HP 360 calibration is causing colors to change?

[Commando]

So, I put in a new ink cartridge. I calibrate it, and my colors change.
Color makeup(RGB or CMYK) is EXACTLY the same but the shades are different. Some of my customers have certain colors for their signs and everytime i calibrate, i have to refigure the color makeup.
This happens everytime.
Is there a way to avoid this, or am i just up crap creek?

 

[Commando]

Ok, so this just happened:
I printed one sign this morning. I had to redo it because it got messed up being applied to aluminum.
One was way darker than the other. I did not calibrate between these two prints.
This has never happened before..
I got a problem!

 

[papabud]

i would look at your printheads.
i have an hp360 and my colors are almost always spot on.
the color will shift over time. thats why you calibrate to bring it back to where it belongs.
but if your color is shifting that much. i would think one of your printheads is having an issue. if you calabrate with a bad printhead. it will produce the wrong colors.
i normally replace my printheads once they have about 8000ml through them.
but have done it sooner also. some people wait till about 14000ml

 

[Commando]

i would look at your printheads.
i have an hp360 and my colors are almost always spot on.
the color will shift over time. thats why you calibrate to bring it back to where it belongs.
but if your color is shifting that much. i would think one of your printheads is having an issue. if you calabrate with a bad printhead. it will produce the wrong colors.
i normally replace my printheads once they have about 8000ml through them.
but have done it sooner also. some people wait till about 14000ml

Thanks for the response!
However, i dont think i have even used that much ink in the cyan since we got this printer.. And i have already replaced a couple heads.

 

[Commando]

i would look at your printheads.
i have an hp360 and my colors are almost always spot on.
the color will shift over time. thats why you calibrate to bring it back to where it belongs.
but if your color is shifting that much. i would think one of your printheads is having an issue. if you calabrate with a bad printhead. it will produce the wrong colors.
i normally replace my printheads once they have about 8000ml through them.
but have done it sooner also. some people wait till about 14000ml

Just to be sure, how can i check them?

 

[Commando]

The status of all heads are "ok" according to the printer screen

 

[EffectiveCause]

Just to be sure, how can i check them?

You could run a nozzle test and see if you're dropping any. But I've also found you can pin point a bad head by running a print head alignment. If you have any gaps of missing ink in the color bars you probably need to replace the head associated with that bar.

 

[Commando]

You could run a nozzle test and see if you're dropping any. But I've also found you can pin point a bad head by running a print head alignment. If you have any gaps of missing ink in the color bars you probably need to replace the head associated with that bar.

The color bars seem to be fine. Here is a couple pics

 

[papabud]

ok. are your colors different on the same media?
do you make any adjustments on the rip end.
i have had heads that report as ok, show ok on all the tests but will still produce banding.
make sure your encoder strip is clean. wipe it with a lint free towel and a little water or just a dry towel also works.

 

[Commando]

ok. are your colors different on the same media?
do you make any adjustments on the rip end.
i have had heads that report as ok, show ok on all the tests but will still produce banding.
make sure your encoder strip is clean. wipe it with a lint free towel and a little water or just a dry towel also works.

Same material. In RIP, it was basically just a reprint. Everything was the exact same. Except the end result.
I will check the encoder strip now.

 

[Commando]

It just printed the correct color after cleaning the encoder strip.
Hopefully this carries on into the next time i have to change ink cartridges! LOL
Thanks guys!

 

[Commando]

Welp, should have waited 5 more minutes.
The blue color came out correct and when i go to reprint a green shade i had problems with, its still the same.
Ugh

 

[Bly]

We change our heads at 3 litres.