Need Help Mimaki UCJV300-160 Headstrike issue

[RonnyCrack]

It may just be the vinyls I use.
I get headstrikes that seem caused by the rigidity of the vinyl when it's being rolled out by the rollers, or maybe my take-up reel is having some issues.
The vinyl, instead of being immediately pulled taut by the take-up reel, lifts up in front of the printhead 2 or 3 times, each time getting higher, until it either pulls itself taut, or I get a headstrike.
The tension on the take-up reel seems to have a minimal effect on this, except when it's cranked all the way down, which introduces other issues (x motor being overworked/failing during cuts).

Does anybody have a recommendation for a vinyl that is good for stickers, not overly rigid, especially if you also use a UCJV series printer?

 

[Solventinkjet]

Make sure your pinch rollers are as evenly spaced as possible and make sure all the ones being used are over the grit of the grit roller as indicated by some triangle markings on the Y bar. If one or more of the rollers are out of position, it will cause the media to pop up like that. You may have had them in the proper position before but they can slide sometimes and be knocked out of position. You also want a pinch roller on each end of the media.

Also, make sure your take-up is level with the platen. You can use a strip of banner or other material to do this. Wrap the strip around the take up tube and the pull it up and through the pinch rollers so you can pull it down tight against the platen. Use the sheet cut trough as an indicator and mark the banner where they meet. Then slide the banner to the right side and do the same thing. If the left mark doesn't match the right mark, adjust the take-up until they do. That will ensure it pulls straight.

So basically when the media skews, it makes it pop up and causes issues like yours.

 

[RonnyCrack]

Make sure your pinch rollers are as evenly spaced as possible and make sure all the ones being used are over the grit of the grit roller as indicated by some triangle markings on the Y bar. If one or more of the rollers are out of position, it will cause the media to pop up like that. You may have had them in the proper position before but they can slide sometimes and be knocked out of position. You also want a pinch roller on each end of the media.

Also, make sure your take-up is level with the platen. You can use a strip of banner or other material to do this. Wrap the strip around the take up tube and the pull it up and through the pinch rollers so you can pull it down tight against the platen. Use the sheet cut trough as an indicator and mark the banner where they meet. Then slide the banner to the right side and do the same thing. If the left mark doesn't match the right mark, adjust the take-up until they do. That will ensure it pulls straight.

So basically when the media skews, it makes it pop up and causes issues like yours.

I may have said in front when I meant behind the print head. Whichever side is toward me and the take-up reel - it doesn't seem to be a skew problem right now, though I will try to check if we're level!
It's like it gets stuck on the plastic edge leading town to the take-up reel. I'll see if I can figure out how to get a video or gif of it happening up here.

https://imgur.com/a/RY9rrZh

You can see it flattens out after I pull it out, or sometimes when the take-up reel pulls hard enough/the right way.
It also seems to be past the vacuums so I don't think they're defective or anything.

 

[Solventinkjet]

I may have said in front when I meant behind the print head. Whichever side is toward me and the take-up reel - it doesn't seem to be a skew problem right now, though I will try to check if we're level!
It's like it gets stuck on the plastic edge leading town to the take-up reel. I'll see if I can figure out how to get a video or gif of it happening up here.

https://imgur.com/a/RY9rrZh

You can see it flattens out after I pull it out, or sometimes when the take-up reel pulls hard enough/the right way.
It also seems to be past the vacuums so I don't think they're defective or anything.

That looks like you need to turn the vacuum up all the way if it isn't already. They also have a fix to help the vacuum pull the media down better. I don't have experience installing it but from what I hear, they basically fill some of the empty space in the platen with Styrofoam so the vacuum has less air to suck out in order to create a strong vacuum.

You also might look into adding Teflon strips to your platen. I don't know if it's static or what but it seems like there's a little too much friction between the vinyl and platen and that could be causing it to pop up like that. Mimaki used to send a strip of Teflon with each machine so look in the accessories box. You might already have some.

 

[RonnyCrack]

That looks like you need to turn the vacuum up all the way if it isn't already. They also have a fix to help the vacuum pull the media down better. I don't have experience installing it but from what I hear, they basically fill some of the empty space in the platen with Styrofoam so the vacuum has less air to suck out in order to create a strong vacuum.

You also might look into adding Teflon strips to your platen. I don't know if it's static or what but it seems like there's a little too much friction between the vinyl and platen and that could be causing it to pop up like that. Mimaki used to send a strip of Teflon with each machine so look in the accessories box. You might already have some.

I appreciate the insights. I'm inclined to believe it's the static or friction issue, I'll definitely look into all the possibilities you said and look for some teflon strips. Thanks a bunch!!

 

[Kemik]

If the material does not cover all the air holes, put some masking tape over the uncovered holes to help increase the vacuum pressure.
Masking tape under the material as well can help determine if it's a static issue, but don't cover the air holes under the material, or poke holes in the mask to allow the vacuum to work.

 

[Scotchbrite]

I run some "semi-rigid" vinyl thru ours and found that it works best setting the vacuum to strong.

 

[RonnyCrack]

I'm not sure what's causing this... Have had this printer almost a year and the last week or two has been hell figuring this out.

It seems the vinyl gets caught or something, when I do the "cut" function with this vinyl, the take-up reel can't even pull it down.

 

[Scotchbrite]

I stopped trying to tape the prints to the take up reel when I'm doing a contour cut. Just let it pile on the floor. Before that I had it jam up bad and it bent the media cut-off knife holder.