Slammers
06-30-2022, 05:55 PM
Hello,
I am experiencing repeatable issues with IU's and I would like some confirmation on my suspicions.
FW: G00-X4 on one device, GCD-Y0 on another.
Story begins - warning, contains ramblings and over information, but some may enjoy my pain:
Had a machine in the field called in for CQ issues: M, C and Y IU's all streaking due to EOL. This was start of last week.
Full disclosure, all service settings for No-Stop set and messages supressed, they get run through until they streak.
Had one single C IU new in box on shelf, and eta for the others was weeks. Had a freshly unboxed unit in workshop, no plans for it to go out, so I removed the Y and M IU's from this device to use in the field.
This new machine had been booted, toned, test prints etc before the IU's were removed, all perfect, as expected.
When I installed the new C and the 2 "nearly new" IU's in the machine in the field it booted fine, stabilised, printed first gradation then it coded out on TCR low M. Checking the levels sure enough the M IU was sitting at 1.2% and the yellow was also sitting about 2.3%. The brand new C IU was perfectly fine.
This is where mistakes were made on my behalf, last job of the day, want to get it fixed ASAP, you know how it goes:
I manual added for Y and M (These were already properly full and levelled correctly in the donor machine - whyyyyy would I do this!!! - Mistake)
The Y IU filled to 6.83% in about half a cycle of toner add, suspicious, but all ok in test prints.
The M IU took ages to tone up, but I persisted, (and ofc, it overfilled physically), but machine was reporting 6.35% so thought OK. (This was about 30-45 mins of Manual Add M to bring it up)
So, yeah, you guessed it: I go to do a Gradation adjust and it was like I had loaded pink media into the drawer. Entire background was magenta, edge to edge.
Internally the ITB, transfer roller and the IU itself was a warzone of Magenta. The Image unit was completely full, the Drum unit was coated in toner when I removed the IU to inspect and the blade was obviously choked as the drum wouldnt clear when turned manually. Brutal - Savage - Rekt
At this point the customer was itching to get home, as was I. Apologised, blamed faulty part and set them to print B/W until I could return with a new M IU. They were very understanding and chill about it, which was nice.
Next day:
I return, with another used IU, probably about 35k on it, but all ok in the parts machine it came from - test prints clear, TCR levels good etc.
I remove the blown unit, dusted out the entire machine, replaced the ITB cleaning blade, secondary transfer roller checked the front side connector, checked the cable seating for the IU at the rear, all seems groovy, installed the M IU.
I print a test page - edge to edge magenta background - sweaty collar time. TCR level looks suspiciously like the level it had before, wish I had taken a picture.
Now to really get into the nitty gritty. I go into service mode and perform the following adjustments:
Stabiliser -> Intialise and Background Reset
Gradation Adjust A3 -> Print x3 Copy x3 (Stabiliser OK, no P codes, adjust completed OK)
Blue Button to perform final stabilisation
Back to home
Print test page - This is my reference page going forward, has the magenta background, but everything else about it is OK balance wise
Suspecting either an issue with HV, PCRB or LSU
Lets start with HV testing:
Image adjust process:
Image Density M to -10 (MAX low)
Background Density Adjust M to -5 (MAX low)
Blue button to perform final stabilisation
Back to home
Print test page
Compare to reference page taken before:
They were identical.
I went back into service, changed the values for density, repeated above steps. Nothing I changed in the image adjustment for M had any imapct on the output.
This is where the machine is currently sitting. I again apologised, praised the customer's patience and gave them the estimated arrival date on the new, oem IU's that were ordered up.
To satisfy my curiosity I installed the M IU back into the original new donor machine TCR = 12.83%!!!!!! Managed to bring it down, no edge to edge issues but I can see that irrecoverable damage has been done to the drum and dev (Mottled/Splotchy output on halftone 55, also visbly faint on halftone 255 witch splotches)
Fast forward to today, another C227(MF223) CQ call in for another site, only C Streaking.
My colleage takes the C IU from the New Unboxed machine and yeah, you guessed it, edge to edge C on every colour print after replacing.
So, to finally get to my questions:
1) Do these machines just dislike using already intiliased IUs?
2) Advice on what i can do when the new IU arrives so I dont blow it out like the other 2?
