Welcome to VJ628 Troubleshooting
In this guide we're going to cover a wide list of common issues. This should cover anything that may happen, but if not we'll be here to help!
SC Card Errors
If a single Smart Card error is displayed in the Status Monitor, such as S/C 7, we recommend you perform the following:
- Remove each afflicted cartridge and re-insert and see if error remains. Also use this technique to see if you can determine which cartridge(s) are actually having issues.
- Power cycle printer and see if this resolves issue (Note: Skip this step if you are experiencing S/C issues during install, ink charge, or longstore as power cycling will cause the VSM wizard to restart.
- Then repeat step 1
- If the issue remains, remove the afflicted cartridges and take a look at the smart card and see if the 3 lines on the chip look centred on the three segments of the chip.
- Next, take off the card and place it a little higher on the cartridge to centre this (moving it closer or even a bit on top of the long ridge going along the top side of the cartridge when inserted into the printer – horizontal orientation)
- If this does not correct the issue, then the smart card may be defective and will need to be replaced. Please contact our Care Team to do this.
S/C 1234 or 5678
This means that the affected cartridge or cartridges is related to the right or left ink slots. You will need to remove and inspect the lines on the chip of the Smart Cards as explained above in order to determine the cartridge or cartridges causing the error.
S/C 2345678
The error signifies that an 8 color ink (ProPhoto, XF, FLEX) set is inserted in the printer but it is expecting a 4 color inkset (Dual CMYK).
This error usually occurs during initial ink charge or during ink conversion from Dual CMYK (4-colour) to ProPhoto (8-colour). The printer either does not have the required firmware update (at least 2.01) or it is in 4-colour mode with an 8 color inkset inserted such as ProPhoto. To convert the printer from 4 colour to 8 color or vice versa, a Longstore will need to be performed. If the issue persists despite performing the Longstore, you will need to contact our Care Team who will need to connect to the printer using the Mutoh Service Assistant in order to rectify the issue.
Grainy or Shadowed Prints
Checking the following items:
- Quality of image (DPI): Ensure the image you are printing is of high enough quality.
- Ensure the ink cartridges have not expired.
- Color management used: Make sure you are printing from SPM, Wasatch using the correct settings and profile
- Print head height – Low print head will improve quality but increases the risk of head strikes.
- Head alignment in VSM: Perform Adjust Print and PF Adjust. These options are located in the Status Monitor > Media Setting.
Head Strikes / Ink Spotting
- Make sure that the media guides are not damaged and are correctly positioned around the paper.
- Check that the flushing sponge is not saturated with ink.
- Ensure that the wiper blade is clean
- Clean around the Print Head Area
- If the Print Head is in its ‘Low’ position, raise the orange print head lever to the ‘High’ position.
No Media Error
-
If the error is produced alone:
- Power off the printer and remove all ink cartridges.
- Power the printer on and reinsert all ink cartridges, making sure to update the printer info after each one.
- The media sensor at the back of the printer will sense that the media is out if it’s not tight against the platen as it’s being fed. Remove the media roll from the printer and replace it making sure that the media at the back end is tight. Power cycle the printer.
- Be sure that the power and Ethernet cables are not touching the media roll. This can cause a No Media error by causing the paper to curl away from the sensor.
- Attempt to clean the Paper Sensor (located mid-right of the platen) by applying a small amount of rubbing alcohol (2-3 drops) on the end of a foam swab and clean the sensor. Allow 2-3 minutes for the alcohol to dry and power the printer on.
- Attempt to clean the Paper Edge Sensor by applying a small amount of rubbing alcohol (2-3 drops) on the end of a foam swab and clean the sensor. Allow 2-3 minutes for the alcohol to dry and power the printer on.
- If despite perform the above, the error persists, please contact our Care Team as the Paper and Paper Edge sensor may need recalibrating.
- If there are other errors present, the No Media error will remain until the other errors are resolved, this may be an S/C error, Ink Low or Waste Tank Full to name a few.
Missing Nozzles
Missing nozzles can be caused by one of the following:
- Air in the lines
- Faulty diaphragm pump
- Maintenance intervals have not been respected
- Expired ink
- Printer has been left powered off causing the ink to dry up
- Failed print head
Note that all cleans can be performed from within the Status Monitor (VSM/MSM).
