No Print days

[Colin]

Would you say that printing off something like this would be the best thing to print on those days when the printer isn't utilized?

(1" x 8" rectangles filled with Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black).

 

[fmg]

Yes.I print a test print on the days the printer is not being used.Can't do any harm and keeps the nozzles firing!
Sometimes i print a file but just reduce the size of it.

 

[AUTO-FX]

I used to do that , but lately I just do a nozzle check. My Mutoh prints a strip the width of the media in all colors.
Theoretically, you could just print black as long as you havent selected "pure hue" in your production manager.

 

[Colin]

I guess I'm wondering if the pure CMYK thing I do here is better for the heads rather than some other print. (?)

If running off some of my own decals or customer promo stuff is just as good, I'd rather do that.

 

[Malkin]

I've always just depended on letting the printer do it's own thing (self cleaning or whatever it is) every 24 hrs or so.

 

[AUTO-FX]

I guess I'm wondering if the pure CMYK thing I do here is better for the heads rather than some other print. (?)

If running off some of my own decals or customer promo stuff is just as good, I'd rather do that.

Well, you're certainly moving more ink through consistently across the heads by doing the color blocks, anyway, so one could argue that it is more thorough!

If you wanted efficient, than yeah, print jobs! Anything with black of sufficient size will fire all the nozzles, right?

 

[iSign]

I've always just depended on letting the printer do it's own thing (self cleaning or whatever it is) every 24 hrs or so.

me too (although not on a Roland)
worked for me fine for 5-1/2 years..

 

[john1]

I just let my Roland do it's own cleaning. I have it set up to come on every 8 hours if not in use.

 

[Colin]

I just let my Roland do it's own cleaning. I have it set up to come on every 8 hours if not in use.

Yes, mine "awakens" every so often and does something, but I wonder if that is enough, or is an actual print what is required to keep the heads happy.

 

[john1]

Yes, mine "awakens" every so often and does something, but I wonder if that is enough, or is an actual print what is required to keep the heads happy.

Been doing it since last December, No issues and sometimes i don't use my machine for a week (sadly)

 

[GB2]

I think it's a good idea. Here's an image of the test print I run occassionally.

 

[sfr table hockey]

In the CJ and FJ Rolands there is a test print in the service menu called fill pattern. It prints each of the six colors in a 1 inch strip the length of the media you have set up. About 24 to 30 inch wide is enough to use up the reservoir in the print head and refresh at least that amount of ink. Also is good to see if you are getting banding on a solid color.

 

[CentralSigns]

Dude as long as you do a by hand cleaning, at least once a week don't worry about it. Your just wasting ink. I clean mine once a week and if I'm printing lots everyday, than a couple times a week. The printer will let you know if it needs cleaned more often by showing banding or slopped sprayed ink. If you must print something print business cards for yourself, or decals to slap on your sign products. The printer can go several weeks without a print job through it, just ask your service rep from the place you bought it. Al-Graphic supplies in Calgary told me not to worry about the little stuff, so I haven't. Everything is just fine for it. And this is info for a new Versacamm, like your new one.

 

[kffernandez]

I just let my Roland do it's own cleaning. I have it set up to come on every 8 hours if not in use.

john1, could you by any chance tell me how you set the 8 hour clean cycle thing? i have an SC-540, and i'm not entirely sure it wakes up the way it is supposed to. when i power it up [the one in front-the back switch stays on everytime], it goes automatically into a cleaning cycle when it hasn't been used for a day or so. but other than that, i haven't caught my machine waking itself up to do "stuff."

thanks!

 

[MikePro]

i fire mine first thing every morning while i drink my coffee

 

[Colin]

Dude as long as you do a by hand cleaning, at least once a week don't worry about it. Your just wasting ink. I clean mine once a week and if I'm printing lots everyday, than a couple times a week.

Thanks for the reply, but I don't think that cleaning the unit (manually) does anything for the issue of keeping the heads "wet" and preveting them from going dry. (?)

The printer can go several weeks without a print job through it, just ask your service rep from the place you bought it.

That's just it though; I've been told by the rep (and read many times on the web) that one should run these particular machines at least once a week. (?)

All-Graphic supplies in Calgary told me not to worry about the little stuff, so I haven't.

Yikes. That doesn't sound like good advice to me, it sounds like something a salesman who doesn't want to be pestered with details would say. I prefer the old adage: "Those who pay attention to details, come out on top." (I think that was from car racing or something).

Everything is just fine for it. And this is info for a new Versacamm, like your new one.

I'm not sure what you mean there.

 

[kffernandez]

Colin, one thing i can say about the daily routine tho.. is that printing solid bands would definitely help keep the nozzles that work - wet. since this would prevent ink from drying.

but the problem would be the nozzles that are actually clogged for one reason or another. from my experience, clogged nozzles need a cleaning cycle at the least to clear them up. that's why i personally think that a cleaning cycle at least once a day would be best. this is exactly the reason why i am so concerned about making sure that my machine is automatically doing it's cleaning when i'm not around.

 

[GB2]

I think that the automatic cleaning cycles absolutely need to be maintained, and that goes without saying. What he is proposing is a daily printing in addition to the automatic cleaning cycles and I think it is a very good idea if the machine will be sitting idle for any length of time. The ink use is nominal and the benefit could be great.

 

[tbaker]

one of the best things to keep your heads viable for the duration is to print, That being said, all print shops go through slow periods where their printers aren't used for days at a time. During this time period, I've recommended to my clients to print something very similar to this on their printers.

The best thing in the world for your heads, is for ink to go through them. Personally I recommend a bigger box, about 6" x12" of each of the 4 primary colors.

It may seem like a waste at times, but think of it this way, the 3 foot of media and associated ink, if far cheaper then a head.

 

[kffernandez]

The ink use is nominal and the benefit could be great.

hi. could you clarify what particular benefits it would provide on top of what the automatic cleanings would do? for about a month, i tried printing these bands every morning before, and i just didn't see additional benefit it would have given once i started my daily or auto cleaning routine.

off the top of my head, i think that a simple nozzle check would be the only thing i could recommend other than the auto cleaning. just so that i would be warned early of any clogged nozzles that has developed since i last printed, and deal with it accordingly.

thanks!