Help with track marks

[Shane Drew]

Yes mate, get it all the time on satin and matt prints, as well as non closs banner. I remove the rollers from the printed area. so the rollers are only on the ends. I’ve spoken to plenty of suppliers about this, they say it is a problem than the rollers flatten the surface, changing the dynamic structure of the surface, resulting in a different printing surface.

[Simon Worrall]

Thanks Shane.
That usually works, but some less dimensionally stable materials can get streaks of lighter print in the head direction where they have tracked through a bit too slow, resulting in a lighter band of print, unless you use the full compliment of rollers.
That pull up banner synthetic paper seems to be pretty bad for this.
The problem seems to be worst at the beginning of the print, and it fades out to nothing over 500mm or so. Normally I ditch the print and start again further up the roll, and the problem doesnt recur for that print. Maybe the material or the rollers have to warm up a bit…

[Shane Drew]

quote Simon Worrall:

Thanks Shane.
That usually works, but some less dimensionally stable materials can get streaks of lighter print in the head direction where they have tracked through a bit too slow, resulting in a lighter band of print, unless you use the full compliment of rollers.
That pull up banner synthetic paper seems to be pretty bad for this.
The problem seems to be worst at the beginning of the print, and it fades out to nothing over 500mm or so. Normally I ditch the print and start again further up the roll, and the problem doesnt recur for that print. Maybe the material or the rollers have to warm up a bit…

I stopped using the synthetic paper for my pullups for that very reason. I use soflat from HVG now. Brilliant material produces great results, but does do the roller problem as it is a satin finish. Can’t fault it other than that.

[Stafford Cox]

On the assumption you are using a solvent Roland printer, I would try adjusting the heater temperatures and/or cleaning the rollers with IPA (Isopropynol alcohol).

Stafford