Luminous Landscape Forum
Raw & Post Processing, Printing => Printing: Printers, Papers and Inks => Topic started by: jack777 on August 31, 2012, 03:58:46 am
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We've been happy with our 9900 for quite some time but recently printer started to do some pretty nasty banding. When I first saw it I thought "no big deal - NC -> cleaning and all will be fine". Well to my surprise the nozzle check was clean. Out of routine I did some cleaning, test printing, power cleaning, more printing. After that I updated firmware, tried other papers and still nothing. The banding is clearly visible in Lk and Llk, slight banding is also visible in Vlm, O and G channels but they may be because of them blacks. Funny though pure black looks good. I'm running out of reasonable ideas...
(http://i.imgur.com/4rdfj.jpg)
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With a good nozzle check, have you tried a head alignment? On the 9900 it's pretty straight forward and run from the LCD on the printer.
I have a slight banding in black before that was cured by a head alignment (when I had a good nozzle check).
Paul
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I would second the head alignment. It doesn't take long and uses very little ink. Do unidirectional and a bi-directional (all) auto alignment routines, either from the printer LCD or through the utility software.
Brian A
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I agree to try the head alignment first.
I doubt it's this, but I'll mention it anyway. High speed printing is on by default - try printing with it off. High speed makes the head print when it is travelling in either direction (bidirectional), and high speed off makes the head print not print when it's moving toward the right. I've seen bidirectional printing cause banding in much darker black areas. Again, doubt it's this because I haven't seen it happen in lighter black areas, and you said pure black doesn't do it, but it might be another thing worth trying.
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I've tried head alignment but it doesn't help. Neither auto nor manual adjusting helps. Right now I'm assuming it's a head slant since the pattern seems to be slightly off. Will try adjusting it tomorrow.
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Near empty cartridge replaced with a full one?
--
Met vriendelijke groet, Ernst
Dinkla Grafische Techniek
Quad,piëzografie,giclée
www.pigment-print.com
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Lk and Llk cartridges are more than half full. The banding varies depending on resolution (bigger on 720, smaller on 2880). However in 1440 and 2880 I've noticed a bigger band on the beginnign of the print. I'm posting two more pictures of it. I've pushed the contrast to make it more visible.
The print on the picture is 2880 dpi uni.
(http://i.imgur.com/XOU3S.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/3Z55N.jpg)
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that looks like a nozzle clog but your nozzle check says otherwise.
the only other reason I can think of is that your paper feed speed is screwed. try to decrease your paper feed speed/amount via paper config in the printer driver dialogue and see what happens.
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Today I've noticed something very strange about nozzle patterns. I don't know how I missed it before... looked through my junk and it was there before. Let the scan speak for itself but I'm very worried about the head...
Now I'm certain it's not a clog, feed or ink supply issue, but what can it be?
(http://i.imgur.com/jGkBG.jpg)
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there have been some threads on this in the past. I had my fair share of problems for sure..
First question, are you using a RIP?
The problem turned out to be platen gap settings for me, and lack of RIP access to custom media alignments that are available in the OEM driver.
IF you are using the Epson driver I would recommend going into the custom media settings and doing a custom K alignment available there in the driver settings. These are separate from the alignments you perform at the printer, and are media setting specific.. and specific to the other settings in the same media selectio.. thickness, platen, resolution, etc... and make one for each paper.
If you are using a RIP, not sure what to say.. Depends on the RIP and the access it gives you to to printer control with each environment.
With my setup here, any setting other than default platen gap created this problem. Had me stumped from the beginning since I set it to wide immediately due to head strikes with most media.
Tyler
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my initial problems with this are solved including head strikes, I was attempting to point the OP to what has been the source of the problem for some of us- the platen setting and potential loss of alignment when it is changed.
Additionally, if a custom media setting is made, after selecting whatever gap setting is relevant for the media, do an alignment within that custom media setting.. you print the thickness pattern and align.. you may notice it's the black channel .. relevant?
All on page 83 of the manual, it's worth a try.
Tyler
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Unfortunately - no luck so far. To keep the story short:
- I don't use RIP, we print from the epson driver
- I haven't used custom paper settings, for non-epson media we find closest match and use it.
