Mimaki JV3 Head Alignment

[pressexpress]

I am having trouble aligning my new head. Is there anyone out there willing to help me out? 715-362-2828

 

[housemusikid]

I suggest a technician for that. I know a lot about Mimaki printers, but I do not own a lupe to do the calibration.

 

[smdgrfx]

I just did the same thing a couple of weeks ago. Download the service manual and follow the directions. I did mine in about 2 hours. It aligns better now that when I had a tech do it. I can't believe how easy it was. Before you change anything, you should print out what it's set at now. There is an option for that.

 

[jjwstar]

where can we get the service manual?

 

[iSign]

where can we get the service manual?

YOU CAN CHECK HERE:
http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/MimakiJV3Printers/

 

[artbot]

@smdgrfx or whomever knows this answer

presently my 160sp is taken apart (overhauling/mods etc). in that approximate two hours of callibrating, how much media does the printer use? and how wide are the patterns. ...need to pick up a roll of something to do the alignment (which i'm terrified of but i'll take smdgrfx's word that it's not that bad).

 

[iSign]

can you use backing paper from your laminating films? We always have tons of rolls of that around...

 

[MikePro]

can you use backing paper from your laminating films? We always have tons of rolls of that around...

+1
might even be worth ordering some glossy paper media, as well, at ~0.10/sq.ft instead of ~0.30+/sq.ft. no point in wasting perfectly good adhesive media just for printing alignment patterns.

 

[WrapperX]

I was told that when doing print maintanence - you should use a high gloss surface because it gives off the best print results so you can see every little problem better and that way you know its aligned to the best of its ability.

As for the actualy head alignment - it is actually fairly easy - if you know the steps. it's just time consuming. I actually have a ton of notes on each step for this but they are currently sitting in a folder at my house So any help that I could give would have to wait 8+ hours until I get home.

 

[artbot]

... does it need to be a 40" or 60" wide, or??? and i guess a sample roll? how much material in length is needed?

 

[WrapperX]

The width doesn't really matter. I would go with the widest possible because you don't want to check the print data on the ends of a roll because of the curling or lifting that can occur on print rolls. Plus you'll get a much more even heat reaction in the middle of your material.

Length - I would say I used close to 10' of print. But it's a variable length. The process requires you to print a pattern, use a loop to look at the dot alignment and then punch in the correction(s) if need be. Then you reprint and recheck until its right. Then you move to the next setting and do it all over again. Print a pattern, check the dots, make a correction, reprint, recheck - etc. The last time I did it, it used about 10 feet.

 

[WrapperX]

And we happened to have a sample roll of some 3M 180CV3 that we weren't using so we used that. I don't think I would advise purchasing a roll for this - afterall its all going to be garbage when your done. Use what you have, the higher gloss finish the better.

 

[artbot]

... that's why i'm asking such a odd question. i don't have roll media laying around. i print on aluminum and veneer and petg. no paper, film, etc.

 

[WrapperX]

Do you print direct to aluminum on the JV3? How does that work? Do you have a table setup back and front? for the material to lay on as it runs through? That would be an interesting set up to see.

If you have no rolls around, then maybe hit up a supplier for some samples if you can. I would hate to have to order a roll of material just to run set-up/alignments...But I don't know what else you could really do. Hmmmm....

 

[MikePro]

what about printing on whatever scrap you have lying around and simply erase it with solvents, reprint, repeat?

 

[WrapperX]

what about printing on whatever scrap you have lying around and simply erase it with solvents, reprint, repeat?

I wouldn't do it...but I guess you could. But I know that the solvent cleaner does do something to the vinyl after you wiped it. I've seen it take away the sheen of the gloss. And you want that gloss finish because it shows the best prints. Afterall the point of doing the alignments is to get the best quality out of your machine. INMO it's kinda hard to get the best quality as you cut corners and reuse material that's been wiped with solvent cleaner.

 

[CrabbyOldGuy]

In artbot's situation, printing then wiping off with solvent may work as it is aluminum. We have often cleaned off a print on metal then reprinted. Just make sure the solvent has had time to fully evaporate and the surface is dry.

 

[WrapperX]

That's true - I suppose making your alignment adjustments on sheets of aluminum would work. Afterall you want it to look right for printing on Aluminum not for printing on Vinyl...I've never printed on Aluminum with a JV3 so that's unknown territory for me.

 

[MikePro]

err, yeah, that's what i meant for artbot's situation. especially since that's what his print process is for anyways. for everyone else, glossy media is the way to go... even if its just the cheapest paper your supplier offers.

as said in an earlier post, glossy is the way to go... best quality print, and therefore most accurate alignments.

 

[artbot]

i have two giant "air hockey" tables for infeed and out.... metal hovers into the machine. you have to modify the pinch roller springs and a few other things to print on the heavier material.