Sakura Tissue-Tek Autowrite, Operating Manual

Page 1: ...3 4 2011 Tissue Tek Autowrite Slide Printer ...

Page 2: ... All Rights ReservedPrinted in The Netherlands Manufactured for Sakura Finetek U S A Inc Torrance CA 90501 U S A Sakura Finetek Japan Co Ltd Tokyo 103 0023 Japan Sakura Finetek Europe B V 2408AV Alphen a d Rijn NL Made in Germany 0003371 01C ...

Page 3: ...talling the Printer Cartridge 2 11 Filling and Loading the Slide Magazines 2 13 SOFTWARE CONFIGURATION Software Configuration 3 1 Printer Driver Settings 3 7 Installing the Sakura Data Management Software 3 11 Performing a Test Print 3 14 OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS Operating Instructions 4 1 Understanding the Control Panel 4 1 Printing Slides 4 6 Refilling Slide Magazines 4 7 Operating the Unload Stat...

Page 4: ...11 TABLE OF CONTENTS Section Page TROUBLESHOOTING General Information 7 1 Replacing the Curing Lamp 7 2 SERVICE AND REPLACEMENT PARTS Service Information 8 1 Replacement Accessory Items 8 1 Optional Accessory Items 8 1 ...

Page 5: ...y devices installed in this instrument by the manufacturer only establishes the basis for accident prevention Primary responsibility for accident free operation is above all the institution which owns the instrument and in addition the designated personnel who operate services or repairs the instrument Safety Precautions CAUTIONS and NOTES are provided throughout this manual to indicate levels of ...

Page 6: ... individually print at 10 seconds per slide The control panel controls the printer functions and the print jobs defined by the control software The panel also indicates the current printer status and processes in progress The printer can be used as a stand alone system or as a network integrated system Slides are dispensed one at a time from the slide magazines down a central chute and are capture...

Page 7: ...ble slides Delivery Chute Figure 1 C The delivery chute is responsible for the transport of the slide from the magazine to the transfer point The slide is pushed from the magazine onto the delivery chute where it travels to the transfer point and activates a sensor that signals the print sledge Transfer Point Figure 1 D The transfer point is the position between the delivery chute and the print sl...

Page 8: ... Station Figure 1 G The slide is deposited into the drying station by the print sledge Warm air is gently blown on the slide to dry the printed surface which prepares the printing for the UV light cure Figure 1 E Print Head Figure 1 F The print head delivers the ink by way of an ink jet producing clear legible printing on the slide Figure 1 G Reflective Cover Figure 1 H The reflective cover protec...

Page 9: ...nsport cartridge must be replaced by an ink cartridge Figure 1 I Slide Debris Tray Figure 1 J The slide debris tray collects debris that accumulates during the printing of multiple slides Transport Cartridge Figure 1 K The transport cartridge is needed to keep the print head from drying out during transportation or when the instrument will not be used for an extended period of time Figure 1 J Figu...

Page 10: ... dried and cured making it chemically resistant and smudge proof Curing Lamp Figure 1 M The curing lamp is a specialized UV light bulb used to cure the ink printed on the slide The curing renders the printing smudge proof and heat and reagent resistant Slide Bin Assembly Figure 1 N The slide bin assembly is used for the delivery and collection of printed slides Figure 1 L Figure 1 M Figure 1 N ...

Page 11: ...essory It is used as a collection system for printed slides It contains ten removable trays Figure 1 P that accommodate ten slides per tray The printed slides are pushed onto the tray one at a time until the tray is full at which time the tray is indexed up one tray An audible signal notifies the operator when no more trays are available Figure 1 O Figure 1 P ...

Page 12: ...test INK EMPTY LED 8 is used to indicate printer ink cartridge levels The LED provides three indications Display 1 is a two figure seven segment LED display used to indicate current printer status processes in progress errors and or error messages POWER key 2 is used to switch between the POWER ON mode and the STANDBY mode The LED on the POWER key provides three indications On the instrument is in...

Page 13: ...nnection 4 The power connection is used to connect the instrument to a power source using the power cord provided The other end of the power cord must be plugged into an appropriately grounded AC electrical outlet Printer Rating Label 5 The printer rating label is located at the rear of the instrument and indicates the instrument serial number and electrical specifications Unload Station Rating La...

