2008 LS 640 APC problems

We have a LS 640 Fully automatic APC. The problem were having is sometimes the plates dont go in all the way or go in crooked and the alarm will sound, saying fix pump error.

It does happen all the time and its not always on the same unit, it is randomly doing it on all units.

We have check the air pressue and set it to 6.5
We have change the suckers and rollers.
We cleaned the vacuum regulators and set to 7.5

Anyone have any suggestions on what would cause random issues on random units?

 

"We cleaned the vacuum regulators and set to 7.5" I am guessing you mean you set the vacuum pressure switch to -75kPa ? I normally set them to:
P1/P3 : -65kPa
P2/P4 : -75kPa
The 10kPa window helps prevent false errors.
Plate not going in all the way or going in crookedly, could be many things. Hang the plates with the "Box" and see why they are not going in properly. Is the position of the cylinder incorrect? Is the clamp open all the way? Is the insert bar moving up and down smoothly? Are your pins centered properly? Is your plate punch working properly?

 

The error might have nothing to do with the fix pump and the fix pump vacuum. If the swing insertion gate does not travel to the fullest extent in sequence timing it will error out or half deliver a plate to the clamp, or possibly drop the plate entirely and the plate will crunch into the gooseneck having missed the plate clamp. You need to make sure the air delivery to the swing gate is allowing correct timing. This is controlled by the solenoids under the operator (man side) step. While increesing total air pressure to the press may compensate for a global air condition at the machine, are you drying the air to the press and evacuating all moisture to the air coming to the machine. Are the air oil diffusers properly and regularly filled? If the solenoids (magnetic switchs on the older presses) are starting to become lazy they will need replaced. Think twice before adjusting a needle valve that affects gate travel because it is symbiotic to plate delivery timing to the clamp. If this is the issue try and get to the root cause of the slow evolving symptom. Good luck