What is SKY SHOT used for?

[Copier Mechanic]

hey guys,

Since I am fairly new to the copier industry, I wanted to ask here about the SKY SHOT thing that I have heard. What is exactly is it used for???

[mojorolla]

Re: What is SKY SHOT used for?

Sky shot could be done in service mode to run full density pages to remove excess toner from DV units. It can also refer to lifting the ADF and making copies off the platen glass without a page on it.
This is not to be confused with "the money shot" which is copying your ass off the glass.

[dalewb74]

Re: What is SKY SHOT used for?

sky shot with the adf open would show you if you are getting full coverage over the entire printable area? hope i said that right.... someone else might explain it better.

[blackcat4866]

Re: What is SKY SHOT used for?

Lol.

Note: Do not use sky shots as an image quality test for black images. Depending on the angle of the room lights, you can get unaccountable gray shadows. I've wasted an embarrassing amount of time trying to fix those anomalies, only to later discover it was caused by room lights.

If your objective is to consume toner out of the developer mix (and that is a legitimate purpose), create an electronic image 8 1/2 x 11, with 25mm wide lead and trail voids, so you won't have to fish those heavy fill images out of the fuser, when they try to wrap onto the fuser roller. I might have an example:

Another reason you might want a skyshot is setting nipp width. That same electronic image works better than the sky shot. =^..^=

[dalewb74]

Re: What is SKY SHOT used for?

Lol.

Note: Do not use sky shots as an image quality test for black images. Depending on the angle of the room lights, you can get unaccountable gray shadows. I've wasted an embarrassing amount of time trying to fix those anomalies, only to later discover it was caused by room lights.

If your objective is to consume toner out of the developer mix (and that is a legitimate purpose), create an electronic image 8 1/2 x 11, with 25mm wide lead and trail voids, so you won't have to fish those heavy fill images out of the fuser, when they try to wrap onto the fuser roller. I might have an example:

Another reason you might want a skyshot is setting nipp width. That same electronic image works better than the sky shot. =^..^=

thanks for the info sir. never considered that might be a factor, lights in the room...

[blackcat4866]

Re: What is SKY SHOT used for?

thanks for the info sir. never considered that might be a factor, lights in the room...

... two drums, and a developer change later ... yes, I learned the hard way. =^..^=

[JR2ALTA]

Re: What is SKY SHOT used for?

I use primarily to test toner supply issues.

Another helpful hint: Place a blank sheet an inch or two on the left side of the glass. That way you will have a nice white lead edge to avoid fuser jams, but still get the affects of a skyshot.

[KenB]

Re: What is SKY SHOT used for?

Back in the olden days of analog copiers, we had to use sky shots in order to check the nip width.

You would turn the machine off when the copy was about halfway through the fuser.

After doing that a few times, I determined that making a copy (with the cover closed) of a letter sized sheet of black construction paper was a much more civilized alternative.

[Black Cloud]

Re: What is SKY SHOT used for?

A sky shot can also be used to do a fusing unit test. If the coating is worn on the hot roller, you will see the tracks/pattern in the solids of the sky shot. (Which will also be visible in offset for a few pages thereafter). This is especially useful on models that have fusing unit components that are not easily viewed.

It can also be used to demonstrate the void edges to a customer who likes to print to the edge of the paper and is complaining that some of their border lines are not being printed.

As previously mentioned, it can be used to deplete the developer of toner. Useful if you want to trigger an add toner cycle and can't be bothered running it in service mode.

The sky shot can even expose extreme humidity in paper. (The dampest part will have less toner). Although the rubbing the back of your fingers across the paper and feeling cool rather than neutral temperature is also a good way to spot check humid paper.

[JR2ALTA]

Re: What is SKY SHOT used for?

As previously mentioned, it can be used to deplete the developer of toner. Useful if you want to trigger an add toner cycle and can't be bothered running it in service mode.

If I replace a toner motor or hopper, I prefer the sky shots vs service mode because: 1) It mimics real-world usage, therefore lessening the chance of a callback. 2) I can monitor the quality for consistency. That said, I usually sneak out all the printouts to not raise any eyebrows with the customer

[JR Skewing]

Re: What is SKY SHOT used for?

In olden times (when exposure lamps were MUCH stronger than today), a sky shot was useful to cause a pesky customer to depart the area.
...Lorenzo

[slimslob]

Re: What is SKY SHOT used for?

Lol.

Note: Do not use sky shots as an image quality test for black images. Depending on the angle of the room lights, you can get unaccountable gray shadows. I've wasted an embarrassing amount of time trying to fix those anomalies, only to later discover it was caused by room lights.

If your objective is to consume toner out of the developer mix (and that is a legitimate purpose), create an electronic image 8 1/2 x 11, with 25mm wide lead and trail voids, so you won't have to fish those heavy fill images out of the fuser, when they try to wrap onto the fuser roller. I might have an example:

Another reason you might want a skyshot is setting nipp width. That same electronic image works better than the sky shot. =^..^=

I don't know about Kyo but with Ricoh I always used the Checkered Flag test pattern. It is only 50% coverage so takes a bit longer to reduce over toning but it also reduces the on time of the laser diodes.

[JVergin]

Re: What is SKY SHOT used for?

Some Kyocera models are notorious for developer leak issues, which can be very easily confirmed using a skyshot and selecting a single color to print.

[Tonerkiller]

Re: What is SKY SHOT used for?

I will still use them to see if the fusing rollers are worn or not.

[Copier Mechanic]

Re: What is SKY SHOT used for?

I use primarily to test toner supply issues.

Another helpful hint: Place a blank sheet an inch or two on the left side of the glass. That way you will have a nice white lead edge to avoid fuser jams, but still get the affects of a skyshot.

mmmh...interesting, so if you were to get a full solid dark black image on entire page then obviously the Developer is doing its job correctly but if you were to get a really light black image almost like greyish, then you would have a bad developer right? or perhaps maybe even a worn out surface drum too right?