How to Remove and Replace Linear Bearing Blocks on SP VP XC VS LEC Rail

[graphicsphere]

Hi I have a VP-540 that I need to replace the cutting carriage and print carriage L-bearing blocks since its binding and is really hard to move freely along the rail.

So I'm trying to find a good how to video or instruction manual so I can see what parts I need to remove first before I replace the L-Bearing Blocks. Is there one bearing block for the cutting carriage and one bearing block for the print carriage? How many bearings do I need to replace and what are the Roland part numbers so I can order them?

Can anyone explain how the L-Bearing Blocks are removed off the rail? Do I need to remove all printheads from the print carriage first? What else needs to be removed first?

Thank you

 

[damonCA21]

The cut carriage has one bearing, and the print carriage two. To remove them you need to remove the carriages from the bearings, they are held on with large hex bolts at the back of the carriage and are easy to identify ( It is easier to remove them if you take off the top printer cover and screen to give you more access). You don't need to remove the heads, you can just undo the carriage to allow the bearing to be free from it. Move the carriages over to the middle of the printer to get the best access.
It is best to remove the dampers and head cables ( Unplug the machine from the wall and leave at least 15 minutes before removing any cables ) as this makes it easier to get to the hex bolts

Once you have done this you can remove the left hand cover and slide the bearings all the way to the left, there is a plastic stop you need to remove on the rail and after doing this you can slide them off the rail.

 

[damonCA21]

It is a pretty straightforward job, but after replacing them you will probably need to run the print and curt alignments as the carriages can be in slightly different positions

 

[graphicsphere]

Thank you that makes a lot more sense. I’ll get the linear bearing blocks out and see what exact part numbers they are. I wasn’t sure if I needed to remove all the heads first because that would take a lot more time to reinstall.

 

[adamfromayr]

Take great care of the print head carriage also as that will be Free and loose one wrong move and you can damage the expensive printheads

I just recently swapped the Cut carriage bearing block and is so much better now

 

[graphicsphere]

I’m trying to buy 3 linear blocks for a Roland SP-300 and Roland VP-540. 1 for the cutting carriage and 2 for the printing carriage. Digiprint supplies says the part number is SSR15XW1UUE for the SP-300. Digiprint Supplies says the part number is SSR15XW1GGE for the VP-540.

Do you know if the Roland SP-300 and VP-540 use the same linear blocks?

Do you know what the difference of SSR15XW1UUE for SP-300 and SSR15XW1GGE for VP-540 is?

The Roland SP-300 Rail length is 1500L and the VP-540 Rail length is 2050L.

Can I order all 6 same linear bearing blocks?

 

[damonCA21]

The digiprint numbers are for the blocks with the rail, not the blocks on their own. You don't need to change the rail as well.
Digiprint have them listed here https://www.digiprint-supplies.com/en/vp-540-l-bearing-ssr15xw1gge-block-only-pmero17563
The SP300 and VP blocks are the same. Note the ones digiprint sell are chinese copies, not the original ones ( even though they claim they are Roland OEM ones on the site )

 

[FrankW]

Sure thats the bearings? In my cases (I´m a service technician) it was the motor itself regularly. Only the Tool Carriage (cutting head) is moved by the motor. If the print carriage itself moves slightly, but the cutting head moves hard, this would be another proof that the motor has failed. Cutting head and print carriage are connected by a magnet, you can disconnect them easily by using a screw driver as a lever. You can disconnect the motor (remove the toothed belt temporarily) too to check it?

Other issue: sometimes the rail deforms a little bit. If you move the carriage and it is hard to move on specific areas of the rail only, loose the screws holding the rail only on that area (not all), and then tighten the screws again. It regularly move itself to the correct position.

 

[graphicsphere]

In my case the 3 L-Bearing Blocks needed to be replaced. All is working again! This was a VP-540 that someone brought me in on trade. A Roland Technician gave him a quote to replace the L-Bearing Blocks since they were worn out so he declined to replace them because of the age of the printer that’s why he chose to trade-in and upgrade with one of my newer model Roland printers the VG2-540 I had for sale. I still really love the VP-540 and is the only Roland printer model I have kept buying, selling and trading in my shop for over 12 years. The newer Roland TruVIS printers have much more features but if somebody really wants a 54” model and doesn’t want all those extra bells and whistles then the VP-540 is still the best choice possible.