Lead edge of red has black contamination?

[NoMovingParts]

I have 2 JV3-160 sp's, Onyx, and I'm using Ink Mill inks. (btw, I had this problem before, with Mimaki inks)

When I print an image, the lead edge of anything red seems to have black in it. When I print multiple copies of the same image, ( a 40x1" stripe, 100% Mag & Yellow to test ) only the first one in a set shows any "contamination" - some on the first pass, less on the second, none on the third, and none on any of the other copies in the set.

If I recycle they same image, it does the exact same thing - first copy has black, the rest don't.

These are not random spatters as if there were fibers on the head, but rather a nice even addition of K to my reds.

 

[MikePro]

change your wiper. clean the wiper station. clean your capping station.

the inside walls of your wiper station may be gummed up with ink, be thorough.

edited: post pictures!

 

[genericname]

What kind of gap do you have between your prints? If you increase it to more than, say, 3 inches, does the problem replicate itself on all panels?

Could just be how the diffusion pattern starts the draw. I used to get it in Flexi all the time, using KF diffusion (though it was Magenta for me), and now that I use Onyx with FDRP Enhanced, I have no problems.

 

[NoMovingParts]

http://i763.photobucket.com/albums/xx275/nomovingparts/just%20stuff/redstripes.jpg

 

[ChicagoGraphics]

Clean your encoder strip and your sensor.

 

[genericname]

http://i763.photobucket.com/albums/xx275/nomovingparts/just stuff/redstripes.jpg

Oh wow... ignore my initial comment; I have no idea what the hell is going on there.

 

[NoMovingParts]

Problem solved!
In cleaning the capping station, I noticed one of the perforated metal strips that sits in each of the four stations was missing. It turns out to have fallen down into the wiper area. I pulled it out with tweezers, cleaned it up & put it back, and now I have a nice red print again.

( I had this happen about two years ago, but couldn't recall what caused it. If it happens a third time, I'll know!)

 

[genericname]

You can get a capping station now that holds those metal filters permanently in place. I switched out both of the stations on our JV3's for the permanent type after a couple of the little buggers got pulled out, wedged themselves back at an angle, and dragged themselves across the surface of the heads, destroying two in the process.

Costly risk for a little piece of perforated metal.

 

[sfr table hockey]

The reason that happens is that the print head touches that filter in the captops when the screen is not there to push the filter down. The head then sucks up ink off the filter and causes a bit of mixed ink in the mag. head. By printing a strip of red, the head clears the contamination and works fine till you leave the printer sit and have the same thing happen again.