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MH721 problem, blade not lifting, z-chip?

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I have a mh 721 bought less than 6 months ago from uscutter ebay (so out of 90 day warranty).

I set it up (carpeted room) and it wasn't grounded to the post. I didn't even know that it needed grounding as it came with no wires.

I was cutting for a new order couple of days ago and I noticed that the machine stopped cutting, with blank screen on the cutter lcd.

I rebooted the machine and computer and from that point on the blade will not lift.

I read almost all of the posts here regarding this topic and it seems like its static/zchip/motherboard issue.

I did the 9V test to the carriage and blade will jump on contact with the battery.

Also, it seems to cut the design (with the blade down the whole time) so I guess I can rule out that it's motherboard?

I've leaned towards faulty/fried z axis chip and I just went ahead and ordered a new chip.

I have to fill this order very soon.

Can anybody help to narrow it down that it's z-chip issue?

Should I just go ahead and order a new motherboard instead of z-chips?

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call tech support while they are still open.   Pacific time.  It is not just the carpeted room it is setting on,  the vinyl rolling thru the cutter creates static and it builds up and discharges thru the cutter head,

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Just talked to Tom (i believe that was his name) sorted everything out.

Very prompt and very supportive service team!

For anybody that's got the same problem. it's the Z-chip you want.

Make sure to ground your machine even if it's working fine!

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I was cutting for a new order couple of days ago and I noticed that the machine stopped cutting, with blank screen on the cutter lcd.

I rebooted the machine and computer and from that point on the blade will not lift.

My MH-871 did the exact same thing last week only mine was grounded.

USCutter is sending me a z-chip under warranty but they also have them for dirt cheap on their website so I ordered a couple extra's.

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it seems like the mh series cutter has major grounding issues..

does anyone know whether this is MH series specific or do all cutters have similar problem regardless of make/models?

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lower end machines have more problems,  I have a Graphtec, and have owned it for 3 years and never a problem,  and nothing is grounded. 

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Just had my MH 871 do the exact same thing yesterday. It basically stopped cutting in the middle of the job, after a couple power cycles and even rebooting the compter (just for good measure) the blade still would not lift. I put a ticket in with US Cutter but if its just a chip that would be great. Anyone know how to install the chip? Does it come with instructions if you buy it from US cutter?

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I guess I had it lucky with my MH-871, anytime it wanted to roll out more than about 2' of material, static would kill the machine. 

I had a ground wire ran to the bottom of the cutter, the stand, another screw on the bottom of the cutter, and had it directly to ground.  A little over the top but I wanted to stop this stupid static issue.

It didn't.

You want the best advice?  And this isn't biased.. I worked with an MH-871 everyday for a year.. and it was a babysitting cutter.  I was ALWAYS worried about whether it was going to shut off during a major cut, or due to static do something crazy.  Keep that cutter as a backup.. upgrade.

I'm not sure your financial situation... but my cutter finally died and I was ready to upgrade.. Graphtec CE5000-60... I just cut 10 windshield banners non-stop.. the cutter didn't even flench.. I put my hand over the vinyl and felt so much static, the cutter just'a cutting away.

No matter what happens, with that MH I believe you're always going to have problems like this with static, just the way the machine is designed.  It's a decent* cutter.. but after seeing what I could do with this Graphtec.. I'll never go back.  Trust me.

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I talked with tech support and they pretty much narrowed it down to a Z chip issue with my MH871. I did the 9V battery test and the arm did "jump" so it sounds like a Z chip will do the trick. I will let you know how it goes once I receive it. Anyone replace a Z chip and it still didn't work?

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I had the same problem with my MH-871.  Finally had to settle for cutting the material I needed for each job and going COMPLETELY lo-tech for a solution.  I keep dryer sheets next to the machine and wipe everything down before starting a cut.  Make sure the machine is off when loading the vinyl.  I looked into ionic fans electro-stactic dissipating brushes and quite a few other solutions, but all in all, the dryer sheets work better than anything else. 

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I replaced my Z-chip with a warranty one from USCutter and it worked instantly.

Also bought two extra chips from them for $4 something each just in case it gets zapped again.

But so far I agree dryer sheets are the fix for static.

My biggest cut (which killed my machine originally) was 107" x 24" and I just wiped it with a dryer sheet and had no trouble.

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lower end machines have more problems,  I have a Graphtec, and have owned it for 3 years and never a problem,  and nothing is grounded. 

I never saw a low end machine need a new board because someone moved the carriage by hand...and believe me I've done it many times.

The graphtec,apparently, is not so forgiving:

http://forum.uscutter.com/index.php/topic,32968.0.html

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I move my Graphtec  cutting head by hand all the time.  I never use the arrows. BUT I haven't hit the  ENTER/Origin button yet. And I don't shove it over into the steel shaft at left  side of the frame. Which he said the young man forced the head over  to the left side.    I think , if I read it right, It was ready to cut.  sitting there, and the young man moved/forced the head.   So the enter/ origin button was already hit.  So the head is locked at that point.  So it is like moving it out of it's sequence,  I don't move the head by hand after I have hit enter/ origin.    You would have to use the arrows for that.   THe UScutter cutters, have a reset button on the side of the frame,  where as a Graphtec doesn't have a reset button like that,  It has approx a 1" long steel shaft that sticks out of the frame, on the left side. it is stationary. then when measuring or resetting the head goes all the way over to the left side and that shaft goes in the opening of the cutter head and strikes/trips a  metal plate in the cutter head.  From there, the info is sent on and the head moves back over to the right side, and ready to cut. If that cutting head is slammed into the shaft, I would only guess it would cause damage.   I don't know if the CE5000 is like that, but he is comparing his cutter to the FC8000 , which is like my FC7000, , just a few years older.

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Im trying to install the z-axis chip on my machine now, but tech support is closed...how do I know exactly which chip it is?

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Im trying to install the z-axis chip on my machine now, but tech support is closed...how do I know exactly which chip it is?

should only be 1 chip with that same number of pins - just make sure to observe the notch or other indicator of which end has pin 1 so it is inserted properly

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28 minutes ago, Kelmo66 said:

Where can you buy the Z-Axis chip if US Cutter is out of them

 

see your other duplicate post

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I cannot find a tutorial or video on where the location of the z axis chip is on the MK2. Can anyone help?

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On the older cutters it was the only chip that was in a socket . .   If I remember correctly from 6+ years ago it was under a fan or some other obstruction but only one chip had a socket

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Just looked at the mk2board shown on the uscutter site and I don’t even see any chips replacable on that model, may have to but the whole board or upgrade to a sc2

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I called them this morning.  To correct that problem in the MK2 I have to buy a motherboard.  Thank you so much for your help.

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