Gerber GS15 Plus plotter problem

[Sign Depot]

I have a Gerber GS15 Plus Plotter that is giving me trouble. When I send a file to the plotter it cuts in the wrong place. For instance if I tell it to cut a 1/2'' x 12'' rectangle 15 times with a weed border it will cut up about 5'' over 1/2'' and cut back down. Basically cutting half of the rectangle and then it will cut the weed border correctly with the exception of the start stop points don't line up exactly. And then it will continue this for the remaining 14 rectangles. The height that it goes up ranges from 4'' to 6'' and the width its is random also. It does this with any file I send to it weather it be text or shapes it will cut what I send it just cuts it in the wrong place and usually overlaps lines of text.

So my question is has anybody had this problem or know what it might be. I am planning on sending it to the Plotter Doctor in Bellflower, CA. has anybody ever used them? They are telling me it will be a $1200 flat rate to repair it and it will have a 6mth. warranty.

Thanks,
Scott

 

[Mosh]

We had a problem like this. We had an old roland plotter and when we upgraded our computers it started. Turns out the new computer was sending info too fast and overloading the plotter, it didn't do it every time but about 1/3 of the plotas fouled. Hooked it up to the old comp, no problems.

Don't know if it is the same, but it sounds like it.

 

[Jillbeans]

Could it be your Theta belt?
Have you blown the plotter out with canned air and oiled the metal rods lately?
I just stopped using my 15" Gerber 4E on Monday.
I bought a new 24" Graphtec for about $1800.
Cannot believe I waited so long. If this is an option, I'd consider it.
Love.....Jill

 

[Mosh]

$600 bucks more and you get a new, bigger plotter. Gerber machines last a long time. I had a sprint 3 for 15 years.

 

[Fred Weiss]

Sounds like it's probably the Theta belt. This is the toothed orange belt that handles the rotation of the toolhead. You should be able to remove the toolhead cover and eyeball it for missing teeth. As Jill said also, lubrication and clean surfaces are much more important than is often realized with Gerber plotters.

 

[Mosh]

Theta belt turns the knife, right?

 

[Fred Weiss]

Theta belt turns the knife, right?

Yup. The most common symptom is ragged cutting but it's still the main thing that fails in these very well built plotters. Most everything else is binds and sensors not working correctly due to lack of lubrication and dust buildup.

 

[ndemond]

Had the same problem with the envision: On gerber techs advice I set the pull down feature to 0 and slowed down the acceleration. I also turned off the weed box if I really didn't need it. Just make sure you have enough unrolled material behind the plotter so it does not "jerk" the roll.
Don't know if the GS 15 has these options.

Nancy

 

[Sign Depot]

After hours of research, talking to tech support, taking the thing apart, blowing it out, the only thing I didn't do was lubricate it. I checked the belt and it was fine so I rubbed a little bit of WD40 on the silver rails and the thing is cutting perfect. I can't believe that's all it was. Thanks for all your help.

By the way the reason I dont replace the plotter is because I still have a Gerber edge so I need it for cutting printed stuff not to mention I think its a great plotter. I do have other plotters for larger stuff 30'' Roland ( also a great plotter ) and a Roland SP540V printer / plotter.

 

[Jillbeans]

Glad the lube tip worked out for you.
Nothing runs like a well-oiled machine!

 

[Fred Weiss]

Just a tip you may have overlooked.

Open the toolhead cover and you will be looking at a chrome shaft passing through a bronze oilite bearing. It has an oil port on the underside which is only found if your rotate it. Gerber strongly recommends one drop of machine oil every six months in this oil port. I would not recommend WD-40 for this. Invest in a can of 3-in-1.

 

[roborizino]

Yup. The most common symptom is ragged cutting but it's still the main thing that fails in these very well built plotters. Most everything else is binds and sensors not working correctly due to lack of lubrication and dust buildup.

Hi
I am Rob Orizino in NY. I read your post about the theta belt. I installed a new one, and the "pen plot" works perfect, but the blade holder is not accurate. When I start a job, sometimes it plots everything perfect, but most times I notice that the blad is not beig correctly guided. Any suggestions would be most appreciated. Thanks

 

[Fred Weiss]

Hi
I am Rob Orizino in NY. I read your post about the theta belt. I installed a new one, and the "pen plot" works perfect, but the blade holder is not accurate. When I start a job, sometimes it plots everything perfect, but most times I notice that the blad is not beig correctly guided. Any suggestions would be most appreciated. Thanks

It probably wasn't homed when you changed the Theta belt.

• Remove the covers and manually turn the tool head.
• Trace the movement back to a collar clamp.
• Loosen the set screw and you should be able to turn the tool head without any movement beyond the collar clamp.
• Turn on the power to the plotter. The tool head will turn to the Home position.
• Put some vinyl in the plotters and lower the tool head down until the blade is touching the vinyl. This is done manually by rotating the lifter shaft on the feed in side of the plotter.
• Feed the vinyl for a few inches to the left and the blade will rotate to the correct aligned position. I'm going from memory ... it may be to the right.
• Tighten the set screw on the collar clamp.
• Send a test cut. If cut is correct, turn off power and replace the covers. If not, repeat until you get it right.

 

[Tel]

Take Freds advice get 3 in 1 oil on the rails WD40 will dry up it is not an oil. WD stands for water dispersant and it was the 40th formula.
I do exactly what Fred says every 6 months and have no problems with my GS15 or the 2 supersprints we still have.
I learnt this also from Fred so a Big thanks to Fred.
regards
Tel

 

[roborizino]

It probably wasn't homed when you changed the Theta belt.

