Color is off but can't find which printhead is the issue - HP 315

Hi,

I am struggling with a strange problem and hope to get some advise and help.

The color is not right and I believe something is wrong with some printhead(s). However the test plot printed is absolutely fine therefore I am not able to identify which head I should replace.

One strange finding is that, as the attached image show, the color issue becomes very evident when the image next to it on the same row is red/yellow, like the parts in green circles. The color of the lady blowing bubble is way off. However, if the image next to it is not red/yellow, the color would be fine, like the part in red circle.

And sometimes fine stripes appear, especially printing red/yellow images.

I am suspecting something is wrong with the M-Y heads but again the test plot seems ok and there are two heads.

Appreciate it if anyone can help!

Thanks, -JayC

Hi @JayC,

1. Have you been printing before with this paper and OMS printing Properly?

2. Was the oms just uploaded and printed or was it cloned a long time ago? If so, please delete the oms and create it again.

3. Is this issue only related to this OMS? If yes, you could have an issue with this ICC.

4. If you clone from Generic are you able to print properly?

Just to confirm you have followed the proper Color Management workflow for this media, can you check if you followed the next steps?

Remember: Color Calibration will ensure color consistency within a printer and media after the first calibration is launched when the color reference targets are set based on the current printer conditions (temperature, humidity, PH DW, etc).

Regular Workflow for a single printer:

1. Perform a Color Calibration before beginning the job that you want to keep consistent. Note that the CLC is media-dependent.

2. Re-do a Color Calibration whenever you see the color change, the calibration is in “Recommended” or “Obsoleted” status.

Tips and tricks:

a. Verify that the calibration target is printed with good IQ (no nozzles out, banding, grain, advance is correct, etc).

b. Launch the CLC when the printer is in the same state (e.g. if the machine has been printing for a while the system is hotter than if not, this may impact CLC).

c. Note that in cloned substrates from generic the first time you launch color calibration that color is “saved” and the next time you launch the color calibration you are calibrating it.

I hope these help.