Roland VS540 - banding/ color drop out

[SIGN.DIVISION]

Hey all. I have a VS540 in my shop since 2020. When I’m printing a panel for a wrap, i more than not get a band running all the way across the print. It only happens when printing black and sometimes grey. I’ve cleaned the encoder strip, doesn’t seem to change it. If I run a powerful clean, that seems to help on the next print or as in the photo with the red, it will be be very miniamal. Any ideas on a fix?

 

[cornholio]

So the banding is vertical?

 

[SIGN.DIVISION]

Here is another example. It’s basically on every panel of this wrap I’m printing. It’s done this since I first bought it.

 

[SIGN.DIVISION]

So the banding is vertical?

It runs from left to right if your looking at the printer, it’s horizontal

 

[Jim Hancock]

You should run a nozzle test print and the fill test, both in service mode and post the results.

 

[Joe House]

If it's horizontal, I'd check the feed encoder disk. This serves the same function as the encoder strip, but fit the feed direction. Clean as necessary.

 

[SIGN.DIVISION]

Hey fellas. So I cleaned both the encoder strip and disk. It seems to be worse. Now it looks like it’s running both ways. Ran some heavy cleaning cycles. No luck. Any other ideas

View attachment IMG_6599.jpeg

 

[SIGN.DIVISION]

Here’s what the print looks like now. Definitely got worse and there is additional banding running the opposite direction. I’ve never had it run that way. See a few inches below that D. It’s running front to back, along with a thin line at the right side running left to right. View attachment IMG_6599.jpeg

 

[Terry01]

If the banding is spaced evenly, the roll has been laid on its side, without the carriers in the ends.
Try another roll and see if it persists.

 

[SIGN.DIVISION]

If the banding is spaced evenly, the roll has been laid on its side, without the carriers in the ends.
Try another roll and see if it persists.

It’s totally random and main only happens when printing black. Sometimes greys and browns. No other colors.

 

[SIGN.DIVISION]

So I just tried to print that black panel in high quality mode and there is absolutely not banding.. WTH? So I guess it’s only doing it in standard mode. Any ideas?

I just checked and I replaced my captop (oem) at the end of June. So I just ordered a new one…

I can remember if changing makes it better for a while. If not, should I replace the encoder strip and disk? Should the board be replaced also when doing that?

 

[GraphicsGarage101]

So im currently having the same issue and i was told that my wheels/rolllers could be bad if they are hard. I also just got a brand new head and just replaced the scraper and both wipers. Only happens in black. Cleaned the encoder strip. Calibration prints are amazing and then if I run another test right after there is very noticeable gap between the blocks. I'm about to just replace the encoder strip and disk and see what happens

Very thankful to have found this thread. Appreciate all the feedback you guys give!

 

[SIGN.DIVISION]

So im currently having the same issue and i was told that my wheels/rolllers could be bad if they are hard. I also just got a brand new head and just replaced the scraper and both wipers. Only happens in black. Cleaned the encoder strip. Calibration prints are amazing and then if I run another test right after there is very noticeable gap between the blocks. I'm about to just replace the encoder strip and disk and see what happens

Very thankful to have found this thread. Appreciate all the feedback you guys give!

I’ve replaced most of my rollers not long ago, so I doubt that’s it. I cleaned the encoder disk and it didn’t help. If I print in high quality / max impact, it doesn’t happen. But I’m not trying to print every job like that. It just takes way too long.. I talked to my tech, but he really wasn’t any help. Let me know if you find a solution and I will do the same.

 

[SIGN.DIVISION]

So im currently having the same issue and i was told that my wheels/rolllers could be bad if they are hard. I also just got a brand new head and just replaced the scraper and both wipers. Only happens in black. Cleaned the encoder strip. Calibration prints are amazing and then if I run another test right after there is very noticeable gap between the blocks. I'm about to just replace the encoder strip and disk and see what happens

Very thankful to have found this thread. Appreciate all the feedback you guys give!

Let me know how replacing the strip and disk works out for you. TIA

 

[Signarama Jockey]

I'm not sure that I can offer much insight, but just so we have a complete picture of your issue, correct me if I'm wrong on any of this.

The band shows up on any media you run through the printer.
The band does not repeat at regular intervals - it appears seemingly at random.
The band happens in black, gray and brown exclusively.
The band is parallel to the print path.
The band does not appear when printing in high quality mode.

If it was happening with all of your colors, I'd look at the feed encoder disc. But, since it is only happening with certain colors, I'd look at your inks. It could be some weird thing going on in your head, but take a good look at the actual lines and see if there is anything obvious.

I'd really like to know what the issue is. Keep us posted.

 

[SIGN.DIVISION]

So, this has been going on since 2019 when I bought it. I’m currently on the second replacement head, I’ve clean the encoder strip and disk. I’ve pulled ink through the damper, choke clean, I just replaced the cap top (about every 6 mo). So I’m not sure what’s going on. I just printed a wrap for a van that was mostly all black. If I ran a cleaning cycle between each print, the band would only show up very faintly. It wasn’t noticeable on the van if you didn’t know it was there.

 

[SIGN.DIVISION]

Here is another example with brown. Band is only in one spot running left to right. Printed a second one for the other side of the sign and there was a band in a different spot, it was a lot less noticeable, because I did a powerful clean.

Hopefully someone can give me some ideas. I hate to just throw parts at it until something fixes it

 

[SIGN.DIVISION]