Sharp X2 - Manual (Page 19)

Getting to Know Your ColorgrafX X2 7
Printer components (con’t)
Media transport
To thoroughly know your printer, you need to know how the print
passes through the printer. Refer to the illustration on the next page.
The process is as follows:
1. Media roll - The media roll is mounted in the printer.
2. Media feed roller - The media feed roller pulls the media from the
media roll. It is driven through a clutch which couples to the
timing belt driven by the Pinch roller drive motor. The clutch and
its associated electronics allow the printer to select which media
roll is used to make each print.
3. Media pinch rollers - These rollers are the main media transport
rollers in the printer. The media Pinch roller is driven through a
worm gear connected to a precision stepper motor.
4. Vacuum fans - Six vacuum fans, behind the vacuum platen,
provide the vacuum that holds the media in place on the platen.
5. Vacuum platen - The vacuum platen is a flat surface that holds
the media against its surface using vacuum pressure. Media
held by the vacuum platen presents a flat, unmoving precision-
aligned surface to the printer heads while ink is being applied.
6. Print heads - The print heads move across the surface of the
media, depositing ink as required, driven by the carriage motor
and carriage belt.
7. Cutter - After a print is completed, the cutter separates the print
from the media roll completing the print cycle.
8. Media exit roller - The exit roller has a series of star wheels and
exit rollers that gently move the finished print out of the printer.