amaya problem

[WF]

my (red) amaya has a problem. Color Change Stepper Index Error and i can not get it in the maintenance menue in the haed up position...and the colorchange home sensor seems not working ..i can not het the index colorchange in the open modus
any ideas ????
wf

[Rod or Sharon]

wf,

This is probably caused from the color change optical senor being dirty and blocking the laser from being able to determine where the needlecase is at as far as the correct needle position for colors.

Have you used compressed air to blow the sensor out thouroughly from both sides of the needle case? If you look on the backside bottom area of the needlecase, you will see a flat tab(flag) that sticks off the needlecase about 1/4th inch and runs horizontally the full width of the needlecase. This tab also has little narrow slots in it. As the needlecase travels across the machine, this tab runs through the optical sensor and the laser will show "open" over one of these slots and "closed" when over a solid part of the tab.

If one or more of these slots become contaminated or dust or other debris is pull through the sensor and the laser becomes incapable of shining through one of these slots, then the needlecase becomes lost and does not know where it is at in reference to a color change. It may think it is at a specific color when in actuallity it has stopped with the needle in-between colors.

The reason you cannot go to headup in Maintenance is because the optical sensor laser is not lined up with one of the slots and because of this the machine knows that the needle is not lined up with the needleplate hole and if allowed to drop, would/could hit solid metal and possibly cause machine damage.

Locate this sensor in relation to the tab(flag)and give it a through blowing out both top and bottom from both sides of the needlecase.

This is a common problem with the big Reds if the sensor is not cleaned on a regular basis.

After blowing the sensor out, go into Maintenance and "Steppers". In the far left column labled Color Change, left click on the "Home" button. The needlecase should go to needle # 9. A headup command should now be possible.

If the sensor is now clean of debris, the machine should now be able to properly count the slots in the tab(flag)and be able to find the right position for each color.

The above information applies only to the Reds. The XT, XTS machines do not use the optical sensors for Color Changing or Home position anymore.

Rod Springer
Amaya Tech & Trainer

[WF]

hi rod,
thanks for reading and replying that fast. the sensor and the bar are clean.. maybe than it is indeed a sensor problem or a problem of the smal
l board where the cable is connected to the mainboard? i dont know, howto test the sensor, but if i place a piece of black plastic between the sensorarms, nothing happens on the mainboard (led)and in the maintanance menue...
W

[Rod or Sharon]

W,

Questions...

1. Is the presserfoot lined up with a needle and needlebar? Is it stopped between needles?

2. Are all of the takeup levers up and exactly lined up with each other?

3. Are all of the needlebars in their upper most position and lined up with each other? The active needle will be slightly lower by maybe 1/8 inch.

4. What happens when you go to Maintenance, Steppers and command the Color Change column to go "Home"?

Before going further I need to know if the presserfoot is lined up with a neeldebar/needle.

The only real way to quickly test the optical sensor is to have the machine on, go into Maintenance, Sensors, depress the E-Stop on the machine keypad and manually move the needlecase left or right while watching the blocked-open position of the sensor for the color index. BUT, the machine MUST be at Headup before you do this!!.... If the sensor will indicate a change of blocked and open as the needlecase moves across the face of the machine, then the sensor is working properly. if it shows blocked all the time, then it is either still contaminated with debris or is truly malfuctioning. The slits in the sensr jaws for the laser light to shine through are only about 1/64 of an inch wide and therefore it does not take much to plug it up.

REALLY blow this area out and then blow it out some more!!!!

There is another one of these sensors located at the upper right corner on the backside of the needlecase that controls the "Home" position of the needlecase. If this one gets dirty than the needlecase doesn't know where the # 9 needle position is for it to go home.

99% of the time this issue is caused by contamination of the flag(tab) and/or the sensor not being clean.....if you think it is clean, blow it out again and again and again.....

Rod Springer
Amaya Tech & Trainer

[WF]

hi rod,
you where right...i checked the sensor with a magnifier and there was piece of something in it..maybe grease ? i used air to blow it out from the front. now the sensor works again..thanks a lot for your advice inthe moment i can not change the needle...the motor makes a loud noise and is shaking mabe there are more adjustments now to make. but tomorrow is another day...
gn

[Rod or Sharon]

WF,

Now I need to know what else you have done. Did you remove the black upper arm covers at any time? These are the covers on the front of the machine and behind the needlecase.

