is an integer array loaded with a set of numeric time constants that
relate to given shades in given ambient temperatures for the particular media
being used (paper or film). On every shade cycle, the appropriate strobe value is
loaded into an 8254 Counter Timer. The 8254 is programmed as a hardware
triggered one-shot whose base clock has a 250ηs period. A typical strobe count
for shade #0 might be 500. So, on the first shade cycle, the four strobe lines
would cycle low for 125µs (500 x 250ηs). The active strobe table is calculated
based on the temperature of the head, the CONTRAST setting, the MEDIA
setting, the mean resistance of the pixel elements on the printhead, and the total
number of shades to print.
3-17
Rev.A
3-18
Chapter – 4 Maintenance & Troubleshooting
Rev.A
CHAPTER FOUR – MAINTENANCE & TROUBLESHOOTING
4.0 GENERAL OVERVIEW OF TROUBLE SHOOTING:
The following procedures should be performed in a clean, dry area by qualified
personnel.
4.1 GENERAL MAINTENANCE:
General maintenance should be performed when changing media or when a problem is
encountered.
4.1.1 KEEP THE AREA CLEAN:
The 1086 is a rugged field ready machine that prints on continuous thermal paper. One
of the most basic practices that will extend the life of the 1086 is to keep the general
area around the recorder clean. This practice will prevent dust from getting inside the
recorder and on the thermal printhead.
4.1.2 CLEAN THE PAPER FEED CHAMBER:
To remove any dust or small particles that are in the Paper Feed Chamber.
Dust particles can attach themselves to the outside of the paper Roll and get
PURPOSE
fed into the element line of the printhead, causing a small white spot or small
white streak on the record.
ITEMS OR
A clean, lint free cloth rag is recommended. Standard household ammonia
TOOLS
based cleaners are acceptable but alcohol is highly recommended.
1) Avoid the use of flammable or toxic cleaning fluids such as carbon
tetrachloride. (Cleaners this powerful will take the paint off of the case of the
recorder).
PRECAUTIONS
2) Avoid touching the element line of the printhead. The oils from fingertips
can accelerate the heat transfer process. This will cause pixels to burn out
prematurely.
1) DISCONNECT THE 1086 FROM ITS AC POWER SOURCE!!
2) Open the Feed Roll Chamber and remove the roll of paper.
3) Lightly moisten the rag with the cleaning fluid. Make sure none of the fluid
is dripping off of the rag.
PROCEDURE 4) Wipe down the inside of the Paper Feed Chamber, removing the dust
particles.
5) Wait until the chamber is dry and replace the roll of paper.
6) Connect the recorder to its AC power source.
The chamber should be cleaned after the use of every roll of paper.
4-1
Rev.A
Note: When cleaning the Paper Feed Chamber
be careful not to come in contact with the
element line.
Figure 4-1 – cleaning Feed Roll Chamber
4.1.3
CLEAN THE THERMAL PRINTHEAD:
To remove any dust or residue deposited on the printhead after the use of a
roll of paper or film.
A clean, lint free cloth rag should be used. Also a small cotton swab may be
ITEMS OR
used. Use either denatured or isopropyl alcohol. The ideal item is an
TOOLS
alcohol swab (EPC uses Becton-Dickinson PN: 326895 containing over
70% alcohol).
1) Avoid the use of flammable or toxic cleaning fluids such as carbon
tetrachloride. (The element line of the printhead is covered with a clear hard
epoxy. Use of powerful solvents will dissolve the protection on the element
line).
PRECAUTIONS
2) Avoid touching the element line of the printhead. The oils from fingertips
can accelerate the heat transfer process. This will cause pixels to burn out
prematurely.
PURPOSE
1) DISCONNECT THE 1086 FROM ITS AC POWER SOURCE!!
2) Open the Feed Roll Chamber and remove the roll of paper.
3) Moisten the rag with the cleaning fluid or use the alcohol swab. Make sure
none of the fluid is dripping off of the rag.
4) Gently rub the rag or swab onto the element line. Make small back and
forth motions while advancing from one side of the printhead to the other.
PROCEDURE 5) Wait for the element line to dry. Once the line is dry, re-install the paper.
6) Connect the recorder to its AC power source.
NOTE: Occasionally, after a roll of paper/film prints there will be a small white
residue left on the element line of the Printhead. It is very important to get all
of this residue off before printing on another roll of paper/film.
The Element Line should be cleaned before installing each new roll of
paper.
4-2
Rev.A
Element line will be the thin slightly
raised dark brown line on the printhead.
