Engine

Carriage
Drum
Heindenhain Encoder
Engine mounts
Temperature sensors

Description | Commands | NVS Parameters | Parts | Procedures

Description

The main functions of the engine include:

• mounting the media for imaging
• synchronizing the rotation of the drum with the motion of the carriage during imaging
• unloading the media from the drum

See:

• Engine size
• ThermoFlex and VLF Platesetter engines compared
• Mechanical alignment
• Plate thickness

Engine size

The ThermoFlex engine comes in a single size and can mount a photopolymer plate or thermal film up to 52" x 80" (1321mm x 2032mm).

Each machine is shipped with a dongle which contains hard-coded information on the model. This prevents the users from upgrading the model by simply changing some NVS parameters.

ThermoFlex and VLF Platesetter engines compared

The engines for the ThermoFlex and the VLF Platesetter are very similar. They share the same:

• Base casting
• Drum casting
• Drum motor and electrical/mechanical drive system
• Carriage motor and mechanical drive system

The main differences are:

• Air solenoids
• Sensor and actuator wiring
• Carriage drive electronics
• Engine satellite board
• Drum machining and anodizing
• Drum pillow block design
• Plate mounting system
• Balance weight system

The ThermoFlex engine is an evolution of the MLF engine design. Plate/media mounting on a ThermoFlex engine is done using vacuum and tape, therefore all mechanical and magnetic clamps have been removed along with the leading and trailing edge clamp and roller backbones. Without leading or trailing edge clamps on the drum, there is no  need for static balancing of the drum, so the balance weight assemblies and actuators have also been removed.

The axis of the drum is raised 83.5mm above the engine frame as compared to a Platesetter or Trendsetter engine.The drum is machined differently than an MLF engine drum and is black anodized rather than hard anodized.

The engine satellite board (ESE) has been replaced by the Trendsetter Engine Electronics (TEE) board.

Mechanical alignment

The drum, encoder disk, drum pins, pillow blocks, tracks, ballscrew drive pulleys and frame are carefully aligned and measured for mechanical accuracy. These measurements are part of the geometric correction values used to ensure image accuracy and repeatability. Any adjustments made to the mechanical alignment of the drum or encoder disk or track mounting requires a full geometric accuracy test and recalibration. Change the mechanical setup only after consulting Creo engineering personnel.

Plate thickness

The ThermoFlex can accomodate plate thicknesses from .007" film through .155" plates because of the radial head stage mounted to the carriage.

Commands

carriage
drum
engine

NVS parameters

AL module

ALTIM module

altim esd (driver_switch_delay)
altim load (load_timeout)
altim move (move_timeout)
altim rmd (sensor_delay)

CARRIAGE

accel (max_accel)
again (driver_accel_gain)
coff (cos_offset)
cph (centre_plate_to_home)
eatt (edge_attempts)
esearch (edge_narrow_search)
espeed (edge_speed)
espot (edge_spot_width)
fedge (fast_edge_search)
gearing (srot_per_lrot)
hgain (driver_hold_gain)
ispeed (init_speed)
kspeed (knee_speed)
mgain (driver_move_gain)
mspeed (max_speed)
mtravel (max_travel)
period (accel_period)
pgain (driver_plot_gain)
pitch (mil_per_lrot)
psteps (plot_accel_steps)
raccel (retrace_accel)
rknee (retrace_knee_speed )
rspeed (retrace_speed )
scyc (steps_per_scyc)
soff (sine_offset)
steps (steps_per_srot)
turbo (turbo_retrace )
wsearch (edge_wide_search)

DRUM module

Default values summary:

chkfly (check_flyoff)
dgh (deriv_gain_hall)
dgp (deriv_gain_posn)
dgr (deriv_gain_posn)
dgs (deriv_gain_run)
dgv (deriv_gain_vel)
diam (nominal_diameter)
epos (edge_position)
gear (drum_gear_ratio)
hppr (hall_pulses_per_rot)
igh (integ_gain_hall)
igp (integ_gain_posn)
igr (integ_gain_run )
igs (integ_gain_soft)
igv (integ_gain_vel)
iner (drum_inertia)
maxdiff (max_hall_vs_enc_diff )
mtcn (motor_torque_const)
mtol (move_tolerance)
pacc (position_accel)
pgh (prop_gain_hall)
pgp (prop_gain_posn)
pgr (prop_gain_run)
pgs (prop_gain_soft)
pgv (prop_gain_vel)
vacc (velocity_accel)

Parts

• ThermoFlex Engine (50-1599A)
• ThermoFlex Engine Frame and Track (50-1600A)

Procedures

Aligning the ThermoFlex Table
Adjusting the drum drive motor belt
Cleaning the Drum
Cleaning the drum and carriage drive pulley
Replacing the drum drive motor belt
Drum torque test