Mutoh 1304 Issues

[PolarBear]

Hi,
I have been having multiple issues with my Mutoh recently and I am trying to isolate the problem.
It started with several colors coming out "mucky". A yellow was printing with shades of green.
I just printed a color chart with gray and several came out with blue or green tints that don't match what I have had in the past.
That makes me think that at least the cyan is leaking over, but I don't know how to troubleshoot it.
Also, the black has starting showing banding.

A nozzle check comes back pretty clean, with a couple of issues, so I did a cleaning and it is now soaking.

I read a little that indicated this might be a capping station issue. How can I test for that and are there some other tests you recommend for identifying the issues?

Thanks,
Lori

 

[chrisphilipps]

The colors mixing could also be an issue with a cartridge getting too low and creating back pressure in the cap. Is one of your cartridges running low or have you just replaced one?

 

[Jim Doggett]

Hi,
I have been having multiple issues with my Mutoh recently and I am trying to isolate the problem.
It started with several colors coming out "mucky". A yellow was printing with shades of green.
I just printed a color chart with gray and several came out with blue or green tints that don't match what I have had in the past.
That makes me think that at least the cyan is leaking over, but I don't know how to troubleshoot it.
Also, the black has starting showing banding.

A nozzle check comes back pretty clean, with a couple of issues, so I did a cleaning and it is now soaking.

I read a little that indicated this might be a capping station issue. How can I test for that and are there some other tests you recommend for identifying the issues?

Thanks,
Lori

Using the same media and profiles as before, when all was well? If so, the heads might be toast. How old are they, in terms of hours of printing?

 

[PolarBear]

Yes, it is on the same media and same output profile. In one case, even a file that has printed correctly in the past.
Head being toast - ouch!
I don't know how many hours are on it. Is there a way to see that?

The cartridges seem ok on level, but I did replace one not too long ago. I am testing my memory, but I think it was replaced after the color issues started.

Lori

 

[chrisphilipps]

Does it look like there are any cross contamination in the nozzle check?

 

[PolarBear]

The nozzle check looks clean so I just ran a print of 2x2 blocks of CMYK and the shades of gray from before and those look clean too.
I tried another print with mixed colors (red beside the gray) and they are not clear. The 15% K gray look s like the sample of the 40% K with a green tone.
Some days I really hate this thing.
Lori

 

[chrisphilipps]

Can you post a picture of the nozzle check and the prints?

 

[PolarBear]

I will post pictures, but it will have to be in the morning. I just had something land on my desk that has to take priority for the night.
Thank you so much for the help.

Lori

 

[PolarBear]

picture

I'm sorry it's not a better picture, but I wanted to get something posted. I'll try for another image in a few minutes, but I was having difficulties with my camera this morning.
Here is the black and half of the blue nozzle check. (the bottom one since the top 2 overlapped)

Lori

 

[PolarBear]

2nd attempt to add photo

 

[Tel]

Not really what you wish to hear but when we had inks mixing like you describe on a 1204 it was the manifold in the head, the plastic/composite type material that the dampers fit into apparently with lots of use it cracks and the inks can cross contaminate, unfortunatley the fix was a new head.
I hope I am wrong in your case.
Good Luck
Tel