Navigator DFE for DuraFlex r9
Release 9.0 of Navigator DFE for DuraFlex contains new features as well as feature enhancements. Release notes are here.
The changes are organized in this document by where the changes appear in the software: Navigator Server, the DFE web client, or NCE (Navigator Configurations Editor).
Navigator Server
DuraFlex R9 introduces the ability to use two DuraFlex print units for duplex printing. This version of the software runs across two computers. One of the two systems will have the familiar installation package for Navigator DFE, consisting of Server, RIPs, and Spooler; the other system will have an installation of just RIPs and the spooler application. There are separate installers for the two computers. Please refer to the installation guide for instructions on how to install and perform the initial configuration.
Because of the need to install RIP software on a second system, it is necessary to have two LDK licenses; one for each computer. When performing a backup of the license files, it is necessary to do so on both systems.
The Advanced Device Configuration window has changed slightly, with the addition of the Press Configuration section, as well as an update to the Hydration Controls graphic that describes what each value corresponds to in relation to the print unit and the media. Below is a screen capture of the Advanced Configuration window (located in the Navigator Server under Server>Manage Devices…>[Device Name] ). See installation and configuration guide for detailed instructions on initial configuration. The section below is a reference guide for each feature and a description of relevant information.
1 – Press Speed
For each resolution, there is a maximum speed threshold that can be configured. Depending on your application, these values may differ than what is seen in this screen capture. Please ensure that you have the recommended values for each resolution in place from your hardware manufacturer.
The press speed is used for calculating the correct amount of KWS (keep wet spit) to use in order to optimize ink usage and prevent the print head nozzles from drying out. The values that are entered in this box for each resolution is only for the maximum speed you wish to allow the press to run at. For each job, it is recommended by the print head manufacturer to set the speed you intend to run for each job with the dialog box located in the Advanced Job Editor within the DFE. Please refer to this link regarding setting job properties.
2 – TOF Media Offset (in uMeters)
The TOF (Top Of Form) Media Offset is the defined distance between the media sensor location (if equipped) and the printhead where imaging begins. It is necessary for the print controller to buffer several pages so that they are ready to print. The value placed in this box for each print unit allows for the print controller to know when a piece of media is present and heading toward the print head. Internal calculations within the print controller converts encoder tics into uMeters so that printing will start on a piece of media in a consistent manner.
This value should only need to be set once. If a temporary adjustment to the TOF Media Offset is necessary for certain types of work, this can be performed in the DFE.
If the values aren’t populated, they are polled from the print controller. The value can be extracted from the MediaReadyOffset value in hwparamstore.json. This configuration file should not be modified by anyone other than the device manufacturer as this can be different from one manufacturer to another. Manually editing the hwparamstore.json file improperly can lead to downtime as the unit(s) may not be able to initialize if a value or the syntax is incorrect.
It is assumed that the TOF Media Offset value will be different from the first print unit and the second print unit, hence the ability to enter the value for each unit individually.
Modifying this value does not change the value in hwparamstore.json, but it does override it.
3 - Duplex DuraFlex (1-wide configuration)
There are three possible operating modes for a Duplex DuraFlex: Duplex, Simplex, and Simplex Secondary. Briefly these are "two sided", "one sided on the first unit", "one sided on the second unit".
Duplex will always send the first page of the print job to print unit A.
If a range of pages being printed starts on an even page, the backup of the content will always be in sequence from the first printed page, For example, if the page range being printed is 2-11, sheet 1 would have page 2 on the front and page 3 on the back, sheet 2 would have page 4 on the front and page 5 on the back, and so on. Special attention should be paid to the document construction and intended backup when choosing page ranges to be produced.
The same applies if non-consecutive page ranges are chosen, such as “2, 4-5, 7-11”
Since hardware configurations from manufacturers can differ greatly, it is possible that the second print unit could be short distance from the first print unit, or it could be rather long. In the event of pausing a job, the last printed page in the Navigator Server is considered to be the last page that was imaged on the second unit. For example, if the fronts for pages 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11 were imaged on unit one, but only pages 2, 4, 6, 8 have been printed on unit 2, then the Navigator Server will determine that only pages 1-8 have been printed. This is the number of pages that will be reflected in the total number of printed pages that appears in the top right of the DFE’s job list page.
