Latex, what would be your suggestions for improvement?

[Mike Perth]

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[Dukenukem117]

We have a direct ethernet line from our PC to the printer to prevent data loss mid-print. The annoying thing is that if the printer needs to file an error report during boot up (because of forced shutdown like a headstrike), it cannot do that and takes like 20 minutes to boot as a result. The only way I've found to fix this is to connect the printer to the internet and clear the error report but you will need to do this every time this happens. Now I just let the printer automatically go to sleep rather than turn it off entirely. I think you could configure it so that the laptop acts both as an internet passthrough so that it delivers both the print and internet access, but I haven't figured out how.

The L560/570 also wastes a lot of leader material when you spool it to the take-up. I believe HP sells a 'media saver' and you can supposedly make one yourself but given what a huge delay a headstrike is, I haven't found it worth the risk... yet.

The touchscreen is also the most inconsistent thing in the world.

The manual and online videos are nice but don't cover everything. I have no idea how some people are replacing components. I don't know if HP sends those manuals only when they send the replacement parts or what.

 

[RaymondLoewy]

The manual and online videos are nice but don't cover everything. I have no idea how some people are replacing components. I don't know if HP sends those manuals only when they send the replacement parts or what.

My guess would be they break one of the plastic parts that are easy to swap out on solvent machines and are forced to call in tech support to get the parts and the tech comes with it.

 

[balstestrat]

Better registration on double sided prints. Edge holders that don't cause more problems than they solve. Heater vents that are easier to access for cleaning. White ink would be nice. A calibration for the scan axis (this might exist but I can't find it, the service manual mentions it though techs have told me it doesn't exist). Temperature monitors for the heaters to identify low temp zones before it becomes an issue. A warning when too many nozzles aren't firing.

The length inconsistency hasn't been a problem for us, panels always line up just fine. The straightness optimization bothers me more, especially on paper but I've only tried to adjust it a couple times.

We have a 360 and really the issues we've had with it are minor compared to what others report. I do prefer it to the Roland we used to have. My biggest complaint is the availability of media for latex. It's getting better but there's just more options for solvent.

White ink is coming in the next gen small latex.
What do you mean with "scan axis calibration", because those techs are right, it doesn't exist. But why would you need it?

 

[Dan360]

White ink is coming in the next gen small latex.
What do you mean with "scan axis calibration", because those techs are right, it doesn't exist. But why would you need it?

Our printer developed a slight vertical banding problem that should be an easy fix but so far the techs I've talked to about it haven't been very helpful. Debating replacing the encoder.

 

[balstestrat]

Our printer developed a slight vertical banding problem that should be an easy fix but so far the techs I've talked to about it haven't been very helpful. Debating replacing the encoder.

You should really see the issue on the encoder at the exact point of that vertical band. If you clean that spot and don't see anything there, worst case it can also be the trailing data cable, which can be replaced pretty easy. They do tend wear out sometimes and develop strange issues.
There is a "4.1 Scan axis test" that should reveal any issues with that. But no calibration.

 

[Dan360]

You should really see the issue on the encoder at the exact point of that vertical band. If you clean that spot and don't see anything there, worst case it can also be the trailing data cable, which can be replaced pretty easy. They do tend wear out sometimes and develop strange issues.
There is a "4.1 Scan axis test" that should reveal any issues with that. But no calibration.

It's consistent all the way across, scan axis test showed no issues. Some colours are worse than others but most people don't notice it unless I point it out anyways. It's just one of those things that irks me since I know it's there and can't find the solution. I'll take a look at replacing the trailing cable as a possibility when we slow down a bit.

Cheers!

 

[balstestrat]

It's consistent all the way across, scan axis test showed no issues. Some colours are worse than others but most people don't notice it unless I point it out anyways. It's just one of those things that irks me since I know it's there and can't find the solution. I'll take a look at replacing the trailing cable as a possibility when we slow down a bit.

Cheers!

Aha I see, okay. In this case it's most likely neither the encoder or trailing cable.
More likely to be an issue with the printheads, as usual. Some develop this symptom faster than others and it's especially seen on certain colors.
When they are "cold" and you do a test print, all seems clear. But when you start printing and they heat up, the issue comes up and they don't print stable. Older they get, more unstable it becomes.
I've seen this few times and it has always been the printheads.

 

[Dan360]

Aha I see, okay. In this case it's most likely neither the encoder or trailing cable.
More likely to be an issue with the printheads, as usual. Some develop this symptom faster than others and it's especially seen on certain colors.
When they are "cold" and you do a test print, all seems clear. But when you start printing and they heat up, the issue comes up and they don't print stable. Older they get, more unstable it becomes.
I've seen this few times and it has always been the printheads.

I thought it was the heads at first too, but this has been going on long enough that every printhead was replaced, some more than once, and it hasn't made a difference. I was pretty convinced it's the encoder strip but I haven't heard of the trailing cable being a potential culprit until you mentioned it.

 

[balstestrat]

I thought it was the heads at first too, but this has been going on long enough that every printhead was replaced, some more than once, and it hasn't made a difference. I was pretty convinced it's the encoder strip but I haven't heard of the trailing cable being a potential culprit until you mentioned it.

Trailing cable could have been an issue if you for example had some white vertical lines or other really strange things like that.
For this color variation I think it's highly unlikely. That comes from something else.

 

[Commando]

Color consistency problems
Length problems
If we didnt need these for 3M contracts, we wouldnt be using these junkers.
I got a 360 and 365

 

[myront]

Sorry if this has been covered already. Why is there not a "tension sensor" to PAUSE a print if a high rate of tension is detected from the take up reel. We've wasted a lot of material over this issue. 99% of roll media is glued to the core so you'll have 3 ft of material left on the roll but the printer will stop completely instead of pause when it reaches near that mark. If it paused instead it would allow you to cut the media from the roll and then continue. Most times the end of the print would have only been 2".