A license to print money

[Paul Wagstaff]

hi all,

i'm hoping to automate the printing of giro-cheques (e.g. anything from a
10s upto maybe 1000 at a time). we currently use software that requires each
payee name, address & amount is typed in & then printed. we use a dot matrix
OKI Microline 520 Elite. However it needs tweaking every few prints due to
it becoming slightly mis-aligned - all the relevant data has to be 'within
the boxes' else the giro cannot be cashed. Perhaps I can do something to
improve its precision/paper-feeding properties?

Now, given my desire to automate the printing process - feeding the printer
from an Access database, I'm worried about how likely it is that my printing
will also go askew. With this printer it's a dead cert - so what should I be
using? and how much money should I pay paying? The blank giros have the
perforations down each side, for the printer to lock into (apologies for not
knowing the correct lingo).

Thanks in advance for any thoughts or advice.

Paul.

 

[Arthur Entlich]

A properly functioning and programmed tractor feed printer and properly
perforated tractor fee paper (those are the holes on the side you speak
of) should maintain registration well enough that they should not need
to be reset every few pages.

If your printer is slipping that much, after several pages, it may
indicate the tractor feed unit is wearing and not moving the paper
correctly, the tractor may not be locked into position correctly, or the
printer may not be correctly set up for tractor feed (many dot matrix
printers have to have the platen released when unused with the tractor
feed, and if one neglects to do so, the paper will slip or the two
methods of advance will fight one another), the paper may not be
properly punched to match the tractor belt spacing, the documents may
not have been printed correctly in terms of spacing or dimensions, or
the programmer for the formatting the printing may not have properly
measured the form and micro spacing, and the printing may therefore be
adding or subtracting a very small amount of space with each document
printed, which add up pretty quickly and put the form out of
registration within a few pages.

So, the first problem is to determine if the problem is a mechanical
malfunction, a misuse of the printer (incorrectly set up for tractor
use) a printing error in the forms or tractor holes, or a programming
mistake in the printing spacing.

You need someone who knows what they are doing to determine what is
causing the mis-registration, since there are many possible causes.

Unless you are going to try to print the full product at once, you will
have greater registration problems with other printing methods. For a
security item with negotiable value, I would recommend against printing
the whole item because it is difficult to put security features into a
home printer output - unless you buy special security paper with
incorporated features, which I assume you already have in the current
version).

You really just need to figure out the problem with the dot matrix
printing and have that fixed.

Art

 

[Arthur Entlich]

I am reposting this because it appears my ISP's mail server has been a
bit flaky. I apologize if it shows up more than once.

Art


A properly functioning and programmed tractor feed printer and properly
perforated tractor fee paper (those are the holes on the side you speak
of) should maintain registration well enough that they should not need
to be reset every few pages.

If your printer is slipping that much, after several pages, it may
indicate the tractor feed unit is wearing and not moving the paper
correctly, the tractor may not be locked into position correctly, or the
printer may not be correctly set up for tractor feed (many dot matrix
printers have to have the platen released when unused with the tractor
feed, and if one neglects to do so, the paper will slip or the two
methods of advance will fight one another), the paper may not be
properly punched to match the tractor belt spacing, the documents may
not have been printed correctly in terms of spacing or dimensions, or
the programmer for the formatting the printing may not have properly
measured the form and micro spacing, and the printing may therefore be
adding or subtracting a very small amount of space with each document
printed, which add up pretty quickly and put the form out of
registration within a few pages.

So, the first problem is to determine if the problem is a mechanical
malfunction, a misuse of the printer (incorrectly set up for tractor
use) a printing error in the forms or tractor holes, or a programming
mistake in the printing spacing.

You need someone who knows what they are doing to determine what is
causing the mis-registration, since there are many possible causes.

Unless you are going to try to print the full product at once, you will
have greater registration problems with other printing methods. For a
security item with negotiable value, I would recommend against printing
the whole item because it is difficult to put security features into a
home printer output - unless you buy special security paper with
incorporated features, which I assume you already have in the current
version).

You really just need to figure out the problem with the dot matrix
printing and have that fixed.

Art

 

[Tony]

hi all,

i'm hoping to automate the printing of giro-cheques (e.g. anything from a
10s upto maybe 1000 at a time). we currently use software that requires each
payee name, address & amount is typed in & then printed. we use a dot matrix
OKI Microline 520 Elite. However it needs tweaking every few prints due to
it becoming slightly mis-aligned - all the relevant data has to be 'within
the boxes' else the giro cannot be cashed. Perhaps I can do something to
improve its precision/paper-feeding properties?