Page 14: ...UV light to cure the ink that is printed on a slide Slide Bin Assembly 4 Delivers slides after printing CD ROM 5 Contains printer driver software Serial Printer Cable 6 Connects printer to the PC Transport Cartridge 7 Printer cartridge containing cleaning fluid used during transport Slide Magazines 8 Three magazines accommodate 150 slides each Tool set and Replacement Fuses Screwdriver 9 Allen Key...

Page 15: ... 6 Windows 2000 Windows XP Pro Windows Vista Windows 7 1 Microsoft Windows and Access are registered trademarks of the Microsoft Corporation Printer Interface Serial connection via serial port RS 232C Drive Type CD ROM mandatory for system upgrades Software Microsoft Access version 2002 recommended Operating Conditions Operational Temperature 15 C to 35 C 59 F to 95 F Relative Humidity 30 80 non c...

Page 16: ...st also be defined for applications using the direct mode since the standard Windows GDI functions are used for printing Print Quality The quality and resolution of the prints depend on The slide material and color The surface finish and roughness of the slide print field The final resolution of the printed slide is not only determined by the resolution of the print head alone If the slide surface...

Page 17: ...on scanning results Important features include Reading tolerance Difference between the actual bar code width 0 and nominal module size Figure 1 I Wider bars and spaces are calculated in multiples of the module size The module size is an integral factor of the printer resolution since only whole dots can be printed Figure 1 J Figure 1 J A reading error may occur even if the print appears to be cri...

Page 18: ...1 14 Revised 3 04 11 INTRODUCTION ...

Page 19: ...rinter needs approximately 65 x 50 cm 165 x 127 in of space Additional space is required for the PC containing the control software Environmental Factors As with all sensitive electronic instruments prolonged exposure to excessive humidity and temperature should be avoided Temperature and humidity should be held relatively constant The ambient temperature range for operating the instrument is 15 C...

Page 20: ...neath the lid Figure 2 C Figure 2 C 4 Loosen the eight screws at the bottom of the wooden crate Figure 2 D Figure 2 D 5 Remove box containing ink cartridge Figure 2 E from the inner carton Figure 2 E 6 Remove the inner carton Figure 2 F surrounding the instrument Figure 2 F 7 Lift the wooden crate up and away from the instrument ...

Page 21: ...e and lift the printer from the crate Remove all packing material and place on a firm level surface directly on the bench or on top of the unload station CAUTION The instrument is very heavy and large therefore it is strongly recommended that it always be lifted and transported by at least two people one positioned on each side CAUTION Always transport the printer in an upright position 10 Lift an...

Page 22: ...3 Remove all packing material and the small box containing unload trays 4 Lift the unload station out of crate and place on a sturdy level counter Unpacking the Accessories When opening the printer box confirm that all accessories have been included with the instrument Operating manual 1 Warranty card 1 inside the Operating Manual only in U S A Ink cartridge 1 Transport cartridge 1 installed in th...

Page 23: ...icated line Avoid proximity to direct sunlight open windows sinks ovens hot plates open burners radiators shocks or vibration Installing the Slide Bin The instrument may be used with either the slide bin or the slide unload station optional If the slide bin is used the instrument should be placed directly onto a counter to prepare for the installation The slide bin supplied with the instrument con...

Page 24: ...gure 2 O for enlarged detail Carefully push chute against installation surface and push to the right until the chute locks in place Figure 2 P Figure 2 O Figure 2 P NOTE Lift the front of the chute slightly if it will not slide past the shield plate 6 Close cover make sure that the slide bin does not obstruct the cover NOTE If the main cover cannot be closed properly the slide bin may need to be r...

Page 25: ...de of the instrument hold it directly over the unload station 2 The logo and instrument name should face the edge of the counter 3 Tip the instrument backwards slightly and insert the small pegs 1 and 2 Figure 2 Q located at the rear of the unload station in the small openings under the rear of the slide printer 4 Carefully lower the front of the printer onto the third peg 3 Figure 2 Q and Figure ...

Page 26: ...f the instrument exposing the components 2 Locate the reflective cover 1 Figure 2 W housing the curing lamp 3 Using the screwdriver provided remove the screw and washer located at the bottom of the reflective cover Figure 2 W 4 Open the reflective cover by moving it upwards Figure 2 T Figure 2 T 5 Locate the brackets under the reflective cover Figure 2 U Figure 2 U 6 Hold the glass from the top an...