Figure 4-2 cleaning the Printhead
4.1.4
HANDLING AND STORING THERMAL MEDIA:
PURPOSE
ITEMS OR
TOOLS
To give a brief overview on how to store thermal paper or film.
Thermal Paper (EPC P/N: 802140) or Thermal Film (EPC P/N: 802141).
1) Store in a cool dry place.
2) The finished record should not be exposed to direct sun light or
prolonged fluorescent light, temperatures above 100οF (38οC), relative
PRECAUTIONS humidity over 80% or placed in contact with adhesives, adhesive tapes or
plasticizers such as those found in all PVC page protectors.
3) Be careful handling finished record with bare hands. The oils from skin
can alter the chemistry of the paper and distort the record.
1) Remove the paper from the box, and load the paper into the recorder.
Always make sure that the outside of the roll, as it unravels, is pressing
against the element line of the printhead.
2) If the records are to be kept for a long period of time it is a wise idea to
use the Take-up spool in the recorder. (see page 13)
3) Once the records are rolled up remove them from the take-up spool
using one of two methods.
PROCEDURE
a) With the paper spooled up on the Take-up core, use the RAPID button
to advance several inches of unused paper/film around the outside of the
roll. This will protect the used portion of the roll of paper. Place the roll
back into its original box or an dark cool dry place.
b) Another alternative is to wear white cotton gloves when handling
thermal paper/film. This will prevent the oils from skin getting onto the
record.
4-3
Rev.A
The outside of the roll is coated with a chemical which is sensitive to thermal activation.
Always be careful when handling thermal media. Excessive handling with bare hands
can alter the records appearance.
The inside of the roll is not
subject to thermal activation.
Figure 4-3 Thermal Print Media
4.1.5 QUICK TROUBLESHOOTING METHOD:
1) No Power Up: Check AC line fuse, check power cord, check power supply input,
check power supply output +/- 12V, + 5V and +24 at the power supply terminal. If all
voltages are present, the four LEDs on the back plane should be illuminated and the
recorder should power up.
2) Recorder does not boot up: Check Microprocessor Board, the flash memory may
be corrupted.
3) Recorder boots up but does not chart: Check the rapid function. If RAPID works,
the Control Board may be faulty. But if rapid does not work, check the step motor
voltage +5V. If present, check pin 10 on the chart module for the chart clock. If
present, the chart module itself may be bad.
4) Print Check: When the Test key is depressed the recorder should start running the
test pattern. If idle, or ‘OVERHEAT’ is displayed, the control board is most likely the
problem. For overheat errors check the maxim chip 7828.
5) Recorder boots up and charts, but does not print test pattern: Make sure that
the Printhead Cable is plugged in, check for +24V.
6) Display back lights are ON, but no characters are shown: Check for connection
of data lines on Motor Drive Board under the display panel. If connected, either displays
are bad or the I/O display Control Board is bad. Or there could be a flash memory
problem on the Microprocessor Board.
7) Take-up Motor does not activate: Check for +12V at terminals. If present, Motor is
bad.
4-4
Rev.A
8) Analog mode is selected but machine does not chart: Check the trigger mode
selected. If external trigger is selected make sure a valid trigger pulse is applied to the
TRIG IN BNC.
9) Analog mode is selected, recorder charts but does not print: Check BNC cables.
Increase the GAIN, decrease THRESHOLD and increase the CONTRAST. Set
POLARITY to +/-. If annotation prints the problem is probably in the analog circuitry.
10) Not printing parallel data: Make sure PARALLEL mode is selected. Check the
interface cable for 1 to1 continuity. If the above checked out it may be the Analog
Interface Board.
11) Not printing serial data: Make sure ‘SERIAL’ mode is selected. Check the
interface cable for the pin out shown in section 2.3.3.1. Make sure the baud rate of
the 1086 matches that of the host equipment. If the above checked out it may be the
Microprocessor Board.
12) EXT Chart function not working: Check the BNC cable being used and make sure
a valid TTL square wave of not more then 1.6kHz is present.
13) Machine beeps and displays “NO PAPER” even though EPC qualified Paper is
properly installed: Check the sensor connections on the Motor Drive Board under the
display panel. Check Paper Sensor Connector and wiring.
4.1.6 REPLACEMENT PROCEDURES:
1) To take the recorder out of the case a hex wrench is needed. Remove 14 # 2 screws
around the case, 4 # 6 screws holding the rubber feet underneath the recorder and 2 #
10 screws holding the interface panel.
