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They Be Jamming
5 simple Instructions For You and Your 5Si Paper Input Unit
By Todd Wilkerson
Depot America Inc.
We have all enjoyed the sweet sounds of our 5Si laser printer, printing page after page. At times (i.e., when printing those end of the month reports) the sound of 24 pages printing a minute can almost be as sweet as an Eric Clapton riff. On the other hand if your 5Si laser printer 'jams', the music stops and the headaches begin.
The 5Si's paper input unit appears to be a sturdy mechanism that would be hard to damage. A closer examination reveals it's actually more fragile than one would think. Like most things in the new millennium the unit is constructed of lightweight plastics and lightweight metals. As a result, many paper input units reach the repair facility damaged.
Papers jams are inevitable, so eventually you will be sending your 5Si paper input unit out to be repaired. Although paper jams are unavoidable, receiving added charges or a non-repaired unit are. There are five simple instructions that will help you make sure the paper input unit you send out for repair, in fact can be repaired.
- Do not use excessive force when closing paper trays 2 and/or 3. Doing so can result in a broken
plastic frame. It can also break the tray lifters and/or the tray locks.
- Remember to remove all the appropriate covers, screws, and cables before attempting to remove
your paper input unit. Also make sure the tray 1 assembly is removed. Attempting to remove the
mechanism without doing so can cause the metal frame to bend. A bent metal frame can cause
skewed print.
- Before removing the paper input unit remove paper trays 2 and 3. If the trays are not
removed the mechanism will be locked in the printer. Attempting to force the mechanism out of
the printer can break the plastic frame or bend the metal frame.
- Handle the mechanism with care when pulling it out of the printer. If not handled properly
the legs of the mechanism can be caught on the sides of the printer causing them to bend. Be certain
that the mechanism has cleared the printer's body before angling it upwards or downwards. Doing so
can cause the mechanism to get stuck on either the upper or the lower sections of the printer's
frame. If it does get stuck or it is not sliding out easily, reinsert the mechanism and reattempt
removal. Angling the mechanism will also break the alignment pin located in the front of the black
plastic frame. Without the alignment pin the mechanisms gears will not engage with the printer's
main motor gear.
- IMPORTANT— Properly pack the paper input unit for shipping. Not doing this
is the reason why the majority of mechanisms are damaged in transit. When preparing for shipping
make sure all moving parts are secured. Make sure the box the mechanism is shipping in is large
enough so you can put plenty of packing material around the mechanism. Make sure the mechanism can't
move around in the box. Avoid packing more than one mechanism in a single box. If at all possible
pack the mechanism in the same manner and box in which your mechanism was received. When packing
the mechanism keep in mind you, your shipping department, the shipping carrier, and the repair
facilities receiving department will handle the package. This is before a technician ever touches
the mechanism.
Remember even the great Eric Clapton can't make sweet music with a broken guitar. By following these five simple instructions you can avoid a broken paper input unit.