Cheers for reading it through!
I am experiencing repeatable issues with IU's and I would like some confirmation on my suspicions.
FW: G00-X4 on one device, GCD-Y0 on another.
Story begins - warning, contains ramblings and over information, but some may enjoy my pain:
Had a machine in the field called in for CQ issues: M, C and Y IU's all streaking due to EOL. This was start of last week.
Full disclosure, all service settings for No-Stop set and messages supressed, they get run through until they streak.
Had one single C IU new in box on shelf, and eta for the others was weeks. Had a freshly unboxed unit in workshop, no plans for it to go out, so I removed the Y and M IU's from this device to use in the field.
This new machine had been booted, toned, test prints etc before the IU's were removed, all perfect, as expected.
When I installed the new C and the 2 "nearly new" IU's in the machine in the field it booted fine, stabilised, printed first gradation then it coded out on TCR low M. Checking the levels sure enough the M IU was sitting at 1.2% and the yellow was also sitting about 2.3%. The brand new C IU was perfectly fine.
This is where mistakes were made on my behalf, last job of the day, want to get it fixed ASAP, you know how it goes:
I manual added for Y and M (These were already properly full and levelled correctly in the donor machine - whyyyyy would I do this!!! - Mistake)
The Y IU filled to 6.83% in about half a cycle of toner add, suspicious, but all ok in test prints.
The M IU took ages to tone up, but I persisted, (and ofc, it overfilled physically), but machine was reporting 6.35% so thought OK. (This was about 30-45 mins of Manual Add M to bring it up)
So, yeah, you guessed it: I go to do a Gradation adjust and it was like I had loaded pink media into the drawer. Entire background was magenta, edge to edge.
Internally the ITB, transfer roller and the IU itself was a warzone of Magenta. The Image unit was completely full, the Drum unit was coated in toner when I removed the IU to inspect and the blade was obviously choked as the drum wouldnt clear when turned manually. Brutal - Savage - Rekt
At this point the customer was itching to get home, as was I. Apologised, blamed faulty part and set them to print B/W until I could return with a new M IU. They were very understanding and chill about it, which was nice.
Next day:
I return, with another used IU, probably about 35k on it, but all ok in the parts machine it came from - test prints clear, TCR levels good etc.
I remove the blown unit, dusted out the entire machine, replaced the ITB cleaning blade, secondary transfer roller checked the front side connector, checked the cable seating for the IU at the rear, all seems groovy, installed the M IU.
I print a test page - edge to edge magenta background - sweaty collar time. TCR level looks suspiciously like the level it had before, wish I had taken a picture.
Now to really get into the nitty gritty. I go into service mode and perform the following adjustments:
Stabiliser -> Intialise and Background Reset
Gradation Adjust A3 -> Print x3 Copy x3 (Stabiliser OK, no P codes, adjust completed OK)
Blue Button to perform final stabilisation
Back to home
Print test page - This is my reference page going forward, has the magenta background, but everything else about it is OK balance wise
Suspecting either an issue with HV, PCRB or LSU
Lets start with HV testing:
Image adjust process:
Image Density M to -10 (MAX low)
Background Density Adjust M to -5 (MAX low)
Blue button to perform final stabilisation
Back to home
Print test page
Compare to reference page taken before:
They were identical.
I went back into service, changed the values for density, repeated above steps. Nothing I changed in the image adjustment for M had any imapct on the output.
This is where the machine is currently sitting. I again apologised, praised the customer's patience and gave them the estimated arrival date on the new, oem IU's that were ordered up.
To satisfy my curiosity I installed the M IU back into the original new donor machine TCR = 12.83%!!!!!! Managed to bring it down, no edge to edge issues but I can see that irrecoverable damage has been done to the drum and dev (Mottled/Splotchy output on halftone 55, also visbly faint on halftone 255 witch splotches)
Fast forward to today, another C227(MF223) CQ call in for another site, only C Streaking.
My colleage takes the C IU from the New Unboxed machine and yeah, you guessed it, edge to edge C on every colour print after replacing.
So, to finally get to my questions:
1) Do these machines just dislike using already intiliased IUs?
2) Advice on what i can do when the new IU arrives so I dont blow it out like the other 2?
Cheers for reading it through!