Knocking sound?

[Signed Out]

Printing a bunch of yard signs on the xj540 this morning and hearing a slight knocking sound. everytime the heads go all the way to the left side, just as it stops to come back, I hear a soft knocking sound. never heard this before, printer is 1.5 years old. I'm guessing it has something to do with the big belt up top, does that need to be tightened? how often? We are using the take up reel, but don't think that has anything to do with it, and it's printing fine, just don't like how it sounds. I can't see anything hitting, rubbing or binding just the sound. Has anyone encountered this before or have any idea what it might be?

 

[BIG EASY DOES IT]

If the Roland is anything like the HP you have ink build up on your roller bars. Everytime your head goes to the left and stops at the same place that is where the ink builds up. Then after you get enough of it the when the head stops on that ink it sticks a little bit and the belt gets added tension on it and that is the knocking sound you hear.

If it's nothing like the HP then disregard my comments.

 

[BIG EASY DOES IT]

I guess I should have told you how to fix if it is that issue. Use a microfiber or coffee filter( as suggested by HP) and rub the bars to get the majority of the ink off. Then turn your printer off and oil the bars and move the printer head back and forth until it moves very freely. Applying oil as needed.

 

[otctech]

Make sure your sheet cut blade assembly isn't broken or hanging too low.

Roland sells a tool to check the belt tension, before I bought that I would inspect the pulleys and make sure all set screws are tight. I would also grease the entire belt with silicone lubricant.

Also I would try turning the power off, lower the capping stations and move it over to the trouble spot by hand top see if you can pinpoint where the sound is coming from.

Good luck!

 

[Signed Out]

Now it's not making the sound anymore.. did it through that whole job. afterwards we checked the pullyes and everything seems fine. not sure about ink build up on roller bars like the hp, not sure if the roland uses roller bars, unless you are referring to the pinch rollers then no thats not the problem. so after checking everything i printed the same file with the cover open to see if i could see where the sound was coming from and the sound was gone. I did notice that the smaller white belt that attaches to the carriage was vibrating and shaking quite a bit, i do seem to remeber that it shakes but this seemed to be more then i remembered, but then again i dont really remember how much it normally shakes.

 

[BIG EASY DOES IT]

It's not the media rollers. It's the carrige rollers. On the HP there are two silver bars that run the length of the machine that hold the carrige steady when the belt moves it. Soooo Ink build up on the roller bars makes them unsteady which inturn makes the belt slap around alot.