Air in the Lines
If you notice some air in the ink tubes or above the print head, we recommend you perform the following:
- Perform a couple of Little Charges from VSM
- Check that the air bubbles are flowing towards the head during the little charge
- In order to completely clear the air from the lines, you may need to perform an initial charge from VSM.
Faulty Diaphragm Pump
The diaphragm pump is the small pump that sits in front of the capping station.
Its purpose is to suck the ink out from the capping station during cleans. A sign that the pump is faulty is that ink will remain in the cap head during cleans and causing it to pool and spill in the surrounding areas as well as cause missing or dropping nozzles. A way to confirm whether the pump is at fault is to perform a small clean and check whether it is emitting a noise during the cleaning process. If it is not sucking ink through the tubes and pump nor making a noise, then the pump is faulty and will need replacing. Another sign can also be excessive ink spray on and around the pump. In which case, please contact technical support for assistance with this.
Maintenance intervals not respected
In order to ensure the longevity of the print head and to avoid it from getting blocked it is important to respect the preventative maintenance and the intervals at which the consumable parts must be replaced as well as keep the printer powered on at all times. Omitting to perform the necessary maintenance can shorten the life of the printer as well as the print head.
If you experience nozzle loss because the maintenance intervals have not been respected, we recommend replacing and cleaning any parts required followed by performing the following cleans:
- If only a few missing nozzles in one or two ink channels, try a couple of normal cleans.
- If no improvement, try a long clean.
- If either no improvement or extensive nozzle loss, try an overnight soak with Clean60. You may need to do this 2-3 times to bring all the nozzles back. See the 1min40 mark of the Preventative Maintenance video.
- Take Sawgrass Clean60 and hot distilled water at a ratio of 2:1 (Looking to achieve steam not boiling) Temporarily turned off the auto clean in VSM (To allow the print head to sit in the solution without being drained out. Don’t forget to turn it back on again after recovery).
Expired Ink
- Remove any expired Inks from the printer and from replacement ink stock.
- It is suggested that if any expired ink is in the printer lines at this point, change the capping station assembly, then a longstore should be performed on the printer to flush it out entirely and then recharge with fresh ink.
- Using expired ink may cause damage to the print head, clog the capping station, pump lines, create nozzle loss and may result in a shift of the colour output.
Printer Has Been Left Powered Off
In order to keep the printer at its best, it is important, in addition to the preventative maintenance, to keep the printer powered on at all times. Similar to the other Sawgrass printers, the VJ628 performs a clean at set intervals as well as during printing. The type of cleans and interval is set in the VSM settings. If the printer has been left powered off and has blocked nozzles, we recommend performing the following:
- If only a few missing nozzles in one or two ink channels, try a couple of normal cleans.
- If no improvement, try a long clean.
- If either no improvement or extensive nozzle loss, try an overnight print head soak with Clean60. You may need to do this 2-3 times to bring all the nozzles back. See the 1min40 mark of the Preventative Maintenance video.
- Take Sawgrass Clean60 and hot water at a ratio of 2:1 (Looking to achieve steam not boiling) Temporarily turned off the auto clean in VSM or power the printer off (To allow the print head to sit in the solution without being drained out. Don’t forget to turn it back on again after recovery).
Leaking Cartridge
- Ink leaking in or from a cartridge will usually drip and puddle at the bottom of the cartridge, inside the printer, or under the printer.
- Do NOT use a cartridge that is leaking. This will introduce air in the ink lines and can cause nozzle loss, but can be cleared with a little charge in VSM.
- All leakage inside the printer should be cleaned immediately.
Grinding Noises
- Typically caused by dirt/paper dust accumulating on the carriage rail.
- Clean and grease the Y-rail to resolve this issue.
Rapid Drop in Ink Levels in VSM/SPM
- Ink levels appear to suddenly drop, but there has been little to no use of the printer.
- Check to see if the “Auto Update” option in VSM is enabled.
- Check “Automatically Refresh” option is enabled in VPM Printer Utilities
Lifetimes CR Motor/PF Motor/ Print Head Warning Message
- After a certain number of prints, the counters will need to be reset
- Please contact our Care Team to reset the counters.
- This process will take ~20 minutes and will require a Remote Session.
If you are still experiencing issues or have further questions, please contact our Sawgrass Care Team for assistance by click the 'Support' button on the bottom right of the page, or click here.