Epilog Rotator Issues

[Stephen Beckham]

Anyone have suggestions why after doing 10-12 glasses with the same image - they start compressing? After shutting the machine down, bringing it back up and then re-running the print - it seems to fix itself...

[Scott Shepherd]

Compressing in the X, the Y (rotary in this case), or both?

[Stephen Beckham]

Y axis only - it seems to take half steps so all the words are really small around the shot glass. I've checked for the glass slipping. I've re-printed the same file and the only thing that seems to fix it turning the power off and restarting the machine.

I've also put a long square and vectored it to force roll the rollers a complete circle (with door open) and it will return back to the same spot on the glass.

I've had this problem in the past doing wine glasses, but when I'm doing 216 shot glasses for a wedding, I'm seeing it more often.

Thanks....

[Scott Shepherd]

I had a problem with that axis as well. Mine would engrave fine and then it would skip a spot and keep engraving. Sometimes it skipped a spot, sometimes it didn't.

Ended up being a bad stepper motor on the rotary axis. Sent a new motor out, I replaced it, and it's worked fine since.

If you know it's not slipping, then my guess is it's the motor on the rotary axis.

[Stephen Beckham]

Well, my daughter and I believe it's got something to do with the glass edge rolling against the plastic stop. We've backed it off by a 1/16" and it seems to work fine all the time now.

I'm guessing that the lip may be a bit out of square and when it's rolling - as the lip gets higher, it pushes against the plastic causing friction. By backing it off, it never touches.

Not sure, but seems to be fixing it - appreciate the assist. At this point, it's just FYI...

[Scott Shepherd]

Could very well be that. I thought that too in my case, but in the end, it ended up being the motor. I know exactly what you're talking about, watched it like a hawk when I was troubleshooting, and then changed the angle the glass was on to where it was almost straight up and down on that edge and it had the same problem. Sometimes it worked, sometimes it didn't.

Hopefully you've solved it and you don't need a new motor. In my case, it didn't solve it.

[Peck Sidara]

Stephen,

Sounds like you got a handle on it. In most cases when the images compress, it's the glass peice slipping, or the glass peice rubbing against something or the rotary motor.

Continue with what you've already done (moving the shot glass over a bit) but if it creeps up again.

check the rotary motor pulley to make sure it's tightened onto the flat spot of the rotary shaft (black pulley that yellow belt loops around).

What color are your o-rings for the rotary? The brown ones have a bit more grip, if you have the black ones, call tech support for some replacements.

HTH.

[Stephen Beckham]

Peck - thanks - I do have the orangish brown ones on there.

I think it was more operator head space than mechanical or as my old college professor would say "...the loose nut between the keyboard and the chair."

Take care and thanks for the input.