Topic: z3100 current status of roller marks? (Read 78648 times)

kaelaria · « **Reply #120 on:** February 15, 2008, 04:39:45 pm »

I called the tech and emailed him pics. He's coming back out on Tuesday. I suspect this is an installation error, not a parts problem.

Just for the record, even on the HP gloss there is still no problem with the roller marks or star wheels anymore, those two problems still appear to be fixed. This is a whole new issue that only started after the service call.

kaelaria · « **Reply #121 on:** February 15, 2008, 07:20:33 pm »

Trying to diagnose or at least narrow the problem down, I thought it may be the paper. I'm on the last 8 feet of this 2" core HP paper, and th tech even suggested it my be the excessive curl. It seemed strange to me that you would not be able to use all the paper on the roll, but I accepted it as a possibility.

So anyway, I took the remaining paper off the roll and ran a 6' section through my decurler. It is now very straight and flopped in the catch basket going in the back. Curl is now out of the equation, as it's feeding the same or straighter than my Ilford roll.

So I try a couple test prints, just using the info printouts to not waste ink of course. I get through one, and it's the same. It starts page 2 and now it's jamming right when the leading edge of the paper is hitting the new star wheel assembly.

I now suspect this may occur also on my iflord roll, but I'm not wasting it to try. I'm leaving this exactly as-is until Tuesday.

I'm sending this info also to my tech, hoping it will help.

deanwork · « **Reply #122 on:** February 15, 2008, 11:40:09 pm »

Don't worry, be happy.
john
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kaelaria · « **Reply #123 on:** February 19, 2008, 01:19:18 pm »

The techs just left after working 1 hour. Turns out they didn't have the right info the first time, and received official instructions for the alignment tool this morning for this job. They realigned using the tool to spec, and all appears well. No more paper jam, no more head strike, no more paper detection problem. I'll be printing tonight and the rest of the week, if I don't post back all is well

William Morse · « **Reply #124 on:** February 19, 2008, 01:50:39 pm »

I have the parts here for the same job, am waiting on the tech to come. Can you tell me what was different about the instructions, or do you have a file for the instructions?

Thanks, Bill

Quote

The techs just left after working 1 hour. Turns out they didn't have the right info the first time, and received official instructions for the alignment tool this morning for this job. They realigned using the tool to spec, and all appears well. No more paper jam, no more head strike, no more paper detection problem. I'll be printing tonight and the rest of the week, if I don't post back all is well
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kaelaria · « **Reply #125 on:** February 19, 2008, 03:58:42 pm »

No I don't have a file or a paper - it was so new he only had it online through his laptop this morning.

I know it now involves tearing the printer down to the frame, replacing each fully assembled roller and reassembling, then using a big alingment tool for each of the roller assemblies. The problem with mine was they had the new tool but no instructions, and it turns out they simply had it placed to the wrong spot when they used it.

Jim Cole · « **Reply #126 on:** February 19, 2008, 05:09:48 pm »

The parts I received included a large white cable tie that the tech used as a tool to pop out each set of rollers from each holder. No disassembly required.

Now they've gotten fancy!

Jim

kaelaria · « **Reply #127 on:** February 19, 2008, 05:13:19 pm »

Yeah, that's the old way. The new way is what my tech did, and just received official instructions for this morning.

stevenh · « **Reply #128 on:** February 22, 2008, 07:54:36 pm »

my field tech brian just left after installing the new rollers and star wheel assembly. we ran a test with GE on and IP gloss with the starwheel shim lever in the raised postion.

at first glance it looks very good. i will check again tomorrow after i let it dry overnight and in better light. it is definitely much better.

we didn't have the "new and improved" tool just the nylon tie strap which worked fine. left the roller assembly in and he just made sure that they were all aligned.

brian has been a great field tech!

here's hoping. i'll let you know.

kaelaria · « **Reply #129 on:** February 24, 2008, 12:52:08 am »

Well if I didn't have bad luck with this thing, I'd have no luck at all.

So I get through about another 10 feet of my Ilford roll tonight, printing small test images - and I notice after a couple min I can't see the sheet coming out yet. I take a look through the top to find the paper stuck just under the new rollers, not advancing - and the freaking print head going like mad spraying the deck!!! The stupid thing doesn't even know if there is paper there or not?!

So I pull it out, clean it all up with paper towels. I print two more prints and then it does it again. Except now I'm checking for it and catch it early, not having such a huge mess to clean this time.

It looks like the new rollers are pushing down and griping the top surface so well, the bottom rollers that feed the sheet don't have enough grip now. They are actually spinning under the paper and grinding through it!

I'm going to try and clean them off with alcohol, see if it will help.

This did not happen witht he cheap HP gloss yet, just the Ilford Gold - so I have serious doubts as to the help I would ever get out of HP this time. Great.

kaelaria · « **Reply #130 on:** February 24, 2008, 01:32:11 am »

Well, I used the service menu tip from page 3 to clean all the rollers VERY well with q tips and alcohol. The sheet reloaded without a problem, and is now printing again. This will be my last for the night, it'll be 2am here before I'm done with this one. I'll leave the roll fed overnight and see how it does tomorrow as well.

