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Model:
iRC4080i
iRC4580i
iRC5185i
CLC4040
CLC5151

Ref No.:
iRC4580i-043
Date:
December, 2008


Subject:
Color Shift Prevention / Correction
Detail:
There are 2 types of Color Shifts caused by the printer (horizontal lines out of registration). To identify them, you will
need to use PG-Type 6.

1. Faulty Color Reproduction: the horizontal lines that correspond to each color are not superimposed, but rather
parallel with each other.
Causes: Mechanical failure at the ITB Drive Level, dirty Belt, faulty Gears or ITB Motor, reversed ITB Cleaning Blade.

2. Faulty Color Reproduction: the horizontal lines that correspond to each color are not all superimposed and at least
one line is not parallel to the others. In this case, often, the vertical lines are also slightly out of registration.
Causes: Most often this happens following a service call (when the Laser Unit was swapped, when the Laser Unit was
replaced, the DC Controller Memory cleared, etc.). These operations can cause the Lasers to fall out of registration.

The Color Registration in Printer Mode (PG-Type6) is dependant on the 4 Lasers, the Test Pattern Reader, the IMG Board
and the Maisy Board (DC Controller) as well as on ITB Drive status. In any case, an Image Processing Board,
Motherboard or Sub Board could never be the cause.

Method for correcting/ preventing Lasers from printing out of registration.
1. Remember:
The four Laser Units that equip the iRC4580i series are identical. Therefore they can be interchanged to identify a
breakdown. Nevertheless, there are a few things to remember.
2. Principles:
a: Horizontal registration
The four Laser Units are horizontally registered when copying/ printing by their respective Beam Detection signal.
The Y,M,C,K horizontal write starting points are synchronized with each other (ITB Test Pattern). The yellow Laser
serves as reference.
b: Vertical registration
The four Laser Units are vertically registered according to the ITB Test Pattern. Again, the yellow Laser serves as
reference for the other colors.

Service Bulletin
Copier

HARDWARE
Issued by Canon Europa N.V.
iRC4580i-043
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The test patterns printed on the ITB are read by the Test Pattern Reader that transmits the information to the DC
Controller. The DC Controller calculates the timing of each Laser so that they are synchronized with the data from
the yellow Laser.

c: Aligning the horizontal lines of the Laser
Since the four Lasers are independent and since they sit side by side on the Machine Frame, it is possible that even when
registration is set, the lines might still not print out parallel. In order to correct this, each Laser has a Lens Motor.
This (Step) Motor enables perfect alignment of each color. The latter setting is assured through reading the Test Patterns
on the ITB. The black Laser serves as reference for this registration.
Indeed, the Black Laser Unit Motor is inactive and its Lens is set in the middle position by default. The Y,M,C Laser Lens
Motor correct the output position for each Laser output by aligning themselves with the unchanging black position.

It is therefore important to remember, when exchanging the Black Laser with that of another color in the machine, that
the Laser Unit that serves as black must always have the Lens Motor in the middle position.

This is never the case if it has been swapped with a unit that has served as a Color Laser, as the Lens correction position
system has been activated to print.


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Example of A4 PG-Type6 with a color shift.

NOTE: In this example, the M,Y,C,K horizontal lines are not parallel, which implies a faulty Laser registration.


Distance D represents the space between two lines of color. In the illustration, we see that D is not the same
distance at the front as it is at the rear-end of the paper. The lines are therefore not parallel, which implies that
the Lens Motors are not in registration.



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To check that the Laser Lens is indeed in the middle position:
Detach the vertical Cover from the Laser Unit in charge of printing black (K). Check that the Cam edge is visible through
the opening (see illustration). If this is not the case, manually turn the Motor clockwise to find the right position.


With the side cover removed, we can see the corrective lens as well as the step motor.


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Keep in mind:
Swapping a Color Laser with a Black Laser:
Since the Color Laser is not in the middle position, it could impede the correct alignment of the other three when it is used
to replace the black one. If such is the case, please carry out the above procedure. Sometimes even doing this is not enough
and a Color Shift may still occur. You will then need to execute the following command:

Service mode 2: Function/Laser: LD-ADJ-Y, LD-ADJ-M, LD-ADJ-C. Enable with OK
These operations allow the Y,M,C Lens to be reset to the middle position via the Service Mode.

In some cases, the Color Laser correction is such that the Cam can get blocked (hard point) and it becomes impossible
to obtain the correct Lens position automatically. We advise you then, to manually set each of the Laser Cams.

Note:
Enter the values for each laser in Service Mode 1 > ADJUST/LASER.
Do not rely on P Print or label values, rather enter the data from each laser unit label.

Validate the operation by carrying out an Automatic Halftone Setting in quick mode.
Then execute another PG-Type 6.
The setting is successful when the PG-Type 6 appears to have been done in monochrome black.

While doing these operations, we strongly advise you to not execute a Clear DC Controller operation, as it will
delete all the values entered for the Laser data. The effects of this clearing more often than not lead to more
confusion and problems, without resolving the fault in any way.