Edge 2 printing but nothing shows up

[SellersSign&Design]

It is apparently just one of those weeks here... my L25500 is down, I ordered the wrong part to fix it, the one I need is backordered, and now my Edge quit working. It worked fine the other day, then today I sent a job to it and it started printing as normal (but didn't warm up first, it just said "processing image" which was odd) but when the job started to come out of the printer I noticed there was nothing on the vinyl. I stopped it, opened the top and noticed a faint "ghost" of the image that was supposed to be printing. So I unplugged, restarted and tried again. This time it went through an unusually long warm up, started printing and did the same thing... no ribbon transfer to the vinyl. I have no error messages. Any ideas???

 

[Fred Weiss]

First isolate the problem to either the job setup, the printer or the materials by substituting different vinyl, different foil and a different job ... preferably all known to be good, and run that job. If it prints OK run the original job again with the known to be good vinyl and foil. If OK, then switch the vinyl to the original and run again. If OK, switch the foil to the original and run again.

Any failure along the way will tell you where the problem is.

 

[SellersSign&Design]

I have ran different jobs, foils and vinyls. All used in the past with no problems, and it continues to do the same thing. It almost seems like it isn't heating up.

 

[Fred Weiss]

What you have done in the past has nothing to do with isolating the cause of the problem today.

 

[SellersSign&Design]

What you have done in the past has nothing to do with isolating the cause of the problem today.

Sorry I should have been more specific. I did all of that today trying to troubleshoot. I also ran the cobalt blue test print through the control panel on the printer, it printed a line of tiny, barely visible dots up each side of the vinyl, but thats it.

 

[Fred Weiss]

I can't give you specifics because I've never had it happen to me, but yes, it sounds like your print head isn't heating up. that could be the print head, a fuse if one exists or something in the circuitry for the print head.

 

[SellersSign&Design]

So this is most likely something I'll have to call Gerber for?

 

[Fred Weiss]

Yup. Although I would remove the sides and remake every connector before calling Gerber.

 

[Jburns]

I wonder if your Z axis sensor is bent, or in the wrong position- If the head isn't lowering down enough- then the foil isn't making contact with the platen. I would take the top cover off, and watch it lower and print first:
For an LE:

 

[SellersSign&Design]

I will try both suggestions tomorrow. I printed a couple jobs on it two days ago and it worked fine, so it's odd that it won't work today. Not to mention this is a very low usage, like new machine.

 

[Marlene]

have you tried turning up the heat settings to see if the ghost image changes?

 

[SellersSign&Design]

have you tried turning up the heat settings to see if the ghost image changes?

I haven't tried that, is it possible that those changed without me knowing it?

 

[Fred Weiss]

Three true tales ...

1. Earlier today my Mrs. complained that her calculator wouldn't allow any entries. I tried it and she was right. Turned it on and off - no fix but it did have power. Then I pressed down extra hard on a number key and it entered correctly. After that all keys worked correctly.

2. I use an optical wheel mouse with the wheel setup for double click when I press it. About a week ago it stopped working. I thought I had a replacement on the shelf but it had been used somewhere else. I ordered a couple more and shortly after that I pressed the wheel extra hard and it started working. Still is.

3. A few years ago my Edge stopped printing on one pixel leaving an unprinted stripe about an inch up from the bottom. At the same time I had both my air cushion shocks go bad and the top of the Edge slammed down and shut. Guess what! The pixel started firing again and the problem never reappeared.

The moral of the stories ...

Electro-mechanical devices from calculators to mice to Gerber Edge printers are all subject to quirky behavior due to wear, intermittently failing parts, dirt and dust, dirty contacts, etc. Before you assume you need an expensive repair, take off the side covers and remake every connection. If just might fix your machine.

 

[Marlene]

I haven't tried that, is it possible that those changed without me knowing it?

not so much that it has changed but if the heat isn't enough on normal, it might show up more if it was set to high. it would help tell if it is a problem with the heat.

 

[SellersSign&Design]

I checked all connections and could not find anything wrong as far as that goes. I called Gerber tech support and they told me it is either the print head or the print head data cable, but they recommend trying the cable first because the print head repair would be around $3,000. Ouch. So I have a cable on the way, we will see what happens. I've never heard of a printhead failing like this, I know all about the pixel dropout that is common with these, but I've never heard of someone having to replace a printhead because of a heating issue?

 

[Fred Weiss]

Nor have I. Hope the new cable solved the problem.

 

[Billct2]

Wow, that is a new one, good luck.

 

[netsol]

they suspect the head?

i am new to the edge, but our zebra printers use the same thermal transfer technology. inwould have suspected the circuit that drives the head, telling it which pixels to heat.

i assume you will look for a refurb edge rather than go $3k for a head

try reseating all cables both ends, main board and head itself.
r

Wow, that is a new one, good luck.

 

[Hielorojo]

I checked all connections and could not find anything wrong as far as that goes. I called Gerber tech support and they told me it is either the print head or the print head data cable, but they recommend trying the cable first because the print head repair would be around $3,000. Ouch. So I have a cable on the way, we will see what happens. I've never heard of a printhead failing like this, I know all about the pixel dropout that is common with these, but I've never heard of someone having to replace a printhead because of a heating issue?

Hello there, very rare, I do not think that problem is the PrintHead........
Otherwise there is a UK Ebayer that sell a GerberPrinthead for 100 Dollars(he does not know if it works....) I would buy it........

 

[Mike Paul]

One thing you can try as a last resort is a hard reset on the printer.
Worked for an issue I had with my Edge 2 a few years back.
I haven't had it for quite a while but there is a blind button located on the panel that doesn't have any markings over it. If I remember right you push that along with another at the same time for a couple seconds to complete the reset...