Fuji Acuity Issue?

[Jim Restle]

We own a Fuji Acuity HS, using KI inks. Substrate samples provided to us from Fuji look significantly better than what we can produce. Fuji has been unable or unwilling to provide information about how their samples were produced.

The best way I can describe the difference between the samples and our output is that the samples look like a 200 line screen piece, and ours look like 85 line, courser and mottled. We were trained by Fuji during the installation of the machine, so I believe that we're running the files correctly.

Has anyone swapped out KI inks for KO inks and seen a difference in quality?

Thanks
Jim

[Correct Color]

I've profiled both and it sure doesn't sound like ink is the issue.

Do you have any other large-grand format experience, or is this your first machine?

What RIP are you using?


Mike Adams
Correct Color

[Jim Restle]

This is our first large format machine, larger anyway than the 44" pieces we can produce on our Epson 9800's.

ColorGate is the RIP driving the Acuity.

Jim

[Correct Color]

Jim,

I've profiled a bunch of those machines and know them very well. It's also my opinion that right now that machine and its Oce twin are the overall best-printing UV printers on the market. However, it's very important in profiling them to get the setup right on the variable drop configuration, or you can wind up with an issue just such as what you're describing.

That's most likely where your issue is.

It might be worth it to you guys to have me come up for a day or two for some profiling and education.


Mike Adams
Correct Color

[Cliff]

I also have seen this posted elsewhere,...

check your droplet levels, as our RIP is set to omit droplet levels 2 and 7. is what another guy wrote, I know ours need this too otherwise its ugly.

We still use KO, KI is for better adhesion but color is much less pop visually.

[Chubb]

We had been using KO inks and changed over to KI and we definitely are staying with the KI. Adhesion is no longer an issue and there really isn't that much of a color difference, there was more of a change in gloss it is really satin looking now.

We had the same complaints that you have in the beginning, but Fuji supplied us with better profiles to match their samples.

Hope this helps let me know if you have any other questions

Chris

[Mac-S]

Knowing the machine very well I can tell you this.
One ink prints very nice but the adhesion is less than perfect.
The other ink has a much coarser look but better adhesion.
I usually refer to them as indoor and outdoor inks because of the printquality.
However there is a huge difference in printquality depending on printmode. Quality mode looks a lot smoother than production mode.
Also make sure that service has adjusted the carriage level and height according to the latest methods. Your new ink is much more sensitive to inaccuracies then the old one.

[alstratton]

Using ColorGATE as your RIP, you definitely need to look at your droplet levels and enable the checkbox that omits level 2 and 7. Fuji should be able to help you with that, as well as supply you with the Color Transfer settings file to import for making new profiles, which you will need to do. We found that Onyx made smoother looking prints on that machine, but the color is better with ColorGATE.