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Summa DC3 Print Modes
Hello I am new, and I just had a question about DC3 print modes. I am having difficulty setting the proper print modes, so I was just wondering if anyone could give me some tips or information on how to choose the best print modes for the printer. Thanks in advance.
Stephanie
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8 Replies
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I haven’t seen many folk with the DC3 on these boards Stephanie. well, not ones that post often. we do have a member from the states with one, think his name is Steven sill if i remember right. maybe do a search on his posts? We also have a couple of suppliers that use the boards so maybe they will pick up on this thread… 😕
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Hi Stephanie.
I have supplied a number of DC3 machines – however, I’ll need a little more information to be of any help.
First of all, what software are you using it from ? The machine shipped with a program from Summa called Colour Control, however, I have frequently seen these machines running from Flexi-Sign and the capable Signlab with thermal module.
Also, with the machine being a thermal machine, there are not a lot in the way of profiles, as you change the density of print through controlling the head temperature. Mainly the different modes are for DPI and screen frequency (dot size).
If you could let us know the problems you are having with the print quality too I would be better placed to offer some tips.
What I would say, though, is that this machine can be pretty fussy about what material prints well. The machines when shipped new were supplied with 3M cast, which is very smooth. Any imperfections on the vinyl surface can lead to white specks in the print.
Also, later machines were fitted with a roller that cleaned the vinyl just as it went under the print head. Older models did not have this as standard, but it can be retro-fitted onto the machine. This improves print quality and is now standard on the new DC4’s.
Later,
Mike
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We use the Signlab 7.1 with our DC3.
The sorts of problems I am having is when it comes to printing large solid colors it tends to have lots of imperfections. Such as lots of little white dots every where and it just does not look good at all. Even from a distance it does not look well. Normally I would just change it to a very close spot color but sometimes we can’t do that as we don’t always have the correct spot color.
For vinyls we use 3M or Avery Graphics and they have worked well with pretty much every print thus far, so I don’t think it could be the vinyls.
And lastly our DC3 does have that roller that cleans the vinyl before it gets printed. And your right it does improve on print quality but no matter what large solid colors just won’t work well.
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This does sound like the media and/or the set head density.
Imperfections in the prints of large areas of solid colour are unlikely to be the software. So…
You might be using 3M media but is it a cast vinyl ? Ask your supplier for a vinyl that is designed/recommended for a thermal resin printer.
Try wiping the vinyl down with isopropanethanalcohol before printing on it – it can make a big difference.
Perform a density adjustment on the machine. This effectively increases the heat the head puts down, and so gives better transfer, but be careful as too much heat can snap ribbons.
Regards,
Mike.
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If it prints a solid spot colour ok then I would say its the dpi/lpi setting not the vinyl.
Nick.
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Different colours require different levels of heat, and if I remember correctly, magenta requires the most heat to transfer well.
But Nick is correct – if you have the screen frequency set to high you will get drop out and also if you are printing graduations you will suffer from stepping in the print.
Try using one of Signlabs coarser halftone frequency settings and see if it improves. Also make sure that the Thermal Halftone overides are not on is SignLab otherwise it may ignore your instruction to use a coarser halftone.
Regards,
Mike
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Thanks so much for the help, will give your suggestions a try and see which one solves the problem.
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I just wanted to post that thanks to your suggestions I did figure out what was causing the problem and fixed it. It turned out to be the density settings, I just had to go in and adjust each ribbon individually. It took a while but all the prints look amazing now.
Thanks!!! 😀
P.S If you have a Summa thermal printer and need to adjust the density setting individually what you need to do is open the Summa Printer Control but when it is opening you need to hold down the shift key otherwise you can not access the individual settings. Took me forever to find out that..they don’t even mention it in the manual.
Just wanted to share that info encase some one else has the same problem.
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