Versa Camm SP540 - Lines in the prints, please help

[rifraf2121]

I would appreciate any help that someone could lend and as fast as possible as Superstorm Sandy has put us out of business for 2 weeks now due to no power and the orders are backed up big time!
For awhile now I have been getting lines as seen in the attached in all of my prints. I dont know if the problem is the heads, but Im afraid to change them as people tell me that they are not ready to be changed when they see this test print.
I know for a fact its not the vinyl as I have tried every kind possible. I know its not the encoder strip as I have just put in a new one. I clean the machine regularly. I clean the heads regularly. I have adjusted the bidirectional feed numerously. I have also adjusted the feed to +1 in versaworks and that seems to help but just a very little bit.
As you can see I have done a lot of things, but the 1 thing I have not done is probably whats going to fix it. Does anyone know what that thing is? Please help. I feel 99% positive its something with swipe versus feed as I can see the line created after each swipe.

 

[noregrets]

do you get the same problem when you print in uni directional mode?

 

[wedosigns]

Welcome to the forum.

 

[john1]

Hey rifraf,

I have the 30" model of your printer and it looks by your test print you have some nozzles not firing.

Go to cleaning in the menu on the printer and do a few normal cleanings and then do another test print to compare. It always brings back my nozzles when doing this. If that doesn't help it do a manual cleaning of the wipers, cap tops and nozzles as you normally would by hand.

I hope this helps, I know how it feels when your printer is doing this.

 

[inkmed]

try clear the print head and test print again, if there is still these clog, please change the head cable.

Adam Yang from Inkmed

 

[splizaat]

that looks like the wrong profile all together....

 

[S11930]

take a swab with cleaning fluid and gently apply it to the heads. draw the swab to you gently do not go back and forth. gently apply the fluid let it soak into the print heads, when you bring the head back home the fluid is drawn up. run clean a few times. it might be your heads got dried out after 2 weeks.

 

[Rafael_Tech]

What Rip software are you using? If its Versaworks it may be a wrong profile setting.

For example you are using a Matte Calendered Vinyl profile (MCVP) but you are printing in a Glossy Vinyl.

 

[rifraf2121]

Hey, thanks to everyone who took a stab at this to help me! Its really good to know theres people out there willing to help! SO, at this point I have tried everything that was thrown at me. None really made a difference but it did help me to realize that it wasnt the heads. The problem lies in the feed and profile, because I just ran a print with vinyl in the printer and I used a generic banner profile and now the printer is running like it just came off the assembly line.
Does anyone have any suggestion in fixing this feed? Aside from messing with the settings, is there a motor replacement or some other part I can replace to get this back to normal?

 

[splizaat]

hmmm I think I said that....what'd I win?!?! Most profiles have a feed setting built in...a lot of times we use the feed that's built into the profile and it works fine.

Why are you printing vinyl with generic banner profile though? That's completely wrong...try Glossy Vinyl profile.

 

[player]

Are the nozzles still not firing?

I will clamp the pump hose to block off the caps. Fill the caps with solvent cleaner, then let the heads soak for a couple of hours. Pull out the cartridges so the ink doesn't cross contaminate. Then after clean the heads and try a test print.