COMMON 3900 FAMILY QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS Q: Is it correct a customer pays TWICE (double the usage charge) even when printing only simplex on a duplex configuration? A: Yes - when printing simplex on a 3900 Duplex system configured in duplex, you will pay click charges on paper moved through BOTH engines. This is exactly why we allow the system to be configured as two simplex printers - the best thing for a customer to do is to not allow simplex printing when the system is configured in duplex (they can do this by having special classes for duplex printing and only print jobs in those classes when the system is in duplex mode). ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Q: When upgrading two 3900-0W1s to a duplex system, can one go back and 'downgrade' from the duplex system to two 3900-0W1s? A: No - there is no way back from a duplex system to 2 simplex machines. However, this should not be necessary, as a duplex system can be run as 2 simplex machines in DSM (dual simplex mode) without any changes to applications or operations. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Q: Can a 3900-DW2 act as a simplex 0W1 without any problem? Or can a 3900-DW2 only run when (physically) connected to a 3900-DW1? A: The 3900-DW2 cannot be ordered by itself. An entire duplex system must be ordered (3900-DW1/DW2). However, it is possible in an emergency to run a 3900-DW2 without having the 3900-DW1 online. This will require special setup by the CE. Normal running without the 3900-DW1 physically attached is NOT a supported configuration. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Q: Do we need any software on the host in addition to PSF in order to drive the duplex configuration (such as Siemens uses with their 2140 Twin)? A: No - IBM 3900 Duplex systems are fully controlled by PSF. We do not require any additional software to drive the printer complex - either in duplex or dual simplex mode, and regardless of whether N_UP is used or not. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Q: If a job is printing today in duplex on a 3827, can it run without modifications on a 3900 Duplex system? A: In 1_UP printing, any duplex application (3827 or whatever) will run without changes on the 3900-DW system. If you want to take advantage of 2_UP printing (say 2 A4 side-by-side), then you will need to create a 2_UP FORMDEF for printing on the 3900-DW, but no application changes are necessary. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Q: Is there any speed reduction when going from 3900-0W1 to 3900-DW1/2? A: Yes, there is a speed difference when going from two simplex machines to the duplex configuration. The 3900-0W1 runs at 229 ipm (US letter). When you go to the duplex configuration, each machine runs at 150 ipm (and the duplex system at 300 ipm). You can, however, add features that allow for full speed duplex and simplex (458 ipm in duplex and 229 ipm for each engine in simplex). ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Q: Can I use channel extenders with AFCCU-based printers? Are there any special requirements? A: We do not have a comprehensive list of all channel extenders. The information we do have is summarized below. The following is NOT to "certify" the vendor. The customer should check with their channel extender vendor for compatibility questions and any other restrictions. The channel microcode in all our AFCCU-based printers is common. The channel extender boxes that we do know have run with our AFCCU-based S/370 channel-attached printers are as follows: o Paradyne (now TechForce) XL1000 had to make a change to run with our printers. The XL1000 requires code level EC 7.0 or above to support an AFCCU-based printer. o CNT(Computer Network Technology) 5100-PTP was able to run with our AFCCU printers unchanged. o Network Systems Corp.: HYPR Channel RDS Product Software was able to run with our AFCCU printers unchanged. o Computerm KEH Model 70 was tested and runs with the AFCCU printers. They had to make changes to their code and update EPROMS to run with ACCCU. o McData: Channel extender model 5200 was able to run with our 3160 printer unchanged. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Q: Can I run into problems with channel extenders if the blocksize used by the extender is too small? A: Yes! Channel Extenders used with 3900 AFCCU printers should be configured for a 16K or larger blocksize. AFCCU 3900 printers request that PSF send a 16K blocksize. Either the channel extender must replace this request with one for a smaller blocksize, or it must accommodate the 16K blocksize. A recent problem with a Network Systems channel extender model 701 was corrected by increasing its blocksize from 12K to 20K. The symptoms of that problem were the following PSF/MVS error messages: APS852I Channel Status Word Error with 00 and 04 return codes for Unit and CSW respectively. APS050I PSF/MVS Abend 024 with RC of 0615. