Pages: [1]   Go Down

Author Topic: Z3100 - Cutter Stopped Working - Solved!  (Read 1937 times)

Jim Cole

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 377
    • Jim Cole Photography
Z3100 - Cutter Stopped Working - Solved!
« on: June 01, 2013, 10:32:35 am »

Well, I did some research on this, but came up with nothing concrete.

I normally have the cutter disabled in the printer dialog and prefer to use the front panel switch on the Z to feed and cut after each print. It's been working fine for 6 years.

Yesterday, after  making a print, I pushed the button and the paper fed forward in preparation for the cutter and then ... nothing. The machine made no effort to retrieve the cutter head from the left side of the printer.

So far, I have unchecked the cutter disable in the printer dialog, set the cutter to "on" in the HP Print Utility/Settings, checked those settings several times to make sure they stuck, rebooted the printer and computer several times each, finally reset the cutter life counter on the printer front panel menu and rebooted the printer again.

Still get the same behavior. I get no errors, just mo attempt by the printer to retrieve the cutting head.

Any ideas?

Thanks
« Last Edit: June 03, 2013, 03:36:27 pm by Jim Cole »
Logged
Jim Cole
Flagstaff, AZ www.jimcolephoto.

Justan

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 1928
    • Justan-Elk.com
Re: Z3100 - Cutter Stopped Working
« Reply #1 on: June 01, 2013, 10:44:39 am »

This happened to mine a while ago and was due to stuff that built up. Remove the left side cover of the printer (as you look at the printer from the front) and pull the cutter mechanism out. Clean it, check for debris along its path and reassemble. It’ll take about 20 minutes.

You can find a guide for the R&R in the service manual.

Jim Cole

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 377
    • Jim Cole Photography
Re: Z3100 - Cutter Stopped Working
« Reply #2 on: June 01, 2013, 01:07:42 pm »

Thanks Justan, I'll do that.
Logged
Jim Cole
Flagstaff, AZ www.jimcolephoto.

Jim Cole

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 377
    • Jim Cole Photography
Re: Z3100 - Cutter Stopped Working
« Reply #3 on: June 02, 2013, 05:19:33 pm »

Before starting to tear the machine apart to clean it, I used a rocket blower to remove loose debris from the cutter and moved it up and down the rail several times. This didn't work. Upon pushing the paper feed/cut button, the paper feeds and then the print head just sits there and makes no attempt to travel to the left side of the printer.

After that, I decided to run the cutter diagnostic from the Scan Axis submenu.

The diagnostic freezes on the third step listed in the manual: "Starting Nvm"

I've left it there for 30 minutes to see if it would ever get past that step and tried three times with the same result.

Running the diagnostic for the star wheel lifter which also uses the "Starting Nvm" step, works fine.

Seems like I may have a bigger problem than a dirty cutter. Since it appears that the cutter has no sensors on it, it seems to me that a dirty cutter would not prevent the printer head from traveling to the cutter to retrieve it.

I hate it when the diagnostic fails!
Logged
Jim Cole
Flagstaff, AZ www.jimcolephoto.

Jim Cole

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 377
    • Jim Cole Photography
Re: Z3100 - Cutter Stopped Working
« Reply #4 on: June 03, 2013, 12:48:09 pm »

Does anyone have any other ideas on what to try next, short of calling HP?
Logged
Jim Cole
Flagstaff, AZ www.jimcolephoto.

Ernst Dinkla

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 4005
Re: Z3100 - Cutter Stopped Working
« Reply #5 on: June 03, 2013, 12:57:15 pm »

Jim,

Could it be a canvas media setting or a custom media setting with the cutter disabled?

Ernst, op de lei getypt.
Logged

Justan

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 1928
    • Justan-Elk.com
Re: Z3100 - Cutter Stopped Working
« Reply #6 on: June 03, 2013, 01:11:44 pm »

Don’t get too worried if a particular test doesn’t complete. I’ve seen this before. But definitely go through the diagnostic procedures and before doing that, make sure that the inside is clean. If you haven’t done so make sure that the carriage moves okay end to end. As Ernst suggested, double check that the cutter isn’t disabled.

If the problem persists and the printer doesn’t generate an error code, that’s the time to check with HP.

Jim Cole

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 377
    • Jim Cole Photography
Re: Z3100 - Cutter Stopped Working
« Reply #7 on: June 03, 2013, 02:02:54 pm »

Hi Ernst,

I'm not loading canvas, but Ilford Gold Fibre Silk. Good tip, though.

This is a stumper.
Logged
Jim Cole
Flagstaff, AZ www.jimcolephoto.

Mark Lindquist

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 1596
  • it’s not about the photos we take - it’s the ones we leave
    • LINDQUIST STUDIOS
Re: Z3100 - Cutter Stopped Working
« Reply #8 on: June 03, 2013, 03:05:03 pm »

Why not try loading another known paper that the cutter works on and see if it will cut?  If not, try another.  Then, perhaps you know it is a mechanical issue, as long as you haven't disabled the cutter somehow, inadvertently.  Good luck with it.

-Mark
Logged
Mark Lindquist
http://z3200.com, http://MarkLindquistPhotography.com
Lindquist Studios.com

Jim Cole

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 377
    • Jim Cole Photography
Re: Z3100 - Cutter Stopped Working
« Reply #9 on: June 03, 2013, 03:36:08 pm »

Mark,

I just did this right before I saw your post. Somehow on Gold Fibre Silk, I had disabled the cutter. I never even remember changing the default cutter setting on any paper I've ever used and it wasn't until I loaded a proofing matte and the cutter worked fine that I investigated the printing properties in the HP Utility, Paper Preset Management.

I still have no idea why I changed that setting on that paper. It's funny that I haven't used that paper in over two years and for some reason pulled it out to make a print a couple of days ago. I didn't associate the cutter issue with the paper.

Well, there are two results here:

1) At least my Z3100 is still humming along as it should after almost 7 years.

2) At 62, I can still be an idiot! I thought I grew out of that a few years back. Rats!

Thanks everyone for your help!!!

I'll go sit in the corner now...
Logged
Jim Cole
Flagstaff, AZ www.jimcolephoto.

Mark Lindquist

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 1596
  • it’s not about the photos we take - it’s the ones we leave
    • LINDQUIST STUDIOS
Re: Z3100 - Cutter Stopped Working - Solved!
« Reply #10 on: June 03, 2013, 09:51:45 pm »

Glad you got it figured out Jim.  I think it's great having this forum and really experienced professionals such as Ernst who is a huge resource on these printers.

Nothing to be embarrassed about man.  It just gets worse BTW, LOL.

Even a young guy can make that mistake.

Now watch out for the dreaded carriage belt issue on your perky Z3100!

-Mark
Logged
Mark Lindquist
http://z3200.com, http://MarkLindquistPhotography.com
Lindquist Studios.com

Jim Cole

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 377
    • Jim Cole Photography
Re: Z3100 - Cutter Stopped Working - Solved!
« Reply #11 on: June 03, 2013, 10:22:44 pm »

Thanks, Mark.

You know, I bought a belt two years ago in anticipation, but my original belt hasn't started misbehaving yet.

Knock on wood!
Logged
Jim Cole
Flagstaff, AZ www.jimcolephoto.
Pages: [1]   Go Up