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versaworks and roland bn-20 ink problem

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G8TORGRAPHICS

New Member
so the ripping software always tells me to remove inks and shake I did that once and now both my magentas register as 100% full. Will the printer just know when these run out? Aslo, do I have to run two magentas? i swapped them because the first magenta never went below 100% so i figured to swap them to get the old ink to be used. Does the bn-20 not require two magentas? and I can just leave the first slot empty with no ink cart in it? Please let me know what knowledge you guys have so I dont break anything lol
 
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netsol

Active Member
the shaking keeps solids from settling ou
prevents head clogs & premature failure
everyone says you use more mage than sny other color
your machine must be "white Capable, so, if you don't run white, you run magenta in that slot
you have to match one of the preset " ink sets"
 
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Jim Hancock

Old School Technician
Power the printer off completely before you remove the ink cartridges and shake them. Roland chips only hold ink type info, not ink used. When you remove them with the power on, the printer assumes you are replacing an empty with a full one and resets the display. The cartridge will still stop when empty, because that is mechanically triggered by a different circuit.
 
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Jim Hancock

Old School Technician
Another thought... I would bet your printer and software are configured as CMYKW. This would be why you get the "shake ink" message. That is usually when white ink is involved. The other inks should only be gently shaken when installing a new cartridge, and do not need to be shaken regularly, and I would actually not recommend it, unless the particular printer model recommends it, like on some of the newer Rolands that use pouches. The pigments in CMYK cartridge-style printers typically do not "settle out" like white ink does, and you could possibly introduce micro bubbles into them if shaken too hard. I would also venture that if you change the printer ink configuration in both the printer and VersaWorks to CMMYK, you will no longer see the "shake ink" message and you will start seeing the first magenta ink level going down. I would be curious to see a nozzle test print both before and after you change the ink configuration.
 
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cornholio

New Member
The BN-20 does ask you to shake the cartridges from time to time.
All pigments settle eventually and the ink throughput in such small and slow printers like the BN-20 or the LEF's doesn't help.
 
d fleming

d fleming

Premium Subscriber
Jim Hancock said:
Another thought... I would bet your printer and software are configured as CMYKW. This would be why you get the "shake ink" message. That is usually when white ink is involved. The other inks should only be gently shaken when installing a new cartridge, and do not need to be shaken regularly, and I would actually not recommend it, unless the particular printer model recommends it, like on some of the newer Rolands that use pouches. The pigments in CMYK cartridge-style printers typically do not "settle out" like white ink does, and you could possibly introduce micro bubbles into them if shaken too hard. I would also venture that if you change the printer ink configuration in both the printer and VersaWorks to CMMYK, you will no longer see the "shake ink" message and you will start seeing the first magenta ink level going down. I would be curious to see a nozzle test print both before and after you change the ink configuration.
Click to expand...
Magenta has been a problem with wide format printers since the first one made. I think it has to do with solid content in formulation. I had a seiko that oem magenta almost caused a total head failure, switched to nazdar inkset and it cleared up and ran 5 more years till machine reached end of service life. Once white ink capabilities came out that became the new biggest problem. A good flush on magenta as a semi-regular habit helps.
 
G

G8TORGRAPHICS

New Member
Jim Hancock said:
Power the printer off completely before you remove the ink cartridges and shake them. Roland chips only hold ink type info, not ink used. When you remove them with the power on, the printer assumes you are replacing an empty with a full one and resets the display. The cartridge will still stop when empty, because that is mechanically triggered by a different circuit.
Click to expand...
thank you for the reply. So never take the inks out unless its powered off only take them out when powered on to replace them? and I will double check the CMMYK. but since both magentas say 100 percent now will the printer just "KNOW" when they actually run out? and start beeping? I just dont wanna run the lines dry!!!
 
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cornholio

New Member
Don't worry. The final "ink empty" comes from a switch that is tripped by the plastic thing that protrudes from the cartridge when it's empty. When one of these switches is pressed, no printing or cleaning takes place.
 
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Joe House

Sign Equipment Technician
When you have two magenta channels, it doesn't print with one of them (except when doing nozzle test prints or other internal prints.) You'll want to swap the oldest one over to the active channel (the one that is magenta only) to keep your ink fresh. And as cornholio said, these printers go through ink very slowly, so it is important to keep the pigments suspended by shaking them when requested.

Good Luck
 
J

Jim Hancock

Old School Technician
So, even if the ink configuation is set to CMYKM, the second magenta channel is not used during actual printing?
 

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  • BN-20 CMYKM ink setup.jpg
    BN-20 CMYKM ink setup.jpg
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G8TORGRAPHICS

New Member
one more question! while printing with the roland bn 20 do you guys ever here weird screching sounds when the head is in motion an printing? I know on bigger flat beds that i used to work on I had to grease the carriage rail alot. It didnt say anything about that in the manual for the roland bn 20?
 
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cornholio

New Member
The rail in a BN-20 runs dry. It has a self lubricating bushing.(could be graphite in the plastic)
I have never had problems with big rail. Only once a clicking sound with the front rail.
 
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cornholio

New Member
BN-20 sounds strange, compared to "real" printers. I hate it, since it came to market...(stupid design)
But it shouln'd really screech loudly.
 
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