5090/Docutech Family Finisher Binder
By Raymond Cote

Today I would like to cover a few issues on the Binder in the 5090 / Docutech.  Thanks to all the techs that have sent in service tips and repair procedures for the binder.  Basically, the binder is a very reliable unit and will be extremely productive if you follow some simple tips. Sometimes in our trouble shooting approach we tend to add things like oil or light grease or some other type of lubricant to improve the mechanical device and make it work (more) smoothly.  Actually this approach is a great band-aid for the immediate problem. It’s not a good idea for long range.

The binder is a very dependable device for most companies that use their perfect binders. It has always been my experience that the more the customer uses the device the more likely they will run into some sort of problem with it.  For companies that use the binder occasionally they will run trouble free for many years. If you have a commercial printer and there are many hundreds / thousands of binds then you will experience binder problems from time to time.  And the more they use it the better you will become in it’s maintenance and repair. For the customers that rarely use their binder I always recommend they replace the tape with a fresh roll before calling for service. All too often I have seen rolls of binder tape go bad from exposure to the elements and humidity.  Keep in mind that tape also has a shelf life and if the tape is old it may not work correctly in the binder.   I always try to educate the customer that when they are not using the binder feature to remove the binder tape and place it back in the plastic bag that it came in. This may preserve it for future use, and maybe not. When installing the tape inspect the roll to see if the tape has any unusual waves in the tape. The wavier it is the more un-reliable it will be when it is fed into the tape guides. 

                TIP: Avoid using any type of oil or grease in the binder unless the documentation specifically requires you to apply it in specific areas.  And, when the lubricant is applied make sure that you do it very sparingly.

                Reason: Oil, grease and other types of lubricants tend to absorb paper lint and clay that is used in the manufacturing of paper. Consequently, over time, the light lubricant will become a thick, gooey mud compound that will actually gum up the works and cause binder failures.

                Key word here is Cleanliness and don’t be afraid to clean all metal surfaces with Film Remover (8R27). All too often, in the field, we see the Left Caliper 19K470 and the Right Caliper 19E1711 (PL8-C12) gear train all gummed up in some type of messy goop. Once the area in question is cleaned up check the Caliper adjustment (ADJ 12.40). Another area of concern is the movement of the left tape guide 23E197, and the right tape guide 32K1262 (PL8-C14). Make sure the guides are free to move and nothing is interfering with the track. Check the adjustment (ADJ 12.49) before returning the binder to the customer.

                TIP: If you are following up on a recall (for the same problem) and the field engineer assures you that he/she made all the critical adjustments and everything seems to be in specification. I would double-check all adjustments just for giggles. I can’t tell you the number of times I found something out of adjustment because the other field engineer had a heavier hand than you or maybe his eyesight is not as clear as yours. And in one rare instance the wrong scale was used: The tech thought the adjustment was in inches when it was in MM. Hey mistakes happen the guy thought his SAE feeler gages were accurate.  Truthfully they were accurate for setting the gap in his distributor points.

                TIP: Insure that the channel is clear of all debris in the right and left tape guides. Customers sometimes may complain that the tape may not always advance to the full length of the guides.  Very carefully use a Q-tip with film remover in the track to remove any tape adhesive or gunk that may be present.  Do not use a sharp instrument or a screwdriver to remove the debris because you will expose the Teflon coating in the track to damage. Once the track is damaged the only way to fix them is to replace them. 

                TIP: When in doubt always uses the appropriate adjustment procedure in the service manual for best results? Don’t be afraid to do the adjustment a second time if you feel that the adjustment did not fix the problem. Due to the fact that you very rarely service the binder we all get a little rusty when it comes to repairing it and sometimes it’s a new learning curve for us. Or the problem could be coming from another part of the device but at least you know that the adjustment was done correctly. It gives you a little more self-confidence in your repair techniques. 

                TIP: Do not tweak any adjustment beyond the recommended adjustment procedure. For example: A technician from Boston called me with an unusual problem. He was experiencing a fault code 12-256 intermittently.  This fault code tells us that the spine heater, HTR 1204, went to an undertemp condition after reaching operating temperature.  His customer was able to get 45 to 50 booklets processed before the 12-256-fault code was displayed. Then he would get the message on the UI that the binder was warming up. His first thought was to tweak the spine temperature upwards a few degrees. The thought was that during a long run the spine heater was cooling down and the temperature may be cooling off. He replaced the following without success: Spine Heater 90K311, Spine Thermistor assembly 130K50, Spine Thermostat assembly 130E481. When we spoke about what he did he never mentioned that he “tweaked” the Spine Temperature upwards without checking the actual temperature. It was important to adjust the temperature according to the adjustment procedures in the service manual. Here is what actually happened: The field engineer tweaked the spine temperature upwards by about 10 degrees causing the spine heater to “overheat”. When the Spine Heater was removed from power it naturally cooled off causing it to go into the under temperature condition. What we both did not realize was that when the Spine Heater goes into an over temperature condition the 5090 doesn’t report that condition to the UI in the form of a system fault code. The resolution to this problem was to purchase a reliable temperature-sensing device and adjust the temperature to the specifications in DC-202. Once that was accomplished the problem went away forever. Follow the adjustment procedures in the adjustment section (ADJ 12.43).

                TIP: Be cautious of old temperature tape (99P3080) it has a shelf life and may not be accurate if it is a year or more older. It will be in your best interests to purchase an electronic device that will sense temperatures in the binder. Check with your local electronics supplier for the latest and greatest device on the market today.

                TIP: Solid State relays have been known to cause temperature stabilization problems as well. If the temperature is properly set and all the adjustments are within specifications then we may consider the Spine Heater Solid State relay (K 1203) PL5 – D7 to be faulty.  It has been my experience in the field that when a Solid State relay goes bad they usually fail completely. But in some rare instances they have been known to fail intermittently in the field. This is especially true in the Fuser heater circuit.

                TIP: If you think the problem is with the software, think again. It’s not a software related issue and it’s almost always a hardware issue or a simple adjustment.

                The service manual is, for the most part, the best source of information for the binder. Most, if not all, Rap’s will bring you to a logical conclusion.

 If you have an issue with the binder and you would like to share it with the field please do not hesitate to send me the details and I will pass it along to the field. I can be reached at VillageCopierNY@AOL.COM. I welcome any input that you may have on any topic when it comes to