[CQ] MP C3000 Colour alignment issue

[sandmanmac]

I have one of these which fails the line position adjustment with a result of "5" (when checking SP2-194-010 thru 012)
After doing some cleaning of the ID sensor, re-seating PCU's etc., The reading is now consistently "3", which seems to point to either the ID sensor assy or BICU.
Machine only has about 100k combined (40k colour and 60K Black)
I just installed a magenta PCU last week. I noticed the colour registration was off slightly, but it was perfect after running the line adjustment.
Since it's sort of coincidental timing, I wondered if there was any chance the 2 could be related?
It's not logging any SC codes
Any other suggestions for me to look at when I get back to the customer or should one of the above likely resolve it?

I've attached a copy of a test page in case it helps.
Aiton's Sample.pdf

Thanks!

[Iowatech]

Re: MP C3000 Colour alignment issue

I don't know how much help this will be, but what does SP3-012 say? I don't think I've had a color misalignment problem on this machine yet, but on the machines I have had that problem I've found the process control result handy. I haven't found it yet, but usually there is a table somewhere in the manual that gives a detailed description of what the failure is.
Sorry if that was a waste of time.

[slimslob]

Re: MP C3000 Colour alignment issue

Make sure to do the rough allignment 2111-003 and then 2111-1. If you are, the allignment may be far enough off that forced line position is not able to correct it. You might first have to do some manual rough adjustments to get it close.

[Zaxxon]

Re: MP C3000 Colour alignment issue

Check lifetime for pcu and developer, replace all with remaining day =0

[Eric1968]

Re: MP C3000 Colour alignment issue

Last year I talked to a Ricoh engineer and he told me to reset all process control data before process control and line adjustment are done. Then machine will start process control with the default values, instead of the previous values. This method will help to maintain good density and registration. The procedure is as follows :

ACC Recall SP5-610-4
ACC Recall SP1-101-1 in Printer SP
Process Control SP3-011-1
Process Control Result SP3-012 -> 11111111
Line Adjustment C SP2-111-3
Line Adjustmnet A SP2-111-1 Execute twice
Printer Test Page SP1-103-2 in Printer SP

[sandmanmac]

Re: MP C3000 Colour alignment issue

Last year I talked to a Ricoh engineer and he told me to reset all process control data before process control and line adjustment are done. Then machine will start process control with the default values, instead of the previous values. This method will help to maintain good density and registration. The procedure is as follows :

ACC Recall SP5-610-4
ACC Recall SP1-101-1 in Printer SP
Process Control SP3-011-1
Process Control Result SP3-012 -> 11111111
Line Adjustment C SP2-111-3
Line Adjustmnet A SP2-111-1 Execute twice
Printer Test Page SP1-103-2 in Printer SP

Interesting. Thanks for this. I'll start doing those.
I'm going to the customer on Friday, so I'll Update my progress.
Just wondering about these SP's. Is there any indication that the 'ACC recalls' can actually resolve the issue of failed Line adjustments that I'm having? or is it mostly in order to maintain them?

[Counsel]

Re: MP C3000 Colour alignment issue

First question would be why did magenta get replaced was it due for pm? If so the other colors should be due as well, I have only seen a couple of things on these models that throw off aligment a bad pcu, transfer belt, or nvram. usually its the pcu especially if you see only one color misaligned from the rest, i usually take the pcu out and try to turn it by hand and compare it to one of the other drums i usually find its very hard to rotate which drags and throws it off. Only once did i have nvram cause it but you could adjust and it was fine that day until they turned the machine off for the night when rebooted it was off again, if machine cant correct the alignment using the sps then its probably mechanical such as a stuck drum or poor transfer deck.

[Eric1968]

Re: MP C3000 Colour alignment issue

Interesting. Thanks for this. I'll start doing those.
I'm going to the customer on Friday, so I'll Update my progress.
Just wondering about these SP's. Is there any indication that the 'ACC recalls' can actually resolve the issue of failed Line adjustments that I'm having? or is it mostly in order to maintain them?

Since I follow this procedure I have very little problems with line adjustment. Of course these SP's can't correct a major deviation, but on the long run it prevents line adjustment errors en process control problems. The Ricoh tech also didn't knew exactly what settings are reset with ACC Recall They got the instructions from Japan.

