What is causing this?

[phototec]

What is causing this (see attached image)?

See the attached image, I'm printing a banner with a Roland SP-540V and the FIRST 1" or so the ink is NOT laying FLAT, there seams to be what looks like the ink is pooling, then it get better and looks ok.

Is this caused by not enough HEAT, like maybe the printer starts printing before the heater is at full temperature yet, and then as the heater gets to the right temperature the ink smooth's out?

If that is the issue, what can I do to fix the problem, how do you make the heater come on ahead of time?

OR

Is there something else that would cause the ink pooling in the first part of the print?

 

[Sign Works]

Contaminated media possibly or does it do this repeatedly?

Printer does not start printing until it reaches temp that it is set to.

 

[TXFB.INS]

we are running a VS 640 and are seeing the same effect which has never been seen before. After testing we came to the conclusion that with the amount of rain we have been getting the humidity is too high causing the effect.

 

[phototec]

Contaminated media possibly or does it do this repeatedly?

Printer does not start printing until it reaches temp that it is set to.

I thought the same thing about NOT printing until the heater temp is reached, even seen the display saying HEATING!

I have printed some test strip prints using different profiles, it does the same ink pooling (I don't really know what to call it), each time it starts to print for an inch or so then, the ink smoooths out like it suppose to, so I don't think it's the media. I printed 5 test strips (cropped section of the image), and each time it does the same thing at the beginning of the print.

Someone else asked me if I use the setting in VersaWorks that lets heater control be controlled by the profile, I have never changed any heater settings, I just assume the profile selected controls the heater setting?

 

[phototec]

we are running a VS 640 and are seeing the same effect which has never been seen before. After testing we came to the conclusion that with the amount of rain we have been getting the humidity is too high causing the effect.

Yes, we have had rain for a full week, and the humidity at the printer says 41%, is that to high?

And what have you done to lower your humidity?

So, maybe after the head moves back and forth over the media and with the heater running a little longer, the pooling effect goes a way?

I just didn't want to print the 60" long banner cause I didn't know if the effect would show back up further into the print.

Does the high humidity pooling effect go away after the first few inches and NOT come back anymore on the print, or does it show up again after further into the print?

Thanks

 

[Sign Works]

I thought the same thing about NOT printing until the heater temp is reached, even seen the display saying HEATING!

I have printed some test strip prints using different profiles, it does the same ink pooling (I don't really know what to call it), each time it starts to print for an inch or so then, the ink smoooths out like it suppose to, so I don't think it's the media. I printed 5 test strips (cropped section of the image), and each time it does the same thing at the beginning of the print.

Someone else asked me if I use the setting in VersaWorks that lets heater control be controlled by the profile, I have never changed any heater settings, I just assume the profile selected controls the heater setting?

Have you tried a different media? Such as vinyl, if it does it on an alternate media then it's not media related.

I believe the 540 has an adjustable head height, have you tried changing that?

 

[phototec]

Have you tried a different media? Such as vinyl, if it does it on an alternate media then it's not media related.

I believe the 540 has an adjustable head height, have you tried changing that?

It printed on regular vinyl just fine yesterday.

I have never changed the heat height setting, what effect does that have on printing?

Look at the image I included in the first post, after the first inch or so, the print looks good, starts out pooling ink and then looks great, so I would not think that has anything to do with head height, more like the heater is NOT up to the temp required when the printer starts, then after a inch of media the heater gets warm enough to eliminate the issue.

I just need to have the heater come on sooner, maybe add one inch of misc. file before the real image to allow the heater to catch up? I'll try that and report back.

 

[Sign Works]

You seemed to be convinced your heaters are malfunctioning. What temp are your heaters showing on your control panel? Shoot you can tell if the heaters are on simply by feeling the media right over the heater areas.
I personally do not think you have ruled out the media contamination possibility, have you tried cleaning the media with 91% Isoprophyl Alcohol?

 

[phototec]

Player from Canada gets the prize!

He suggested (by email) that my heater setting in VW was set wrong, to "Use Printer setting", instead of "Let Media Control Heater"





I checked and my VW heater setting was set to "Use Printer setting", so I changed it to "Let Media Control Heat settings", and it works fine NOW, the printer waits for the heater to heat up a little longer before printing.


I knew it had to be something with the heater, because the problem would go away and the print would look great after an inch or so anywhere on the roll of banner material.


The banner material is thicker than my normal printing vinyl, so it takes more HEAT to cook the ink (I guess).

Thanks Richard

 

[phototec]

You seemed to be convinced your heaters are malfunctioning. What temp are your heaters showing on your control panel? Shoot you can tell if the heaters are on simply by feeling the media right over the heater areas.
I personally do not think you have ruled out the media contamination possibility, have you tried cleaning the media with 91% Isoprophyl Alcohol?

Problem was the default heat setting in VW, changed it and the banner material is printing fine NOW.

Thanks for you suggestions....