L25500 Print Quality Issue, help

[the graphics co]

As the hp hits a solid block of color that is different from the background it is slowly fading to full saturation, anyone seen this? Any ideas on fixing it? It happens at all pass levels.

 

[Desert_Signs]

Could be a head going out. Run a head alignment. See if one of the heads looks banded like that.

 

[Christian @ 2CT Media]

Used to get it all the time, head alignment and change your ink cartridge that is low. We find that sometimes the machine shows more ink then is actually in the cartridge and it starts pulling air.

 

[the graphics co]

did an alignment and replaced one head, all the cartridges are more than half full. Seems good on the test run, time to fire it back up.

 

[the graphics co]

Well, that only lasted an hour or so. it is back to doing it again, any other suggestions?

 

[Christian @ 2CT Media]

I honestly think its ink supply.... try removing all the cartridges and reinstalling if they are only half full.

 

[the graphics co]

Talked to hp, they suggested printing color bars when doing long runs to keep all the heads wet. He suggested that the heat and long periods of inactivity for a dark head while printing a light background, or vice versa, might cause some drying out of the inactive heads during the print. Which would explain the gradual fade to full saturation as the head gets back to full functionality. I haven't gotten back to the point that i need to reprint the problem panels yet so i won't have a side by side test for a few more hours. I will post results later tonight or tomorrow.

 

[Hicalibersigns]

Talked to hp, they suggested printing color bars when doing long runs to keep all the heads wet.

We have used this method when printing very large runs of solid colors. We did a huge wall mural that was mostly blue sky and the cyan head just couldn't keep up until we did the color bars.

 

[JoeBoomer]

• Listen when the carriage is moving and make sure the printheads aren't hitting the "print head cleaning kit" or the ink funnel. That happened to me once on mine. It was time to replace the cleaning kit anyway, but for some reason the one that was in there got raised up just a tiny bit and was making contact with the printheads/carriage.


• Might need to replace the other print head (if you replaced k, replace the Y; if LM replace M, etc. etc.)

• Could also be heat related. I have to adjust my temps relatively regularly during spring and fall. Summer and winter are pretty easy because I've got the air on or heat during those times.

Also, I would suggest always printing with the color stripe on. Not only does it keep everything firing, but it is also a great indicator if something all of a sudden drops out or if something is smearing or over-spraying, etc.


Go Team!

 

[the graphics co]

Seems that the color bars did the trick, thanks for all the tips.

 

[Timothy Mitchell]

As the hp hits a solid block of color that is different from the background it is slowly fading to full saturation, anyone seen this? Any ideas on fixing it? It happens at all pass levels.

The color bars should fix this (read the bottom, looks like it did). The machine, when printing long runs of a solid color, then has to switch quickly to another color, and the heads may not be quite ready to switch because that color has sat idle for a while. The color bars keep all the heads and all the colors active while printing, and I use them for any long panel, solid color jobs. Not much of an issue with busy, raster photos, etc because all the heads are engaged in printing on those, but a big help on solid colors.

Best,

Timothy