[Misc] TA 4551ci Customer running full color prints (100% coverage) sometimes Jams

[Doug James]

This is a Catholic school that the teachers like to run a lot of pictures 100% coverage (Like Paintings and Portraits) Is there a way I can set this machine to handle it better ? I have messed with trying to set to different media types but it's hard to get the teachers to do this. Has anyone ran into this ?
Thanks so much for any help !!!

[PrintWhisperer]

Re: TA 4551ci Customer running full color prints (100% coverage) sometimes Jams

You can increase the U402 LEAD (erase margin) and that's about it.

[fishleg]

Re: TA 4551ci Customer running full color prints (100% coverage) sometimes Jams

U402 doesn't effect print jobs for some reason only copies. Would be the easiest solution in the world to implement but if you print from a pc you can put u402 to 10mm and it will still print to the edge if it's set to on the computer.

I usually play with u034 which lets you push the lead for everything. It isn't great because it affects the whole machine so you've got to recenter the scanner for copies.

The other one is to put eco print on like level 4 but it does drop a bit on quality.

No idea why no fix for this as it must cost them millions when customers print pictures which then wraps and good old trusty Edward scissors hands gets involved. Machine jammed and we have red bits every where....

Maybe someone has a way to drop the thickness of toner as it's that which causes it so if they print really dark colours say grass green or really dark blues. I have thought about messing with u464 but don't know enough about it as there is thickness in target.

Very hard one to fix as you can increase the lead then they complain it's not centered and you can't have it both ways unless it's done on the computer side in the driver. A4R is sometimes a solution as a large void at the top is not as bad as pushing the whole image to the left.

[blackcat4866]

Re: TA 4551ci Customer running full color prints (100% coverage) sometimes Jams

This is a Catholic school that the teachers like to run a lot of pictures 100% coverage (Like Paintings and Portraits) Is there a way I can set this machine to handle it better ? I have messed with trying to set to different media types but it's hard to get the teachers to do this. Has anyone ran into this ?
Thanks so much for any help !!!

I don't think I understand the question(s).

Would you like the magic service mode that transforms your Alphard2 into a production print device?
Would you like the machine to print every media type equally well without the enduser making any selections?
Would you like 400% fill print images to stop wrapping in the fuser regardless of what media type is set?

I don't have the answers to any of these questions. I don't think anyone does. Your enduser will need to start make good decisions, and that doesn't happen much in schools. =^..^=

[BillyCarpenter]

Re: TA 4551ci Customer running full color prints (100% coverage) sometimes Jams

I don't think I understand the question(s).

Would you like the magic service mode that transforms your Alphard2 into a production print device?
Would you like the machine to print every media type equally well without the enduser making any selections?
Would you like 400% fill print images to stop wrapping in the fuser regardless of what media type is set?

I don't have the answers to any of these questions. I don't think anyone does. Your enduser will need to start make good decisions, and that doesn't happen much in schools. =^..^=

I read the other posts in this thread and all are good suggestions. But this is the long term answer. The enduser needs to be trained and held accountable. This is easier said than done...especially if it's a large account like a school. How do you handle this without pissing someone off and losing the account? How many callbacks are you willing to eat? I hate being in this situation. Good luck.

[Doug James]

Re: TA 4551ci Customer running full color prints (100% coverage) sometimes Jams

Thanks so much for all the responses !! I am very grateful to have this forum available and the wonderful people who respond. THANKS SO MUCH !!!

[copykat93]

Re: TA 4551ci Customer running full color prints (100% coverage) sometimes Jams

Hey DOUG... I'm curious, are they COPYING to it or are they PRINTING to it? If its copies they are making, go into sim 402--403 & 404 and adjust the void for lead edge & also around all edges, I hope you have the service manual, it will help you adjust from the glass & the doc feeder. If its Prints they are doing, well... there is only so much you can do, maybe at the driver on the PC? Hope this helps.

[Doug James]

Re: TA 4551ci Customer running full color prints (100% coverage) sometimes Jams

Hey DOUG... I'm curious, are they COPYING to it or are they PRINTING to it? If its copies they are making, go into sim 402--403 & 404 and adjust the void for lead edge & also around all edges, I hope you have the service manual, it will help you adjust from the glass & the doc feeder. If its Prints they are doing, well... there is only so much you can do, maybe at the driver on the PC? Hope this helps.

yeah mostly printing to it. I'm headed there today to see what I can come up with. Another fuser in hand lol

[Samanator]

Re: TA 4551ci Customer running full color prints (100% coverage) sometimes Jams

I had this same problem with a 3551ci at a church. This church had five machines with us, four of them color. This 3551ci was in the nursery school. Teachers wanted to print pictures straight from their phones or from a memory stick. Caused jamming in the fuser. The paper was trying to wrap around the fuser roller (belt) because of the amount of color on the page and no lead edge. U0034 didn't help. The company I was working for was sold and the problem went to someone else. Later on I heard the church went with another company.

