Substrate Jam Clean Carriage Reflector HP L25500 Question

[Franklin]

Hey everyone.

For the life of me is their anyone who can help with providing some solution, reason or explanation to why i keep getting substrate jams.

I got the maintenance error to clean carriage rail.

lint free cloth correct type of alcohol. cleaned the rail.
oil wise i read on a forum that any oil that wont gum it up believe they said would work fine. Believe im using some kind of fishing oil.

i was worried about the oil so i used very small amount

basically every 2 - 3 prints im getting jams.

Also might be IMPORTANT to note

im using flexi production manager

im printing on canvas material however their is not substrate for canvas

I have used mesh and also fabric settings on both the rip & plotter

not sure which is correct

i have had jams using both

any advice would be welcomed.

thanks!

 

[Bly]

Are you getting head strikes or does the carriage just stop moving?

 

[Franklin]

Are you getting head strikes or does the carriage just stop moving?

Substrate gets lifted in one corner. Not always the same corner, but its by the carriage as its printing usually within the first 5-10 strokes

 

[Franklin]

I know newer models have edge holders for substrate on each side. Does this model also suppose to have those? I have 3 of these machines and none have edge holders on the sides i assumed it was how these were made.

Can anyone confirm>? I cant find anything online

 

[Bly]

We had two of these printers.
With a lot of media you have to advance it out of the machine before it starts printing and even hold tension on the edges until it gets going.

 

[Franklin]

We had two of these printers.
With a lot of media you have to advance it out of the machine before it starts printing and even hold tension on the edges until it gets going.

I was just private messaged the same info from another member.

I will try it now. Ive put it forward just enough to where it is almost coming out but i will advance it a lot more on this go around.

What did/do you mean hold tensions on the edges until it gets going? what area would be a good idea to hold until its going good?

 

[AF]

Use the edge holders. Or attach to the takeup before printing. Or get head strikes and carriage jams. You can tape a leader to a core on the takeup and then tape the leading edge of the canvas to the leader to save material. I prefer to use edge holders regardless if using the takeup, and found that edge holders are basically a requirement no matter what media is installed.

 

[Franklin]

ive tried many things

keeps jaming

in the begin

Use the edge holders. Or attach to the takeup before printing. Or get head strikes and carriage jams. You can tape a leader to a core on the takeup and then tape the leading edge of the canvas to the leader to save material. I prefer to use edge holders regardless if using the takeup, and found that edge holders are basically a requirement no matter what media is installed.

I guess they didnt make edge holders for this model. Looking inside i dont see a spot for edge holders like i do on newer models

i plan to tape it to the takeup before printing to see if that helps

i was going to play around with suction, i was thinking maybe it is just not enough.

what substrate selection is best with dealing with canvas. I have been using "fabric" since their is no canvas. I was thinking of increasing the vacuum from 20.00 mmh2c to 30.00 mmh2c and tape it to the takeup to see what happens.

I hate to waste canvas but at this point i have to keep trying until it stops with the jams.

Weird when i used onxy (free trail) i never got any jams. I recently started using production manager with flexi and head strikers & carriage jams. so im thinking its a setting i could fix.

Does anyone else print on fabric or canvas. what do you use?

 

[Ian Stewart-Koster]

Flexi I've not used with the HP L25500- I tried Onyx and liked it. (I wouldn't mind trying Flexi again, with the 25500 rip)
I've had head strike (actually it's carriage strike, not head strike, but we tend to call it head strike) with many substrates... but photo canvas has been the worst, with the edges lifiting and the carriage hitting them. However, by holding the canvas taut for a while, it got better. The quality of print was just lovely.

We've since got a L260 and it has a magnetic edge keeper-downer for thav purpose. I feel inclined to make somethng, somehow for the 25500.

Printing light polyester, and vinyls and banner material was much less of a problem- just the old photoquality canvas was havoc.
Heat and vacuum changes made no difference to the edge-lift.
Cleaning out the vacuum breather holes on the platen was a small help, but holding it taut as it fed was best.

Some people hang a brass padlock from spring clamps, on each front corner of the media, to keep it tensioned flat on the platen till enough has run through the machine. If it's going to happen, it'll be in the first 2 ft or so...
I use metal carpenter's heavy spring-clamps till it's started.

I HAVE printed on a lot of polyester- just lovely. No problems at all. That's flag type polyester fabric. It sits (or flops) flat and the vacuum holds it down easily.

 

[Kelcy Deeds]

Exactly what everyone's been saying! I've had the exact same problem as you when I started printing canvas, constant headstrikes no matter what the setting was on. I even tried cranking the vacuum up wayyy high and the edge still curled up .The only way ive found that works is to advance it just out of the printer and hold a little pressure on it until you see it printed about 6" and slowly let off the pressure and make sure the carraige doesnt grab the edge of the vinyl. I try to pile up my canvas jobs a bit till I have quite a few to print and print them all at once so I don't waste to much canvas. After I've figured that out, I've printed tons of canvas. This thing prints beautiful on canvas! Hope you get it working.

 

[Franklin]

Exactly what everyone's been saying! I've had the exact same problem as you when I started printing canvas, constant headstrikes no matter what the setting was on. I even tried cranking the vacuum up wayyy high and the edge still curled up .The only way ive found that works is to advance it just out of the printer and hold a little pressure on it until you see it printed about 6" and slowly let off the pressure and make sure the carraige doesnt grab the edge of the vinyl. I try to pile up my canvas jobs a bit till I have quite a few to print and print them all at once so I don't waste to much canvas. After I've figured that out, I've printed tons of canvas. This thing prints beautiful on canvas! Hope you get it working.

I was holding the substrate yesterday. it was printing and my daughter called me. Shes 10 months old so her call is more of a cry at this moment lol. So i let go and ran over to her but i knew as i let go that i should have let go a little more slower as you mentioned and boom it hit the substrate.

So far ive had success with advancing it and holding it until it gets going and advancing it and getting it started to roll on the finish bottom roller but even that has to be tighten as it prints or i'll get another jam

I have to admit having a substrate jam issue isnt the worse problems so im grateful for sure!

What rip do you use? Im sure im wrong but i used Onxy (free trail) and i had no jams at all. Im now using flexi pro manager and i got jams which lead me at first to believe it was a profile suction setting issue but after all the responses im back to thinking its just something that happens and the solutions are what you guys have been saying. What do you think? Possible rip could help?

Can i ask what canvas do you print on?

I have used:

LexJet Sunset by Fredrix Matte Canvas
&
LexJet Sunset by Fredrix Satin Canvas SUV

I plan on purchasing more canvas today so any advice would be amazing!

As far as the substrate jams THANK YOU to everyone who has replied. I truly appreciate it! Being the only person working on this on my end can suck sometimes but knowing i have a little back up on here sure is an awesome feeling!

Thanks!