Now, given my desire to automate the printing process - feeding the printer
from an Access database, I'm worried about how likely it is that my printing
will also go askew. With this printer it's a dead cert - so what should I be
using? and how much money should I pay paying? The blank giros have the
perforations down each side, for the printer to lock into (apologies for not
knowing the correct lingo).

Thanks in advance for any thoughts or advice.

Paul.

Paul
These printers are very solid but after they have done lots of printing some
parts wear and can cause misalignment.
Are the problems vertical or horizontal in nature?
I know of 2 common causes of vertical misalignment and 1 of horizontal
misalignment. Often the vertical misalignment can be accompanied by paper jams
but not always.
If you advise which it is I will be happy to provide advice, all of the common
problems require very cheap parts to repair and the parts are easy to replace.
I have not posted all the detail here because describing the location of the
components that can cause these problems will take a lot of typing but I am
more than happy to do so if you can advise whether the misalignment is vertical
or horizontal and also what you do when you "tweak" the printer (which should
absolutely not be necessary).
A replacement printer is likely to have to be a dot matrix also because of your
application and OKI are as good as they get in my experience.
Tony

 

[Paul Wagstaff]

Art & Tony

Many thanks to you both. I believe the movement, so to speak is horizontal,
but will need a couple of days to verfiy, so I'll re-post in a few days when
I've got this & had a look at exactly what needs to be tweaked, by how much
and so on. It's heartening to hear that it may be 'user error', as the
printers, as far as I'm aware haven't been battered too much.

I'll set it up on my works pc and have a good rummage around - I've have
asked for a copy of the manual so I'm hoping that, combined with your help,
will get me through this. Incidently, I know I'm wandering off-topic a
little, but I sparked this idea off in an Access newsgroup and the only
response I got saw no reason why the Access report engine couldn't be used
to 'size up' where everything should go. I'll leave that one with you; as
you've probably noticed, I'm in vergin territory here.

Thanks again
Paul.

 

[DaveG]

Many thanks to you both. I believe the movement, so to speak is horizontal,
but will need a couple of days to verfiy, so I'll re-post in a few days when
I've got this & had a look at exactly what needs to be tweaked, by how much
and so on. It's heartening to hear that it may be 'user error', as the
printers, as far as I'm aware haven't been battered too much.

Pau,

If the problem is horizontal alignment then it's most likely a dirty
carriage bar. That's the metal bar which the printhead runs along.

They are usually chromed steel but could be teflon coated. (See later)

Whatever it is, it probably looks black right now. Give it a wipe with a
cloth and see if it chromed steel underneath black dirt. If so, it needs
a good wipe down along its full length. Ideally, it should be stripped
down and the head carriage removed as there will be a build up in the
carriage guides too. Cleaning only the bar will probably fix it short
term (days, weeks maybe months) but the muck under the carriage guides
will spread over it again as well as new dirt build up.

If you don't want to strip it down, use a rag dampened with meths to clean
the bar. Make sure the printer is switched off of course. Manually
puch/pull the print head up and down the bar after each clean so the meths
can work a bit in the build up under the carriage. This might take a
while. Lube the carriage bar with a small drop of sewing machine oil
either side of the printhead with the head in the middle. manually run
the head left/right a couple of full strokes to spread the oil.

Back to possibility of a teflon coated carriage bar. *DO NOT LUBRICATE*
Just clean it with a dry cloth.

There's also another runner at the front of the printer which the head
carriage sits on. This should be cleaned too.

It's a while since I last worked on any DMP printers but the last I did
work on were OKIs. Some of them have a plastic toothed guide running the
width of the printer with a driver motor on the head to make the head
move. You can get a build up of dirt/grease/paper dust/bits of the
"punches" from the paper in the teeth of the bar. That could cause the
head to "jump" as the gear teeth can't engage that tooth position on the
plastic bar. If your printer has this, check it carefully for
obstructions.

Finally, if you get any vertical mis-alignment, this is almost always
caused by the tractor belts having stretched a little of time. They can
be replaced but it can be fiddly on most printers. A good printer repair
shop should be able to get the parts you needs. I still see a lot of OKI
ML printers out in the field. It's just not my job to fix them anymore
(Car sale rooms/repair centres and KwickFit being two places which
immediately come to mind)