Summary
This is a quick guide to connect a GT-MIC to an Imaje S8.
You have to do 4 things:
1. Connect our RJ45 cable that carries the print-go and shaft encoder signal to the inkjet. Unfortunately, the Imaje does not have a easy connector, you will have to cut the cable on the Imaje side and connect it to a screw terminal at the back of the inkjet. Be careful, if you do something wrong, you will blow the GT-MIC output optocoupler.
2. Connect a RS232 cable from one of the Dflex ports to the screw terminal at the back of the printer. Also here, Imaje did not provide for a standard DB9 or DB25.
3. Setup the Imaje S8 to receive data from external.
4. Setup the GT-MIC so that it transmits the message you want through the Dflex port x to the inkjet. This follows the standard procedures.
Note that the S8 holds only one message in the buffer, this may slow down the speed you can run the inkjet compared to others that buffer data. The reason is that the controller does a lot of other things and cannot guarantee that it will send the next message to be printed in time. Especially, because the S8 specification states that the time between DSR and DTR signal may be as much as 100 mS (page 2-8). But for regular applications it should be OK.
If writing with a double-headed Imaje, you have to set the heads apart in such a way, that the first has ended printing before the second, and vice-versa. This problem has to do with the way the RS232 is implemented in the inkjet.
Our implementation is based on Imaje’s “Manual for RS232 link and parallel link S8 range”. Document number A20740-B0.
RJ45 cable from GT: (colors may change)
No. Description Color Imaje T1
1 Motion WH/OR T1-9 TH+
2 GND OR T1-10 TH-
3 Print Go WH/GN T1-4 TP
4 GND GN T1-3 CTP
5 Print Done WH/BL
6 GND BL
7 +24V WH/BN (if jumpered in motion card Imaje)
8 GND BN
Serial on Imaje
Set jumper on RS232 on PCB (see legend on PCB)
Set jumper on DSR on PCB (see legend on PCB)
Description GT-Controller (DB25M)
B1-8 TD 2 Rd
B1-5 RD 3 Td
B1-13 GND 7 GND
Imaje Setup
In Main menu you find:
Production
Message Editing
Printer Preparation
Symbol editing
Go to Printer preparation:
Initialization
RS232 connection
Baudrate 19200
Parity No
Stop 1
Watch dog 3
8 digits
RS232 link Direct
Simple Protocol No
Go to Message Editing:
• Declare New message
• Select resident font
• Input some text
• Message Parameter. (You can also go to this menu with 2nd button right from the smiley face)
———————————————————————————————————
Head direction
Tacho mode X if tacho from controller but try first without to check printer (*)
Print speed 100
Print repetition 1
DIN channel
Setoff Object Object if print-go from controller, try Manual Object to check printer (*)
F. margin 1 mm
R. Margin 1mm
Interval 1
Top filter 100 us
———————————————————————————————————
• Load Imaje to printer. (You can also go to this menu with 1st button right from the smiley face)
• Close
You don’t have to go to production, it will print the message you input by hand on the panel or, if you make the controller send data, it will print what the controller sends. So, the very first time, do (*) to see that you job is ok, then add tacho, then add print-go (or Top as they call it).
The TOP LED in the Imaje PCB will flash and the SP LED too.
DON’T FORGET: we tried all above and it did not work, the Imaje technician told me to open the cover at the head, put it back, go to the panel of the inkjet and hit the smiley face. Then it worked. Obviously, it makes it reset the job somehow.
Layout in GT-MIC
The layout for the Imaje is line oriented because we use this inkjet to print a pin number or an address.
Below you see that you can select the font number. Please check Imaje document A20740-B0 page 91 for all possible fonts or call Imaje.
Below you see that you can set special Barcode parameters: 84 201 17. These are parameters in decimal numbers 0-255. Please check Imaje document A20740-B0 page 96 for more details. The first byte is the barcode type, second byte is bar sizes, third byte is bar and spaces.
