Need Help Printing these little Dot Gains

[trafficbarriersolutions]

My Roland TrueVis VG3 540 is now printing these little holes of unprinted spots. I have been trying make some color test prints to match a color for my Chrome material. It never started doing this until now. The picture has the one recently printed with unprinted spots of holds and the top ones had printed just fine. I have done a powerful cleaning as well as a manual cleaning and yet it still does this. We did move into a new building and the printer is in a room without heat and Air Conditioning and the temperature in the room can be under 40 degrees when the weather outside is below freezing. Do extremely cold room temperatures cause the Nozzles to freeze or is there another solution to fix the Dot Gains on the prints?

 

[White Haus]

You're going to kill that printer storing it and using it in those conditions. I'm amazed it's even firing at all.

From Roland's website:

Not operating Temperature: 41 to 104 °F (5 to 40 °C), Humidity: 20 to 80 % RH (no condensation)
During operation (*4): Temperature: 68 to 89.6 °F (20 to 32 °C), humidity: 35 to 80 % RH (no condensation)

Did the dealer you bought it from not do any sort of site check/evaluation or discuss operating conditions?

 

[trafficbarriersolutions]

You're going to kill that printer storing it and using it in those conditions. I'm amazed it's even firing at all.

From Roland's website:

Not operating Temperature: 41 to 104 °F (5 to 40 °C), Humidity: 20 to 80 % RH (no condensation)
During operation (*4): Temperature: 68 to 89.6 °F (20 to 32 °C), humidity: 35 to 80 % RH (no condensation)

Did the dealer you bought it from not do any sort of site check/evaluation or discuss operating conditions?

I don't think he did. I'll have to call my dealer and see what to do.

 

[DL Signs]

Solvent and Ecosol inks use a glycol base, so they shouldn't freeze, but the TrueVis inks eliminate a lot of harmful chemicals, so I don't know if they will, or if it'll cause them to become unusable. However, inks can crystalize when frozen, and be subject to condensation forming in the bags, dampers, basically anywhere there is a bit of air, which isn't good. The viscosity will also change in temperature extremes causing issues too, when very cold they will thicken and affect droplet size. After everything is up to normal temps long enough for everything to be at temp, try it again, if it comes back, keep it warmer in there.

 

[trafficbarriersolutions]

Solvent and Ecosol inks use a glycol base, so they shouldn't freeze, but the TrueVis inks eliminate a lot of harmful chemicals, so I don't know if they will, or if it'll cause them to become unusable. However, inks can crystalize when frozen, and be subject to condensation forming in the bags, dampers, basically anywhere there is a bit of air, which isn't good. The viscosity will also change in temperature extremes causing issues too, when very cold they will thicken and affect droplet size. After everything is up to normal temps long enough for everything to be at temp, try it again, if it comes back, keep it warmer in there.

The room is getting Torpedo Heaters since the building is too large for a Unit and would cost so much to install a unit. And the walls will be sealed completely keeping the sign shop office heated in the wintertime and putting Air Conditioners to exit to the warehouse of the Sign Shop when weather changes to Hot in the summertime. Do you think the DOT Gains are forming because of the room temperature?

 

[White Haus]

The room is getting Torpedo Heaters since the building is too large for a Unit and would cost so much to install a unit. And the walls will be sealed completely keeping the sign shop office heated in the wintertime and putting Air Conditioners to exit to the warehouse of the Sign Shop when weather changes to Hot in the summertime. Do you think the DOT Gains are forming because of the room temperature?

That's a good start.

That isn't dot gain, that's ink being too cold/not viscous enough to cure properly.

The other part of the climate control equation will be humidity. I would suspect your area will be dry due to the forced air, so it might be a good idea to get a humidifier.

We just got this one yesterday and it makes a surprising difference: https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B0CGJ2XK3T?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details

I was expecting to need to add a couple of these but one might just do the trick for our 2500 sqft production area.

 

[trafficbarriersolutions]

That's a good start.

That isn't dot gain, that's ink being too cold/not viscous enough to cure properly.

The other part of the climate control equation will be humidity. I would suspect your area will be dry due to the forced air, so it might be a good idea to get a humidifier.

We just got this one yesterday and it makes a surprising difference: https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B0CGJ2XK3T?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details

I was expecting to need to add a couple of these but one might just do the trick for our 2500 sqft production area.

That helps me a lot! You're extremely helpful and I truly appreciate you so much! I am possible going to see what my boss says about getting humidifiers for the sign shop. It makes sense to not only keep the room temperature correct but also room moisturized with a humidifier so that the prints can be accurately smooth.

 

[White Haus]

That helps me a lot! You're extremely helpful and I truly appreciate you so much! I am possible going to see what my boss says about getting humidifiers for the sign shop. It makes sense to not only keep the room temperature correct but also room moisturized with a humidifier so that the prints can be accurately smooth.

Happy to help! Good luck with getting your shop set up and toasty!