Restore precise print carriage positioning and eliminate horizontal print distortion with this Import-Grade Encoder Strip for HP Smart Tank 675, 720, 750, and 790 series printers. In modern inkjet architecture, the linear encoder strip (often called the timing fence) is a transparent plastic film imprinted with thousands of microscopic vertical lines. As the printhead carriage moves back and forth during printing, an optical encoder sensor mounted on the carriage reads these lines to calculate speed and exact coordinate positioning.
Functional Wear & Failure Modes:
Through regular printing, ink mist accumulation, or accidental maintenance contact:
- Ink Mist & Dust Smudging: Microscopic ink spray or greasy fingerprints coat the transparent film, blinding the optical reader on the carriage assembly.
- Scratches & Surface Abrasions: Cleaning the strip with rough cloths or aggressive chemical solvents can scratch away the micro-etched alignment lines, causing the carriage to lose tracking coordinates.
- Mounting Spring Deformation: Accidental tension displacement can warp or unhook the strip from its left/right spring-loaded anchoring tabs.
Key Symptoms Solved:
- Carriage Slam / Grinding Noise on Startup: The print carriage violently slams against the left or right chassis wall upon powering on because it cannot determine its home position.
- Horizontal Banding & Blurry Print Shift: Printed text or graphics drift horizontally, overlap, or exhibit jagged vertical lines because position-tracking pulses are skipped.
- Carriage Stall / Encoder Error Codes: The printer halts printing mid-job, flashing error lights or displaying a carriage movement error code.
Manufactured with high-clarity, scratch-resistant optical polyester film featuring exact micro-scale graduation lines, this direct-fit replacement strip ensures factory-accurate carriage tracking.
⚙️ Technical Details
- Specification: Details
- Component Type: Linear Encoder Strip / Timing Scale Film
- HP Part Number: CQ163-80039 (Compatible Cross-Ref)
- Quality Grade: High-Precision Import Grade (Compatible New)
- Condition: New
- Material Construction: High-Clarity Optical Grade Polyester with Precision Micro-Etched Graduation Lines
- Supported Brand: HP (Hewlett-Packard)
- Supported Printer Models: HP Smart Tank Wireless Series: 675, 720, 750, 790 All-in-One Printers
- Primary Function: Provides optical coordinate tracking for the printhead carriage assembly to ensure precise horizontal dot placement
- Common Symptoms Solved: Carriage slamming against chassis walls, horizontal text shifting, blurry vertical banding, carriage movement error codes, ink-stained optical strip
- Package Contents: 1 x Encoder Strip (CQ163-80039 - Import) for HP Smart Tank Series
