how to fix blocked and deflecting heads (for example dx4 roland 540 )

[arzu]

Some do-it-yourself info to save a lot of money:
We have a roland 540 printer with epson dx4 heads and nazdar bulk system, and the results were not okay lately.
the test-print shows blocked nozzles and lots of irregular placed stripes (deflection)
Our supplier said simply to clean the machine and do a "strong-clean' and if it does not help, order a new head (including mounting) .
Here is what i did, with some help from youtube:
I took out the bad head according a youtube-video ,
Some problem: After unscrewing the 3 screws I could not take it out. It appeared that you have to shift the head first a bit to be able to lift it.
I Injected cleaning fluid by using a syringe (bought at a pharmacy) and a small piece of hose fom the captop-connection.
instantly you can see results (if the fluid shower underneath the head is even, the head is OK, mine was not)
After this , I held the head in a ultrasonic cleaner, filled with cleaning fluid (only the nozzle-part).
Switched it on for a minute, and when finished I simply placed it back into the machine.
After performing a "normal clean" to flush out the cleaning fluid, the head was better than before.
the blocking was gone and the stripes are more even. Not totally like new but good enough for a quality print.
The next step is to do this with another head, but maybe let it soak some minutes, US-clean somewhat longer and soak again. Maybe I can even make it like new. (if not there is really "wear"inside the nozzles)
Once you know it, you can perform this supercleaning in very short time.
After replace the head you have to check the alignment.
Print a thin horizontal line (black-colour-black) to adjust the colour position if needed.
Horizontal alignment you can perform the known "normal" users way
Don't blame me if you do the same but it makes the problem worse, i only share my experience..
Regarding the printer I am a rooky, but i am not stupid, and buying a new head can always be the next step.
Any reaction is welcome

 

[boggiom72]

FJ PRO 2 head clogged... now burnded?

Well,
I did my syringe with warm distilled water and cleaning solution... A print head was clogged about 50%...

Now nothing fires... But I have no error... Maybe I burned the head?
When this happen (a burned head) it just stop firing or it should give me some kind of errors?
Thx.
m

 

[arzu]

Well,
I did my syringe with warm distilled water and cleaning solution... A print head was clogged about 50%...
Now nothing fires... But I have no error... Maybe I burned the head?
When this happen (a burned head) it just stop firing or it should give me some kind of errors?
Thx.
m

Nothing fires but did you see water coming out of the nozzles while cleaning? If not (any more) maybe there were clottings inside the head which began to move and block the nozzles because of the bigger force you put on the cleaning fluid movement.
It might help to use a simple ultrasonic cleaner and/or try to force the fluid move the other way by sucking the solution from a cup filled with your solution where you immerse the head's nozzle part.
If the nozzles are OK but the head is simply not firing, check the cable; did you push both cables deep enough into their connectors?

 

[player]

Well,
I did my syringe with warm distilled water and cleaning solution... A print head was clogged about 50%...

Now nothing fires... But I have no error... Maybe I burned the head?
When this happen (a burned head) it just stop firing or it should give me some kind of errors?
Thx.
m

Water?

 

[arzu]

Water?

FYI I somewhere found out that the DX4 head comes in waterbased-ink models like the fastjet 540
and also in models for the eco-sol inks e.g. for our roland 540 soljet pro-3.
the only difference is the material of some plastic part, which is more resistant for ecosol inks.
So probably the soljet-type is also usable for the water-base printer.
However when cleaning of course alsways use the right cleaning fluid, belonging to the type of ink

 

[boggiom72]

Nothing fires but did you see water coming out of the nozzles while cleaning? If not (any more) maybe there were clottings inside the head which began to move and block the nozzles because of the bigger force you put on the cleaning fluid movement.
It might help to use a simple ultrasonic cleaner and/or try to force the fluid move the other way by sucking the solution from a cup filled with your solution where you immerse the head's nozzle part.
If the nozzles are OK but the head is simply not firing, check the cable; did you push both cables deep enough into their connectors?

Yes, water was coming down abundantly, so I thought I was good... I did also the sucking from a cup technique... (another head which is completely stuck -not on the machine- doesn't allow the water to pass throw at all...)

I never disconnected the head...

I moved the carriage all the way to the left, as per a simple head cleaning with the kit...

Then very carefully with the printer off and he cable out, I took one damper out, insert my syringe and push my solution... Then the other damper...

Then I approached a tiny cup from the bottom and with the metal part of the head immersed I sucked with the syringe... The water seemed to run without obstruction...

To my surprise nothing fire anymore...

If the head is burned this is what happen? No firing without error messages? Or I would get some message for electrical error?

