Heidelberg Windmill Horizontal registration problems (side guide bounce?)

I’m currently running my Heidelberg windmill using 5x11 inch pieces of 220lb paper, and every thirdish piece is not registering in the horizontal direction, and is off by several points.

I know the side guide can cause bounce back, and I’m thinking that may be the problem, but I adjusted the side guide all the way in, and then all the way out, and I’m still having the same problem, so I’m not sure how to fix the issue.

I’m pretty sure it isn’t the gripper arms because I’ll have two pieces in a row that register fine, and other times I’ll have two pieces in a row that are off.

In the vertical direction (up/down) the registration is perfect, but the left to right direction, the registration is off.
Any help is most appreciated.
Thanks

Log in to reply   13 replies so far

I try to run the side guide in the middle, to far in it can cause the stock to bounce, also try slowing down the press, it could be a lot of things causing this, Dick G.

Thanks Dick G. We will try that. Any of other thoughts?

Could your stock be to high and falling too far to hit the gauges, is the packing tight, i think the stock is so thick that if you run too fast it will bounce out of the gauge, sometimes if the gauge is all the way in it will do the same, if you slow down i think you’ll be ok. Dick G.

Thanks Dick G.

We are running pretty slowly, and still have an issue. Also, I don’t see any indentation on the side of the paper where it rests against the side gide, so I don’t think it is bouncing.

How would you be able to adjust the position of the stock.

Also, we are using 6 pcs of tympan, but we have used this configration many times without any issues.

Thanks

Then the Gripper arm releases the sheet, it drops into the bottom guide(s) and the side guide pushes it into position.

5 x 11 is a long piece and a lot of energy than released, I think you’re still bouncing.

It would be nice if we are bouncing since I can get my head around that issue. However, how do we suprress the bounce?

Printing is mostly problem solving, and here are some more things to try-
If slowing down the press doesn’t help, try speeding it up. Every job has its own speed, and I’ve fixed this problem in this fashion in the past.
Also, when running on guides, you are instructed to place the stock on the feedboard all the way to the left, so the fence hits the guide stop. Move the fence about 1/8” away from the stop, so the stock has room to slightly fall onto the guides.
You might want to use the “cheaters” too, just to see what happens. The 220 stock need a little more room to behave correctly in the press.

Thank you WaldwickPrintingCo

The fence (I assume this is the fence that the paper rests on to the left of the feed tray) is set for the brass lay gauges (bottom left of the press). Is this the guide stop? Which way do I need to move this fence?

Also, I’m using the two bronze guides at the bottom of the platen. I’m not very familiar with the “cheaters”. Can you provide a little more detail on these and installation.

Thanks

Try not using the first 3 sheets you print, to check register. Set them aside, and take the next 3 sheets. Put them back in the feeder, put 3 bland sheets to repeat the same thing. Also, a small amount of silicone on the face of the front guide, (in absence of the silicone, wipe your finger BESIDE your nose, and apply this to the face of the front guide), a little facial grease to see if the motion of the front guide is springing the sheet sparatically. I’m not kidding. If the chrome face of the front guide is worn off or pitted the action here can cause misregister and make you crazy trying to find it. Just a possibility

Not to long ago I used sandaper to smooth the top of the guides and it really helped. Ron

That last post about sanding the gauges made me remember when i bought one of my windmills someone had glued a fine sandpaper to the gauges, wonder if that would help. Dick G.

AZ,
Yes, the guide stop that correctly positions the left fence when running on guides is set so the paper touches down directly on the brass guides. Occasionally, this doesn’t allow enough movement for the stock to act appropriately. If you move the left fence 1/8” to the right (so you see 1/8” between the fence and the guide stop), it allows the stock to slightly fall onto the brass guides which is just what the doctor orders sometimes.
“Cheaters”, or what Heidelberg calls Flat Rods, simply hook over the front of the feed board (correct terms are escaping me) between the blowers so the stock is positioned 1/16” back when the gripper picks it up. This will allow a little more wiggle room when the gripper releases it in the guides. I remember some “cheater” threads in the past, so you might be able to find some more info on them if you search the archives.
Hope this helps,
Bill

DickG;
Have you ever noticed the end of the grippers (towards the bottom of platen) being higher then the other? In other words the gripper not being level with the platen. I saw the upper side of the stock bowing out which appears to be caused by the grippers not being level. (They used to pull the grippers away from the platen to clear the counter when embossing.) There used to be rubber cushions on the chases that I believe were to push the grippers down. Ron