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Author Topic: z3100 printing prob - head strikes, dragging on media  (Read 8256 times)

kuau

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Re: z3100 printing prob - head strikes, dragging on media
« Reply #20 on: August 02, 2012, 12:47:18 am »

I have a Z3200 ps, I occasionally get very faint scratches when I print on heavy material and it seems to happen on very curled paper, also sometimes after a print is completed and cut, when I go to do another print, the paper does not feed, so what I am forced to do is do a small paper advance to make sure the paper is advancing before I do a print.

My printer is 3 years old, never had an issue with it.

Curious, how can I optain a service manual ?

Steven
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Leica S006, Leica SL HP Z3200 PS Printer
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Roscolo

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Re: z3100 printing prob - head strikes, dragging on media
« Reply #21 on: August 02, 2012, 03:44:28 am »

I have a Z3200 ps, I occasionally get very faint scratches when I print on heavy material and it seems to happen on very curled paper, also sometimes after a print is completed and cut, when I go to do another print, the paper does not feed, so what I am forced to do is do a small paper advance to make sure the paper is advancing before I do a print.

My printer is 3 years old, never had an issue with it.

Curious, how can I optain a service manual ?

Steven

Steven,
Here is the link to the Service Manual. It's a 6 part PDF download. When you extract the file, those 6 parts will combine into 1 PDF of the Service Manual. Did for me anyway.

http://www.eserviceinfo.com/downloadsm/34193/HP_Z2100%20Z3100.html

On what exact media do you get scratches? Doesn't sound like my problem. I was getting complete smears and lines on canvas and satin photo paper along with a "thunk" sound when the carriage moved all the way to the right. Paper was feeding in OK, but I was getting some snags loading until I replaced the rear carriage bushing. You can look in the Service Manual and see how to do access Service Level calibrations / diagnostics in the printer menu.

If you need to inspect the rear carriage bushing, you do not need to do what the manual says, or what someone here told me to do, which is take the whole printer apart and take the carriage off. Simply remove the right cover and you can inspect the rear carriage bushing from there with a flashlight or lamp and you can even replace it if necessary (see instructions in my previous post or the dedicated thread I created for z3100 Rear Carriage Bushing).

You are 3 years in. Be aware you will start to notice flaking of your carriage belt if you haven't already. Little black flecks in your printer and ON YOUR PRINTS. It's the rubber from the belt coming off. Just a matter of time. My only advice regarding the belt replacement is this:

- Don't wait until it shreds into a bunch of pieces and breaks in the middle of a print like I did before you replace the belt. When this happened, that is likely when the remarkably cheap, flimsy rear carriage bushing was broken.

- Order a Rear Carriage Bushing when you order the belt. I got both from LPS computer. Excellent service. The bushing was only $19 and they sent me two. I did not see the bushing on their site, but I called and they had it. The belt is a pain to replace. It's not hard, mind you. Just a time consuming pain. You should replace the bushing while you have the printer torn down. Save you from having to worry about it later like I did. And you may need the bushing if the old one is already broken or breaks when you remove the carriage, which is apparently quite common.

- No way would I put another HP manufactured belt on there. LPS claims to manufacture their own belts and that they are better than HP's. Only time will tell, and I don't know for sure, but I do know the HP belts are crap, so the ones from LPS certainly can't be any worse. My z3100 is working like new now.

« Last Edit: August 02, 2012, 04:10:50 am by Roscolo »
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