Panasonic DP-2310 Blurry/unfocussed images

[blackcat4866]

I'm getting poor focus along the front (operators) side of the originals and copies.

Self prints and network printing is fine. It's clearly a scanner issue.

The manual has been entirely useless on this issue. Not one mention of the word "focus" in the entire manual. There does not appear to be any height adjustment at the front of light source #1 like Mita, nor does the front scanner rail have a height adjustment like some of the Sharps. There is a squareness adjustment on light source #2/#3 and I was able to improve the squareness but did nothing for the focus (as I suspected). It's only got 40K prints on the machine and the scanner belts look good.

The CCD appears to be the only place to make focus adjustments. It appears that some sort of a jig is used in the factory to do the focus, and I could not bring myself to touch the painted screws. Too many times have I made focus much much worse. No, I'm not going to shoot myself in the foot today.

I was able to darken up copy quality a little in Text/Photo mode to disguise the problem, but I'd really like to do a focus adjustment. Anyone know how it's done on this model? =^..^=

[gordie]

Hi
Does this happen with both the adf & on the glass?
I am not trying to doubt your inteligence as you are a very experienced
engineer but is there any haze on the under side of the glass or on the mirrors?
Gordie

[blackcat4866]

I am certainly not insulted. That's why I'm asking. It wouldn't be the first time that I've suffered from tunnel vision.

The mirrors are not hazy. Actually they are surprisingly clean, but I didn't examine the lens for haze.

It just looks so much like a focus issue. On my Katun test sheet it's a very gradual decrease in focus, from 5.0 at the rear, to 4.1 in the middle, to 3.1 at the front. My experience with mirror haze is usually not that even or gradual. On my TIE test sheet the small grid lines start to break up 2/3 of the way across and hardly recognizable by the front edge.

It reminds me of a stretched out scanner cable on a Mita 313Z. =^..^=

[The-Peanut]

as the above post does it happen from the Glass as well as the ADF

if its only from the ADF it might be a height issue with the Doc Feed, They do tend to get a twist on them if the user is a bit rough with them

[blackcat4866]

As a matter of fact, this machine had a nicer little truck ride from two states away, just before it got to me. So how do I correct the situation?

[gordie]

Hi
I am a great believer in going through the basics first.

Is it the same through the ADF and on the glass?

Was this the original fault or has it developed since the move?

Gordie

[The-Peanut]

As a matter of fact, this machine had a nicer little truck ride from two states away, just before it got to me. So how do I correct the situation?

try it from the glass to eliminate the ADF 1st if the problem has gone when u copy from the glass, check the height of the doc feed and make sure its not slightly twisted

[blackcat4866]

It's present on the glass and through the DF equally. And I don't know if there was a problem before or not. I have never seen this machine before, and have no records. Like most techs my activities are confined to one state. (Wouldn't that make for a long ride to a service call?) =^..^=

[The-Peanut]

It's present on the glass and through the DF equally. And I don't know if there was a problem before or not. I have never seen this machine before, and have no records. Like most techs my activities are confined to one state. (Wouldn't that make for a long ride to a service call?) =^..^=

lol no m8 its not a common fault, i've never has that b4 however i would be trying a different ccd next

[blackcat4866]

Well Peanut, my exposure adjustment will have to due. This customer is billable, and I don't see them paying a $600 service call. It just surprises me that there is just no way to make field adjustments to focus. I wonder of the old trick we used on the Ricoh 350/1035 would help? I'd give the scanner a big old bear hug, and pull up on the left front corner of the scanner. It wasn't permanent by any means, but it might help temporarily. =^..^=

[The-Peanut]

yeh its strange that the focus cant be adjusted, i've had a scan thru the manual just to be sure, the ccd read position can be adjusted and thats it.

just a further thought, i wonder if a mirror is out of position slightly on 1 side after the move.

[xeroid]

I have had optics issues with these DP 23xx,30xx from simply cleaning the optics. You look with a flashlight and all the mirror datums appear to be contacting good. But you grab them and slide a bit back and forth both ways and boom it comes back. Also lift both carriages to make sure they fall back on track correctly. ADF image distortions, There is a screw at the back corner of the left ADF mounting bracket that holds the left counterbalance mounting plate flush. Techs ignore this screw during install to facilitate easy removal later. Over time the plate begins to lift and separate from the spring tension and causes image distortions towards the front. Hope this helps you have been a big help to me in the past

[xeroid]

DP 23xx optics distortions

I have had optics issues with these DP 23xx,30xx from simply cleaning the optics. You look with a flashlight and all the mirror datums appear to be contacting good. But you grab them and slide a bit back and forth both ways and boom it comes back. Also lift both carriages to make sure they fall back on track correctly. ADF image distortions, There is a screw at the back corner of the left ADF mounting bracket that holds the left counterbalance mounting plate flush. Techs ignore this screw during install to facilitate easy removal later. Over time the plate begins to lift and separate from the spring tension and causes image distortions towards the front. Simply put a small self tapping screw in the rear corner of plate to bring the plates flush flat. Hope this helps you have been a big help to me in the past

[blackcat4866]

I did rock the mirrors on the three alignment points to make sure that they weren't cocked at an angle. I've done that to myself a few times before. (On the segment 3 Ricohs it's really easy to knock the stupid mirrors right out of their holders).

I was not aware of the hinge mount problem. Thanks, I'll check it next visit.

Fingers crossed. No callback yet. =^..^=