Your printer uses a low-flow, high-pressure vacuum system to secure media for printing on the printer table. Two vacuum pumps are used to evacuate the air between the overlay and the table. Air-feed ports in the table surface connect to the vacuum pumps through a series of manually operated flow valves that are operated by turning control handles. These handles are used to activate or shut down the vacuum zones. In order for the system to work effectively, during printing all the circular holes on the top surface of the overlay sheet connected to an active vacuum zone must be covered. This creates a closed vacuum system.
Ink Bays and Vacuum Zone Control HandlesThe control handles determine the state of the vacuum zones. When the handle is vertical, the zone is open and creates a vacuum in the related area. To close a zone, turn the control handle a quarter turn clockwise to the horizontal position.
If your media does not cover all of a vacuum zone you must mask the area around the media to create a closed vacuum system. Use scrap media or material that is equal to or less than the thickness of the media to mask the table. You can tell when the vacuum is sealed by the sound it makes and also by the vacuum gauge, which must read at least 20 "Hg.
The vacuum foot pedal toggles the table vacuum on or off. It helps the operator to secure the media on the vacuum table since it allows hands-free operation. The vacuum must be turned on prior to starting a print, and the vacuum cannot be turned off until a print is completed.
The vacuum gauge is located on the table. It provides a visual representation of the actual pressure in the vacuum table system.
NOTE
Use the vacuum gauge to determine if a zone is properly masked. When the active zone is properly masked the gauge will read at 20"Hg (68 kPa) or higher. Small leaks can reduce this number and therefore the efficiency of the vacuum. Porous media can also degrade the vacuum effect.
If the vacuum gauge for an active zone reads below 10"Hg (34 kPa) and you have ensured that the area is properly masked and taped off, you may have a leak in the vacuum system. Place a service call only if you determine that the zone is correctly masked and the gauge reads consistently low.
If ink build-up occurs on the overlay sheet, remove the ink. If it is not removed, the print gap can be affected and this may affect the vacuum table's ability to secure the media properly. To remove ink we recommend that you use a paint scraper containing a straight edge razor blade (these can be found at a local hardware store). Refer to the Maintenance section for more detailed instructions.