I-Image owners

[ericheartsu]

Is anyone else constantly battling Banding issues on their prints?

We switched to the d2 ink about 3 months ago, and the issue has been getting better, but once a week (typically over the weekend), i'm  dealing with light prints and banding in our two hand printer. We do all the regular maintenance on this machine, and we just did our 6 month part swap on it. I think one of the heads keeps getting clogged, which is weird, as we typically print about 10-20 screens a day on our unit!

Also while i'm complaining, i really hope they can get this stupid bug in the programming that fixeds the "media to high" sensor from when the screen is coming back out after print!

[john52]

What does a nozzle check print look like?

We are still on K ink, so I may not be much help.

John

[screenprintguy]

Eric, do you run a couple auto cleans before imaging? Here's what I have been told to do, and what I've been doing, and all has been smooth.  Even though there is a setting to auto cap the head when idle for a while, I think it's default is 2 hours. If I know I'm not going to print with it for at least 30 or so mins, I Cap On. Even though it does a short burst clean after you cap off, I still run "2" auto cleans, then my nozzle check and it's always perfect. I guess you could take the chance, run a test image, but I just find the auto clean to get the job done. Plus, you need to at least 1 time a week, clean out that tray and the wipers, and wipe off the capping station using the cleaning solution. 10 or so minutes a week on that will help avoid any issues. I'm not sure why un capping and going right to printing does not render a print without some gaps or what not, but the tiny drops of ink used during the auto clean are a small sacrifice to make sure your nozzles are all flowing perfect. Going from the Epson model to the ST for me has been night and day, the ST has been really awesome! We are using the D-2 ink as well.

[ericheartsu]

before any production starts on the i-image i'll do at least one auto clean. usually two. We "cap on" as soon as we are done making screens.

I think it's one of our two heads, that keep getting air in the lines, and we have to do a flush, which is costly waste of ink.

before we switched to the d2 ink, we were having all sorts of issues like this, as well as prints that weren't solid.

[Alex M]

Eric I have service calling you today. I am traveling all day but will be in contact tonight or tomorrow.

[ericheartsu]

Eric I have service calling you today. I am traveling all day but will be in contact tonight or tomorrow.

Greg is already in touch, and my guys are going to call him in about 30 mins!

thanks for the quick help as always!

[Ross_S]

Any of you guys get your curve dialed in on this machine?  I'm getting a wide range results using a suggested M&R curve and then the default curve.  Just curious if some one has actually got one they use for all jobs.

[DannyGruninger]

We are using d2 as well and at first I noticed it was trying to dry in the purging tray and printheads like you explained. What I've seen d2 do on screen though I prefer over the others so we will be happily sticking with it. To solve the issue for us we keep a syringe full of the m&r cleaning solution and when we are done making screens for a long period of time we just syringe some cleaning solution into the cap station and the purging tray. This takes us less then 10 seconds to do and I won't say never but rarely are we doing more then one auto clean. Even after sitting for weekends or longer breaks having some solution in the caps really helped. One auto clean and our nozzle checks look perfect.

Also how many passes on the printhead are you running 4,6,12, etc ?

To answer Ross on the curve yes we have one we use for everything... A couple guys on the board here have one of my curves that you can run with everything. Pm me and I'll email you a copy if you want

[ericheartsu]

we are doing 12+ currently

and we just did a nozzle check, and one head is very spotty with lots of gaps...so we are cleaning that out now.

thanks for the tip danny!