Were you able to get the machine to go to Headup?

Is the needle/needlebar lined up with the center of the presserfoot?

What needle is it on now?

Can you manually turn the Z axiz shaft a full 360 degrees with the bobbin out and the E-Stop depressed?

Rod Springer
Amaya Tech & Trainer

[WF]

hi rod,
yes, i removed the black covers (several times) last yesterday the right one, when i removed the dirt in the sensorslot.
the machine goes haed up.
the needlebar is lined up with the presser foot.
needle 5 is on now.
i can manually turn the z shaft 360 degrees e-stop depressed.

when i booted the machine the colorchange motor tried to move to left very noisy in small steps so i stopped the machine with the e-stop.
thanks for your patience.
w

[WF]

forgot to report one more i made.
i had to reinstall the Anti-backlash nut, it was loose moving on the spindle a while ago,,,

[Rod or Sharon]

WF,

Anytime the covers are replaced, they should be installed in a loose condition, the screws need to be flush with the face of the cover, but the cover needs to be able to move(wiggle). The needlecase is then moved over the installed cover and the outside two screws tightened and the needlecase is now moved back towards center and then the remaining screws tightened . This keeps the two covers in line with each other in a non-binding position.

Why was the anti-backlash nut in a loose condition????????

Just to be sure we are in the same grove, the anti-back lash nut/spring is located on the long horizontal lead screw that threads through the color change motor. Is this the one you are referring to? This does not just come loose on its own unless the tabs on the nut have broken or possibly worn off. I have not personally experienced a broken anti-backlash nut in my 8 years as an Amaya Tech, not that there isn't a first time for everything.... Have you taken the horizonal lead screw(I believe you are referring to this as the spindle)off of the machine at anytime? Have you taken the Color Change motor off of the machine at anytime?

For this to work properly, the nut and spring must be compressed "PRIOR" to the lead screw being screwed back into the color change motor. This can be frustrating if you don't have the training to accomplished the task properly.

You are diving into areas where if one part is adjusted, then several more adjustments may need to be made to prevent binding. To understand the interconnection of all the parts and their timing is where the techs have the knowledge and training to get everything working in sync and that took a lot of time and expense on our part. This is why I have to ask you so many questions as to what you may have done or whats happening, to figure out what is going on.

The fact that the machine will go to headup is a good sign. It MUST be at headup at anytime the needlecase tries to move or there will be binding or the message "Not at headup" will appear. Conversely, if the needlecase does not have a needle lined up over the center of the needleplate hole and the optical sensor is in an "open" position, then the machine will not go to "Headup".

It may be that the color change motor has given up the ghost and needs to be replaced. The Reds color change motor has always been noisey, for the most part, in comparison to the XT's. Sometimes thread can be wrapped around the lead screw and be dragged into the motor and bind up the motor.

Rod Springer
Amaya Tech & Trainer

[WF]

hi rod,
i did not take off the motor but i removed the spindle for reinstalling the spring (compressed) and nut. the nut slides into the right counter part in the motor (maybe there is too much or not enought pressure now between motor and nut?)
the noise sounds as if the motor wants to go forward and backward the same time..the spindle shakes.
i think i try in steps to different pressure on that nut...
w

[Rod or Sharon]

WF

There is only "one" correct way and pressure for the anti-backlash nut and spring to be installed. The spring must be fully compressed with the tabs on the nut slid into their respective slots. This compression must be fully maintained while the lead screw is screwed back into place.

Rod Springer
Amaya Tech & Trainer

[WF]

hi rod,
yes that is the way i did it.
btw are u on messenger or can u use teamviewer? than i can show u by video how it looks and sounds.
w

[Rod or Sharon]

messenger

[WF]

replaced motor with spindle and board....without success. same situation like before
wf

[WF]

finally...it is a defect in the the mainboard...U158
melco´s only solution is to replace the whole board.