Page 27: ...lamp Position the lamp so that the and are inserted into the connection ports bearing the same mark 7 Insert lamp into the connection port and push carefully inwards as far as it will go If necessary rock the lamp slightly for full insertion Figure 2 Y Contact Spring 1 Figure 2 W 4 Open the reflective cover by moving it upwards 5 Hold the curing lamp at the base Figure 2 X Figure 2 X Figure 2 Y CA...

Page 28: ...ndications Follow the instructions outlined on page 6 4 for removing and replacing the ink cartridge Setting up the Data Connection A serial data cable is a standard accessory and is required for the function of the printer 1 Connect one end of the serial data cable Figure 2 CC to the serial port 3 Figure 2 BB on the printer and the other end to one of the serial ports COM 1 COM 2 of the computer ...

Page 29: ...Once the cartridge has been removed a sensor in the cartridge slot initiates the start of the changing routine from transport cartridge to ink cartridge and vice versa When a cartridge is removed all printer functions are disabled to prevent air from being drawn into the ink system The Ink empty LED illuminates and remains on until a new cartridge is inserted 4 Take the ink cartridge out of the sh...

Page 30: ...ry important and must not be omitted 9 Insert the safety catch between the metal plinth and the printer Position the catch in front of the cartridge to prevent slippage and to ensure proper instrument function Figure 2 II Figure 2 II CAUTION The printer should not be operated without the safety catch in place Figure 2 JJ Figure 2 JJ NOTE If the safety catch part AP060339616 is not installed or pro...

Page 31: ...aximum level mark on the magazine NOTE Slides can be loaded one at a time with the magazines off the instrument Figure 2 LL or while the magazines are on the instrument Figure 2 MM Figure 2 LL Figure 2 MM 6 Hold the magazine tipping it slightly to prevent slides from falling out of the magazine 7 Insert the magazine into the receptacle by aligning the pins into the slot and lowering until locked i...

Page 32: ...2 14 Revised 3 04 11 INSTALLATION SETUP ...

Page 33: ...wing operating systems Printer Driver version 1 3 Microsoft Windows NT 4 0 Windows 2000 4 Printer Driver version 2 4 Microsoft Windows 7 XP Pro1 Printer Driver version 2 34 Microsoft Windows Vista NOTE To ensure successful installation of the printer driver it should be installed by a System Administrator or other user authorized to log on to the computer with full access rights to all printer fun...

Page 34: ...TE Do not select a parallel printer port LPT 6 A manufacturer and printer model must be chosen Click Have Disk to access the install from disk dialog box 7 Insert the CD containing the printer driver into the CD ROM drive Click Browse NOTE X refers to the drive containing the CD 8 The following screen appears Click Open The Install from disk screen appears again click OK ...

Page 35: ...ocate any name to the printer e g AutoWrite Slide Printer this will then be displayed in the printer folder and in the print menu of all Windows applications To avoid erroneous printouts select No when asked whether to use this printer as the default printer Click Next 11 When prompted whether this printer is available to other users select Do not share this printer Click Next 12 When prompted Do ...

Page 36: ...OTE When installing on Windows 2000 the message Digital signature not found will be displayed at this point This message is simply to provide information that Microsoft has not yet certified the printer driver Be sure to check Yes to continue installing 14 Once the installation of the printer driver is complete restart the computer and then continue with the additional installation and configurati...

Page 37: ...port 1 From the Windows Desktop access the printer folder 3 The Properties dialog box contains several pages select the Ports tab Start Settings Printers 2 Right click on the icon of the newly installed printer a quick menu is displayed Select Properties ...

Page 38: ...nable bidirectional support 5 Click on Configure Port to open the COM2 properties Set Baud Rate to 57600 Leave all other settings as shown and click on OK 6 Select the Advanced tab and check Print directly to the printer click Apply 7 Click on the tab Device Settings and select the slides as shown in the example click on Apply and then Close ...

Page 39: ...he option Set as Default Printer The printer driver provides several options for modifying or improving the prints made In addition several magazines can be combined into printing groups so that jobs for the entire group can be printed Refer to step 6 on page 3 8 NOTE The following instructions apply to all Windows Applications that allow the printing to the Tissue Tek AutoWrite Slide Printer The ...

Page 40: ...lar magazine has been selected as a supply source printing will stop once that magazine is empty Groups of magazines can be selected when the magazines are filled with the same color or type of slides If a group of magazines is selected such as F 1 2 3 indicating that magazines 1 2 and 3 are filled with the same color or type of slide printing will continue until the last magazine of the group sel...

