Expert 24 LX - Tracking issues

15162 Views 47 Replies 9 Participants Last post by [email protected], Jun 6, 2012

Blue92

Discussion Starter · Apr 21, 2012

Sorry for the length.....

Anyone run into problems where the material no longer tracks straight?

Previously I've done graphics for a van 92" in length with no problems.

Last night I was working on a banner graphic 19" x 52". Used the same method I always have in that I lined the vinyl up then fed the entire length to verify it tracked correctly. I normally have the edge rollers set in about 3/4". Did the same this time. Fed the vinyl back to the start position and started the job.

I also have Great Cut set to sort and then cut side to side as much as possible to avoid excessive front and back travel as much as possible.

As it finished the last long cut, about 40" lengthwise and feeding toward the front, the vinyl shifted so far it came out from under the right side edge roller and twisted about 10 degrees ruining the cut.

Thought it might be my fault for not having cleaned the rollers, etc lately so I cleaned the rollers, feed area and drive bar. Reloaded another 4 yards and got the same result with the vinyl popping out and another 4 yards trashed.

Third attempt netted a semi useable cut that I pieced together from the second and third cuts.

The vinyl was white Enduragloss, cutting with a 45 degree blade, down force of 40 and speed at 30 cm/s. Fairly new 45 degree blade, length is good.

Had just cut the same design about 10 minutes before using Oracal 651 in black.

Since then I've also been having the same problem with heat press vinyl. Did a cut this morning about 24" long that shifted enough to run the weeding box 1/4" into the text being cut.

Looking into it I found that, with the cutter off, if I insert a post it note between the roller and the drive bar on the left side the drive bar will rotate as I pull the post it note out.

On the right side roller the post it note pulls out with less effort and does not turn the drive bar.

That leads me to believe either the right side roller springs have lost a small amount of tension (in less that a year?) or the drive bar has shifted position slightly and may be a bit lower than the left side. This is after cleaning residue or other buildup out of the hatched drive sections on the drive bar.

Anyone ever had the need to try and correct this type of issue before? Are there any adjust mechanisms available?

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Nick Horvath

· #2 · Apr 23, 2012

I would recommend that you either contact where you purchased it from, or give GCC a call directly because you should still be under warranty.

royster13

· #3 · Apr 23, 2012

Are you using a stand?....

Do you use the "sort order" function in Great Cut so your blade is not all over the place?...

Blue92

Discussion Starter · #4 · Apr 24, 2012 (Edited)

Thanks guys.

Nick Horvath said:
I would recommend that you either contact where you purchased it from, or give GCC a call directly because you should still be under warranty.

I plan on doing that. We're just finishing up a good size order with a tight deadline (as normal...) and I'll be calling GCC.

royster13 said:
Are you using a stand?....

Do you use the "sort order" function in Great Cut so your blade is not all over the place?...

Yep to both the stand and sort order.

Talked to one of the tech guys at a local vendor today that we buy a lot of vinyl from. Most of his experience is on Roland but said normally it's the knurled part of the drive bar being gunked up or the rubber roller has deteriorated and no longer grips.

Neither sounds likely since I just cleaned the drive bar and the cutter is just 1 year old this month. If I could only remember where I bought it....

I think it was a guy named Josh Ellsworth at the ISS show last year in Columbus. Wonder if he's still around.

Not sure if it would add to the problem (or be the root cause) but I still have to replace the carrier. The small tab that holds the blade holder latch closed broke off. Right now it's held closed with a strong rubber band. A compete replacement head is sitting on my desk waiting for down time.

That may actually be a contributing factor but it's been running between 4 and 8 hours every day for the last 10-12 days and the tracking problem just came into play a day or so ago.

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coolbeansgifts

· #5 · Apr 24, 2012

This may be off base, but I have had my expert24 about a year and have had to replace 2 tension roller assem. They tend to break at the place the metal shaft goes through,with a crack you cant see unless you take them off. GGC sent me replacements under warranty.

good luck

Blue92

Discussion Starter · #6 · Apr 25, 2012

I'll check the rollers when I have it apart to replace the carrier head. Hopefully tomorrow night since I have another 20 or so shirts to do tonight.

plan b

· #7 · Apr 25, 2012

The pinch rollers are usually a wear item and not under warranty, however there was a increased problem in a manufactured lot of rollers so GCC decided to cover them the full warranty of the machine.

Hopefully you registered your machine with GCC as that would give you a extra 3 months warranty, if the facts are as you state as of the age of your machine then you should have another 2 months of warranty.

coolbeansgifts

· #8 · Apr 25, 2012

I thought I might add, my pinch roller assembly had cracked where the shaft goes through the lever assembly that lowers and raises the roller.

The lady from GCC indicated that there had been a problem with the assemblies and sent both pinch rollers for me to replace.

I received my cutter April of last year,so you may have the same lot# pinch rollers.

Blue92

Discussion Starter · #9 · Apr 25, 2012

plan b said:
Hopefully you registered your machine with GCC as that would give you a extra 3 months warranty, if the facts are as you state as of the age of your machine then you should have another 2 months of warranty.

