Agfa Grand Sherpa 50 woes

[DamionMT]

hello, and I hope you can help...

I've been running a Agfa Grand Sherpa for a few years now in a graphics department of a pharma company. It's been all sorts of trouble, but usually fixable with some intensive cleaning.

Yesterday however a new wrinkle developed, the prints coming out of the machine are demonstrating moderate to severe horizontal banding on the cyan and black. I'm checking the print heads via test-print regularly, but nothing is showing up "wrong" there, yet the quality of the proofs coming out of the machine is deteriorating steadily.

Where is a good place to go to troubleshoot this machine? I'm growing steadily more desperate, thanks.

Damion Mosier-Tidd

 

[Hopkins Printing]

Where is a good place to go to troubleshoot this machine?

Your best bet would probably be to contact GEI Calgraph and open a service call. Their number is 800-842-8448.

We used to fight those issues as well.

Kind regards,
Jon Morgan
Hopkins Printing

 

[Mel]

Can you tell me about other issues you've had? What about service? Are you happy with the service contract or warantee on Agfa machines?

 

[jbbbarr]

When this happened to me, it was the print head. Maybe you should have a tech. re-confirm.

good luck

 

[Hopkins Printing]

Can you tell me about other issues you've had? What about service? Are you happy with the service contract or warantee on Agfa machines?

Hi Mel,

It's been a while since we've replaced our Grand's with Epson 9800's but I do recall banding being a regular issue. A few powerful cleanings seems to clear it. Other times, we had to have service come and realign the heads (sometimes replace them).

I also remember occasionally having a fine gray spatter on the right (control panel) side of the paper that would gradually fade going further away from the control panel side of the paper. As I remember, there is a "spit cup" just to the right of the paper (when it's loaded) that has a rather course pad in it. Replacing that pad would resolve the misty spatter.

Hope this helps!
Jon Morgan
Hopkins Printing

 

[DamionMT]

Your best bet would probably be to contact GEI Calgraph and open a service call. Their number is 800-842-8448.

We used to fight those issues as well.

Kind regards,
Jon Morgan
Hopkins Printing

Thank you for the input, I've been working with GEI to recolve the issue, and hopefully they'll have a tech out here today.

regards
Damion

 

[DamionMT]

Can you tell me about other issues you've had? What about service? Are you happy with the service contract or warantee on Agfa machines?

Truthfully?

If I had known then what I know now about this machine, we never would have purchased it. It is totally inappropriate for our needs, and is extremely high-maintenance.

When we realised Agfa was no longer servicing it, an we had to renegotiate an entirely new arrangement with GEI, that did not help much either. (No fault on GEI, they've been more helpful than Agfa ever was.)

For a high volume shop, this machine might be an option, but for our needs (proofer for a packaging and design department) it's just expensive overkill.

 

[PrePressLacky]

LOL, better make a quick call to GEI because there not into the next day service. We put a call out for our sherpamatic and we didnt get a call or anything for 3 weeks by that time we were on the phone with them again. So not the greatest people to deal with so good luck on getting your sherpa done quick.

 

[PDFninja]

anyone ever get DBS Error, illegal sensor 22226?
i've noticed in the past sensor sticker's numbers show up in sensor errors but i don't see this number anywhere obvious. just figure i'd save making a new thread about this.
it's a Sherpamatic.

 

[VladCanada]

As I do remember that error means: IDFE_LEVER_UPMOVE_06 22226

Recommendations are:
DBS Error, LEVER Up move Illegal Sensor ! (Check
LMDS)
The DBS detected that the Lever Down Sensor did not change during a
'Lever Up' movement.
Check the Lever Sensors.and Lever Motor System.

 

[PDFninja]

As I do remember that error means: IDFE_LEVER_UPMOVE_06 22226

Recommendations are:
DBS Error, LEVER Up move Illegal Sensor ! (Check
LMDS)
The DBS detected that the Lever Down Sensor did not change during a
'Lever Up' movement.
Check the Lever Sensors.and Lever Motor System.

i have it stripped down to near skeleton. i had cleaned all the sensors. ( last time we had tumble issues it was paper dust & grease on one of the lever sensors.)

the lever seems to barely come up into the top sensor. it looks like 4 sensors monitor the positioning on the right hand side ( looking from front).
when i managed to get a 1 sided flat out i then got a E073 Err Xcurrent.
which in the hardly useful manual that came with it says a current overflow for the media motor or something to that effect.

i noticed a red blinking light bouncing off a tan bracket where it looks like a tech would plug a diagnostic tool. Naturally i unscrewed that box removed the warning high voltage cover and found what appears to be the brains etc.

i found 4 LEDs near that plastic tan bracket no doubt used for quick diag. the electric box is hinged and hangs from the underside of the printer. so from top down i have 1 green LED (#1) and three red LEDs(#2-4).
the green one never lit up during start up (that i saw) the #2 blinks constantly even after start up and the #4 looks like its trying to blink. (i didn't actually see labels on them just numbered them here for ease of explanation.

off to the left of the box are 4 more LEDs staggered up & down in red green red green. only the greens lit up during start up then nothing from them afterward.

So between the motor current error i'm getting sometimes when i don't tumble and the red lights on the circuit panel i'm leaning toward the motor or something regulating its power being my problem over a sensor.

i'll update this incase someone ever comes looking for answers to the same problem.
the only draw back is we are upgrading to apogee prepress 5 (maybe 6) some time.
so the bosses are relucktant to bother fixing issues we have now. our palladio is also having issues related to air suction for loading plates.

we can work around both issues but its' killing us time wise to hand load and reset these machines for each flat printed or plate imaged.

 

[tomgent]

We had this error code and replaced the main board and the error went

 

[bmor]

We had the Grand Sherpa and the Anapurna, they're both gone now. We replaced the Grand Sherpa with the Roland AJ1000 and the Anapurna with a couple of Oce Arizonas.

 

[luigi]

Damion / agfa banding

Damion / agfa banding

HAVE NOT RAN INTO THIS PROBLEM YET...
maybe you've encountered this:
Tried to power AGFA 64" UIVERSAL GRAND SCHERPA...
I am receiving... CR E068 ENCODING ERROR.
MACHINE WILL NOT ENGAGE! WHAT CAN I DO?!

hello, and I hope you can help...

I've been running a Agfa Grand Sherpa for a few years now in a graphics department of a pharma company. It's been all sorts of trouble, but usually fixable with some intensive cleaning.

Yesterday however a new wrinkle developed, the prints coming out of the machine are demonstrating moderate to severe horizontal banding on the cyan and black. I'm checking the print heads via test-print regularly, but nothing is showing up "wrong" there, yet the quality of the proofs coming out of the machine is deteriorating steadily.

Where is a good place to go to troubleshoot this machine? I'm growing steadily more desperate, thanks.

Damion Mosier-Tidd

 

[VladCanada]

E 068 Error
CR Encoder

Trouble occurred
in the head travel
(Y-axis) during
operation.
Displayed when
there is no
feedback from the
encoder.
------------------------------
With the power supply
off, move the carriage side
to side to check for
jamming.
• Clean and lubricate the
rollers of the CR rail.