Product

• Platesetter 3244
• ThermoFlex
• Trendsetter 400/800
• Trendsetter NEWS
• Trendsetter VLF
• Trendsetter VLF AL
• VLF Platesetter

Machines affected

All devices with a 1.x Thermal Head.

Component

Thermal plates

Symptoms

Part of a swath is missing on the plate, and a full swath may also be missing. This occurs randomly during a plot. The break in the swath is clean, indicating a loss of digital data. Since only part of the swath is missing, it is not an encoder alignment problem. The problem is usually intermittent but progressively gets worse.

If the problem is repeatable use MPE plot 12 command to write a solid. Open up the swath boundaries using set gc ssca 20000 to get a better view of the individual swaths. Verify that all pixels in the swath are missing. Look at the point where the swath breaks. Is it a clean break? If not, the problem could be analog in nature, such as vibration.

Cause

The plot data transfer requires the SCLOCK signal from the MPE. This signal runs in the LC-BP (9-pin ribbon) cable between the MPE backplane and the head. If this signal is interrupted during a plot, the plot data will stop until the SCLOCK signal is restored. Also, if there is a break in the coaxial (hot link) cable, the plot data will be interrupted.

Solution

Replace the LC-BP and the coaxial (hotlink) cables. Since the ribbon cables in the cable track will be a similar type and age, it is advisable to replace them as well.

Trendsetter VLF and Trendsetter VLF AL

• LC-BP  10-3523B
  LC-BP cable connects between Backplane J28 and Head J9, and has IMAGING, SCLOCK and NEWLINE. Look for broken conductors. Check for bent pins at the head end.
• EH-Bulkhead (coax/hotlink)  10-4968B
• EH-BP  10-3520A

Platesetter VLF

• LC-BP  10-3343A
• EH-Bulkhead (coax/hotlink)  10-3518B
• EH-BP  10-3347A

Platesetter 3244

• LC-BP  10-0936B
• EH-Bulkhead (coax/hotlink)  10-0796A
• EH-BP  10-0771A

ThermoFlex

• LC-BP  10-3523B
• EH-Bulkhead (coax/hotlink)  10-4694A
• EH-BP  10-3520A

Trendsetter 400/800

• EH-Bulkhead (coax/hotlink)  10-4105A (TS3 only)
• EH-Bulkhead (coax/hotlink)  10-4109B (TS8 only)
• EH-BP (J28)  10-3258A (TS 3 and TS3/8 only)
• EH-BP (J28)  10-3903A (TS 4/TS8 only)
• EH-BP (J22)  10-3259A
• EH-BP (J22)  10-3905B (TS4/TS8)

Trendsetter NEWS

• EH (TH2)-Bulkhead (MPE)(coax/hotlink)  10-5145A

Technical contact(s)

Angus Gillon

Submitted by

Angus Gillon.

Date submitted

04 Dec 2002