Grainy print problems with SP-300

[rusti]

About three or four weeks ago we purchased a used VersaCamm 300 and since then we've been having a difficult time coaxing it to print like we'd prefer. When the gentleman we bought it from demoed it for us, I don't recall some of the quality issues we seem to be having now.

Our prints turn out quite grainy, even the solid CMYK colors, and the magenta block of the VersaWorks test print image sports light lines through it. I've attached pictures of the sample image and the magenta block.

Is this to be expected, or is there some way I can work with Versaworks settings or the printer itself to fix this issue? I would really appreciate any advice you have to offer.

 

[Jarose27]

encoder strip may need cleaned

If you have run a lot of prints the encoder strip may need to be cleaned. Its a thin piece of milar you can see when you look up into the print area running all the way across. It gets dirty and every now and then you have to gently wipe it off. Good Luck!

 

[chopper]

rustie,
this is a hard one to answer with out more information,
it could be many things causing this to happen, when you do a test print are all of your nozzles firing? when you run the test print and you have missing lines in it that means your nozzles are not all firing this could be due to blockage in the print head, if your are missing only one or two in each color that is not a problem,
next you need to know what resolution you are printing at, and is the print mode you are using for the material you are printing on?
I think you could have a few plugged nozzles, and you maybe running a low resolution on the prints, it will also depend on how good the artwork you are using is, if you want a high quality print you will need to use the best print mode for the material chosen..you could also have some contamination on the media you are using also but this would have more of a missed sot or spots where the ink wont lay down
good luck
//chopper

 

[rusti]

Thanks guys.

The test prints look fine, there are no missing bars.

We'll keep working with it.

 

[Mosh]

What media are you using? Does it do it on vinyl, paper, banner material. Try some different media and see what that looks like.

 

[Farmboy]

You look to have your print quality set at High Speed on the color blocks. There looks to be another issue with the pictures though. Almost like you have some contamination on your material or your laying down to much ink.

 

[NCSignTech]

Make sure you're using the correct ICC profile for your media. It appears you are printing with too much ink or heat setting too low. Print is puddling.

 

[Mosh]

No doubt the high speed vs high quality setting might just be all it is. We do just about everything on high quality, except banners and temp throw away stuff. On high speed some solid colors will just look like this, nature of the beast. Also it does depend on the quailt of the art that is input. The guitar kinda looks like it is just too low of res and have been blown up too big.