CET FK512 (black printing like dust)

[artbot]

extreme UV ink newbie question here.

we are still on and off with the new/used CET fk512. our new VW dongle seemed to scramble some parameters and that caused a few false positives when getting it a few quirks figured out. for the time being it's back to it's usual predictable self after going through several calibrations.

PROBLEM
the black ink/channel seems to be curing in midair before hitting the substrate. so in a test print you could wipe the black away like dust. all the other colors are fine.

my theory is that we've been too on and off with the printer and possibly with all the extreme cold in the shop (the printer is parked outside the office area until we chop a huge hole in the wall), the black ink has separated causing too much photo initiator to be present in the lines.

any advice on what is causing this dust like print would be much appreciated.

aa

 

[RyanFelty]

Hey Artbot,
This might not be helpful but you might want to try turning the voltage up in your black ink. we have had similar type problems and it seemed that the solution was to turn up the voltage a little. Is the black just printing in a big haze?

 

[artbot]

it looks accurately printed. but it's just a layer of dust neatly where it's supposed to be.

and it's on both heads which to me points to the ink.

 

[particleman]

Odd, if the ink is the proper position then I would lean towards the ink also. I've never seen UV ink do that though. If you have a haze or fuzz in your prints the first suspect is head height. The ink blows around and cures, it will seem like dust.

 

[artbot]

no. looks like a perfect print. but seems to be curing before it hits the substrate. it was fine a few weeks back when we first plugged in.

 

[RyanFelty]

That is really weird I have never had that problem... I would think you are right i would think its the ink. Especially if it is only in the black.

 

[artbot]

to add to the ??? i saw some pvc today and the black was fine. ...asked the operator and he said the black only seems to act oddly on this heavy weight glossy photo paper (for a canon). maybe it's static (only affecting the black)?

 

[particleman]

I've seen static only affect one color. Agfa M4F the cyan would blow back onto the head and clog the nozzles on corrugated. Switch to roll vinyl and it worked perfect. The fix was an ionizer bar. All the new Agfas have them now (surprise).

 

[artbot]

veddy intadesting...

(may be it!)

 

[Robert M]

Paper

Is the paper coated for use in a aqueous printer.Those coatings cause problems with non water based inks.