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HP Designjet 5500 Series Printers - Cleaning and Maintenance

User maintenance kit
Cleaning the platen
Cleaning the electrical interconnects of the printhead carriage and printhead
Preventive maintenance kits

User maintenance kit

The printer uses liquid ink that atomizes while spraying and forms a mist inside the printer. Over time, this mist settles on the printer's components. Eventually ink deposits form inside the printer and, along with other results of everyday use, can affect the printer’s performance.
The user maintenance kit provides all the parts you need to clean the printer and avoid potential problems. It contains both parts and instructions for maintaining the printer.
The user maintenance kit contains:
  • Carriage interconnect wiper kit
  • Lens maintenance kit (also provided with printer; see printer components)
  • Roller lubrication kit
  • Slider rods lubrication kit
  • Platen cleaning instructions

Carriage interconnect wiper kit

Use the carriage interconnect wiper kit every time a printhead is replaced and whenever there is a printhead rejection problem. Clean the ink off the carriage and printhead contacts (See UsersGuide for cleaning details).

Lens maintenance kit

When the printer displays the message Lens Maintenance Advised, clean or replace the lens cover that protects the optical sensor.
Replacement lens covers are provided with the printer and are stored inside the window of the printer. Lens covers may be replaced immediately when the message appears or can be replaced the next time a printhead replacement is required. The printer can continue to print if the Lens Maintenance Advised message is displayed, but after a while the printer will not be able to continue and the front panel will display a system error message.
To replace the lens cover, follow the instructions below:
  1. Using the ARROW keys on the printer's front panel, scroll to the Printer setup menu (icon of printer in upper right corner of the display) and press ENTER.
  2. Scroll to Utilities, and press ENTER.
  3. Scroll to Lens Maintenance, and press ENTER.
  4. The printer will display the following messages:
    1. Lift the Window
    2. Clean Roller Mark
    3. Replace Lens
    4. Lower the Window, Press Enter to continue.
      note:
      Do not open the window before the above message is displayed.
  5. Look for a small slotted white plastic insert on the left end of the roller. With a soft tissue carefully clean the top of the plastic insert.
  6. Remove the dirty lens cover from the printhead carriage by pulling it straight out of the slot on the right side of the printhead carriage.
  7. Install new lens, and follow the remaining instructions provided by the printer.
    note:
    Do not throw the old lens away unless damaged. Simply clean the lens with distilled water and carefully wipe it with a lint free cloth. Place the lens back into the printer’s top cover for use at a later time.

Roller lubrication kit

If the rollers on the platen are making a squeaking noise they may need lubrication. Use the roller lubrication kit to eliminate squeaking.
The friction on the carriage slider rods can be caused by accumulation of atomized ink particles and dust from the media or the atmosphere in the vicinity of the slider rods. Scan-axis maintenance requires proper cleaning and lubrication of the slider rods.
note:
The most important parts to keep clean are the upper and internal sides of the rods. Use the slider rod lubrication kit either once a year or whenever scan-axis shutdowns occur with no media jams.

Slider rods lubrication kit

  1. Install the pad into the rod wiper.
  2. Apply oil (30 to 40 drops) onto the pad from the bottle of oil supplied with the kit.
  3. Open the window and wipe one of the carriage slider rods from left to right (wipe as far left and right as the wiper can go).
  4. Remove the used pad from the rod wiper and discard.
  5. Install a new pad into the rod wiper.
  6. Apply oil (30 to 40 drops) onto the pad from the bottle of oil supplied with the kit.
  7. Wipe the other carriage slider rod from left to right (wipe as far left and right as the wiper can go).
  8. Remove the used pad from the wiper and discard.
  9. Close the window.

Cleaning the platen

Accumulated ink deposits on the platen transferring to the media can cause marks on the back of the media or at the media edges. The ink deposits are seen most in the areas where the edge of the media rests on the platen. The printer routinely removes these ink deposits every time roll media is loaded. However, depending on the amount the printer is used, the routine removal is sometimes insufficient. The platen can be cleaned either automatically or manually (see below).

Cleaning the platen automatically

This setting enables removal of the ink deposits from the platen using the media that is loaded. The printer moves a portion of the media backwards and forwards over the platen. To perform this automated operation choose one of the options available below:
Follow the steps below to clean the platen automatically every time you load paper:
  1. Select the Printer Setup menu in the front panel.
  2. Select Utilities.
  3. Select Clean Platen.
  4. Set Automatic Clean to ON and press ENTER.
Follow the steps below to manually start the automatic cleaning process immediately:
  1. Select the Printer Setup menu in the front panel.
  2. Select Utilities.
  3. Select Clean Platen .
  4. Select Clean Now.
  5. Select Automatic and press ENTER.

