Blurred print and cut marks - SP-540V

[Goatshaver]

Not quite sure what going on. The start of the sheet and all the print is fine until it prints the last couple sets of marks and they had get skewed/blurred. It's done it on two different jobs. Really not sure what is causing this. I don't think it's encoder because the entire print would be blurred and this has repeated 3 times the exact same thing has happened.

 

[Gino]

Were all three jobs basically the same file size ??

 

[Johnny Best]

Ink starvation. Replace dampers.

 

[Goatshaver]

Were all three jobs basically the same file size ??

No they were different size jobs.

 

[Lindsey]

If you haven't already, try cleaning the encoder strip, and doing the scan & feed calibrations.

 

[Gino]

I'd be checking your signal transfering sequence. Sounds like somethng is interupting your file at the end.

 

[Goatshaver]

Ink starvation. Replace dampers.

Please explain how this makes sense? The entire sheet prints fine until the last two "registration marks"

If you haven't already, try cleaning the encoder strip, and doing the scan & feed calibrations.

Done. First thing I check.

I'd be checking your signal transfering sequence. Sounds like somethng is interupting your file at the end.

Is there someplace specific I should check? Did it on two different files and exactly the same spot right when it switches back to printing the crop/registration marks.

 

[Lindsey]

Is it doing this for every print job?
Try printing a totally different file with crop marks. Do a print that is just a few inches in length. Do the crops blur just the same?

 

[Goatshaver]

Is it doing this for every print job?
Try printing a totally different file with crop marks. Do a print that is just a few inches in length. Do the crops blur just the same?

I had tried 2 different files in two separate jobs but it was multiple up so the print area was like 45" x 22.5". I tried a different file just a 4" square with the print and cut marks and it was fine. I'm kind of stumped on this one.

 

[Solventinkjet]

Try doing an Environmental Match. It's weird because the crop marks look like the encoder is bad but then the print itself doesn't show any signs of encoder issues. My thought is that the encoder in the scan motor is messing up somehow and an environmental match might bring it back into spec. Environmental match syncs the encoder in the motor with the strip.

 

[Goatshaver]

Try doing an Environmental Match. It's weird because the crop marks look like the encoder is bad but then the print itself doesn't show any signs of encoder issues. My thought is that the encoder in the scan motor is messing up somehow and an environmental match might bring it back into spec. Environmental match syncs the encoder in the motor with the strip.

I thought that might be it but can't remember if I did that or not, I usually do it first thing.

Now I can't even make it through a print before it gets blurred out. The encoder strip is only a few months old so I don't know any reason why it would just suddenly stop.

Could this be the sensor possibly? I had to replace my network card a couple weeks ago because of a electrical issue with bad weather.

 

[Solventinkjet]

I thought that might be it but can't remember if I did that or not, I usually do it first thing.

Now I can't even make it through a print before it gets blurred out. The encoder strip is only a few months old so I don't know any reason why it would just suddenly stop.

Could this be the sensor possibly? I had to replace my network card a couple weeks ago because of a electrical issue with bad weather.

View attachment 142768

Ok that is a clear cut sign that the encoder strip is damaged or the sensor is failing. I would at least replace the sensor but to be safe probably the strip as well.

 

[Goatshaver]

Ok that is a clear cut sign that the encoder strip is damaged or the sensor is failing. I would at least replace the sensor but to be safe probably the strip as well.

I think it's definitely one of the two. I'm leaning towards the sensor only because I can calibrate my strip and when I did bi-directional test the uni-direction was fine but when I actually started a print in uni-direction it was crap.

 

[Goatshaver]

So I had remembered that I got a encoder strip not long ago and when I installed it found that it was slightly longer (approx .25") than the stock one that was in before. I think t was just not positioned quite right due to the fact I had to try and make it fit.

Not sure why it's slightly bigger. I ordered the correct part when I looked at my invoice.

Made some adjustments to the strip and cleaned it while I had it out and seems to be working normally again.

 

[phototec]

So I had remembered that I got a encoder strip not long ago and when I installed it found that it was slightly longer (approx .25") than the stock one that was in before. I think t was just not positioned quite right due to the fact I had to try and make it fit.

Not sure why it's slightly bigger. I ordered the correct part when I looked at my invoice.

Made some adjustments to the strip and cleaned it while I had it out and seems to be working normally again.

How hard is it to align a new encoder strip? After install, do you have to do any adjustments to the printer? Thanks for any help, this will be my first time to replace the encoder strip.

 

[Goatshaver]

How hard is it to align a new encoder strip? After install, do you have to do any adjustments to the printer? Thanks for any help, this will be my first time to replace the encoder strip.

Shouldn't have to align anything really, you just need to do the calibration function in the service menu after installing it.

It's pretty easy to do, just make sure you don't get any kinks or scrapes in the strip when installing it. Just take your time and do rush it. I've replaced mine a few times without any incidents.

 

[phototec]

Shouldn't have to align anything really, you just need to do the calibration function in the service menu after installing it.

It's pretty easy to do, just make sure you don't get any kinks or scrapes in the strip when installing it. Just take your time and do rush it. I've replaced mine a few times without any incidents.

Thanks, for the video, looks easy enough, however, I noticed in the start of the video when the power is disconnected the print head is over the capping station, and they at the end of the video when disconnecting the right side of the encoder strip the printhead is moved over to the left to allow room to work on the right side connection point. How do you unlock the printhead to manually move it to the left?

My print head feels like it's locked over the capping unit?

 

[Solventinkjet]

Thanks, for the video, looks easy enough, however, I noticed in the start of the video when the power is disconnected the print head is over the capping station, and they at the end of the video when disconnecting the right side of the encoder strip the printhead is moved over to the left to allow room to work on the right side connection point. How do you unlock the printhead to manually move it to the left?

My print head feels like it's locked over the capping unit?

The official way - Look under the machine right below the capping station. There is a hole that has a metal bar inside it and if you spin it, the capping station will move down. There is a special tool that makes it easy but you can use pliers or something like that. Then you just push the head to the right and then the left and it will unlock.

The lazy tech way (i.e me) Turn the machine on in cleaning mode and power off once the head unlocks.