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Mimaki JV33 Printing Issues!

hpwraps

New Member
I have been struggling with my JV33 for a couple weeks now trying to diagnose the printing problems I am having by spending hours on the forum searching for similar issues but have just not found the solution yet.My go to profile in Rasterllink 3 has always been Avery 1005EZ regular speed for 90% of everything I print. Lately I have had to try several different profiles to try and find something acceptable just to try and keep my work flow going. I now have to print on 16-32 pass uni-direction to get those results and usually not the colors I get when printing with the Avery 1005EZ Profile. I am also getting light spots/banding randomly through some prints especially in the black and grey print that I attached to this posting has light spots of pink/magenta. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thank You.

Things I have replaced:
New encoder strip
New encoder sensor
New pump
New Capping station
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hpwraps

New Member
I don't think its a profile issue I have tried several other profiles with the same results. Maybe I am wrong. I have been pretty good through the years on figuring and fixing my own printers but this one has got me. Without the support of my local vendor due to dropping Mimaki I am completely on my own now. Thank you for the response!
 

Solventinkjet

DIY Printer Fixing Guide
How old are your dampers? If they are older than 1-2 years, replace them. The filters clog over time which slows the ink flow down and causes these types of issues. The ability of the dampers to expand and contract also gets worse over time which makes it so the ink flow can't keep up with the print. The fact that it printers better when you slow it down by making it do more passes is a sign that the dampers are the problem.
 

hpwraps

New Member
How old are your dampers? If they are older than 1-2 years, replace them. The filters clog over time which slows the ink flow down and causes these types of issues. The ability of the dampers to expand and contract also gets worse over time which makes it so the ink flow can't keep up with the print. The fact that it printers better when you slow it down by making it do more passes is a sign that the dampers are the problem.

Thank You that is what I wanted to here that was my next step was to replace the dampers.
I have taken them out before but not replaced all of them. Do you know what the procedure is for doing so. I know I can replace all of them but I imagine I will have to fill them back up. I know you can squeeze them a few times if your careful not to break the diaphram. Yes they are definately over 2 years old so they are probably due.

Thank you so much!
 
Thank You that is what I wanted to here that was my next step was to replace the dampers.
I have taken them out before but not replaced all of them. Do you know what the procedure is for doing so. I know I can replace all of them but I imagine I will have to fill them back up. I know you can squeeze them a few times if your careful not to break the diaphram. Yes they are definately over 2 years old so they are probably due.

Thank you so much!

After you replace the dampers please update this thread with your results. This type of problem (ink starvation) has been a long-standing issue with machines that run Epson DX4 and DX5 printheads. The issue seems to defy resolution for many.
 

hpwraps

New Member
I sure will. We all know what its like to be in this position especially if you don't have a back up printer it becomes your life line. I can design all day but if I can't produce them it does me no good. Its been a work horse and not quire ready to let her go but considering a new printer but its been a hard choice between solvent and latex. I will be sure to post the progress from the install.
Thanks.
 

Karen-Kang

New Member
I sure will. We all know what its like to be in this position especially if you don't have a back up printer it becomes your life line. I can design all day but if I can't produce them it does me no good. Its been a work horse and not quire ready to let her go but considering a new printer but its been a hard choice between solvent and latex. I will be sure to post the progress from the install.
Thanks.
When the Bias or Vertical adjustment is not adjusted properly,
white or dark fine lines appear in the printing image. When the
Horizontal or Bi-direction adjustment is not performed properly,
banding appears in the printing image.
 

hpwraps

New Member
Ok so I got all my new dampers and damper joint valve assemblies ready to install. Does anyone have the procedure and correct way or experience doing so. Any help would be appreciated.
 

hpwraps

New Member
Nozzle Soak

That's what I want to try next. I cannot get it into service mode by turning the main power off then holding the function and enter I believe it was at start up it just starts as normal after several attempts and variations. To do a head soak don't you have to do it in service mode?

thanks for the response.
 

getcustomized

New Member
That's what I want to try next. I cannot get it into service mode by turning the main power off then holding the function and enter I believe it was at start up it just starts as normal after several attempts and variations. To do a head soak don't you have to do it in service mode?

thanks for the response.


