Print quality issue

[simon haysom]

Hi there. Getting this. See photos. Oldish Mutoh. (running via ColourGate). Horizontal lines. Trying to do a high end sign. It will be viewed close up. I know I can fix by uping the ink (say going from 8 pass to 9pass).
but this will obviously make it darker and customer has already ok the colour. I have tried different media, with a small amount of success. The photos are a gloss 5year vinyl. Any thoughts? I'm sure there is a setting ( either on the Mutoh it's self or on ColourGate) even if it does not fix completely? but anything that would help would be fab?. thanks Simon

 

[NazGraphics1]

got to be clogged nozzle do a nozzle check see what you get

 

[simon haysom]

got to be clogged nozzle do a nozzle check see what you get

Thanks Nazrat. Have done heaps of nozzle cleans, no luck so far. will keep trying. ta Simon

 

[SignMeUpGraphics]

What does the nozzle test print look like?
If all are firing correctly, it might need a feed calibration for that media.

 

[simon haysom]

No its not 100% missing a few small gaps on the black (see attached) I keep doing cleans (long and short). I cant find any setting for a power clean.
ta simon

 

[SignMeUpGraphics]

Mmm that's a lot of dropouts, and is likely the cause. Can you do an overnight head soak and see if any of them can start firing again?

https://techsupport.signwarehouse.com/cleaning-clogged-nozzles-on-value-jetprismjet-printers/

Also, when was the cap top changed last?

 

[Grafix]

We had this issue on our new Latex. In the end we had to do a manual calibration for the media. (after unnecessarily replacing printheads, countless alignments and cleans.)
Fixed it and no more issue

 

[simon haysom]

umm, bit loathed to do anything this drastic. Last time I did something like this I touched the head and ending up having to throw my machine away :-(
(I didn't realize how delicate the heads are, as you can tell I'm a newbe to wide format solvent printers) I can't seem to find a power clean function anywhere.
Its a Mutoh VJ1324. thanks for your advice.

 

[SignMeUpGraphics]

That's fine if you're not comfortable with it. It is unfortunate to hear about the other head going bad. A head soak shouldn't involve any touching of the head plate. Just filling up the cap top with cleaning fluid then parking the head back on top for a soak.
If you're concerned only about this particular job/print, just crank up the passes and try a small test print for colour matching and hopefully you can get something passable.

 

[simon haysom]

Thanks to the advice of Scott (uniscreen) I tried a "Little charge" clean. Unfortunately hasn't worked. (but worth a try) will try something a bit more drastic

https://techsupport.signwarehouse.com/cleaning-clogged-nozzles-on-value-jetprismjet-printers/

this might be worth a go. Not sour when the cap top was changed last but I'm guessing at least a 18months.

ta simon

 

[SignMeUpGraphics]

I know our Roland used to suffer from dropouts when the cap top was getting old. We used to swap ours out every 3 months instead of the recommended 6.
In saying that, we've never changed one on our Epson in 4 years, and it still prints flawlessly.

 

[simon haysom]

Ok have done what has been suggested here (in red) so many times. Almost know difference

https://techsupport.signwarehouse.com/cleaning-clogged-nozzles-on-value-jetprismjet-printers/

But having said that this video is not very clear, maybe I'm cleaning the wrong area?. I have used heaps of cleaning fluid. Fab if someone had a link to a better/clearer video.

I have an identical Mutoh here (just for parts) How hard is it to swap this whole area out. (see photo), just a thought?

ta Simon

 

[bigkahuna_305]

Ok have done what has been suggested here (in red) so many times. Almost know difference

https://techsupport.signwarehouse.com/cleaning-clogged-nozzles-on-value-jetprismjet-printers/

But having said that this video is not very clear, maybe I'm cleaning the wrong area?. I have used heaps of cleaning fluid. Fab if someone had a link to a better/clearer video.

I have an identical Mutoh here (just for parts) How hard is it to swap this whole area out. (see photo), just a thought?

ta Simon

the cap top is that rainbow colored square

 

[bigkahuna_305]

those banding are 100% miss fires or lack of firing