Anatol air lines

[3Deep]

Is there a certain time for for air lines to last?, we've had our press now just a tad over 5 years and I'm starting to have air lines burst from head to head.  I had got a roll of new line from them a year or so back and it looks much different than the old stuff on it now, I had to which print heads the other day because of an air leak, if I had time I would replace the whole machine's air lines, but I'm thinking that would take some time and that I don't have right now, any of you having old airline problems M&R, Anatol, MHM, etc....

Darryl

[ZooCity]

Anatol uses pure junk for their air lines and fittings.  Both the presses we've had in here from Anatol had leaks right out of the gates.  It's a deadly combination of stupid routing and cheap lines and fittings.  If one is going out you better just buy a roll, get a couple six packs and get in there the next weekend you can sacrifice and replace them all.   Go with a quality line and you'll be good for life.  Our '92 Gauntlet has original lines and fittings and they don't leak at all.  This is one of those places where the minor upfront savings come back to bite you in the hours of labor to fix the issue.

[inkman996]

Must be junk lines we had a TUF Javelin for 14 years and never had one line or fitting leak.

Someone on here Tony maybe? Had a big issue with air lines on an Anatol not to far back, I remember he had to replace the whole machines worth of tubing.

[ScreenFoo]

I've gotten fittings from these guys a few times, decent prices and good service.  Love to hear about others though.

http://www.coastpneumatics.net/

Sounds like a crap deal.
Only lines I've needed to replace (on our 13 year old press) were rather abused.

[bimmridder]

Two of my M&R presses are 7 and 9 years old. No problems with air lines that I can think of.

[Parker 1]

Let me guess you aproaching App. 300K impressions. 

You will need to replace all the lines and "Y" fittings in each head.  I order from AutomationDirect.com, out of Atlanta.

I replace the hose with Blue instead of Black to help keep track of which ones have been replaced. Each head takes me about 30min.  Let me know if you need any part#s. 

Also What color Proximaty sensors do you have on your press?   

[balloonguy]

Two of my M&R presses are 7 and 9 years old. No problems with air lines that I can think of.

My connections on my diamondback blow out all the time. That started about 3 months after I got the press. I have not had problems with the hoses though.

[3Deep]

Let me guess you aproaching App. 300K impressions. 

You will need to replace all the lines and "Y" fittings in each head.  I order from AutomationDirect.com, out of Atlanta.

I replace the hose with Blue instead of Black to help keep track of which ones have been replaced. Each head takes me about 30min.  Let me know if you need any part#s. 

Also What color Proximaty sensors do you have on your press?   

I have the green looking ones, I have not had any problems with those except the one I  pinched changing out air lines, and it's black, I'm just having airlines burst under the print head and those are a pain in the butt, I've had to change some lines in print head arm and that was really a pain in the arse.  Most part it's the smaller airlines that are popping like corn.

Darryl

[Gabe]

if you decide to replace the air lines yourself give them some slack
because if the lines are strecht out, that can also contribute to premature leaks

[Zelko-4-EVA]

i have replaced lots and lots of air lines on our trident and vindicator.  i replaced it with Legris tubing - along with lots of the tiny 1/8 or 3mm fittings for the screen/squeegee/floodbar clamps.  most of the barb fittings that came with the press leaked...

they actually did have some barb fittings that i liked - they were in the shape of a "T" - i broke off the bottom of the T and used it to pull the new hose through the head. worked a lot better - tried taping the old and new air lines together but the oils on the airline didnt allow the tape to stick.

i recommend a tubing cutter like this one:

http://www.grainger.com/Grainger/ANDERSON-FITTINGS-Snip-Tube-Cutter-4HL89?Pid=search

it will assure the tube is cut square which will allow it to seat correctly into the fitting.


we also have two gauntlets - they have had a few air lines and fittings replaced, but not to the extent of the anatols. 

[Parker 1]

Let me guess you aproaching App. 300K impressions. 

You will need to replace all the lines and "Y" fittings in each head.  I order from AutomationDirect.com, out of Atlanta.

I replace the hose with Blue instead of Black to help keep track of which ones have been replaced. Each head takes me about 30min.  Let me know if you need any part#s. 

Also What color Proximaty sensors do you have on your press?   

I have the green looking ones, I have not had any problems with those except the one I  pinched changing out air lines, and it's black, I'm just having airlines burst under the print head and those are a pain in the butt, I've had to change some lines in print head arm and that was really a pain in the arse.  Most part it's the smaller airlines that are popping like corn.

Darryl

Darryl, this is the same problem we are having,  when you drop the head go ahead and replace all the tubing and "Y" fittings in that head.  If the hoses have not busted yet, they will. 

The Green Colored Sensors are also problematic, they will also eventually have to be replaced.  We are in the process of doing this now and if you think the air lines are a PITA waite till you have to replace these.  The biggest issue I have with this is ANATOL KNEW this was an issue at the time my press was being installed and did nothing about it. 

 

[alan802]

I remember having air leaks all the time on the centurian.  It had about 18 miles of air hose on it and once a week I was chasing a hissing sound.  I can attest to what everyone else has said and it's going to be an ongoing issue.  Every one of those hoses is the same age and likely has had the same amount of air and oil running through them and if more than one or two has failed, it's not an anomoly, it's a problem.  I got frustrated and started replacing air hoses that weren't leaking but luckily, the centurian didn't have a ton of hidden air hoses compared to some of the newer machines where everything is hidden inside the print arm.  I spent hours and hours dealing with air leaks and not to rub it in (and to knock on wood) but I've only had one or two minor leaks on the new machine that were very easily fixed.  The ruptures where right at the connection and I just cut a cm off and put the line back on and it was fixed.  It's hard to believe how such a small, cheap and rather insignificant part can cause such distress.  And to think that if just a little bit higher grade line and fittings could have prevented all this, that's what has always gotten to me about them.  They are painfully close yet they always seem to fall short in areas that they shouldn't.  And everyone pretty much has a model to follow, right in front of them, that has been incredibly successful and it's the smaller things and the final attention to detail that ends up making the biggest difference.  I could talk all day about the differences that I see in manufacturers and where I think they could do better or where some of them excel.  It's a great topic but couldn't be discussed without some major panties getting wadded up in some cracks.

[Parker 1]

Alan, a agree, and am very surprised you have not had more issues.  I have been told that your press is "Just a coppy of an ANATOL." blablabla.  I have seen a RPM in person and the only simualrities I noticed was both are round with side clamps.  Sorry to highjack Daryl's post but I have been fixing AIR LEAKS all morning. 

[TCT]

Ok I was going to keep my mouth shut because apparently I have upset some people (not on the forum here) but I just can't. When the air lines start popping it does suck. The first one usually just signals a lot more to come. You could always try what anatol said for me to do- "Do you have any super glue?" yea, "Just get the tube in the fitting and get some super glue on there. That ought to hold 'em." The next thing that happened for us was the cylinder seals started going bad. That really sucks. anatol is the only place that has the cylinders,(I am assuming they make their own?) but trying to get the right one from them if your press is older than 2 months can be a nightmare. You would think a picture with a ruler in it for reference would help right? Ya that would've been nice.
It really is best to go through the whole thing and replace with good lines and fittings if you want to keep the machine. Or I guess if you can get a good deal on super glue, you could fix it the way anatol recommends...

Parker 1
How old is your press? The only thing I heard about bad sensors was from maybe about a year ago. They knew they had a whole shipment of bad ones, and they just went a head and installed them on new machines and sent them out to excited new customers. 

[Parker 1]

Purchased in 07, installed in 08'