Repeating Defects

Twenty Examples

© 2004 Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.

A4 Printer: e.g.
A3 Printers: e.g.
LJ1320 & LJ2430 & LJ4250
LJ5100 & LJ5200 & LJ9000

scan direction Process direction scan direction

5/8/2008 HP Confidential 2
Plus charge memory lines
Description
Positive charge memory on OPC drum.

Probable Cause/s
OPC temporarily charged positively where it
was in contact with the PCR or cleaning
blade. This is due to excess vibration during
shipping.

PQ Identification
Thick horizontal lines on printed pages at
OPC pitch. Visible on black or grayscale
pages.

Course of Action
Defect is not related to the manufacturing
process, but related to how the cartridge is
handled prior to customer use. Inform
customers that defect should disappear
within 24 hours.

5/8/2008 HP Confidential 3
Plus charge memory lines
extreme example Description
Charge memory on OPC drum.

Probable Cause/s
OPC temporarily charged positively where it
was in contact with the PCR or cleaning blade.
Likely due to excess vibration during shipping.

PQ Identification
Horizontal lines or bands on printed pages at
OPC pitch. Visible on black or grayscale
pages.

Course of Action
Defect is not related to the manufacturing
process, but related to how the cartridge is
handled prior to customer use. In most cases
the defect should disappear within 24 hours. If
it does not, replace the cartridge.

5/8/2008 HP Confidential 4
Plus charge memory ovals
- regular
Description
Positive charge memory on OPC drum.

Probable Cause/s
OPC temporarily charged positively, possibly
due to improper cartridge handling

PQ Identification
Dark, oval shapes on printed pages repeating
at OPC pitch. Visible on black or grayscale
pages.

Course of Action
Defect is not related to the manufacturing
process, but related to how the cartridge is
handled prior to customer use. Inform
customers that defect should disappear within
24 hours.

5/8/2008 HP Confidential 5
Plus charge memory ovals- irregular
Description
Positive charge memory on OPC drum.

Probable Cause/s
OPC temporarily charged positively,
possibly due to improper cartridge handling

PQ Identification
Irregular shapes on printed pages repeating
at OPC pitch. Visible on black or grayscale
pages.

Course of Action
Defect is not related to the manufacturing
process, but related to how the cartridge is
handled prior to customer use. Inform
customers that defect should disappear
within 24 hours.

5/8/2008 HP Confidential 6
OPC Damage – Horizontal line (scratch)
Description
Scratches, gouges or dents on the OPC
surface.

Probable Cause/s
Cartridge mishandling by customers or in
shipping

PQ Identification
Lines on printed pages repeating at OPC
circumference. Can be identified on all printed
pages. Scratch can usually be seen on OPC.

Course of Action
If defect is determined to be related to
manufacturing, replace the defective
cartridge. If defect occurred from abusive
handling by the customer, the cartridge is not
covered under warranty.

5/8/2008 HP Confidential 7
OPC contamination - adhesive
Description
Dots caused by adhesive contamination on OPC.

Probable Cause/s
Can be caused by printing labels or envelopes.

PQ Identification
Dots on printed pages repeating at OPC circumference.
Usually seen on black and gray pages.

Course of Action
Inform customer that the cartridge is not defective and that
the print quality issues may be related to the type of
labels the customer is using.
Ensure that the customer is using labels that are supported
by HP and that the labels have rounded edges as
apposed to square edges. Labels with square edges
tend to lift and expose the adhesive to the OPC.
Inspect printer thoroughly to ensure that non of the
adhesive material has transferred to any of the
components in the printer (presser roller, transfer roller,
fusing assembly, etc.)

5/8/2008 HP Confidential 8
OPC contamination
Description
Dots caused by material on OPC.

Probable Cause/s
Can be caused by printing labels or envelopes.
Possible early life issue related to lubricant flaking
off of blades.

PQ Identification
Dots on printed pages repeating at OPC
circumference. Usually seen on black and gray
pages. Dots caused in early life should disappear
after a few pages.

Course of Action
Inform customer that the cartridge is not defective
and that the print quality issues can be related to
the type of labels the customer is using.
Ensure that the customer is using labels that are
supported by HP and that the labels have rounded
edges as apposed to square edges. Labels with
square edges tend to lift and expose the adhesive
to the OPC. Inspect printer thoroughly to ensure
that non of the adhesive material has transferred to
any of the components in the printer (presser roller,
transfer roller, fusing assembly, etc.)

5/8/2008 HP Confidential 9
OPC Contamination – foreign
adhesive Description
Defects caused by adhesive contamination on
OPC.

Probable Cause/s
Can be caused by printing labels.

PQ Identification
Defects on printed pages repeating at OPC
circumference. In some cases, the adhesive media
can be seen on the OPC. Usually seen on black
and gray pages.

Course of Action
Inform customer that the cartridge is not defective
and that the print quality issues can be related to
the type of labels the customer is using.
Ensure that the customer is using labels that are
supported by HP and that the labels have rounded
edges as apposed to square edges. Labels with
square edges tend to lift and expose the adhesive
to the OPC. Inspect printer thoroughly to ensure
that non of the adhesive material has transferred to
any of the components in the printer (presser roller,
transfer roller, fusing assembly, etc.)
5/8/2008 HP Confidential 10
OPC Damage - dents
Description
Scratches, gouges or dents on the OPC
surface.

