SP540V Stair Stepping, Poor Color

[rjssigns]

I need help. I can't get the printer to stop stair stepping. Never saw it this bad before. Encoder strip is fairly new, and clean as it can be. I checked all cables an connections to make sure they're seated.(ribbon cables are fairly recent also)

Odd thing is it printed fine the day before all the way through 2a.m. the following morning when I was doing some comps. Turned it on at 8a.m., and it goes really really bad.

I posted the sensor check from this morning since they are all working. Yesterday the only ones that registered were the front/rear paper interrupt sensors and the L.(can't remember that function)

It also threw a 0110 code once, but it hasn't shown up since.
Color is way off, but I'm pretty sure my C/K head is going out.

Usually been able to fix the stair step, but not this time.

 

[Solventinkjet]

View attachment 123215 View attachment 123216

I need help. I can't get the printer to stop stair stepping. Never saw it this bad before. Encoder strip is fairly new, and clean as it can be. I checked all cables an connections to make sure they're seated.(ribbon cables are fairly recent also)

Odd thing is it printed fine the day before all the way through 2a.m. the following morning when I was doing some comps. Turned it on at 8a.m., and it goes really really bad.

I posted the sensor check from this morning since they are all working. Yesterday the only ones that registered were the front/rear paper interrupt sensors and the L.(can't remember that function)

It also threw a 0110 code once, but it hasn't shown up since.
Color is way off, but I'm pretty sure my C/K head is going out.

Usually been able to fix the stair step, but not this time.

This has to have something to do with the encoder. Did you change the sensor as well? I have put brand new encoders in before and had this problem. It is usually either a bad sensor and/or a small amount of grease from the rail splattered onto the encoder during or even after install. Run the encoder setup and calibration in service mode. Then run the environmental match in user mode. If any of those fail to complete, the sensor is bad or the encoder itself is dirty or damaged.

 

[rjssigns]

Thanks VanderJ. I'll follow your recommendations and see what happens.

 

[phototec]

Thanks VanderJ. I'll follow your recommendations and see what happens.

Please let us know what the problem was when you get it figured out.... Thanks

 

[jfiscus]

100% Dirty encoder strip or sensor; clean both a couple times, then run the calibration/test a couple times. Clean with regular ISO 70% alcohol. NOTHING stronger.

 

[rjssigns]

100% Dirty encoder strip or sensor; clean both a couple times, then run the calibration/test a couple times. Clean with regular ISO 70% alcohol. NOTHING stronger.

Encoder strip was first thing I checked. Clean as a whistle along with being fairly new. Then I took off the encoder sensor, and ran camera lens wipes through the slot. No visible dirt.

Put the encoder back on, got it realigned and same deal. Fails both calibrations. During the linear calibration the count started at 64 once and 240 once. Carriage is traveling the whole distance, it's just not reading correctly.

New encoder sensor should be here Monday. If that fixes it then it's on to replacing the C/K head, but that won't happen right away.
I'll post my findings.

Note: I'm concerned that I'm going to get caught in the nickle-and-dime phase, and would rather spend the money on a new rig.

 

[Solventinkjet]

Note: I'm concerned that I'm going to get caught in the nickle-and-dime phase, and would rather spend the money on a new rig.

The dreaded nickle and dime phase! If the sensor doesn't fix the issue, I would be very surprised. Other than the sensor and encoder being bad the only thing it could be is electrical and that will get expensive.

 

[rjssigns]

VanderJ I hope you're right. I should know Monday if the part comes in. It threw the dreaded 0110 error code all by itself. I was in my office, heard some chirping so I checked the printer. It had woken up, apprantly for a maintenance cycle, and the code was displayed.

 

[Roland Product Support]

VanderJ I hope you're right. I should know Monday if the part comes in. It threw the dreaded 0110 error code all by itself. I was in my office, heard some chirping so I checked the printer. It had woken up, apprantly for a maintenance cycle, and the code was displayed.

_________________

Hey rjssigns,

You guys are all on the right track suspecting the problem is related to the encoder scale and sensor read. Once you have the new sensor installed, let us all know the results.

