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Mimaki CJV30-130 Dripping Ink I need to resolve issue.

holmeswake

New Member
My CJV30-130 started dripping a blob of ink on each end of my prints every so often. I'm not sure what would be causing this issue. It's been happening for about 8 month, First it was very rare, Not it is several times per day.

Photos attached to see the Blob, The Print Head and Capping Station which was replace about a month ago. No issue there.

Has anyone else had this happen? Is there a fix? Something to look for?


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rjssigns

Active Member
I would get that with my Roland. Two things would cause it. Sometimes the area around the head will pick up a tiny fiber which collects ink until it drips. Thorough cleaning cures that. Another is what the tech said were ink carts with too much pressure. Removing and inserting a couple times took care of the dripping.
 

holmeswake

New Member
Ok, So I I cleaned everything spotless, The Capping station, around the printhead and anywhere I saw old ink build up. Went to do a Test Print and I watched closely to see what was happening. The Ink immediately pooled up in the areas circled in the photo. Looks like its is leaking out of the edge of the Printhead. Is this possible?

Remember, This was spotless 3 minute prior to the photos wing taken. This is all WET INK.

HELP

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L.D

New Member
How are your nozzle test prints? I would verify the cap position and adjust if needed. If you have never replaced your dampers I would suggest you do that.

You said the print head and caps are brand new?
 

holmeswake

New Member
How are your nozzle test prints? I would verify the cap position and adjust if needed. If you have never replaced your dampers I would suggest you do that.

You said the print head and caps are brand new?

I will get a photo of the Nozzle Test. They look good except 1 little line in missing in one of the Magentas this is a new problem as of February. I'll post a photo soon.

How do you adjust the cap position? I replaces the Cap but not the sliders. The Drip happened prior to me changing the cap.

Print Head is Original to the machine. Dampers are original (not sure now to change them) Cap was replaced.
 

hand851

Roland Mutoh & Mimaki inks digiprint-parts.com
Or like me but I am not in Minnesota.
Later this week end I will have a video on my web site showing how to do this. If you are not confident you can do, it hire a tech.
 

holmeswake

New Member
Or like me but I am not in Minnesota.
Later this week end I will have a video on my web site showing how to do this. If you are not confident you can do, it hire a tech.
I'd love to hire a Tech but there isn't one within 3 hours of my shop. I'm capable of doing the job, just hoping for some guidance and advice since I've never done this. I'd rather not cause any other issues in the process.

The business I bought my printer from is no longer a dealer and the guy who set it up (he bootlegs product from dealers) in the first place just blows off the conversation and wants nothing to do with supporting my machine. I asked about damper replacement and he said "I've done a replacement but don't remember how" That was a great answer.

A Video would be great. I saw one online but there is no talking description of whats going on.

Thanks in Advance.
 

holmeswake

New Member
How are your nozzle test prints? I would verify the cap position and adjust if needed. If you have never replaced your dampers I would suggest you do that.

You said the print head and caps are brand new?

One nozzle that I can't get to clear up shows in the Magenta.
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SightLine

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While the test draw is actually very very good it is also possible that the head is simply getting worn out. But there is some confusion there. In the first post you said the printhead and capping station were both replaced about a month prior but then you say in post #6 that the print head and dampers are original to the machine. Considering Mimaki came out with the replacement for the JV33/CJV30 machines (The JV150/CJV50 / 300) in 2014 I'd venture to guess that the printer is at minimum at least 5 years old, potentially far older as the JV33/CJV30 machines came out in 2008. So in that light, if it is on its original printhead and still has just a single nozzle missing, that is pretty darn good!

On your issue though. It still need a lot of cleaning. In that last photo you can see a big blob of dried ink connecting the print head to the carriage. It is not enough to just clear around the head. You need to occasionally clean the bottom of the entire head carriage. A tiny piece of fuzz stuck on the bottom of the carriage even an inch away from the head can disturb the air as it is quickly moving back and forth and cause print issues. With the age of the machine, depending on its maintenance history it might be time to replace all dampers, joint valves, capping top, and possibly the pump. All of these are cheaper than a printhead but its possible as I said, that the printhead itself could just be nearing the end of its life. Hard to say really though as that also depends on if the usage in its life has been very light compared to say printing non-stop 8+ hours a day 5 days a week or more.

That being said there are a number of things that can cause dripping at the printhead or what might appear to be such. Some of the more common things could be....
fuzz or something stuck on the bottom of the print carriage or head (just catches and collects ink as it runs)
failing printhead (usually will see misting on prints, but not necessarily a test draw)
aftermarket bulk ink systems that use open tanks (can cause all sorts of pressure issues in the ink system)
some aftermarket inks themselves can cause all sorts of issues
cartridge slot solenoid valve sticking open or failing (can cause excess pressures on the dampers when the machine is not expecting flow from the cartridges)
weak or failing dampers (there is a valve in them)
wiper worn out, not working, or just totally missing (if it cannot wipe excess ink off, well it just stays on the bottom of the head then)
clogged or failing pump (if it cannot get the ink out that it expects to then it just stays on the bottom of the head and in the cap top)

I'd also carefully inspect the wiper station. Over a long period of time ink can get built up enough that the entire station needs to be removed and thoroughly cleaned as there will be so much ink buildup that the wiper can pretty much no longer move freely.

