L260 not curing properly in centre

[MikeyG]

Hi there
Today, my HP L260 has started to not cure the ink fully, just in the middle of the width of the printer.

This means that, when I print a full width panel of solid colour, down the vertical middle of the panel will be an approx 6" wide section of slightly oily-surfaced print, which looks different to the ink on either side. (Printing Hexis VL2000WG polymeric SAV, using profile supplied by the manufacturer for this printer and Onyx RIP.)

Can anyone suggest why this is happening? And how can I stop it from happening?

Very many thanks!

 

[MikeyG]

Curing problem 'Cured' - Hah! See what I did there?

OK, so I turned the Curing Temp up by 5° and it seems to have solved the curing problem. (Sorry, still a newbie to Latex!)

However, if anyone has any thoughts as to why this has happened today, I'd be very interested to hear them. Humidity? External temperature? It's a Thursday, and these sort of things always happen on a Thursday?

I always like to try to find out why these things do happen, so that I can predict them happening again and solve them before they arise! (If that makes any sense...)

Thanks!

 

[Asuma01]

I have similar issues with HP 260 prints not curing on the left hand side of the printer if its ink heavy. I assume because the thermometer is on the right side of the machine. There has to be a temp difference from one side of the printer to the other.

 

[DougWestwood]

heater module?

Hi There,

Perhaps one of the heater modules has died?
There are several heaters in the HP machines,
so maybe your middle one is croaking.

When you raised the curing temp, did it affect the areas
that were previously good? Or did it all come out even?

- Doug
Vancouver

 

[MikeyG]

Hi Doug
The new print seemed to all be OK across the width with the higher temperature.
I've just re-run the job (5m length at about 1m width, 100% coverage) and laminated it, and the whole lot looked even, just as I'd expect it to look. I also laminated one of the earlier 'un-cured' prints, just as a test, and the uncured section can still be seen through the lam.

It does seem odd that it was only in the centre that it wasn't curing. Could be a heater module...
The machine is only a year old, and isn't used a huge amount (certainly not when I consider how much some of you guys run!) so I'd hope it isn't, but I'll keep an eye on it with that in mind, and report back.

Thanks!

 

[HulkSmash]

try turning up the airflow.

 

[danno]

I have found with ours that the printer itself changes with the seasons. Nothing major, just enough to be annoying. Cure/dry temps and airflow are what we tweak around here.

 

[Asuma01]

try turning up the airflow.

Are there any draw backs to having too much air flow? Just wondering why not turn it all the way up for everything?

 

[AF]

Are there any draw backs to having too much air flow? Just wondering why not turn it all the way up for everything?

Check out the print quality troubleshooting information in the owners manual. It covers symptoms of too much airflow and much more.

 

[HulkSmash]

Are there any draw backs to having too much air flow? Just wondering why not turn it all the way up for everything?

Nope, i Max mine.