Bands when printer stops

[OADesign]

Hi All,

Sorry if this question falls in the amateur hour category, but the search didn't yield the results I was looking for.

So what happens is when my machines (SC-545, VG-640) stop for just a sec to change inks, I get this band of lighter color. Very apparent on images with solid color. Not as much with images with varying color. I keep the inks in close proximity so the swap out is fast, but it still happens.

The only work around I've found is to just check the ink levels before long prints and just swap to new full cartridges before hand. But I end up with these partially full cartridges around they on occasion get wasted/trashed.

Just looking for a better way to do this and avoid those light bands.

Thanks in advance for any tips.

 

[papabud]

that will always happen when you pause your machine. since you laid down part of the color then stopped its started drying and curing already. then when you resume the coat of ink is different than a fresh pass.
best way is to not let your ink run out during a job. ink isnt so expensive that you have to milk every drop out. change it early if you think it might run out.

 

[OADesign]

Yep that is what I thought. I've been at this a long while. Just figured maybe there might be another solution. And as I mentioned in my op, swapping early is what I've been doing.

Also, your right, ink isn't so expensive that I have to milk every drop out. I'm with you here. But its a bit of a different conversation when I'm telling the guy who writes the checks for those drops lol. There are so many of those, "That's just the way it is..." things that some don't understand. Fortunately, I speak "seek resource" and "find solution" pretty well.

 

[papabud]

all you need to tell him is i need more ink. either we get more ink and make money, or we dont

 

[BigfishDM]

That is a cool feature of latex, no banding. I know that doesn't help you now, but it might in the future.

 

[JaySea20]

Printing on higher quality print settings will print in smaller bands. Might help. Also, make sure your heat settings are correct. I have seen this issue. But it is rare and I would have had to leave it off for more than a minute.

 

[SignMeUpGraphics]

Isn't Versaworks telling you before the job goes to print if there's enough in the cartridge or not?
Ours has done it for years, so we know if a job will need new ink mid-print. We will always swap out the tank for a new one if it warns us.
For the cents worth of ink left in the old tank it's not worth putting back into the machine, but if you must use every drop you can always swap it back.

 

[OADesign]

Yes, VW does issue the warning. But I don't trust it. I mean I know Roland spent millions on engineers to figure out that feature. But in practice I have seen cartridges last weeks.WEEKS, after the warning. I guess I got caught in that school of thought that the warning was a ploy by Roland to sell more ink. Lol.

But ok I get it. Keep replacing inks early. Its cheap. Move on. Rinse. Repeat.

Thanks!

 

[flyplainsdrifta]

either early replace or depending on your workflow and how much youre running day to day, you can consider a bulk ink system. they are out there!