Need Help printing colors in Signlab print & cut

[Designs by Stacy]

Hello,
I have Signlab Print and Cut 7.1 and print with a Roland Versacamm sp300. When I first got the program I printed a color chart using Avery vinyl colors. I have printed out of this for quite some time and my colors have been true to the color chart. They looked beautiful.
Now my machine has been setting alot because I relocated. I am trying to print with it and now my colors are way off. They are not the same anymore as my color chart that I first printed out. My purples are blue and colors are way off.
Does anyone know if a "setting" could of gotten turned off or maybe help me out as why my colors aren't printing properly?
I have done several ink testing on my printer and that looked good.
Is there a setting on my versacamm that might of gotten changed. I am not aware of any color settings on the versacamm.

I have tried printing out of versaworks and also Signlab print and cut manager and both programs are not printing the colors right.

Can ink just go old if its not being used up fast?
I would appreciate any help on this matter. I am waiting to print out a job and need it done asap!

Thank you,
Stacy

 

[luggnut]

more likely the heads are clogged or the ink lines are starved causing color shifts. do you know how to print a nozzle check... it would show what is firing and what is not.

letting a printer sit even for a few days can clog things... they are made to run. if its not running much at least run its cleaning cycle.

 

[Designs by Stacy]

Can you tell me how to do a nozzle check?

I do hear my machine come on and do cleanings by it self every now and then. I also do a "test print" every few days or so.

But I do not know any thing about checking the nozzles? Is that in the Menu some where?

Thanks, Stacy

 

[luggnut]

not real sure how on your machine (i have a mutoh) but the test print how does it look and is it sent from the rip or can you do a test from the printers control panel?

reason is if you can do the test print from the printers panel you have eliminated the possibility of the software being at fault. so if a test from the printer looks great it is probably in the software.

it has been a year or so since i touched a roland printer... but i remember you can do a test print/ nozzle check from the print panel.

if it is clogged heads or starved ink... it can take some time to get it all back, especially if you haven't done this before. so those rush jobs are gonna be tough. sometimes a few cleanings or powerful cleanings can get them back.. sometimes you have to do a head soak. if it is ink starved (no ink in the feed lines or dampers) then you might need a syringe to pull ink through the lines .....

 

[Designs by Stacy]

Hi Luggnut,
I did a test print/nozzle on the printer. I can just test it right from the machine. My black looks sort of uneven but color seems to be there. Blue is perfect. Pink is missing 4 then repeats the same 4 again. And yellow looks fine. I have done several head cleanings and they stay the same way.
I am just unable to print "vibrant" colors. I have tried purples and lavenders several cirlcles and they are printing grays and dark blues. The colors are just not right?

Any help please?

 

[luggnut]

again i'm not real familiar with the roland any more so when you say you are missing 4... i'm not exactly sure what you mean. the pink (magenta) is the color that mixes with the blue (cyan) to make purples... if you have to many nozzles missing on the magenta that could be the source of getting bvlue prints instead of purple.

if versaworks and sign lab both print the wrong colors it pretty much has to be the printer.

i've never personally had ink go bad or what not (even though i guess there has to be a expiration date) but i wouldn't think it was that.. unless it has sat for very long time.

have you ever had to pull ink through the lines and through the capping station? i replaced the dampers and capping station on my mutoh and had days in trying to get the color back. had to pull ink through the feed tubes to the dampers, then pull ink through heads and capping station... still had to get a lint free rag and soak the heads in clean solution from the claening cartridges that came with my printer. it was a mess..

i got a lot of help from some folks on this forum... have you tried posting a thread in the roland printer section, i would think you would get more help there from real experienced roland folks