C3503 Scanning issues

**Theenigma31680** · 10-30-2020

I have a C3503 in the field with issues on copies only when scanning a page or image that has a gradient. Every board and component from the scanner carriage to the main controller board have been replaced. Even the wire harness in the scanner area. Never gets any better. Scan to email shows the same results as copies as well.

Prints look fine. No issues there. Sample image attached.

**Notrons** · 10-30-2020

Do your scans/copies look the same if you use the ADF or using the glass?

**mikadonovan** · 10-30-2020

Clean the ID sensors and run ACC. Be sure and do the copier function on ACC.

**Theenigma31680** · 10-30-2020

Copier and printer ACC has been run. Everything inside has been cleaned throughly.

Issue appears in both the adf and glass scans.

Ricoh had us replace every board from the scanner carriage assembly to the main controller. Their next suggestion is EPROM. Firmware is up to date.

Also, ID sensors test good and read properly.

**Notrons** · 10-30-2020

Kind of looks like one of the mirrors is misaligned or tweaked. Maybe scanning motor tension spring broke or popped loose. Could also be Focus lens going bad.

**mikadonovan** · 10-30-2020

Originally Posted by Notrons

Kind of looks like one of the mirrors is misaligned or tweaked. Maybe scanning motor tension spring broke or popped loose. Could also be Focus lens going bad.

After looking at the image again, I see why your saying this. The color block at the top left of the test page is actually repeating itself on the top right of the chart with the top of the image curved inward. Makes sense with the prints being OK, and just the copy effed up. I wonder if the CCD lens block has been moved.

**mga** · 10-30-2020

Originally Posted by Theenigma31680

Copier and printer ACC has been run. Everything inside has been cleaned throughly.

Issue appears in both the adf and glass scans.

Ricoh had us replace every board from the scanner carriage assembly to the main controller. Their next suggestion is EPROM. Firmware is up to date.

Also, ID sensors test good and read properly.

Looks to me more optics twisted or defo in that area surprised that Ricoh have started by replacing pwb's if they are involved they will sort

**slimslob** · 10-30-2020

Originally Posted by mikadonovan

After looking at the image again, I see why your saying this. The color block at the top left of the test page is actually repeating itself on the top right of the chart with the top of the image curved inward. Makes sense with the prints being OK, and just the copy effed up. I wonder if the CCD lens block has been moved.

At first I thought that it was a picture of the print and the print was not laying flat but now I see what you mean. I wonder if Theenigma31680 or some other tech with his company has taken the lens off the lens bracket? The lens is factory aligned to the bracket and the screws mounting it to the bracket should never be even loosened. If anyone has loosened those screws they need to order the complete lens block assembly.

**Theenigma31680** · 10-30-2020

Originally Posted by slimslob

At first I thought that it was a picture of the print and the print was not laying flat but now I see what you mean. I wonder if Theenigma31680 or some other tech with his company has taken the lens off the lens bracket? The lens is factory aligned to the bracket and the screws mounting it to the bracket should never be even loosened. If anyone has loosened those screws they need to order the complete lens block assembly.

We have replaced the entire lens block assembly and board as one piece. We never disassembled the lens at all. The carriage assembly had been replaced as well. Due to the delicate nature of these parts, we replaced the entire assembly as opposed to individual pieces. Less risk involved that way.

Eprom replacement and manual insertion of values actually made the scans worse. Replaced with old eprom and results are back to the previous conditions.

Not sure about the motor, as that is the one thing that we really hadn't changed, but it does flow freely when taking sky shots. In fact, images scan perfectly fine on solid colors. Sky shot looked perfect. It only happens in instances of a gradient. Customer initially noticed it while printing an image of a pumpkin where multiple instances of orange appeared.

**mga** · 10-30-2020

Originally Posted by Theenigma31680

We have replaced the entire lens block assembly and board as one piece. We never disassembled the lens at all. The carriage assembly had been replaced as well. Due to the delicate nature of these parts, we replaced the entire assembly as opposed to individual pieces. Less risk involved that way.

Eprom replacement and manual insertion of values actually made the scans worse. Replaced with old eprom and results are back to the previous conditions.

Not sure about the motor, as that is the one thing that we really hadn't changed, but it does flow freely when taking sky shots. In fact, images scan perfectly fine on solid colors. Sky shot looked perfect. It only happens in instances of a gradient. Customer initially noticed it while printing an image of a pumpkin where multiple instances of orange appeared.

When you replaced carriage to you set up with carriage jigs