- the deflected nozzle pattern looks the same on thin and thick papers (pk/mk)
- changing feed or platen gap doesn't help the deflections but ruins other channels so I doubt they are the cause
- I've cleaned the wiper blade and capping station fairly recently (about 3 months back, they looked pretty good but nevertheless cleaned them again)
- So far I've tried all kinds of cleaning - power cleaning, paired power cleaning and today SS cleaning. Between every cleaning session I make a print using all colors
- nothing seems to even slightly change the deflected nozzles pattern
From what you've written I can still try: initial filling, checking the encoder strip, adjusting single channel in custom paper (but since I haven't used them I wonder if it makes sense). I'll keep you posted if anything changes.
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I jumped in with my own experience before carefully reading the whole thread, I don't think my info relates to your problem so would ignore my suggestions. An unit fill will cost ink and I'm not convinced it will solve anything the aggressive cleanings don't. I could be wrong. Your nozzle pattern anomaly points the finger, just not sure at what... Encoder strip may be related... Are you out of warranty?
Tyler
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yes, I'm out of warranty so I'm on my own. I had little hope for unit fill but tried it anyway - no luck. Also tried contacting epson but their answer is "try power/ss cleaning if it doesn't help call service"... Like you say - I think my best chance now is the encoder strip but if it doesn't help I'm pretty much out of ideas.
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Present your issue here as well-
http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/EpsonWideFormat/
There is some expertise there not on this list...
Hope you find a solution.
Tyler
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There is a relationship between the platen distance and the media during a print cycle, which produces a phenomenon with static electricity. The closer the printhead to the media (narrow gap) results in ink actually being pulled out of the micro peizo nozzles. The wider the gap results in less of this static pull from the media. This can be useful in diagnosing some challenges with the ink delivery system or the print head.
Is there still a conducting brush in the paper path to take off surface polarity on the paper before the printing area is reached? I recall that of my old Epson models. Is it possible that a brush like does not function anymore due to wear or too much paper lint?
--
Met vriendelijke groet, Ernst
360+ paper white spectral plots:
http://www.pigment-print.com/spectralplots/spectrumviz_1.htm
september 2012: Photokina updates going on for at least a month
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I'll try the procedure you described in a free day. However I'm still going to prepare myself and check my options with head replacement.
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Hi Jack,
Have you successfully repair your Print head?
I got a problem now that i need to resolve. please help... :(
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Of course the fact that we all share your pain is of little solace, but a fact nevertheless. At some point we've all been there and try to be of some help if possible. My suggestion is based on the fact that you mention the banding in 1440 & 2880 is larger at the beginning of the print. Have you checked the paper transport system, which consists of numerous rollers. Make sure they are clean and free from any sort of material that might cause the paper to slip slightly during printing. With the pressure rollers in the open position you'll have total access to them and can inspect/clean as necessary. If the paper is indeed slipping on these rollers that could definitely cause this sort of banding, but not necessarily show on a nozzle check pattern. Again, another shot in the dark, but something you can check quite easily. At the least, one more thing to check off your list of possibilities.
Gary
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@ bestfred - First of all, welcome to LuLa. Next, this is an old thread and Jack has not been here for over a year and a half. Next, this thread is about a 9900 and you have a 9700 - a different beast altogether. And finally, Your NC is crap. Perform head, wiper and flushing box cleaning until you get a good NC then perform a head alignment. - Jim
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Hi Jim,
Thanks for quick response. I just posted here after i saw the strange nozzle pattern of Jack. I'll take your advise. thank you.
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@ bestfred - First of all, welcome to LuLa. Next, this is an old thread and Jack has not been here for over a year and a half. Next, this thread is about a 9900 and you have a 9700 - a different beast altogether. And finally, Your NC is crap. Perform head, wiper and flushing box cleaning until you get a good NC then perform a head alignment. - Jim
Caught me ;^( I wasn't paying attention to the date(s), but because it was apparently active I decided to reply. Oh well, perhaps someone else can benefit.
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Hi all I know this is an old thread... but it's the only one that I have found that matches my exact same problem. In short when I run nozzle test print I get the exact same problem as Jack did. Only difference is that mine is with the Photo/Matte channel vs the LLK channel. I am really hoping that it is not a failed print head. I had a really bad clog the other day after a recent move and the printer was sitting for a bit (but I did run nozzle test patterns)... In short, I tried to clear it, swapped photo/matte ink, etc. I noticed the problem after I tried using Piezo Flush per their instructions with a paper towel. Please feel free to reach out to me. I've tried doing manual head alignment as well as auto. Also when I did try to swap photo black for matte I got an error saying that it could not complete the auto clean cycle.... several times. What a big waist of ink....
Any and all help is welcome.
Thanks everyone.
