Question Air in ink lines epson s30670?

[GetTarps]

I have nozzles dropping out in the middle of the print...does this image look like air in the lines?

Thank you for your advice.

 

[Solventinkjet]

Doesn't look like it to me. Normally they will be very apparent if they were there. That's not to say you don't have a little air leak somewhere or your damper is just worn out. If it's a single color, usually it's a damper issue. If it's multiple, it could be a maintenance station issue.

 

[GetTarps]

Perfect nozzle checks at the beginning of 60 ft prints and then this picture. Looks like skis going thru the print. See attached.

 

[Solventinkjet]

Looks like it might be an encoder issue. Unfortunately I work on Epson based machines but not the actual Epson branded ones so I don't know too much about how things are laid out. I would clean the encoder with 70% alcohol and a lint free cloth and see how that does. Hopefully someone with more S series experience can help further.

 

[Jim Hancock]

Please do not use 70% alcohol, as it has too much water content. The encoder is made of graphics film, which is processed in water based chemistry. The amount of water in 70% alcohol is enough to soften the emulsion on the encoder and can result in damage to it. I had a customer repeatedly clean his encoder with 70% alcohol and eventually stripped the emulsion completely off the encoder.
My tried and true method for hundreds of encoder strips I have cleaned on many brands of printers is a microfiber cloth and acetone, with 100% success and not one damaged. In addition, acetone is much better at removing ink from encoders than even 100% alcohol.

Regards,
Jim Hancock

 

[unclebun]

When we start a print with perfect nozzle pattern and then end up with all kinds of dropouts and messups when printing banner material, the culprit is usually banner fuzz getting caught on the head and catching ink.

 

[Solventinkjet]

Been using 70% my entire career with no issues. Guess I'm lucky.