Cleaning the platen manually

Perform the following procedure to clean the platen manually:
note:
Be sure to unload the media before performing these procedures.
  1. Open the window.
  2. With a dry brush, remove the ink deposits from the cutter's groove.
  3. Again, with the dry brush, remove the ink deposits from the platen's surface.
  4. Slightly dampen a clean, absorbent, lint-free cloth with water, and use it to wipe off the loosened ink deposits from the platen.
      caution:
    However, do not wipe the rollers with this cloth. Do not use commercial cleaners or abrasive cleaners, and do not wet the platen because it will leave too much moisture directly on the platen.
    note:
    Dampen the cloth using water only.
  5. Clean the cutter ramp with the water-dampened cloth.

Turning the platen wheels to clean the whole roller

Follow the steps below to manually trigger the automatic cleaning process to be performed on demand:
  1. Close the window of the printer.
  2. Select the Printer Setup menu in the front-panel.
  3. Select Utilities.
  4. Select Clean Platen.
  5. Select Manual Option and press ENTER.
  6. Open the printer window.
      warning:
    Do not touch the rotating wheels directly with your hands. Use the same type of cloth as supplied in the User Maintenance Kit to clean the wheels. A different type of clothcould get caught in the wheels.
  7. Use the UP ARROW or DOWN ARROW keys to start the wheel rotation.
  8. Place a slightly damp absorbent lint-free cloth over a platen wheel. Apply minimal pressure until the wheel has completed a full rotation or until the wheel is visibly clean.
    note:
    Dampen the cloth using water only.
  9. Repeat this process for all the platen wheels that need cleaning.
  10. Press ENTER to stop rotation.
  11. Close the window to exit.
      caution:
    Do not use commercial cleaners or abrasive cleaners. Do not wet the platen directly because you will leave too much moisture behind.

Cleaning the electrical interconnects of the printhead carriage and printhead

When the printhead is replaced, check the empty slots to see if they need cleaning. In some extreme cases, it is possible that the printer will not recognize a printhead when it has been installed. This is due to the build-up of ink deposits on the electrical connections between the printhead and the printhead carriage.
Use the carriage interconnect wiper included with the printer to clean the electrical interconnects of both the printhead carriage and the printhead.
This procedure should be performed every time a printhead is replaced. If the front panel persistently displays the message Reseat next to the printhead icon, try performing the procedure described below.
  caution:
Do not touch, wipe or attempt to clean the printhead nozzle plate This can damage the printhead and reduce print quality and the overall life of the component.
  1. To clean the carriage electrical interconnect, remove a new pre-moistened replacement sponge from its pouch. A supply of sponges is included in the box with the tool. If all sponges have been used, more can be obtained by contacting your HP customer service representative.
  2. Open the carriage interconnect wiper.
  3. Load the sponge into the carriage interconnect wiper by positioning the sponge on the face of the carriage interconnect wiper with the shorter tab in the locating slot.
  4. Close the carriage interconnect wiper trapping the sponge in place.
  5. Open the printhead carriage latch and remove the printhead that has the problem, as indicated on the printer's front panel.
  6. Place the interconnect wiper into the printhead carriage slot at the back. Wipe the electrical contacts by inserting the tool between the electrical connections at the back of the slot and the steel spring with the sponge facing away from you and towards the electrical contacts.
  7. Rub the sponge against the contacts with a light up-and-down force along the entire length of the flex connector as far as the mechanical stop on the cleaner will allow it to travel.
  8. Take special care to clean all contacts thoroughly, including the ones at the lowest point of the connector.
  9. Using the same sponge, clean the electrical contacts on the printhead.
      caution:
    Do not touch the surface of the printhead containing the nozzles, as it may damage them.
  10. Wait a few moments until the electrical contacts are dry and replace the printhead into its carriage slot.
    note:
    Dispose of the used carriage interconnect wiper sponge after cleaning the printer to avoid ink transfer onto any clothing or other objects.

Preventive maintenance kits

During the life of the printer, components that are used constantly can wear out. To avoid these components from getting worn to the point of printer failure, the printer keeps track of the number of cycles the printer carriage makes across the axis of the printer.
The printer uses this number to advise users of the need for preventive maintenance and displays a message indicating that either preventive maintenance is advised or that ink tube maintenance is advised.
Once the Maintenance Advised message is displayed, the preventive maintenance kit must be used to replace the most commonly worn parts of the printer. To have this service performed, contact Hewlett-Packard for more information.

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