Thanks!
m

ps.

Yes this is a FJ740 which use waterbased pigment ink... it is exactly like the solvent but without a heater, and the head has some different protection piece...

 

[arzu]

....
If the head is burned this is what happen? No firing without error messages? Or I would get some message for electrical error?
.....

I am not a tech and I don't know about heaters inside a head. Futher I doubt if there is any signal feedback from the head. However if you have a heater inside, probably there will be also a sensor.
Another thing passed my mind, but probably nothing new because it is obvious: Can it be that it is still printing cleaning solution at the first test? Of course the head must be filled with ink.
Still thinking about a cable problem, not deep enough or, maybe you put the cabel 180degrees wrong in the connectors.
A bigger problem might be that you touched the loose cable or head while you were electrostatic charged, damaging some electronics.
Always discharge yourself to a metal part of the machine before touching electronics.

 

[boggiom72]

I am not a tech and I don't know about heaters inside a head. Futher I doubt if there is any signal feedback from the head. However if you have a heater inside, probably there will be also a sensor.
Another thing passed my mind, but probably nothing new because it is obvious: Can it be that it is still printing cleaning solution at the first test? Of course the head must be filled with ink.
Still thinking about a cable problem, not deep enough or, maybe you put the cabel 180degrees wrong in the connectors.
A bigger problem might be that you touched the loose cable or head while you were electrostatic charged, damaging some electronics.
Always discharge yourself to a metal part of the machine before touching electronics.

There is not a heater in the head.
I was just saying that my printer is a waterbased pigment (FJ 740 Pro 2) so it does not have the heater on the plate and in front of the printer to cure the solvent ink... For the rest the it is exactly the same as the solvent model... (SJ 740 or 540)...

The printer head is the same...

Also I didn't disconnect the head at any moment so no cable was touched nor the head itself... i doubt it burned like that...
It may have been too much pressure on the syringe, ruining those "delicate membrane"... That's a possibility....
But still, nothing fires anymore, not even a droplet... yet no error message... and yes I run several power wash to be sure to have ink and not cleaning solution in the head prior printing...

 

[arzu]

Something to share about the membrane inside the head, what I learned yesterday
There is a membrane inside the head. There are two chambers inside the head. One for nozzle row 1 one for row 2 The membrane separates both chambers inside the head.
If you put too much pressure on the cleaning-syringe which is connected to one of the ink-inputs, the membrane can break.
It is better to make a "T" part , and manage that the sytinge is conneted ot both ink- inputs of the head at the same time. Now you can put enough pressure on the syringe to clean the heads well.
Something else I learned (new)
By the way if some random nozzles refuse and are back at a clean, it can also be that there is an open in the ink-supply e.g. a damaged rubber of the damper. The printer prints air in that case.

 

[Ali786]

Can you please tell us exactly what kind of cleaning solution you used in ultrasonic cleaner. Thanks it would help us a lot

Some do-it-yourself info to save a lot of money:
We have a roland 540 printer with epson dx4 heads and nazdar bulk system, and the results were not okay lately.
the test-print shows blocked nozzles and lots of irregular placed stripes (deflection)
Our supplier said simply to clean the machine and do a "strong-clean' and if it does not help, order a new head (including mounting) .
Here is what i did, with some help from youtube:
I took out the bad head according a youtube-video ,
Some problem: After unscrewing the 3 screws I could not take it out. It appeared that you have to shift the head first a bit to be able to lift it.
I Injected cleaning fluid by using a syringe (bought at a pharmacy) and a small piece of hose fom the captop-connection.
instantly you can see results (if the fluid shower underneath the head is even, the head is OK, mine was not)
After this , I held the head in a ultrasonic cleaner, filled with cleaning fluid (only the nozzle-part).
Switched it on for a minute, and when finished I simply placed it back into the machine.
After performing a "normal clean" to flush out the cleaning fluid, the head was better than before.
the blocking was gone and the stripes are more even. Not totally like new but good enough for a quality print.
The next step is to do this with another head, but maybe let it soak some minutes, US-clean somewhat longer and soak again. Maybe I can even make it like new. (if not there is really "wear"inside the nozzles)
Once you know it, you can perform this supercleaning in very short time.
After replace the head you have to check the alignment.
Print a thin horizontal line (black-colour-black) to adjust the colour position if needed.
Horizontal alignment you can perform the known "normal" users way
Don't blame me if you do the same but it makes the problem worse, i only share my experience..
Regarding the printer I am a rooky, but i am not stupid, and buying a new head can always be the next step.
Any reaction is welcome