Need help with Roland!!

[fastafdesigns]

We bought a new Roland VG540 from our local dealer about 6 months ago. Have had nothing but issues since purchasing it. The print is good but it won't contour cut to save its life. Way off on crop mark and print cut. Have contacted my dealer and they send a tech out multiple times and it works decent for 2 or 3 days then right back to where we started. So hundreds of dollars in lost material and I'm still in the same situation. We contacted our dealer yet again today and they are sending another tech out AGAIN. Now another problem has started it will not cut consistently throughout a job without putting a ton of downforce on the blade. Test cut is perfect everytime and then halfway through a job it doesn't cut through anymore. Blades have been changed numerous times as well. When we called this time about this we were told user error even though for the past 5 months it had been cutting through the material without issue. So yeah I guess it's user error. All in all I wouldn't recommend Roland or our dealer to anyone. Save yourself alot of time money and headach and stay away!!!! If anyone has any suggestions how to get this resolved please reach out.

 

[Vohaul]

maybe stupid question, but have they replaced the cutting strip? that'll cause the cuts decently, then doesn't etc.

 

[fastafdesigns]

maybe stupid question, but have they replaced the cutting strip? that'll cause the cuts decently, then doesn't etc.

No not yet but I will mention that to the tech

 

[MikePatterson]

Have you thought about a separate cutter? I personally wouldnt buy another print cut machine. I have only had 1Roland turd and that was a PC60. I know the original VG's had issues but the VG2's dont seem to have as many problems. I just got a new EJ640 and it has had a few issues but nothing that Roland hasn't stood behind and repaired.

We are a Roland shop. Not because I get deals on equipment. But because we have found they are workhorses.
We run a 11 yr old SP540i, New EJ640, 9 yr old GS640, New GS24, and a 12 yr old Gerber Edge 2. I might add another EJ 640 this year.

I edited this because i'm retarded and our new machine is an EJ not an RE. I dont know where I got RE from. Its hell getting old.

 

[fastafdesigns]

Have you thought about a separate cutter? I personally wouldnt buy another print cut machine. I have only had 1Roland turd and that was a PC60. I know the original VG's had issues but the VG2's dont seem to have as many problems. I just got a new RE640 and it has had a few issues but nothing that Roland hasn't stood behind and repaired.

We are a Roland shop. Not because I get deals on equipment. But because we have found they are workhorses.
We run a 11 yr old SP540i, New RE640, 9 yr old GS640, New GS24, and a 12 yr old Gerber Edge 2. I might add another RE 640 this year.

I have honestly thought about getting just a cutter as well. I wanted to see if Roland can fix my machine first. It doesn't seem though they can or want to at this point.

 

[NYStickerKings]

I have honestly thought about getting just a cutter as well. I wanted to see if Roland can fix my machine first. It doesn't seem though they can or want to at this point.

Im having the second issue this week with cutting. I change the paper type and never had an issue before. Now when I go from one paper to another, it just wont cut anything. It makes no sense.

 

[fastafdesigns]

Im having the second issue this week with cutting. I change the paper type and never had an issue before. Now when I go from one paper to another, it just wont cut anything. It makes no sense.

Ours just started this week as well. It will cut just have to put a ton of downforce on it.

 

[Aflac]

We have two VG540s one cuts amazing the other has the same issues. We dealt with 3 different dealers and have had the same outcome. Seems that Roland's only answer is always "network issue" or workflow issue". I don't see how that is the case as one machine works great and the other is a paper weight.
We have been a Roland shop for close to 15 years but these new printers aren't the same as their older work horse machines. We will be looking at other printers next year whens it time.

 

[fastafdesigns]

We have two VG540s one cuts amazing the other has the same issues. We dealt with 3 different dealers and have had the same outcome. Seems that Roland's only answer is always "network issue" or workflow issue". I don't see how that is the case as one machine works great and the other is a paper weight.
We have been a Roland shop for close to 15 years but these new printers aren't the same as their older work horse machines. We will be looking at other printers next year whens it time.

Same here.

