Scratching on prints for L26500

[Redfield]

Got our L26500 printer back in January of 2012. In December I started having issues when printing with 60" and 54" 3M controltac and translucent vinyl. Nearly every print job now has what looks like scratching in the middle of the machine. It varies from where it happens during printing, beginning, middle, or near the end. I use the take up reel with the metal tension bar and I've increased the vacuum pressure up 10 points, more in some cases. It’s been hit or miss. I've also checked the holes on the platen to make sure they aren't clogged. HP techs usually are pretty good but this one but they just told me to do what I’ve already listed above. I'm stumped and it’s becoming a waste of material.Anyone else seen this?

 

[J Hill Designs]

just a guess, but I'm thinking that the media is tunneling causing the head to swipe the media... perhaps lower your heat a titch?

 

[P Wagner]

Are those caused by the print carriage impacting the media, or from the use of the dancer take-up take-up system?

Assuming that a print head crash is the source, I would look at the humidity of your print room. This time of year it is common for humidity to fall below the minimum (25%) and this can cause paper-backed media (including adhesive vinyl) to buckle while printing.

 

[Redfield]

jhilldesigns:

The heat is at the default setting for the profile so I don't know if I should lower it.

Castek:

I believe its the carriage scratching the media. I have used the take-reel with the metal tension bar and without it. The humidity is down to 20% in the room.

 

[Turtle]

Head strike
Try this
dry temp 126
cure temp 215
vacuum 25
The low humidity is not helping either.

I was having a similar problem last week My vac was at 15 and raising it to 25 helped the most.

Good Luck

-Mark

 

[JoeBoomer]

It looks like a head-strike. I think your temps are in fact too high and the media is buckling. Try dropping it by 5º and see if that works. Just check it as it is coming off to see if it is "oily" at all. I might even go as far as to drop it by 10º.

• Decrease temp
• If lower temp is a problem, keep temp low and try increasing airflow

You'd be surprised how much room you have with temps sometimes.

 

[sowinski_t]

Almost for sure a head strike due to buckling from too much heat or not enough vacuum. Also, I would check to see if by chance there isn't any hanging from the carriage and scratching; unlikely, but possible.

 

[Redfield]

Head strike
Try this
dry temp 126
cure temp 215
vacuum 25
The low humidity is not helping either.

I was having a similar problem last week My vac was at 15 and raising it to 25 helped the most.

Good Luck

-Mark

I use the default profile for IJ180 which is:
dry temp 131(max)
cure temp 230
vacuum 25

I increased the vacuum to 30-35 and usually does the trick, but not always.

I haven't tried decreasing the temp, wasn't sure what it would do for drying. I had to increase the temp for high ink prints.

Also, the only place it scratches in in the center of the machine.