What the F*()*#$ is wrong with my printer ???

[The Big Squeegee]

My first thoughts on this problem was that of a resistration issue. If your software uses a key, is it lossing comunication with the program? I had some software that if the the key was not in place it would print only bars of the graphic.

 

[signage]

Might want to check you USB port setting if your software uses a usb dongle to make sure it is set to always on!

 

[ddubia]

Working for a large format screen, offset and digital printing company a few years ago I experienced something very similar.

What turned out to be our problem, on a 48" Encad printer, was that the file was too large and it basically freaked-out the rip. I lowered the resolution of the file, which drastically reduced the files size, and it printed without a problem.

I don't know if that is your problem here, but your output looks exactly like what happened to me.

 

[Chad.]

BUMMER!
I feel your pain.

I'm not sure I have a lot to offer in the way of troubleshooting suggestions, but I had a few comments anyway.

who did you buy it from?
do they offer technical support?

there's lots of great minds here... but it really helps to have authorized technicians trained in your equipment & on someone's payroll explicitely to get with you on the phone, & stay on untill the issue is resolved.

As I've said every time someone comes on here looking for opinions on which printer to buy, that they will all print great, so buy from a source that will provide the best support.

Advantage Sign Supply spent over an hour on the phone with my computer technician yesterday before their closing time... AND almost another hour AFTER he was supposed to leave for the day to help us resolve an issue that had me unable to output jobs for awhile. They got us back in business, as they always have. (No charge either)

...so I hope you will also have that luxury available to you.

also, try posting on printingdigital.net if you haven't already.

Yes, i purchased it locally from a company that provides decent support.

On a side note, do you guys always run with that many pinch rollers?
I know this has nothing to do with the problem, I'm just curious. I only use 2 on 54" due to the fact that I hate the chances of my ink getting skid marks during a contour cut.

I always use all the pinch rollers on banner material, sometimes on countour prints and have never had a problem.

To me it looks like the ink firing electronics are messed up. Loose cable or electronics have gone bad. I don't this it's communications because most printers are driven by some kind of language that follows a strict syntax and if not followed you would be getting error messages on the printer because the printer's firmware was unable to process (understand) the commands.

I hope that is not the problem, but i will look into it. I keep my machine as sterile as can be, to the point where the tech reps always compliment.

I would try re-installing vesraworks.

P

Working on that now.

I agree with player. It sounds like a RIP issue.
I like Versa Works....but I can puke a RIP!
The older Color Works was clunky, but it was a much stronger RIP.
For example, If I send a complex vector file with a contour path....Versa works IGNORS the cut pat. I can shoot the same file on the Color Rip with no problems. I have had heafyt discussions with Roland about it.
Is you RIP up to date?
_Munch

Im using versaworks 2.2 ... to my knowledge that is the latest version.

My first thoughts on this problem was that of a resistration issue. If your software uses a key, is it lossing comunication with the program? I had some software that if the the key was not in place it would print only bars of the graphic.

VersaWorks has no key ... at least if it does, it worked the last 6 months w/o it.

Might want to check you USB port setting if your software uses a usb dongle to make sure it is set to always on!

the SP540-V is an ethernet (cat 5) driven printer ... not USB

Working for a large format screen, offset and digital printing company a few years ago I experienced something very similar.

What turned out to be our problem, on a 48" Encad printer, was that the file was too large and it basically freaked-out the rip. I lowered the resolution of the file, which drastically reduced the files size, and it printed without a problem.

I don't know if that is your problem here, but your output looks exactly like what happened to me.

This was only a 4x8 banner, and the other was a 2x6 coroplast sign ... these file sizes are far smaller than some of the things i have pushed through VW

 

[ddubia]

these file sizes are far smaller than some of the things i have pushed through VW

Wouldn't know where to go from there then. I just offered my only experience with a very similar output problem. It does sound like a RIP issue to me though.

Best of luck. I know these things can be frustrustrating when you are doing everything as usual and get unusual results.

 

[cartoad]

Chad,
Please post here what you learn Monday from the techs, in the year and half we have had the roland 540 it has done some strange things, but nothing quite like that. Last issue was skewing of the printing, turned out to be a dirty encoder cable, so we now clean it (carefully!) about once per month. Our tech support is 6 hours away.
Hal

 

[Graphix Plus Ink]

incoder strip or board i'd put money on it.

 

[Color Dude]

I will say that the encoder strip is dirty and needs a good cleaning. The print shifting and missing is a sure sign of the encoder being dirty. I bet if you clean it well with a lint free cloth and denatured alcohol, the problem will subside.

If that doesnt fix it, I would take a look at the cut carriage ribbon, make sure there are no obvious signs of wear. I have seen those cable get folded up and cause major print issues.

Let us know chad

 

[TheMattMan]

I just use those square alcohol swabs that come prepackaged 1 each to clean my encoder strip.

 

[iSign]

Yes, i purchased it locally from a company that provides decent support.

that's good news. I presume they are there in person now, so once you get that backlog of printing rolling out, let us know what it turned out to be.

 

[Gino]

[THUD]



:Oops: I mean bump........

please let us know what was happening...........​

 

[brainnew]

Electricity power source glitched! It's happen one time to my SP-540-V, it's skip a white blank band. I have reset and re-rip.

 

[JAMESGANGRACING]

did you say you are printing on coroplast?

 

[threeputt]

I will say that the encoder strip is dirty and needs a good cleaning. The print shifting and missing is a sure sign of the encoder being dirty. I bet if you clean it well with a lint free cloth and denatured alcohol, the problem will subside.

If that doesnt fix it, I would take a look at the cut carriage ribbon, make sure there are no obvious signs of wear. I have seen those cable get folded up and cause major print issues.

Let us know chad

Good call, Chad except that in place of denatured alcohol, I'd recommend Isopropyl alcohol. A tech once told me that the denatured still has some solvents in it. Just my two cents.