Weird banding effect

[poslive]

Help! I'm running a ToucanLT with Wasatch SoftRIP and whenever I print banners on JetFlex scrim I get a weird banding effect. The image will look good for about an inch then it will start overlap banding for an inch or so then repeat. Photo paper looks fine, it's just the scrim that does it. We've tried re-profiling the media and any feed calibration adjustments we could find. The attached photo shows a section of 3 prints with the banding causing the text to plug. In addition to the banding our image size tends to vary from one print to the next on the same roll. Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks
TJ

 

[randya]

inside wound or outside wound media?

 

[poslive]

Inside wound, take-up reel in use. Tension seems even across width of roll.

 

[randya]

Do you also have the printer set up for inside wound?

Will it do the same thing if you cut and print a sheet?

 

[ChicagoGraphics]

It might be you have a corrupted file, try pinting on a different material and see if the same thing ocurs.

 

[poslive]

OK, Sheet feeding showed the same artifact but not quite as severe. Upon further inspection it appears that the media feed bar (the knurled drive bar under the pinch rollers if that's not the correct term) is worn pretty smooth under the pinch rollers. The machine itself is about 4 years old and has run at least 8-12 hours per day since it was installed. Can that be replaced or remanufactured?

 

[randya]

Yes, it can be replaced.

http://www.mutoh.com/PressReleases/2009/PressRelease-Re-Cerification-Program.html

 

[Julia The Signgirl]

That is ridiculous- the recertifying, I mean. (not pointed at you randya) I received something from Mutoh about a month ago about this. Why would someone want to do that after spending close to 14k on this machine? After only a few years? Granted these machines could be worked hard and used 12 hours a day, but isn't that what they were sold to do?

 

[The Big Squeegee]

Welcome to the forum

It might be from finger prints. Wear cotton gloves when handling the media.

 

[MacDaddy]

It's not an easy job replacing the Page Feed system on one of the machines, I have done many... The parts alone cost around five hundred dollars I believe, if memory serves me correctly...

 

[Jeff South Florida]

This randomness can also be caused by the pinch roller themselves. Look on the sides of the picnh rollers where the roller sticks through the frame. Look for a build up of rubber.This is from the end of the roller swelling up and rubbing on the side frame and cuaseing uneven feeding. If you cut about 1/4" of rubber away from both sides, it will change everything.

 

[poslive]

UPDATE!!
Our local tech couldn't find a part number to replace the feeder bar thingy so we took matters into our own hands and scuffed it under a couple of the pinch rollers. It doesn't look pretty but our print quality is better than it's been in months.
Thanks for all of your input and suggestions!

*just what I need now*

 

[randya]

Post a picture, I am not sure what you mean....