[PrintWhisperer]

Re: TA 4551ci Customer running full color prints (100% coverage) sometimes Jams

U402 doesn't effect print jobs for some reason only copies....

This is a very mis-understood process so let me clear this bit up.

First, all page adjustments max out at +/- 3mm (that's all you get, 6mm total movement range. Each increment equals .1mm of movement so small adjustments are difficult to detect. These are hardware adjustments not effected by software so print and copy results should be the same.

U034 is the REGISTRATION adjustment as to where the image lands on the page. If you adjust this it will increase the erase margin by moving the image. So registration is incorrect, and it has to be adjusted for duplex as well for F-R alignment.


U402 is Print Margin, but it actually means 'Erase Margin' and this doesn't mean only printer jobs it means everything which is output from the print engine, including copies. It controls how much of a properly aligned image is removed from the edges.

A combination of the 2 may give better results.

'Print Job' margins are controlled by the application and driver, but for jobs with no driver code for margins, they are changed by FRPO A1 to A4 and somewhat by the R3 parameter.

A trained and proactive user would intelligently add to the margins when printing from their application to prevent problems with heavy fill/edge-to-edge prints. (BC nod)

The new fuser is a good plan as jammed paper can wind up out of reach under the rollers and interfere with the thermistors' sensing.

[tmaged]

Re: TA 4551ci Customer running full color prints (100% coverage) sometimes Jams

Adjusting the void, running letter-r, and using 28# paper all help with heavy coverage images.

[blackcat4866]

Re: TA 4551ci Customer running full color prints (100% coverage) sometimes Jams

I guess the real decision is how long are you willing to lose money on that contract?
School bids often are bid low, so there isn't much of a margin to start with.

Are you considering the loss on the contract a "donation" of a sort? It won't get you any good reviews, if that's what you're hoping for. Service contracts at schools often end up with both sides unhappy, glad to part ways.

The absolute best that you could hope for would be a single dedicated keyop, that could potentially head off common problems before they happen, like:
* setting correct media types
* loading suitable media types
* taking care when loading media (setting cassette guides, removing wrappings, etc)
* taking care removing only the jammed paper, and not other necessary parts
* printing & copying suitable images with necessary void areas

If you can't get a dedicated keyop, there's no chance of the machine running smoothly. All it takes is one angry careless enduser to repeatedly sabotage your efforts. =^..^=

[Doug James]

Re: TA 4551ci Customer running full color prints (100% coverage) sometimes Jams

This is a very mis-understood process so let me clear this bit up.

First, all page adjustments max out at +/- 3mm (that's all you get, 6mm total movement range. Each increment equals .1mm of movement so small adjustments are difficult to detect. These are hardware adjustments not effected by software so print and copy results should be the same.

U034 is the REGISTRATION adjustment as to where the image lands on the page. If you adjust this it will increase the erase margin by moving the image. So registration is incorrect, and it has to be adjusted for duplex as well for F-R alignment.


U402 is Print Margin, but it actually means 'Erase Margin' and this doesn't mean only printer jobs it means everything which is output from the print engine, including copies. It controls how much of a properly aligned image is removed from the edges.

A combination of the 2 may give better results.

'Print Job' margins are controlled by the application and driver, but for jobs with no driver code for margins, they are changed by FRPO A1 to A4 and somewhat by the R3 parameter.

A trained and proactive user would intelligently add to the margins when printing from their application to prevent problems with heavy fill/edge-to-edge prints. (BC nod)

The new fuser is a good plan as jammed paper can wind up out of reach under the rollers and interfere with the thermistors' sensing.

Very Interesting !! Clears up a very confusing adjustment THANKS SO MUCH !!!

[Doug James]

Re: TA 4551ci Customer running full color prints (100% coverage) sometimes Jams

I guess the real decision is how long are you willing to lose money on that contract?
School bids often are bid low, so there isn't much of a margin to start with.

Are you considering the loss on the contract a "donation" of a sort? It won't get you any good reviews, if that's what you're hoping for. Service contracts at schools often end up with both sides unhappy, glad to part ways.

The absolute best that you could hope for would be a single dedicated keyop, that could potentially head off common problems before they happen, like:
* setting correct media types
* loading suitable media types
* taking care when loading media (setting cassette guides, removing wrappings, etc)
* taking care removing only the jammed paper, and not other necessary parts
* printing & copying suitable images with necessary void areas

If you can't get a dedicated keyop, there's no chance of the machine running smoothly. All it takes is one angry careless enduser to repeatedly sabotage your efforts. =^..^=

Very True, They are very dedicated to the students. Some of this generation abroad are going to take care of me in the nursing home in probably not so distant future.... Trying to build up karma points lol

[tedtech]

Re: TA 4551ci Customer running full color prints (100% coverage) sometimes Jams

I would give them a freebie or 2, then tell them each time it happens after that they get charged T&M. I bet it stops quickly