Roland sp540v test print

[Andrew G]

Hi all
Have a problem with my Roland sp540v. Test print comes out as attached photo but printer prints ok in high quality but would like it to be perfect. Story was that m/y head had a lot of deflections but b/c was perfect. Had the machine serviced and tech said I would not get the deflections back, he fitted cap tops, dampers and wipers. Since he did it the deflections on m/y have improved massively but now b/c is only half printing on test print. I know I should have called him back but one thing led to another and because of the current situation never got to(my own fault). I have tried numerous head soaks, medium and powerful cleans and head flush but to no avail just wanted to know if before I buy a new printhead do you think that I need one or am I missing something simple here. Thank you in advance for your help.

 

[rjssigns]

If the problem happened right after the cap top installation there's your clue. Cap top may not be sealing correctly. Also noticed you're getting cyan printing in the black channel.
I had an SP540V and I would try pulling ink through the cap top with a syringe. If you don't have quite a bit of resistance the cap top isn't sealing.

 

[Andrew G]

If the problem happened right after the cap top installation there's your clue. Cap top may not be sealing correctly. Also noticed you're getting cyan printing in the black channel.
I had an SP540V and I would try pulling ink through the cap top with a syringe. If you don't have quite a bit of resistance the cap top isn't sealing.

I did a flush on the head with a syringe kit I bought that had a damper attached and after had to pull ink through the caption. After initially pulling ink through fairly easily it became very resistant after about 5-10 ml of ink I’d say. A thing I noticed when syringing fluid through I expected to see a waterfall effect somewhere but what came out of the head was 3 or 4 large drips and also one drip on opposite ink side which I didn’t think right. Not sure if it needed more pressure to cause a waterfall or if it’s very blocked or that’s the normal. I have another cap top I can try but maybe it’s too far gone to recover.

 

[player]

Pulling ink from the bottom is OK, but be careful. Pushing through the top can easily blow delicate seals and ruin the head.

 

[Jim Hancock]

First question is are the installed parts, especially the caps, OEM or aftermarket parts? If not, I would suggest replacing them with OEM caps.
As stated, pushing ink through the head is a risky technique and can easily damage the head internally. Pulling ink also needs to be done with care and very slowly. Also, pulling ink is a better approach to determining if there are any air leaks in the ink train. When pulling ink through the cap, watch for any air bubbles coming into the syringe. You may get a few initially, but they should go away quickly if the cap is sealing.
The Epson heads have a delicate crystal structure internally and are designed to have ink pulled through the head rather than being pushed through. Too much pressure either way can fracture the head internally, as I know from experience. So gentle, slow and steady when using a syringe, and pull through the cap rather than pushing through the head. Plus, there is much less risk of breaking the manifold on top of the print head.

 

[Andrew G]

Thanks for the replies. Just an update, cap tops and dampers are original or I was told so, tried changing cap top again, have done more cleans, filled head and cap top with cleaning fluid left for 48hours and pulled ink through, test print is exactly the same. I have read here people swap head ribbons around if on head not firing, I know mine is three quarters printing but would this do any harm if I tried it just to eliminate any possibility it might be electrical. Can I do any damage if machine is switched off first and restarted? Was going to swap b/c with m/y just as last resort.

 

[Jim Hancock]

Ribbon swapping is a useful technique when no channels are firing at all. In your case, it will not prove anything, because your print head is firing, just missing a huge section of nozzles. I would examine the bottom of the print head for any physical damage or marks or ink buildup. Also look at the silver frame around the head for any evidence of damage. It is possible the head was damaged when pushing cleaning fluid through it, but I would expect to see a completely different looking test print, with a more random scattered look, with the black and the cyan looking different, as you push fluid through each side of the head separately. Because the missing nozzles are very similar on both sides of the head and it appears you have a tiny bit of cyan showing on the black side, I would lean toward physical damage. I do not see this as an electronic issue. Keep us posted...

 

[Andrew G]

I think I agree with you to be honest. Although I can not see any physical damage I did see vinyl that looked as though it was hit I the bin when tech left. I think it had a head strike then as been like this since. As I said before should have got him back then really bit late now though. Think I might just buy a new head and bite the bullet.

Ribbon swapping is a useful technique when no channels are firing at all. In your case, it will not prove anything, because your print head is firing, just missing a huge section of nozzles. I would examine the bottom of the print head for any physical damage or marks or ink buildup. Also look at the silver frame around the head for any evidence of damage. It is possible the head was damaged when pushing cleaning fluid through it, but I would expect to see a completely different looking test print, with a more random scattered look, with the black and the cyan looking different, as you push fluid through each side of the head separately. Because the missing nozzles are very similar on both sides of the head and it appears you have a tiny bit of cyan showing on the black side, I would lean toward physical damage. I do not see this as an electronic issue. Keep us posted...