In the example above, if the system is paused, then pages 10 and 12 will still be in the print buffer for the second unit and will resume printing when the system is no longer paused. If the job were cancelled or a device FAULT were to occur, then the buffers for the printheads will be flushed and the last recorded page printed would be 8, and the fronts for pages 9 and 11 would be waste.
When resuming a job after cancelling or after a FAULT, the operator will need to determine what the correct starting page should be.
Note: In the event of a media jam between the second print unit’s TOF sensor and the print head, the TOF sensor will continue to direct the printhead to spray ink for each sheet of media that passed under the sensor, even if that media doesn't make it to the printhead.
Simplex
This mode will print all pages defined in the job editor on print unit A. It is possible to select Even, Odd or All Pages in the DFE Job editor for further control on what pages are printed.
Simplex Secondary
This works the same as Simplex, but directs printing to print unit B.
Continuing to work when a print unit is not functional or offline
In the event of one of the print units being inoperable, it is possible to operate the remaining unit in simplex mode by changing the selection to the desired unit. If only one unit is operational and in an idle state, printing will not be allowed until only an operational unit is selected for simplex operation. Once that has been completed, no further configuration is necessary.
Example: Print unit 1 goes offline and is out of commission. Switch configuration to Simplex Secondary and continue.
Hydration Control.
With the DuraFlex printer firmware version 5.2.1+ additional controls have been added to more precisely define how declog and spit settings are applied. If you are uncertain how these should be set, please reach out to your vendor to clarify what would be best based on your production needs. The values set in this window will be pushed to both print units.
To get to these controls, click the "Hydration Control" button.
Explanation of the diagram in this dialog box: This is meant to show 2 pages (P1 and P2) traveling from left to right.
I'll walk through the hydration controls, as they happen on a real printer, from right to left.
The first hydration control activity is (4) the first page declog spit.
The next hydration control is (6) Pre-Page spit gap.
Then comes the first printed page.
After that is (3) an inter-page spit bar.
Next comes the (5) secondary page spit. In this case "secondary" means "subsequent" as all pages after the first page declog spit will use the secondary page spit length value.
Then comes (6) the gap between spit and the next page again.
After that comes page 2.
Finally, the next interpage spit bar.
The sequence will begin again with another secondary page spit and continue to the end of your print job from there.
1. Declog mode: There are several options for the declog mode that you may wish to adjust based on the type of substrate you are running or based on your unique production needs. Modes available as follows:
Declog Descriptions:
NONE
No declog function will be performed. You can enable inter-page spit bars to get declogging performed between pages.
PRE_JOB
Declog is performed simultaneously on all printheads before the first page has started printing. The ejected ink is not synchronized to land on the first pre-page spit target area so this mode is unsuitable for use in printers that are unable to capture ink ejected in such a manner.
*Note that PRE_JOB declog is incompatible with the inter-page spit option being enabled.
FIRST_PAGE
Declog is performed onto the pre-page spit target area of only the first page in a job chain. Needs about 80mm or 9000um
ALL_PAGES
Declog is performed prior to printing every page in a job chain. Ink is ejected onto the pre-page spit target area of both the first page and secondary pages.
SACRIFICIAL_ONLY
Declog is only performed onto the first page of media arriving during a print session, in an area starting at the top of page and of length specified by the sacrificialPageLength setting within the hwparamstore.json file. The first page of the job chain is printed on the second page of media. No declog is performed in the pre-page spit target area of any page.
SACRIFICIAL_ALL
Declog is performed onto the first page of media arriving during a print session, in an area starting at the top of page and of length specified by the sacrificialPageLength setting within the hwparamstore.json file. No declog is performed onto that page's pre-page spit target area. The first page of the job chain is printed on the second page of media. That and all subsequent pages are treated as secondary pages, and regular declog is performed onto their pre-page spit target areas.
SYSTEM DEFAULT
returns the system to using the declog settings manually configured in the hwparamstore.json file on the printer.
2. Pre-Page Spit Intensity: Density. The entries in this pulldown are based on 0-100%. The intensity will depend on your needs based on the substrate you are running, environmental considerations, etc.
3. Enable Inter-Page Spit Bars: This was the previous KWS (Keep Wet Spit) behavior. Enabling this will eject a spit bar between pages/prints if room allows. Enabling and disabling this will depend on your unique needs.
