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Suddenly, out workhorse has been engraving extra lines on out material. At first is started with small vertical dashes so we cleaned the laser. Now it is engraving long, horizontal lines.
Can anyone tell me what problem I am looking at so that I can troubleshoot this issue?
Thank you.
Hi Lynn, Is that on the Helix? sounds like dust on the encoder strip
It is on the New Hermes which I found out is really from Universal.
I did think it was a dust issue somewhere.
Does it look like this one? :)
Attachment 364434
My BIL still uses this one daily, it's a '97 model Vanguard Optima/ULS, and the thing won't die!
your 'line' thing, this one would do that at times-- usually pulling the printer cable and hitting the cable connectors ends and the port plugs on the on the machine and computer with spray electronics cleaner would do the trick. Also, at times thru the years I used switch boxes to extend cables, and I've had many a switch box go south and cause similar problems, with other machines too...
Anyway, pick up a can of one or both of these--
Attachment 364433
Either works great- the one on the left is essentially dry-cleaning fluid, the smell can be a bit much ;) -- but it's non flammable and non-conductive and can be sprayed on/in energized equipment. I've sprayed the electric motors on my Vanguard's while they're running with it, the motor acts like it's not there and gets the loose brush carbon out!
Anyway, try it, or change out the printer cable you're using, I haven't had perfect luck with those either...
Slightly different. The front is not open like that one. I do have air here that I used while cleaning but I think I am going to have to take apart a few new places to get some of the dust out. The problem was the original owners did not really know how to maintain their machines so the new owners did not know some of the dos and don'ts. Since I have been maintaining the machines, I have learned that they were taught a lot of don'ts.
Any loose rail bearings? Can you rock the lens assembly?
I have tightened everything, dusted everywhere I can get at. I watched from start to finish. Instead of the beam engaging at the start of the engraving, the beam engages as soon as I press start and does not turn off.
I tried recleaning & tightening everything. Below is a picture of what happens when I tried to engrave on flexibrass. The double lines on the right are from the the carriage moving into place. The clear burns are where the engraving should start and end for lettering.
Attachment 364526
Quote:
Originally Posted by Lynn Misanti
THAT is a game changer... I am not an expert but the electronics that sets up the firing of the laser is the issue.... That can be a simple adjustment or a board gone bad to a loose cable or connector..... Now that we have this out... Others with more knowledge will jump in.
AL
Does your software have a tickle setting? Mine didn't but your machine is several years newer.
Also-- does it engrave anything at all? Or just fire lines? The 2 thin lines are spaced aways apart, is that on purpose? (like 25 lines per inch setting rather than 500) or should those lines not be so close?
I'm no electro-brain either, but just as a wild guess the laser seems running X-Y instructions okay (somewhat?) but no laser on-off switching whatsoever. Which would lead me to think: Controller or mainboard or something along those lines-