Ricoh 901 Image Skew

[jinthebay]

Hey folks,

Been running a Pro C901 for about 9 months now. Having the biggest trouble with heavy card stock and image skew. Whether I run one sided or duplexed, the image prints skewed on the sheet. I've tried running paper from different manufacturers, pre-cut or cutting down from a larger sheet size, at 11.5x17.5, 12x18 and 12.5x19.

12 pt. run fines. It's when I get to 14pt. and 16pt. that I have trouble. I've tried telling the machine that it's 12 pt. and no difference. I've also tried making adjustments to the gauge that controls the gripper fence as the sheet is feed in. {It's the adjustment with the two set screws behind the cover). Also don't see any change.

Just curious if anyone has experienced this problem with this machine.

 

[mwc]

Just curious if your SKEW DETECTION is turned OFF for any reason for the paper tray you are using?
Be aware that this can be a global setting, or just a setting for a specific paper in your library.

Global is at USER TOOLS-->Adjustment Settings for Operators-->105-Skew Detection (make sure is ON for all versions of the tray you are using).
Paper specific setting is in the paper in the Advanced settings area #5 (you probably have to login to access this area).

Reason I mention this is that I had one stock that caused problems in ONE tray, was fine in another. Found out the Global Skew was OFF for that tray, and the paper had the Skew off as well, not sure which one overrides the other? Anyhow, this solved the issue for the problem I was having......(also, unsure if this is just a detection for skew, or it corrects it....seemed to correct it?)

 

[jinthebay]

Thanks MWC. Yeah, so I checked the settings and Skew Detection is ON. For some reason, I don't have the privileges to see the advanced setting in the paper definitions though, I guess I gotta get Ricoh involved, again.

We don't run a lot of 14pt or 16pt, but when we do, it's always a problem.

Thanks again.

 

[[email protected]]

Try User Tools and if there's a Login icon click that and enter admin as the user name with no password. Exit out and then you should be able to access the Advanced paper settings. If there is no Login icon then it has to be enabled. Call the Ricoh service number and ask them to transfer you to the Production Print Support Center and they should be able to walk you through the process.

 

[jrsc]

The skew detection setting does nothing to correct skew. All it does is detect skew and give a jam code if it's skewed more than the tolerance.

 

[jinthebay]

Thanks folks for the replies. So then the real question is, has anyone seen this situation wherein there is a very noticeable skew on heavier stocks? My question being, is this something inherent in the C901's or is it just MY C901?

Either way, I need to get Ricoh involved but I'd like to be able to say that A. this is a specific problem just on our machine and Ricoh needs to find a way to fix it. Or, B. This is a common problem on C901's and Ricoh should know about it already and know how to fix it.

 

[msaeger]

I have seen C901's that print straight. If it's only thicker paper I would guess the mechanism that releases pressure between feed and idle rollers has an issue.

You could try and make a custom paper and set "deactivate image position adjustment" to activate. If it's straight them the skew could be happening during the paper shift.

 

[jinthebay]

Thanks msaeger. I will have to get my tech involved with this any way. He must have blocked my access to some of the advanced settings because now the machine won't even let me log in. Additional, (but this was/will have to be a separate post) I always seem to get this PTR shock on my heavier stocks with heavy coverage, It's like a banding towards the tail of the sheet. Ricoh has never been able to resolve that and because I don't run into this situation very often, I haven't complained about loud enough for them to actually do their job and fix it.
I'll post up again when and if I get some sober answers from Ricoh.

 

[msaeger]

I have always been able to solve that trailing edge issue but adjusting the paper transfer speed. There shouldn't be anyway they can lock you out of the advanced settings aside from changing the admin user name or password. Default is admin for the user with no password.

 

[jinthebay]

Thanks again msaeger. So what you're saying is that you're familiar with this phenomenon? Again, it only happens on the heavier card stocks (14pt 16pt.) When we first complained about it, Ricoh pretended that this was the first time they had seen it even though they had a name for it's condition (PTR shock) I believe is what they referred to it by. They said that they would investigate it further but when we stopped complaining about it, they didn't bring it up again.
So, you think that changing or slowing down the speed can correct this? Is it something that I can change in the paper definition or is it a global change to say the specific drawer?

 

[mwc]

The 901 that I operate has different logins depending where you are (and yes, It is frustrating to have login buttons everywhere that aren't for the same thing...). To change the advanced options for a particular paper, you need to press the User Tools button, then login from there (admin : no password(blank)), then goto to your paper and you can press the button.

As far as the trailing edge banding....I have a tech doc that I copied from my tech when we had the issue....Bulletin D095/M077 - 015 reissue - dated 1/12/2012. Subject: Poor Trailing Edge Transfer. Talks about adjusting the parameters 32 & 33 first, then adjustment of 30 & 31.

If you PM me I'll send a scan of the doc that I snagged/copied.
--
Warning, I am NOT a Ricoh tech....but I did stay at a Holiday Inn last night

 

[msaeger]

Thanks again msaeger. So what you're saying is that you're familiar with this phenomenon? Again, it only happens on the heavier card stocks (14pt 16pt.) When we first complained about it, Ricoh pretended that this was the first time they had seen it even though they had a name for it's condition (PTR shock) I believe is what they referred to it by. They said that they would investigate it further but when we stopped complaining about it, they didn't bring it up again.
So, you think that changing or slowing down the speed can correct this? Is it something that I can change in the paper definition or is it a global change to say the specific drawer?

Hopefully you got a tech out there and this has been resolved but incase it hasn't.

You change the PTR speed in the advanced settings for the particular paper you are having and issue with it will only effect that paper. It's not changing the printing speed it's just slightly changing the speed the paper transfer roller is turning. Like mwc said you need to hit user tools and login before trying to change the advanced settings.

 

[jinthebay]

O.K. So my tech came out and we believe that we've found the real problem. Apparently, at some point, we had a bad paper jam from drawer 3 or 4 using a heavy card stock. When I tried to clear it, I bent the guide that allows entrance into the registration section of the press. So bad in fact that I had to call a tech in to fix it, (not my regular tech though). He, I, thought that he had straightened it out well enough but I think from that point on, heavier card stock was getting clipped on it's way in, causing the paper to skew. It seemed odd to me that the first side printed was skewed but not the second side, which made sense because once the sheet was duplexed, then it was straightened out. So, after fixing this guide it seems much better. In fact, the banding seems to be lessened as well. Not completely, just better.
You would think that they would order a new part for this bent up guide but I guess Ricoh don't play that game. Leave it until it's a bigger problem or until the customer complains again? Don't like it but any improvement is a big improvement. I'll have to give it more time to say if it's definitely fixed for sure but I think we've at least discovered the cause of the problem. I'll keep you posted. Thanks again guys.