The main causes of matrix failures, inkjet and laser printers

Mainly, all printer malfunctions, regardless of its model and method of printing, occur due to improper operation or due to wear of the main modules of the device. From the whole mass of breakdowns, due to which office equipment stops working properly, you can select the most common, relating to different types of printers.

Dot matrix printer failures

Despite the abundance of inkjet and laser printing devices, dot matrix printers are still successfully used in offices and institutions, due to its reliability and low cost of consumables. But they are, as well as any office equipment, break for quite common reasons for this type of device.

The printer does not turn on

If the device refuses to turn on, the network indicator is off, and the print head is in place, that does not mean, the printer broke. Mainly, this problem may occur for the following reasons.

1. 1. There is no voltage in the socket. To check, connect any electrical appliance to it (iron, table lamp, etc.). If the devices do not turn on, so, or there is a fault in the socket, or there was a complete power outage in the building.
      Check the voltage with other electrical appliances
   2. Defective electrical cable of the device. Perhaps, it is damaged or near the electric plug itself, or at the entrance to the device. You should also check the plug itself, if it is collapsible.
   3. The switch has failed. The mechanics of the switch itself may break, or unsoldered wires, connected to it.
      
   4. Fuse blown. Occurs either due to internal malfunctions of the device, or due to a surge in mains voltage.
   5. No current is coming from the input circuits. Lack of voltage can cause breakdown of the transformer or stabilizer components. To accurately diagnose the cause requires "ringing" the input circuits with a multimeter and inspection of the electronic board.

The device turned on, but does not print

This situation can be caused by the following factors.

1. Broken controller. Mainly, memory chips or signal processor burn out. Other components of the controller burn out less often.
2. Data loop damage or broken contacts. Check the connection of the cable to the controller and the print head, as well as between separately located elements. It is impossible to exclude a fracture of a loop in any place.
   
3. The electric motor has blown. To move the print head (PG) an electric motor is used, in the windings of which sometimes there is a short circuit. You will need to remove this part from the device and ring the windings for a short circuit.
4. The GHG failed. The problem is solved only by replacing this part with a new one.

The machine pulls a lot of paper

That fact, that the machine pulls extra paper, is a fairly common problem for dot matrix printers, especially, if roll media is used. This malfunction is caused by software failures. You need to update the device driver and check the software, from which the document is displayed for printing, for errors (sometimes you have to reinstall the program).

Also, the machine may pull a lot of paper due to its incorrect size, or due to incorrect application of the parameter, responsible for translating the pages.

You hear a squeak when initializing the device

When the device is turned on, all its components must be initialized and the GHG must be moved to the home position. If this process is accompanied by sharp sounds and squeaks, then the causes of the noise may be as follows.

1. Breakdown of one or more gears, installed in the propulsion mechanism. The head moves due to the rubber cord, having performances, which moves in the right direction through the block with gears. And because the latter are made of plastic, teeth on them break or grind. When worn gears engage, you hear a loud squeak and watch unevenly (jerks) movement of the head.
   
2. Malfunction in the stepper motor.
3. The guide bar is damaged. GHG slows down on damaged areas, as a result of which there is a scroll of the locked gears continue the work by the engine.

The machine does not pull the paper

Often the machine refuses to tighten the paper at all or partially tightens it. This is due to the following reasons:

• engine burnout;
• faulty drawing mechanism, presses the paper to the shaft.

Paper feed shaft

Aggregate me paper

The machine may jam the paper due to breakage of the drawing mechanism or due to contamination of the rollers (rubber), in the mechanism. If the machine runs out of paper when printing, then it may indicate poor media quality or something, that the paper is reused. Often due to improper fastening of the GHG of the relative shaft is also wrinkling of the paper.

software errors

Occasionally, software errors may occur during printing due to driver crashes. Errors may also occur, if, due to lack of "native" driver, compatible software or device driver of the same company is installed in the system.

