Roland DG Australia has reminded printers of important maintenance procedures for Roland printers that may be left unattended over the holiday break. “If your Roland printer is not going to be used for up to 3 weeks please ensure the main power (rear of machine) is left ON and the sub power (front control panel) is left OFF.”
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| (courtesy Graphic Art Mart) |
Roland DG Australia says:
Adequate ink must be left in the ink cartridges to ensure automatic maintenance cycles can be performed. Please also perform a manual clean before going on holidays, as described in the user manual using the recommended cleaning sticks and cleaning liquid to ensure the print heads will be well protected. If your machine contains special colours such as white or metallic, please ensure you shake these cartridges well before leaving and remember to shake upon your return before commencing normal operations. It is recommended that you run a small special colour print on your return to ensure these inks are properly circulated and to check that they are in good working order.
One other important factor particularly in regards to UV ink, is that the environment be kept stable. If the print environment is poorly insulated, temperatures in summer may exceed the recommended temperatures. Extended periods of excessive heat or cold can be detrimental to ink, which may affect the viscosity and lead to blockages of the Printhead nozzles.
If you would like to further discuss any of the above please contact Roland DG support support@rolanddg.com.au or call 02 9975 0000 to speak with one of our friendly support staff.
If you do plan on printing during the Christmas New Year period, please ensure you have appropriate stocks as there may be delays delivering orders around this time. Roland DG's technical team will be available during the Christmas period, excluding public holidays.
Roland DG UK last year released a video of maintenance tips to ensure that Roland TrueVIS VG and SG devices will be up and running after a break.
Roland DG UK recommends:
Regular manual cleaning
The biggest fear of many printer operators is that components will clog if left idle for a long period, leading to lengthy cleaning processes and potential damage to the system. Heads and cap tops can foul, potentially causing the nozzle heads to clog or deflect, or ink accumulating in the head can get messy droplets of ink on your print material. To avoid these issues, make sure you manually clean your Roland equipment – inside and out – at regular intervals, and particularly ahead of a shutdown.
Wiper maintenance
Each Roland system has different elements; Roland TrueVIS series users should check and replace wiper fluid if it is really dirty, while Roland VS series machines have a wiper and a wiper felt that should be maintained. Replace cleaning wipers when they are worn out or have reached the end of their service life, following instructions included in your device's user manual, to make sure they do their job right.
Running test prints regularly
Problems with clogged or deflected nozzles – which may cause banding and blurry text or lines – can be spotted early by carrying out regular test prints, so make this a priority both before a break and when you get back in the print room. Keep your Roland cleaning kits well stocked with items like swabs, so you can tackle issues as soon as possible – they're specifically designed for Roland machines so really make life easier.
Inspecting pad cutter for wear
A culprit of inefficient cutting in a print/cutter system is often the pad cutter; this strip of Teflon fitted just below the cutting blade does get worn and shredded, causing spotty or erratic cutting. Make a quick check of the pad cutter before a holiday shutdown and replace it if necessary – your equipment deserves a new vacation outfit too and they're easily obtainable from your local Roland Technical Service Centre.
Enabling automatic cleaning
Luckily, a lot of your pre-break to-do list is covered by the clever automatic cleaning systems fitted in Roland printing and plotting equipment, which work when you don't. Before you head out for long weekend (or even just overnight) remember to turn the machine off at the front panel but leave the primary power source switch on at the back. This will enable the automatic maintenance system to do its stuff, keeping the device spick and span for when you get back to the print room.
Cleaning your UV Printer
If you keep up with a regular cleaning and maintenance routine, you can rest assured that your device will survive a shutdown without any issues. The same is true for UV devices – although the cleaning procedure may differ in a few ways, regular maintenance is all you need to ensure that you return from your holidays with a refreshed body, mind and printer.
