Recharger Magazine

Remanufacturing the Samsung ML-3050 Toner Cartridge

• Nov 01, 2006

First released in August 2006, the Samsung ML-3050 printers are based on a 30-ppm (27-ppm for the Dell), 600-dpi engine.

These cartridges are based on a completely new engine/cartridge design. From the outside they look somewhat similar to the ML-2250, but are very different.

These cartridges do not have a drum cover, and come new with a piece of heavy paper with foam glued to it taped around the cartridge.

There are six different replacement cartridges in the series. So far there are three basic printer models and each has a low-yield (LY) and high-yield (HY) cartridge. Each version of cartridge has its own specific chip. Methods to reset the OEM chips and/or new replacement chips should be available as you read this. Unlike past cartridges, the chip covers are held in place by plastic rivets. To replace the chip, the rivets need to be cut off, holes carefully drilled (not too deep or the cartridge will leak), and screws installed. This is definitely a cartridge where a reset box is the way to go.

The Dell version of these machines, as well as the Samsung SCX machines, are multifunctional in that they print, copy, scan and fax. The Dell 1815n and Samsung SCX-5530FN are also network capable.The printers as well as the cartridges are listed below.

Figures 1, 2 and 3 show the differences between the HY Dell cartridge and the two different LY Samsung cartridges.

Figure 3

As you can see, the two Samsung cartridges are physically identical. The difference is in the chips.

It’s a bit strange how Dell has positioned itself on these cartridges (yield-wise, and stating the print speed at 27 ppm versus 30 ppm for the Samsungs), but that’s what they did. Even the toner hopper is different.

Since its release, the Dell machine has proven very popular. The Samsung machines were released towards the end of September 2006, so no information was available at the time of this writing.

Remanufacturing instructions

1) Place the cartridge with the handle/supply chamber facing you. Remove the three screws on the right end cap. See Figure 4.

Figure 4

2) Gently pry off the plastic drum axle bushing. Keep this bushing with the appropriate end cap when removed. Each side is different. See Figure 5.

Figure 5

3) On the top edge of the end cap there is a plastic tab. Press in on the tab and remove the right end cap. See Figures 6 and 7.

Figure 6

Figure 7

4) On the opposite side of the cartridge, remove the three screws on the left end cap. See Figure 8.

Figure 8

5) Gently pry off plastic drum axle bushing. Keep this bushing with the appropriate end cap when removed. See Figure 9.

Figure 9

6) On the top edge of the end cap there is a plastic tab. Press in on the tab and remove the left end cap. See Figures 10 and 11.

Figure 10

Figure 11

7) Lift off the roller assembly. See Figure 12.

Figure 12

8) Carefully pry up the side plastic piece to release the waste chamber. See Figure 13.

Figure 13

9) Remove the waste chamber. See Figure 14.

Figure 14

10) On the supply hopper, remove the fill plug and dump out any remaining toner. See Figure 15.

Figure 15

11) Remove the developer roller drive gear and put a strip of tape across the remaining gears. They do not need to be removed, and the tape will help keep them in place. See Figures 16 and 17.

Figure 16

Figure 17

12) On the fill plug side, press in on the plastic tab and remove the spring/plastic bushing assembly. See Figures 18 and 19.

Figure 18

Figure 19

13) Remove the developer roller. See Figure 20.

Figure 20

14) Remove the two screws on the doctor blade. See Figure 21.

Figure 21

15) Carefully pry up the doctor blade. See Figure 22.

Figure 22

16) Clean out any remaining toner from the hopper.

17) Clean the doctor blade and foam seals. It is too early to say exactly what chemical to use on the blade, but so far 99 percent isopropyl alcohol seems to work. See Figure 23.

Figure 23

18) Replace the doctor blade and two screws. See Figure 24.

Figure 24

19) Clean and install the developer roller, long shaft side to gear side first. See Figure 25.

Figure 25

20) Snap the spring/plastic bushing assembly in place. Make sure the tail of the spring is set properly. See Figures 26 and 27.

Figure 26

Figure 27

21) Install the drive gear on the developer roller. See Figure 28.

Figure 28

22) Fill the hopper with the appropriate amount of ML-3050 toner (see the chart on Page 31 for actual gram weights). Check for leaks. See Figure 29.

Figure 29

23) On the waste hopper, remove the e-ring from the drum axle. See Figure 30.

Figure 30

24) Slide the drum axle out from the side opposite the e-ring. See Figure 31.

Figure 31

25) Remove the OPC drum. See Figure 32.

Figure 32

26) Slide the PCR to the non-contact side. Remove the PCR. See Figures 33 and 34.

Figure 33

Figure 34

27) Remove the two screws and the wiper blade. See Figure 35.

