Vp540 Black Head Spray

[wochi]

Hi there!

I´m having a strange problem with my Vp540. The black is doing some heavy horizontal spray. Vertical prints perfect. The nozzle test prints perfect too and i did all the service menu print head calibrations. Any ideias of what can cause this?
Here is a picture of the problem. Hope you can see what i´m talking about

What you see in the picture is a crop mark, and you can see also in the text above the crop mark


EDIT: it doesn´t happen in High Speed mode. Only in Standard and High Quality :S

Thanks in advance for any help!

 

[wochi]

it also happens in High Speed, but is less noticeable. If prints thousands of ink dots arround the text.
Hope you can see it in the picture, arround the Ç for example

 

[scuba_steve2699]

Possibly static issue?

 

[CS-SignSupply]

Clean the encoder, change materials to test, raise the humidity in the room to possibly help with static.

 

[Downforce Graphics]

It's called "deflection" and it usually starts right before the print head goes. Have you had any head srikes lately? If you run a print test it will show you how bad it is for sure. You may also want to try a deep clean and see if that frees it up at all.

 

[Downforce Graphics]

Also, to cheat a little with the black text, change the color formula in your CMYK file to C=40 M=30 Y=30 K=100 or in Versaworks use the "MAX IMPACT" setting that might also work.

 

[SignaPrint]

Also, to cheat a little with the black text, change the color formula in your CMYK file to C=40 M=30 Y=30 K=100 or in Versaworks use the "MAX IMPACT" setting that might also work.

I have noticed on a couple of threads how some give the above advice. I don't understand why you guys suggest this.

Let me explain:

I work from corel, I have a vp 540 using VW. When I am printing any black type or a barcode on a label, when I send the black artwork made up of all values of CMYK there always seems to be a little (very little) over spray of either magenta or cyan. This makes the black type look "fuzzy". What I always do is select the black color swatch that only has black at 100% and no CMY in the make up. My printer then only prints black and the type comes out crisp and sharp. I mean, I do barcodes on labels and they have to be able to scan in the stores so there is very little room for poor quality. Some guys in the other topics have suggested that you get a better / deeper looking black made up of all colors, I disagree, use only black when printing black. it works.

 

[Gabriel]

How the nozzle check? Do you have any misfireing nozzles? That might be the cause. If the test print is fine, then the print head must be replaced. It's very possible to be a static issue but I don't think so. Check the print-head surface for any dry ink spots.

 

[wochi]

hi,

thank you all for trying to help.

The nozzle check is perfect! And the print head is recent! I checked the encoder strip and it´s clean.
If it was a static issue, would not the other colors print with deflections too? And how about the spray beeing different in different print modes?

 

[Downforce Graphics]

I have noticed on a couple of threads how some give the above advice. I don't understand why you guys suggest this.

Let me explain:

I work from corel, I have a vp 540 using VW. When I am printing any black type or a barcode on a label, when I send the black artwork made up of all values of CMYK there always seems to be a little (very little) over spray of either magenta or cyan. This makes the black type look "fuzzy". What I always do is select the black color swatch that only has black at 100% and no CMY in the make up. My printer then only prints black and the type comes out crisp and sharp. I mean, I do barcodes on labels and they have to be able to scan in the stores so there is very little room for poor quality. Some guys in the other topics have suggested that you get a better / deeper looking black made up of all colors, I disagree, use only black when printing black. it works.

Ah yes the age old debate of 100%K Black" vs "Rich Black"

It makes since to use only 100%K for bar code printing but however knowing when to use the right tool for the job is everything!

100%K Black or just "Black" as it is refered to is great for several things.
Small Text or fine line printing. Or as where you mentioned anywhere you might get a little blur on a small area.

"Rich Black" which is made up of a combination of CMYK and it doesn't have to be the values I formentioned, I have seen everything from C100, M100, Y100, K100 to C60 M50 Y50 K100 and other similar values. As a standard I use this when it is appropriate meaning any type larger than say 40pt. and especially in prints where black has large coverage, It just makes for a much more richer looking black. You would also want use this whenever printing on a translucent or backlit material because it blocks out more of the light coming through.

 

[Downforce Graphics]

hi,

thank you all for trying to help.

The nozzle check is perfect! And the print head is recent! I checked the encoder strip and it´s clean.
If it was a static issue, would not the other colors print with deflections too? And how about the spray beeing different in different print modes?

What is your head height set to? I have seen this when the head was set on high.

 

[wochi]

i checked that also.it´s in LOW position

 

[Downforce Graphics]

What about the temp settings? Also, what kind of material is that?

 

[wochi]

i tried with different materials. Vinyl, Banners, flex. It does it in all of them. I tried different temperatures also but i usually don´t mess with them so it´s strange to start doing this only now...

 

[Downforce Graphics]

It would make since that your test print is fine because it seems to be only hapening on the vertical lines or larger print areas correct? This is starting to look like a feed motor issue?

 

[wochi]

the problem happens horizontally. The spray is in the direction of the movement of the print carriage. If it what a feed problem shouldn´t it be something like banding or overlay?

 

[Downforce Graphics]

If the scan motor and the feed motor aren't working together you could get all kinds of defferent results. One way to test this would be to do a print cut test just to illiminate it as the cause. Also, I know you said the print head was new, was it a aftermarket head?

 

[Mike F]

I have noticed on a couple of threads how some give the above advice. I don't understand why you guys suggest this.

Let me explain:

I work from corel, I have a vp 540 using VW. When I am printing any black type or a barcode on a label, when I send the black artwork made up of all values of CMYK there always seems to be a little (very little) over spray of either magenta or cyan. This makes the black type look "fuzzy". What I always do is select the black color swatch that only has black at 100% and no CMY in the make up. My printer then only prints black and the type comes out crisp and sharp. I mean, I do barcodes on labels and they have to be able to scan in the stores so there is very little room for poor quality. Some guys in the other topics have suggested that you get a better / deeper looking black made up of all colors, I disagree, use only black when printing black. it works.

With VersaWorks, as a general rule of thumb, you should be designing everything in RGB and using the Roland color library. Roland's CMYK inks and the Roland color library have a broader spectrum than regular CMYK workspaces, so if you're designing in CMYK you're essentially limiting yourself.

 

[wochi]

If the scan motor and the feed motor aren't working together you could get all kinds of defferent results. One way to test this would be to do a print cut test just to illiminate it as the cause. Also, I know you said the print head was new, was it a aftermarket head?

yes it is an aftermarket head (as all the other 3). I tested the print and cut like you suggested and it´s fine!



Mike: When the file is ONLY vectors i get better results designing in CMYK. Don´t ask me the reason :Oops:

 

[Downforce Graphics]

What about the voltage setting on the print head?

I found this explanation on another site:

Electrically – This is the voltage that is applied to the head to force out the droplets on the printers it is normally as a voltage reference which is adjusted by a potentiometer on a head board, however on large format it is by entering a head rank number which not only sets the voltage but various other items such as drop size, firing rate etc. It is on these units it becomes difficult to determine which numbers actually change the voltage, because the crystal characteristics change by increasing the voltage you can sometimes improve the quality but changing the numbers randomly can cause problems like nozzle drop out and deflection. These heads are manufactured with the head rank for optimum quality for a given printer and should therefore be replaced when quality starts to fall away normally with blocked nozzles that cannot be cleaned, leading to deflection or no output.