On the plus side, I used my recent printer downtime to construct a new workroom area with a 48x60 matting bench holding my mat cutter, paper cutter and all my supplies I just put the finishing touches on it tonight, taking a break from this frustration.

kaelaria · « **Reply #131 on:** February 24, 2008, 01:28:58 pm »

OK, narrowed it down a little more.

Letting it sit overnight, it did it again.

What's now happening, is the rollers are holding the paper so far down, it's sitting down on the tips of the guides, creating little ridges. When they form, and the paper then tries to feed, it gets caught. Fedding it in fresh, they don't yet have a chance to form and it goes through.

I have a feeling these rollers are still not yet installed correctly. If you were to look at the bottom rollers from the side, the top rollers are coming down at about 10:30. If they were closer to the top, 12:00, then the paper would not be forced down with as much of a lip against the guides.

Can someone take a top down shot real quick of ther rollers, to see where they are positioned? Looking top down, mine are currently right next to the tips of the guides.

Thanks

kaelaria · « **Reply #132 on:** February 24, 2008, 02:53:03 pm »

This clearly shows what the paper is catching on. When it rests a bit, it's being formed over the rear most guides, forming bumps along the leading paper edge. These guides also have a small hard lip you can easily snag your fingernail on also. The paper is hitting this lip after the bumps form, preventing it from feeding.

The simple fix to me, if this can not be fixed by readjustment of the rollers if that is prudent, is to sand down the guide edges to match the rest of them, preventing the bumps from forming and preventing the paper from snagging.

stevenh · « **Reply #133 on:** February 24, 2008, 06:26:53 pm »

i have had no problems yet but have not tried it with ilford paper yet.

image of mine below for your reference.

kaelaria · « **Reply #134 on:** February 24, 2008, 06:30:25 pm »

Thank you VERY much, that confirms my throughts. My rollers are about 5mm more forward than yours, flush with the paper edge. Yours are clearly more back, more towards the top of the bottom roller. I will send your pic to my tech also so he can see.

stevenh · « **Reply #135 on:** February 24, 2008, 08:50:25 pm »

Quote

Thank you VERY much, that confirms my throughts. My rollers are about 5mm more forward than yours, flush with the paper edge. Yours are clearly more back, more towards the top of the bottom roller. I will send your pic to my tech also so he can see.
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so it would appear. glad the image was some help.

good luck!

stevenh · « **Reply #136 on:** February 26, 2008, 01:31:40 pm »

btw, for those of you dropping names in this thread, Bonnie is spelled with an "ie" and Andie is spelled with an "ie".

fwiw

kaelaria · « **Reply #137 on:** February 26, 2008, 01:40:31 pm »

I have anew case number, I just spoke to a very nice guy, Robert, in the Designjet support group. I emailed him the relavent pics, and he said he'll make sure he gets a tech out ASAP when he sees the pics. I'm sure this will be resolved quickly and easily, I think it's still just an install tweak.

On the plus side I eaked out a dozen AWESOME prints last night, and got at least the min I needed for this morning.

On the minus side, as I was in here printing over the weekend, I noticed....termites. Terminix is coming tomorrow to the tune of $1100. I have two walls infested, and it's amazing how fast they tear through pressure treated 2x4 Little buggers came up through my slab where some plumbing pipes went through!

kaelaria · « **Reply #138 on:** February 26, 2008, 04:41:05 pm »

Robert just called me back and confirmed that my rollers are installed too far forward, and a tech will be here tomorrow! Yea!

DLS · « **Reply #139 on:** February 26, 2008, 04:52:40 pm »

I've gotten my Z3100 fitted with the new star wheels as well as the the new "tan" pinch rollers and the pinch wheel marks are completely gone on the Harman FB AI Gloss.

Thanks to all the info on this thread I was able to get it all done with only one annoying menu/tech support call. After that it was helpful to have Ben wolf's contact info because that bypassed any additional calls. He was great to deal with and very helpful, as was the tech who did the update to the printer.

Interestingly, my tech did his homework and knew about the tan wheels before he came, but he was unable to get a parts number to order them as of Friday of last week. When he came for the service yesterday, he then called HP to confirm that he was still able to see pinch roller marks after a test print and at that point they sent the parts directly to me.

So for anyone who may need it, here is the part # for the tan pinch rollers:

P/N Q5669-67060

Also for anyone who's interested in the paper settings I used for the profile:

It took 3 tries to get the correct paper setting. The first was "fine art pearl-less ink" which printed ok but I felt like I wanted to put more ink on the paper for better dmax. The 2nd setting I tried was "Glossy" at default paper thickness which made noticeably darker blacks but caused head strikes. The 3rd was the "Glossy" setting with paper set to "thick". This is the one...the blacks look great and no sign of head strikes. I also take the extra precaution to make sure the paper is wound on the roll w/no slack before printing. I'm lazy about that with other paper because I've never had head strikes with anything else.

This paper is beautiful on the Z3100 and I'd encourage anyone who wants to use it to go ahead with the star wheel/pinch roller update.

DLS
www.imagesbydom.com

Author Topic: z3100 current status of roller marks? (Read 78648 times)