Streaking? Head striking?

[daenterpri]

Take a peak at the picture. This happens often that my printer does this, and it's always at the left end of the printer. I almost always use 30" media.

Any recommendations? Should I raise the head when I'm printing on the 3mil calendered?

Thanks!

 

[miker]

That looks more like dirty encoder strip or bad data cables. I don't know anything about the machine you're using though.

 

[J Hill Designs]

yep +1 bad data

 

[sfr table hockey]

In the photo it seemed ok till that point. Once it starts to do it does it continue or is it off and on?

If you print the file at half size, keeping it starting the print on the farthest right you can, does it do it?

If it only does that on the prints that reach that left side of the printer then it may be a cable issue that is cracking and that's where it bends.

It does look like what some of the other bad data cable issues look like. They tend to be a printed mark and not a blob of ink or a smear.

 

[daenterpri]

Ah, I should have posted this in the Mutoh section. I wasn't thinking.

 

[daenterpri]

Thanks for the replies! What cable? And where is the encoder strip located?

 

[daenterpri]

Ok, I tried printing a smaller version, one on the right, and one on the left. As you can see, it did well with both.

Once it starts, it doesn't usually go away. Seems like I have to mess with it, and maybe clean the heads or something to fix it... but I'm not really even sure that me cleaning does anything to fix it.

Where is the encoder strip and this other cable you guys mentioned?

 

[ChicagoGraphics]

The encoder strip runs the lenght of your printer and should be clear.

 

[daenterpri]

The encoder strip runs the lenght of your printer and should be clear.

I think I just found it when I took the cap off the machine. Looks pretty clean. I wiped it down.

It honestly looks like it serves no purpose. What does it do?

 

[J Hill Designs]

hope you didnt wipe it with solvent cleaning fluid....it has millions of tiny lines on it that tell the print head where it is

 

[daenterpri]

hope you didnt wipe it with solvent cleaning fluid....it has millions of tiny lines on it that tell the print head where it is

Nope, however, I did initially wipe it with a microfiber that had a little oil on it. I quickly went over it with a clean microfiber... Hopefully it will work!

 

[sfr table hockey]

Ok, I tried printing a smaller version, one on the right, and one on the left. As you can see, it did well with both.

Once it starts, it doesn't usually go away. Seems like I have to mess with it, and maybe clean the heads or something to fix it... but I'm not really even sure that me cleaning does anything to fix it.

Where is the encoder strip and this other cable you guys mentioned?

I don't have your Falcon printer (always wanted to say that) but:

If you look at the rail your print heads travel on you should see above there is a track where the wide ribbon cable travels back and forth as the printer prints and if the cable inside that track gets kinked it could crack one of the wires and thus cause an issue. Other ribbon cables might be on the heads connected to a board. If these cables are not set right or have a crack it is possible as the carriage gets to the end of the printer and the sudden movement back could flex things just enough to make that ribbon cable, that might not be set proper or cracked, loose connection.

May not be somthing you can detect on your own.