Jet Platemaker repair
Hello there,
We have a Jet Photopolymer Platemaker that has recently developed some issues with the rotation of the top plate when washing out a plate. It freezes at the edge of the brush area when the cycle should be complete.
We are in Pocatello, Idaho, at Idaho State University and needing someone with expertise in platemaker repair to help resolve this problem.
Do you have any suggestions or references?
Thank you, Paula Jull
It sounds like it might be a mechanical issue that wouldn’t be that much different than the mechanical issues of many other types of machines, like a bearing or something similar. At your university, do you have a mechanical engineering department, or trades training like millwrights, mechanics, etc.? Those people might be happy to have a real world mechanical problem to solve.
Good advice. I will follow up on that after I do a little more diagnosis. Thank you
It could be there is a broken tooth in one of the gears which operates the reciprocating platform. There is a drawing of this mechanism in the manual for the machine. It should be fairly easy to access this area of the machine if you should choose to do so. I’ve attached a photo of a scan from the parts page of my manual (assuming yours is a similar machine). The gears are indicated at the top as 1 & 2. If not broken tooth, it could be some foreign piece lodged in a gear.
John Henry
Cedar Creek Press
jetwashparts.jpg
have a similar platemaker, i’d look at the gearing, chain, but also the microswitch that controls rotation reversal, might be a little out of adjustment mechanically, or switch wonky. Had to replace mine at one point