We have had our Mimaki JV3-160SP for 4-5 years and it has never done this before. From the moment it begins printing, the vinyl starts heading to the left. It will literally move an inch or so to the left during an 8 foot run, causing a skewed print. We have tried to perfectly align the takeup roll with the media roll, believing that was the issue, but nothing works. We have not cleaned the main roller, or the rubber pinch rollers, but I looked at all of them and they look clean and they all turn as they should when the lever is in the up position. I looked to see if they were all coming down evenly and they appear to be. Any ideas on what could be causing this?
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Mimaki JV3-160SP weaving like a drunken sailor
- Thread starter MarkH42
- Start date
jfiscus
Rap Master
Does it walk the same amount w/o the take-up reel?
Are you sure the feed reel isn't messed up? and that all of the pinch rollers are working correctly?
I would think if it was pulling that unevenly on the take-up reel that the vinyl would tunnel on the print area and cause head strikes.
Are you sure the feed reel isn't messed up? and that all of the pinch rollers are working correctly?
I would think if it was pulling that unevenly on the take-up reel that the vinyl would tunnel on the print area and cause head strikes.
I am not certain that the feed reel isn't messed up, or that the pinch rollers are working correctly. All I can say is that they seem to be. Any ideas on how best to check the feed reel? I have spun all of the pinch rollers and visually inspected everything as best I could. I put a new roll of vinyl in last night and it pulled straight. The problem is definitely exacerbated by a light, almost empty media roll. A heavy roll has always pulled straighter, but it never moved anywhere close to what it does now. The vinyl does extend beyond the end of the cardboard tube when it does this, but only an inch or so and never far enough to cause a head strike. The problem is so bad I started making calls on a new (or newer) printer. I rely heavily on this printer and losing it completely would cause us major problems with our customers. I need to get this figured out somehow.
jfiscus
Rap Master
Do you have the tensioner on the right end of the take-up reel adjusted correctly for the material that you're taking up?
I would assume if all of the feed reel holders and pinch rollers seem to spin correctly that it should be feeding straight through the printer.
Is there any possibility of a new element that has been introduced (new employees, new material, new method of taping it on the take-up, etc?)
Are your "set screws" on the two reels functioning correctly? I had one strip out recently and the spool would slide sideways and walk the material.
Try putting a piece of tape on the different areas to mark where the vinyl, etc starts out and look at how much it is moving and when.
I would assume if all of the feed reel holders and pinch rollers seem to spin correctly that it should be feeding straight through the printer.
Is there any possibility of a new element that has been introduced (new employees, new material, new method of taping it on the take-up, etc?)
Are your "set screws" on the two reels functioning correctly? I had one strip out recently and the spool would slide sideways and walk the material.
Try putting a piece of tape on the different areas to mark where the vinyl, etc starts out and look at how much it is moving and when.
rjssigns
Active Member
Check the pinch roller wheels themselves. If you've never maintained the pinch wheels since new it's probably time to replace the far right and far left wheels. My Roland made it about 4.5 years before needing new out wheels. Sometimes the rubber becomes separated from the hub. Or the hub could be broken etc... See where this is going? Check the simple stuff first.
One way to look at this issue is if everything was perfect then it wasn't you need to look for broken, super worn out components. Odd as it sounds components will wear to a point and still be functional. Another thousandths of an inch and you have problems.
One way to look at this issue is if everything was perfect then it wasn't you need to look for broken, super worn out components. Odd as it sounds components will wear to a point and still be functional. Another thousandths of an inch and you have problems.
jfiscus
Rap Master
Unlike a Roland, Mimaki printers have a slew of pinch rollers 25+ that feed the media, so I think this is a very low possibility.
I am also under the assumption that something on the take-up reel has broken and it hasn't been found yet.
UPDATE - Problem solved? Encoder strip?
Just a quick update, in case someone else faces this issue. Nano at GRIMCO stopped me before I could finish the explanation and said it was almost surely the encoder strip, which had a speck of ink or something else that was preventing the sensor from accurately counting the lines on the strip. We cleaned it and so far, so good. It was NOT the way the substrate was pulling, as I initially thought. The head was just not returning to the same place. Fingers crossed.....
Just a quick update, in case someone else faces this issue. Nano at GRIMCO stopped me before I could finish the explanation and said it was almost surely the encoder strip, which had a speck of ink or something else that was preventing the sensor from accurately counting the lines on the strip. We cleaned it and so far, so good. It was NOT the way the substrate was pulling, as I initially thought. The head was just not returning to the same place. Fingers crossed.....
MikePro
New Member
NICE!
I was going to inquire whether the media was drifting or your print was and, if the latter, that it would be an encoder issue.
gratz on the fix.
I had this exact problem on me JV3 130 and I was told to clean the sensor strip behind the head that runs the entire length of the machine and has a spring on the left side.
Use only a non lint cloth, and rubbing alcohol as close as you can to 100%. Clean only from the right to the left so as not to stretch the spring. I had my machine since 2007 and never had heard to clean that or even knew what it was for. They said that the eyes read through it and if it's dirty it'll cause problems.0
I also had problems with "Ocean spray" for a while before that and it cleaned that up also... Good Luck.
Use only a non lint cloth, and rubbing alcohol as close as you can to 100%. Clean only from the right to the left so as not to stretch the spring. I had my machine since 2007 and never had heard to clean that or even knew what it was for. They said that the eyes read through it and if it's dirty it'll cause problems.0
I also had problems with "Ocean spray" for a while before that and it cleaned that up also... Good Luck.