Fixing a clogged solvent printer and converting it to aqueous

[shadowblade]

I've managed to get hold of a Roland SC-540 on the cheap, with the intention to convert it to twelve-colour aqueous output using a custom inkset.

It hasn't been switched on for a year, with ink still in the lines and a bulk ink system with non-OEM ink in place. Therefore, all the heads will be clogged. The owner switched off and stopped using the printer in the first place because one of the colours was producing fine lines (i.e. probably clogs or a head strike with that particular colour).

1) How would I go about unclogging the printer?

Bearing in mind that the printer has a bulk ink system in place, rather than cartridges.

2) What would I need to do to convert it to aqueous output?

No doubt I'd need to flush out the lines out several times with solvent cleaning solution to get rid of all traces of solvent ink, then once or twice with aqueous solution. Would I need a full set of solvent and aqueous cleaning cartridges to do this, or would it be enough to have one of each and do it one head at a time? I'd also have to change the dampers, as these would be soaked in solvent ink and would be in direct contact with the heads. Would I also need to change the capping station itself? What about the pumps? Or would it just be easier to buy three new pumps (not very expensive) and replace the ink lines at the same time?

Thanks for any info - this is a bit of a project!

[Farmer]

If it was me, I'd replace the entire ink line system and head, capping etc.  Solvent inks react strongly to water, which is basically aqueous ink :-)  The last thing you want is to put in a new head and then have it fail because of a clot.

It may also be cheaper than getting all the cleaning solution you might otherwise need!

[signinchina]

1.Here are some ways to clean the printhead.
1. wipe off the printhead with a good tissue or paper towel
2. soak the printhead in some shallow hot, or warm, water for a couple of hours (you can try alcohol too to see if it works)

[Kumar]

Lenny Eiger http://www.eigerstudios.com uses a Roland with a custom inkset. Perhaps he has some ideas. You already know about the cleaning products from American Inkjet Systems.

Kumar

[shadowblade]

If it was me, I'd replace the entire ink line system and head, capping etc.  Solvent inks react strongly to water, which is basically aqueous ink :-)  The last thing you want is to put in a new head and then have it fail because of a clot.

Apart from the head, that's what I'm thinking. Replace all the ink lines and dampers, since they're pretty cheap and full of ink. Keep the heads and the manifolds - clear out the clogs with solvent cleaning solution (might take a few days sitting in solvent) then change them over to aqueous inks by running AIS Cleaning Fluid through them a few times.

I'm not sure what to do about the pumps, though. These printers have three of them - one for every two heads. They're around $130 each.

Hoping that the heads themselves are good - apparently they were, apart from a few clogs, before the printer was shut down and left to clog completely.

1.Here are some ways to clean the printhead.
1. wipe off the printhead with a good tissue or paper towel

Doesn't that damage the head, in the same manner as a head strike?

2. soak the printhead in some shallow hot, or warm, water for a couple of hours (you can try alcohol too to see if it works)

It'd have to be solvent, since this is a printer that's been used with solvent inks.

[BrianWJH]

I'm not sure what to do about the pumps, though. These printers have three of them - one for every two heads. They're around $130 each.

Epson stylus pro printers use positive air pressure in the ink carts to move ink to the dampers and printhead, given that the Rolands have printheads and other parts common to the Epson printers then positive air pressure may be what is used in them as well.

If however the Roland uses direct pressure to pump the ink to the damper/printhead assembly then you could need to replace the pumps as well.
However you mention that the Roland uses one pump to two printheads and looking at replacement pumps on eBay for the Roland SC-540 it appears to have just two outlet nipples and no inlet nipples so I'm guessing that the Roland uses positive air pressure as well in which case there is no solvent ink contamination to worry about.

Doesn't that damage the head, in the same manner as a head strike

I'm guessing this poster is implying that you use the old windex style method, it's better to remove the heads and use a foam swab to clean the head surface, using light pressure off course.
Good luck, it's an interesting project and I'm sure you'll learn a lot!

Brian.

[shadowblade]

Epson stylus pro printers use positive air pressure in the ink carts to move ink to the dampers and printhead, given that the Rolands have printheads and other parts common to the Epson printers then positive air pressure may be what is used in them as well.

If however the Roland uses direct pressure to pump the ink to the damper/printhead assembly then you could need to replace the pumps as well.
However you mention that the Roland uses one pump to two printheads and looking at replacement pumps on eBay for the Roland SC-540 it appears to have just two outlet nipples and no inlet nipples so I'm guessing that the Roland uses positive air pressure as well in which case there is no solvent ink contamination to worry about.


Brian.

The pumps are used to draw ink away from the cap tops on the capping station, into the drain tube.

[Farmer]

You'll want to completely flush the draining pumps, then, but that's all that should be needed.  Assuming it's not fully clogged, it's far less critical than ink delivery and set/dried solvent ink isn't so much an issue contacting aqueous at that point.  A full flush should mean it's fine to continue purging.  Obviously only time will tell and it's a potential future cost for you.

