Bizhub c308, print quality issues - where to begin troubleshooting?

[Elmojo]

Hi all,

The Bizhub c308 in my office has started printing magenta-ish lines on the bottom of every page. It's the same output from both copies and prints, so I know it's a print engine issue.
I've checked the Pagescope report (I'm remote at the moment), and it seems that all consumables are good, with the exception of the drums, which are all reporting out of life (0%). Of course, they've been like this for a while.
Is this as simple as replace drum(s) and moving on, or is that streaking likely to be something else that would require some internal cleaning or some other thing that would need a tech on site?
I'm including an image of the problem, but honestly it doesn't show it well from what I'm told. My office manager says they are magenta lines, but they look mostly gray in the image.
I think it's just the camera and/or crummy lighting in the office. :)
Any advice appreciated, as always!

[Bix]

Hi, what is the counter of this C308?
I believe you have already found the solution if the drums are exhausted. Otherwise I would think of the transfer belt.

[Elmojo]

Oops! I meant to include that info and got in a hurry, sorry.
As they say, "a photo is worth 1000 seconds of me typing numbers and getting half of them wrong" .... isn't that how the saying goes? :p
Please see attached.
EDIT: added counts

[copier addict]

Hi all,

The Bizhub c308 in my office has started printing magenta-ish lines on the bottom of every page. It's the same output from both copies and prints, so I know it's a print engine issue.
I've checked the Pagescope report (I'm remote at the moment), and it seems that all consumables are good, with the exception of the drums, which are all reporting out of life (0%). Of course, they've been like this for a while.
Is this as simple as replace drum(s) and moving on, or is that streaking likely to be something else that would require some internal cleaning or some other thing that would need a tech on site?
I'm including an image of the problem, but honestly it doesn't show it well from what I'm told. My office manager says they are magenta lines, but they look mostly gray in the image.
I think it's just the camera and/or crummy lighting in the office. :)
Any advice appreciated, as always!


With the 8 series KonMin designed the drums so they will give you full yield but no more than that. The line you see is a symptom of over yield drums.

[tsbservice]

As others said your CMY drums starting to fail. You can swap them to see which exactly is but soon all of them have to be replaced especially if color print/copy are often made.

[Elmojo]

Okay, so just install new drums and roll on?
Anything else that needs to be done at the same time?
Will the life counter reset automatically, or does that have to be done in CE mode by a tech on site?
I'm trying to determine if my office manager can do this, or if I need to go do it myself.
Due to COVID safety guidelines, I'm working from home (1 hr away) and trying not to go into the office unless really necessary.

[copier addict]

Okay, so just install new drums and roll on?
Anything else that needs to be done at the same time?
Will the life counter reset automatically, or does that have to be done in CE mode by a tech on site?
I'm trying to determine if my office manager can do this, or if I need to go do it myself.
Due to COVID safety guidelines, I'm working from home (1 hr away) and trying not to go into the office unless really necessary.

Counters will reset, but you need to perform a gradation in service mode. Image process adjustment- gradation adjust. Stabilize and then do each adjustment twice. Machine will print gradation page, place it on glass and hit start.

[Elmojo]

Thanks for the advice, folks.
So here's a weird one.
I called the office just to confirm a few things, and the manager says that it only does the lines on prints from a computer, not copies.
How is that possible?!
Should I still go ahead and replace the drums, or could it be something else?

[Synthohol]

i would do all the drums.
they are already past life and nobody wants a callback in 3 days...

[Elmojo]

Thanks Syth, that seems prudent.
I'm not too worried about a callback. It's my company, so I get paid either way if I have to make a 2nd trip. ;)
However, I'd certainly prefer to fix it right the first time.
I'll go ahead and order a set of drums and see if that cleans it up.

Thanks also to copier addict for the advice about running the gradation. :cool:

[srvctec]

Thanks Syth, that seems prudent.
I'm not too worried about a callback. It's my company, so I get paid either way if I have to make a 2nd trip. ;)
However, I'd certainly prefer to fix it right the first time.
I'll go ahead and order a set of drums and see if that cleans it up.

Thanks also to copier addict for the advice about running the gradation. :cool:

Gradation doesn't have to be run in CE mode, it's also in expert mode so the office manager could actually do it. [Utility][Administrator Settings][System Settings][Expert Adjustment][Gradation]

Descriptions of Functions / Utility Keys (https://kmbsmanuals.konicaminolta.us/bizhubc368/contents/contents/opkey_480_S.html?k=gradation)

[greglogston]

Thanks for the advice, folks.
So here's a weird one.
I called the office just to confirm a few things, and the manager says that it only does the lines on prints from a computer, not copies.
How is that possible?!
Should I still go ahead and replace the drums, or could it be something else?


Is the copy settings defaulted to black and white? If so then they would not see a magenta line on copies. If they are printing in color then it would show up. My concern is if they are printing black and white and it still shows a magenta line then you need to default their print driver from full color to black and white.

[Elmojo]

Morning all,
I just wanted to thank everyone for their input and advice.
I replaced the 3 color drums, and performed the gradation as directed.
Print quality is back to bueno. :cool:

[copytechman]

Thanks Syth, that seems prudent.
I'm not too worried about a callback. It's my company, so I get paid either way if I have to make a 2nd trip. ;)
However, I'd certainly prefer to fix it right the first time.
I'll go ahead and order a set of drums and see if that cleans it up.

Thanks also to copier addict for the advice about running the gradation. :cool:

As an additional note, gradation can also be run from admin mode under expert adjustment.

Regards!

[allan]

So what fails here?
Charge roller?

[Elmojo]

As an additional note, gradation can also be run from admin mode under expert adjustment.

Yep, that's where I ran it from, at the suggestion of someone above. Sorry, can't recall who...you know who you are. :)


So what fails here?
Charge roller?

The 3 color drums were simply end of life.
I replaced them and all is good. Machine prints and copies like new.