Page 41: ...es 2 Under the General tab click Printing Preferences 3 In the printing preferences window under the layout tab click on Advanced NOTE Menu items not described are not used for the printer Therefore the menu items not described should remain unchanged 4 The paper size menu allows the selection of the type of slide to be printed The slide type chosen should be identical to the one selected in Page ...

Page 42: ...y New Tray Only for special applications do not 0 select this option under standard Windows programs NOTE The instrument will ignore the parameters selected in the paper output menu if the slide bin is being used 7 The Print Quality menu is used to select whether a print is to be applied onto a slide once normal or twice overstrike Faint prints can be improved using the overstrike option The Upsid...

Page 43: ...Revised 3 04 11 3 11 Section 3 ...

Page 44: ...yed Release the key and a slide is printed with a test image Figure 3 A If the print result is not satisfactory and the words Test Print are not legible and or the bar code graphic is not clear repeat the test print sequence until the printing quality is acceptable NOTE The test print can be performed without the printer connected to a computer Figure 3 A NOTE If it is not possible to print an acc...

Page 45: ...e 5 Installation of the ink cartridge 6 Data connection to the PC 7 Filling and loading the slide magazines 8 Installation and configuration of the printer driver 9 Configuration of printer settings 10 Performance of a test print Understanding the Control Panel The control panel Figure 4 A controls the printer functions and print jobs as defined by the control software It consists of a membrane ke...

Page 46: ... print job is being carried out When the ONLINE LED is off there is no data transmission in progress no print job in progress or a print job has been temporarily interrupted Pressing the ONLINE key while a print job is in progress will interrupt printing The ONLINE key LED goes out and the printer can be accessed manually i e for removing a half empty magazine and refilling it Pressing the ONLINE ...

Page 47: ... the print job in progress and switches the printer to the off line mode A print head clean is performed and subsequently a test print is carried out on the slides being used The printer remains in the off line mode to enable the user to verify the print quality before resuming the current print job Pressing the ONLINE key again returns the printer to the online mode and printing is resumed If no ...

Page 48: ...Magazine no 3 empty Display indications Status Messages 00 Clean cycle in progress 11 Temperature in the curing lamp power supply is too high If temperature does not drop to within the allowed range in 10 minutes ERROR 55 is displayed Switch the instrument to the OFF position and let cool check the ambient temperature 12 Drying station temperature is too low too high If temperature does not drop t...

Page 49: ...received a print job but is unable to print because the cartridge contains cleaning fluid instead of ink Cancel the print job switch the printer off and back on and change the cartridge Press the LOADED or ERROR key and wait until 00 is no longer displayed follow the same procedure after accidentally pressing the CLEAN key Display indications Error Messages All displayed numbers 20 83 and 89 and 9...

Page 50: ...m drops down allowing the slide to fall into the print sledge The print sledge moves under the print head where the printing occurs Once the information has been printed on the slide the print sledge moves the slide to the drying station The drying station blows warm air on the freshly printed slide to dry the ink The slide is then dropped in the final station where a UV curing lamp is activated a...

Page 51: ...g magazine number appears in the display 1 If necessary remove the empty slide magazine s from the printer 2 Refill the magazines with slides and reload the magazines in the printer See Section 2 page 2 13 for detailed instructions 3 Press the LOADED key Figure 4 E to inform the printer that the empty magazine s has been reloaded Figure 4 E ...

Page 52: ...ith an empty tray Removing and Replacing Trays When all unload trays have been filled and indexed out of the unload station the TRAY LOAD yellow LED flashes the printer issues an audible alarm and the ONLINE key extinguishes 1 If all the trays have been indexed completely out of the Unload Station remove the trays and prepare to load new trays If the trays have not been completely indexed 0 out pr...

Page 53: ...n 8035N UV Ink Cartridge AP060342869 Transport Cartridge AP060337174 CD ROM containing Printer Driver 8038N UV Curing Lamp 8040 Slide Magazine AP060338021 Power Cord AP060338022 Serial Printer Cable 8041 Slide Bin Assembly AP060338023 AP060338023 Screwdriver Part of Toolkit AP060338023 Allen Key Part of Toolkit AP060338023 ...

Page 54: ...sories Product Code Description Product Code Description AP060336998 Brush AP060338024 Fuses 8033 Unload Station AP060142533 AP0501407162 Infrared Absorbing Glass Location Plate with sealing plate 8044 Unload Station Trays 8050 Cleaning Foam Swabs ...

