UCJV330 Puffy Clear

[Goatshaver]

Noticed this on a couple of prints the other day. Where parts of the print with clear got puffed up in certain areas. Other areas stayed flat. Not the difference in ink height, but I can literally push the puffed up area down but it will come back. Not sure what would cause this. Any ideas?
This was run at 1200 x 1200 - Color/Clear/Clear (40%) at 16 pass. Only happened on a few images on several sheets.

 

[Smoke_Jaguar]

What's your nozzle check look like? Might have air in the head.

 

[Goatshaver]

Looks fine. I do one daily and haven't seen any missing nozzles.

 

[RonnyCrack]

I run into this on my 300 sometimes. I think it's caused by the UV lamps being set too high, and frying/curling the vinyl. Try lowering the UV % in Setup and experiment with that. You want it high enough to still have a rock solid varnish, but low enough that it doesn't overcure and cause it to curl.

 

[Goatshaver]

I run into this on my 300 sometimes. I think it's caused by the UV lamps being set too high, and frying/curling the vinyl. Try lowering the UV % in Setup and experiment with that. You want it high enough to still have a rock solid varnish, but low enough that it doesn't overcure and cause it to curl.

Yeah feel like I'm going to have to try some different setting and see the results. Tech was here yesterday and he said it could be it's not curing enough and if that happens the ink can pool up in certain areas.

 

[Smoke_Jaguar]

Check the lamp glass to see if it has buildup on it?

 

[Goatshaver]

Check the lamp glass to see if it has buildup on it?

I've checked those. Definitely no build-up on them. I clean my lamp glass weekly and haven't even gone through a whole set of ink yet after my install. (I have yet to change the clear and the black bottles.)

 

[RonnyCrack]

Yeah feel like I'm going to have to try some different setting and see the results. Tech was here yesterday and he said it could be it's not curing enough and if that happens the ink can pool up in certain areas.

If there's no difference in ink height (unless I'm misunderstanding your original post) I'm leaning more toward its curing too much. If you take that sticker off and flip it over you might be able to see it better on the back, it kind of embosses the vinyl along with it when overcuring in my experience. And that shrinkage of the vinyl can cause weird curling/bubbling like that. Usually only happens to me to that extent when I do multiple overprints with a high UV light setting. You also have air release vinyl which can make it easier for that to happen.

 

[Goatshaver]

If there's no difference in ink height (unless I'm misunderstanding your original post) I'm leaning more toward its curing too much. If you take that sticker off and flip it over you might be able to see it better on the back, it kind of embosses the vinyl along with it when overcuring in my experience. And that shrinkage of the vinyl can cause weird curling/bubbling like that. Usually only happens to me to that extent when I do multiple overprints with a high UV light setting. You also have air release vinyl which can make it easier for that to happen.

I do know I had my lamps at +5% but wasn't doing any overprints. Also I find it odd it's right at the edges and never happened in the middle of a clear area.

 

[RonnyCrack]

I do know I had my lamps at +5% but wasn't doing any overprints. Also I find it odd it's right at the edges and never happened in the middle of a clear area.

I'd imagine if you took it off and left it sitting on its face long enough you'd notice more curling/warping in other areas. I think it gets the edge first just because that's the first part that air can get underneath? Idk I'm guessing there, lol. It won't do that when it's stuck to something that isn't pourus (like plastic packaging) but I have stickers printed at 0% UV from when I first got the thing that are pressed to the matte front of the printer, and they also lift/bubble where the gloss is, but stick properly where it is printed matte.

May just have to do with how the gloss reacts with certain vinyl more than others as well? Maybe try a thin layer as a sample and see if you get the same issue.