Wall panels vary in length

Job requires wrapping 6 columns that are 65" in circumference and 121.5" tall. Printing on L370, using Thrive 642, PhotoTex media. due to size of column, files are ripped in panels that are 33" x 121.5". After printing the job, not one panel measures 121.5", but rather 120.75" or 122". Double check file to make sure everything is correct. Since the Phototex is woven polester, there is no concern of shrinking. Question: With all of the dimensions entered correctly from the design stage to the rip, why are the panels not printing out the same? By the way, width on every panel is correct.

Hi TGAPCLT, The issue you are describing can be caused by several reasons. My recommendation is to do the following: 1- Use the TUR (Take-Up Reel) since the beginning of the impression and not "on the fly", in order to add extra and consistent tension to the media. 2- make sure that the TUR is properly installed and used. You can have a look to the video below: How-to use the Take-Up Reel on HP Latex 300 Series 3- There is a chapter on the user guide dedicated to this issue (The substrate has shrunk or expanded - page 83) -- "The framing problem may be solved by printing a sample and adjusting the size of the image in the RIP. You may reuse this value for all your future prints with the same substrate, although special care must be taken when using banners, as the shrinkage may vary up to 1% depending on the amount of ink used in the print." -- This chapter includes a orientation table of the expected variations by media. 4- If nothing of the above works, i'll recommend you to contact your support source. Hope this helps, please let me know if you are able to solve it.

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If I remember on the L25500 I had better success with OMAS off. Might be worth a try on the L370. I believe that OMAS's job is to minimize banding and will try to control the feed to do that, so it could be different on different panels depending on clogged nozzles etc. In a discussion about this issue another user posted this. "We used to have one of the 360's near an exterior door and one nice day the door was left open while printing. An 8' mural panel came out 1.5" short, and after the door was closed, the next panel came out 96" exactly. I'm no expert in thermodynamics, but I have many instances where external factors were wreaking havoc on these machines in a similar manner. Once we moved to a more isolated, controlled environment, this has dropped drastically, but without proper humidity control we still saw occasional issues."

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Ask your service source for the "Dancer Counterweight Service Kit" (B4H70-67145). Sometimes the movement of the Dancer Roller of the TUR could lead to this effect. The kit reduces the weight applied to the media from the dancer roller.

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