sp540V Wandering print

[Drip Dry]

I know this thread is old, but you mentioned static.

I had several strange problems happening even after cleaning the strip.
I mostly had problems with it dropping ink,wandering prints etc...

In talking to the sign supply rep on the phone, he gave me alot of info on my problem. However, as a last comment, he wanted to sell me a static kit for $50.00 bucks. I thought of it as throwing him 50.00 for the good info he gave me. I never thought it would work.
I had problems right up until the time I put it on. It solved all my problems. It's been running solid since about Jan.

Simple setup, looks like a skinny bunjy cord that has 2 round magnetic disks
attached to the ends of it. The cord is stretched across the back of the machine and the cord is positioned to ride just above or touching the supply roll of vinyl. Works great in my opinion.

Got it from sign supply Pine brook NJ

JT

 

[Capital Signs]

I had that problem. Not the one for the burnt cable. But the wondering print. I had saved it to take some pictures and post, and you beat me too it. I just threw it away, anyway...

I cleaned the encoder strip, and the reader, and everything came back to life! all normal. I havent seen too much more than that to do it, or pixelate, or make prints fuzzy. It just sucks when you put one to go, and then you turn around for 10 minutes, and notice it, thinking it's going alright...

SUCK IT! You just lost a 10 foot print... LOL

 

[Former member]

If you had a new encoder put in, You have to Set the limit, Set the encoder, and do the encoder calibration. In service menu.

I second this comment...

You gotta get into the service menu to get this problem fixed.
I've had the same problem several times. Clean the strip then set it, then calibrate.
When they get dirty they do exactly what your seeing.

Some other things to look for:
Be sure to print with the head height on low when appropriate.
and dont use a fan near the machine. The wind kicks up dirt which gets on the encoder.
Usually the "dirt" on the encoder is actually ink particles.

 

[stopngo]

encoder strip

what is everyone using to clean the encoder strip....alcohol and cotton swabs?

Thanks

 

[futuredcon]

Isopropyl Alky and lint free cloth or tech swab LINT FREEEEEEEE

 

[Delgrosso Junkie]

So. I had the same problem. Couldn't figure out for the life of me what it was. However, after reading this thread etched in gold, I cleaned the encoder strip, and alas it worked.

CLEAN THE ENCODER STRIP!

And now with my perfectly working SP-540V, I'm going to mass produce bumper stickers that say "CLEAN THE ENCODER STRIP!" and stick them to cars in the parking lots of my local mall. I advise you all do the same so the world is never stuck with this wandering print epidemic.

 

[InkjetAuction]

Bad Sensor...

Good ideas from everyone. Here's a few thoughts from the trenches...

Your printing problem is mostly likely the linear encoder strip and/or the sensor.

Clean the encoder strip. Use only Isopropyl Alcohol and a lint-free cloth.
(I recently had a customer use Ecosol Cleaning solution, which obviously ruined the encoder strip.)

The linear encoder strip for the SP-540 is expensive (Part #21475188 $224.10) Before you replace it...

The encoder strip sits in a track, and about 50% of it is exposed. You can usually save the encoder strip by flipping it upside down... exposing the side that was hidden in the track. You will have to modify the right side of the strip slightly to accommodate the clip. (Ask your tech if he can flip it for you!)
​

The linear encoder sensor is part #W840605050 $115.00
This is the same part # for the SP-300 or SP-540
You can try to clean it with an alcohol swab. We've replaced a fair number of these in the field.

Replacing the encoder sensor, along with removing, cleaning and flipping the encoder strip will usually remedy the problem that you are decribing.


One other side thought...
I saw "Environmental Match" mentioned a couple of times in this post. EM is a fix for print/cut accuracy only. The VersaCAMM uses the linear encoder strip for identifying printhead position only. For cutter position, it uses the servo encoder inside the scan motor. The linear encoder strip will stretch/shrink with environmental factors. Environmental Match simply measures the strip to come up with a cutting adjustment factor for better print/cut accuracy. You have to force an Environmental Match on the SP-models. The VP and newer SOLJET model do this for you automatically.

Give us a yell back if you continue to have issues beyond these suggestions!

~E

 

[kustomkoncepts]

All good info and addition to this thread InkJetAction.

the problem has been solved for now ... note this thread is almost 9 months old.