Mimaki Woes!

[Ponto]

Salutations.....We are running the Mimaki CJV30-130 and Mimaki JV33-130 and would like some input from other Mimaki users. A tech replaced a y-axis motor within the last year on the aging CJV30 and we're looking at another replacement -- printer is down because of similar issues that led to repairs last time. Please have a look at attached images as the likely culprit for our ongoing problems. Both printers are showing these issues and we're wondering if it is just a matter of time before the newer (1 year old) JV33 needs the same costly repairs. Our question is whether other Mimaki owners are familiar with these conditions and how they are dealing with it....Much thanks in advance for your attention and responses to this matter. JP

 

[Vinylman]

Alignment Issue

I am running a JV33 and have had it for more than 5 years with only Normal maintenance parts replaced.

Looking at the photos you have posted my first guess is you have alignment issues. There is no way that much "DUST", or residue from the belts should be there even if these printers where 10 years old.

Either the cog belt is not properly aligned with BOTH gears, or there may be a problem with the number of teeth in the gears not matching up with the cogs on the belt. Either way that is not normal.

I believe the correct term is "Pitch" for the cogs on the belts. Using an incorrect "Pitch" will not allow the belt to seat correctly into the gears, and you will be grinding off the excess belt material as the gears are acting like grinders rather than messing and pulling the belt around the center shaft smoothly.

I would varify that original equipment replacement parts are being used in any repairs.

 

[Techman]

that is an awful lot of dust to be from a drive belt. The belts shown seem to be fine. Do they look worn in a closup look? That dust seems to be all over every thing including the echain ribbon area. I would guess it is overspray floating around in the printer.

Also. how did the motor fail last time. Was it a bearing or electronic. If it was electrical was it the encoder? Those servo motors have very little that can go wrong with them and usually last years. If dust got inside the encoder it would cause problems. Dust can be cleaned out if it is in fact an encoder problem.

 

[GettysburgSigns]

Ponto,
In your photo#4, it looks like the belt is actually touching the metal "case" (for lack of better term)
If it is, then the dust could be a result of the belt actually dragging itself, and effectively "abrading" or sanding itself to death.

If it is dragging, of course that increases the amount of work the motor/s need to do, which of course will reduce the life of the unit.
If it is that close to the metal "case", but not quite touching, it may be wobbling just slightly while running, and touching then.
It may be imperceptible, but given the amount of debris, it is definitely grinding itself away.

If you have a belt sander, it is a good example of the same sort of "Alignment" Issue I think you're having.
When you adjust the knobs on a belt sander, you can see similar things happening - on a VERY Accelerated Scale, and much cheaper
On a belt sander, there is usually ONE Knob that adjusts the pitch/camber/angle/whatever of the belt.
Although I'm not familiar with your specific printer, I would try these steps to help troubleshoot:

• Totally clean the area - Vacuum and wipe thoroughly
• Do an Initial Run of the Machine to loosen any residual dirt/dust.
• Vacuum and wipe again, so you can see ANY New Dust Particles forming.
• At this point, just slide the belt up slightly with your fingers. You may need to spin the pulley head by hand a bit while you "lift" on the belt. You could probably slide a THIN Wedge between the case and the belt, right before it contacts the Pulley (maybe a VERY thinned-down squeegee) to coax the belt off the case
• Run the machine...

• Check periodically, but often, for new dust
• See if belt has slipped back toward the case
• If there IS an adjusting screw on one of the pulley assemblies, make sure to adjust SLOWLY to ensure WHICH Direction it is moving the belt!
  You've seen what can happen to a Sanding Belt that is mis-adjusted just a tiny bit
• Finally, Determine WHY you are working on your Printer on CHRISTMAS Day, and Re-assess your Life Choices
  (Actually, this Last Line was Written for ME! :Big Laugh )
• EDITED TO CHANGE ORDER OF OPERATIONS SLIGHTLY

 

[Techman]

of the belt actually dragging itself, and effectively "abrading

I was thinking the same thing. But at least one belt still has the numbers showing..

 

[SightLine]

Wowza!! Yeah something is way off there. Our JV33 has never had anything even remotely close to a buildup like that. As mentioned, something is seriously wrong. Could be any number of things too.

Incorrect or poorly made belt or some other related incorrect/poorly made part like a pulley or the motor
Bad bearing (pulley might be slightly tilted or wobbling)
Adjusted way too tight (this would also over time trash some of the pulley bearings and potentially a motor)
Something is misaligned causing the belt to rub somewhere
Machine has been tweaked (in other words the frame of the machine is bent/damaged)
Defective machine (similar to bent machine but possibly some bracket or pulley mount or something welded or put together misaligned)

 

[artbot]

for now, clean it up. get a bar of soap and scrap the soap into the belt's teeth and the gear running it about two to four times/applications. this will greatly reduce the friction at the teeth, buying you some time to figure out the alignment issue.

 

[Ponto]

Thanks a bunch everyone for the input! Currently, the older CJV30-130 is down for some reason, after a technician accessed the service mode. The newer JV33-130 was opened up out of curiosity just to see if similar issues were occurring. We were surprised at what we found. The images you've seen are actually from the newer JV33-130 and I suspect the unit will also suffer from the same fate, in time, as the CJV30. I wouldn't think that these alignment or tension issues would typically fall under normal operator maintenance tasks. ....................JP

 

[Techman]

I still say that is way too much dust to be from a belt. Those belts look new. One belt still has the numbers on it. The teeth are still sharp on the inside of those belts. There are no fibers showing anywhere either.

I would suspect those particles are from something else rubbing on the case somewhere. Echain or overspray.

 

[Ponto]

I still say that is way too much dust to be from a belt. Those belts look new. One belt still has the numbers on it. The teeth are still sharp on the inside of those belts. There are no fibers showing anywhere either.

I would suspect those particles are from something else rubbing on the case somewhere. Echain or overspray.

The residue is troubling for sure. As a part of the repairs last year at this time the encoder sensor was replaced along with the y-axis motor but the concern is trying to assess why we are at that point once again! At that time the message -- ERROR 08 Linear Encoder : sensor ---- was the kicker that led to the repairs. JP

 

[Techman]

the encoder is full of dust. It cannot read the encoder ring in my opinion. With all that dust around in there it easy to see why an encoder error. Those servo motors are long lasting and in fact almost last decads..

 

[Ponto]

Mimaki Woes

Have had more feedback on this issue and been checking with at least one other Mimaki operator and am finding that this powdery buildup is apparently commonplace.....I'm reaching out to as many other Mimaki operators that may be puzzled by this revelation ---- please check your machines and offer your findings here. I used to run Rolands awhile back and never encountered this at all. JP