Graphtec Error

[Pearlljelly]

Has anyone had this error on a Graphtec FC9000 and know how to fix it ? We have looked and it said there was a motherboard issue, techs have come in to look at it but they can't find the problem and we would like to give it one last chance before giving up. Its been having a problem when loading the media using #2-Current position, the carriage unit is set to slow, it scans the positions of the rollers and then speeds back to home, stopping partway through with this error or slamming itself into the side wall. TIA - Tia

 

[BigNate]

it looks like something either restricted the Y-axis (in-out of media through plotter) movement, or something makes the computer think something is restricting the motion - make sure the motion is not restricted by something obvious, check the encoder strip (they can get pretty dirty) and as a last resort, check the motor (but usually this will kick up another code.)

 

[JBurton]

Gotta ask, are the media detectors covered with something else?
It does sound like an encoder issue though.

 

[Solventinkjet]

There should be an origin sensor on the right side of the machine that tells the machine when the carriage is at the home position. If it's slamming into the wall, the sensor is either damaged, knocked out of place, and/or the metal flag that is supposed to trigger it is knocked out of place. I've seen this on older Graphtecs before and wouldn't be surprised if they still do it that way.

 

[JBurton]

There should be an origin sensor on the right side of the machine that tells the machine when the carriage is at the home position. If it's slamming into the wall, the sensor is either damaged, knocked out of place, and/or the metal flag that is supposed to trigger it is knocked out of place. I've seen this on older Graphtecs before and wouldn't be surprised if they still do it that way.

If the error were different, or if it always hit the side, I'd agree, but seeing as how it's doing it partway across the machine at times, and it's throwing a Y error, I don't think it's just not triggering the limit switch.

 

[Solventinkjet]

If the error were different, or if it always hit the side, I'd agree, but seeing as how it's doing it partway across the machine at times, and it's throwing a Y error, I don't think it's just not triggering the limit switch.

That's a good point. Although, if I remember correctly, this machine doesn't have a linear encoder but may have a circular encoder inside the motor. If that's the case, it might just need a new motor. I've also seen where the pulley is broken and caused the machine to lose it's place because it isn't actually moving the amount of distance it thinks it is. It's a pulley that looks like a wide gear welded onto a thinner gear and the wide and thin part become separated/broken from each other which allows it to slip and throw off the position.

 

[JBurton]

I've also seen where the pulley is broken and caused the machine to lose it's place because it isn't actually moving the amount of distance it thinks it is.

Is that something a tech would see? And I'd imagine they'd know if it was a symptom of a bad encoder on the motor, but IDK how well these techs know this machine. If it's anything like me sending a tech to work on a gas station pricer, the tech knows nothing except what the tech support folks tell them.
I'm thinking it has something to do with the electric eye on the back of the unit. It should read covered the whole time during the load phase using option 2. It's as if it has an intermittent failure, which could be caused by a connection on the mobo, which is just plain kicking an error instead of ignoring the faulty value. Though I think there is a message for 'material too narrow/short to load', which you'd think would be thrown instead.
OP, I imagine I know the answer, but it does the same thing no matter which loading option is selected, right?

 

[netsol]

is that having a failure similar to our roland cut carriage cables?
they fail when they flex during use, might explain the intermittent nature of the failure

 

[Solventinkjet]

Is that something a tech would see? And I'd imagine they'd know if it was a symptom of a bad encoder on the motor, but IDK how well these techs know this machine. If it's anything like me sending a tech to work on a gas station pricer, the tech knows nothing except what the tech support folks tell them.
I'm thinking it has something to do with the electric eye on the back of the unit. It should read covered the whole time during the load phase using option 2. It's as if it has an intermittent failure, which could be caused by a connection on the mobo, which is just plain kicking an error instead of ignoring the faulty value. Though I think there is a message for 'material too narrow/short to load', which you'd think would be thrown instead.
OP, I imagine I know the answer, but it does the same thing no matter which loading option is selected, right?

You would think they would see it but the first time saw it, it was after we tried everything and still couldn't get it to work. You have to watch the gear very carefully to see it slip. But it sounds like you have a lot of experience on these. I've only worked on a few for customers in a bind. So you probably have a better idea of what it could be at the end of the day.

 

[JBurton]

But it sounds like you have a lot of experience on these.

Only been using one for 20 years. Wait, that sounds like an affirmative, I've never had to take one apart or repair anything aside from the cut strip, but since it's basically a cnc machine that pulls materials, I can infer quite a bit.

