FC7000 pen down???????????

[sghobbies]

Recently and sporadically the pen on the cutter has decided to stay in the down position, even while going from one cut point to the next(but not always). I can never predict when it will happen. It's driving me crazy. Now, after I select sheet when I insert vinyl, after it has read the distance coming back across the vinyl then pen drops and the cross cut blade cuts the vinyl in two. Any suggestions?

 

[round man]

you need to check the pen carriage for debris that might hinder the up and down movement on your pen(or blade holder) some times a cleaning with alchohol on a q-tip will get rid of any old vinyl scrap that may have gotten stuck to it when a cut goes bad and we've all had one sooner or later that some small detail came up with the blade when we weren't looking,.....sometimes the mechanism just needs a drop of 3 in one oil,...sometimes you end up replacing the up down solenoid,...lets hope for your sake this is not the case,....

 

[tbaker]

sounds like the pen block assembly is going bad, contact romy here on the forums, she can have someone call you to help diagnose the problem.

 

[sghobbies]

Sure hope it's not the solenoid. We had to replace the board already.

 

[sghobbies]

Thanks for the replies by the way.

 

[bob]

you need to check the pen carriage for debris that might hinder the up and down movement on your pen(or blade holder) some times a cleaning with alchohol on a q-tip will get rid of any old vinyl scrap that may have gotten stuck to it when a cut goes bad and we've all had one sooner or later that some small detail came up with the blade when we weren't looking,.....sometimes the mechanism just needs a drop of 3 in one oil,...sometimes you end up replacing the up down solenoid,...lets hope for your sake this is not the case,....

Close but no cigar. Everything you said up to the 3 in 1 oil is gospel. But do not ever, as in ever, lubricate the up/down mechanism. If you do all you'll accomplish is to make a first class dust catcher out of it.

I'm not certain but the actual mechanism is more likely a variety of voice coil rather than a solenoid. I should think that solenoids are much too slow and one dimensional for this sort of application. If I'm correct then I can guarantee that it wants to run dry.