Becoming a Roland Tech...

[player]

I would like to see how to change a head on the SP540V printer. I have the big service manual PDF but the process is difficult to follow in it.

If someone has any instructions they could send my way it would be appreciated.

 

[FrankW]

If you think that the head replacement procedure is to difficult, you should let something do it for you. The procedure will not be easier with an other documentation.

 

[player]

If you think that the head replacement procedure is to difficult, you should let something do it for you. The procedure will not be easier with an other documentation.

Sure it would. A little more detail would make all the difference. WTF?

 

[Gabil]

99% try/fail enthusiasts end up with even more expensive replacements. I understand most of you guys technically handy but even with head replacement there are so many tiny little nuances that even service manuals fail to describe. Everything comes with time invested in reading and learning which you guys don’t have. So let the professionals do their jobs.

 

[Jim Hill]

If you are good and have an engineering kind of mind set you can learn the rest and forget about being Roland Certified and I believe once the shops in your area find out about your services you will be find once you build up a client list.

Keep in mind once any Roland is out of warranty no really cares if your certified they just want their printer fixed by someone with knowledge and fair prices and also someone who stands behind every repair.

I know one person who repairs printers and he travels over many different states from the mid west to Florida and he services many different models and manufacturers and his work is excellent and his prices are very fair and he is a real nice guy to deal with.

Just my opinion. Jim

 

[SherBear]

I recommend www.solventinkjet.com! They have been VERY helpful in the past! Thanks guys

Roland tech

It is true, you need to be sent to Roland as an employee of a dealer. Becoming a dealer is expensive, demo equipment, parts, supplies etc. Many dealers are having to lay of techs recently so look for independant tech, they usually charge less. All else fails, get a tech manual and read up on your printer. The folks we see getting in trouble are the one who just start taking things apart (usually with the power still on) and fry boards.
I have a list of techs if anyone needs one, not everywhere but a pretty good selection. And if you need parts check out our site at www.solventinkjet.com
We also supply free tech manuals(I have most, not all) when you buy your parts from us.

 

[SherBear]

I recommend www.solventinkjet.com! They have been VERY helpful in the past! Thanks guys!

 

[Jim Hill]

Someone told me that most of the major wide format printers are now locking their customers out of the Service Mode.

The service manager at the local Roland dealership told me that my SP-300V printer is now a legacy printer and they are no longer offering service for these printers and the icing on the cake is they will no longer sell me the parts so that I can either hire someone or just service it myself.

Roland is going in the direction of only selling OEM parts to Certified Roland Techs in the future and the owners of Roland Printers who are the end users will no longer be able to by OEM parts either.

For everyone using after market inks and other parts forget trying to use a Roland Tech because they have been told that if they are send to service a printer and see after market inks or after market parts just load up your tools and leave.

Becoming a tech who can work of any of the major brands of wide format printers might be a good field to get into because once these printers are out of warranty you can save yourself a ton of money hiring an independent tech.

Once the printer is out of warranty you can do whatever you want to do within certain limits. It the manufacturers are locking the service mode the techs must find a way around this problem.

Jim

 

[Jim Hill]

I am a technician at a personalization company and I do all the repairs on our Rolands myself. I've had no training on Rolands, but I do have an associate degree in electrical technology and worked at a plastic container factory for 4 years before I got my current job about a year ago. That being said Ive replaced just about everything you can on a Roland and there really not that difficult. The hardest part is having the troubleshooting skills to figure whats broken from the symptoms. I've recently been thinking about trying to start my own repair business but I am worried I wouldn't have enough clients. How many of you would hire a non-certified tech to work on your equipment even if the price was cheaper?

I know someone who worked at a sign shop here in Florida who over the years also fixed just about everything you can fix on a Roland printer for his boss before he decided to contact a Roland Dealer a few hours away about becoming a tech.

When he showed up for the job interview they asked him all the questions they could think of and he answer everyone single one.
They then moved on to a Roland printer and started with move questions about what would you do it this was happening and how would you fix it and again he answered all of their questions.

They hired him on the spot because seemed to know more then their own techs did about repairing printers!

Once he started working for the Roland Dealer they decided to send him to the Roland School to become certified which he did and passed all their tests and was so good they asked him to enter a contest where if you won you were considered the Best Roland Tech in the world.

He finished in second place and went on to have a career working as a Roland Certified Tech.

I got to know him and he was very knowledgeable and smart and he helped me figure out many problems.
He once asked me how I learned to repair printers and I told him about Signs 101 and he said that is where I also learned how to repair them.

True Story Jim

 

[geckophoto]

I followed the service manual myself and put in 2 heads, dampers, wipers, encoder strip/reader, new cutter blade,caps when I bought a used machine with clogged heads, was easy if you took the time to understand the manual, align cutter/heads. Runs like new now except for reading shorter paper width 30> <12 or so, but I just run 30” anyways and didn’t want to mess with the sensor. If I could do it I think anyone can do it lol!