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If you flushed a line, a recharge doesn’t always fill the lines correctly and residual flush fluid can hang around in the head. It usually clears up after a few pages, depending on the color being printed and the color affected.
Also a charge after a flush often leaves some bubbles. Normally the head and dampers will resolve those, but old dampers can get sticky and may let the bubbles move to the nozzles instead of bleeding it out - same symptom as a clogged nozzle, as no ink is coming out.. You might try printing something to get a little more ink moving through the lines to clear them out. If you only flushed one channel, you might try printing a large document that would use primarily the color you needed to flush (black, gray, light gray).
Just some thoughts. several other things that cause banding, such as paper advance adjustment, improper paper thickness setting. I’m guessing this isn’t the case since it doesn’t sound like anything changed, but you might double check.
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Definitely check the things Wayne talks about, and that Tyler talked about in the old portion of this thread. But in my experience, nozzle check patterns like this indicate a failed head. There's nothing I could ever identify in the paper feed, platen level, head alignment, cleaning options, etc. that can cause a consistent and discrete part of a head channel to deflect like this while the rest of the channel prints in good alignment. I believe it's the head surface itself physically failing, and a block of nozzles are misfiring. If it does what happens in my experience, the block of nozzles in this section eventually will just stop firing and no ink will lay down in this section.
Hopefully it's something else in your case, but that's my best estimate what's going on...
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Hi all I know this is an old thread... but it's the only one that I have found that matches my exact same problem. In short when I run nozzle test print I get the exact same problem as Jack did. Only difference is that mine is with the Photo/Matte channel vs the LLK channel. I am really hoping that it is not a failed print head. I had a really bad clog the other day after a recent move and the printer was sitting for a bit (but I did run nozzle test patterns)... In short, I tried to clear it, swapped photo/matte ink, etc. I noticed the problem after I tried using Piezo Flush per their instructions with a paper towel. Please feel free to reach out to me. I've tried doing manual head alignment as well as auto. Also when I did try to swap photo black for matte I got an error saying that it could not complete the auto clean cycle.... several times. What a big waist of ink....
Any and all help is welcome.
Thanks everyone.
I've seen this nozzle pattern with the bulging on each side twice, once on a 7600 and again last year on the 9900. In both instances the ONLY cure, after trying everything mentioned here, was a new print head. I hope you might be able to overcome this issue yourself, but the tech told me this sort of pattern indicates a dead head about 95-99% of the time. Good luck with your attempts to find a fix.
Gary
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Similar problem this past fall on my 9900 yellow channel.
Banding persisted and elected to have it repaired.
2 service calls, a flushing box and print head later I was down $2900.
Runs like a charm.
Just a side note Epson called and wanted to do a review on my service call.
After telling him how good the technician and service call was I read him the riot act about the cost.
$175 and hour for a technician with a screwdriver pouch?? Heck he did not even have a pickup truck or a ladder..
He politely thanked me and hung up. Well at least I felt a little better after the vent.
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Just a side note Epson called and wanted to do a review on my service call.
After telling him how good the technician and service call was I read him the riot act about the cost.
$175 and hour for a technician with a screwdriver pouch?? Heck he did not even have a pickup truck or a ladder..
He politely thanked me and hung up. Well at least I felt a little better after the vent.
Great job Dan. Two thumbs up!
Gary
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Can someone tell me if this is the head going bad on my Epson 9900? I have attached a image. Nozzle check is good, head alignments are good. I have tried high speed off and on. I was in the middle of a pretty big run and the banding started at about the 10th sheet of the same image and I can't get it to go away.
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Can someone tell me if this is the head going bad on my Epson 9900? I have attached a image. Nozzle check is good, head alignments are good. I have tried high speed off and on. I was in the middle of a pretty big run and the banding started at about the 10th sheet of the same image and I can't get it to go away.
Looks like you're losing the Cyan channel. Even though the nozzle check pattern looks good at first glance, I always take a second and third look and in some case use a loupe to be certain. It can be deceiving. Could also be the Lt. Cyan, but I'm sure that eventually it will show in a nozzle check. You didn't mention what res you are printing at, 1440 or 2880. I would suggest 2880 and high speed off if you haven't done so already.
Gary
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Thanks for your response Gary. I figured it was the cyan channel going bad. I've tried both 2880 and 1440 with high speed off. My 9890 will limp by until I figure out what I want to do with the 9900. I think its time to give the Canon Pro series a try. Pumps going bad on the 9890 and the 9900 has had constant issues since I got it. Oddly my 4900 runs like a champ and I've had it the longest. Epson needs to figure this out!!