Printing problems for Newbie to solvent.

[rcook99]

I am printing on LG Bannux 13oz. Matte. I keep getting these lines in the middle of printing and the lines are perpendicular to the movement of the print head. Have wasted 6ft of material and have not put my hands on the exposed material and still getting the same problem buying different spots each time. Just cleaned the head and it's still doing it. The profile I am using is what the dealer suggested for this material. Heater setting from front to back are as follows Preheater: 33c, Platen 33c, and Dryer 50c

 

[noregrets]

is the head striking the media at all? Looks like it could maybe be head strike??

 

[rcook99]

I have to say I honestly don't know! I printed 3ft x 4ft of vinyl prior to printing the banner material and had no problems. Keep in mind I am new to this so I have not seen a head strike yet unless that's is whats in the picture. Problem is this is due tomorrow and of course no way to get a new role delivered in time. I have thought about printing it on vinyl but that is a last resort.

 

[edgette]

They look like head strikes. If you line those spots up on your printer you will probably see they are between the rollers and the material is slightly buckling up there. Your heat seems OK. Does your printer have the option to run at a higher head height?

 

[rcook99]

Yes head height is already in the up position. A friend of mine seems to think maybe its old stock and the oil might be bleeding out. If you look at the spots they are white as if the ink won't stick to them.

 

[wwpro]

if you can print another material with no flaws before and/or after the banner, try cleaning the media with some alcohol, it might be media contamination.

I'm a newbie too, so don't believe what I'm saying 100%

 

[deejay]

Did you try calibrating the printer to check the feed rate?

 

[ironchef]

You mean calibration for uni-directional printing? Or a diff. Kind?

 

[kffernandez]

if that is a head strike. you will notice that your media buldges up in that particular part. thus, causing some part of the carriage [possibly the head] to hit your media.

kelly

 

[idsignsil]

Looks like head strikes to me as well. You may want to take a look at this.....

http://www.signs101.com/forums/showthread.php?t=96170

 

[anotherdog]

Surely head strikes would deposit ink?

With the heads in the raised position that buckling would be obvious.
Encoders strip? but that would happen on other materials.

Try sliding the material over slightly. If the marks are in the same position it's the printer, if the marks move with the material you have a material issue.

 

[IronHawk]

Surely head strikes would deposit ink?

Any head strikes that I've ever had have definitely left ink on the media.

Try sliding the material over slightly. If the marks are in the same position it's the printer, if the marks move with the material you have a material issue.

Good idea.

You could also roll some of the material off and see if you still have the problem. It looks like flawed material to me.

Hope you figure it out.

 

[ColoPrinthead]

If it were a head strike I would expect to see some black along the lines/marks. I've seen similar but not as bad marks on some aged cheap scrim banner being run on an HP 10K in the past.