Roland Disappointment XR-640

[JoshLoring]

Sadly.. I've been a faithful Roland User for 8 years and for the last year I feel they have been brushing a major problem off. If there is anyone else having these issues.. please post. I need to post this here because after months ( Over 8 ) of trying to work with them for a fix.. I have nothing fixed.
The Roland XR-640: -Major issues with head strikes on this printer. This printer can NOT be left printing unattended. The core will walk back and forth no matter what you do once the takeup gets about 30 ft on it. Don't even attempt to print a whole roll.
-I've tried all medias, Avery 3M and Oracal with the same results. 30+ feet = head strikes. This outs the idea that the manufacturer backing paper could be a problem.
-Tried printing with all rollers down. Still head strikes.
-Feed media from feed through onto takeup before placing down clamps. Still head strikes after 30 feet.
-Replaced take-up system with one from the XC-540 (which has ZERO problems with headstikes) Still head strikes.
-So pretty much... I've had a fluke from the start. We can't print over 30' of media without issues and now we are at the point where the heads have smashed and ruined more media then is even profitable. Not to mention.. the heads are messed up now and won't print correct.

Roland... Seriously. A call back? An email back? Something? Josh @ Loring Studios/Awthentik

 

[player]

Just for discussion I will give you my thoughts-

The head strikes seem like the vacuum is low or not on or working properly.

The two outside rollers are different than the others in that they are angled to pull the media out. Check that they are both angled.

 

[JoshLoring]

Thanks for the comment Player.
- I have other Roland's and none do what the XR-640 does with head strikes. All roller wheels are correct and the vacuum is fine.
There are flaws in the takeup/feed system that aren't being fixed. My issue is there.

 

[player]

Thanks for the comment Player.
- I have other Roland's and none do what the XR-640 does with head strikes. All roller wheels are correct and the vacuum is fine.
There are flaws in the takeup/feed system that aren't being fixed. My issue is there.

Get your dealer to get in touch with Roland Field Support and it will get fixed.

 

[phototec]

Get your dealer to get in touch with Roland Field Support and it will get fixed.

REALLY?

You have had problems with your Roland for YEARS....

You told me your have contacted your dealer now for several years, and your printer was NOT fixed.....

 

[player]

REALLY?

You have had problems with your Roland for YEARS....

You told me your have contacted your dealer now for several years, and your printer was NOT fixed.....

No, I have not contacted my dealer since the warranty stopped.

But Roland sent the good tech out last Monday.

 

[JoshLoring]

My other Roland's have ran flawless for over 7 years. My problem is the design flaw with the XR-640 feed and takeup system.

Roland has sent outside service techs to try and solve this problem with the XR-640 and dispite the great knowledge of the techs, nothing is resolved. I've emailed roland directly and asked them to send in house techs to solve this problem. Still no luck. This printer is under warranty and needs to run 24/7 and that's why I bought it.... Not to ruin media and head strike all the time.

 

[player]

When someone buys a big expensive printer and it doesn't work they should be able to return it for a full refund as it is not working as claimed. Does this return/refund ever happen? Or at least an exchange?

 

[BALLPARK]

Sorry to hear that you are having those problems. We have had no big issues with printing long runs on our XC-540. We are in the market for purchasing some new equipment, I had been looking at the XR-640 as I have heard great things about it. I figured it was an XC with better inks, wider printing width and new heads.

Roland needs to get back to you for sure... That is a new unit and the price tag is hefty compared to the new latex printers. I love Roland printers and hope they fix your issues. Please keep us updated on how they treat you with the problem and how it will be fixed.

Thanks and good luck...

 

[Andrew O]

Josh - Someone will be giving you a call today from the service department. This isn't typical. Sorry you've been struggling with it.

 

[petepaz]

hope you get it worked out. not sure if it's just your area or what but anytime we have ad an issue with our rolands. someone has always gotten back to us. we have always told them we can't have our machines down for days. never had the problem you are having and we don't really print stuff that large but regardless of the problem with the money you spend on the machine and the ink they should be better with the service then what you are getting. any issues we have ever had either the dealer or roland has gotten back to us with at least an email or phone call same day.

good luck

 

[bulldozer]

this has to be a user error. i have had mine since around september, and haven't had one issue with it. this is the sj-4 right? i leave it to print overnight all the time. i don't even use media clamps unless it's on banner or some other misc material.

 

[phototec]

My other Roland's have ran flawless for over 7 years. My problem is the design flaw with the XR-640 feed and takeup system.

Roland has sent outside service techs to try and solve this problem with the XR-640 and dispite the great knowledge of the techs, nothing is resolved. I've emailed roland directly and asked them to send in house techs to solve this problem. Still no luck. This printer is under warranty and needs to run 24/7 and that's why I bought it.... Not to ruin media and head strike all the time.

Josh - Someone will be giving you a call today from the service department. This isn't typical. Sorry you've been struggling with it.

Josh, let us know if Roland steps up and sends a factory tech to fix your problem, or if this is more lip service!

They should come out with a set of inks and a roll of media, and NOT leave until they get your printer working as advertised!!!

 

[synergy_jim]

We have had more head strikes with the XR than the XC. Not when using the take-up though.... I just always assumed it was a heat problem. We are playing with settings now.

 

[crystalcoastgraphics]

I will say we have had more head strikes with our 640 than we do 540, but we have not run into the amount of problems you have had Josh. We have had our since they came out, and it has run really well. We run full rolls a lot of times, and do run all night sometimes as well. We had a big problem with perf causing head strikes, but I think that was more due to the media.

 

[ProColorGraphics]

Man, for a shop the size of Josh's, and how big of a Roland fan he is, you would think they would have been all over getting that fixed. Not like he's a small shop barely running the thing.

 

[JoshLoring]

this has to be a user error.

Yes it's the SJ4. Trust me, it's not user error. You may have one that's perfect, but I wasn't that lucky. I am very knowledgable when it comes to roland printers from maint to linearization.

I'll update you guys soon. Roland called me today and we are working at a solution. I'm happy someone finally contacted me and is serious.

 

[Z SIGNS]

What's a head strike?

 

[BALLPARK]

I'm curious about the head strikes on an XR-640 for the other owners that mentioned they were getting them as well. Is this happening with cast & calendared vinyl prints as well or just mainly with banner type media?

 

[1leonchen]

Sorry to hear that is your rear feed roller off. Sometimes if it is not calibrated properly it causes media skewing. I am no expert. Found that out the hard way working for some one. Is your rear feeders damaged. Also does your front take up use a bar system or just sensor. If u add a little weight to the media bar it tend to tension media better. A little trick Epson guys used to correct media tension on a sure color series. Ultimately the higher a printer outputs in speed the more it loses it ability to do Long runs. Speed maybe another factor what speed are u running. 2 pass 4 pass or 8 pass.

 

[petepaz]

We have had more head strikes with the XR than the XC. Not when using the take-up though.... I just always assumed it was a heat problem. We are playing with settings now.

have to say no issues with our XR (yet?) the only dissapoiuntment i found was the metallic in will rub off. need to laminate everything with metallic ink. some materials hold up better then others but not what we expected. the funny thing is we always test the materials and the ink durability before we buy a machine and we didn't notice this. we recently printed some metallic decals on clear vinyl and accidentally rubbed the silver and it came right off. not even just a smudge just rubbed right off. other then that no mechanical issues. we don't usually print anything to much bigger then 7-8ft. the only material we have a little issue with is banner material but we have always had that with all the rolands.(have to keep the roll loose, use the edge clips and raise the print head)