XT Trimmer Type 2 Problems

[YDCustom]

I'm having trouble with trims on both of my XT machines. I have trimmer "2" according to OS. The trim will consistently get the bobbin thread but not the top thread. When the machine moves to embroider the next spot of that color, the needle gets bent and then broken. The thread brand and weight is the same in all needles and all maintenance is up to date.

The problem happens:
-On both regular and power trim
-At multiple tail lengths (Short, medium, long)
-On nearly all needles. On one machine it is needles 1, 5, 6, 7, 9, 11, 13, 14 (no sewing on 15 and 16)and on the other machine I gave up after needles 1-5 inclusive.

I have inspected the trimmer mechanism to see if the little push/pull wire is in - it is. I have cleaned the trimmer and bobbin area and lubricated the appropriate points on the trimmer.

Anybody have any ideas on what to try next? I'm wondering if I just need a new trimmer knife but the ones I have in my drawer don't look like they belong with the trimmers I have. I think these knives are from before Hugo switched out our trimmers.

[Rod or Sharon]

The newer style ACAT trimmer, which is what Hugo replaced your original trimmer with, in my experience needs to be cleaned more often and more oil be used to keep the parts sliding freely. The knife and selector are a unit and cannot be separated like we did with the original trimmer. I suspect that the pushrods are bent now, the trimmer has not had enough oil and there is a possibility of lint, thread, fuzz, etc, built up in the cairrer housing. You are right, the old trimmer blades do not look like the ACAT and are not interchangeable.

The common denominator that would affect all or almost all of the needles on two different machines would be the trimmer is not getting the proper throw length to be able to pick up both bobbin and top thread.

I would say that it is time for a call to Hugo to come and give the ACATs and machines a good going over.

Rod Springer
Amaya Tech & Trainer

[YDCustom]

Thanks Rod. We do most of our work on terry towels, so having the works gummed up with lint is nothing new! I do blow the area out with canned air multiple times a day and have the needle plate off regularly so I don't think it's too full of lint. It probably hasn't gotten as much lube as you seem to think it needs. I've done it when it comes up in the maintenance but not otherwise.

I'll give it a bit more of my time this week and if I can't get it in shape with cleaning and lube I'll call Hugo.

[Rod or Sharon]

It is kind of a vicous cirle when it comes to the trimmers. I feel that the ACATs are an improved design, but because of their specific design, they have increased friction between the moving parts of the selector and upper knife to provide the shearing effect it is designed to do. If the trimmer is allowed to go dry, the friction increases, the pushrods have to work overtime and they will fatique and bend resulting in reduced throw of the selector, resulting in the selector not picking up the bobbin and/or top thread.

Conversly, oil attracts dust, lint, fuzz and other debris to itself which in turn soaks up the oil and can create bulk and friction or blockage that may prevent the moving parts to perform as they were designed to do....hence maintenance and lubrication should not be fully relied on by what the "timer" tells you. It cannnot be the "gospel", there are just too many other varibles in play. Machine environment, material type, thread type, bobbin type ( cardboard side or plastic, magnetic, etc ), design size, number of trims, etc,etc,etc....

Rod Springer
Amaya Tech & Trainer

[twinsmom2]

Just logged in and saw this exchange. I am having trimmer problems on one of my two Amaya XT. Rod, maybe you can diagnose this one. It fails on all needles but only at random times. It will trim consistently on the Trim Test when the tech comes (and he can find nothing obviously amiss). Last time it performed for about a day before it started failing again. This is on any number of designs and material types. I have tried adjusting tie offs and numerous things in the design and I have tried adjusting settings on the Amaya itself. I can take the same design to my other machine and it sews out fine, trims and all. I watch it when trimming and i can tell when it is going to fail..I see too much slack in the top thread and sure enough, that time it will fail. Tech has looked at it twice and made some minor adjustments; both times, it worked for a short time then went right back to failing periodically. Help!! I am virtually down to only one machine..ljust can't rely on the other because I have to watch it like a hawk!

[YDCustom]

Interesting that you should mention the long thread. I couldn't swear that this means anything but I did "notice" the thread feeding during tie-off this morning and I haven't before. Not knowing how much thread is supposed to be there, I don't know what wrong would look like. I'll have to watch it more closely this afternoon. I have to look at something while I sit with clippers in one hand and the other hand on the stop button!

[YDCustom]

Just thought I'd come back and update. Hugo came and inspected both the XTs. On the one that was behaving worst, it turned out that the socket for the screw that holds the ACAT trimmer to the sewing arm was stripped out. We'll have to replace the entire sewing arm to get that fixed.

The other just needed some fine tuning and calibration and it works well now.