*$#(@!!! jv3-160sp print just went blank!

[artbot]

i haven't run my jv3 in about two months. i did a full wash of the heads. i booted it up yesterday and it was printing just fine. today turn it on again no problem.

suddenly sample print i was printing just drops out. all heads all at once. nothing. doing a test print, the printer goes through the motions blank print.

i am slammed the next five days (all deadline installs). HELP! (please)

 

[SightLine]

Ouch! Timing blows. You know it is electrical though, not data since it still thinks its going. Something with head control and firing the nozzles. I'd double check the head cable connections, main big slider cables connections, etc. There are transistors for each head on the main board and all going at once is unlikely. That's why I want to lean towards a connection coming loose. That or some loss of voltage on something.

 

[artbot]

so the printer can zip back and forth because that is a function of a signal to the y-motor. but the heads can get no signal to fire but the firmware not consider that an error? but wouldn't the slider board be "shaking hands" with the heads? without the data cables saying "hello" to the main board via the main cable? i'll look at it. not only is the timing horrible but i am really needing to impress this company. they've slammed me, we've discussed them buying me $100k in new equipment (even have a ticket to china for the 10th).

 

[SightLine]

I think, the heads communicate very little to nothing back to the firmware. As far as the firmware knows, they are following instructions and doing what they are supposed to. Wish I had something more solid. Could be an encoding issue too I guess.

 

[artbot]

thanks, i'm looking at the service manual to do an encoder test. it's a new encoder sensor (few months).

+++++

okay. how does the "encoder test" test the encoder? the carriage takes off quickly to the far left three times. the display reads some 1969.00mm or something.

the fact that it did it's thing and told me how many lines/distance it counted, is that (other than adjusting) proof that it is working properly?

 

[SightLine]

Honestly have no idea how the encoder test works.... any luck yet?

 

[mopar691]

thanks, i'm looking at the service manual to do an encoder test. it's a new encoder sensor (few months).

+++++

okay. how does the "encoder test" test the encoder? the carriage takes off quickly to the far left three times. the display reads some 1969.00mm or something.

the fact that it did it's thing and told me how many lines/distance it counted, is that (other than adjusting) proof that it is working properly?

I believe you would use that as a reference on multiple tests and a cross check to when the encoder was first installed. Repeatability here is key.

I do not know much about your machine but from what I know about machining and encoders this does not seem to be the source of the problem.

 

[artbot]

well super-kent to the rescue.

kent with macmedia contacted me this evening via email (on july 4th no less) and offered his uber guru advice and feels that the boards (slider and main) should be pulled and that he could have them back to me by saturday morning.

(kent also mentioned that my read out of 1669mm means the encoder is reading. cables look pristine and plugged in very solid. this printer is extremely low hours but it is old. so maybe what wear and tear can't do over the years, just sitting and being old can do)

i tend to sadly agree with them. this is universal data loss with no warning sign. i figure priority overnight both ways, two diagnostics, maybe one repair and i'm looking at $400. hopefully i'll be delivering these pieces monday afternoon.

 

[SightLine]

Sounds like a good plan. Kent does know the boards on these inside and out.

 

[artbot]

GRRRR... (and yay). i decide it's time to take out the boards (which i'm dreading) and now it's working.

one small observation:

the hour that it quit printing , when i did a test print, instead of the *werrrrt... weeeeee* (that's attempted sound effects for the test print then the carriage rushing back to the capping station). it was like it printed the test print and then slowly went back and parked the carriage. has anyone noticed this with their machines? ...minute thing to observe but you know how one memorizes every single sound that a machine makes.

so do i wing it, say a prayer at every boot? i figure i'll do scores of small prints to see if i can force it to fail again. all i need to print to get through the weekend is about 40 feet.

sorry for the odd self fixing thread, i'm sure i have a broken printer. the question is when will it really break.

 

[ruckusman]

Leave it powered up for the duration...

Worst case scenario - If it stops printing on you before you'vve done your current deliverables, then you'll have to ship it to Kent for repairs ASAP

Best case scenario, it does the while lot, and then you can ship it to Kent for repair.

Change of state (being powered off and on) wears electronics faster

peace out

 

[SightLine]

Hard telling really if it will run on through or not.... only one way to find out. So many things that it could be at the board level. Anything from a bad solder joint, capacitors going bad, transistors dying..... some things can have a slow struggling death while other generally either work or not like fuses. One last one..... it could even be the power supply. That is on on computers that so many discount as being a problem but on a computer a cheap or failing power supply can seeming run the computer just fine until it gets a heavy load then might just crash with the user blaming Windows or some other program.

 

[ruckusman]

As sightline pointed out, failing components and switchmode power supplies can be really difficult to diagnose and a real PITA as they diminish your faith in the machine

The working, then not, then working again routine is just plain torture, it's better when they just stop working, full stop, no miraculous recoveries

Signal voltages on the JV3 mimaki is 5 volts, and there is 35 volts from the power supply, which becomes 42 volts to drive the actual piezo crystals in the heads

peace out

 

[artbot]

really appreciate all the input. this morning it's acting okay.

i'm off to houston to deal with some legal loose ends. hopefully by the end of the day, i'll have a visa to china and i can go to the shanghai sign expo.

tmi time!
(after a custody battle, i ended up with possession, but not full custody, of my daughter. therefore i don't owe child support as of the last 14 months. when i go to get my visa, they reject me stating that i am waaaay behind on my child support. so now with not more than a handful of days, i have to pull off a legal miracle to get the state dept and the TxCS system to show i can go. but to do this, i have to pay down $6400 i don't owe then get the money back. for anyone that has ever considered divorce, it follows you for more than a decade plaguing your finances in every way possible.)

________________

also, just heard from kent. he says that the carriage returning is very suspect. that my encoder sensor or strip may be dirty, or the sensor is faulty. i'm leaning sensor right now. but then i can be a fatal optimist.

 

[MikePro]

dust-bunny got knocked loose by your printing and settled on the encoder strip sensor?

my first guess was pumps, but if you were able to run head washes n' such, then they should be working just fine. If all colors dropped out at the same time, then I'm leaning towards data/electrical rather than mechanical/ink supply.
edited:
good to see its working! I jumped all over the reply button before reading responses

 

[artbot]

once all i had was a single cat hair in the sensor. but that just caused stepping.

this is BLANK printing. i'm not sure dirt can cause that. we'll see. hopefully the mimaki gods are off at a picnic when i hit print this weekend.

 

[djhotwheel]

Do keep the encoder clean with isopropal alcohol. If you ever spill ink on it DO NOT RUB you may be able to lightly chip off the old ink on an encoder. Clean the encoder about every 90 days.

Good luck!

 

[artbot]

update:

-printer acting strangely after cleaning parts.
-uni-directional mode causes the carriage to head off two feet too far to the left.
-kent with macmedia overnights encoder sensor
-no affect

-pulling boards, for macmedia repair (hopefully not the power supply instead)
-will be wearing cement shoes monday when my buyer doesn't get their pieces.

aa

 

[sha]

Artbot, I have same problem on JV3 like you. Still trying to find out what is causing that behavior.
Usually I leave printer off on main switch for few hours and than it start to work.
When start to print it will print until next shut down.
When you get your boards back or solve this problem would you share solution with us please?
Good luck and thanks!

 

[artbot]

sure will. i'll pm you and update this thread.

does yours do the same thing going too wide on uni-?