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HELP!! VP540 Advancing while printing like crazy!

yukon

yukon

New Member
I'm at a screeching halt on very big wrap project - please help!

I was printing a panel normally when suddenly the printer started advancing super fast WHILE it was printing and cleaning at the same time causing weird diagonal prints. It doesn't stop advancing until I turn off the main power. Once powered on, it sets up as usual, I advance manually past the diagonal misprints, choose sheet cut, then it advances backwards super fast and shoots out the vinyl out the back! Again I have to turn off main power to get it to stop. What the #!* is going on???

Can anyone help?

Thanks,

Yukon
 
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I

InkjetAuction

New Member
It's not the paper sensor.
There is something going on with your feed encoder.

On the VP series, there is a separate feed encoder (for accuracy). It is located on the left side of the machine. To access it, you remove the plastic cover there on the left and you will see it. It is a big clear plastic disc (very fragile). The feed encoder sensor is right there in the front.

I would first check the connection from the feed encoder to the junction board. I've seen this issue resolved by simply unplugging the connectors, cleaning them, and re-seating. Could also be a bad cable or connector. You will have to remove the left side metal cover to access the junction board without risking damage to the encoder disc.

Now, I suggest that you contact a qualified tech to help you with this-- but if you do try to repair this yourself-- be sure not to damage the big encoder disc. It is very fragile and expensive.

Good luck. Feel free to contact me should you need additional assistance.

~E
 
yukon

yukon

New Member
Thanks ~E,

I will take a look at that. I was able to get it to do a system report, then a plain blue square, but it then went into advancing again. I unplugged everything let it sit for an hour. Then I was able to set it up and reprint the panel fine. Moved onto another panel started fine then it was self cleaning during the print and immediately started advancing fast again! Both times it happened during a self cleaning during printing. Is this a clue?

Thanks,
Yukon
 
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InkjetAuction

New Member
Weird...

Weird for sure... It may possibly that the issue be related to the feed motor itself.

There are two feed encoders in the VP-540. There's one inside the feed motor itself and there's the big grit encoder. The printer uses the big grit encoder to determine X-resolution during regular printing. However it is unclear if the printer's logic uses the grit encoder during maintenance tasks. I do suspect that the printer uses the encoder in the feed motor itself for these tasks.

The feed motor could be bad, but it's unlikely. I would check the actual connection to the feed motor itself. Clean and reseat it.

If you are able to access the service menu, you can run a task that will help you determine if there is a failure between the Grit and Feed Motor encoders. Run Service Menu > Motor Menu > G-Enc. Check. You'll be able to see actual data from the two sensors... but essentially it's a pass/fail thing.

You can also check the feed servo itself using the Motor > Servo Lock test

Why do these problems always happen on a Saturday when you have a $#itload of work to do?

I hope that it's as simple as the connections. I've seen quite a few loose connections in these machines lately.
The VP fleet is showing signs of aging...

~E
 
yukon

yukon

New Member
Hi ~E

We checked all the connections, ran feed aging, grit encoder check and servo lock - all good. Setup media and printed 2 small panels. The first did fine, the 2nd started fine then midway went into it's fast forward thing while printing! I'm at a loss. Looking at the service manual, perhaps I need a new feed motor? I'm not getting any error messages.

Have you any other thoughts?

Thank you!

Yukon
 
I

InkjetAuction

New Member
Replace ir

Definitely acting flaky.

Be sure to be sure you have latest firmware installed too.

At this point I would replace the feed motor.


~E
 
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W

wochi

New Member
I´m having this problem also. But when doing the steps you recommend i had a grit encoder check fail! What can cause this? The encoder seems clean to me.

Thanks in advance
 
H

HCG

New Member
I'm having the same problem with my RS-640, shoots the material out and the feed motor doesn't stop for 30 seconds then error code 0001. Anyone ever fix this? What parts were bad or needed, Encoder disk or it's sensor or the feed motor? Machine dead as is so need help.
 
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damonCA21

Active Member
It could be any of those parts, but most likely the encoder disk and / or grit encoder board ( the feed motors tend to either work properly or not at all, they don't often cause random things like this ) . They do fail randomly with age. I have both in stock if you need them. I'm in the UK but send parts worldwide all the time
 
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J

Jim Hancock

Old School Technician
Most likely the issue is the grit encoder sensor board. HCG and I communicated through DM's, ran a number of tests, and it was determined the sensor brightness on the grit encoder sensor was very dim, compared to the linear encoder sensor. As these sensors require a certain minimum brightness to function correctly, replacing the grit encoder sensor board is a logical next step.
 
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D

damonCA21

Active Member
artes said:
Feed motor encoder... you need to open it and clean encoder
Click to expand...
The motors are sealed ( yes I know you can open them but they aren't designed to be ). In normal use there is no way for the encoder disk inside to get dirty. I have never actually had one that could be fixed by cleaning or had a dirty encoder
 
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H

HCG

New Member
Received the new grit encoder disk and sensor board, replaced both and no difference. On the grit encoder test the feed motor spins the roller forward 4 times, number changes on screen from 4000 to 8000 to 12000 to 16000, then spins backwards longer to 0. The G number changes to 1 and that's it, when done goes back to 0 and so does the F. Then says test failed. Material still spits out front with no control. Any more suggestions?
 
J

Jim Hancock

Old School Technician
Feed motor should be next. There is a tiny encoder disc inside the feed motor. The system is looking for a one to one synchronization between the feed motor encoder disc and the grit encoder disc. It is likely something in the data stream from the feed motor has failed.
 
H

HCG

New Member
On the Grit encoder test, does anyone know what it supposed to show on the screen? The F value keeps going up that makes sense, should the G value also, then both go back to 0? The service manual doesn't tell you anything.
 
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