Magenta Print Problem

[foreverking]

Recently our Roland SJ-745EX Developed a problem with the magenta printing. Half of the printing was faded out. All the lines seemed to be there, just looked like it was faded.

So, we thought we should just change the print head. Maybe a part of it was damaged or something.
After Changing the magenta print head it's still printing the same, which means this is a problem somewhere else. I have no idea where to even start looking.

Anyone had anything like this or have any ideas?

I've attached a photo so you can see exactly what I'm dealing with.

Thanks,
Rob Walkowiak
Sign World, Inc.
Charlotte, NC

 

[CS-SignSupply]

Swap the ribbon cables on the Magenta head... does the issue travel with the ribbons?

Power Off and unplug of course before messing with ribbon cables.

 

[CS-SignSupply]

What brand of ink? Cartridge or Bulk refill system?

 

[Ragnabrok]

looks like light magenta ink... maybe the cart was filled wrong? or have you switched ink brands recently?

 

[Triggerhappy]

light magenta

that`s not magenta, it`s light magenta in your printer. Check cartridge, change cartridge.

 

[ams]

Your print head is shot. Get a new one. You can tell from the missing dashes. I just had a service tech replace my black one and now everything works great again. He said if it's missing many dashes, it's not firing out of those nozzles.

 

[WalkerP]

Don't jump the gun on the print head being shot. Likely not the case. Missing nozzles does not mean the head is shot. You can print for years depending on how many nozzles and how much banding you're willing to live with. You can cover up a good many nozzle drops with pass count increases, etc.
Swap the dampers/lines on top of the head, do a few cleans and I bet the colors swap b/c I also think that's Lm in that channel. I've seen many times, even in carts production personnel put the wrong bag in a cart. Or even more frequently an operator pour the wrong ink in a bulk tank. Start there before even dreaming about spending the money on a new head.

 

[foreverking]

Swap the ribbon cables on the Magenta head... does the issue travel with the ribbons?

Power Off and unplug of course before messing with ribbon cables.

I tried this. When I went to turn the machine back on it immediately shut itself off again.
I guess it doesn't like that. So, nothing solved here.

 

[foreverking]

Your print head is shot. Get a new one. You can tell from the missing dashes. I just had a service tech replace my black one and now everything works great again. He said if it's missing many dashes, it's not firing out of those nozzles.

It is a new print head.
In the picture I'm showing the old print head and new print head printing the same.

 

[foreverking]

What brand of ink? Cartridge or Bulk refill system?

It's Lique Color cartridges.

 

[foreverking]

that`s not magenta, it`s light magenta in your printer. Check cartridge, change cartridge.

I checked the right ones are in the right place.
You're right, it does look like that could be the problem. The color is the same.

 

[foreverking]

looks like light magenta ink... maybe the cart was filled wrong? or have you switched ink brands recently?

I checked to make sure. Another person had the same idea.
It does look like that could be the problem. But, it's not.

 

[Triggerhappy]

I checked to make sure. Another person had the same idea.
It does look like that could be the problem. But, it's not.

the color of the lines you see on the test print is exactly the color of the liquid inside your printer. there are no complicated processes going on. If you put black ink, it will print with black ink.
Try ink from another brand, best would be original. Or, another possibility is, that when you changed the head you mixed up the dampers, but I think it`s unlikely.

 

[WalkerP]

Swap the dampers/lines on top of the head, do a few cleans, and do another nozzle check. Do the colors stay the same, or do they swap places?
I don't see where you've done that. Triggerhappy is correct. It's either the wrong ink in the cart, or the dampers have been swapped. Easy enough to figure out by swapping the dampers.

 

[ams]

Don't jump the gun on the print head being shot. Likely not the case. Missing nozzles does not mean the head is shot. You can print for years depending on how many nozzles and how much banding you're willing to live with. You can cover up a good many nozzle drops with pass count increases, etc.
Swap the dampers/lines on top of the head, do a few cleans and I bet the colors swap b/c I also think that's Lm in that channel. I've seen many times, even in carts production personnel put the wrong bag in a cart. Or even more frequently an operator pour the wrong ink in a bulk tank. Start there before even dreaming about spending the money on a new head.

You can clearly see the broken nozzles and that throws off the alignment, there were headstrikes in the past. Sure it will print, but not good quality. I just replaced mine and holy crap what a difference it made.

 

[ams]

It is a new print head.
In the picture I'm showing the old print head and new print head printing the same.

Question, why are the nozzles destroyed after the print head was changed?

 

[WalkerP]

The missing and deflected nozzles have nothing to do with his/her posted question and problem. You're correct though, missing and deflected nozzles will affect quality, but totally different from the wrong color being printed out of a channel.

 

[foreverking]

I've got word from a technician that I need to replace my data ribbon.
I have no idea when I'll be able to do that, seems a bit intimidating. But, that's probably what it is.