One important thing I've learned the hard way more than once over the years is not to skimp on certain parts. I've never had an aftermarket pump last more than a year while and OEM one will last 5+ years. Dampers and capping tops are hit and miss. Sometimes generic ones works fine while other times I've had them start leaking almost immediately. I've brand new generic cap tops with air leaks brand new, and I've seen complete generic capping stations that are poorly formed and weak that will not line up go. I eventually learned my lesson and started buying only original genuine OEM Mimaki parts when needed. For some reason they just last far longer.... Some bits like wipers, foam pads are not as critical though.

Its a lot to consider but these machines are a lot more complex that one might think. That is why a couple of techs have chimes in that your best bet might be to get a professional tech in to fix it up. One thing I'd also suggest in that scenario is to get some assurance that the tech is experienced with Mimaki printers and that the company sending the tech uses only genuine OEM Mimaki parts. Without knowing what to look for though most would not know any difference between generic part packaging and labelling versus generic though. My point on this is just that if you are going to spend the big $$$$ for a professional tech, they better know what they are doing, get it done right, and stand by their work. While the JV33/CJV30 machines are now a bit older they are still absolute workhorses and are leaps and bounds better than the truly antique JV3 machines some are still trying to keep going. As long as it is taken care of and fixed right a JV33 in good condition should still be a perfectly capable and solid machine. Good luck!
 

holmeswake

New Member
While the test draw is actually very very good it is also possible that the head is simply getting worn out. But there is some confusion there. In the first post you said the printhead and capping station were both replaced about a month prior but then you say in post #6 that the print head and dampers are original to the machine. Considering Mimaki came out with the replacement for the JV33/CJV30 machines (The JV150/CJV50 / 300) in 2014 I'd venture to guess that the printer is at minimum at least 5 years old, potentially far older as the JV33/CJV30 machines came out in 2008. So in that light, if it is on its original printhead and still has just a single nozzle missing, that is pretty darn good!

On your issue though. It still need a lot of cleaning. In that last photo you can see a big blob of dried ink connecting the print head to the carriage. It is not enough to just clear around the head. You need to occasionally clean the bottom of the entire head carriage. A tiny piece of fuzz stuck on the bottom of the carriage even an inch away from the head can disturb the air as it is quickly moving back and forth and cause print issues. With the age of the machine, depending on its maintenance history it might be time to replace all dampers, joint valves, capping top, and possibly the pump. All of these are cheaper than a printhead but its possible as I said, that the printhead itself could just be nearing the end of its life. Hard to say really though as that also depends on if the usage in its life has been very light compared to say printing non-stop 8+ hours a day 5 days a week or more.

That being said there are a number of things that can cause dripping at the printhead or what might appear to be such. Some of the more common things could be....
fuzz or something stuck on the bottom of the print carriage or head (just catches and collects ink as it runs)
failing printhead (usually will see misting on prints, but not necessarily a test draw)
aftermarket bulk ink systems that use open tanks (can cause all sorts of pressure issues in the ink system)
some aftermarket inks themselves can cause all sorts of issues
cartridge slot solenoid valve sticking open or failing (can cause excess pressures on the dampers when the machine is not expecting flow from the cartridges)
weak or failing dampers (there is a valve in them)
wiper worn out, not working, or just totally missing (if it cannot wipe excess ink off, well it just stays on the bottom of the head then)
clogged or failing pump (if it cannot get the ink out that it expects to then it just stays on the bottom of the head and in the cap top)

I'd also carefully inspect the wiper station. Over a long period of time ink can get built up enough that the entire station needs to be removed and thoroughly cleaned as there will be so much ink buildup that the wiper can pretty much no longer move freely.

One important thing I've learned the hard way more than once over the years is not to skimp on certain parts. I've never had an aftermarket pump last more than a year while and OEM one will last 5+ years. Dampers and capping tops are hit and miss. Sometimes generic ones works fine while other times I've had them start leaking almost immediately. I've brand new generic cap tops with air leaks brand new, and I've seen complete generic capping stations that are poorly formed and weak that will not line up go. I eventually learned my lesson and started buying only original genuine OEM Mimaki parts when needed. For some reason they just last far longer.... Some bits like wipers, foam pads are not as critical though.

