Banding, or is it?

[messmedia]

Hello!
Call me superstitious, but whenever I say something good or in pride of stuff, something bad happens! :{) So - do not talk good about things :{DD

Anyway, I need to print 500 - 600 sqft vinyl, on my VersaArt RS640, started yesterday, and thought of speeding things a little bit. So I used generic vinyl 1 profile, and that was my first time using it for work, since I noticed way back - Generic vinyl 2 makes better prints on Orafol 3640 than GV1. But, GV1 is much faster, espetially in high speed mode (360 x 720)

So, I got banding. Or - something like banding, since the lines are not sharp, they are more blurry, so I cant decide is it white or black banding.
Things I tried: Raisin print and dry temperatures (it got colder here lately, but temp in my print studio is 20 degrees celsius) - it did help a bit, but banding is still there. Then, I tried different feed calibration settings (did U notice that U can't really determine exact value for it from test print, or is it just me?).
Then I tried using standard quality, did also help a little, but banding is still there, only little less, and, THAT IS NOT FREAKIN' POINT, right? I need to use it's high speed, and I should b able to!
So, I got back to Generic Vinyl 2, it helped a lot, BUT! if U look closely, there is still very subtle lighter and darker parts, hard to notice, but definitely there.
Whole this time I tried this, I did not use intelligent pass controll. I know it would make ton of difference, but, I did not have banding issues on my prints before - WITHOUT Intelligent pass control (except once but it was MacTac vinyl problem ;{)), and want to remain that way :{)
So, I am posting few photos for You to see what I was talking about.



So, I posted immage on generic 1 profile with more pronounced banding, on Gen Vin 2 - subtle banding, but U can hint it, my calibration test (please tip me about this: how to figure what is good setting for it :{)) and my nozzle test (I think it is examplary - after one year of printing???)
P.S. in feed calibration test photo there are horizontal lines - nevermind that lines, it's just my old Nikon's moire problem when patterns are tiny.

 

[messmedia]

And, yeah, one other thing I did in between nobanding and banding: I upgraded to VersaWorks4, and it's great, and, I am not sure if something there can be a problem???

 

[messmedia]

update: I did manage to find combination of heat settings and feed calibration settings which makes print BEARABLE only.
But, 2 things I also noticed:
1. While printing, there was a roller "footstep" on my prints. But not all rollers, only one before last (most to the left when looking face of the machine). As if it damaged vinyl while moving it forward. And, it lasted for 1-2 meter (a yard or 2) and stopped! WTF?
2. Next graphic: it started excelent, and just when I thought that from before was a "ghost problem" - it started banding. So, 40 - 60 cm - foot or two - into the print it started banding again. But first foot is exelent. WTF2?
3. Just checked again: I am printing two graphics at same roll, and one got banding (subtle), other don't:

So it striked me: could it be related to vector-made graphics? I did convert it all to tiff, but yellow gradient from upper picture was made by photoshop's gradient adjustment layer? - U never know with these computers :{) ¿

 

[Sticky Signs]

Printing in high speed can be problematic. Looks to me like you are getting the lawn mower effect caused by printing in bi-directional mode. Ink drops land on the media a certain way while the head is traveling left and they fall a different way when the head travels right. This is usually very noticeable on solid colors (some more than others). It's not a vector issue, but a solid color issue. You can try printing in uni-directional mode to see if it helps. Check that your head is sitting in the low position too. I once forgot to change my head hight and got the same problems. I also find that I can print certain medias at high speed with no issues while other media just simply doesn't work.
Keep viewing distance in mind. If this is meant to be viewed up close, don't use high speed mode. It will take longer to print but your client won't be complaining and you won't have to reprint it again for free.

 

[Malkin]

Don't forget you need to attach your pics, rather than link to off-site.

Sorry I don't have anything else to add. I hope you get it sorted.

 

[messmedia]

Sorry 'bout attach part - just thought I would save U people meg or two :{)

And, thanx for Your comment Sticky Signs. It sounds logical, what U said, and I am gonna try same job (sample, of course) unidirectional tomorow, just for sake of my peace :{) - since unidirectional means also - a lot slower ... I finished job today - very SLOOOOWLY, ...

If I only tried this mode before, so I know if it was apparent then. And, too bad I do not have other vinyl brand so I try if it still make problems.

Anyway, must find out for sure what it is. Best explanation so far is that lawn mower effect.
Any way to override that, except unidirectional? Maybe to change dot size in profile, so it moves different way?

 

[kffernandez]

apart from agreeing with sticky sign's comments, i've experienced that generic vinyl 1's 1000mm per sec carriage speed is outright unrealistic. reduce your speed to 700 or lower to decrease banding. but from my experience, no amount of carriage speed reduction will reduce banding to zero under "high speed" settings.

banding free prints would start at "standard" resolutions.