[sandmanmac]

Re: MP C3000 Colour alignment issue

Since I follow this procedure I have very little problems with line adjustment. Of course these SP's can't correct a major deviation, but on the long run it prevents line adjustment errors en process control problems. The Ricoh tech also didn't knew exactly what settings are reset with ACC Recall They got the instructions from Japan.

AMAZING!
Prepared for the worst, I went to my customer today, armed with spare PCU's , transfer belt and ID sensor assy's, and a replacement BICU, but I didn't need any of that!
I tried simply doing the Line position adjustment again and it failed, then I ran the series of SP's you provided above, and the line adjustment was successful, and the image quality is perfect again. (Hopefully it holds).

I can't thank you enough for that info, Eric!

Incidentally, the process control result was always successful.

Thanks for everyone's input. My beer will taste a little better this weekend.
(GO BRONCOS!)

[Eric1968]

Re: MP C3000 Colour alignment issue

AMAZING!
Prepared for the worst, I went to my customer today, armed with spare PCU's , transfer belt and ID sensor assy's, and a replacement BICU, but I didn't need any of that!
I tried simply doing the Line position adjustment again and it failed, then I ran the series of SP's you provided above, and the line adjustment was successful, and the image quality is perfect again. (Hopefully it holds).

I can't thank you enough for that info, Eric!

Incidentally, the process control result was always successful.

Thanks for everyone's input. My beer will taste a little better this weekend.
(GO BRONCOS!)

Thanks for the kind words!

The frustrating part of this, is that apparantly no Ricoh-dealers know this important information. I've talked to several dealers here and no one knew anything about this... I also couldn't find it in the Tier-database.
I've also spent many hours changing PCU's, Transfer Belts, ID-sensors, boards, etc...

Anyway, glad that you solved it!

[Tonerbomb]

Re: MP C3000 Colour alignment issue

eric1968's info is dead on, the deal with resetting ACC is that the calibration is written on top of the last calibration over and over and over. there for it becomes corrupt at some point, so the factory recall sets it back to default so you get a fresh start. Something I learned from Ricoh years ago with Fiery calibration.

[sandmanmac]

Re: MP C3000 Colour alignment issue

eric1968's info is dead on, the deal with resetting ACC is that the calibration is written on top of the last calibration over and over and over. there for it becomes corrupt at some point, so the factory recall sets it back to default so you get a fresh start. Something I learned from Ricoh years ago with Fiery calibration.

For me, it's issues like this that make a site like CTN such an invaluable resource!
Nothing can replace the shared expertise and experiences of a group of generous field techs.
Sure, I may have ended up fixing the problem by replacing a BICU board (or maybe not), and called it a day. But in the end, the fix was actually much easier with a series of little known SP's, that without this place, I would have never known about.
This is the reason that I donate a few bucks every month. It's priceless!
Thanks again!

[Tonerbomb]

Re: MP C3000 Colour alignment issue

For me, it's issues like this that make a site like CTN such an invaluable resource!
Nothing can replace the shared expertise and experiences of a group of generous field techs.
Sure, I may have ended up fixing the problem by replacing a BICU board (or maybe not), and called it a day. But in the end, the fix was actually much easier with a series of little known SP's, that without this place, I would have never known about.
This is the reason that I donate a few bucks every month. It's priceless!
Thanks again!

That's what WE Do for each other in the CTN World !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

and yes I donate to !!!

[jaguar.teran]

Re: MP C3000 Colour alignment issue

I wish to thanks you for this invaluable information.

I'm xerox tech color specialist and I've spend too many hours trying to solve bugs like this

Certanly, you can count me on whith xerox issues and thanks again

[Okiki]

Re: MP C3000 Colour alignment issue

Last year I talked to a Ricoh engineer and he told me to reset all process control data before process control and line adjustment are done. Then machine will start process control with the default values, instead of the previous values. This method will help to maintain good density and registration. The procedure is as follows :

ACC Recall SP5-610-4
ACC Recall SP1-101-1 in Printer SP
Process Control SP3-011-1
Process Control Result SP3-012 -> 11111111
Line Adjustment C SP2-111-3
Line Adjustmnet A SP2-111-1 Execute twice
Printer Test Page SP1-103-2 in Printer SP

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Thanks for this Post, Eric.

I pray you get to read this post as I am replying to your post of almost a decade ago.

I have the same issue presently on my Ricoh Aficio MP C4000 and opt to follow your prescribed steps.
Everything went well until I got to "Line Adjustment C SP2-111-3" - which FAILED again.

Please what do I do to have it completed successfully like the previous ones?

Thanks.