Using the KODAK EKTACOLOR Processing Cartridge 111 with Digital Minilabs, CP-48S/CP-49E
CIS-229E
9
USING THE “VISUAL PROCESS CONTROL
GUIDE” TO TROUBLESHOOT PROCESS
RA-4
FUJI FRONTIER
If your Process RA-4 control chart indicates an out-of-
control position, you may use the “Visual Process
Control Guide” to investigate potential causes and apply
corrective action.
First check for operational errors:
Make sure the control-strip code matches the
reference-strip code.
Calibrate the densitometer.
Recheck the control-strip aims and verify the
correction factors.
Make sure you have used the right set of correction
factors for calculating your aims, for the process
cycle or model of processor used, see page 7..
Verify the problem by processing a second control
strip.
Determine if any recent processor maintenance
could have caused a problem.
Use an accurate thermometer to verify that the
developer and other solution temperatures are
correct.
Match your plots to the “Visual Process Control
Guide” to identify your problem:
Match your control plots to the examples given on
the “Visual Process Control Guide.” Compare only
one plot parameter at a time (BP, HD-LD, LD, D-
min). Note that the patterns of the red, green, and
blue plot deviations can be an indicator of different
problems.
Write down the problems indicated by each
parameter for the plots that are out of control.
Consider that you may have more than one problem
occurring at the same time.
Consider each potential cause of the out-of-control
condition, and verify the operational conditions of
the processor.
When you have determined the most likely cause(s) of
the out-of-control condition, take corrective action to
eliminate the symptom of the problem.
Corrective Action and Prescriptions
The Yellow Patch monitors the performance of the
bleach-fix solution for retained silver. A bleach-fix
solution that is underreplenished or diluted will not
efficiently remove silver in the paper, leaving
retained silver in higher density areas. The yellow
patch is not plotted on a control chart; it is meant to
be a visual reference only. Compare the yellow
patch on a processed control strip with the yellow
patch on the reference strip. If the processed
control strip yellow patch appears brown or less
saturated in color, or “muddy” compared to the
reference, you may have retained silver. You can
confirm retained silver by the following test:
1.
Take your processed control strip and process it
again through your processor in order to re-
bleach-fix the control strip.
2.
Compare the yellow on the re-processed control
strip to the yellow patch on the reference strip. If
re-bleach-fixing has improved the yellow patch on
the re-processed strip, then you have confirmed a
retained silver problem.
Prescriptions:
— Replace bleach-fix tank with fresh bleach-fix
tank solution.
— Also, recalibrate the replenishment pumps for
the bleach (P2-RA) and fix (P2-RB) replenisher
solutions.