Banding Help!!!!!

[mbarden]

Hi Everyone,
Am reprinting a 2'x3' graphic and am getting really bad banding on an orange gradient portion of the graphic. I have a laminated copy that was done a week ago and it looks great. I cleaned the machine just before reprinting for a second time hoping that would get rid of the banding but it did not. While cleaning I noticed that my wipers are starting to wilt a little. Could this be the reason?
Thanks

Mike B
Big River Sign Co.

 

[ChiknNutz]

I doubt it's the wipers, since they only come into play during a cleaning cycle. Have you done a 'Test Print' to see if all nozzles are firing? If not, that's your problem. Another thing to check is your media feed calibration.

 

[mbarden]

Thanks Chris,
I am printing on GCVP using what I think id the correct profile. Would the Dither Type have anything to do with it. Right now I am set at FMExpress. I was thinking that it may have been Random Diffusion before. Where would I chekc the feed calibration?
Thanks

 

[Derf]

Is your heat to hot on your fixer plate?
Have you played with your Rip setting in Flexi? See attached PDF

I have my interweave ON. I had to go to user define to turn it on however.

Post a nozzle check. you may not have all you jets firing.

 

[ChiknNutz]

Thing is, I print on Oracal and use Wasatch SoftRip, so I can't help with those specific questions. However, the way to check media feed is to do one of two things. (1) after a test print (the one done from the control panel) check to see if there is a noticeable discrepancy between where the each head pass meets (the center of the test print). (2) go into the 'calibration' function (via the front control panel) and there you can perform a different test print and adjust the media feed. The 2nd option is the "factory" method, but the first is the "practical" method. Both get you there, but I find the 1st one a bit easier to do. This is all outlined in the manual, I think on p62 (just going from memory here) is where it shows how to adjust it.

 

[mbarden]

Thanks Chris,
I'll look at the test print to see if we're firing on all cylinders. Thanks as well Derf.
Mike B

 

[High Octane]

Yeah...I'm having some pretty bad banding problems myself right now.

 

[ChiknNutz]

About your wipers though, what ink are you using now? If you are using the Max inks and have the old-style wipers (black with felt on them) they are likely totally ineffective now. You MUST use the new WHITE wipers (Mimaki's will work too). If they've started to get cup-shaped, you need to replace them right away or you will not get an effective head cleaning. On a similar note, how old are your capping stations? If they are more than about 6 months old, replace them as you will likely not be getting an effective seal around the heads when parked. I've just replaced mine twice since I got the machine in July '05.

 

[mbarden]

Hi Chris,
Using Eco-Sol Max inks. I have the black rubber wipers. I do not know how old the capping stations are. I bought the machine as part of a business package that my wife and I purchased. I would imagine that they are the original capping stations and the original wipers. I belive the machine is probably close to 2 years old. it was supposed to hav ebeen over hauled when I purchased it but I do not knwo for sure. HWer can I get replacement wipers and capping stations?
Thanks
MB

 

[threeputt]

MB have you tried your Roland dealer? They should carry the parts you need. If you don't know who the dealer nearest you is, call Roland at 949-727-2100.

 

[bob]

Banding in which direction, head or feed?

If the banding is in the same direction as the print head motion then do all the stuff that everyone has suggested. Clean and tidy and proper heat settings reduces banding in this direction.

If, however, the banding is in the media feed direction I discovered, quite by accident, that this sort of banding can be mitigated by making sure you have proper tension on the infeed. Don't try to help the machine by unrolling the media, let the printer pull the media off the roll. This bit of tension seems to keep the media from buckling on the outfeed side of the printer and thus, little or no banding in the direction of feed.

Except, of course with reverse wound banner material. Here you have to babysit the thing and try to make sure you have the largest constant loop on the infeed that's practical to maintain. The better to keep the weight the printer is pulling constant. At least as constant as you can reasonably manage.

 

[mbarden]

The abnding is in the direction of the feed. I am running most of the time with only 2 pinch rollers on 54" material. You know now that I think if it, I just recently started running the machine "camando" and am now experiencing the proplem. Maybe that why they incluse a set of 7 with the machine. I am going to give my Roland Dealer a call to see if I have any warranty left just to know.

Thanks everyone, i'll let you know how it goes.
MB