2 sided banner on Falcon II Outdoor

[SwiSh]

I need to print some double sided banners on my Mutoh Falcon II Outdoor. I searched all the forums for tips on how to go about doing this, and found some very helpful hints. However, I didn't find anyone using a Falcon II Outdoor. So, I was curious if anyone has done this with the Falcon II Outdoor, and if so, could you be so kind as to give some tips?

I know when the FII starts printing, it rolls back a little, and sometimes it doesn't. This is my main concern, as to how to I can manage this. Also, Im using Onyx 6.5. Thanks for the help!
SwiSh

 

[Bogie]

Consistency is your friend here. Do everything the same.

And the easiest way to do that is...

Turn EVERYTHING off. Everything. Start it up. Load the material. Print the first side. Take the material out.

Repeat.

 

[randya]

One of the more creative methods I've seen:
Design a couple of dots OUTSIDE your image in each corner of the leading edge. Say 1" outside your image in a leader. Print only these dots and stop the printer RIGHT after the dots are printed (by lifting the cover for example). Leave the media in the printer and make a spacer (alignment jig) that is the distance from where the dots start to print back to the rollers.

Center you image on the media and print.

Cut out the dots (or poke through the media at the dots.

Flip you media over to align the second side using your jig to line up with the start of printing of the dots you poked through.

 

[OneUpTenn]

Bogie, that is a really good idea. I never thought of that. Lining these up to print exactly the same on both sides is very difficult.

Bogie, What if you have a run of say 5 or 10 would you have to do those steps after every side?

Swish, what type of banner material are you using and can you see the other side through it?

 

[Bogie]

well, i'm just figuring that is more likely to behave "identically" on startup. And rebooting everything isn't very hard.

 

[Graphics2u]

I need to print some double sided banners on my Mutoh Falcon II Outdoor. I searched all the forums for tips on how to go about doing this, and found some very helpful hints. However, I didn't find anyone using a Falcon II Outdoor. So, I was curious if anyone has done this with the Falcon II Outdoor, and if so, could you be so kind as to give some tips?

I know when the FII starts printing, it rolls back a little, and sometimes it doesn't. This is my main concern, as to how to I can manage this. Also, Im using Onyx 6.5. Thanks for the help!
SwiSh

I have a Falcon II outdoor and will be doing that very thing next week. I have done this on my Falcon Jr. with good success but it ain't easy.

Normally the first time you load new material the printer will advance slightly before beginning the print but after that I don't think it moves any on thew next prints as long as the rollers aren't raised. So I always would print just a thin line to start with and that way I could get that first movement of material out of the way.

Best way is to just make several practice prints of square boxes and see where the location of the print starts, Then measure from the rollers to that starting point, then I would make a small cut in the material on the edge in line with where the 1st side started printing and on the 2nd side I would use that cut mark to measure from the rollers. Basically it takes practice and leave your self a 1/4 or 1/2 inch of bleed just in case.

Check you margins on the edges too, because you can have it line up at the right starting position and be lined up on the edges.

 

[Steve Prince]

Not sure if this will work on your printer, but this is what we do on the Colorspan. After the banner is loaded, make a 1/4" mark with a stabillo pencil on the edges of the banner and a mark along side those on the printer platten. After printing the first side, reload the banner upside down and line the marks up.
Hope it helps.