"Carriages are Disconnected" Error on SP-540V

[Signs4Realtors]

Can someone please give me a suggestion on where to look to reconnect the carriages on my SP-540V. My decals were printing and cutting poorly so I cleaned the encoder strip which I have done in the past to fix this problem, but now I have a new problem...error message "carriages are disconnected". Thanks in advance for your assistance.

 

[HDvinyl]

Slide it back and connect it before you have a bigger problem with dried up heads??

 

[Signs4Realtors]

Slide it back and connect it before you have a bigger problem with dried up heads??

I turned the machine off and then back on to get the head to go back to the start position (so no dried up heads), but how do I reconnect the carriages? When I run my print job it moves to the same position on the far left side and then stops and gives me the error message "carriages are disconnected"

 

[jfiscus]

Clean the strip again, or flip the strip or replace the strip.

 

[Signs4Realtors]

Clean the strip again, or flip the strip or replace the strip.

I researched replacing the strip and nusigns says it's $262 just for the OEM Roland encoder strip (they call is a "sheet linear scale...part #21475188). Does that sound correct to replace the encoder strip? I see them on ebay for $19.99 with free shipping, but don't think those will work.

 

[jfiscus]

I researched replacing the strip and nusigns says it's $262 just for the OEM Roland encoder strip (they call is a "sheet linear scale...part #21475188). Does that sound correct to replace the encoder strip? I see them on ebay for $19.99 with free shipping, but don't think those will work.

When I used to run a Roland I bought my parts from Nazdar and the encoder strips were around $115 IIRC.

 

[player]

Has you head redocked and capped yet?

 

[Signs4Realtors]

A friend who has the same machine said to do a "Environmental match" which I did and it said that it doesn't match.

And now I am getting an error code "service call 0110".

I guess that means I need a Roland technician unless someone has another idea?

When I turn the machine on the head goes to the left fine until it gets to the far left roller position and then it returns back and gives me the error message...not sure if the far left roller position is always where the machine returns from or if that's where maybe the encoder strip is messed up?

 

[player]

Has you head redocked and capped yet?

Has you head redocked and capped yet? Does it redock and do the caps seal the heads?

If not, there may be an easy solution.

 

[Signs4Realtors]

Has you head redocked and capped yet? Does it redock and do the caps seal the heads?

If not, there may be an easy solution.

If appears that the head has redocked and capped...see last closeup picture and let me know.

I left a voicemail for a Roland technician to schedule an appointment for him/her to come out and tune up the printer and fix the problem, but I'm getting behind on print jobs in the mean time...would love to find a quick fix for this problem.

In one of the pictures you can see that the ink on the sponge is not in the center and is off to the side and was partially on the metal as a result of the wobbly printing that my machine was doing prior to cleaning the encoding strip. Attached are what the decals looked like after print/cutting one row of decals at a time (4"x6" decals 11 across one row). One print job would print/cut correctly and the next identical job would be off significantly.

 

[player]

Sorry if it is seated and capped then I don't have a quick fix.

The encoder strip and or the sensor are the most likely culprits... Have you cleaned the encoder strip? Did you use isopropyl alcohol and a swab?
Of course if you are still getting that error code, that needs to be addressed...

These are all things a tech could look at after he fixes the error code, and you have him there:

The cable tension, the cable needs replacing, the scan motor...\
You could also have a number of calibrations that need to be done. I did have the offset cap causing the heads to dry out but
due to my defective (and still not fixed ever) print cut alignment I have all the above changed and it now docs properly.
What is your test print like? How are all the sponges including the big one under the wipers? The scraper behind the wipers? Dampers? Caps?
Head alignment, print cut alignment...

 

[Solventinkjet]

If environmental match didn't execute properly, the first thing I would do is run the service menu encoder calibrations. If they fail, your encoder strip might be damaged and not just dirty and your encoder sensor might be bad. If you replace the encoder strip and sensor and still get the same error, the last part that could be failing is the servo board.

The only problem is that the environmental match failing may be a secondary problem. The original error you are receiving could just be the sensor that detects if the carriages are connected is failing. I have also seen the tool carriage cable go bad and cause the same issue. Have you been having trouble getting the machine to measure the material lately? Does it measure 0.0" sometimes or just throw up a pinch roller error randomly? If that has happened to you in the recent past even once, it means your tool carriage cable is going bad and could be the reason you are receiving the carriage connection error.

 

[Signs4Realtors]

If environmental match didn't execute properly, the first thing I would do is run the service menu encoder calibrations. If they fail, your encoder strip might be damaged and not just dirty and your encoder sensor might be bad. If you replace the encoder strip and sensor and still get the same error, the last part that could be failing is the servo board.

The only problem is that the environmental match failing may be a secondary problem. The original error you are receiving could just be the sensor that detects if the carriages are connected is failing. I have also seen the tool carriage cable go bad and cause the same issue. Have you been having trouble getting the machine to measure the material lately? Does it measure 0.0" sometimes or just throw up a pinch roller error randomly? If that has happened to you in the recent past even once, it means your tool carriage cable is going bad and could be the reason you are receiving the carriage connection error.

Not sure how to run the service menu encoder calibrations? I ran the menu calibrations print selection, and then ran the test print and cleaning (and deep cleaning menu option) and that enabled me to print the attached test print along with a perfect decal with perfect cut line...but the menu environmental match still comes back with the error code 0110??? Maybe I can just keep printing until the Roland technician shows up. The print looks great and there are no error messages unless I run the environmental match which I have never run in the past???

 

[player]

Have you ever wiped down the rails and re greased them?

 

[player]

Thought you might like to know this stuff:

Service Mode:
Down Right Left Up in that order, one at a time then:
Right Down Left Power press and hold these in that order.

That should get you into service menu.

To adjust the head alignment, go into service mode, then in the
service menu arrow down to HEAD ADJUST ---> You can then bypass BIAS and adjust the VERTICAL and HORIZONTAL
by printing tests and adjusting the squares.

Another one in Service Mode is Bi Directional. Same thing.

There is also a PRINT CUT ADJUSTMENT that prints 3 squares, and you
can align the cuts based on what the squares leave behind when weeded- edit pull out the squares.

There is an AUTO ADJUST in that same PRINT CUT menu that prints one square and reads it.
the auto adjust apparently works differently than the manual alignment.
For me that is the best way to adjust the print cut. Mine will never work properly.

Roland is not the great company some think it is... buyer beware!

 

[Signs4Realtors]

Thanks for all of the input! I finally got the printer back up and running like a champ. Talked to the Roland tech on the phone and he walked me through replacing the encoder strip that I purchased locally. Very simple and it's now working great. Appreciate all the input.

 

[player]

What did you clean the original one with? Ink cleaning fluid?

Glad you're up and running.

 

[Jim Hill]

Error message 0110

I am also getting an error code 0110 message and I have to manualy raise the capping station so had not to try out the heads.

I think it is something to do with the encoder strip and I have cleaned a few times with a lint free cloth and Isopropyl Alcohol.

Anyone know another way of fixing the problem?

Thanks Jim

 

[cyclerc]

Error message 0110

I am also getting an error code 0110 message and I have to manualy raise the capping station so had not to try out the heads.

I think it is something to do with the encoder strip and I have cleaned a few times with a lint free cloth and Isopropyl Alcohol.

Anyone know another way of fixing the problem?

Thanks Jim

having the same problem. How do you raise the capping station manualy?