Figure 35

28) Clean out all the toner from the hopper. It is interesting to note that on new cartridges some toner is in the waste hopper. Apparently these cartridges are being tested before they are shipped, or the drum was lubricated with toner.

29) Coat the new wiper blade with your preferred lubricant. Install the new wiper blade and two screws. The tail of the wiper blade should face up. See Figure 36.

Figure 36

30) Clean the PCR with your preferred PCR cleaner. WARNING: Do not clean the OEM PCR with alcohol, as this will remove the conductive coating from the roller. If the PCR is an aftermarket, follow the cleaning methods recommended by the manufacturer. If the PCR is an OEM, we recommend it be cleaned with your standard PCR cleaner.

31) Clean the old conductive grease off the PCR shaft and contact. Replace with new. See Figure 37.

Figure 37

32) Install the PCR by sliding the long shaft side through the non-contact side. Bring it back to fit into the contact side. See Figure 38.

Figure 38

33) Coat the OPC drum with your preferred lubricant and install the drum. See Figure 39.

Figure 39

34) Install the drum axle, small-drum gear side first. Make sure the e-ring groove ends up on the small-drum gear side. See Figures 40 and 41.

Figure 40

Figure 41

35) Install the e-ring. See Figure 42.

Figure 42

36) Install the waste hopper onto the supply chamber. Make sure the tabs lock into place on the side wall. See Figure 43.

Figure 43

37) Clean the foam rollers in the roller assembly with clean compressed air.

38) Install the roller assembly. See Figure 44.

Figure 44

39) Install the right-side end cap and three screws. Make sure the top rear tab locks in place. See Figures 45 and 46.

Figure 45

Figure 46

40) Press the drum axle bushing in place. Set it so the small tab is at the end of the groove; make sure it is fully seated. The two small bushings are different, so make sure you have the correct bushing for this side. See Figure 47.

Figure 47

41) Remove the tape from the gears and install the left-side end cap and three screws. Make sure the top rear tab locks in place. See Figures 48 and 49.

Figure 48

Figure 49

42) Press the drum axle bushing in place. Set it so the small tab is at the end of the groove; make sure it is fully seated. The two small bushings are different, so make sure you have the correct bushing for this side. See Figure 50.

Figure 50

43) The chip is held in place by plastic rivets. It must be reset/replaced for the cartridge to work. Resetting is the easiest method (see Figure 51), but it can be replaced by cutting the plastic rivets, drilling two holes, and setting two self-tapping screws in place. See Figure 52.

Figure 51

Figure 52

Printing Test Pages

Demo page

Easy way: Press the DEMO button on the control panel (next to the TONER SAVE button).

Harder way:

• Press the MENU button until “Information” appears on the display.
• Press the scroll button until “Demo Page” appears on the display.
• Press the OK button.
• A demo page will print out.

Configuration page

• Press the MENU button until “Information” appears on the display.
• Press the scroll button until “Configuration” appears on the display.
• Press the OK button.
• A configuration page will print out.

Common cartridge problems

Repetitive defect chart

• Upper Fuser Roller 77.8 mm
• OPC Drum 75.5 mm
• Lower Pressure Roller 75.4 mm (back of page)
• Transfer Roller 47.1 mm (back of page)
• Supply Roller 44.9 mm
• PCR 37.7 mm
• Developer Roller 35.2 mm

Dirty or Bad Primary Charge Roller (PCR). Located inside the cartridge, this will show on the test print as vertical gray streaks down the page, as a gray background throughout the page, as ghosting where part of a previously printed area is repeated, or as a mark that repeats every 37.7 mm.

Dirty PCR Connection. This will show as horizontal dark black bars across the page or as shading throughout the page.

Scratched Drum. This is shown by a very thin, perfectly straight line that runs from the top to the bottom of the test page.

Chipped Drum. This will show as a dot or series of dots that repeat every 75.5 mm.

Light-Damaged Drum. This will show up on the test print as a shaded area that should be white. Again, this will repeat every 75.5 mm.

Bad Wiper Blade. This will show as either a gray line approximately one-eighth of an inch thick, or as shading across the entire page. In either case there will be a film of toner on the drum surface.

Bad Developer Roller. This will show up as light print or as a mark that repeats every 35.2 mm.

Machine error codes

• 60 Open fuser error
• 62 Low fuser heat
• 68 Fuser overheat error
• 64 Printer cover open
• 70-73 Paper jam errors

The SCX machines have “Non genuine toner” errors. Press CONTINUE and the message will clear.

Expected printer part life

• Transfer roller 70,000 pages
• Fuser unit 80,000 pages
• Pickup roller 150,000 pages
• ADF rubber pad 20,000 pages
• Tray rubber pad 250,000 pages

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Contact Mike Josiah and the technical staff of Summit Technologies at (631) 218-8376 or visit www.summitechnologies.com.

This article originally appeared in the November 2006 issue of Recharger.