If the problem continues, however, Roland Corporate Support strongly suggest working with your authorized Roland dealer to have them help. They usually can make one trip to your machine and get it working during that repair session. If you don't have a dealer that you normally work with, you can find one by using our locator service online here: https://www.rolanddga.com/dealers

Take care,

Roland Technical Support
Roland DGA Corp.
rn

 

[Northern Design]

There are two common reasons for stepping, first is dirty encoder.
Second reason is ribbon cable from carriage to main board

 

[rjssigns]

There are two common reasons for stepping, first is dirty encoder.
Second reason is ribbon cable from carriage to main board

Didn't think about the ribbon cable. I did replace all of them less than a year ago, but that doesn't mean they can't go bad.

 

[Pacific Coast Sign]

Stair step printing is most every time related to the Encoder strip and some of the times its the encoder board (reader) and once in a great great great while it's something else... but mostly encoder strip and/or encoder board.
If you replace the encoder board, make sure the encoder strip is not rubbing the inner sides of the sensor. This will quickly wear out the encoder strip and can cause stair step printing as well.

After changing the encoder strip and/or encoder board, I immediately do an Initialize Setup before I do the two linear encoder
When you do the Linear Encoder check, you'll notice that the screen shows numbers being counted up then down. Watch the number, if you see a pause at a particular number, try to make not of where the print head was at during this pause. When the check is done, use a flash light and look at that location on the encoder strip. You may find a smudge or debris at that general location of the encoder strip. Even if you don't see anything, still give that general area good cleaning... often times a dry swab is all you need. I would then rerun the Linear Encoder check again to see if there was a change.

 

[Tony Rome]

Question, I just did the flop on my encoder strip, worked great, real easy, however I want to order a new one for the future.
I see a few places to get them on eBay, internet, anyone have good experience with a particular place, any luck with generic?

SP540V

 

[rjssigns]

Okay folks as promised here's an update on my printer. New encoder reader fixed the issue. Thanks VanderJ! Prints nice solid color now, where before it would have super light bands about every 6 to 8 inches.
Printed a 52" x 10 purple swatch last night, and it looked great.

Also did a test print to check the heads. It looks perfect on what I call the wide side (lines are farther apart). On the fine side of things(lines super close together) I notice a tiny deviation in the CMYK bands, but you need a loupe to see it. I can try to post up an image if someone wants to see it.
Looks like the heads are fine, and won't need replacing just yet.

One question though. Can't remember if it was the linear encoder setup, or linear calibration that gave me a number. But after whatever one was done I hit the up arrow and it displayed this, 0.146%. No clue what that means.

 

[Solventinkjet]

One question though. Can't remember if it was the linear encoder setup, or linear calibration that gave me a number. But after whatever one was done I hit the up arrow and it displayed this, 0.146%. No clue what that means.

Good to hear you are up and running!

The .146% is just the amount the machine compensated for what it read and what it expected to read. If the number is too high, it fails to complete.

 

[phototec]

Okay folks as promised here's an update on my printer. New encoder reader fixed the issue. Thanks VanderJ! Prints nice solid color now, where before it would have super light bands about every 6 to 8 inches.
Printed a 52" x 10 purple swatch last night, and it looked great.

Also did a test print to check the heads. It looks perfect on what I call the wide side (lines are farther apart). On the fine side of things(lines super close together) I notice a tiny deviation in the CMYK bands, but you need a loupe to see it. I can try to post up an image if someone wants to see it.
Looks like the heads are fine, and won't need replacing just yet.

One question though. Can't remember if it was the linear encoder setup, or linear calibration that gave me a number. But after whatever one was done I hit the up arrow and it displayed this, 0.146%. No clue what that means.

Yes, good to know you are up and running, so glad for you that it was NOT some electronics. I also want to thank you for posting the results, so often I follow someone with a printer issue and they are asking for solutions and then we never hear back from them as to what they discovered fixed the problem.

So here is a question so I will be ready if and when I have a similar problem, where did you get the replacement sensor and how much did it cost?

Thanks again...

 

[rjssigns]

Good to hear you are up and running!

The .146% is just the amount the machine compensated for what it read and what it expected to read. If the number is too high, it fails to complete.

Cool. See, I can learn something new everyday. Thanks again VanderJ!

 

[rjssigns]

Yes, good to know you are up and running, so glad for you that it was NOT some electronics. I also want to thank you for posting the results, so often I follow someone with a printer issue and they are asking for solutions and then we never hear back from them as to what they discovered fixed the problem.

So here is a question so I will be ready if and when I have a similar problem, where did you get the replacement sensor and how much did it cost?

Thanks again...

Anytime, glad to help.
I've been getting miscellaneous bits from George at solventparts.com. Sensor was about 40 bucks to my door.