Desperately need help with my CJ/SJ-500

[SignDesigns2004]

Hello all, Here is a desperate plea for your help.
I recently purchased this sign shop, and with it came my 15" plotter and my 54" CJ/SJ-500 roland printer/cutter.

As of right now, my roland is non-functional. I am resorting to purchasing all vinyl print material from signs365.com, which drastically affects my turnaround time.

I need to get this roland working. Any help you can provide would be awesome.

The roland first had a problem with ink drain. One day i came in and it had drained all the RBK ink into the reservoir, but not the CMY. After replacing the ink, I had it working for a few more weeks. Then, the machine started to cut about 2 inches to the right of what I had printed. Before i could try anything to justify the cut, the printer began shutting off when the carriage would return to drop off the ink carriage before cutting. I found this to be a separation issue. It had been going too far to the right, so the locking mechanism would unlock right after it locked.

About this time it also would, in the middle of a large print job, about 4 feet in, start printing the image about 2 inches to the left of what it had been printing.

I then thought all this must be related to the linear encoder strip. I assumed it was dirty or scratched, which is why it would
a. set the heads at an odd seat which would lead it to drain through the night
b. set it off course so the cut would be off
c. set it off where it would travel too far when trying to drop off the head carriage
d.set off the printing.

I purchased a new linear encoder strip and optic sensor, but to no avail. same problems.
It has drained 9 RBK cartridges, and now if i even try to "set up sheet" the carriage slams into the carriage bay as if it has no idea to stop and shuts off the printer. Every time i turn it on I lose money, as it keeps draining ink.

As of right now, I'm clueless. PLEASE, any help you could offer would be much appreciated. Especially if you have seen this before our could point me in the right direction so I don't keep wasting ink as I blindly poke at the machine.

 

[SignDesigns2004]

I have some more infomation. I just tried to work on it, and now I'm getting motor/sensor errors. This is due to the printer not actually moving the carriages. apparently they aren't seated/connected to the carriage cable. I can't readily see any attachment on the carriage that needs to be reattached. Any Idea how the cut carriage attaches to the cable? the head carriage moves by magnetically attaching to the cut carriage, right? so there should only be one connection I'm looking for....i think.

Any opinions?

 

[SignDesigns2004]

I have reseated the cut carriage, and still get errors.
Here's a video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VvhYOgdYJAA

 

[ddarlak]

i've worked on these machines for 10+ years, i had this happen to one last year and i had to give up on it as i couldn't find the problem.

the ink problem is easy though, your losing it because of swollen sponges on the capping station. i remove one of the sponges and haven't had a problem in awhile.

 

[SignDesigns2004]

So if it's only the BMK draining, it would only be that one sponge...makes sense. do i just neet to replace the sponge or that whole plastic sponge assembly?

 

[ddarlak]

there are two sponges in there, take them out, replace only the top one. it ain't perfect, but i've tried screens, they work for a while, but you have to get them in just right. taking the sponge out works for me.

why are you using carts? too expensive and costly when you get drainage. use bulk ink, this way you can only but in a little ink at a time and when and if you get the dreaded drain, you don't lose much.

is this machine converted to eco?

please tell me you didn't pay much for this setup, it is really out dated...

 

[sfr table hockey]

It sounds like you need to do a limit initialize to let the carriage know where to stop and park.

To do the limit pos. initialize you are supposed to have the panel power off. Attach the cutter head to the carriage and make sure its parked on the capping station. The with arrows keys hit (left,up,right) all pressed together hit the power on button on the panel. It should do it on its own from there.

It also says you might need to do a flushing position adj. but you need to be in the service mode for that I think. This is to make sure the heads sit on the captops correct with the right pressure. If yours is too tight it may cause the heads to touch the filters.

Do you have a service manual?

After that you will need to do a linear encoder check to see if the strip is ok. Again I think thats only in the service menu.

The manual will help a lot.

As ddarlak said the captop filters are most likely touching your heads and causing the draw and draining iink. I have been able to just get some filters from my Roland dealer and have replaced mine and all was fine. You could try to remove the filter and clean the best you can with cleaning solution and then fold it. As you would look at the printer and captops, fold the filter from front to back (not side to side) if that makes sense. Then the filter will have a "V" shape to it and put it back in with the V down so that the fold helps keep the filter from bumping up. This is how they say to install the new ones if you can find them.

Another thing I have done (because mine does not clean on its own when left on) is put a clip over the two drain lines either right before the pump or after and at least it will stop the draining of the ink.

Is this solvent? Also what do you mean by BMK ink? Do you mean the black, cyan, magenta?