Electrical Issue?

[Patco]

Any ideas what's causing this? Roland XC 540. Cleaned encoder strip, test print normal. Always the same color in various places through out the run. Just started today. I shut the main power off and then on again and printed two 8' banners no problem. Now it's back.

Any ideas appreciated.

 

[signage]

is it the same file or a different one that it appears on?

 

[Patco]

is it the same file or a different one that it appears on?

Different files, different media, always the light magenta.

Pat

 

[FrankW]

Looks like a problem with a flat cable to the head. Had that issue with a head cable not tightly connected after replacing a head. If it happens frequently without manipulation at the cables before, a flat cable could be worn out.

 

[Patco]

Looks like a problem with a flat cable to the head. Had that issue with a head cable not tightly connected after replacing a head. If it happens frequently without manipulation at the cables before, a flat cable could be worn out.

Thanks Frank,

I switched the cables from the LM head with the LC head and the problem stayed with the LM head. Is it possibly the head itself?

Pat

 

[FrankW]

Yes, it could be. Or the connectors of the cables on the head or junction board on the head carriage. Or the cable from the head carriage to the head board.

 

[Patco]

Yes, it could be. Or the connectors of the cables on the head or junction board on the head carriage. Or the cable from the head carriage to the head board.

Thanks Frank,

We have a spare head. In your opinion would that be the best troubleshooting option?

Pat

 

[FrankW]

Not shure if not having a look at the machine myself. I would inspect the connectors at the head visally.

 

[Patco]

They look okay to me, but I'm no expert. It is an old head - 13 years.

Pat

 

[MikePro]

have you done anything to the machine recently, like replace dampers/printheads?
my guess would be your issue lying somewhere between the slider board and the printhead, most likely either the ribbon cable or the connection on either end of it.

 

[Patco]

have you done anything to the machine recently, like replace dampers/printheads?
my guess would be your issue lying somewhere between the slider board and the printhead, most likely either the ribbon cable or the connection on either end of it.

Thanks Mike,

Haven't done any work on it recently, just normal use. I swapped the ribbon cables from another color and the problem stayed with the "bad" one. I was thinking of switching them at
what you are calling the slider board and not at the head end? Is that asking for trouble?

Pat

 

[greysquirrel]

It could be a hardware issue related to cables/boards...or it could be static. What is the environment like? do prints hit the floor or TUR? Is the printer on carpet? What is humidity like in the room. That might be why its intermittent...the XC series is all metal...always have been prone to static issues

 

[MikePro]

Swapping ribbon cables was always my first way to diagnose that portion of the printer for issues.

You'll find in plenty of threads that reference "data swapping", especially in old mimaki jv3 posts, but the same theory would apply to any printer with multiple ink channels.
This won't hurt your machine, as long as you're doing-so with it powered-down & energy/static discharged much like working on a computer. Even with the cables-swapped, the printer will power-up and operate assuming everything is working as it should, but the data intended for one ink channel just happens to be running through another instead.

I prefer to start swapping the cables at the slider board-end, as opposed to the printhead-end, merely to limit fussing around with printheads, but you could do it either-way just track your process/results, and they will lead you to the "gremlin under the hood" ...or at least eliminate that portion of the machine as the cause of your error.

 

[MikePro]

so in theory, using the diagram above.... if your issue was the magenta printing bands across the media, and you swapped your cables like the diagram shows, then aside from the obvious change of your black text now printing magenta and your red text now printing black (and slightly offset from their intended layout) then you'll get one of two results:
IF your black starts printing those bands similiar to your original issue, then the problem is above the printhead and most likely the cable.
IF the banding stays with the magenta printhead, then its either the printhead or the connection of the ribbon cable to the printhead that is the issue.

 

[Patco]

Thanks Grey and Mike,

Those are a huge help. I will let you know.

Pat

 

[Patco]

Thanks Grey and Mike,

Those are a huge help. I will let you know.

Pat

Thanks all for the help. Changed the head and the problem disappeared.

Pat