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Q: What special considerations apply to 4381 customers planning to attach AFCCU-based printers via S/370 channel? A: 4381 customers may require a hardware microcode patch to successfully attach an AFCCU-based printer via S/370 channel. 3900 Product Engineering can determine which patch is required. CE should open a PMH on RETAIN in advance of the printer installation to obtain the ncessary patch. The patch is a hardware patch, not software, and affects the device timeout microcode on a 4381. PE has patches for 4381 models 13, 14, and 92. The problem has to do with our S/370 Channel Emulator/A card's inability to respond within the design limits of the 4381. The 4381 was designed around hardware parallel channel cards that could respond in less than 30 ms. An AFCCU-based printer can take as long as 250ms and therefore the microcode patches are designed to extend the timeout of a 4381 to 250 ms. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Q: What are the average and maximum duty cycles of the 3900 printer family? A: The duty cycles are given in terms of impressions - and depend on whether you're printing 1 or 2-up. Here's a rough idea (all values are impressions/month in millions): 0W3 0W1 DW1/DW2 DW1/DW2 Form Size (150 ipm) (229 ipm) (300 ipm) (458 ipm) ---------------------- --------- --------- --------- --------- 1-up letter (12 x 8.5) 2.1/3.7 2.8/5.6 4.2/7.3 5.6/11.2 2-up letter (18 x 11) 3.3/5.7 4.3/8.7 6.5/11.3 8.6/17.4 The first value is the average usage and the second value is the maximum usage - remember, these are impressions, not feet. To determine monthly duty cycle in running feet, use the appropriate fudge factor: .71 for 1-up letter (8.5/12) and .46 for 2-up letter (11/(12*2)). Each engine running at 150 ipm uses the 0W3 numbers Each engine running at 229 ipm uses the 0W1 numbers The system in duplex at 300 ipm uses the DW1/DW2 300 ipm numbers The system in duplex at 458 ipm uses the DW1/DW2 458 ipm numbers So AVERAGE number of FEET for each engine in DSM at 150 ipm is 1.5 Mft. At 229 ipm, this becomes 2 Mft. per engine. The number of feet in duplex mode is exactly twice each engine in simplex mode - that is, total number of feet for the system per month is an average of 3 Mft. at 150 ipm (regardless of whether running in DSM or duplex), and 4 Mft. at 229 ipm. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Q: Can a 3900-001 or 3900-0W1 provide full backup for a 3900 Duplex system? A: Yes, 3900 duplex systems can be backed up by pre-AFCCU printers such as the 3900-001 and by simplex AFCCU printers such as the 3900-0W1. A pre-AFCCU printer (like the 3900-001) cannot support power positioning, so separate FORMDEFs will be required for the two printers if this function is implemented on the duplex system. While the 3900-0W1 does support power positioning, it cannot duplex, so if N_UP>1 and duplex are specified in the FORMDEF, separate FORMDEFs for the 3900-0W1 and the 3900-DW system are required. This is because power positioning is sensitive to duplex versus simplex, and PSF cannot support a duplex N_UP FORMDEF on a simplex printer. One could still print 2_UP in simplex on the 3900-0W1, and customers might be happy with that as a backup. If duplex is a job requirement, one would be better off with 3829 or 3160 as backup (3160 would be the better of the two because it fully supports N_UP power positioning and also supports 11x17 paper, so the SAME FORMDEF could be used on both the 3900-DW system and the 3160). ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Q: Is the 458 speed switch available for the D01/D02? A: No, there is no 458 ipm speed switch for 3900-D01/D02 (and none is planned). ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Q: I see toner and developer for older 3900s is different from that used with the new AFCCU printers. Is there a way to only need one kind of toner/developer for both 3900-001s and AFCCU 3900s? A: Toner and developer for all AFCCU 3900s is common - they all make use of the new multi-roll developer and PQE improvements. It turns out that 3900-001s sold after February of 1994 also use this multi-roll developer (we call these 3900s with Enhanced Print Quality). Older 3900-001s can be upgraded to enhanced print quality via feature code 4830, which will field MES the printers to Enhanced Print Quality level. This feature lists at $65,000. