Luminous Landscape Forum

Raw & Post Processing, Printing => Printing: Printers, Papers and Inks => Topic started by: jmvdigital on August 17, 2007, 10:53:59 am

Title: Oiling the HP Z printers
Post by: jmvdigital on August 17, 2007, 10:53:59 am
I had an HP service tech out yesterday to replace the "pizza wheel" assembly (yes, some marks cropped up after I said they weren't there, but by the time the tech came, the marks were gone on the print, but he replaced the wheel assembly with the updated one anyway).

Anyway, he was telling how important it is to keep the steel transport bar (the chrome bar the ink head slides on) in the Z printers oiled up. He said putting a few drops of oil on the bar every few weeks will greatly enhance the printers life. He said the friction from the bar over time loads onto the other components causing unnecessary wear/tear. He also said that if the bar isn't properly lubed, it can cause some degradation of print quality because the carrier can't slide smoothy.

This is the HP part # he gave me for the oil: 6040-0854

I asked him if this was in the manual, and he chuckled and said "no."

Just fyi.
Title: Oiling the HP Z printers
Post by: rdonson on August 17, 2007, 05:29:24 pm
Thanks for the tip!!!!  

This part is not orderable from HP.  I found it available from some other sources (thanks Google) at $107 for a .5 ounce bottle.  Looks like I may try some 3in1 oil.
Title: Oiling the HP Z printers
Post by: iCrop on August 17, 2007, 06:02:38 pm
Justin -

Great info, thanks.  I searched the HP web site for that and it appears this is a standard lube for HP printers.  The 6040-0854 (1/2 Oz.) has been replaced by 6040-0855 (4 Oz.) though.

It appears it can be ordered from here for around $27:
Link removed since they weren't actually selling HP oil.

Ron -

This is synthetic oil, so 3-in-1 might gum things up over time (just a word of caution).

Mike
Title: Oiling the HP Z printers
Post by: rdonson on August 17, 2007, 08:23:39 pm
Quote
Justin -

Great info, thanks.  I searched the HP web site for that and it appears this is a standard lube for HP printers.  The 6040-0854 (1/2 Oz.) has been replaced by 6040-0855 (4 Oz.) though.

It appears it can be ordered from here for around $27:
http://www.partshere.com/online/detail.asp?partno=6040-0855 (http://www.partshere.com/online/detail.asp?partno=6040-0855)

Ron -

This is synthetic oil, so 3-in-1 might gum things up over time (just a word of caution).

Mike
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Great find, Mike, and thanks for the heads up on it being synthetic!!!
Title: Oiling the HP Z printers
Post by: Charles Gast on August 17, 2007, 09:34:04 pm
Synthetic lubes come in many varieties. Whatever you don't try to substitute it.
Use only the syn lube from HP!
The wrong lube could ruin the bearing surface on the head carrier.

Also the less the merrier I'm sure. With syn lubes a barely detectable amount is usually more than enough on sliding surfaces. One or two drops on a quartered pec-pad used to wipe down the bar should do. This will also serve to clean off paper dust.

Thanks for the earl tip JMV!
Title: Oiling the HP Z printers
Post by: jmvdigital on September 04, 2007, 10:06:49 pm
I received a PM about exactly where the place the oil, so I whipped up a quick visual. Just put two or three drops along the length of chrome steel bar. Print a quick slim test print to get the carriage to run over the oil a bit (also just in case you get a drip, you don't want that on a good print).

[attachment=3156:attachment]
[attachment=3157:attachment]
Title: Oiling the HP Z printers
Post by: rdonson on September 05, 2007, 09:36:41 am
Awesome!!!  Thanks so much for taking the time to do this.
Title: Re: Oiling the HP Z printers
Post by: Phil Indeblanc on December 14, 2014, 05:39:19 pm
How is that metal bar in contact with the belt and causing its shredding over time? There are no other places to lubricate?
Title: Re: Oiling the HP Z printers
Post by: Mark Lindquist on December 14, 2014, 07:51:36 pm
How is that metal bar in contact with the belt and causing its shredding over time? There are no other places to lubricate?

No.  The carriage guide rod is not in contact with the belt ever.  Or should I say the belt never touches the guide rod. The belt is fastened to the underside of the carriage and is driven by the cog on a stepper motor on the right side of the printer.  It passes through the belt tensioner pulley on the left side of the printer. 
Other than that it doesn't contact anything to cause wear.  The belt is a somewat flimsy part that breaks down over time either according to a specified number of revolutions (passes), or via heat, humidity and idle tension from not being used.  Seems to be different when it will breakdown from machine to machine.

Friction is the enemy of the belt.
Title: Re: Oiling the HP Z printers
Post by: Phil Indeblanc on December 14, 2014, 07:59:06 pm
I see, so the guide rod is lubed just to keep the belt as free moving as possible.
Title: Re: Oiling the HP Z printers
Post by: Mark Lindquist on December 14, 2014, 09:12:51 pm
I see, so the guide rod is lubed just to keep the belt as free moving as possible.

Not quite.  The print head carriage moves left and right along the carriage guide rod (or rail).  The guide rod is lubricated so the carriage moves smoothly and with as little friction as possible.  The more easily or freely the carriage moves, means less friction, moving the head.  This translates to less pulling the belt has to do, the less stress on the belt required to move the carriage. 

If you were pulling a sled with bricks on it, with a rope, on a road, it would take a lot of pulling power to move it and it would cause the rope to stretch.  If you could ice the road, the sled would move effortlessly, and the rope would not stretch much at all.

The friction is between the carriage head and the guide rod.  Lubricate the guide rod and the carriage moves freely on it, and the belt lasts longer.
Title: Re: Oiling the HP Z printers
Post by: Phil Indeblanc on December 14, 2014, 11:11:15 pm
yes I see... to keep the carriage moving freely ...I'm with you. :-)

Mark=reMarkable