- Confirm this procedure applies to Prestige XL3, XL4, and Aries 124 printers.
- Ensure the printer is powered on.
- Press the left arrow key once to disengage the capping station from the print head.
- Press and hold the left arrow key to move the carriage to the center of the bed.
- Confirm all media has been removed from the printer.
- Turn the printer power off.
- Use a Phillips screwdriver.
- Loosen two screws on each side of the printer carriage.
- Remove the carriage cover to access the encoder sensor.
- Locate the encoder sensor mounted on the carriage.
- Take a clear photo of the sensor and bracket alignment.
- Pay close attention to the edges of the brackets for reference.
- Do not remove the two screws specifically noted in the video.
Removing the Encoder Sensor
- Carefully remove the two small screws securing the encoder sensor.
- Ensure the screws do not fall into the printer.
- Loosen the daughterboard by removing the required screws.
- Disconnect the encoder sensor cable from the daughterboard.
- Lift the daughterboard slightly to free the cable routed underneath.
- Remove the two screws securing the sensor to its bracket.
- Unplug the sensor cable.
- Route the cable out through the bracket and pathway under the daughterboard.
- Fully remove the encoder sensor from the printer.
- Prepare the new encoder sensor.
- Disconnect the cable from the new sensor.
- Route the cable through the printer following the same path as the original.
- Route the cable through the sensor bracket.
- Plug the cable back into the new encoder sensor.
- Secure the sensor to the bracket using two screws.
- Pull the cable upward as you position the sensor into its original location.
- Confirm the bracket orientation matches the reference photo.
- Align the edges of the bracket precisely.
- View the sensor from the side.
- Confirm the encoder strip is positioned inside the sensor opening.
- Ensure the encoder strip is not touching the sensor.
- Secure the bracket using two screws.
- Locate the three metal encoder strip guide brackets.
- Verify the encoder strip is centered in all three guides.
- Confirm the strip did not shift during installation.
- Perform a final check that the encoder strip is positioned within the encoder sensor.
- Route the top of the encoder sensor cable under the daughterboard.
- Pull the cable through so it exits at the back.
- Plug the cable back into the daughterboard.
- Secure the daughterboard using four screws.
- Confirm no cables contact the interior of the printer.
Power On and Gear Ratio Calibration
- Turn the printer back on.
- Connect your computer to the printer.
- Wait for the printer status to show idle.
- Open DTF Station Pilot software.
- Go to the Advanced tab.
- Enter the required password.
- Click Confirm.
- Verify the target move under gear ratio is set to 300.
- Click Check to calibrate the gear ratio.
- Allow the carriage to move during calibration.
- Monitor the process for errors.
- If a pulse error occurs, recheck encoder sensor seating.
- If no error occurs, proceed.
- Go to File.
- Click Save.
- Click OK.
Initializing the Printer
- Go to the Operation tab.
- Click Initialize.
- Close the window.
Bidirectional Calibration
- Go to the Calibration tab.
- Select Bidirectional Calibration.
- Click Test Print.
- Allow the printer to print the calibration chart.
- Inspect the calibration chart.
- Focus on the zero bar and the bars to the left and right.
- Identify the bar where the top and bottom dark bars align with the lighter center bar.
- Use a phone camera and zoom if needed for clarity.
- If the straightest bar is already at zero, no adjustment is required.
- If another bar is straightest, note its position.
- Add that value to the current bidirectional value in Pilot software.
- Enter the new calculated value.
- Click Test Print again.
- Confirm the straightest bar is now at zero.
- Click Save.
Reassembly and Completion
- Reinstall the carriage cover.
- Secure the carriage cover with screws.
- Confirm normal printer operation.