2) To replace the Printhead simply shut off the recorder remove 4 pan head #4 screws
using a flat head screw driver and carefully disconnect the printhead cables (Use cotton
swabs wet with denatured alcohol to clean the head). Be careful not to touch the
printhead element line.
3) To replace boards, make sure that the machine is disconnected from AC power.
Remove the anchor screw and connectors from the board to be replaced. Assure that
all connections and hardware are secured before restarting the recorder.
4.2 BASIC ADJUSTMENTS AND FUSE CHANGE:
The following procedures should be performed in a clean, dry area.
4-5
4.2.1
Rev.A
DROP OUT ON PAPER:
PURPOSE
To cover the possible ways to remedy the light or “drop out” areas of print
on a record.
ITEMS OR
TOOLS
A #4 hex wrench.
If the “drop out” or light area is increasing as the adjustment is being made,
PRECAUTIONS do not continue to turn the adjustment set screw in the current direction.
Printing large white areas at high contrast may cause damage to the
printhead.
1) Print the factory test pattern or have the host system generate a test
pattern.
Note: a pattern that is consistently gray across the entire record is
recommended.
2) Notice where on the printhead that the drop out occurs.
PROCEDURE
a) If the drop out occurs on either the right or left side of the record then
adjust the #4 set screw located in the print roller assembly. (Example: If the
right side of the print drops out then rotate the set screw either up or down
to eliminate the drop out.) Unlike large machines, dropout will very rarely
occur in the middle of the records. If it does it usually can be fixed by
adjusting the set screws on either side of the print roller assembly.
Slide the latch forward. Insert a #4 hex wrench
into the semi-circle cut out in the latch. Adjust
the relative position of the print roller to the
element line by rotating the tuning screw.
This same technique will work on the other side
of the machine.
Figure 4-4 Adjusting print quality
4-6
Rev.A
4.2.2 CHANGING THE POWER FUSE:
PURPOSE
This procedure describes how to change the line fuse.
ITEMS OR
TOOLS
A small slotted screw driver and a replacement fuse.
Unplug the 1086 prior to replacing the fuse!!!!
PRECAUTIONS
1) Turn off the 1086.
2) Use a small slotted screw driver to pry open the small fuse holder
chamber in the power entry module.
PROCEDURE
3) The fuse will be in a small plastic holder and will slide out.
4) Examine the fuse and verify that it has blown.
5) Replace the fuse (EPC PN: 515034 ) and turn the 1086 back on.
Figure 4-5 Fuseholder
Slotted groove for screwdriver
4.3 VERIFYING RECORDER OPERATION:
These procedures will verify that the various recorder functions are working properly.
4-7
Rev.A
4.3.1 RUNNING THE TEST PATTERN:
PURPOSE
ITEMS OR
TOOLS
PRECAUTIONS
Verify the Print at 8,16,32 and 64 shades of gray. Running the test pattern
will verify that the POWER SUPPLY, PRINTHEAD, MICROPROCESSOR BOARD and
CONTROL BOARD are working properly.
None
Properly load the paper in the recorder. (see installation section 1.2.2)
With the 1086 OFF, load the thermal media into the recorder. Turn the 1086
ON.
PROCEDURE
On the left side of the Control Panel, use the Increment-Decrement keys to
set the 1086 to 8 shades of gray and set the appropriate media either
Paper or Film.
Run the test pattern.
Figure 4-7 test pattern with 16 shades selected
4-8
Rev.A
Figure 4-8 test Pattern with 32 shades selected
There should be a smooth ascending gray scale across the printhead. If not, use the
see the Basic Adjustments section to fix this problem.
4.3.2 CHECKING OUT THE ANALOG FUNCTIONS:
Rudimentary analog functions can be evaluated by using standard electronic test
equipment.
The following section describes some simple tests which evaluate the functions of KEY
OUT, SCAN and DELAY.
4.3.2.1
VERIFYING THE KEY OUT:
PURPOSE
ITEMS OR
TOOLS
PRECAUTIONS
PROCEDURE
Verify the KEY OUT period.
Oscilloscope and frequency counter, BNC cables.
Make sure the recorder is set to internal trigger.
Using the menus on the Control Panel - set the 1086 to internal trigger. In
this mode the recorder will be “KEYING OUT” a signal.
