Graphic Realm
New Member
Does anyone have a good 4‘ x 8‘ file to use for test printing new flatbeds? I have a couple but looking for maybe one I do not have. Perhaps one that might normally show banding or gradients and with tight small text
you wouldn't happen to still have the files you tested would you?Nothing tests banding like red, blue, green and purple boxes and since a large part of what most people print are large color boxes, it's worth testing.
Each color box should run the full length of the carriage. This will show stepping issues and bi-directional banding that you may miss in a detailed print. Run it in both bi-directional and uni-directional modes.
It's worth running a file like this at production speed over multiple sheets to test ink feed issues. I've done printer tests where the first sheet was OK, but by the 3rd we were seeing nozzle dropout.
A heavy ink coverage test like this is also helpful for showing curing and adhesion issues in a scratch test.
Good luck on your tests
We have always sent files that we print regularly then usually have them print solid swatches of gray, red, blue and anything else that may be hard to hit. Send them the most difficult files and make sure they meet your needs. You never want to buy something that can’t meet your quality standards.
I took a whole heap of files to Digitech in San Antonio and they knocked it out of the park. No special treatment, just rip and print. Colors, quality, and adhesion were better than anything else I had seen. I would definitely recommend checking them out if they aren’t on your list. Best kept secret in the industry in my opinion.