Posted by Phillip Noll on April 22, 2008 at 8:30 PM
I'm hoping someone here can help me out. I'm trying to make some fine art prints for a client and I'm having a couple problems.
1.) The printer appears to be printing fine (no clogged heads, etc.)and the prints look great--but the printer is depositing random drops and splotches of ink on my nice new prints thus ruining them. The droplets are 1-4mm in diam and have been both black and magenta. Incidentally, I've recently replaced the light black and magenta cartridges--any connection?
2.) I'm printing on Epson Ultrasmooth Fine Art paper and having lots of problems with flaking. I've been dusting the paper off with a fine brush before printing but it doesn't seem to help. Any ideas? Thought about upping the humidity in the room (its very dry here).
3.) In the margins (and probably on the print itself--just too much ink to see) the printer is laying down fine lines of very tiny ink dots. Each row of dots is a different color. It almost looks like the "pizza wheel" affect that some printers have had on glossy prints except this is dots of ink and there are no "pizza wheels". Never seen this happen before.
Any suggestions on troubleshooting these problems would be very much appreciated. I've burned through far too many 11x14s on this job and will be lucky to break even due to these problems (which I've never had before).
Phiilip: have you had many headstrikes over the years? This sounds like it may be printhead failure due to headstrikes (I currently have the same problem with my 7600). You may have no choice but to replace the printhead.
Look closely at the unidirectional alignment patterns; if you see any part of the pattern way off alignment, then printhead failure is likely the cause. Also, check carefully and clean if necessary the parking station and squeegee. You may have some pooled ink that is collecting on the printhead.
Best of luck!
Posted by Phillip Noll on April 24, 2008 at 5:37 PM
Michael,
I don't recall any headstrikes but that doesn't mean it hasn't happened. I'll have a look at the parking station and squeegee too. Thanks for the suggestions!
I did reduce the vacuum and was able to get a print with no splatter but the lines of fine dots are still there but only on the far left side of the print.
Discussion
2 replies1.) The printer appears to be printing fine (no clogged heads, etc.)and the prints look great--but the printer is depositing random drops and splotches of ink on my nice new prints thus ruining them.
2.) I'm printing on Epson Ultrasmooth Fine Art paper and having lots of problems with flaking. I've been dusting the paper off with a fine brush before printing but it doesn't seem to help. Any ideas? Thought about upping the humidity in the room (its very dry here).
3.) In the margins (and probably on the print itself--just too much ink to see) the printer is laying down fine lines of very tiny ink dots. Each row of dots is a different color. It almost looks like the "pizza wheel" affect that some printers have had on glossy prints except this is dots of ink and there are no "pizza wheels". Never seen this happen before.
Any suggestions on troubleshooting these problems would be very much appreciated. I've burned through far too many 11x14s on this job and will be lucky to break even due to these problems (which I've never had before).
Thanks in advance!
Look closely at the unidirectional alignment patterns; if you see any part of the pattern way off alignment, then printhead failure is likely the cause. Also, check carefully and clean if necessary the parking station and squeegee. You may have some pooled ink that is collecting on the printhead.
Best of luck!
I don't recall any headstrikes but that doesn't mean it hasn't happened. I'll have a look at the parking station and squeegee too. Thanks for the suggestions!
I did reduce the vacuum and was able to get a print with no splatter but the lines of fine dots are still there but only on the far left side of the print.