4-9
Rev.A
Figure 4-10 Verifying the key
out
0.1250
Frequency Counter
Control Panel Settings
KEY RATE
0.125
SCAN
RATE
DELAY
0.120
156us pulse width
0
Scope Settings
Volts / div
Time base
2V
20ms / div
.125ms Period
Figure 4-11 key pulses on
scope
4.3.2.2
VERIFYING THE SCAN SPEEDS:
PURPOSE
Verify the SCANS function
Checking the
Set the 1086 recorder to the settings on the table below.
SCANS
1) Set a signal generator so that it will generate a 1volt square wave at
100Hz.
2) Set the signal generator to produce a triggered burst width (sweep
width) of 100ms.
Procedure
3) Attach the 1086 Key Out to the oscilloscope Channel 1 and the Trigger
In of the Signal Generator.
4) Attach the 1086 Signal A IN to the oscilloscope Channel 2 and the
Function out of the Signal Generator.
5) Set the 1086 to the settings on the following table and run the test.
4-10
Rev.A
Figure 4-12 Verifying the scan speeds
SETTING NAME
VALUE
CONTRAST
0%
LPI
100
WIDTH
2048
TRIGGER
INTERNAL
KEY OUT
POSITIVE
SIGNAL
SINGLE
KEY RATE
0.125
SCAN RATE
0.100
DELAY
0.000
SHADES
8
SCALE LINES
OFF
DATA INPUT
ANALOG
SWEEP
FORWARD
RESULTS
The results should produce 10 identical bars evenly spaced across the
record. See figure 4-14.
How it works:
1) The 1086 KEY OUT triggers the signal generators sweep function. The signal
generator is set to produce a 100Hz signal for .1 seconds. Thus 100cycles/sec
.1 seconds = 10 complete cycles.
4-11
Rev.A
SIGNAL
PRINTED
KEY OUT
Figure 4-13 Scope traces
4.3.2.3
Figure 4-14 Pattern on record
VERIFYING THE DELAY SETTING:
PURPOSE
Verify the DELAY function.
Checking the Shorten the generators burst to 80ms. Set the 1086 recorder to the settings
DELAY
on the table below, notice the SCANS + DELAY < KEY OUT.
RESULTS
The results should produce the pattern on the lower half of Figure 4-15.
SETTING NAME
VALUE
CONTRAST
0%
LPI
100
WIDTH
2048
TRIGGER
INTERNAL
KEY OUT
POSITIVE
SIGNAL
SINGLE
KEY RATE
0.150
SCAN RATE
0.100
DELAY
0.030
SHADES
8
SCALE LINES
OFF
DATA INPUT
ANALOG
SWEEP
FORWARD
No Delay
30ms Delay
Figure 4-15 Printed pattern
4-12
Rev.A
VERIFYING THE GAIN AND THRESHOLD:
4.3.2.4
PURPOSE
Verify the GAIN and THRESHOLD function.
Checking the
Keep the recorder running from the previous step.
GAIN
1) Turn the gain knob down to almost zero.
Procedure
2) The record should become lighter and lighter as the GAIN is reduced.
Increase GAIN.
3) Increase the THRESHOLD. The record should become lighter and
lighter as the THRESHOLD is increased.
4.3.2.5
CHECKING OUT THE DIGITAL FUNCTIONS:
PURPOSE
Verify the DIGITAL function
Checking the
Parallel Port Set the 1086 recorder to the settings on the table below.
1) Install the parallel test program provided with the Training Manual.
Procedure
2) Set the 1086 to the settings on the table below.
3) Follow the instructions as the test program prompts.
SETTING NAME
VALUE
CONTRAST
0%
LPI
200
WIDTH
2048
DATA TYPE
4
REPEAT LINE
1
AUTO EVENT
OFF
SCALE LINES
OFF
DATA INPUT
PARALLEL
SWEEP
FORWARD
First an “X” pattern will run with a REPEAT
LINE of one.
Then a “X” pattern will run with a REPEAT
LINE of two. NOTE: The “X” pattern should
be twice as tall.
Finally, a shade pattern will generate.