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Q: How do I determine toner and developer usage based on percentage coverage, application type, and form type? The information in the Introduction and Planning Guides talks about square inches per running foot, but I'm familiar with percent toner per impression. Is there a formula for getting from one to the other? A: Yes, there is a way to go from one to the other. Here is is: Often, you may not know the number of square inches of toner used per running foot. However, if you have approximate values for percentage toner coverage for particular applications on particular forms, the number of square inches of toner used per running foot can be calculated. Given percent coverage, total printable area, and form size, the number of square inches of toner used per running foot is calculated using the following formula: TC = (W*L)*(12/FL)*PC where TC is the toner coverage (square inches per running foot) W is the width of the total printable area in inches L is the length of the total printable area in inches FL is the forms length as loaded into the printer in inches PC is the percentage toner coverage, expressed in decimal As the table in the Introduction and Planning Guide gives yields only for 4 and 8 square inches per running foot, you will need to calculate the yield for other coverage values. Different formulas apply depending on the contrast settings, since toner yield as a function of coverage and contrast is not linear. For toner coverage between 4 and 8 square inches ( 4 < TC < 8), use one of the following: o For contrast setting C1: EY = 105 - 8.25*TC o For contrast setting C4: EY = 57 - 3.75*TC o For contrast setting C7: EY = 39 - 2.25*TC where EY is the estimate toner yield in thousands of running feet TC is the toner coverage (square inches per running foot) For toner coverage below 4 or above 8 square inches per running foot, linear interpolation does not yield an appropriate estimate. In either of these cases, a reasonable estimate can be obtained as follows: o If TC > 8: EY = (8/TC)*TY o If TC < 4: EY = (4/TC)*TY where EY is the estimate toner yield in 1,000 of running feet TC is the toner coverage (square inches per running foot) TY is the toner yield at a given contrast from the table There also are no data points for contrast settings other than 1, 4, and 7. To approximate yields for these other settings, use the C1 values for C2, the C4 values for C3 and C5, and the C7 value for C6. Two examples follow: Example 1: Contrast setting C1 4% toner coverage measured per letter-sized impression 1-up, 8.5" x 11" landscape 1. Determine the forms length (FL). The forms size is 12" wide by 8.5" high (FL = 8.5). 2. Determine the total printable area. The printable width is 11" (W = 11) and the printable length is 8.5" (L = 8.5). 3. Calculate the toner coverage in square inches per running foot based on 4% coverage (PC = .04): TC = (11*8.5)*(12/8.5)*(.04) = 5.28 square inches/foot 4. Determine which formula to use to calculate toner yield based on the toner coverage and contrast setting. Since the toner coverage is between 4 and 8 and the contrast setting is 1, the applicable calculation is: EY = 105 - 8.25*TC= 105 - 8.25*(5.28) = 61.44 As this value is in thousands of running feet, the estimated yield is 61,444 running feet per bottle. Example 2: Contrast setting C3 6% toner coverage measured per letter-sized impression 2-up, 8.5" x 11" portrait (full 17" print width) 1. Determine the forms length (FL). The forms size in this case is 18" wide by 11" high (FL=11). 2. Determine the total printable area. Because we are 2-up, the total width is 8.5+8.5= 17" and the length is 11" (W=17 and L=11). 3. Calculate the toner coverage in square inches per running foot based on 6% coverage (PC = .06): TC = (17*11)*(12/11)*(.06) = 12.24 square inches/foot 4. Determine which formula to use to calculate toner yield based on the toner coverage and contrast setting. Since the toner coverage is greater than 8, the appropriate formula is: EY = (8/TC)*TY The table does not have data for contrast setting 3, so we will calculate based on the C4 value (note our estimate therefore is conservative). The table value for 8 square inches coverage at contrast setting 4 is 27,000 (TY = 27,000). Therefore, estimated yield is: EY = (8/12.24)*27,000 = 17,647 running feet per bottle ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Q: All the installation advice I see recommends setting the Missing Interrupt Handler to at least 13 minutes for 3900-type printers. How is this set in VSE? A: It isn't! The missing interrupt handler for AFP-type devices is DISABLED in VSE. So we don't need to worry about having the MIH expire while the device sits idle waiting for an operator to READY it. The MIH timer does need to be properly set in both MVS and VM. