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Output | Software Solutions | Proofing | Color, Screening and Calibration | Scanning | Digital Photography | Consumables | POS
Home | Contact Us | Submit Troubleshooting Info | Search | Help
Output | Software Solutions | Proofing | Color, Screening and Calibration | Scanning | Digital Photography | Consumables | POS
Description | Theory of Operation
See also Boards | Commands | NVS Parameters | Parts | Procedures | Troubleshooting
Carries the exposure head along the length of the drum. The type of carriage depends on the exposure head.
Ballscrew | Fan | Home/Away Board | Nut Car | Power Box | Screw Hanger | Tracks
The carriage itself is part of the head assembly. However, most components relating to the carriage are part of the frame and track assembly.
Note: For a complete list of carriage parts, with part numbers, see the Partspage.
Drives the carriage along the tracks. The pitch (5.08 mm) is the same as on the 3244 engine but the diameter is larger. Therefore, the carriage bore is larger and the flextube is different.
Generates the two reference points for the head motion. The board detects the home and away tabs at either end of the tracks. See the Boards page for details.
Supports the ballscrew nut on the carriage tracks to compensate for the deflections. Was 50-1295 on early engines.
Contains most of the Trendsetter VLF electronics. See the Power Box page for details.
Supports the ballscrew at the encoder end of the engine. This roller bearing should not require servicing.
Guides the carriage driven by the ballscrew.
Never loosen the screws that hold the carriage tracks to the frame.
The tracks have the same profile and spacing as for the 3244 engine, except that
they are made of two sections. The gap between the two sections allow for
thermal expansion.
The ALE board (10-3691) is the control center for the Trendsetter VLF carriage drive system. It contains a carriage step synthesizer which controls the speed and position of the carriage at all times.
Carriage motion is synchronized to image data output. From the home position, the ballscrew moves the exposure head at a programmable speed until imaging is finished.
If the workstation is unable to deliver raster data at the recorder imaging speed, the carriage drive switches to asynchronous mode. The carriage stops, reverses and waits at a retrace position until the DPE buffers have filled with data. At this time, the carriage accelerates to speed in time for the next image rotation.
Carriage position and velocity are locked to drum speed through the stepper synthesizer and digital PLL on the MPE board. This is an open loop system as there is no encoder on the carriage sub-system. Therefore, for the head position information to be accurate, the carriage cannot drag or stall.
VLF Platesetter compared
The carriage system for the VLF Platesetter is very similar, except that the Trendsetter VLF uses a different motor driver and does not have the high torque drive.