PLEASE HELP WITH PRINT ISSUE

[anthonyd969]

Hello Everyone,

Having a recent issue past few weeks with my Roland XC-540 Pro III.
Heads are clean, Test print is great and all firing as they should.
It seems to be dragging Black across areas of my prints. Even where the wheels are? There are no marks or ink on the wheels. There are no threads or fuzz on the heads. I even placed static gaurd line across the back material I purchased a few years back.
I have the room regulated with heat as usual. I have been printing for over a decade and this is a first this year to me..... Puzzled.
See images.

Please help if you have a tip.

Thank you
Anthony

 

[anthonyd969]

Forgot to mention, I Also Cleaned the decoder strip

 

[Solventinkjet]

In my experience that is usually a sign that the head is failing electronically. Even when the test print looks fine it can be having issues. If the head is 5 years old or more that is what I would suspect. You can also print out the service report and see how many fires the head has. If there are more than 6 billion, the head has reached it's lifetime.

usually in these cases I do check the head cables for damage or debris that may cause electrical issues. You want to do this with the machine unplugged and wait 15 minutes before working on it. I usually will change the cables to new ones cause it's a cheap fix if it works. But I also clean the terminal as well. Usually I air dust to get the particulates out, swab with 90% alcohol (70% does not dry fast enough) and then air dust again before installing the new cable. Sometimes that will fix the issue.

 

[anthonyd969]

In my experience that is usually a sign that the head is failing electronically. Even when the test print looks fine it can be having issues. If the head is 5 years old or more that is what I would suspect. You can also print out the service report and see how many fires the head has. If there are more than 6 billion, the head has reached it's lifetime.

usually in these cases I do check the head cables for damage or debris that may cause electrical issues. You want to do this with the machine unplugged and wait 15 minutes before working on it. I usually will change the cables to new ones cause it's a cheap fix if it works. But I also clean the terminal as well. Usually I air dust to get the particulates out, swab with 90% alcohol (70% does not dry fast enough) and then air dust again before installing the new cable. Sometimes that will fix the issue.

Thank you for the tips!
I will try anything at this point. Just weird it does it here and there and not on every print.
I will have to run a report and then start there.
Happy New Year!

 

[Solventinkjet]

Just weird it does it here and there and not on every print.

Usually in these cases it will print a low resolution, non-variable dot profile fine because the biggest dots are easiest to fire. The higher resolution, variable dot profiles will print like you are seeing because the head isn't quite firing properly. The biggest dots are used in the test print which is why it can look good and still not print well on an actual print. Good luck!

 

[anthonyd969]

Really Appreciate the feedback and your knowledge.

 

[anthonyd969]

Usually in these cases it will print a low resolution, non-variable dot profile fine because the biggest dots are easiest to fire. The higher resolution, variable dot profiles will print like you are seeing because the head isn't quite firing properly. The biggest dots are used in the test print which is why it can look good and still not print well on an actual print. Good luck!

I just moved the material I was using to my other XC540 Pro III printer. It is doing the same thing???
Can it be the material?
I am just finding this way to odd now the other printer in another room is doing it on the same material.
I see it following the wheel areas making shadow prints where the wheels roll over

Thanks for your input

 

[Solventinkjet]

I just moved the material I was using to my other XC540 Pro III printer. It is doing the same thing???
Can it be the material?
I am just finding this way to odd now the other printer in another room is doing it on the same material.
I see it following the wheel areas making shadow prints where the wheels roll over

Thanks for your input

It could be the material in that case for sure. Do you have another material to test?

 

[anthonyd969]

I am trying it now.
I have had this problem since I got the roll actually.
It's matt Orjet 31644

 

[anthonyd969]

It could be the material in that case for sure. Do you have another material to test?

Change the material on the first printer to Orajet 3551 GRA gloss and it will leave faint tracks where the wheels grab the vinyl only??? This is crazy. I cleaned the wheels with alcohol and let it dry before I printed.
This is nuts...

 

[anthonyd969]

It's only in the wheel areas? Anyone know what it could be?

 

[dale911]

I have this type of problem sometimes on my HP flatbed UV printer. When I have this problem, it is on static prone material (a much bigger problem during the low humidity winter than summer) and I have my build incorrect on the black. If my profile is spraying too much ink to make black or dark colors, what is happening is that the drops are hitting the material at such a rate and volume that it causes a “splash”. The mist moves in the direction of the printhead and deposits on the material just down from where it was intended. I am able to cure it on the black by changing my black build in the art. When I open it in the rip, will often find that that my black build is very heavy in cmy. I’ll change it to something like 40,30,30,100 and it cures the problem. I don’t know if this helps you but it may be something to look at.

 

[anthonyd969]

I have this type of problem sometimes on my HP flatbed UV printer. When I have this problem, it is on static prone material (a much bigger problem during the low humidity winter than summer) and I have my build incorrect on the black. If my profile is spraying too much ink to make black or dark colors, what is happening is that the drops are hitting the material at such a rate and volume that it causes a “splash”. The mist moves in the direction of the printhead and deposits on the material just down from where it was intended. I am able to cure it on the black by changing my black build in the art. When I open it in the rip, will often find that that my black build is very heavy in cmy. I’ll change it to something like 40,30,30,100 and it cures the problem. I don’t know if this helps you but it may be something to look at.

Hello, Thank you for the tip.
I tried a few ways and still same thing.
I put a static mat under and grounded it. Static cords in rear above and below the material. Still same thing???
Even put a humidifier today in the same room. Temp at 70.

While I printed more cyan this time that was the over spray color on popup material.

 

[Eforcer]

You seem to have received a nice number of replies. Have you resolved this issue, and if so, what was action was taken?

 

[landdesigns]

Could be Static Electricity , I get once in a while with certain materials .

 

[Joe House]

Even put a humidifier today in the same room. Temp at 70.

You state the temperature, but humidity has a greater effect on static then temperature does. What's the relative humidity in the room? A hygrometer is a cheap investment for tracking down these gremlins.
It looks like the pinch wheels are charging the vinyl when they rest, which is attracting ink droplets to those spots.

Good Luck

 

[anthonyd969]

You state the temperature, but humidity has a greater effect on static then temperature does. What's the relative humidity in the room? A hygrometer is a cheap investment for tracking down these gremlins.
It looks like the pinch wheels are charging the vinyl when they rest, which is attracting ink droplets to those spots.

Good Luck

Thanks Joe.
I have baseboard heat in this room for years.
"BUT" I had the heat just fixed Thursday after Christmas. I had been using an electric heater in the office now for 4 weeks while waiting for the baseboard boiler to be repaired. That electric dry heat is when it started, now that I think of it !!!

UPDATE:
I ran a new test at 50% speed and Bingo we look clean. I put a humidifier in the room now and have baseboard heat running again for past few days.
My guy just ran out to grab that hygrometer you asked about. So I will see shortly. Thank you.

 

[anthonyd969]

My Humidity is at a low of 29% and it says high of 36% in the room at 70 degrees

 

[Jun Lanon]

This happens to my flatbed and my roll to roll when print head temperature is either too low or too high.

 

[anthonyd969]

This happens to my flatbed and my roll to roll when print head temperature is either too low or too high.

Thank you Jun. Seems to be starting today again on Matte Banner.