Yes I did. They confirmed it when I called about the blade holder latch. Looks like I'll be calling again.

Cut about 14 yards of names and numbers tonight. Some look like Helen Keller did them with an Exacto knife.

You young folk may have to look up Helen Keller to understand.

scuba_steve2699

· #10 · Apr 25, 2012

I have seen a few with the pinch roller issue - they are fairly easy to replace and GCC has been good about covering them.

Blue92

Discussion Starter · #11 · Apr 26, 2012 (Edited)

Totally dead now....

Replaced the carrier head.

On power up it cycles to the right then hangs while buzzing. I shut it off and called GCC Tech support.

Spent @ an hour with GCC Tech support. He did a firmware upgrade with no change.

Now on power up it cycles to the right, hangs for 20-30 seconds buzzing then cycles normally and seems to read the rollers and set the size. I suspect if I had waited before calling it would have done the same thing.

However it will not accept a cut job. Per the tech's request I sent a video and will wait for a return call....

Went from skewed cuts to no cuts....

Update:
Just for laughs I tried again. Carrier heads moves to the right, moans and groans but after it's finished it does cut. Still not acceptable but usable in a pinch.

While it was apart I pulled all three rollers. The center idler roller is fine. Both outside drive rollers are cracked.

I'll post the URL since they're the full size 2592 x 1944 pictures and about 2 MB each.

http://corvettepics.net/images/left.jpg

http://corvettepics.net/images/right.jpg

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Nick Horvath

· #12 · Apr 27, 2012

Unless you accidentially did something while taking apart the cutter to inspect it, your fix is probably an easy one.

GCC usually fixes odd behaviour issues like this with a firmware update. I'd give them a call as they can take control of your PC.

Blue92

Discussion Starter · #13 · Apr 27, 2012 (Edited)

Nick Horvath said:
Unless you accidentially did something while taking apart the cutter to inspect it, your fix is probably an easy one.

That's always a possibility but actually replacing the carrier is fairly straight forward. Only two connectors and I made sure they plugged back in the same way they were originally.

Nick Horvath said:
GCC usually fixes odd behaviour issues like this with a firmware update. I'd give them a call as they can take control of your PC.

They tried that. For about an hour or hour and 1/2 or so Wednesday evening. No difference in behavior at all.

The tech finally gave up and asked that I forward a video to him. Sent it Wednesday night along with pictures of the cracked rollers.

Tried calling again last night. No tech support available, after multiple tries I did get the operator and was told the tech staff were in a meeting. No call back.

I did get a reply this morning to the email sent about midnight EDST:

"We're currently out of stock on pinch rollers. We will send you the rollers as we receive new stock.

As for the loud sound when the machine initializes, that problem can be resolved by replacing the carriage sensor on the machine. I will place an RMA for your parts and will ship both together."

Not good news at all and from the wording I'm not sure if the sensor referred to is on the new carrier head I just installed or located else where on the cutter. Seems strange that it would go out at the same time I replaced the carrier head.

I may reinstall the old carrier head and see how it behaves.

Anyone care to take bets on how happy I am at the moment?

Update Apr 27, 2012 3:44:28 PM

Reinstalled the original carrier head. Same behavior.

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Blue92

Discussion Starter · #14 · May 3, 2012

Spoke with GCC tech again tonight after a day or two of no answer in the tech support area or even the operator.

They "believe" they will have parts in stock Friday or Monday and will ship out the same day they receive them....

If you are a vendor that might have an Expert 24 LX on display in Columbus this weekend please pay no attention to the guy with a screwdriver in his hand.

He's just admiring how well the unit is assembled.....

jasonsmith

· #15 · May 3, 2012

plan b said:
The pinch rollers are usually a wear item and not under warranty, however there was a increased problem in a manufactured lot of rollers so GCC decided to cover them the full warranty of the machine.

Hopefully you registered your machine with GCC as that would give you a extra 3 months warranty, if the facts are as you state as of the age of your machine then you should have another 2 months of warranty.

Is there any way to find out if your GCC machines was in this "lot"?

jasonsmith

· #16 · May 3, 2012

Blue92 said:
I also have Great Cut set to sort and then cut side to side as much as possible to avoid excessive front and back travel as much as possible.

What setting do you set for this?

Blue92

Discussion Starter · #17 · May 4, 2012

jasonsmith said:
What setting do you set for this?

Under "Design" "Sort with Simulation" in the bottom right corner.

Blue92

Discussion Starter · #18 · May 4, 2012

jasonsmith said:
Is there any way to find out if your GCC machines was in this "lot"?

If it helps I bought this one April of last year so somewhere around that time.

plan b

· #19 · May 4, 2012

Blue92 said:
If it helps I bought this one April of last year so somewhere around that time.

If they haven't gone bad by now then you got a good pair,,

Blue92

Discussion Starter · #20 · May 4, 2012

plan b said:
If they haven't gone bad by now then you got a good pair,,

Check the links in post #11. No such luck.

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