SP300V Printing Grainy on Left and RIght Edges

[splizaat]

Hey guys...

Typically we do pretty well with our printer, but lately I've noticed this problem we're having appeared out of no where. Anything we print along the far left and far right edge of the media (any media) appears extremely grainy for the first 1", and then the grain smooths out.

I've attached a picture of the far left edge of a print to show you...it's very grainy towards the edge and smooths out, it does the exact same thing on the right edge of the media. This little print is only about 2" Wide, so it goes away very quickly.

I've set basepoint to the center of the media to see if it only happens right when the nozzles start to spray, but it seems the problem is nonexistent unless we're printing to the very edge.

Called Roland, they said clean the encoder strip - did that already, got a little better but still bad.

Any other ideas??

 

[sfr table hockey]

This is a bit of a wild stab but can you feel any change in temp on the platten as you get to the two sides? Any chance the heat strips are falling away from the underside (if they have strips on that printer) or just not as hot on the edges?

Might be hard to tell by touching but I know that on my printer I get grainy prints untill the heat is at about 115 to 120F. At 110 F it still looks grainy on some media so if there is enough of a temp change on the ends it may be the cause.

You could try a simple test with another media that you know prints well with little heat. For me Oracal 751 prints nice with little to no heat as well as matte vinyl. If it prints nice to the edge on one of those you may have your answer.

 

[splizaat]

You know I thought about that SAME thing...temperatures. Right now on all my vinyls I run 100print /116 after temperatures...usually with good luck. What would you recommend me trying?

 

[sfr table hockey]

You know I thought about that SAME thing...temperatures. Right now on all my vinyls I run 100print /116 after temperatures...usually with good luck. What would you recommend me trying?

The one I have problems with is oracal 3641 and to get it to print without grain I need my temp reading at 115 to 120F. I have a home made heat strip and a cooking probe for a temp reading so my 120F may not be your 120F.

I have read that most crank up the heat on mid grade vinyl so I would think about that 120F range. If you start to get puckering (risking a head strike) then drop the heat back a bit. Higher grade vinyl seem to print better with less heat.

It may be possible that your heat strip is a bit warmer in the center of the printer and unless you run it on the higher temp, the sides don't get quite warm enough.

I would try to find a way to read the actual temp on the surface of the platten to see if you do have even heat. What your print shows is possibly that the center is up to temp but the sides run a little lower temp.

For some media your 100 F print temp may be low. Try 115 to 120 F.

What media are you trying in case others can give some feedback?

 

[splizaat]

3164/3165.....are u running 115 on both heaters?

I'm going to look into a laser temp sensor...maybe even one of those little 2" long heat temp sensors they use on dirt bike motors.

 

[sfr table hockey]

3164/3165.....are u running 115 on both heaters?

I'm going to look into a laser temp sensor...maybe even one of those little 2" long heat temp sensors they use on dirt bike motors.

That's a good idea just so you know for sure.

My Oracal is actually 3641 (not many seem to use and its getting old) but was a mid grade vinyl but I also found with a LG 3810 (I think) also needed the higher heat as it too was a low to mid grade (3 year) vinyl.

Again I converted my CJ 500 and made my heat strips. I run only one temp switch so both front and rear are about the same. I only have the temp probe in the rear as when I converted the printer I figured pre heat was more important to know than post heat and it has worked well ever since.

I have a used heat kit setup with separate controls for the two sides but figured I would wait for the home made setup to die before I changed it out. It might outlast me...

I do think 100 or 110 F might be low for some mid grade vinyl where as banner material you can do at 100 to 110 F. I just found that if you have too little heat the ink does not absorb in or bit as well and thus when you rub over it once cured, the stuff printed with little or no heat will rub off more easily where the higher heat left the ink more durable and not rub off as easily.

 

[phototec]

3164/3165.....are u running 115 on both heaters?

I'm going to look into a laser temp sensor...maybe even one of those little 2" long heat temp sensors they use on dirt bike motors.

I purchased a Non-Contact Infrared Thermometer with Laser Targeting at Harbor Freight and just love it. Mainly use it for checking post heating temperature when applying wrap vinyl.

This would work well for you and it's on sale now for $39.

http://www.harborfreight.com/non-contact-laser-thermometer-96451.html

 

[splizaat]

DARN!!! Was going to grab some of these and just stick them to each side of the heater

http://www.amazon.com/ENGINE-HEAT-T...QGEK/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1326322242&sr=8-3

But they don't go low enough!!! It seemed like such a perfect Idea!