10oz banner on HP 360

[Lea Marc]

Hi guys,

I know there have been posts about this before but I wanted to ask again about the Ultraflex10oz banner material. After playing around with my settings in lowering the temperature and vacuum the material prints OK now but we still get head strikes after the job has printed when the printer pulls back the material. We are using the output platen protector and have often had problems in the past with 10oz and head strikes but is there any way to avoid the head crash on the way back?

The material catches in the feed rollers which causes it to ripple and then head strike, sometimes partially ripping the material but always requiring a restart. Is there something we are missing or doing wrong? I have found too that this material has some stretch in it and likes to pull to the side slightly on the take up, another cause of head strike as the feed material will then lift at the head. We are currently printing a full roll with manual take up. Any suggestions?

Steve

 

[papabud]

you said your using the edge guides you slide in to place?
you need to make sure you keep good tension on it..
i run 10oz now and then and cant say it really ever head strikes

 

[Lea Marc]

you said your using the edge guides you slide in to place?
you need to make sure you keep good tension on it..
i run 10oz now and then and cant say it really ever head strikes

Yup we use the media guides on the sides usually. And the output platen protector over the platen to help prevent sticking. The input tension is set to 15, printing airflow pressure set to 175.

 

[dypinc]

I just finished running Key 10oz banner. Never had any problem with it. Given the plasticizer problems with Ultraflex media I am surprised anybody runs their junk on Latex printers.

 

[Dan360]

Ultraflex banners are the worst on latex. I fought with this stuff, and some of their other banner products, for months because everyone seemed to love the final product when it actually worked. But after trying everything, talked to the manufacturer and eventually just said we're done trying to run that stuff. I would suggest switching brands before this stuff drives you crazy.

 

[Lea Marc]

Thanks for the feedback guys. So it seems there's not much more I can do to improve this other than switch materials? It's a problem with the chemical make up of the banner itself?

 

[Dan360]

I tried everything imaginable and while some things did help a little, it would still head strike too frequently to use.

From what I've gathered it's poor quality control and not actually being optimized for latex even though they claim it is.

 

[Brandon708]

With banners I always use the covers for the heating element. Without them the banners seem to stick and then bunch causing a head strike. I sometimes also put some of those clips you get from home depot at the edge of the media to hold help hold the media down until there is enough banner media weight towards the floor to pull it by gravity.

 

[Lea Marc]

With banners I always use the covers for the heating element. Without them the banners seem to stick and then bunch causing a head strike. I sometimes also put some of those clips you get from home depot at the edge of the media to hold help hold the media down until there is enough banner media weight towards the floor to pull it by gravity.

We tried that, even taping it to the take up reel, but doesn't prevent it catching on the feed rollers and rippling whenever it happens. It's not every time but often it happens.

 

[Brandon708]

what profile are you using?

 

[Lea Marc]

what profile are you using?

A PVC banner (preloaded I think) that I rename Ultraflex 10oz for our benefit. Heat is 170C which I find OK, any cooler and the ink is still wet.

 

[AKwrapguy]

A PVC banner (preloaded I think) that I rename Ultraflex 10oz for our benefit. Heat is 170C which I find OK, any cooler and the ink is still wet.

So I've not used 10 oz banner but what about increasing the number of passes or using an inter pass delay so you can decrease you're heat? Is the banner material heating up and curling causing the head strike? Is it also causing head strikes with tension on the banner?

 

[ExecuPrintGS]

What is your vacuum setting at? It seems counter productive but i lowered my vacuum pressure on our 13oz ultraflex and it stopped the bunching up problem we had when banner would finish.
It may be worth a shot for you to try. I can look and see what we have ours set at if you need.

 

[Lea Marc]

So I've not used 10 oz banner but what about increasing the number of passes or using an inter pass delay so you can decrease you're heat? Is the banner material heating up and curling causing the head strike? Is it also causing head strikes with tension on the banner?

I find it heats up and because it is so thin and pliable it catches in the feed rollers and lifts between there and the platen. This causes the head strikes which has damaged heads 5 & 6 I'm sure. I would use an interpass delay but of course timing is of the essence so the quicker we can print these (400 banners 24 x 63") the better, plus the deadline. Running then at 6 pass with 170C heat has been going OK but head crashes before or after the job. Not every time but most times. The auto take up tends to pull the media off to the side due to it being warm and stretchy still so we are using manual take up.

I'm trying to switch this media to a 10.5oz film which should be much more printer friendly.

 

[AKwrapguy]

I find it heats up and because it is so thin and pliable it catches in the feed rollers and lifts between there and the platen. This causes the head strikes which has damaged heads 5 & 6 I'm sure. I would use an interpass delay but of course timing is of the essence so the quicker we can print these (400 banners 24 x 63") the better, plus the deadline. Running then at 6 pass with 170C heat has been going OK but head crashes before or after the job. Not every time but most times. The auto take up tends to pull the media off to the side due to it being warm and stretchy still so we are using manual take up.

I'm trying to switch this media to a 10.5oz film which should be much more printer friendly.

If the take up reel is pulling it to the side than I would think that you are loading it incorrectly, as it should not do that. Also I would look at taking the time to creat you own profile for the media, this will help out a lot, This way you can set up different passes and heat and ink density for different jobs.

For example on this job you could go with a 90% ink density lower heat and fewer passes which will still be fast, dry and less likely of head strikes.

 

[BigfishDM]

Are you running 10oz because of the price?

 

[Lea Marc]

What is your vacuum setting at? It seems counter productive but i lowered my vacuum pressure on our 13oz ultraflex and it stopped the bunching up problem we had when banner would finish.
It may be worth a shot for you to try. I can look and see what we have ours set at if you need.

I looked in my notes and have it written that a lower vacuum is better. Currently set to 35.

 

[Lea Marc]

Are you running 10oz because of the price?

Partly, and we have done this kind of job for same client numerous times before on the same material. But we didn't have a latex back then when we last ran a big job for them.

 

[dypinc]

I looked in my notes and have it written that a lower vacuum is better. Currently set to 35.

Oh my, that is way to high for 10oz banner, no wonder it is sticking to the platter. I am pretty sure the vacuum in my media preset for 10oz banner is set at 10.

 

[unclebun]

And people think latex printers are better than solvent why?