What Would Cause Ink to Puddle Like This

[rdm01]

We were having trouble with a print, splotchy ink, bleeding between colors. I had our team replace an aging optimizer head. It pops this out.

Yikes! This looks worse. What would cause this?

HP Latex370
Calendered Vinyl (never had issues with this media)

Any ideas?

 

[SignMeUpGraphics]

How old is the roll of media?

 

[rdm01]

How old is the roll of media?

Just opened today.

That said, it may have been on a shelf elsewhere for a while.

 

[P Wagner]

What does the nozzle test print look like? It is located under Image Quality Maintenance > Clean Printheads > Test Print

 

[WB]

It's been awhile since I've use a latex. BUT, are the heaters on and working properly? Check the material make sure there isn't a mistake and you got sent the wrong media. solvent on your lines..

Obviously your 1st response is to but another material in and see if it prints fine, if it does it's the material send it back.

 

[balstestrat]

We were having trouble with a print, splotchy ink, bleeding between colors. I had our team replace an aging optimizer head. It pops this out.
View attachment 154873

Yikes! This looks worse. What would cause this?

HP Latex370
Calendered Vinyl (never had issues with this media)

Any ideas?

This looks just fine. Those are not for you to look at, it's a spitting bar for printer.

Please post a picture of the actual issue.

 

[rdm01]

Well

This looks just fine. Those are not for you to look at, it's a spitting bar for printer.

Please post a picture of the actual issue.

Though uniquely phrased, you seem to be absolutely correct.

The prints prior looked awful, so we swapped the optimizer. I stopped short of actually printing when I saw this come off the printer after the printhead swap. Turns out, the new optimizer printhead did the tick, and the prints look just fine.

Thank you, everyone, for your help.

 

[balstestrat]

Yeah, it would be nice if the manual explained more of what not to look at on your test prints. I recall the first one I ran when profiling a new media. I nearly had a cow until the tech that installed it got back with me.

The things is that isn't a test print. It's automatic alignment so I don't know, I think that should explain it. You shouldn't look at any of it as the printer does the looking for you.
Manual does explain few other test prints.