Page 55: ...n of the instrument for many years the following steps are recommended Clean the instrument daily with care Regularly remove dust from the ventilation slots on the back of the instrument with a brush or small vacuum cleaner Have the instrument inspected regularly by a qualified service technician authorized by Sakura Daily Maintenance Each day the internal components should be inspected and cleane...

Page 56: ...mpting to remove CAUTION Always wear gloves when touching the curing lamp to prevent damage to the lamp 1 Open the main cover of the instrument exposing the main components 2 Locate the reflective cover housing the curing lamp The Unload Station Figure 6 C enables organized and automatic collection of slides Remove dust and debris from the guides and ejector with a brush The unload tray can be cle...

Page 57: ... the and are inserted into the connection ports bearing the same mark 8 Insert lamp into the connection port and push carefully inwards as far as it will go If necessary rock the lamp slightly for full insertion Figure 6 G Contact Spring Figure 6 G CAUTION If the lamp electrodes are inserted the wrong way the lamp will work but will wear out very quickly and may fail soon after insertion NOTE Be s...

Page 58: ... 6 J NOTE Once the cartridge has been removed a sensor in the cartridge slot initiates the start of the changing routine from transport cartridge to ink cartridge and vice versa When a cartridge is removed all printer functions are disabled to prevent air from being drawn into the ink system The Ink empty LED illuminates and remains on until a new cartridge is inserted 4 Take the ink cartridge out...

Page 59: ...portant and must not be omitted 9 Insert the safety catch between the metal plinth and the printer Position the catch in front of the cartridge to prevent slippage and to ensure proper instrument function Figure 6 N Figure 6 N 5 CAUTION The printer should not be operated without the safety catch in place Figure 6 O Figure 6 O NOTE If the safety catch part AP0601339616 is not installed or provided ...

Page 60: ...ly 1 Press the ONLINE key 2 Open the main cover and then press the CLEAN and LOADED keys simultaneously for approximately 10 seconds This function moves the print head upward to a position approximately inch away from the sealing lip Figure 6 Q Figure 6 Q Figure 6 R 4 Moisten one of the foam swabs supplied with the instrument with alcohol NOTE Be sure not to use too much alcohol as there should be...

Page 61: ...move back to the parked position and the message 15 will disappear from the display If no key is pressed to acknowledge the end of the cleaning procedure the print head will be closed automatically after a few minutes to prevent it from drying out Transportation Storage When preparing to transport or store the AutoWrite Slide Printer the ink cartridge should be replaced with a transport cartridge ...

Page 62: ......

Page 63: ...e obstructions if required Figure 7 A 3 Remove all slides which may be in the following areas Delivery chute 0 In or next to the print sledge 0 Drying station 0 NOTE Do not reuse slides to avoid overstrike printing 4 Close the lid and press the ERROR key to confirm to the printer that the source of the error has been eliminated 5 The printer then verifies that all processing paths are unobstructed...

Page 64: ... case the power switch will be in the OFF O position Determine if one of the four secondary fuses is defective The following malfunctions failures may be caused by the indicated fuse Instrument not functioning Fuse F1 Display not working Fuse F1 Instrument not working at normal speed printing a slide slows down to approximately 8 seconds even after the warm up phase has been completed Fuse F2 Repl...

Page 65: ...locked Remove the slide 33 The vertical drive is mechanically blocked Remove the slide 34 The rotational motion is mechanically blocked Remove the slide 35 Faulty clamping of a slide A slide left the delivery chute but did not reach the print sledge Remove the slide from the print sledge 36 The slide did not leave the print sledge or was still located in the clamp during an initialization Remove t...

Page 66: ... on the printer Check the cable connection to the PC Check the configuration of the serial interface port on the connected PC and reboot the PC 63 Receive confirmation missing for send data or send data not confirmed by PC Follow the same procedure as that for ERROR 60 Try another printer cable 64 The print image exceeds the allowed vertical size Check setting s in program 65 The image exceeds the...

Page 67: ...rd this information in the blanks below Slide Printer Model Number Slide Printer Serial Number Unload Station Serial Number Optional Installation Date Warranty Period Replacement Accessory Items For All Models Product Number Description 8035N Ink Cartridge AP060342869 Transport Cartridge 8038N Curing Lamp 8040 Slide Magazines 3 cs 8041 Slide Bin Assembly 8050 Cleaning Foam Swabs AP050140162 Locati...

Page 68: ...8 2 Revised 3 04 11 SERVICE AND REPLACEMENT PARTS ...