Its a lot to consider but these machines are a lot more complex that one might think. That is why a couple of techs have chimes in that your best bet might be to get a professional tech in to fix it up. One thing I'd also suggest in that scenario is to get some assurance that the tech is experienced with Mimaki printers and that the company sending the tech uses only genuine OEM Mimaki parts. Without knowing what to look for though most would not know any difference between generic part packaging and labelling versus generic though. My point on this is just that if you are going to spend the big $$$$ for a professional tech, they better know what they are doing, get it done right, and stand by their work. While the JV33/CJV30 machines are now a bit older they are still absolute workhorses and are leaps and bounds better than the truly antique JV3 machines some are still trying to keep going. As long as it is taken care of and fixed right a JV33 in good condition should still be a perfectly capable and solid machine. Good luck!

Thank you for the Reply. I appreciate you taking the time to write all of that. I do see that I said the Print Head was replaced but that isn't true. I don't know what I meant by that. The Cap Top was the only part replaced. I might have meant to say the Print Head was Cleaned and the Cap was replaced.

Printer was Purchased in Feb of 2014. It doesn't get a lot of use but Prints something on average 4 days per week but maybe only 1-2 hours per day sometimes more, but not 8 hours of printing 5 days per week. I'm a one man shop and do medium sized jobs. Small decals, some Trailer wraps and a lot of 4x8 signs.. light to average use I'd say.

As far as cleaning. I clean around the print head often. That is what it looks like after a few hours of printing. It's unreal how much of a mess it is making. Photos in this post are 10 minutes apart after a quick cleaning and running a small test print 50" wide by 12" in length.

The cap is a non OEM, but the drip was happening prior to the cap being replaced. I've thought about replacing that again with OEM parts.
I use only OEM Ink, I've never switched inks, Not a bulk system either.

The clogged or failing pump is interesting. You are meaning the pump that pulls the ink out of the bottom of the caping station?

I do understand that a Tech would be the right thing to do but the last tech I had wasn't a great experience. He left other things damaged and not fixed. I was told that "We did you a favor by covering this under warranty and we don't plan on coming back for more warranty issues". Also being the distance I am away from the Techs it's just flat out expensive to get them here before they even start charging for the service.

I'm keeping an eye on a few different things to see what keeps happening and how often. They prints seem decent, Minor banding with some colors, Large areas of Blues and Reds seem show banding but black prints solid.
 

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SightLine

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Well that narrows it down some. Possible sticking or failing slot solenoid valve, dampers, or printhead being the most likely culprits would be my thinking. I'm assuming you have acquired the service manual as you seem willing to work on things yourself.

A couple of things to be aware of. Unlike many other machines and the older JV3 the JV33/CJV/JV150, etc machines use solenoid valves behind each print cartridge. It is a pressure and valved controlled ink system (not just gravity based although gravity can and will affect things). The way these work is the pump is after the printhead below the capping station. When it needs ink in the head it parks the head over the capping station, opens the desired cartridge slot solenoid valves, then it runs the pump. That pulls ink from the cartridges which the valves are opened on into the dampers which also have spring loaded valve and primes ink into the head itself. The dampers internal valve spring keeps just enough tension to prevent ink from free flowing on through in order to keep from flooding the printhead. When printing there is enough ink primed in the head and damper to keep it going, as it uses ink it creates just enough internal pressure in the head to overcome the damper valve spring to draw a bit more ink in as needed. Once it has draw enough that it would create too much negative pressure in the damper and ink lines the cartridge slot solenoid valves open to allow more ink to flow into the lines and dampers. Due to the slot solenoid valves you cannot pull ink with a syringe into the head or dampers on these without first opening the solenoid valve for the color you want to pull or you just create a massive amount of negative pressure in the ink line to the cartridge slot.

If it were me this is what I'd do. This is based on your usage and my own experience in owning a couple of JV33 machines for quite a long time. Every two years plan on replacing all 8 dampers and the capping station top for one thing. These get worn out and I suspect this (more specifically the dampers) is where your issue is. The spring loaded valves in the dampers get weak and worn out. You can check if the pump is working okay with some of the maintenance items like disway wash and nozzle cleaning where it will either need to hold cleaning fluid in the cap top (nozzle cleaning) or easily pull (pump) cleaning fluid on through (disway wash).

Order all new OEM dampers and and OEM capping top and replace those first of all. They are consumable parts. Also check that the wiper is flat and in good shape - appears to be in the picture but I've seen a couple of aftermarket ones that sort of shrunk in the middle where they did not make good contact when wiping the head.
Go into the service menus and test the cartridge solenoid valves. This is something you will want to be in when changing the dampers anyways. When changing the dampers you can manually open and close the slot valves individually in the service menu.

If after replacing the dampers and checking the above it still is drippy than I'd probably consider that the head itself could be getting weak internally.... that is an expensive job ($1800 or so for a new head).
 

BillyP

New Member
I had the same..check your fan is working on your mainboard ...mine was not... I put an external one on the back cover and fixed the problem..apparently the board gets too hot and causes the head to bleed
Mine started as per your images and got worse and printed random stripes thru the prints but all stopped when I put the fan on the back cover to suck the heat out
 
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