The print head goes to the side

It happens, that the GHG suddenly goes sharply to the side (more often to the right), and the device stops working. But after turning it off and on again, the device continues to operate. At sharp and noisy movement of GHG, "doodles" are printed on the sheet. Such "jumps" of GHG occur due to breakdowns of the unit controller. Also abrupt movements occur when the contact between the GHG and the controller is broken.

light print

Print backlight can often occur after replacing the copier cartridge. The reasons for lighting can be as follows.

1. Wrong colored tape. As a result, it is produced quickly. To check, whether the tape is laid correctly, it is possible, using a pen, located on the cartridge, scroll it.
   
2. The scroll mechanism does not work. Normally, the tape scrolls with each movement of the GHG. This is done in the cartridge by the shaft, on which he dresses. If, when this shaft does not rotate, the tape remains in place, and the paint on it quickly wears out, as GHG passes all the time on one site.

Prints obscure characters

When the device controller burns out, then when it is turned on, incomprehensible characters are printed. You can only stop the process by turning off the device.

fuzzy print

If there are defects in some characters or fuzzy printing, the heads should be checked. Such defects can be caused by worn-out GHG, as well as broken needles in it. Failure of electromagnets is not excluded, who control the needles.

Dot matrix printer head

Stripes appear when printing

The appearance of light streaks in the line can also be caused by breakage of the needles in the GHG, as their vertical group, and horizontal, and malfunction of electromagnets, control groups of needles.

Inkjet printer malfunctions

Inkjet printers are the most popular devices at home. Despite its popularity, these units are very "whimsical" in operation, and refuse to work for many reasons.

The device does not turn on

In the situation, when the device is not switched on, the problem may lie in the following:

1. If you have connected the unit to the mains, and on its case there is no light indication, you need to check the voltage in the socket, serviceability of an electric plug, serviceability of an electric cable.
2. The power supply has blown. The printers have a built-in power supply, which will convert alternating current to direct current with voltage 12 V. To check the power supply, you need to measure the voltage with a multimeter at its outputs. If it is absent, will have to disassemble the unit and ring the whole circuit. Also pay attention to the fuse (if its presence is provided).

Device me paper

Paper jams are most often caused by clogging of the pressure rollers. They must be cleaned with a gauze swab, slightly impregnated with alcohol. If, when the paper jam is repeated after cleaning and trial printing, you need to check all the videos. Perhaps, one of them jammed.

Also, a problem with paper jams can be caused by a blown motor.

The ink carriage does not move

When the printer is turned on, the cartridge carriage should start moving. If this does not happen, it is possible that the engine or individual components of the control circuit of the device have burned out. In this case, do not do without contacting the service center.

light print

If you noticed, that the image became faded or bright when printed, then this is a clear sign of running out of ink in the cartridge. This usually happens, when the printer is disabled for ink tracking, when using refillable cartridges. It is necessary to top up the ink as soon as possible. Otherwise, the head may dry out.

the text doubles

When printing on a printer, the text doubles, then the problem may be due to the following reasons.

1. When installing the CISS, the ink loop was placed incorrectly. It complicates the movement of the carriage, violates its positioning.
2. Contaminated encoder tape. The printing head makes the positioning in space by means of the given plastic tape with the strokes put on it.. If the tape is contaminated with dust or dried ink, then the sensor cannot position the carriage correctly, resulting in blurred or duplicate images on the prints. Elimination of the printing defect is carried out by cleaning the tape from dirt.
3. Contamination of guides. If on guides, on which the carriage moves, got garbage, foreign objects or dried ink on them, then GHG movement will be difficult. It is necessary to remove dirt and lubricate the guides.

Stripes on the print

Because the printhead consists of many thin tubes (nozzles), then the print appeared in the form of light streaks appearing due to their blockages. To clean the nozzles, you need to start the regular operation of cleaning the GHG by means of the printer. If that didn't help, start a deep cleaning of the head. At strongly dried up nozzles their soaking and washing by special liquids is required.

