Common Designjet System Error Codes & Warnings - An Explanation

 
As HP factory trained Designjet plotter engineers we have had 20 years of daily exposure to faulty HP plotters and have experienced every single type of error. Some are so rare we only see them once a year but the majority are commonplace that every HP plotter will experience at least once in it's life. Some errors are followed by 'Call HP Support' Feel free to call us as a lot of there errors can be cured over the phone by resetting a parameter in the 'service menu'.
 

In order to help end-users we have listed below the top 3 errors for each Designjet plotter model:-


Designjet 430/450C:-

Error lights on steady not flashing:-

  • Ready + Cartridges + Data

Mark Encoder not detected  -  During initialization the sensor on the r/h side of the carriage has to find a reference point called the mark encoder located on the l/h side of the drive roller.  You will hear the drive roller being rotated as it attempts to detect the encoder mark.  This error state results if the mark cannot be found.

  • Align Media + Media - Y-axis shutdown

The onboard diagnostics have detected some resistance in the left to right movement of the carriage. Can be caused by worn main drive belt, faulty y-axis motor or dry carriage rails requiring lubrication.

  • Load Media + Cartridges + Data

Problems when initializing the carriage.  This error occurs when the carriage fails to communicate with the main electronics module. Caused either by a faulty trailing cable that connects the carriage to the main electronics board or a faulty carriage itself.
 

Designjet 500/800:-
  • 86:01 Possible paper jam

Very rarely a paper jam. Normally caused by some sort of resistance in the left-to-right movement of the carriage such as worn drive belt, lack of lubrication on the carriage rails or dirty encoder strip.

  • 21:10 Service Station

The service station is the modular unit situated on the right hand side of the plotter and is responsible for cleaning and preparing the printheads before every plot.  The unit either gets full of waste ink or the motor that rotates the cleaners ceases up. Normally requires a replacement service station assembly.

  • 11:11 Trailing cable

This flat ribbon cable connects the carriage assembly to the main electronics module. Over a period of time the flexible cable folds in on itself causing an internal breakdown of the wiring.  The plotter will develop a snapping noise when printing which precedes the error code.  Almost certainly requires a replacement trailing cable kit.

 
Designjet 1050C/1055CM:-
  • 'Switch power off check printhead path'

The plotter's onboard diagnostics have detected resistance in the left-to-right movement of the carriage.  Most commonly caused by worn drive belt, broken drive belt tensioner or the ink tubes catching on the top chassis.

  • 0C0030 - Bad Drop Detector.

The drop detect is an aperture next to the service station assy behind the r/h endcover. Before each plot all 4 printheads are hung over the aperture and ink is fired into the hole as a way of testing the printheads. A sensor detects the drop and registers that the printhead is firing ink ok. This error occurs when the drop detect stops working either by an electrical fault or when the aperture gets full of ink.

  • 0A0030 - Problem in the APS (Air Pressurization System)

A fault has been detected in the assembly that monitors the air pressure in the ink tubes. This is usually caused by ink leaking out the tubes either at the ink cartridge end of the tubes or the printhead/carriage end.


Designjet 5000 & 5500:-
  • 'Switch power off check printhead path'

The plotter's onboard diagnostics have detected resistance in the left-to-right movement of the carriage.  Most commonly caused by worn drive belt, broken drive belt tensioner or the ink tubes catching on the top chassis.

  • 0C0040 - Bad Drop Detector.

The drop detect is an aperture next to the service station assy behind the r/h endcover. Before each plot all 4 printheads are hung over the aperture and ink is fired into the hole as a way of testing the printheads. A sensor detects the drop and registers that the printhead is firing ink ok. This error occurs when the drop detect stops working either by an electrical fault or when the aperture gets full of ink.

  • 0A0000 - Problem in the APS (Air Pressurization System)

A fault has been detected in the assembly that monitors the air pressure in the ink tubes. This is usually caused by ink leaking out the tubes either at the ink cartridge end of the tubes or the printhead/carriage end.


Designjet 4000:-
  • 86:01 Carriage Servo shutdown

Normally caused by some sort of resistance in the left-to-right movement of the carriage such as worn drive belt, lack of lubrication on the carriage rails or dirty encoder strip.

  • 24:10 Broken bag detected in ink cartridge

Can either be caused by a faulty ink cartridge or, if not, can be cleared by performing the 'Bag Broken Recovery' option in the diagnostics menu.

  • 05.1:10 - CPU fan is stopped or burnt

Replace CPU fan or Main PCA.


Designjet Z6100:-
  • 86:01 Carriage Servo shutdown

Normally caused by some sort of resistance in the left-to-right movement of the carriage such as worn drive belt, lack of lubrication on the carriage rails or dirty encoder strip.

  • 24:10 Broken bag detected in ink cartridge

Can either be caused by a faulty ink cartridge or, if not, can be cleared by performing the 'Bag Broken Recovery' option in the diagnostics menu.

d-gen mimaki

Copyright © TGS UK Ltd. All Rights Reserved.