Need Help Roland VP-540 Black Print Failure

[FreestyleSignCo]

Hi guys! My name is Seth and I work at Freestyle Sign in Wichita KS. I've been working here since November so I'm very new to wide format printing. I've been lurking these forums for a while but now I'm in a bind.

Our Roland VP-540 is failing to print black. Per the attached images, here's the scenario

1. This is the test print immediately after the first sign print failed.
2. This is after a medium clean
3. This is after a manual clean. We tried printing the sign again after this

4. The print failed. and this was the test print immediately after.

5. This is after a powerful clean. We tried printing again after this and it failed.

Any idea what the problem could be? It seems like something during the printing process is making the head dirty. Could it be the ink caps?

Thanks!

 

[FreestyleSignCo]

We were able to achieve a clean print by doing an overprint. But if there's a more permanent solution I'd love to know!

 

[balstestrat]

Captops should be replaced yearly. When was the last replacement?
Wiper and scraper as well.

 

[petepaz]

change cap tops and dampers (that's usually where i go first. i can do it my self and it's not expensive.)
you can try pulling ink with a syringe. try a head soak over night.
after those options i usually end up calling the tech in

 

[FreestyleSignCo]

you can try pulling ink with a syringe. try a head soak over night.

Can you be more specific? Do you mean I can empty out the loaded ink with a syringe, and then soak the heads once they're empty?

Thanks for the responses guys!

 

[petepaz]

Can you be more specific? Do you mean I can empty out the loaded ink with a syringe, and then soak the heads once they're empty?

Thanks for the responses guys!

you need to pull ink from the waste hose for that specific head. when you carriage is in the home position you can pull ink from the hose that comes from the cap top of the head in question. the head soak you need to clamp off the same hose i just explained to pull ink from, put cleaning fluid in the cap top then return the carriage to the home position with the heads tight against the captops and let it soak over night. that can help loosen up some of the clogged ink

 

[FreestyleSignCo]

Hey! I took a look at the dampers. How are these looking? I don't have much of a frame of reference. Will be doing a headsoak tonight.

 

[FreestyleSignCo]

What's the likelihood that we have to replace the black head? That's the conclusion I'm reaching

 

[FreestyleSignCo]

Just following up! Had our tech guy come in Friday and replace all 4 captops and all 8 dampers. He said ink was filling up in the dampers and not getting pushed through appropriately. Here are our test prints as of this morning!