Abstract/Background:
The position of a DICEblade (blade) is controlled by pneumatic cylinders getting actuated by valves controlled by the Main SmartTile. The current position of the blade is monitored by sensors mounted on the pneumatic cylinders. There is also a Home Sensor for the Head Tending Trolley to be out of the way before motion is allowed. The location of these sensors is set and tested by PPSI upon assembly, but it is possible that these sensors fail or loosen/get jostled out of position over time.
Symptom(s):
The main/first indicator is that an operator will click Print or a Preset Location Button in Print Manager and one of the blades (or all of them) does not move at all, or does not complete the sequence of movements to go to the desired location. Printing should not start if one of the required blades does not make it to the Lowered/Print Position. An auditory symptom could be hissing of an air leak at a valve or piston.
In Print Manager, there may be an error in the Action Log stating "Timeout capping heads", "Movement Timeout" or similar.
In the Full Blade Control view, the Head Tending Section may be greyed out. Even if one of the Position buttons appears green, being greyed out means it is either in-between positions (moving), or stuck at an unknown position. Similarly, if none of the buttons are green, it is certainly in between states, and you should check to position of all of your sensors.
Potential Solutions/Causes:
1. Check that your main air regulator is reading at least 90psi. 100psi is preferred.
2. Check that you are getting proper pressure at the pressure regulators inside the blade. The Front Cover must be off to view them. From left to right, they should read 90, 80, 70, and 60 psi, for the Raise/Lower, Cover/Uncover, Latch/Unlatch, and Capstop cylinders, respectively.
3. Check the position of all of the cylinder sensors. If any are loose, use a flathead screwdriver to tighten the mount in the correct location--check other blades for reference if unsure. Using the Web Interface (11.11.11.1x:9080) is the best way to individually check the status of the sensors, in addition to taking the Front Cover off to see the red lights on the sensors when they are met.
4. If a sensor is never getting a positive reading, check the cable for any damage or sharp bends. Check the blade control board above the ink supply for a light on the output when the command is given, and/or carefully test the pins in the on-board connecter for 24vdc when commanded.
5. If the Head Tending Trolley is not at the Home Position, the program will not allow the blade to move and potentially damage the Trolley by Capping or Lowering on top of it. Check the Full Blade Control Head Tending section for a "Reset HT" button, and examine the Trolley drive train (motor, belt, pulleys, cables) for any damage. Contact PPSI Support (support@prototypesys.com) for any spare part requests.
6. If you hear an air leak, the most common location is on the exhaust side of the Raise/Lower Valve, on the rear of the valve. This may indicate a piston/seal leak in a Raise/Lower cylinder. The way to resolve this is to unforce the Raise or Lower command in the Web Interface, then actuate the cylinder in the opposite direction before trying to proceed. Exercise the cylinders several times back and forth to ensure it is resolved. Additionally, a small amount of a lubricant like WD-40 can be applied directly into the top side of the cylinder(s) (turn off main air and unplug the pneumatic tube in the port(s) first).
Additional/Related Information:
DICEblade Pneumatic Diagram: https://ppsihelp.freshdesk.com/a/solutions/articles/27000066191
DICEblade Electrical Schematics (Plus I/O Table for Sensors): https://ppsihelp.freshdesk.com/a/solutions/articles/27000072335
If you have other problems not listed here, or additional questions on how to diagnose/identify these items, feel free to start a new Support Ticket and an Agent will reach out to you shortly! Emailing support@prototypesys.com will automatically create a new Ticket in the Freshdesk system.