[shadowblade]

Unfortunately, the printer was destroyed in delivery (fell off a forklift and smashed, after the wooden pallet it was on failed and crumbled) so this will now have to wait.

Of course, all this had to happen *after* I ordered inks, solvents, etc... thankfully I hadn't ordered replacement parts yet.

[BrianWJH]

Wow, sorry to hear that it's very disappointing, hope you some recourse.

Brian.

[shadowblade]

Wow, sorry to hear that it's very disappointing, hope you some recourse.

Brian.

The financial loss was really quite minimal (only the cost of the insurance). Just that I probably won't find a suitable printer at such a price again, at least not for a very long time.

Any idea if 44.5"-wide paper will fit into an Epson 9900? Doesn't matter if it won't print more than 44" wide - as long as the paper will go through the printer without me having to cut the roll.

[Farmer]

Hmm, the issue will be with the media holders and how much room for slack they have in them - the platen itself would handle it.

I'll try to remember to check tomorrow when I'm in the office, but feel free to post to remind me :-)

[shadowblade]

Hmm, the issue will be with the media holders and how much room for slack they have in them - the platen itself would handle it.

I'll try to remember to check tomorrow when I'm in the office, but feel free to post to remind me :-)

Thanks.

While you're there, would you mind checking if the 9900 has enough room on the front or rear lip of the platen (the part not touching the media) to mount a strip heater with aluminium tape, to act as a media and platen heater?

[abeofRD]

Unfortunately, the printer was destroyed in delivery (fell off a forklift and smashed, after the wooden pallet it was on failed and crumbled) so this will now have to wait.

Of course, all this had to happen *after* I ordered inks, solvents, etc... thankfully I hadn't ordered replacement parts yet.

OMG I feel very sorry for you I hope you haven't lost a lot of money.

[shadowblade]

OMG I feel very sorry for you I hope you haven't lost a lot of money.

Nothing apart from the cost of shipping insurance.

I'm more annoyed about the fact that I'll probably never get as good a deal on this printer, and certainly not in Australia! After all, I just needed one with working electronics and mechanical parts, since I'm going to tear out and replace all the ink-carrying parts anyway...

Hoping the Epson option works. The lack of automatic maintenance will hurt, though, since I'm a sporadic printer.

[abeofRD]

Nothing apart from the cost of shipping insurance.

I'm more annoyed about the fact that I'll probably never get as good a deal on this printer, and certainly not in Australia! After all, I just needed one with working electronics and mechanical parts, since I'm going to tear out and replace all the ink-carrying parts anyway...

Hoping the Epson option works. The lack of automatic maintenance will hurt, though, since I'm a sporadic printer.

I was about to follow your route, because I was thinking into doing the same and use a AIS 12 color system, of-course the Epson route is cheaper and a more up to date system but its only a 44" and not full 12 color.

[Farmer]

Thanks.

While you're there, would you mind checking if the 9900 has enough room on the front or rear lip of the platen (the part not touching the media) to mount a strip heater with aluminium tape, to act as a media and platen heater?

OK - at least 5" and maybe as much as 5.5" is available to lock the leftside media holder, so you should be OK on that front.

Regarding the other, they are designed to enable attachment of a mounter for a spectroproofer unit below the paper outlet, so that may be useful for that purpose?

[shadowblade]

OK - at least 5" and maybe as much as 5.5" is available to lock the leftside media holder, so you should be OK on that front.

Regarding the other, they are designed to enable attachment of a mounter for a spectroproofer unit below the paper outlet, so that may be useful for that purpose?

Thanks - Epson's specifies a maximum paper width of 44.16", with a printable width of 44", but it's a rare printer that doesn't have at least a bit of leeway in terms of paper feed.

Is the attachment point of the spectroproofer unit part of the platen itself, or another part? I'd have to tape the heating strip to the platen for it to work - I'm aiming for a platen/paper temperature of 50-60 degrees Celcius.

[Farmer]

Yeah, it won't print that wide, but there's space to put paper of that width through it.

No, the spectro mounting is below it, but what you might be able to do is make a custom bracket to hold the heater in the right place.  If you grab a user guide from the web, or specifically the spectroproofer user guide, you'll probably get a good idea of what's involved.

[shadowblade]

Yeah, it won't print that wide, but there's space to put paper of that width through it.

The outside of any paper print is always going to be a border for matting anyway, and the outer 0.25" on each side is just deckling that you wouldn't print on - that the paper can fit through the printer without me having to trim the roll with a chop saw is the main thing.

No, the spectro mounting is below it, but what you might be able to do is make a custom bracket to hold the heater in the right place.  If you grab a user guide from the web, or specifically the spectroproofer user guide, you'll probably get a good idea of what's involved.

I wouldn't need a custom bracket - just some aluminium tape or fibreglass tape to tape it to the platen (the part of it which doesn't touch the paper).