Banding in cyan only, Mimaki JV5-320S

[Seth Griffin]

I'm printing on a Mimaki JV5-320S, using Beaver Paper TexPrint XP95 paper, and Kiian sublimation inks. Only one of the four heads is currently used (because Epsom DX-5 heads are expensive, and the owner doesn't want to buy three more). I'm running Onyx Thrive as the RIP software, and using Fischer Fabric's Tri-poly fabric to transfer to.

I'm trying to change the system over from Onyx Production House X10 to Thrive, and build a new profile. When I print an ink restriction swatch, the top row--cyan--has a distinct green cast to it, and I'm seeing 1mm bands of green through all of the cyan patches, as though it's printing yellow ink along with cyan. I don't see corresponding bands through the magenta, yellow, or black patches. When I read the patches in, and print out a calibration chart, the cyan patches all have a green cast, and a large percentage of the cyan patches return out-or-range values; the magenta, yellow, and black patches return in-range values.

The same artifacts are visible when I print ink restrictions using the old RIP station and software. (I have identical print settings: resolution, passes, bi-directional printing, number of patches, dot pattern, etc.)

Adjusting the media feed rate doesn't seem to have any effect.

My suspicion is that something has gone wrong with the sole remaining print head. For now, I can use my existing profile (I just copied them from the old system to a network drive, then to the new workstation), but I can no longer calibrate the machine, and colors are already drifting.

Ideas?

(Banding lightly visible https://imgur.com/a/G87Edew)

 

[Solventinkjet]

How does the nozzle check look? I'm seeing a bunch of over spray which is usually a sign of a failing head.

 

[Terrance the Deuce]

This looks like ink cross contamination. Yellow is getting in the nozzles after you do a cleaning. My guess is you don't have a good seal between the cap and the printhead. Try doing the capping station adjustment to make sure your caps are making good contact with the heads. Make sure your cap rims are clean and wipers are clean.

 

[Seth Griffin]

How does the nozzle check look? I'm seeing a bunch of over spray which is usually a sign of a failing head.

I don't think that it's overspray; I think that you're seeing the ink gassing out when it's going through the heat press. The belt on our press is shot, and getting replaced all next week; that should help. By nozzle check, I assume you mean the usual test pattern to look for nozzles that have dropped out? If so, please see images in the link. The first pattern was without running a cleaning cycle; the yellow is clearly contaminating part of what should have been only cyan, but I'm not seeing badly misaligned nozzles or a bunch dropped out. The second pattern was printed immediately after a cleaning cycle, and looks okay; there doesn't appear to be yellow contamination in the cyan..

I'll check my manual and see how to adjust the caps. Wiper appears to be good, although it's at end of lifecycle, according to the machine.

https://imgur.com/a/q4iYHzx

 

[Solventinkjet]

I don't think that it's overspray; I think that you're seeing the ink gassing out when it's going through the heat press. The belt on our press is shot, and getting replaced all next week; that should help. By nozzle check, I assume you mean the usual test pattern to look for nozzles that have dropped out? If so, please see images in the link. The first pattern was without running a cleaning cycle; the yellow is clearly contaminating part of what should have been only cyan, but I'm not seeing badly misaligned nozzles or a bunch dropped out. The second pattern was printed immediately after a cleaning cycle, and looks okay; there doesn't appear to be yellow contamination in the cyan..

I'll check my manual and see how to adjust the caps. Wiper appears to be good, although it's at end of lifecycle, according to the machine.

https://imgur.com/a/q4iYHzx

Ok that makes sense. I don't work a lot with dye sub. The nozzle check is looking like there is some deflection which is usually partially clogged nozzles. You could try doing a nozzle soak in cleaning solution to see if that clears it up any. As THLII said, it does look like cross contamination as the cyan is looking greener. I would flush the pump tubes to make sure they aren't partially or fully clogged.

 

[Seth Griffin]

I'll try executing a pump tube wash ASAP (currently in the middle of a print run). I'm also ordering new cap head assemblies, and wipers, since those are both probably well past their life cycle. Pump tube flushing requires a cleaning solution cartridge, correct? I'm not sure we've ever had those, since the cleaning solution appears to be for solvent ink, and we dye sub is all water based.

 

[Solventinkjet]

I'll try executing a pump tube wash ASAP (currently in the middle of a print run). I'm also ordering new cap head assemblies, and wipers, since those are both probably well past their life cycle. Pump tube flushing requires a cleaning solution cartridge, correct? I'm not sure we've ever had those, since the cleaning solution appears to be for solvent ink, and we dye sub is all water based.

You would want to use the cleaning solution your ink supplier recommends. Get a bottle and then just use a syringe to flush the tubes out.

 

[Noble Haus]

I'm printing on a Mimaki JV5-320S, using Beaver Paper TexPrint XP95 paper, and Kiian sublimation inks. Only one of the four heads is currently used (because Epsom DX-5 heads are expensive, and the owner doesn't want to buy three more). I'm running Onyx Thrive as the RIP software, and using Fischer Fabric's Tri-poly fabric to transfer to.

I'm trying to change the system over from Onyx Production House X10 to Thrive, and build a new profile. When I print an ink restriction swatch, the top row--cyan--has a distinct green cast to it, and I'm seeing 1mm bands of green through all of the cyan patches, as though it's printing yellow ink along with cyan. I don't see corresponding bands through the magenta, yellow, or black patches. When I read the patches in, and print out a calibration chart, the cyan patches all have a green cast, and a large percentage of the cyan patches return out-or-range values; the magenta, yellow, and black patches return in-range values.

The same artifacts are visible when I print ink restrictions using the old RIP station and software. (I have identical print settings: resolution, passes, bi-directional printing, number of patches, dot pattern, etc.)

Adjusting the media feed rate doesn't seem to have any effect.

My suspicion is that something has gone wrong with the sole remaining print head. For now, I can use my existing profile (I just copied them from the old system to a network drive, then to the new workstation), but I can no longer calibrate the machine, and colors are already drifting.

Ideas?

(Banding lightly visible https://imgur.com/a/G87Edew)

Ok that makes sense. I don't work a lot with dye sub. The nozzle check is looking like there is some deflection which is usually partially clogged nozzles. You could try doing a nozzle soak in cleaning solution to see if that clears it up any. As THLII said, it does look like cross contamination as the cyan is looking greener. I would flush the pump tubes to make sure they aren't partially or fully clogged.

 

[Noble Haus]

the bladder in your head is starting to fail Dye Sub inks are famous for causing failing bladders.... I have 5 jv 33 and 3 jv 300 I have see this as a regular pattern the average I get per print head is 1 year ... so budget as such, Jtek / Kiinan are the same ink base and have had the same thein, actuall 2 heads in 3 weeks which I think is due to bad ink, but the mfg will never admit as such

 

[Solventinkjet]

the bladder in your head is starting to fail Dye Sub inks are famous for causing failing bladders.... I have 5 jv 33 and 3 jv 300 I have see this as a regular pattern the average I get per print head is 1 year ... so budget as such, Jtek / Kiinan are the same ink base and have had the same thein, actuall 2 heads in 3 weeks which I think is due to bad ink, but the mfg will never admit as such

I sell heads into solvent and dye sub machines and this is about right. The same head with solvent inks will last 3 to 5 years where the dye sub head will fail in a year to 18 months.