What exactly does the encoder strip affect?

[Bigdawg]

I am having weird problems on my VP540... it's about 3 years old. We were having problems cutting evenly and changed the cutter strip, but I'm still have weird things happen. Cutting is still a little sporadic in it's consistency. Printing sometimes gets banding that is not explainable (partial in a print)...

so I am wondering if the encoder strip should be changed only because I've seen so many posts about weirdness associated with a bad encoder strip.

Will someone - or lots of someones - give me their thoughts on this and maybe educate me a little on what the encoder strip affects.

Thanks

 

[Gino]

If I'm not mistaken, the strip has millions of tiny hairlike lines and that's what tells the heads where and how much ink to put down and when. It also tells the cutter where to make the cuts.

When it goes wonky..... your prints seem to drift right or left giving you pixelated prints that are skewed and cuts sometimes don't follow the correct paths. It can be sporadic and happen one day and not the next, but when it happens.... get out of the way, because someone's gonna get real pissed off and throw something.

Ours lasted about 3 years, but we cleaned it real good and put it back in. When it started to go again, being cheap [you know me, right ??], we took it out again, cleaned it and put it back..... but backwards this time. It lasted another year or so..... and then we just broke down and got a new one.

 

[SublimeGraphics]

The encoder strip has a bunch of tiny little laser etched marks for the print head to read as it goes back and forth on the printer. Basically it's so the print head knows where it is lineally on the printer.

You may just need to clean the strip, it happens to my versacamm all the time

 

[AUTO-FX]

There is a sensor on the head carriage and it reads the lines on the encoder strip, so the machine knows exactly where the carriage is at all times. It gets a fine mist of overspray after awhile. You should be careful cleaning it or you could damage that superfine print on the strip. I have used 70% alcohol with success.

 

[fmg]

Isopropyl Alc to clean and wipe towards the spring which should be on the left side of the strip.

 

[P Wagner]

If I'm not mistaken, the strip has millions of tiny hairlike lines and that's what tells the heads where and how much ink to put down and when. It also tells the cutter where to make the cuts.

When it goes wonky..... your prints seem to drift right or left giving you pixelated prints that are skewed and cuts sometimes don't follow the correct paths. It can be sporadic and happen one day and not the next, but when it happens.... get out of the way, because someone's gonna get real pissed off and throw something.

Ours lasted about 3 years, but we cleaned it real good and put it back in. When it started to go again, being cheap [you know me, right ??], we took it out again, cleaned it and put it back..... but backwards this time. It lasted another year or so..... and then we just broke down and got a new one.

I would give partial credit for this answer. The linear encoder is used in print operation, but not when cutting. Also, it has nothing to do with how much ink will be laid down on the media. The linear encoder strip is only about Where the print carriage is located across the width of the print area as it prints.

 

[Jim Hancock]

You might consider changing the outer pinch rollers. They are slightly angled when new and tend to wear flat over time. The angle is there to push the edges of the media outward and help keep it flat. When the rollers wear flat, there is a tendency for the media to wander, most especially during cutting when it's moving back and forth very quickly. If your cut deviation is inconsistent across the file, i.e., to the left in some places, above in other places, etc. then it's highly likely it's the pinch rollers. When you replace them, the colored dot goes to the outside, this makes sure the angled push is correct for each side of the media. They only cost around $35 to $40 ea. There is also a little trick with some grease to hold the spacer washers on the sides of the roller when you replace them.

 

[sfr table hockey]

I would give partial credit for this answer. The linear encoder is used in print operation, but not when cutting. Also, it has nothing to do with how much ink will be laid down on the media. The linear encoder strip is only about Where the print carriage is located across the width of the print area as it prints.

I guess I would have thought it had to read the strip to cut as well, otherwise how else would it know where to cut. Also when you use automatic registration marks it has to use something to tell where it is when it reads the marks. I may be wrong but might side with Gino on this part. Kick me if I'm wrong.

One thing as well to make sure is clear from debre (not sure if it was mentioned) is the censor that reads the strip.

Random lines in the print (not drag marks from a hair) can be a sign of a encoder strip problem.

The old Rolands have a test in the service menu. Do the newer units have as well? If so just do the encoder scale test and see if it passes.

 

[cdiesel]

Castek beat me to it.. the encoder strip has nothing to do with cutting. The sensor is actually attached to the print carriage, which doesn't even move during cutting.

Can you be more specific with what your issues are? Pics?

 

[sfr table hockey]

Interesting... On my CJ 500 it's on the Cutter head part that hooks up with the print heads when printing.



Wait a min... that might be something else on the cutter head. I do see something on the print carriage that goes over the strip.

Ouch I think I just felt a kick...

 

[cdiesel]

The scan motor has a built in encoder also. The printer is contstantly comparing the readings from the two encoders as it prints. I assume the built in encoder is what it uses to sense where it is during cutting, much like a standard plotter.

 

[bmendes]

Hi, Bigdawg
The Linear Encoder Scale is mainly used to control where the printing occurs on your material. It does not control the cutting, the encoder on the scan motor controls the cutting position.

I would suggest looking at the pinch wheel assemblies, not just the rollers but the actual assembly that fits over the square bar that turns via the media clamp lever.The left and right assemblies can get a fine crack in them where they fit over the square bar. You may need to clamp the lever down to see a hair line crack

Does the machine do much work with just the left and right pinch wheels. ( no center wheels in place) ?

Hope this helps

 

[Robert M]

Blade holder

Those blade holders will wear out. Try a drop or two of oil on the bearing inside the holder.