Color lines on prints..

[JohnDoe321]

Hey Everyone,
Here's a strange problem I'm encountering. I've been working on a Gestetner DSC 328(Product code B190) The problem is when the customer sends a color print job to it, the picture comes out with color lines across it, one for each color PCU... Magenta at the bottom, then Cyan in the middle, then Yellow towards the top. The lines are about 1/8 wide, and go all the way across the page. They are parallel to the lead edge.

When I hold the paper up to the transfer belt, the spacing of the lines line up exacting under each color PCU, so it seems like each PCU is laying down the line at the SAME time. Also, when I hold several prints next to each other, the lines are in the exact same place on each page! The lines are darker when they use thicker paper.. 60lb cover stock. On regular 20lb paper, they are faint, but visible.

I tried using different drivers, RPCS and PCL5, same results. I called Ricoh Tech Support and the guy said to replace the clutches on each color unit. That makes no sense to me at all. The odds of 3 clutches going bad at the same time, slipping at the same spot on every page - Hmmm... The next day, I talked to a different guy at Tech Support, he said maybe transfer belt. I changed that today, same results.

I'm totally baffled on this one. Does anyone have any ideas on this? I will admit that I have very little experience on color machines. I was given about a week of color field training by a previous tech before he quit, and our other 2 techs know even less about the color copiers.

[unisys12]

Check your PM count on each of the PCU's. You might find that they are overdue for replacment. If not, you can clean the charge roller and that should clear things up for ya.

If you have never cleaned the charge roller on these before...

On the outside cover, operator side, you will see two screws. Remove these and the cap/cover. Slide the drum to the side and out. This will expose the charge roller so that it can be cleaned. You might find that it is even easier if you just lift it out.

Hope this helps.

[JohnDoe321]

unisys12...
Thanks for the reply. Yes, I checked the pm count first thing. The PCU's and DV units are all under 30% into their lifecycles. I thought about the charge rollers too, but considering the diameter of the roller, I believe the line would repeat several times down the page. It doesn't. There is only one line for each color.
I also ran an 11 x 17 sheet to see if the lines would repeat, but again,
just one set of lines, no repeats.

Yes... This is a wierd one!

[unisys12]

http://www.rfg-esource.com/stellent/.../rfg017298.pdf

Although it refers to "vertical black lines" the procedure and symptom is the same for all the PCU's.

[nmfaxman]

How does a print driver test page look?
does it do it while printing a report?
Run a copy as single color each,magenta, cyan and yellow.
Do they have the same marks?
Do a word document with large bold fonts in each color, (see above).
Color copies clean means no machine fault.
Clean test page means no machine fault and no driver fault.
Clean word documents means no enigine fault, no driver fault and no application fault.
If you eliminate these it is a document fault.

[FRIDGEMAGNET]

This sounds like the registration speed or the fuser speed is not matching the transfer belt speed , the line is a judder when the paper either leaves the registration roller or is grabbed by the fuser unit.
Try adjusting sp1.004 section or 1.005

[Jomama46]

It may be a controller problem. Reseat the RAM DIMMS and the controller. It sounds vaguely familiar from a service bulletin somewhere but I cant recall. Its worth a shot tho.

[paulg]

When you changed the ITB did you cleaned up the rollers underneath? Did you check the Cleaning unit and ensure colour registration is ok?

When you make ACC sheets in the various dpi do you get the lines?

The laser and speed changes with different dpi and this comes into effect mostly with printing.

Just some more brainstorming for you

[JohnDoe321]

This sounds like the registration speed or the fuser speed is not matching the transfer belt speed , the line is a judder when the paper either leaves the registration roller or is grabbed by the fuser unit.
Try adjusting sp1.004 section or 1.005

******************************
Thanks to everyone for their thoughts and ideas on this problem!!!
It turns out that FRIDGEMAGENT had the solution... I tweaked
SP1.004 with no results. Then I adjusted SP1.005.3 and VIOLA!
The lines went AWAY!! FINALLY! Thanks again!

[Jomama46]

Great! Nice Call FridgeMagnet, I'm writing this one down.