BNB (bar in box) Replacement Programming

This guide will go through the programming steps required when replacing a BNB in the field.

Before programming, the BNB will need to be replaced - see https://postmark-usa.com/bnb-replacement for details

Note: Replacement BNB’s are shipped with shipping fluid which will need to be purged from the printhead. After using this guide to program the replacement BNB, the BNB will start purging roughly 300ml of ink from the printhead upon a hard power cycle.

Ensure the printhead is positioned so that a waste container can be installed close to the printhead. It is recommended to use paper towels or other absorbent material in this tray to help absorb the ink. If the container is too far away from the printhead, the ink may aerosol.

Ensure the container is wide enough to cover the entire printhead - all nozzles will be used during the purging process.

NOTE: Cartridges that are below 50% or that have been used for purging before (starter ink included with the printer) will not work for purging a BNB.

Please either watch the video below or follow the listed steps.

The BNB and Main PCA need to be programmed when replacing the BNB. This is done over an ethernet connection from a windows PC. It is recommended to use the same windows PC that sends print data to the printer.

The programming is done through our windows 1170 interface which is similar to the touchscreen on the 1170 printer.

After the 1170 interface software has been installed and configured, navigate to the settings page and hold down the Orange O at the bottom to access the admin options.

The admin console as well as some other buttons should now be accessible:

Hold the Admin Console button to open the Admin Console window:

Hold the BNB Replacement button to open the BNB replacement utility:

This utility will walk through the necessary steps to prepare the BNB for purging and programming.

Step 1: Before starting, ensure that the printer’s firmware is up to date. If the printer firmware is below 2034D, send a firmware update to the printer by holding down the “Send firmware Update” button until the orange bar goes out. Firmware updates take 5-10 minutes. During this time, the printer will go offline for a short period of time. Once the firmware update is completed, the HP Firmware should be shown. Firmware can also be updated from the touchscreen on 1170 printers.

Step 2: Once firmware has been verified, hold down the boot into MFG mode button and hard power cycle the printer by removing the main power cord for 10 seconds and plugging it back in. The printer will boot into a special mode called Manufacturing mode that allows the BNB and main PCB to be programmed. You should see the printer status change to offline and then after about 2 minutes, if done correctly, the printer status should show inPowerSave as shown below:

Step 3 - Program BNB and Main PCA

Once the printer has booted into manufacturing mode, we will program the mPCA and BNB.

Start by holding the Enable BNB Replacement button. After 10 seconds, hold down the Register BNB button. After another 10 seconds, hold down the Set BNB To Idle. The BNB and Main PCA should be programmed after these steps.

Step 4: Check mechanical function of the new BNB.

There are four checks that should be ran to ensure that the BNB was properly installed and the mechanical movement of the printer is correct. It is advised to set the printhead 5mm or more off the belt to ensure the printer does not crash into the belt or bleed channel when checking.

Start by running the Check Service Sled option. This will cycle the service sled and check for any issues. After pressing and holding the Check service sled button, you should see the service sled move back and forth. The Interface software will show some information regarding the service sled’s movement:

If the service sled fails this test or doesn’t move, double check the flat flexible connections to ensure that everything is plugged in and in the correct orientation. If the service sled does move, but fails the test, the service sled may be out of alignment. You can follow the instructions below for troubleshooting service sled movement:

Once the service sled test has been passed, press continue to move on to the Initialize Mech button. This test will move the printhead and check that proper voltage is being delivered to the pens. This is a pass / fail test and the printer should move the print bar up and down:

If the Initialize Mech test is failed, double check the ribbon cable connections, specifically the three connections that come from the BNB.

Once the Initialize Mech test has been ran successfully, press the continue button and run the Check Printbar test. This test will move the printbar to its lower stall position and report its lowest position.

The lower printbar Stall distance should report higher than 5300 - if this test fails, look for anything that may be obtruding the printbar’s movement.

Lastly, the spit on web button is used to ensure the nozzles can fire. Press and hold the Spit on web button. The printbar should shoot out some shipping fluid onto the web as shown in the below picture. This is a pass / fail test:

Step 5: Purging

Once all four tests have been successfully passed, you can move on to preparing the BNB to be purged and set the printer to boot back into normal mode.

Press and hold the Prep for Purge button, wait 10 seconds, and press the Boot into Normal button.

After these buttons have been pressed, the printer will boot into normal mode and start purging shipping fluid after a hard power cycle. A container will need to be installed under the printhead to catch the shipping fluid (around 300-500ml). This container should be as close to the printhead as possible and it is recommended to have something absorbent near the printhead (not touching it) to avoid the ink from aerosolizing.

The purging process takes around 20 minutes and once done, the printer should show ready status. Cartridges that have been used for purging (such as starter ink provided with the printer) cannot be used for the purging process. It is recommended to use new cartridges for this process. If using new cartridges, the printer status may show the following status: 65862 - genuineHP - this can be cleared using the clear error button which may need to be pressed multiple times.

If the printer does not start purging, it is recommended to start from the beginning of this guide making sure each step is closely followed.

Step 6: BNB Offset

The final step in this process is to set the BNB Offset to the old print count in order to differentiate the lifetime page count vs. the BNB page count. This can be done in the Admin Console under the “gear icon.” Here you will see a box for “BNB Offset” where you will enter the current page count. This will reset the BNB and now read accurately.