I need the impossible

[CSIlabels]

I am trying to create some graphics on the Edge FX and am faced with the demand for a large field of solid color. While this is not my first rodeo, I have only rarely seen any Edge printer do large fields of color without a few minor flaws or little specs of missing color. in some cases, on the right colors, I can sometimes touch up the print with a sharpie, but this print is the most challenging one I've had to do.

Here are some more specs:
>Substrate: Lexedge II
>Color1: Dark Grey
>Color2: White (set as backing)
>Includes just a couple clear bits
>Scale: 26"x11"
>File has a few small areas of text and graphics, but is primarily solid Dark Grey with a white backing.

If anyone has solved a problem like this, I'd love to know how. I have tried pens from the art store, a handful of different printer settings, voodoo, and so far I'm getting one perfect print out of five.

Thanks for reading

CSI label department lead

 

[JRgraphics]

Static electricity will cause all kinds of dust and particles to attach themselves to the Lexan and foils. What I use to eliminate the static charge is a Zerostat Antistatic Gun which neutralizes the charge when you pull the trigger. It makes the dust fall off the Lexan and keeps it from attracting more dust. The foils should be looked over carefully for dust particles before you use them. Again the Antistatic Gun will make the dust fall off. Repeat the process as necessary for each color.

 

[CSIlabels]

hmm...

I really curious about that antistatic gun. We may just have one lying around for all I know. Unfortunately, I am using 3m adhesive on the back of a reversed image (so as to view the image through the lexan). Also, some parts require a clear window, so vinyl is not going to work. I am going to try more tweaks to drop the temperature on the dark grey.

Please, anyone else with advice or reccomendations, continue posting.

Thanks, guys, for your suggestions.

 

[omgsideburns]

I just clean my machine, and wipe the vinyl off before I run.. make sure your head is clean and your brushes and squeegees (in the edge.. not some other random brushes and squeegees) are clean. I run flood on the edge all the time.

Another trick is to double strike the color if the budget allows for it.

 

[CSIlabels]

Improved, but still not there.

It's really the dark grey I'm having the trouble with. I have far less trouble with the white these days as I've installed a filtered fan blowing over the foil as it enters.. It's reduced the dust by a LOT. I also clean the print head, brushes and squeegees. the problem is that I still get bit missing in the dark grey. If the grey were more opaque, I'd love to double it, but so far, that just means the holes (the quantity of which doubles with a second layer) are a noticeably lighter. Sometimes, under some settings there is a "halo" effect where the middle gets coverage, but the edges of the spot don't get any foil at all.

I have used mask under my 3m adhesive to create non adhesive areas, but not on this project. We really need the color to match, and since the dark grey is so transparent, We really need one clean layer of dark grey and one clean layer of white. Frankly, the color is transparent enough that if the label has any bubbles under it, you can see a color difference. Since these go on finished product, They need to be solid.

Keep the solutions coming everyone. We're improving over here, but not there yet.

 

[Adam.Foster]

What version of software are you using?
Have you installed the june 2012 material update and the firmware update for the Edge FX?http://www.gspinc.com/default.asp?contentID=204#SOFTWARE

Dust and static are the 2 main reasons for voids as stated by others.

 

[Diane]

A lot of our work is like this and we just do as Tony suggested. We do have a lint-free cloth that I sometimes use to wipe lightly over the Lexan as it's entering the machine. I've had pretty good success getting clean runs with background colours other than black (which of course is my favorite because you can touch it up with a Sharpie). I have one customer who get a piece slightly longer than the one you're using with a Cobalt Blue background. I've done run after run with very few discards. I'm using an Edge II but it shouldn't make any difference.

If you're running the small text first and then doing the gray, make sure you wipe off the Lexan again before you run the gray.

I'll have to look into that anti-static gun...sounds like it could be useful.