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Q: I've heard about the Missing Interrupt Handler, and the need to set it properly when attached to host systems (such as MVS and VM). What does this do and how do I set it? A: The Missing Interrupt Handler is designed to detect communication failures with attached peripheals. Most I/O devices are always online, so if communication is lost for more than a few minutes, the system assumes some kind of device or channel failure. Printers, however, could be NOT READY for several minutes at a time when paper is loaded or pre/post processors are serviced. As a result, the Missing Interrupt Handler needs to be set to a higher value so a problem is not erronneously reported to the system (which usually results in the device being canceled). In any problem related to a printer's failure to communicate with the system (Interface Control Checks, AUTO IML, Selective Reset, Timeout, and so on) immediately check the value set for the Missing Interrupt Handler. It should be 13 minutes at a minimum. We've had many situations where after weeks of taking and reading traces, the problem turned out to be a MIH timer set at 3 minutes. In MVS accounts, MIH is in the IECIOSxx member of PARMLIB. In VM accounts, if PSF/VM is driving the printer, the parameter is in the PDM OPTIONS file as MITIME. PSF/VM is also recommending APAR UN73866 to correct timeout problems on AFCCU printers. In VSE accounts, the MIH timer is disabled when a printer is controlled by PSF/VSE. If VSE is running under VM, you may need to set MITIME, depending on whether or not the VSE guest is running V=R or V=V. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Q: The 3900 Duplex systems have only a single control unit. Does this affect the availability of the printing complex? Wouldn't it be better to have two control units, so you have backup in case the control unit fails? A: There are pros and cons to both approaches (single control unit versus one per engine). Here are some things to consider: 1. Having one controller instead of two cuts the probability of hardware failure in half. A system with two controllers has "more things to break". 2. Having two controllers can increase the complexity of microcode and job handling. The two controllers have to communicate and coordinate which engine prints what output. Having more lines of code can lead to increased microcode problems. 3. The controller is independent of the engines. So maintenance can occur on either engine without impacting the operation of the other. The 3900 Duplex is designed to print on either engine in simplex mode so maintenance can be performed on one engine at a time. 4. It is true if a 3900 Duplex System's controller has a failure, the ability to print on either engine is lost. However, the estimated failure rate for the controller is less than 1 percent of the entire print comlex. The controller is based on highly reliable IBM RISC technology. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Q: I saw demonstrations of tractorless paper feed mechanisms on the 3900 printer at XPLOR '95. Will this technology appear only on simplex machines, or is it planned for duplex system as well? A: The technology will initially be available on simplex machines, and then added at a later time to duplex systems. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Q: Can a tractorless feed mechanism coexist on the same machine with traditional continuous form paper fed by tractors? A: Yes, the two can coexist. So a customer can continue to use existing tractor-fed papers while migrating over to tractorless feeding. For some applications, traditional tractor feeding may give increased paper path reliability and less frequent jams. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Q: How many urge units are needed on a 3900 Duplex system? Are the units powered internally by the 3900, or is external power required? A: The 3900 Duplex system uses an IBM Urge unit in engine one. This urge unit gets power from the control unit. It is 110V. A second urge unit is usually required in engine 2. This urge unit is obtained from a pre/post-processor vendor and usually gets its power from the post-processor but quite often a separate outlet is needed. As this depends on the post-processing equipment, customers should ensure they have discussed the matter with their pre/post vendor prior to physical installation of the printing system. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Last update: 1/31/96 Comments, additions, and corrections to the above are welcome and can be sent to: Gene Roose Printing Systems Technical Support VM: ROOSEG AT BLDVMB Internet: groose_jr@vnet.ibm.com