CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

The impact of engineering age is tremendous and its arrears of application are increasing geometrically.  It is believed that the information revolution will radically change the nature and quality of engineering work in the near future.

Some of the most exiting arrear of the information technology includes.

• Office automation and computer publishing
• Just-in-time (J.I.T) production techniques to reduce cost and improve quality.
• Electronic shopping and electronic funds transfer
• Computer controlled commuter train system
• Decision support system (DSS) that facilitate real time control of making under battle field condition typically characterized by uncertainty
• Computer aids to the handicapped including intelligent implants and experts for medical diagnosis.
• Computer aids instruction (CAI) and aided manufacturing.

Due to all these mentioned arrears of computer application and more, computer has now been accepted and used by so many organizations, by individuals for various purposes.  It is believed that computer is an agent, which improves productivity, enhances competition.

It is however worthy to not that 75% of all computer application generate documented information.  This is why it is said that had copy is the spice of information.

Computer generates printed report for adequate circulation and communication.  This underlines the importance of printers in computerized operations and environments.

Considering the increasing number of which malfunction ‘vis a vis’ while the scanty availability of maintenance experts, these is no doubt that may important and urgent reports are either frustrated permanent or produced too late to serve their purpose.  It therefore become very imperative to develop this EPSON printer troubleshooting and maintenance expert system which will guide a non-expert through step by step approach to troubleshoot and maintain his EPSON printer.

STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

When printers malfunction, it is often difficult tracing the causes of such malfunctions with respect to identified symptoms.  Often, some of these faults are so minor that virtually every user is supposed to be able to handle them effectively without having to undergo the rigours of finding maintenance experts.  In many occasions, the defects are perfectly eliminated by clearing the edge connectors and resisting the plugs and printer interface cards.  Some diagnostic software such as Qapuls could also help in locating the causes of the problem.

However, the need for a reliable maintenance service cannot be over emphasized.

Since it is necessary for effective performance of any printer.  Also it is pertinent to observe that there are many other preventive maintenance procedures that can be duly appreciate by the user which could minimize printer failure.  This project has been designed and preventive maintenance in a “DO IT YOURSELF FASHION.  It as well provides most of the salient information necessary to troubleshoot Epson printers.

PURPOSE OF STUDY

The purpose of this project or study is to give expert knowledge or guide on the rectification of several known faults commonly developed by Epson printer and then develop an expert software system which will give any user the expertise knowledge to rectify the problem of his/her Epson printer.

This project will, therefore, briefly, look at the superficial culture of maintaining and trouble shooting printers with a view providing a number of analytical diagnostic steps that an operator could easily implement to enable him/her forge ahead when his/her printer suddenly develops a fault in the make of a printer job.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES

The aims and objectives of this project are:-

To assemble a knowledge base that is common to the trouble shooting and maintenance Epson printers of diverse models.  To prevent this knowledge in a diagnostic format such that will enable even non-expert identify and rectify minor problems of the printers especially.  When the maintenance experts are not handy.  To provide a printer maintenance teaching aid on the basis of DO IT YOURSELF.  To emphasize the concept of preventive maintenance, especially as it effects fragile electronic of the ink of computer and printers.

SCOPE OR DELIMITATION

Even though there are several types – laser, dot – matrix, inkjet – and makes of printer Epson, OK1, NEC, CITIZEN, IBM, STAR, PANASONIC, etc,. for the purpose of this project, it has been designed to focus on the most commonly found (the Epson dot – matrix printer).  This option was chosen with the respect to the fact that this could be regarded as the (economy class) hence need as much guide as possible both in preventive and guide as possible both in preventive and corrective maintenance.

It is worth being mentioned that the project has been designed and mainly flow on the Epson and similar.  The area of coverage is not very wide, however, since volume of books and journals are regularly on the issue.  Hence this work shall not attempt to be exhaustive.

1. 1. LIMITATION

The research work cannot contain all it suppose because of the following reasons or limitations.

TIME FACTOR:-         The aim that is given for the research on this study is very limited making it impossible to go further into the research.

UNAVAILABILITY OF THE NEEDED INFORMATION:-       Seeing that only a few engineering firms exist in this country, it was difficult for me to get much informant for the work.

TIMITED RESOURCES:     Because of the cost in transportation and other financial demands, it was not possible to get all the information needed for an elaborate work.