Mutoh SC-1400D not sensing pinch rollers!

[Signsforwhile]

We have a Mutoh SC-1400D plotter. Yesterday the plotter jammed which it has done in the past. Except this time there is a problem.

When the media is loaded it starts checking to see if the pressure rollers are over the grid rollers. The first one checks out fine, but as it goes left, it stops over a pressure roller (obviously seeing it), but then displays that the pressure roller is not over a grid roller. I spoke with Mutoh Amr. and the tech had me go into Diag. mode, which further proved that the sensor is working properly. Somehow the machine, since the jam which may or may not have been coincidental, has been tricked into thinking that the rollers are out of place.

We've dissembled the entire cutter carriage and put it back together. All of the cables are in tact, everything is in place and nothing looks damaged or broken.

 

[R08]

I have one that had a similar problem except that it doesn't see the end of the plotter so when it starts up it jams to the left and tries to keep going. I was told it was a sensor problem but I haven't been able to locate the sensors.

 

[randya]

Apparently there is a flag sensor on the back of the carriage that senses the 'flag' (a raised ridge on the hold down roller assymbly) and compared that with an encoder count on the carriage motor.

So while it may 'see' the flag, it senses that it is not the correct position.

Obviously, this is very difficult to diagnose and repair over the phone.

All cutters are depot repaired, meaning they must come back to Mutoh for repair.
Is it still under warranty?

 

[Graphics2u]

Sounds like it's possible that the belt slipped a few cogs when it jammed, and the encoder sensor on the motor may not be in the correct location.

Randya - Are there any timing marks on the belt and encoder to make sure they are aligned?

 

[Graphics2u]

Try this. Load up material and let it start to sense the rollers. If you take the top cover off you should be able to see where the sensor is in relation to the flag on the roller when it gets to the one that it has problems with. If the sensor isn't lined up with the flag on the roller it could be the belt has slipped.

 

[randya]

Try this. Load up material and let it start to sense the rollers. If you take the top cover off you should be able to see where the sensor is in relation to the flag on the roller when it gets to the one that it has problems with. If the sensor isn't lined up with the flag on the roller it could be the belt has slipped.

Good idea.

The encoder is actually built into the motor.

If he can see where the sensor errors with the flag he may be able to manually move the roller to have it make the sensor.

 

[Signsforwhile]

Not under warranty. This plotter is almost 4 years old.

The sensor is stopping right over those flag pieces. So the encoder portion,...is there a way to adjust it?

Thanks so far! Got me thinking about other things it may be. I'm sitting here with the covers off waiting for more suggestions. Thanks!!!!

 

[Signsforwhile]

Is there any way to reset the firmware? If something slipped, the software can be reset and the machine thinks that how it starts back up is correct?

 

[Graphics2u]

Not under warranty. This plotter is almost 4 years old.

The sensor is stopping right over those flag pieces. So the encoder portion,...is there a way to adjust it?

Thanks so far! Got me thinking about other things it may be. I'm sitting here with the covers off waiting for more suggestions. Thanks!!!!

Does it appear to detect the first roller when the sensor is in the same position over the flag?

 

[Signsforwhile]

Yes. The sensor passes over the first flag and sees it. Then it moves onto the second one, checks for it exactly the same, but says it's missplaced

 

[Graphics2u]

Yes. The sensor passes over the first flag and sees it. Then it moves onto the second one, checks for it exactly the same, but says it's missplaced

But in Diagnostic mode it see that same roller flag?

 

[Signsforwhile]

Yes in diagnostic mode it sees the flags properly.

 

[Graphics2u]

Can you swap the locations of the Rollers? Never tried that on mine. Maybe change the #2 and #3 around and see if it works with that one?

 

[Graphics2u]

Is there any way to reset the firmware? If something slipped, the software can be reset and the machine thinks that how it starts back up is correct?

I know there is an updated firmware on Mutoh's site. Mine is 5 years old at least and I updated it last winter. Maybe that would do something. Don't know.

 

[randya]

Firmware is here:

ftp://ftp.mutoh.com/Printer Information_Manuals/Ultima Cutters/Firmware/

 

[Signsforwhile]

never done a firmware update. seems to be taking a long time. is this normal?

 

[randya]

Sorry, I have never done one on this cutter.
We did one last week on a new Kona and it took maybe 5 minutes, seemed like a long time for firmware.

You dont want to shut it off before it is finished...

 

[Signsforwhile]

this is going on 20 minutes now...

 

[randya]

My guy here, says it should have beeped twice and then you power off and back on to finish firmware.

So, hoping you are good to go.

 

[Signsforwhile]

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