fuser roll life

[igen jim]

Duc
I like that idea. But for us it wouldn't work. Pending work load we will turn off RDS and have fuser roll for 14.3x19.5 and one for 12x18.

 

[Duc]

Yes, every method isn't for everyone. We tried turning off RDS but didn't care for the results. We try different methods and see what works for us. It's a matter of trial and error.

 

[igenmohan]

is it hard to latch the Fuser ???
if so Try to adjust the fuser latch home position, so that it will decrease the line marks in fuser roll and increases life also

 

[Stiv]

I just turned the RDS off, I can't deal with the differential gloss wear artifact anymore. Aaarg!

So now what am I in for? Duc - what results didn't you like?

 

[RMiGen]

We currently have RDS off and it's a hit and miss with me. Maybe it's my newfound awareness regarding the machine, or it actually IS the RDS, but I feel the fuser roll wears quicker in the coverage areas across the whole roll more often, compared to when RDS was off.

Plus the annoyance of having to change the roll everytime you want to run 11in, 12in and 13in. Waste of time and hassle when it tells you "Fuser Temperature Too Low". I hate it, but I've learned to live with it.

No more distinct gloss wear artifacts in the process direction any more though It's more of a uniform wear (Gloss Differential) which just means I need a new roll.

 

[Stiv]

So I have my RDS turned off and everything is great. I just had to swap out for a new fuser roll after 175k due to a 14x20" job that just came in. There was nothing wrong with the fuser roll except the lines on the 0 and 12" marks from 175k 12x18" running through it. I was told by a tech not to put the old roll back in because I wouldn't be able to get an accurate pressure setting from it.
Thoughts?

 

[ddigen3]

Stiv-

Did he/she give any reasons why it wouldn't allow you to make accurate pressure settings? I'd call them up and ask for an explanation. Not that its not true, I've just learned to get the theory behind EVERYTHING they come in to do. It will help you tremendously in your future troubleshooting.

To answer you tho, I haven't seen any issues with putting it back in. I was running 3 different rollers simultaneously for a while myself.

 

[igen jim]

Here is my 2 cents. I asked my tech about this. no you may not get an accurate pressure setting, But if the ink does not scratch off you should be OK. I reuse the rollers all the time. The only issue is you need to turn RDS on and print 100 or so sheets to get the grove back to the edge of the sheet.
Have a good one.
Jim

 

[Stiv]

I was wondering how I was going to get the groove lined up with the edge. Just keep running with RDS on until it gets set in place at 12"?

 

[RMiGen]

If you have RDS off and you have 2 separate rollers built, you should not have to turn RDS back on ever again. We just use the same 3 rollers over and over and never have problems with lining up the edge of the sheet to the 0-12" mark. (or for us the 0-13" mark and 0-14" mark)

 

[igen jim]

RMiGEN
Thats works for some. Not for us.
Stiv
That what we do.
Have Great Day
Jim

 

[Stiv]

Does anyone have any insight into the fuser contact arc settings and paper speeds? If the contact arc is set to 14, does the paper go through faster or slower than if it was set to 15?

The reason I am asking is that I was getting a mark on the paper from the first stripper finger (OB) on the fuser. I was told that the paper could be buckling and hitting the stripper finger.

How low of a contact arc setting has anyone used?

 

[ddigen3]

stripper finger mark

Happy New Year, Stiv-

I have run the press with a setting of 14 & 15 without noticing much of a difference either way, so I'm personally doubtful that has much to do with the mark you're experiencing.

What is the condition of your pressure roll? How about the metal plate that rests right on top (to the left) of it? I had massive problems when I bent it too far away from the surface of the pressure roll (from removing it incorrectly)...it had a gap of around 1/8" and caused buckling, which resulted in scratching.

Another thought is regarding the height of the stripper finger. There's the point where it contacts the pressure roll. However, I'm referring to the tail of the finger (see attached)

 

[Stiv]

New pressure and fuser rolls with contact arc at 14.5. The metal plate is in the same position, it has never been removed. The sensor in the square is closer to the surface on our iGen than your pic. It was causing a scratch but there was also nub that I scraped off. I have the 1st stripper finger off and sometimes the 2nd stripper finger will leave a glossy streak LE-TE, the same as the 1st one did. I was going to sand off the hump on the stripper finger but the Tech almost had a coronary. I'll try it some other time, lol.

 

[ddigen3]

Hmmm. Very interesting. Have you changed/flipped the floppy black metering blade in the RAM lately? Have your techs made any thought about the amount of fuser fluid being distributed: too much vs. too little?

 

[Stiv]

Yeah, had the 500K service the other day and it didn't change anything. IDK about the fuser fluid distribution.
I had a good look at the stripper fingers this morning. What do you think about this - putting thin spacers between the stripper finger and the metal plate, kind of like washers but thinner. I think this will lower the stripper finger "hump" down and not affect anything else.

edit: Tried 3 different thicknesses of spacers but they didn't solve the issue. If you get a chance run a 80M80C80Y80K full bleed on 12x18 and run it 2-sided on 80# gloss and see if you get the gloss streaks. Test it after a long run when the fuser roll is the hottest.

 

[Calex]

Clean the internal roller with a scotch bright pad. Use caution! If Very hot. Also I have had the same problem with the wick in the pan causing the doner roller to run dry in spots do to being very dirty, this will also cause streaks.

 

[Calex]

Also it could be from the C-puck. Do to fuser fluid getting on the PR belt from running duplex on long runs. The C-puck see the film from the fuser fluid on the PR Belt and try to msake it darker. Next time just try to change the PR belt and don't touch the fuser. See if you problem goes away?

 

[ddigen3]

Welcome to the forum, Calex...and Happy New Year too.

Which internal roller do you mean for scrubbing with the scotch pad?

 

[Calex]

When you open the fuser and unlock the upper fuser roller you will see the two steel rollers. They are the internal heat rollers. Xerox has a fuser roller cleaner that you use with the scotch bright pad. It's easy when cold, But use caution if hot! triple up the pad. You will loose skin if you touch them hot. Only needs to be done if dirty. Clean both rollers.
Most of the time you can line up the streaks to the sheet.
But I have seen alot of streaking from the C-Puck do to long run duplexing. the fuser fluid travels by the belts and on the paper.
This only happens on the Igen4, the Igen3 does not have a C-Puck.
The C-Puck is located below the cleaning station.
I had this same problem at and around 30-40 K when duplexing.
The Igen 4 see the fuser fluid on the belt.