Toucan LT - Media Feed Issues

[signmancanada]

We have a Toucan LT, and are having feed issues. This problem has been on-going for some time now, yet had a very pronounced example of it the other day. The issue is inconsistant feed rate. Grrrrr!!

We've seen examples where we pull a panel out of the rip archive and reprint and the panel is a different size than original. We have seen multiple panels that are different lengths than others. The other day.....

Printed two small signs side by side. About 10 inches into the print, banding gradually started over about two inches. Then full banding. Did not have the presence of mind to check the feed rate to see if it has changed, but others having the same problem say that it's not the case, that the feed rate stays the same throughout. Over 36" in length the print was a full 1/2" shorter than it should have been. This all makes sense, if somehow, the feed rate changed.

The next morning I asked the fellas to reprint. They pulled from the archive and reprinted. It was perfect. No banding and full size!!!!!

Any ideas?

 

[randya]

Is the media sticking to itself?

Check that media is loaded properly.

Are you using the take up as well?
The take up can add enough tension to change feed rates.

Are your 'dancer bars' on the feed and take up moving just a few inches before feeding or taking up media?

How is feed if you cut a sheet?

 

[signmancanada]

When I spoke to Mutoh they suggested it might be the grab rollers. That might make sense, but, how does one explain it changing in full print runs. In other words, on five panels run consequatively, one or two will be shorter/longer, and it may well be the middle of the run!

On this print, the take up was not hooked up, as it was the first prints run. The following day, it was under exactly the same condition, first print out.

Where this is most frustrating is when you print five panels and then go back to print it the next day, it will print longer or shorter. Again, these are prints that have not been re-ripped, but rather pulled directly out of the archive.

The dancer bars appear to be operating correctly and no evidence of media sticking to itself.

 

[randya]

While it might be the gritted feed roller (this should be clean and checked, it should be pretty consistantly rough across the entire width), I am in agreement that it should be more consistant.

You should try and clean the page feed encoder.


This still sounds like some kind of set up issue on the printer.

Is this a regular LT or a Hybrid?

If it is just a regular LT, then someone is going to have to watch and examine and figure out where the inconsistancy is.

 

[signmancanada]

This is a modified LT. It is an LT set up to run on bulk ink. While Mutoh says they find the issue self explanatory in the grab roller diagnosis, we are not the only on experiencing this problem. And interestingly enough, most time it doesn't matter on the average 'sign'. Where this really counts is multi-panel tradeshow booths and when panelling a vehicle. There is nothing worse than trying to line up something that's a different size the the piece beside it!

 

[randya]

Converting to bulk ink wont give the symptoms you describe.

Have you cleaned the grab roller and check to see if it is worn?
These can wear and can wear out, what you want to check for is that the roller is uniformly rough in the media area compared to the area where the media doesnt touch the feed.

If the area where the media feeds is smoother, that could explain slippage.

I find it difficult to believe that this is the issue, as we have bunches of these that have been pretty much run around the clock doing car wraps and banners for years and dont have the issue you are describing.

I would be looking at feed, take up and loading.

This is going to be very difficult to diagnose online, without being in front of the machine observing.

 

[Santos]

here is a tip my!
X-axis have a few screws, confirm that all are
tight Your symptom is usually the wrong screws tight. And usually slip material.!


​

 

[signmancanada]

I realize that the fact that the machine is bulk ink has nothing to do with this issue, just gives an insight on the history/origin of the machine.

We have looked very carefully at the grip rollers and everything seems to be in order. I'm with you randya when you say you don't believe this is the issue. For the time being, we are going to just keep a closer eye on and keep far more detailed operating logs. While this machine is on a relatively unused electrical circuit, we're going to go as far as recording input voltage. I keep thinking that there could be a voltage issue affecting the feed rate. That's a pretty challenging task to get a motor to advance in the fractional increments that it does. I would suggest a power supply / voltage drop issue rather than a mechanical one.

I am however, still open to ideas!!!

Cheers, and thanks for all your help! We'll keep you posted if we come up with any brainstorms!

 

[Jeff South Florida]

This may seem a little out there but I have a couple customers with Toucan LT's, and this has helped. The pinch rollers actually wander from side to side in there individual craddles. When they move to the side theybind on the side and create resistance. This is why it comes and goes. They have trimmed the sides about 1/8 to 1/4" on each side to allow for wandering. I reccomend you confirm with Randy.I hope this helps.

 

[randya]

I wouldnt necessarily discount the roller situation, not one that I was aware of on the LT, but it would be easy enough to check.

 

[signmancanada]

DSD, Thanks for that. We have noticed that some of our pinch rollers move better in one direction than the other. That may well explain some things. We are going to take a close look at that. Randya, are you running an LT?

Now that we've gone this far, I just got off the phone with another fellow who's got an LT who's having prints grow! Our problem is trying to get to the bottom of when it happens, was it an input issue such as a different file size or ????

From what I can gather, a lot of the folks don't pay enough attention to the media feed rates for the particular medias they are using ie if you use the banner profile, and you accept that for every kind of banner you're going to use, look out, you're going to be in trouble! The saga continues, and I certainly appreciate all your help.

 

[randya]

I dont currently have an LT, I am running all ValueJets now.

 

[Fuzzbuster]

Dont know if the power drop is possible but an APC on the main board side of the printer... not the heater side would smooth and even out the power

An easy try and should be on there anyway

 

[signmancanada]

It appears this may be a more widespread problem than I ever thought. I am in discussion with other LT users and they seem to have the same problem in addition to prints growing in size.

What is most puzzling is that we are not re-ripping files, just sending them back to print from the archive and getting different results, or the feed rate is changing in the middle of prints for heavens sakes! We will keep digging.