Preventative Maintenance Explained (VJ-628)

 

Do you want to make sure that you are taking the right steps to keep your VJ628 healthy?

Look no further!

This article will tell you all about our recommended best practices:

 

As with any printer, preventative maintenance should be part of a daily practice. Without preventative maintenance, consumable parts may become strained or worn, the life of the parts may be cut in half and poor production may result. To keep the Sawgrass VJ-628 running at optimal performance levels, be sure to follow the Basic Preventative Maintenance and Cleaning on the Sawgrass VJ-628 video recommendations.

  • VSM Auto-Clean Settings
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    Auto-Clean settings should be set to at least 1 short clean every 6 hours (360 minutes).

    To confirm, select the Advanced Setting tab in the Remote Panel of the ValueJet Status Monitor, adjust if needed and select Update in the top of the screen to save the setting.
    We also recommend setting the following:

    • Spitting: On
    • Pass Count: 25
    • Cleaning Mode: Short
  • Inspection, Cleaning, and Part Replacement Checklist

    It is imperative to routinely inspect the printer and replace any consumable parts as soon as possible. 

    We highly recommend maintaining a maintenance log that is kept near the printer to keep track of the life spans of the various consumable parts and when the parts require changing.

    If you are a business running multiple shifts with the Sawgrass VJ628, a daily cleaning log/sign off sheet is strongly suggested to maintain the printer and employee accountability.

  • Consumable Parts Replacement Log 

    • The attached checklist located at the end of this article has been designed by Sawgrass to use after each production run.  It includes any preventative maintenance processes that need to be performed on the VJ628. 
    • If you use the printer for more than 8 hours per day, be sure to log and repeat the steps in the form below every 8 hours. 
  • Optimal Environmental Conditions

    • Be sure to maintain the printer in an environment following the guidelines below
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  • Nozzle Checks

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    • Perform a nozzle check at the beginning of each production cycle and large job queues. 
    • It is not advised to print when there are missing nozzles.  Perform a short, normal, or long clean depending on how many nozzles are missing
  • Little Charge

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    • In rare cases where nozzles are not recovered by using either the short, normal, or long clean processes, or if air bubbles are present in the ink lines, it is suggested to perform a Little Charge which should be followed by a normal clean. 
       
    • The Little Charge Procedure uses a large amount of ink and is to be used to flush the ink lines and print head.  This should not be used as a standard cleaning procedure.
  • Monitor Ink Levels
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    • Check the ink levels at the beginning of each production cycle and as needed in between. 
    • The ink levels can be viewed in the ValueJet Status Monitor.  You can use this information to plan and predict for when you will need to replace the cartridge/s. 
    • The ValueJet Status Monitor updates the ink levels when the Printer Info button is selected. 
    • Select the “Auto Printer Information” tool in the printer status window of the ValueJet Status Monitor.  From here, you can select the refresh rate for the printer information.  Intervals of 3, 10, 30, or 60 seconds between ink level updates can be selected from here.
  • Monitor Waste Levels 
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    • It is best to check the level for the waste ink at the beginning of each production cycle.  
    • Select “Reset Waste Ink” button when the physical waste tank has been emptied to prevent the waste ink from overflowing into the printer. 
      • The container will need to be at least 1.4 Liters.

     

  • Check Status Information Screen 
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    • It is recommended to check the Status Information Screen in the ValueJet Status Monitor at the beginning of each production cycle and as needed for any alerts, error messages, or if the printer begins to beep. 
  • Print and Paper Feed Adjustments
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    • An Alignment check should be performed every time the media/paper roll is changed, the printer is moved, or if there is blurry image output. 
    • Alignments are necessary to avoid poor quality output like ghosting or image blur. 
  • Cleaning the Capping Area

     

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    • Clean with mixture of hot distilled water and Sawgrass Clean 60 weekly or as needed.
    • Use foam tipped cleaning swabs available in the VJ-628 Cleaning Kit.
    • Never use alcohol or eco-solvent cleaners on or around the capping assembly as print head damage may result.(As demonstrated in the Basic Preventative Maintenance and Cleaning on the Sawgrass VJ-628 video)
    • Replace once a year or as needed. (Cap Head replacement demonstrated in the Cap Head Assembly Replacement Guide Video.)
  • Cleaning the Flushing Box Sponge

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    • Clean with mixture of hot distilled water and Sawgrass Clean 60 weekly or as needed.

