Help with Test Print

[tintwizz]

I have done a head soak overnight and several cleanings. Will a dirty encoder strip cause this. It looks like I might have some misfiring nozzles.

 

[kffernandez]

that looks like my test print. i blamed my third party ink for that one - when my test print looked like that only after 3-6 months. although it has been said that even oem inks will wear out your black head first.

you can try to do head soaks and cleans. but if all else fails, you might have to replace your black head if you want it to look perfect.

how old is your black head?


kelly

 

[sfr table hockey]

There should be a encoder test in the menu or service menu that would tell you if the strip is not reading right.

For what you have there, this would not be an encoder thing. Most times a dirty encoder strip will cause random lines to be printed in your print. These won't show in a test print like you did above, but more on a regular file being printed.

If you are carefull you can take a new cleaning swab with cleaning fluid on it and gently press up against the bottome of the head. Do not rub the head as this will cause possible damage or further block the head. Only press up in order to force some cleaning fluid into the head. Do a regular cleaning after that from the menu and see if it changed some of the deflected lines in the test print. Your black is not too bad from the look of it. If you do not feel comfortable using a swab under the head you could try to remove the damper on the black head and with a syringe and a connecting tube, inject a bit of cleaning fluid into the head. Again do not force much pressure with the syringe as you can damage the head that way as well. With a bit of cleaning fluid in the head do a couple of cleanings and see what the test print shows.

Also in time a head will just wear out. I have had some older DX2 heads show a perfect test print but when doing a solid block of color show some banding even with all allignments and feed callibrations done.

 

[tintwizz]

Just out of warranty. it is a roland vp 540 i I think 2 yrs old. I also get a little overspray around my black letters, and do get some banding issues on standard but high seems to be ok

 

[sfr table hockey]

Your black looks like it has a bit of defection as some of the lines are not crisp so this could be a bit of the overspray. If you picked up the unit used then you have no idea if the previous owner had any kind of head strike. This can easily happen and if the head (most times the far left one) rubs hard enough over media it can damage the head and this may not be fixable with cleanings. If it is actual dried crud in the head it may work its way out with cleanings over time. If you could get a mirror to look under the head you may see marks going across the head and this might be from head strikes. Also you might be able to see if the outer rim of the head needs cleaning as a build up will cause the wiper to not clean as well when it rubs over the head.

 

[rushworks graphics]

that looks like deflection. if you have tried cleaning it and all the other tricks maybe time for a new head.