DesignJet L26500 - Waving on print? Help

[barush16]

Hi guys I've done some research on this forum and couldn't find a solution. Maybe someone can help. I'm printing on Ultraflex Jetflex matte banner 13oz and i'm getting these waves I've never seen before. I've tried several profiles with no significant improvement. What do you guys think?

 

[P Wagner]

Hi guys I've done some research on this forum and couldn't find a solution. Maybe someone can help. I'm printing on Ultraflex Jetflex matte banner 13oz and i'm getting these waves I've never seen before. I've tried several profiles with no significant improvement. What do you guys think?

Those are marks from the printer's feel rollers. On PVC banner media, this is often caused by plasticizer migration. Try this: remove the media from the printer, and clean it well using Isopropyl Alcohol (use a side-to-side motion from one edge to the other to avoid merely moving the plasticizers around). After cleaning, try to print on the area that was just cleaned. I would anticipate that the roller marks will not be evident. If that is the case, your options are to clean the roll before use, or use a newer, fresher roll of media.

 

[sballinger]

We have a latex 850 and I've seen weird patterns like that from our platen if the vacuum is set way to high. I don't know what the platen on the 26500 looks like though. Very weird but consistent pattern. Can you see those waves on the un-printed roll in the right light?

 

[barush16]

Ill try cleaning it and report back.. thanks

 

[barush16]

Ok guys this is what i found. Lowered the vacuum pressure from 15 to 5 with no change. Wiped the a section of the roll and printed with success. There must be a defect with this roll. I ended up picking up two extra rolls of a different brand of banner material. Thanks

 

[P Wagner]

Ok guys this is what i found. Lowered the vacuum pressure from 15 to 5 with no change. Wiped the a section of the roll and printed with success. There must be a defect with this roll. I ended up picking up two extra rolls of a different brand of banner material. Thanks

I suspected that the media is the culprit in this case. The only thing I would add is that the roll is not really defective, as all PVC vinyl banner is made with plasticizers to provide flexibility. These plasticizers eventually move to the print surface (migrate) and can cause print artifacts. This migration is accelerated by heat and the passage of time (age of the media). They can be removed by cleaning them using IPA, as you have demonstrated.

 

[JoeBoomer]

Cheap banner material

I've had this exact issue with both HP L25500 & L26500. It was cheap banner material that was the culprit. I tried using Grimco's house brand "Key Banner" and also "Peak" banner material and got the same results you are getting. As soon as I switched back to 13oz Ultraflex it fixed the problem. You may still need to lower temps with Jetflex, but it should fix the problem for you.

 

[danno]

I see that pattern on most "house brand" banners that we test here. If I see it on Ultraflex I send it back to the distributor for another roll. I am currently seeking a decent and consistent manufacture of banner. The HP banner will print phenomenally, but when I need to laminate the print, the laminate doesn't adhere, due to plasticizer issues.

 

[Typestries]

Typical latex issue with that media. We no longer use that particular media. Cooley prints awesome on the latex. Try that.

 

[chafro]

Yes, the problem is the media or its coating.

Some cheap banner media do that on latex printers.

 

[keycreative]

Ultraflex waving issues l26500

I also had issues with the UltraFlex material waving when printed on the 26500