Probable Cause/s
Cartridge mishandling by customers, in
shipping, or occasionally in manufacturing.

PQ Identification
Defects on printed pages repeating at OPC
circumference. Can be identified on all
printed pages. Can be seen on OPC as
well.

Course of Action
If defect is determined to be related to
manufacturing, replace the defective
cartridge. If defect occurred from abusive
handling by the customer, the cartridge is
not covered under warranty.

5/8/2008 HP Confidential 11
OPC light damage
Description
Surface of OPC damaged by exposure to light.

Probable Cause/s
Same as description.
plus charge
memory line
PQ Identification
Horizontal bands repeating at OPC circumference.
Best seen on black and gray pages. The shape of
the line may matches the outline of the exposed
area.

Course of Action
This defect is not related to the manufacturing
process and is not covered under HP warranty. If
the customer must remove the cartridge from the
printer for any reason, instruct them to place the
cartridge in a non-transparent black bag or under
a piece of paper to protect the OPC from exposure
to light.

light damage

5/8/2008 HP Confidential 12
OPC invisible imperfections

Description
Star-like marks on the printouts.

Probable Cause/s
PCR mold compound or oil from
fingers damages the organic
coating on the OPC.

PQ Identification
Star-like marks on printed page
repeating at the OPC pitch, no
visible damage to OPC.

Course of Action
Replace defective cartridge under
warranty. Warn customer not to
touch OPC surface.
5/8/2008 HP Confidential 13
PCR Smear / Smudge
Description
Smudges on prints caused by PCR.

Probable Cause/s
PCR does not charge OPC
properly. Countermeasure rolled in
mid-2004.

PQ Identification
Smudges on print repeating at PCR
pitch. More noticeable on black
and grayscale pages. On some
cartridge, text may repeat at OPC
pitch.

Course of Action
Replace cartridge under warranty

5/8/2008 HP Confidential 14
PCR Smear / Smudge

Description
Smudges on prints caused by PCR.

Probable Cause/s
PCR does not charge OPC properly.
Countermeasure rolled in mid-2004.

PQ Identification
Smudges on print repeating at PCR
pitch. More noticeable on black and
PCR pitch grayscale pages. On some cartridge,
text may repeat at OPC pitch.

Course of Action
Replace cartridge under warranty

5/8/2008 HP Confidential 15
PCR Smear / Smudge
Description
Smudges on prints caused by PCR.

Probable Cause/s
PCR does not charge OPC properly.
Countermeasure rolled in mid-2004.

PQ Identification
Smudges on print repeating at PCR
pitch. More noticeable on black and
grayscale pages. On some cartridge,
text may repeat at OPC pitch.

Course of Action
Replace cartridge under warranty

5/8/2008 HP Confidential 16
PCR banding
Description
Wide, repetitive lines in the
circumference of the PCR

Probable Cause/s
Indentation on PCR roller from factory.

PQ Identification
Repetitive lines in the circumference of
the PCR. Will not be present on text
pages. Most often found on grayscale
images or graphics printouts.

Course of Action
Replace defective cartridge under
warranty

5/8/2008 HP Confidential 17
Developer white/dark banding
Description
White and dark bands on all pages

developer
pitch Probable Cause/s
Damage to the developer sleeve

PQ Identification
White and dark bands at developer
pitch. Bands appear all the way to
the edge of the page and may
occur mid- cartridge life.

Course of Action
Replace cartridge under warranty

5/8/2008 HP Confidential 18
Developer Light Banding
Description
Banding on printouts caused by developer
roller.

Probable Cause/s
Accumulation of toner on developer
bushings. Can be caused by rough
handling during shipping.

PQ Identification
Horizontal bands on printed pages
repeating at circumference of developer
roller. Best identified on black and grayscale
pages.

Course of Action
Replace defective toner cartridge under
warranty

5/8/2008 HP Confidential 19
Developer light banding
(sleeve out of round)
Description
White bands at developer pitch on
grayscale areas

Probable Cause/s
Developer sleeve is not perfectly round

PQ Identification
developer
Light bands on half tone areas, possibly
pitch wider in center of page, matching the
pitch of the developer sleeve.

Course of Action
Replace the cartridge under warranty

5/8/2008 HP Confidential 20
Broken developer contact
Description
Large, repeating blank areas
developer
pitch
Probable Cause/s
Developer contact is broken

PQ Identification
Print appears normally once every
developer rotation. Print is light or
gone on rest of page. In extreme
cases, page is completely blank.

Course of Action
Replace cartridge under warranty

5/8/2008 HP Confidential 21
Developer Sleeve Patches
Description
Dots or patches on prints caused by
developer roller.

Probable Cause/s
Scratches or other damage on the
developer roller.

PQ Identification
Patches on printed pages repeating at
circumference of developer roller. Best
identified on black and grayscale
pages.

Course of Action
Replace defective toner cartridge under
warranty

5/8/2008 HP Confidential 22