Cleaning and Maintenance Schedule

ColorSpan 5400uv Series

Document Overview

This knowledgebase article describes cleaning and maintenance tasks that should be performed on the ColorSpan 5400uv series of printers.

Operator-Level Cleaning &Maintenance Schedule

Task / Description
Interval: Daily
CleanPrintheads / The printheads should be cleaned daily using the automated Purge function. The printer will perform this task automatically based on internal timers and recent usage. A Purge should be performed before the firstjob of the day is to be printed.
Interval: Weekly or as needed
Cleanrail and carriage wheels / Inspect for dust buildup, clean if necessary. See instructions below.
Clean the carriage encoder strip / Inspect for dust buildup, wipe if necessary with SolaChrome UV Printhead Flush, follow with isopropyl alcohol. Encoder must be fully dry before printing.
Cured ink buildup on the encoder strip cannot be removed without damaging the encoder strip. Clean ink spills immediately. If cured ink buildup on the encoder strip causes printing errors, contact your Authorized Service Provider or Technical Services for a replacement.
Interval: As needed
Clean printheads / Use the Purge button to clean the printheads whenever reduced print quality or missing jets in the Prime Bars are observed.
Clean ionizer bars / The ionizer bars should be cleaned as needed to maintain their effectiveness. See instructions below.
Replace UV Lamp Air Filters / Each lamp has a foam-like air filter on top of the lamp. Overtim this filter will fill up with particulates and ink dust, reducing air flow. If the printer presents an error message indicating the lamps have overheated, this filter should be the first suspect. Clean or replace the filter periodically to prevent overheating messages.
Interval: At control panel warning
Replace UV lamp bulbs / The control panel warns you when either of the UV lamp bulbs have been illuminated for 500 hours, but they may be usable for many more hours beyond that point. Bulb life will vary. The bulbs must be replaced when they no longer cure the UV ink sufficiently.
Cleaning the carriage rail

Even with the fully-enclosed design of the 5400uv printer, the carriage rail should be cleaned at least weekly of any particles and debris. Particles that accumulate on the rail will lead to noisy operation, print defects in the form of vertical bands, and eventually to unrecoverably wheel/bearing damage on the carriage. Preventative cleaning of this component will ensure printer productivity.

Wipe the entire length of the rail with a lint-free cloth or wipe moistened with isopropyl alcohol. The rail surfaces that must be clean are the surfaces that touch thecarriage bearings. These are the top surface, including the front and back of the front lip, and the side surface, behind the belt. Move the carriage manually or press Tools > Maintenance > Access Printheads on the control panel menu so you can access and clean the entire rail.

Cleaning the carriage wheels

This operation is difficult because visibility is restricted. Frequent cleaning of the carriage rail will reduce the need for cleaning of the carriage wheels.

1. Remove any media from the platen and turn off the printer using the on/off switch.
2. Wait for the printer to shut down, then open the front cover.
3. Reach in manually move the carriage to the center of the platen.
4. Fold a paper towel several times and moisten a cornerwith water or isopropyl alcohol (IPA). Alternatively, use a long cotton swab intead of a paper towel.
5. Press the paper towel or cotton swab against the carriage wheel. See photos below for location of wheels.

Side view of carriage. The circled area is the location of the wheels

Detail view of wheel locations.
6. Keeping the paper towel in contact with the wheel, slowly move the carriage left and right several inches so that the carriage wheel rotates completely.
7. Repeat steps 4-6 on the opposite side of the carriage.
8.Close the cover and turn the printer back on.
Cleaning the Ionizer Bars

The ionizer barsare attached to each side of the printhead carriage. Clean the ionizer bars as needed to maintaintheir efficient operation. The ionizer bars cannot eliminate static charges ifthey aredirty. A buzzing noise at the ionizer bar indicates reduced ionizer efficiency. This may be due to oxidation or buildup on the titanium pins.

  1. Switch off power to the printer.
  2. Wait for the printer to shut down, then open the front cover.
  3. Reach in manually move the carriage to the center of the platen.
  4. Brush the titanium pins with a soft metal bristle brush (part number 0602665).
  5. Switch on power to the ionizer bar. If the pins are clean, there will be no buzzing sound; otherwise, repeat this procedure.
  6. Close the cover and turn the printer back on.