Toner adhesion problems

[Keith]

So I'm having issues with Mohawk Everyday Digital uncoated cover in 80lb, 100lb, and 120lb, all smooth. Does anybody else here use that paper? What's happening is the toner does not adhere well and does not pass the tape test. I don't know if anybody else here does this but every now and than I'll put a piece of Scotch tape onto the printed area and see if it pulls any of the toner off the sheet. Sometimes the toner looks good and there is no ghosting or streaking and it won't scratch off with your fingernail. But when you fold it, it cracks real bad. The tape test tells you if your fuser is hot enough. Back when I was running a Xante Ilumina, I would have to tape test everything to make sure it was fusing properly. I don't know if anybody else does that or am I just a weirdo?

Back to the Everyday Digital. I tried all the settings to make the fuser as hot as possible- max weight, coated, increased fuser temp, and slowed down fusing speed. Image looks good but the tape test easily pulls off the toner. By the way, I'm running a Versant 180p. Have not called Xerox yet because when I put some Accent Opaque of identical weight and use the appropriate settings, not a speck of toner is on that tape. So, I took several sheets of the 80lb uncoated to a friend of mine so he can try it on his Canon copier, the Everyday Digital did better, a lot better but there was still some toner pulling off the sheet. Oh, and I also tested Mohawk's Color Copy and there is no issue there with toner adhesion.

I called Mohawk and sent them some samples today. They said they have not heard of anyone having this problem. Thought I would ask this forum and see if anyone here has had this problem. Hope to hear back from Mohawk in a week or so. Oh, and I had this issue years ago when I was running a Xerox C75. Thought it was the machine and switched to a different brand. Decided to try it again now that I have a different machine.

 

[davarino]

Are you using off-brand toner or supplies? Just checking.

 

[Keith]

On a service contract so OEM. I've been down that road before with aftermarket ink and toner and they all suck.

 

[namelessentity]

I'd just call the machine in. I don't really care for that paper, but I'm sure it's on Xerox's approved paper list, so there's no reason you should have to deal with doing your tape test. If your tech can't solve it he/she can at least escalate it.

 

[Wheate]

Really interesting topic, as we run the Mohawk Everyday in 120# Cover as our main uncoated sheet. We're using a Versant 2100 so pretty much the same scenario as you. I had never heard of a "tape test" so interested I just did one on a full coverage area and you're absolutely right, toner came off very easily. Odd thing is I can't remember ever having a customer complain in over 4 years of running the stock on the same machine. We crease all of our folds so to avoid any cracking and we haven't had any issues there. I'm going to try some different settings to see if I can pass the tape test.

 

[Keith]

Wheate, thanks for looking into this with me. It's not really a problem in the sense of customer complaints but wouldn't you think the toner would be more resilient in its adherence to the paper? Especially in light of the fact that the toner sticks very well to other brands of paper and even Mohawk's other lines of paper.

Mohawk should have received the samples today and I will post on here what they say. I still have not had a chance to ask my Xerox tech. Wheate, if you could, I would be interested in hearing what your tech has to say. I still think it's largely a paper issue but since the toner adhered better when printed on a different machine, I'd say the machine has a little to do with it as well.

 

[Schnicklefritz]

I would have tried slowing down fusing time by registering the paper at a higher gsm, but you've already done that and everything else I would have tried. Wasn't hip to the "tape test" though and I appreciate the tip. This issue reminds me of others where technicians proclaim "it's the paper"!

 

[Digi_Wiz]

Have you tried kicking your transfer settings way up?

We run alot of Mohawk Everyday Digital and have never had this issue besides cracking, which we fixed by prescoring before folding. Don't let your tech tell you it's just the paper that is a very common digital stock!

 

[Keith]

Have you tried kicking your transfer settings way up?

No, I have not tried that but will give it a try. Although, I think it kinda sucks that it requires special settings considering we pay a premium for it.

 

[Craig]

Hey Keith - How old is the fuser? We had issues like that with our V180 and the tech replaces the fuser and all was well after. The paper we had issues with was Blazer 100lb Gloss Text. All the others were fine, even the cover weights, just the 1 weight was effected for some reason. BTW, we do the penny test or just a fingernail all the time.

 

[Keith]

Hey Craig! Nice to hear from you again! Thanks for the vindication with your adhesion test. Lol! Glad to hear I'm not the only one that checks that. My V180 is about a year and a half old and the fuser has been replaced once due to another issue.

 

[Craig]

Ours is about 13 months old, it doesn't get used a ton and has about 1.2 million on it. I think we have had 3 fusers now.