4. First Page Spit Length: This is the length of the KWS ejection prior to running the first page of each print job. Needs 80mm or 80000um. So perhaps a setting of 90mm/90000um will give a little buffer area.
5. Secondary Page Spit Length: All subsequent pages. This setting defines the length of the KWS ejection before the printing of each subsequent page after the first page of the job. It may be necessary for the first page KWS to be much larger than the secondary KWS length if adequate amounts of ink are being plaid down based on the content of the job and/or other factors. Minimum setting = 1800um
6. Pre-Page Spit Gap: This defines the space between the end of the KWS ejection and the top of each page that is printed after the first page has completed.
7. Units. This pulldown has different options for the units that you wish to enter the values for in this window.
Navigator Configurations Editor
The Navigator Configuration Editor (NCE) functions as it has since DuraFlex R6. The only change is that it is now possible to use a different render config for the 2nd print unit. The way to accomplish this is to select the render config for the front of the media you want and duplicate it. Then change the 2nd render config to your desired configuration, maintaining the same name, but adding a _S2 to the end.
For example:
954 – Name of the render config for the front of the media.
954_S2 – Name of the render config for the back of the media.
If you want to use the same render config for both sides, it is not necessary to duplicate the render config for side to. If there isn’t a matched name with _S2 at the end, the same render config will be sent to both units.
DFE client
The DFE browser client has a few additional controls that have been added for duplex printing.
The Device Configuration window (accessed by the gear icon located on the right side of the DFE just above the job list) has had several changes.
1 – Printer Status
The printer status area has changed to now show both print units. The front stage is the first print unit that is connected directly to the server that the Navigator Server and DFE are running on.
The graphic showing the level of ink remaining has been split in half to show the first print unit on the left, and the second print unit on the right. This has also been changed on the DFE’s index page.
2 – Mid Job Servicing
This toggle allows you to enable or disable mid job servicing. Please consult your hardware manufacturer for recommendation on when this should or should not be used. If mid job servicing is disabled, it can cause the printhead nozzles to become clogged.
3 – Max Page Interval
This is to set the maximum number of printed pages between performing a mid job service. Please consult your hardware manufacturer for recommendation on the intervals that should be used for the types of substrates and jobs that you print.
4 – Top of Form Media Mode
It is possible that you may have a different TOF mode for the first and second print unit. This pulldown is for defining the TOF mode for the primary print unit. An example of why this would be different would be if you were using a roll-fed device where the front side of the media prints a mark somewhere on the page that the TOF sensor on the second print unit will read to accurately register and place the image for the back side of the media.
5 – Top of Form Adjustment
This input field is for entering an additional TOF adjustment on top of the position that exists in the Advanced Device Settings within the Navigator Server application. This will assist in offsetting the content of a job toward or away from the TOF sensor when setting up bleed jobs or in other special circumstances.
6 – Top of Form Media Mode
It is possible that you may have a different TOF mode for the first and second print unit. An example of why this would be different would be if you were using a roll-fed device where the front side of the media prints a mark somewhere on the page that the TOF sensor on the second print unit will read to accurately register and place the image for the back side of the media.
7 - Top of Form Adjustment
This input field is for entering an additional TOF adjustment on top of the position that exists in the Advanced Device Settings within the Navigator Server application. This will assist in offsetting the content of a job toward or away from the TOF sensor when setting up bleed jobs or in other special circumstances.
Note and/or warning:
If you are making changes to the hydration settings when a value already exists in this input field, please double-check your positioning once you have the desired hydration settings in place. You may end up with declog or spit bars on your printed piece.
The Full Job Editor window (seen when you submit a job or when you edit one) has had one additional option added to allow for the printing of all pages, odd pages, or even pages.
Note:
When printing in duplex mode, the first page to print will always print on the first print unit, even if you specify a range that starts with an even page number, or if you choose Even Pages. For example, if you are printing all even pages in the job, the front of the first sheet will be page 2, and the back of the sheet will have page 4. If the desired result would be to print all of the even pages only on the back side of the media, you would change the printing mode in the Navigator Server’s Advanced Device Settings window to Simplex Secondary to produce the desired results. If you were to select Simplex, then only even pages would print on the front of the media.