 

[fastafdesigns]

Just to update we now have a new problem with this machine. It now won't maintain downforce as it cuts and cuts through the vinyl and then not at all ruining blades and vinyl. We have jobs to be done with this weekend and we have to result to a $300 plotter off of Amazon that outperforms this Roland by far. What a disaster! If anyone has any insight on what we could do to fix before our tech gets here next Tuesday please let us know. I've attached some photos of this crap.

 

[Jim Hancock]

Did the techs do the force adjustment calibrations for the cutter? This requires a special dummy tool that replaces the blade holder and 2 different force gauges with 2 different ranges. I had a similar issue with a VG and I determined there was an issue while performing this calibration. I determined the cutter solenoid mechanism was failing, replaced it, and it has been working fine since then.

 

[Alpha Star]

We have 5 similar Rolands. We have this issue a lot, and it's usually because of the same cause. If you DM me, I'll share it with you, but honestly just so unimpressed with Roland support that I don't want to post solutions publicly. We bought an LEC2 over a year ago, and it has literally printed nothing to date... Their ink is too expensive and they have locked out service mode, so it just collects dust.

 

[fastafdesigns]

Did the techs do the force adjustment calibrations for the cutter? This requires a special dummy tool that replaces the blade holder and 2 different force gauges with 2 different ranges. I had a similar issue with a VG and I determined there was an issue while performing this calibration. I determined the cutter solenoid mechanism was failing, replaced it, and it has been working fine since then

Did the techs do the force adjustment calibrations for the cutter? This requires a special dummy tool that replaces the blade holder and 2 different force gauges with 2 different ranges. I had a similar issue with a VG and I determined there was an issue while performing this calibration. I determined the cutter solenoid mechanism was failing, replaced it, and it has been working fine since then.

No they have not performed the force calibration but I will mention it to the tech that comes out this Tuesday. Thanks for the reply!

 

[fastafdesigns]

We have 5 similar Rolands. We have this issue a lot, and it's usually because of the same cause. If you DM me, I'll share it with you, but honestly just so unimpressed with Roland support that I don't want to post solutions publicly. We bought an LEC2 over a year ago, and it has literally printed nothing to date... Their ink is too expensive and they have locked out service mode, so it just collects dust.

I will send a dm.

 

[fastafdesigns]

So to update... roland tech seems to think it is the servo board which controls the power to the cutter. We went back to factory reset and updated the firmware and it started cutting great. Now a day later it's back to square one. Can't cut again. Roland is going to remote in and try to bandaid it for us until they can come out a replace the board. Thanks to everyone for the suggestions and messages. Means alot that we are willing to help each other. Will give another update when it's finally fixed.

 

[SGS Graphics]

We have a Roland........that was our first mistake.

Roland Soljet Pro XR640 which prints well until yesterday when a printhead went down but as for contour cutting. not fit for purpose is probably best way to describe it. Roland tech advise that's the best they can cut which is terrible at best.

Purchased a Summa cutter to split the workflow and you will never look back. Print on the Roland Switch to cut on the summa leave the job and every time it comes out cut perfectly.

Buy a Summa cutter and your headache will go away fully

The newer your Roland Machine is the worse the quality of them is. Cost cutting cost saving corner cutting are all words to describe their newer stuff

 

[fastafdesigns]

We have a Roland........that was our first mistake.

Roland Soljet Pro XR640 which prints well until yesterday when a printhead went down but as for contour cutting. not fit for purpose is probably best way to describe it. Roland tech advise that's the best they can cut which is terrible at best.

Purchased a Summa cutter to split the workflow and you will never look back. Print on the Roland Switch to cut on the summa leave the job and every time it comes out cut perfectly.

Buy a Summa cutter and your headache will go away fully

The newer your Roland Machine is the worse the quality of them is. Cost cutting cost saving corner cutting are all words to describe their newer st

 

[fastafdesigns]

Will the summa cutters be compatible with flexi 19 and versaworks ?

 

[SGS Graphics]

We’re using flexi 21 and versaworks with ours

 

[fastafdesigns]

We’re using flexi 21 and versaworks with ours

Definitely looking into it thanks!