Ink build up on HP latex 360 printhead?

[Lea Marc]

Hi guys,

Has anyone seen this before? Ink build-up under the electrical strip on the printhead causing it to become slightly separated? I'm seeing some banding on light pink colours and on the print test pattern have some misaligned nozzles on the YM printhead #5. Simply a case of replace the printhead or something else going on?

Steve

 

[Dan360]

Ive only ever had that part separate from head strikes or just age. My guess is that it started separating without any ink build-up and it just got worse as ink got underneath the strip. Typically when I see this type of thing, the head is bust.

 

[papabud]

its time for a new printhead. how much ml have you pumped through it

 

[Lane J]

It looks pretty gooched to me.I would probably replace. I see that from time to time - the ribbon lifts up and begins to tears as it prints. Not sure if it's from physically damage (head crash, head strike) or the ribbon just lifts up over time. I see it mostly on the lc/lm head or Y/M head.
Do you know how much ink went through the head? Fairly new or an old head?

 

[Lea Marc]

Funny you should say that. The #5 YM head has 2100ml through it and the #6 YM has 4467ml so they don't owe us anything. We have had some head strikes recently on banner material so that may have something to do with it.

On a similar note I have been using the Output Platen Protector accessory for banner material and feeding the material through a bit. While I have noticed an improvement on 14oz banner 10oz still likes to lift at the very start and catch the head. I see some other posts where people have come up with counterweight devices but is this a common issue with 10oz? Admittedly it is a light material but would my temperature and vacuum settings have a huge impact on that?

Steve

 

[twmiller24]

Funny you should say that. The #5 YM head has 2100ml through it and the #6 YM has 4467ml so they don't owe us anything. We have had some head strikes recently on banner material so that may have something to do with it.

On a similar note I have been using the Output Platen Protector accessory for banner material and feeding the material through a bit. While I have noticed an improvement on 14oz banner 10oz still likes to lift at the very start and catch the head. I see some other posts where people have come up with counterweight devices but is this a common issue with 10oz? Admittedly it is a light material but would my temperature and vacuum settings have a huge impact on that?

Steve

Yes, 10 ounce can be finicky on the 360. I usually actually tape it to the core on takeup first (wasting 4 feet or so). Just ran 2/3 of a roll overnight last night, no problems. But that's not always the case.

 

[bannertime]

On wavy materials, specifically Alumigraphics, I use the adhesive side to stick to banner material cut to the same width and long enough to be spooled up to the take up reel(approx 6ft just to be safe). Load it and attach to the take up, feed through until the material to be printed is a few inches past the rollers and send the print. No worries unless the edges are bad.

You could do something similar with 10oz, but it may not be worth it. Reason I do it with Alumigraphics is because I hate keeping that stuff around in full rolls and order the shortest roll possible to complete the job. So I can't spare any.