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Printhead Return Procedures |
- The warranty offered by
Rohm varies according to the printhead family.
Full details are contained in the detailed
specification for each printhead. The conditions
of the warranty centre around a minimum distance
of media travel across the printhead (Abrasion
life), a minimum number of individual dot pulses
(Pulse Life), a 12 month period since production
and that the printhead has been operated within
the design limits detailed in the relevant
specification.
- Due to the relatively
small number of printheads being returned to
Rohm each year, the Rohm QA department exercises
a degree of flexibility when a failure is due to
a manufacturing fault in printheads that are out
of the warranty period.
- If a printhead that is
still within the warranty period has a failure
mode and the fault has not evidently been caused
by mishandling or misuse, ESD damage or energy
overload, the product can be returned to
Kestronics under our Return Material
Authorisation (RMA) system for evaluation and,
if necessary, return to the Rohm QA department
for a failure analysis report.
- Before Kestronics issues
an RMA number, we like to have the opportunity
to talk to a quality engineer. This is to avoid
unnecessary product returns, as our analysis
over many years has shown that almost all
printheads are found to have failed because of a
dirty operating environment, misuse by the end
user, or sometimes, deficiency in the printhead
drive or mechanical set-up.
The use of poor quality thermal paper/labels, a
dirty working environment and incorrect head
cleaning or lack of cleaning are all common
reasons for premature printhead failure.
- In order to assist the
evaluation of a returned printhead and in
particular to facilitate a detailed evaluation
by Rohm Japan, it is very important that as much
of the following information as possible is
provided with each returned printhead:-
a) A
print sample showing the fault, if the printhead
will still operate.
b) Approximate
installation date.
c) An
indication of use before failure, e.g. number of
labels printed.
d) Did
the failure occur during normal use, during
installation and test, or during product
evaluation or development?
e) If
the printhead will now longer operate, we need
to know something about the activity leading to
the failure.
f) Please
advise us if you want the printhead returned to
you, if it is confirmed as faulty by Rohm’s QA
department. (see point 6)
- When a printhead is
returned to us, we carry out a visual evaluation
and when necessary return the printhead to
Rohm’s QA Department in Germany. Printheads that
require a full analysis are then returned to the
QA Department in Japan for a detailed Failure
Analysis Report. Any printhead that has been
found to have failed prematurely due to a
manufacturing fault will be replaced free of
charge. We will issue a credit note and invoice
the replacement printhead, free of carriage
charge, both at the same time
- It should be noted that
certain printheads not in regular production,
may need up to 16 weeks to be replaced. This
worst-case delay is due to the need for Rohm to
obtain long lead time, customised component
parts from their suppliers.
- If a printhead needs to
be returned to Japan for detailed evaluation, it
is sometimes necessary to destroy the printhead
in order to properly determine the cause of
failure. Under these circumstances we will not
be able to return the printhead to you.
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