Typical failures of laser printers

Because the laser printer is quite technically complex device, even the causes of breakdowns due to the presence of many nodes abound.

The unit does not turn on

About this fault, and how to detect it, it was said above, when inspecting the breakdowns of dot matrix and inkjet printers. This information can be used in relation to laser devices.

The machine does not print

The reasons for that, that the machine does not print, may be as follows:

• software errors;
• driver damage;
• board failure, which is responsible for image formation;
• the wrong device is selected for printing;
• hung the print queue;
• paper is jammed or missing at all;
• cartridge problems.

crumpled paper

If the paper is crumpled while the laser is operating, this is due to poor rotation of contaminated rollers, or by jamming one of them. Guide bar, if it is damaged, may also jam the paper. If paper jams occur when it exits the machine, then the rollers may be skewed in the dispensing unit, or guide bar, having rollers.

The image is not pinned

If, when you notice, that on the sheet, that came out of the printer, the image is easily erased, that means, that it is not fixed. This trouble arises, due to the failure of the thermal unit together with the guides and thermal film.

Also, the image will not "stick" to the paper, if you install too thick thermal film.

Vertical black stripe

When a black vertical stripe appears on the edges of the sheet, it is possible to tell with confidence, that the drum is faulty, installed in the cartridge. The drum can be replaced, and use the cartridge further.

Vertical white stripe

White stripe, located vertically, may appear when the toner runs out. Try pulling out the cartridge and shaking it several times. Print: if the strip has disappeared or moved to another location, means, it's time to carry the cartridge to refueling.

This is what happens, when toner tracking is disabled in the printer or MFP.

Another reason for the appearance of a white stripe may be clogging of the laser lens or a foreign object (a piece of paper, paper clip, etc.) under the dosing blade.

dark prints

The appearance of dark prints is a sign of wear of the magnetic shaft. The problem is solved by replacing this part.

Creaking and creaking during operation of the unit

The creaking of the equipment may be caused by paper feed rollers, which must be thoroughly cleaned. All moving parts of the cartridge may also creak, due to wear or toner debris, paper dust. A loud squeak can be heard, if the gear unit of the device fails, which consists of gears.

stop paper

With a faulty sensor, which controls the output of the paper, it will remain in the printer. Because the sensor is often clogged with dust and toner, then it will need to be cleaned.

Gray blurred stripe

The appearance of a gray stripe with blurred edges indicates this, that the drum blade does not clean the toner well. Poor cleaning can be caused by a foreign body falling under the squeegee, blade wear, overflow of the waste hopper.

By the way, the printer is often smeared also due to clogging of the waste hopper.

The problem is eliminated by removing foreign bodies, blade replacement and cartridge cleaning.

Perhaps, the paper does not linger

This problem often lies in the paper tray. Namely, occurs due to cracks, which appeared on the case, in which it is inserted ??reversible gear. This defect breaks the contact between the reverse and the spring. This fault is unpleasant, that you have to change the whole tray, if you do not strengthen the casing. If, when you hear a squeak, and the machine does not pick up paper, will have to replace the gears of the engine unit.

pale prints

Pale printing is caused by a malfunction of the unit, responsible for image transfer, as well as the wear of the magnetic shaft. exept this, the appearance of pale prints can be provoked by other factors.

1. It is worth looking at the print settings. Perhaps, the setting "print in economy mode" is set.
2. Wrong toner selected.
3. Dosing blade damaged.
4. The photo drum was worn out.
5. Increased paper humidity. At high humidity of the carrier, the contrast is greatly reduced. The higher the humidity of the paper, the paler the prints will be.
6. In some cases, to get rid of the pallor of the prints when the cartridge is fully refilled helps to shake it thoroughly.. This procedure helps to distribute the toner evenly inside the cartridge.

Damaged and leaking parts of the cartridge, not repairable at home, can be replaced and restored in the service center.