 

[JBurton]

Could just by the y motor. I forget if you can even run these without initializing, but does the y motor ever turn? Premier color says error E010109 could be a bad y motor.

OEM Y/X Motor for Graphtec FC9000/8000/8600/CE7000

This motor can be used as X or Y motor Y Motor for FC9000/8000/8600 (all sizes) X Motor for the CE7000-130/160, FC8600-60/75 Listed as 682126201 but the PN was updated to 682126202 Motor is sold as is if not installed by Premier Colour certified techs Buy from an authoried Graphtec dealer from...

www.premiercolour.com

 

[Ssignature]

This may be something already covered but here goes:
On the carriage rail, a couple of inches from the right end, there is supposed to be a plastic “foot” that is held on with 2- sided adhesive. This is supposed to be the limiter for the carriage. If this foot is sheared off, the carriage goes past it and
slams into the end of the rail. It’s behind the belt and you can’t see it unless you flex the belt and look behind it. If yours is broken, there is usually some adhesive and remnants of the foot. It’s just a stick-on flexible plastic foot you can get at Lowe’s or Home Depot. Sooner or later, it shears off on almost every Graphtec.

 

[Joe House]

The Y axis is carriage travel not media travel. The problem with pulleys separating was pretty much an FC7000 thing. I've not seen that since then. The encoder for this plotter is part of the motor, so you likely have a genuine movement issue or a bad motor.
It's easy enough to loosen the screws on the motor and pop the belt off. Slide the carriage all the way across by hand and make sure it runs smoothly. You should be able to flick it across the plotter. If there's any resistance or chattering, inspect it. The bearing ways rems to accumulate dirt. Wipe them off. Make sure the bearings roll smoothly. Inspect the white flex cable and Y home sensor.
Reassemble and load some cast vinyl. Set your condition to F 14, S 30 and cut some horizontal strips to see if it errors out. If this hasn't pointed you to a cause, it's most likely the motor, but I once saw a burnt motor controller cause problems too.
Are you cutting regular vinyl or something tougher?
Good luck

 

[Pearlljelly]

Is that something a tech would see? And I'd imagine they'd know if it was a symptom of a bad encoder on the motor, but IDK how well these techs know this machine. If it's anything like me sending a tech to work on a gas station pricer, the tech knows nothing except what the tech support folks tell them.
I'm thinking it has something to do with the electric eye on the back of the unit. It should read covered the whole time during the load phase using option 2. It's as if it has an intermittent failure, which could be caused by a connection on the mobo, which is just plain kicking an error instead of ignoring the faulty value. Though I think there is a message for 'material too narrow/short to load', which you'd think would be thrown instead.
OP, I imagine I know the answer, but it does the same thing no matter which loading option is selected, right?

The Y axis is carriage travel not media travel. The problem with pulleys separating was pretty much an FC7000 thing. I've not seen that since then. The encoder for this plotter is part of the motor, so you likely have a genuine movement issue or a bad motor.
It's easy enough to loosen the screws on the motor and pop the belt off. Slide the carriage all the way across by hand and make sure it runs smoothly. You should be able to flick it across the plotter. If there's any resistance or chattering, inspect it. The bearing ways rems to accumulate dirt. Wipe them off. Make sure the bearings roll smoothly. Inspect the white flex cable and Y home sensor.
Reassemble and load some cast vinyl. Set your condition to F 14, S 30 and cut some horizontal strips to see if it errors out. If this hasn't pointed you to a cause, it's most likely the motor, but I once saw a burnt motor controller cause problems too.
Are you cutting regular vinyl or something tougher?
Good luck

The techs around here don't know what's wrong with it but I have looked up the code and seen the premier color website. I'm unsure if they have contacted Graphtec, but we have been trying to contact our techs on an off since march ! The last tech that came to 'fix' it had changed the belt, cleaned the carriage rail, opened up the whole machine to see, we even changed the cutting strip. It worked until the a day after the tech visited and then started back up with the y axis alarm. It had been off cutting, sometimes we had to force it to kiss cut in the right spot by changing the blade to the front holder. It does the same thing no matter what material is loaded, we tend to only use an Avery Dennison MPI330 Gloss Permanent Vinyl and a Drytac Polar Smooth 6 Mil Removable Vinyl. The machine is very clean, I will try some of those tips out, we did think it was an issue in the belt at one point because it was hitting the top and chewing it up but that seems to make sense that it would be a motor issue causing it.

 

[Joe House]

That's new info. I'll add to check the belt tracking and tension on the left end of the plotter.