Roland VG-2 - gunked up grit roller causing misaligned cuts

[Bryce I]

Pictures included. when advancing or pulling the sheet, you can hear a loud squeak coming from the right grit roller. The cuts are coming out all wonky. Has anyone else encountered this? We have scheduled a warranty covered tech visit, and I'm wondering if it will be a matter of cleaning or replacing parts. All insights welcome. Thanks!

 

[SGC]

We clean ours with 90% IPA and a toothbrush.

 

[damonCA21]

Try cleaning with acetone and a toothbrush. The don't normally squeak though unless they are damaged or one of the bearings is seizing.

 

[netsol]

My sc545-ex is 20 years old, heavily used & I have never needed to clean grit rollers
my Gerber stuff needs to cleaned regularly
there must be a difference in the mix of what we print

 

[Joe House]

I've seen a lot worse on the grit wheels. It's a good idea to keep those clean, but I doubt that they're the cause of your cutting problem. Let us know what the tech says.

 

[Bryce I]

Update: The tech replaced the feed motor and the gear that the shaft for the grit roller attaches to. Fixed the issue. I've started cleaning with a toothbrush. good thing too, because since we've been doing die cut stickers, cutting through the backing on purpose, we're creating a lot more particulate to clean out. Thanks for the tips, everyone!