• Remove the covers and manually turn the tool head.
• Trace the movement back to a collar clamp.
• Loosen the set screw and you should be able to turn the tool head without any movement beyond the collar clamp.
• Turn on the power to the plotter. The tool head will turn to the Home position.
• Put some vinyl in the plotters and lower the tool head down until the blade is touching the vinyl. This is done manually by rotating the lifter shaft on the feed in side of the plotter.
• Feed the vinyl for a few inches to the left and the blade will rotate to the correct aligned position. I'm going from memory ... it may be to the right.
• Tighten the set screw on the collar clamp.
• Send a test cut. If cut is correct, turn off power and replace the covers. If not, repeat until you get it right.

Hi Fred,

Thank you for taking the time to give me your advice concerning my Gerber GS15 Plus. I did what you said, loosened the collar clamp, set the head at top dead center (at 9 O'clock). I then rotated the black rod that raises and lowers the head, untill it lowered the blade to touch the vinyl. Tightened the collar clamp and booted it up. The head turns to that 9 O'clock position, but the lifter raies the blade around 3/16 inch. I repeated your suggestions a few times an the lifter always wants to go to the position where the blade is not touching the vinyl. I mostly to sandblasted signs and etchings, and of coarse, gold leaf work. I have had the plotter for around 19 years now, have used it maybe 100-200 hours total. Always did me right. Now I have a job for this coming Monday, and may have to hand letter it. That would be devastating out in the cold of the NE in the middle of Winter! 0
Any advise would be well received. I have it apart but did not take off the right cover. Seems as though all the work can be done by only removing the left cover.
Thanks Fred

Rob Orizino in NY PH 315 727 2245

 

[Fred Weiss]

Hi Fred,

Thank you for taking the time to give me your advice concerning my Gerber GS15 Plus. I did what you said, loosened the collar clamp, set the head at top dead center (at 9 O'clock). I then rotated the black rod that raises and lowers the head, untill it lowered the blade to touch the vinyl. Tightened the collar clamp and booted it up. The head turns to that 9 O'clock position, but the lifter raies the blade around 3/16 inch. I repeated your suggestions a few times an the lifter always wants to go to the position where the blade is not touching the vinyl. I mostly to sandblasted signs and etchings, and of coarse, gold leaf work. I have had the plotter for around 19 years now, have used it maybe 100-200 hours total. Always did me right. Now I have a job for this coming Monday, and may have to hand letter it. That would be devastating out in the cold of the NE in the middle of Winter! 0
Any advise would be well received. I have it apart but did not take off the right cover. Seems as though all the work can be done by only removing the left cover.
Thanks Fred

Rob Orizino in NY PH 315 727 2245

You need to leave the set screw untightened and when you turn the plotter on the plotter mechanism will turn to home leaving the tool head unmoved. It is controlled by a light sensor with a gap that allows light to pass in the Home position.

At this point you should be able to load vinyl and lower the tool head by turning the shaft. If you can't, turn off the power and lower it. The tool head is normally up when the plotter is first turned on. Finally slew the vinyl and the blade will move to the position of least drag ... which is the starting home position.

Now tighten the set screw and do a test cut.

Basically you are setting the plotter to home first with the tool head disconnected by turning it on. Then you set the tool head and the blade to also be in the correct home position and reconnecting it to the plotter mechanism by tightening the set screw.

 

[roborizino]

Hello Fred again,

I did everything you said, but the only plot I could get was a swivel knife plot. When I tried the tangental blade...it wandered somewhat... I do want to cut some sandblast stencil next week sometime...but I should be fine with the swivel blade which I have never used. Not for sandblast resist tho. You have helped me decipher this issue and I appreciate it. One last thing...I want the swivel knife to go slow...but it always wants to go fast.very fast. Maybe it's the small letters? I tried the slow button but it even tho it beeps once, it still goes fast. The letters are 3/4 inch. I wll watch for your reply in the morning...if you have time that is. Thanks again! At least I can do the job on Monday, which is just vinyl.
Rob in NY

 

[Fred Weiss]

Hello Fred again,

I did everything you said, but the only plot I could get was a swivel knife plot. When I tried the tangental blade...it wandered somewhat... I do want to cut some sandblast stencil next week sometime...but I should be fine with the swivel blade which I have never used. Not for sandblast resist tho. You have helped me decipher this issue and I appreciate it. One last thing...I want the swivel knife to go slow...but it always wants to go fast.very fast. Maybe it's the small letters? I tried the slow button but it even tho it beeps once, it still goes fast. The letters are 3/4 inch. I wll watch for your reply in the morning...if you have time that is. Thanks again! At least I can do the job on Monday, which is just vinyl.
Rob in NY

Something is wrong with your homing. If you have a camera, please post a pic of the tool head with the blade holder in it, after you first turn the plotter on. Take it from the feed out side and low enough to show the blade angle. Please also, remove the top of the tool head and take a closeup pic of the theta belt.

As far as the speed slow down, I have never worked on a GS15, so I'm no help there.

 

[Jase]

There are also photographic instructions on the gerber website and the plotter doctor. I used these with no problems after taking Fred's advice.

Jason

 

[Fred Weiss]

Here's a link to theta belt replacement and homing adjustment with pictures. I would still like to see pictures requested of your plotter.