[CQ] PQ - Quick Question on overall PQ

[RascalMJ]

I have been noticing on several "demo" units and machines we use in the office for day to day printing that the Sharp MFP's don't seem to do very will with larger "blocks" of solid color. Test print of the Sharp Eagle and other "promotional files", and other test print/copies look good, as well as personal pictures and such that I will test with.

However if we are using word to highlight the background of something, or we have a customer that uses a very large block of GREEN as a background to their logo, the colors show fairly noticeable banding and/or washed out output. It seems to be across most of the newer models (MX-311, MX-2610, and MX-5111 are the machines I have tested the past few days).

Has anyone seem this as well, is there anything that can be done. PM's have been done, adjustments and calibrations have been done....etc. It's possible we are missing a step or 2 but for the most part we "go by the book". Just curious what others have seen "out in the field" with larger "blocks" of solid colors.

Thanks

[mojorolla]

Re: PQ - Quick Question on overall PQ

Word and Publisher are awful at color reproduction. The test files , like the Sharp Eagle, are made to give the best color possible. Word files are prone to issues and conflicts. Lockups, colors off, format problems, etc.

In system settings, device control, fusing control settings, set it to 23-28lb. Powder your IT belt and your drums. The belt units are prone to bind ups and flipped blades; had one today actually . Make sure 2610 and 5111 firmware is 8.1.

Another thing to consider in the paper. I have seen some banding on new Sharps (Polaris and Polaris Pro mostly), but only when using heavier paper stock. Poor quality paper will result in poor quality prints. Your standard ole 20lb stock will not do these machines (or any other manufacturer for that matter) justice. I always have a few reams of Hammermill 28lb 96 bright stock in the car. I print the same file on the customer stock and my stock; they ALWAYS prefer my stock.

I have attached some of the files I use to troubleshoot. The billiard pic I call "The Showstopper"; dense, colorful, and shuts anybody up who thinks their printing sucks "because of the machine...".


hi baby.pdf billiards.pdf PrinterEvaluationImage.pdf wet_colors.pdf

[RascalMJ]

Re: PQ - Quick Question on overall PQ

Word and Publisher are awful at color reproduction. The test files , like the Sharp Eagle, are made to give the best color possible. Word files are prone to issues and conflicts. Lockups, colors off, format problems, etc.

In system settings, device control, fusing control settings, set it to 23-28lb. Powder your IT belt and your drums. The belt units are prone to bind ups and flipped blades; had one today actually . Make sure 2610 and 5111 firmware is 8.1.

Another thing to consider in the paper. I have seen some banding on new Sharps (Polaris and Polaris Pro mostly), but only when using heavier paper stock. Poor quality paper will result in poor quality prints. Your standard ole 20lb stock will not do these machines (or any other manufacturer for that matter) justice. I always have a few reams of Hammermill 28lb 96 bright stock in the car. I print the same file on the customer stock and my stock; they ALWAYS prefer my stock.

I have attached some of the files I use to troubleshoot. The billiard pic I call "The Showstopper"; dense, colorful, and shuts anybody up who thinks their printing sucks "because of the machine...".


[ATTACH]26542[/ATTACH] [ATTACH]26543[/ATTACH] [ATTACH]26544[/ATTACH] [ATTACH]26545[/ATTACH]

Yeah, I am going to try some of the above if it comes down to it. Another tech is digging deeper now because he originally set them up with "Pantone Matching" and knew about some of their setting and things he changed on the MFP to adjust for color. He did some color "sky shots" and tests and says he saw the same banding/washed out print. So he is going to replace the developer and Primary Transfer belt.

I'm just curious if this is more of a limitation of the machine. It's something I've noticed for years but most customers using word or doing basic solid color blocks aren't very picky. This customer is and I don't have a good "baseline" for what the printer can/should do.

Spot Color Test.pdf


Attached is a file I found with the color green close to what they are looking for (363) and at least small blocks. I printed this on 2 of our units and had pretty similar results which weren't all that great (banding, and a bit washed out). That is to say it was bright/brilliant...etc. If you get a chance, could you print this file and let me know what your results look like? Our customer is printing this green in a block approx 6 times this large so any imperfections are even more pronounced.

Thanks for your tips and those files. I am always looking for test files to WOW the customer, or help get out the door. ha I have a similar baby pic that is of me and my son that I use. At least I can usually get the sympathy vote to let me get out the door a little faster. haha

[mojorolla]

Re: PQ - Quick Question on overall PQ

Yeah, I am going to try some of the above if it comes down to it. Another tech is digging deeper now because he originally set them up with "Pantone Matching" and knew about some of their setting and things he changed on the MFP to adjust for color. He did some color "sky shots" and tests and says he saw the same banding/washed out print. So he is going to replace the developer and Primary Transfer belt.

I'm just curious if this is more of a limitation of the machine. It's something I've noticed for years but most customers using word or doing basic solid color blocks aren't very picky. This customer is and I don't have a good "baseline" for what the printer can/should do.

[ATTACH]26546[/ATTACH]


Attached is a file I found with the color green close to what they are looking for (363) and at least small blocks. I printed this on 2 of our units and had pretty similar results which weren't all that great (banding, and a bit washed out). That is to say it was bright/brilliant...etc. If you get a chance, could you print this file and let me know what your results look like? Our customer is printing this green in a block approx 6 times this large so any imperfections are even more pronounced.

Thanks for your tips and those files. I am always looking for test files to WOW the customer, or help get out the door. ha I have a similar baby pic that is of me and my son that I use. At least I can usually get the sympathy vote to let me get out the door a little faster. haha

Had some time today. One is on normal run of the mill paper, the other is the calibration paper; scanned at 600x600dpi. I do not see any banding. This was done on an un-calibrated 3640 in the warehouse. If you have the green color as a background with text on top of it, try the trapping checkbox in the print driver.
GREEN.pdf

[RascalMJ]

Re: PQ - Quick Question on overall PQ

Had some time today. One is on normal run of the mill paper, the other is the calibration paper; scanned at 600x600dpi. I do not see any banding. This was done on an un-calibrated 3640 in the warehouse. If you have the green color as a background with text on top of it, try the trapping checkbox in the print driver.
[ATTACH]26591[/ATTACH]

Great. Thanks