4-13
Rev.A
16 shades /
4 bit
32 shades /
5 bit
64 shades /
6 bit
64 shades /
7 bit
64 shades /
8 bit
Figure 4-16 Digital shade patterns
4-14
Chapter – 5 Engineering Drawings
Rev.A
CHAPTER FIVE – ENGINEERING DRAWINGS
AND SCHEMATICS
P/N
DESCRIPTION
# OF PAGES
802037
Reset Cable Assembly
1
802191
Printhead Control Cable
1
802194
Cable Assembly, Printhead Error
1
802207
Assembly, LCD
2
802208
Assembly, LCD
2
802209
Cable Assembly, Chart Module
1
802210
Power Cable Assembly Backplane
1
802212
Print Roller Assembly
1
802219
Ribbon Cable Assembly
1
802221
ISA Control bd. Assembly
1
802223
Take-up Motor Assembly
1
802350
Grounding Lug Kit
1
802351
PC Board, Analog
2
802374
Cable Assy., AC Input Logic Power Supply
1
802375
Cable Assy., DC output Logic Power Supply
2
802384
Bracket Assembly, Power Supply
3
802391
Final Assembly
4
802392
Motor Drive Board
3
802394
Cable Assembly, Printhead Power
2
802395
Assembly, Main Frame
5
802396
Assembly, Top Level
2
802397
Panel Assembly Interface
3
900480
PC Board, Motor Drive Schematic
1
900481
Analog Board Schematic
3
900472
ISA Control Board Schematic
5
Rev.A
Phone: (978) 777-1996 Fax: (978) 777-3955 E-mail: epc@delphi.com, web: www.epclabs.com
Rev.A
Rev.A
Rev.A
Rev.A
Rev.A
Rev.A
Rev.A
Rev.A
Rev.A
Rev.A
Rev.A
Rev.A
Rev.A
Rev.A
Rev.A
Rev.A
Rev.A
Rev.A
Rev.A
Rev.A
Rev.A
Rev.A
Rev.A
Rev.A
Rev.A
Rev.A
Rev.A
Rev.A
Rev.A
Rev.A
Rev.A
Rev.A
Rev.A
Rev.A
Rev.A
Rev.A
Rev.A
Rev.A
Rev.A
Rev.A
Appendix A
Rev. A
COMMAND PROTOCOL
FUNCTION
ANALOG
DELAY PERIOD
EXT TRIGGER SLOPE
KEY POLARITY
KEY RATE
SCAN RATE
SIGNAL SELECT
TRIGGER SELECT
BAND PASS FILTER
LOW PASS FILTER
HIGH PASS FILTER
TIME VARIED GAIN
HEADER
ARGUMENTS
DEL
SLO
KPO
KEY
SCN
SIG
TRI
BPF
LPF
HPF
TVG
0.000 to 8.000
RIS, FAL
POS, NEG
0.011 to 10.000
0.006 to 10.000
SIN, DUA
INT, EXT
OFF, ON
1.0, 1.2, 2.0, 2.4, 3.0, 4.0, 6.0, 12.0
83, 100, 166, 200, 250, 333, 500, 1.0
OFF, 1 > 255
ANNOTATION
AUTO - EVENT
AUTO - MESSAGE
BACKGROUND
CHARACTER SIZE
FILL MESSAGE BUFFER
MESSAGE LOCATION
PRINT EVENT
PRINT MESSAGE
FIX #
AEV
AMS
BAC
SIZ
FIL
MAR
EVE
MES
FIX
OFF, 1 to 32767 (# of lines)
OFF, 1 to 32767 (# of lines)
WHI, DAT
1, 2, 3, 4, 5
1, 2, 3
0.00 to 10.00
DAS, SOL, TIC, MES
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, TEXT STRING
0 > 32766
CHART
LINE REPEAT
LINES PER INCH
PAPER FEED
REP
LPI
FEE
1, 2, 3, 4, 5
75, 80, 100, 120, 150, 200, 240, 300, EXT
0.01 to 30.00
CONTROL
DATA TYPE
SET DATE
SET TIME
DTY
DAT
TIM
3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 (data bits)
XX/XX/XX
XX:XX:XX
DISPLAY
CONTRAST
MEDIA
STACKING
SCALE LINES
SHADES OF GRAY
SWEEP DIRECTION A
SWEEP DIRECTION B
CON
MED
STA
SCA
SHA
ASW
BSW
-30 to 40
PAP, FIL
OFF, 2, 3, 4, 5
5, 10, 20, OFF
8, 16, 32, 64
FOR, REV
FOR, REV
A-1
EPC LABS 42A Cherry Hill Drive, Danvers, MA 01923
Phone: (978) 777-1996 Fax: (978) 777-3955 E-mail: epc@delphi.com, www.epclabs.com
Rev. A
Change Page
Rev:
Date:
Changes Made:
Done By:
A
5/12/99
Corrections to Command
Protocol
B.Reynolds
Pages Changed:
A-1
EPC LABS 42A Cherry Hill Drive, Danvers, MA 01923
Phone: (978) 777-1996 Fax: (978) 777-3955 E-mail: epc@delphi.com, www.epclabs.com

Manual

Transcription

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