    • Avoid debris and heavy waste ink accumulation.

    • Replace every 2 months or as needed with new VJ-628 Flushing Box Sponge.
      (As advised in the Basic Preventative Maintenance and Cleaning on the Sawgrass VJ-628 Video)

  • Cleaning the Platen Front Surface

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    • Wipe down weekly or as needed.

    • Avoid dust, debris or ink spill accumulation.

    • Do not wipe dust or debris towards the print head. Lint-free cloths are available in VJ-628 Cleaning Kit.

  • Cleaning the Print Head Circumference

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    • Clean with mixture of hot distilled water and Sawgrass Clean60 weekly or as needed. Use foam tipped cleaning swabs available in the VJ-628 Cleaning Kit.

    • Never use alcohol or eco-solvent cleaners on or around the print head as damage may result.

    • Never touch the print head directly with the swabs or fingers.

    • Never use cotton tipped swabs as fibres may be left behind.
      (As demonstrated in the Basic Preventative Maintenance and Cleaning on the Sawgrass VJ-628
      video)

  • Cleaning the Wiper Blade

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    • Clean with mixture of hot distilled water and Sawgrass Clean 60 weekly or as needed.

    • Use foam tipped cleaning swabs available in the VJ-628 Cleaning Kit.

    • Never use alcohol or eco-solvent cleaners on or around the wiper blade as print head damage may result. (As demonstrated in the Basic Preventative Maintenance and Cleaning on the Sawgrass VJ-628 video)

    • Replace once a year with new VJ-628 Cleaner Head Assembly "Wiper Blade".

  • Clean and Grease the Y-Axis Rail

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    • Clean and Apply Grease every 6 months or as needed.

    • Using VJ-628 Y-RAIL Grease

    • Avoid dust, debris or ink spill accumulation. Do not wipe dust or debris towards the print head.

    • Gloves, Lint-free cloths and Foam-tip swabs are available in VJ-628 Cleaning Kit.
      (as demonstrated in the Greasing the Y-Axis Rail video)

  • Inspect Cutter Blade

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    • Inspect paper cutting edge and blade for wear every 6 months or as needed.

    • Inspect paper for jagged cut edges, blade wear or if paper dust begins to collect internally around cutting areas and capping station.

    • Replace as needed with VJ-628 Sheet Off Knife - Cutter Blade

       

  • Inspect Media Holders

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    • Inspect Media Holders daily

    • Inspect for any bent edges, abnormal wear or if ink and paper dust collects underneath.

    • Slide back and forth to clean area underneath.

    • Do Not use printer if holders are bent as head strikes may result.

    • Replace as needed with VJ-628 Media Holder Assembly

  • Recommended Checklists

    Daily

    Weekly Every 6 Months
    • Check Ink Levels
    • Check Waste Levels 
    • Platen Wipe Down 
    • Ink drip/spill Inspection 
    • Nozzle Check 
    • Inspect Media Holders 
    • Clean Flushing Box Sponge “Flushing Pad” 
    • Clean the Print Head Circumference  
    • Clean the Capping Area 
    • Clean the Wiper Blade
    • Paper Alignment Check
    • Maintenance Log Check of Consumable Part Replacement 
    • Head Soak with Distilled Water and Sawgrass Clean60 on the Last Day of Shift 
    • Clean and Grease the Y-Axis Rail
    • Inspect Cutter Blade
    • Inspect/Clean Encoder Wheel and Encoder Strip
    • Inspect Paper Feed Wheels

     

 

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.