Mimaki JV3-160sp - printing issues

[MikePro]

if you can get your hands on the individual captops, i'd recommend it... they're really easy to install.
wouldn't be surprised if it was a hard-find, as JV3 parts have basically been discontinued a long time ago.
i can't vouch for the entire capping station replacement, but I do know that involves another beast of moving parts needing to deal-with. (the capping station itself moves up/down on a series of hinges, which I have never disassembled).
however, solventinkjet.com's tech manuels for install are pretty easy to follow.

 

[SbtVeroBeach]

if you can get your hands on the individual captops, i'd recommend it... they're really easy to install.
wouldn't be surprised if it was a hard-find, as JV3 parts have basically been discontinued a long time ago.
i can't vouch for the entire capping station replacement, but I do know that involves another beast of moving parts needing to deal-with. (the capping station itself moves up/down on a series of hinges, which I have never disassembled).
however, solventinkjet.com's tech manuels for install are pretty easy to follow.

I took the capping station half-way off yesterday and it does look like a beast to deal with.
All the hoses coming up from underneath.. getting it unhinged really did not give me hassle, but I didn't go any farther than looking underneath to see if any hoses were loose.

I'll browse the web for some cap tops.

 

[MikePro]

I took the capping station half-way off yesterday and it does look like a beast to deal with.
All the hoses coming up from underneath.. getting it unhinged really did not give me hassle, but I didn't go any farther than looking underneath to see if any hoses were loose.

I'll browse the web for some cap tops.

the tubes disconnect at the ink pump, wholes lines are joined to the captop lines via a metal tube/stint/insert, which requires removing the back-panel of the printer to access.

 

[SbtVeroBeach]

the tubes disconnect at the ink pump, wholes lines are joined to the captop lines via a metal tube/stint/insert, which requires removing the back-panel of the printer to access.

Yes yes. I had the back of the printer open so I could check the pumps.
All the hoses look fine.
I am still waiting for my dampers to show up.
Once I switch all those out.. we'll see if the issue persists.
If so, I will be asking for a next step. haha

 

[Samurai_Screwdriver]

Encoder problem?

Capping Station or Pump replacement will not fix ink drop-out problems; Theses parts serve pretty much one purpose - to pull ink into the print heads. Once that is taken care of, their job is done and they are not used at all while a job is printing.

Looking at some of your most recent pictures I'd say that you may have an Encoder problem. Are you running these prints in Bi-directional mode? If so then the Carriage may be losing it's position and not printing on the return pass (hence the half density). Try running the print in uni-directional and I'll bet the problem goes away. If this seems to work well then give me a call and I'll explain how to correct the issue so that it works in bi-directional too (the process is a bit complicated to explain here)

If you're already printing uni-directional then I'm barking up the wrong tree

 

[SbtVeroBeach]

Had a Mimaki Tech come out and service the machine (which has never been properly serviced.. other than routine cleanings).
So far so good. *knock on wood*

He changed dampers, pumps, capping station, adjusted some of the print modes I was using, and calibrated everything.
So, fingers crossed all goes well.

 

[SbtVeroBeach]

Capping Station or Pump replacement will not fix ink drop-out problems; Theses parts serve pretty much one purpose - to pull ink into the print heads. Once that is taken care of, their job is done and they are not used at all while a job is printing.

Looking at some of your most recent pictures I'd say that you may have an Encoder problem. Are you running these prints in Bi-directional mode? If so then the Carriage may be losing it's position and not printing on the return pass (hence the half density). Try running the print in uni-directional and I'll bet the problem goes away. If this seems to work well then give me a call and I'll explain how to correct the issue so that it works in bi-directional too (the process is a bit complicated to explain here)

If you're already printing uni-directional then I'm barking up the wrong tree

Thank you! I am printing in Bi.
If I have any more issues I will give you a ring.