SC-540 Roland setup to use as vinyl cutter

Load it in service mode where cleaning procedure skipped during boot up.

 

Whoever you got it from could have unplugged it during a flush or ink change being done and there is no way to bypass it besides let it finish trying to clean/pump. You need to get some dummy bulk ink cartridges plugged in the back of the machine with bulk ink chips to make it think it has ink so you can use it as a cutter. I forget but even empty ink cartridges might work just MAKE SURE the chips are on the cartridge or you will RIP off the sensor inside the machine and be in to a several hour job tearing the back of the printer off and replacing the sensor tabs. It's a real pain.

Here are some of the cheapest parts links. Sometimes on eBay people will sell empty cartridges for Roland machines you could just put chips into.

Buy 12pcs of these
https://www.sign-in-china.com/produ...ridge_for_roland_inkjet_printer_machines.html

Buy 2 pcs of these (That's 12 chips one for each cartridge.)
https://www.sign-in-china.com/produ...eco_solvent_max_chips_6pcs_set_cmyklclm_.html

You can buy the above parts on eBay also for a little bit more.

 

Hmm... turn off the printer, open printer’s chassis cover, disconnect cable from “CN8” slot of servo board and run the printer again. Just curious what will happen...

 

I think if use use a cleaning cart and it is empty it will work.

 

Don't touch the board unless you enjoy chasing ghost

 

That cable will disable the ink tank board thus technically should prevent system from initializing it during the boot.

 

just a few things to help you on your way
the carts are colour slot sensitive by the small bumps sticking out of the case different arrangement for each colour. the cart physically wont fit in the wrong slot. you may be able to file them off but never tried, and of cause you need 12 of them, i think it will probably work with carts but they must have or think it has ink. on the back of the cart is a thin blade that sticks out when the cart is empty of ink, this triggers the levels, as you have no desire to make the printer print you can slice about 3mm of the tab to make the printer think it has ink.
the printer will still want to do cleans etc. you might be able to reduce those in the menu. next problem may be driving the cutter the original was colourrip rip from roland and can drive it just as a plotter with out problems. unfortunately the colourrip was a XP program we still run ours on a win7 pro computer just fine never tried win10 yet,
there is half a chance that a standard roland cutter driver may just drive it on its own with out the rip.
a little unorthodox but well worth a shot as it is a high class cutter system just not the fastest but fast enough.. best of luck.

 

All carts will fit all slots. Do not cut the top tab off or the cart will not enter the machine fully. If you get into the service menu you can convert the machine to a SC545EX and run it on versaworks for free on windows 10