No you don't have to be in service mode. The ST Maintenance button is on the top left of the display pad. use the arrow to go to nozzle wash. Make sure you use the correct cleaning solution. I use 5 parts butyl carbitol/ 1 part acetone for a cleaning solution. You can find these chemicals at your local Sherwin Williams chemical store. (not the regular paint store). It will first ask you to clean the wiper blade then you can do the nozzle wash for up to 99 mins which should be good. Just fill the capping station with the cleaning solution when prompted and adjust the amount of minutes with the arrow keys.
 

hpwraps

New Member
Thanks for the info. I did a nozzle soak for 30 min today and sadly still don't have all nozzles firing. Did some ink fill ups did a country les ink fill ups too. Guess I will keep trying.
 

TheSnowman

New Member
Ugh, I live in this exact same nightmare. I've tried everything under the sun and it will randomly work for like a month with zero issues, then all at once, every day for a week I'm totally missing a color like your test prints.
 

SightLine

║▌║█║▌│║▌║▌█
For the nozzle soak/wash you "should" have a cleaning cartridge in the back slot for that (I have always just refilled ours with regular cleaning solution with zero problem). Anyways when you first go in it moves the wiper and gives you an opportunity to clean the wiper, then press enter, on the next screen when it says "fill the liquid" you are supposed to press the function key and it will dispense a small amount of solution from the cleaning cartridge. You can press it multiple times to fill the cap. I think many people are not aware of this.... then enter, then set the amount of time to soak.

Anyways multiple things can cause these problems. Dampers, pump, capping top, capping top alignment, any sort of air leak anywhere, partially clogged tubing, etc. One thing I have run into literally many times over the years with both the old JV3 we had and our JV33 is using generic (cheap Chinese) aftermarket parts. Not all are bad by any means but I can show you pictures of multiple bad generic pumps that fail in many ways from their tubing splitting open in them, falling apart, to just not really pumping much through. Most recently pictures of defective cheap dampers and a cheap capping top.... the dampers for all intents and purposes looked just fine and dandy and for $5 or so each that's great. Except for after much hair pulling and troubleshooting I finally did some pressure testing of one not in the machine using a syringe and discovered that there were pinhole leaks in the plastic near the bottom nipple. Literally cannot see it with your naked eye but on putting a tiny bit of pressure ink squirted out! In use it was just the opposite - it would draw air in. New capping top that the top rubber edge was just not consistent and would also cause leaks.

Over the past 10+ years this is one thing I have learned over and over again. Every time I try to cheap out and use certain generic parts it always bites me in the a$$. Dampers, pumps, and capping tops specifically. Some thing like tubing and wipers, no problem, I'll use whatever is cheap. For some odd reason a genuine OEM Mimaki pump lasts 3+ years while not a single (and I've tried over a dozen over the years) cheaper aftermarket pump has lasted more than 6 months. Just saying to keep this in mind. You may well have used all OEM parts but if not, some cheap parts might very well be part of the problems. I've also seen another member post here in the past 6 months or so who bought a used/floor/demo (cannot remember which) from an official authorized Mimaki dealer. That dealer told them they put in a new pump and some other new parts. They had problems and posted here about it. As soon as they posted a picture under the capping station it was immediately obvious that the dealer did not even use a genuine Mimaki pump (it has white tubing!! lol). They called them out on it and the dealer came clean and admitted it and got them a new OEM pump....
 

hpwraps

New Member
I still have not figured it out. I ended up buying a new printer so I could get back to work. Frustrating part is I know the Mimaki would run another 5 years if I could figure it out but I closed my big shop and a one man show now and I just don't have the time to spend to figure it out so I am going to sell up to this point the best printer I ever owned. Hard to let her go she's ran flawlessly for 5 years.
 

TheSnowman

New Member
I'm in your shoes. Just ordered a new HP latex because no one can get me up and going. Got one guy coming next week to try one more thing.
 
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