CSOCSO
I don't hate paint, I just overlay it.
So here is something weird; yesterday was the 2nd time something weird happened to my printer. Even before the first time I never had any issues for almost a year ( printer is 2yrs old) . Not sure what happened. I was never able to diagnose the issue. I showed the prints to the roland tech and he said he has never seen anything like it. It didn't happen to me again until now but the issue was slightly different.
The first time it happened to me I had a few files (tiff) loaded up in versaworks ( version 5. something - whatever was the newest one. (fairly new pc with 1 yr old ethernet cable that no one ever touches)
It was printing all fine then it printed a few rectangles with sharp edges but totally wrong color and size. Looked like it took a couple of inches from the file and only printed that. Let's say I was printing a full side of a van which would have been 50x210 inches but only printed a 50inch x 1-inch piece that was TOTALLY wrong color but the edges were sharp. like it finished the print.
I tried to print it again and printed without a problem. I have no clue why or what happened. Versaworks did not show any errors. Job log all clear of red errors.
Fast forward to now. I was printing another van. Totally different files. Even photoshop if different ( just upgraded a few months ago) the files are tiff like how I always save them. The difference now is that it printed only half an inch and then the printer rolled off hundreds of inches of the vinyl without any print. Then it stopped and printed another half an inch of another graphics for the other side of the van and emptiness for hundreds of inches. ( see pictures). Also printed the back file which one was 2 smaller prints.
It even printed the job properties but the graphics only printed half an inch and it has sharp edges all around ( no fade off) and totally wrong color. Should have printed ocean blue and it was green/brown.|
Also printed 1 weird black line with a thin line of RGB next to it.
The doors and fenders printed fine. Then the back printed wrong and then the sides. I logged in to my computer from home and opened the side files and printed the bottom half of the graphics which DID print!!!! Same file. Just right clicked on the bottom half then unselected the top. Nested the two bottom prints and sent it to print. No issues.
The only thing I saw today when I tried to reprint the top half of the graphics is that the versaworks gave me an error of no more disk space left. This might be the source of the problem. Does anyone experience anything similar to this? I was pissed because I just wasted a bunch of vinyl. Besides not having the vinyl to install on the van today.
I did not want all the material to go to waste so I slipped on some rubber gloves and washed off those freaking stripes and loaded the vinyl back in to the machine and just finished reprinting the two sides.
if anyone wants to know the best method i came up with was: rub the ink off with alcohol. No circular motions. No need to smear it around. Alcohol left a faded color so then I did the wax on / wax off method.
In one hand i had a rag with some xylene ( very light mist). In the other, i had another rag with lots of alcohol. Light xylene rub then immediately clean it off with alcohol. Do not let the xylene soak in!
i was afraid the ink won't lay as good but fortunately, it turned out pretty decent! If your graphics is busy enogh you will not see it. Iif you print solid color you will have a problem for sure. I really had to look for it but eventually I did find the area that was cleaned and I am trying to show it with my fingers (between them) where the "discoloration" occurs because of the chemicals. (see pics)
The first time it happened to me I had a few files (tiff) loaded up in versaworks ( version 5. something - whatever was the newest one. (fairly new pc with 1 yr old ethernet cable that no one ever touches)
It was printing all fine then it printed a few rectangles with sharp edges but totally wrong color and size. Looked like it took a couple of inches from the file and only printed that. Let's say I was printing a full side of a van which would have been 50x210 inches but only printed a 50inch x 1-inch piece that was TOTALLY wrong color but the edges were sharp. like it finished the print.
I tried to print it again and printed without a problem. I have no clue why or what happened. Versaworks did not show any errors. Job log all clear of red errors.
Fast forward to now. I was printing another van. Totally different files. Even photoshop if different ( just upgraded a few months ago) the files are tiff like how I always save them. The difference now is that it printed only half an inch and then the printer rolled off hundreds of inches of the vinyl without any print. Then it stopped and printed another half an inch of another graphics for the other side of the van and emptiness for hundreds of inches. ( see pictures). Also printed the back file which one was 2 smaller prints.
It even printed the job properties but the graphics only printed half an inch and it has sharp edges all around ( no fade off) and totally wrong color. Should have printed ocean blue and it was green/brown.|
Also printed 1 weird black line with a thin line of RGB next to it.
The doors and fenders printed fine. Then the back printed wrong and then the sides. I logged in to my computer from home and opened the side files and printed the bottom half of the graphics which DID print!!!! Same file. Just right clicked on the bottom half then unselected the top. Nested the two bottom prints and sent it to print. No issues.
The only thing I saw today when I tried to reprint the top half of the graphics is that the versaworks gave me an error of no more disk space left. This might be the source of the problem. Does anyone experience anything similar to this? I was pissed because I just wasted a bunch of vinyl. Besides not having the vinyl to install on the van today.
I did not want all the material to go to waste so I slipped on some rubber gloves and washed off those freaking stripes and loaded the vinyl back in to the machine and just finished reprinting the two sides.
if anyone wants to know the best method i came up with was: rub the ink off with alcohol. No circular motions. No need to smear it around. Alcohol left a faded color so then I did the wax on / wax off method.
In one hand i had a rag with some xylene ( very light mist). In the other, i had another rag with lots of alcohol. Light xylene rub then immediately clean it off with alcohol. Do not let the xylene soak in!
i was afraid the ink won't lay as good but fortunately, it turned out pretty decent! If your graphics is busy enogh you will not see it. Iif you print solid color you will have a problem for sure. I really had to look for it but eventually I did find the area that was cleaned and I am trying to show it with my fingers (between them) where the "discoloration" occurs because of the chemicals. (see pics)