ink on encoder strip

[artbot]

i earlier left a question about a wandering right margin.

mike@insignia had a hunch that it is a dirty encoder strip. well i have some small ink dots right behind the head carriage on the encoder strip. but water and alcohol isn't doing it (rubbing alcohol)... not sure if i should use denatured? ...concerned about ruining the strip.

anyone got some advice on just what is the best way to get this ink off. the printer is down and i am doing a rush 90 x 191 (four aluminum printed panels that have to seam together perfectly. so i can't have any funny business with the margin skipping and drifting).

thanks!

 

[iSign]

I've never given much thought to my encoder strip, as I've never had any issues associated with it... but from reading other posts here, is this the black strip that helps an electric eye see contrast between edges of white media & the exact point where they end? ...I just though if solvent strength was a source of concern, would a strip of black vinyl stuck to it help any?

 

[artbot]

where i'm asking about is the clear PET strip/microfilm that the carriage reads to track it's position. still not sure it is the encoder but would like to get the ink dots off and continue on in diagnosing the iffy margin. also sounds like i need to get some compressed air to blow out any dust that might be on the encoder sensor

 

[iSign]

oh, ok... well good luck!!

 

[tbaker]

I don't know of a way to remove ink from the encoder without ruining the strip, since rubbing alcohol isn't doing it, denatured would be the next bet, but at that point you stand the chance of ruining the strip. I know regular cleaning solution will eat it up.

If memory serves me correctly the part is relatively inexpensive, but won't help you get your rush job out.

What about moving the right margin of your print over a bit ( an inch or two) to give it a clean section of encoder to work with? ( Just a thought, not sure if it will work)

 

[Letterbox Mike]

Artbot, there's a member here, Chris Wallace (I think he posts as RippinPC) that's a Mimaki technician, he's really good and has always serviced our printers. You may send him a message to see if he knows if cleaning fluid will damage the encoder strip, if anybody would know I'd think he would.

 

[Case]

Do NOT put the cleaning solution on the encoder strip...

I have used alcohol and windex with success...

Otherwise, get a new encoder strip when you get a chance...
When removing, be careful not to lose the spring on the far left of the encoder strip!

Also, a new encoder strip comes in with a protective film on it, removie it before installing, otherwise you will have some problems...


Case

 

[ova]

I never tried it, but was told you could flip the encoder strip over [not end for end] and it will read the same. When I was going to try it, the strip just looked too dirty and I felt it would not work. If you have the time and the one you have can't be cleaned, might give it a try.

Dave

 

[B-RAD Graphics]

i earlier left a question about a wandering right margin.

mike@insignia had a hunch that it is a dirty encoder strip. well i have some small ink dots right behind the head carriage on the encoder strip. but water and alcohol isn't doing it (rubbing alcohol)... not sure if i should use denatured? ...concerned about ruining the strip.

anyone got some advice on just what is the best way to get this ink off. the printer is down and i am doing a rush 90 x 191 (four aluminum printed panels that have to seam together perfectly. so i can't have any funny business with the margin skipping and drifting).

thanks!

I have used denatured a few times with sucess ..they say u only get one shot..but I have done it a fews times now..and works great

 

[artbot]

thanks for all the advice guys! looks like i'll surgically turn to the denatured. what concerns me is that i might be risking the strip when that isn't the issue. but i'm assuming it is. the other day i noticed that the margin started at about 1/2" on a sheet and by the time 8' had progressed it looked like 3/4".

also, i read that the encoder strip is "not" used during media measuring. i think it'd have to be. how else would the machine know to the hundredth of and inch "where" it is when it is doing the measuring (possibly counting steps? but most likely looking at the the strip).

as far as bumping the margin, i'm assuming the machine used even the far right of the strip. what will be odd is if i clean these dots off and the machine stops squeacking. when it changes directions on the right.

 

[Letterbox Mike]

If it's walking like that throughout the length of the print it's most definitely the encoder strip, unless of course the machine is just not feeding the material straight anymore. I assume with your setup and what you're feeding that you have some sort of square straight-edge guide to ensure that, but if not I guess I'd inspect the pinch rollers and maybe give them and the grit rollers a good cleaning to ensure they're not just slipping a little. But if you're positive it's running straight and true, this has to be the encoder strip.

And yes, it uses it when measuring media, the encoder strip is the only way the printer knows where the head is.

 

[bayshorecreations]

Use a really BIG bottle of Jack Daniels
Once you get through half of it you wont be worried about the encoder strip anymore!

 

[Sticky Signs]

Ink splashes on the strip make me wonder if there's any ink on the encoder strip reader censor thingy. Might as well clean that while you're at it.

 

[artbot]

thanks sticky signs, i'm on it. didn't even think of that.

 

[Print Com]

i earlier left a question about a wandering right margin.

mike@insignia had a hunch that it is a dirty encoder strip. well i have some small ink dots right behind the head carriage on the encoder strip. but water and alcohol isn't doing it (rubbing alcohol)... not sure if i should use denatured? ...concerned about ruining the strip.

anyone got some advice on just what is the best way to get this ink off. the printer is down and i am doing a rush 90 x 191 (four aluminum printed panels that have to seam together perfectly. so i can't have any funny business with the margin skipping and drifting).

thanks!

I know you don't want to hear this, but if you didn't fix the problem you will have to buy a new encoder strip..besides the boards on the printer that is the other part of the brain of the printer..If you look at the encoder strip, do yo see scratches in it, does it have a fogginess to it after using alcohol.. if so, then it is time to replace it..If your printing has a step to it, that is on what ever pass you have it at then replace it. you will have less problems. If the encoder strip is ok. look on the opposite side of the printhead (towards the other end of the printer)..there is a spring that holds the encoder strip on if that looks like it has been stretched out in anyway that might be the problem..that is the cheap rout. I had ink on my encoder strip and it kept running..it just depends on how much inlk is on it..


Hope this helps out

 

[Jim Hancock]

I know this may sound crazy, but what actually works very well for cleaning encoder strips is acetone. You will need to remove the encoder strip from the printer to do this properly. If this is a JV3, you will find it easiest to remove the bracket that the encoder tension spring is attached to, rather than trying to remove and re-install the spring directly. Test it on the very end of the encoder strip where it is out of the physical range of the normal reading area of the encoder sensor to insure it doesn't do any damage to the strip, which it shouldn't. As the encoder strip is a piece of film, using water or 71% alcohol has a tendency to soften the emulsion and cause possible damage. You can use 91% or pure isopropyl alcohol with some success, but it doesn't always get all the ink off. I've found acetone tends to clean best, evaporates incredibly fast and leaves no residue. Wear gloves so you don't get finger oils on the strip and acetone on your skin. Use a clean microfiber cloth and pull the strip gently through the cloth wet with the acetone. Do this several times, on a clean section of cloth each time until you see no ink on the cloth after a pull through. I've cleaned dozens of encoders strips on solvent machines this way with no damage to the strip. Again, test it on an unused section of the strip to get a comfortable feeling about it.