Vertical Lines Showing up in 4880

InkjetMall Customer Support Printer Maintenance & Cartridges
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1

Hi There,

I have had a 4880 for years now and until very recently did not use the printer a lot.
We have now been putting the printer through its paces and have been using it for production of album spreads.
I have noticed that the flushing box assembly and the pump cap assembly have gotten pretty dirty. I do clean periodically with Piezo Flush to keep them maintained.
Two questions when is it time or when can you know to replace these 2 items?

Secondly I started to get vertical banding in my prints. In the past I normally perform a head alignment once or twice and then I am good to go. Not so. I keep on getting the vertical banding returning after doing the alignment and then maybe printing one spread.

Thoughts?

Thanks

William

2

First question: Every 3 years if the unit is regularly cleaned (but I suggest buying a backup now just in case).

Second question: This could be a few different things, but did you do a manual head alignment? The sensor on the head carriage that measures for the auto-head alignment gets dirty over time.

best,
Walker

3

How do I do a manual alignment?

4

On the printer’s control panel under >Head Alignment you should see a “manual all” selection.

best,
Walker

5

Thanks walker and then just follow the instructions or anything else I need to know?

6

I think you’re all set!

Let me know how the head align goes.

best,
Walker

7

HI Walker

That worked like a charm!..For six or so 25" prints and then the lines come back. Never had this happen to me before. Usually the Auto head adjustments do the trick. I did the manual and for a bit it was fine then it comes back. Any thoughts?

8

I tried cleaning and then turning off HS and that seemed to help a bit.

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Update - went to do another Auto Head Alignment and got this message: “Auto Adjustment Error - Change Paper Type”

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Two suggestions:

  1. Always print UniDirectional (it’s slow but dependable).
  2. Do a manual UniD head alignment.

This should fix it permanently. If not, then you have a problem with your encoder strip sensor on the print head carriage.

best,
Walker

11

Ok thanks
I have the option of doing the head alignment from the printer itself or using the Adjustment program. Does it matter from which place it is done.?
As well I have attached a photo of what looks be the encoder strip sensor. Can you confirm that it is this yellow/orange board in photo?

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do the head alignment from the printer.

the encoder strip sensor is the part that goes over the encoder strip. I can’t tell from this diagram if that is the sensor or not.

-Walker

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Would cleaning the actual encoder strip work as possibly as well?

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I got you… I see it now…

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Unless you actually see ink splatter on there, it’s not going to be the encoder strip.

W

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Looks dirty for sure but no ink splatters.
For the life of me I cannot find the part number for this encoder strip sensor for the 4880. Not on compass micro or anywhere else. Any thoughts?

17

Um…Walker I think I have messed up the description of what is happening here. I am not in fact getting vertical banding but HORIZONTAL banding…Sorry I goofed up! The lines are in the same direction of the print head passing. What looks like is happening is that I get a clean nozzle print out but after some time while printing the drop outs come back. Is this a flushing/cap assembly issue then? Cleaned the wiper and asssembly thoroughly. Sorry for the confusion

18

If the nozzles are all firing properly but you are getting banding this could be dampers that are full of crud or that you have simply not set the paper feed speed properly on the printer (this can be done on the printer’s panel in the Custom Paper settings of the printer).

best,
Walker

19

Or is the other possible cause bad dampers? Compass micro sells dampers for $35 but you can get them from parts places for $4 a damper. What do you recommend in your experience?