Roland sj740 - Help

[badgeman]

Here is the situation. I have a SJ 740 running BASF dye sub inks. Started having problems with ink not flowing properly. Having to clean every 5 - 10 minutes. This was on both Cyan and Magenta. Changed dampers same thing. Tech came in and moved heads. Same thing. (Thank the powers that be it wasn't another head). The cassetts at the back where the ink flows from the bulk feeder was leaking through the rubber seal when the cartridge was inverted. Tech said this causes an air leak and this is why we have problem. Changed cartridge. Started to work ok and then started having problems again. Today the red starts. Followed exact same process without changing heads, Though with the three I have gone through in the last 4 months I can change them myself now(LOL). Now prints about 1 foot of color and dries up. Great looking yellow print, but should be red.

Any suggestions as to where now. If I have to have to deal with this one more night I am going to throw it out of the window, and we are two stories up. Well wheel it to the window first.

PLEEEEEEEAAAAAASSSSSSSEEE

No beers till its fixed and that is real depressing

 

[BobbyFosson]

Almost sounds like a broken manifold in the head or possibly an airleak somewhere in the ink chain. Notice any air in the line anywhere?

 

[badgeman]

I have had the cover off and can watch the ink flow. No air in the line. If I continually head clean every two passes then it works ok. Hell I might as well invest in BASF for all the amount of ink in the waste bottle. At least that way I'll get some type of return.

 

[badgeman]

Bobby... Thats exactly what the head tech said. Air in the line. Tech has been in at 7am this morning. Stripped machine. Tightened all line connections, Put in a new head, replaced dampers, put in new capping station. Adjusted vertical allignment, bias and bi-directional print.

Tested. OK

B#$%er me 2 hours later same problem happens again. Only on Magenta. I only have 400meters of one job to print that needs magenta and lost a whole day of production of 100 meters.

It has been one of those days today. Now jobs are piling up into each other. I have resorted to printing jobs that need little or no majenta tonight. Lets see how that works. If it doesn't I going home and have a few


Any ideas however remote I am willing to look at. All I am thankful for is that this day of replacing all these spares has not been for my cost. There is always a silver lining.

 

[BobbyFosson]

I normally see air in the line caused by a broken or bent ink supply needle (that peirces the factory sealed cartridges), busted manifold in the head, popped damper or even the o-ring inside the damper. There are also brass couplings mid way through the inklines that may need to be tightened up (unlikely).

My bet would be the o-rings in the dampers. Chances of multiple head manifold blowing out is very slim.

 

[badgeman]

Thanks Bobby. We replaced the dampers so I know it is not the O rings. The needle into the cartridge could be the problem as I did not see him look at that. Maybe it has some dirt in it where it punctures the cartridge seal thus limiting the ink flow. It is only on one side of the head we are having the problem so it is only one line being affected.

Will let you know if that is the problem.

Thanks again

 

[BobbyFosson]

Keep us posted.

 

[badgeman]

Hey Bobby... Checked the pins. blew whatever was in the line out. Still the same thing. Moved the ribbon cable from Yellow to magenta. Managed to blow a fuse. Fixed the fuse. Problem solved. Who the hell checks the ribbon cables. Wiped the ribbon cables clean to all heads.

Reset machine from beginning to end.

Start up. Now printing. 2 days later and having changed everything in the machine. At least I scored a new head in the process.

for all the help and ideas.

Now I am definately going for 's to night after I catch up all the printing.

Cheers