Versant 4100 color problems

[marlin64]

I am having color problems with my Versant 4100. Up until 4 months ago my 4100 printed great. Since then there seems to be a color shift. It seems like it is printing with too much magenta. Blues are shifting into the purples. The blue sky in photos has too much pink (magenta) in them. I have had technicians in 3 times to try and fix with no solution. I have had a software specialist look at the fiery with still no solution. I am at the point where I can not trust the color to be accurate.

I have calibrated the stock, I have cleaned the toners, I have cleaned the fuser, etc. with no luck. I can apply a curve to lessen the magenta cast but that has an effect on all the colors. In some instances it makes photos appear more yellow than they should.

Is this a wide spread problem with the 4100 or is this isolated to my press? Has anyone had this issue and if so do you have a solution?

Thank you for any advice.

 

[EdwardB]

We've had Versant 4100s for over four years now. We haven't experienced anything like this, at least nothing that wasn't easily resolved. A Xerox tech wasn't even able to fix the problem?

Is this happening to all jobs, and regardless of how they are sent to the machine? i.e. Postscript printer driver vs loading the PDF via Command Workstation or Hot Folder

 

[marlin64]

We've had Versant 4100s for over four years now. We haven't experienced anything like this, at least nothing that wasn't easily resolved. A Xerox tech wasn't even able to fix the problem?

Is this happening to all jobs, and regardless of how they are sent to the machine? i.e. Postscript printer driver vs loading the PDF via Command Workstation or Hot Folder

I have had the 4100 for almost 3 years. Up until this happened a few months ago the printing quality has been surpurb and if there was an issue it was easily resolved with replacing a part or developer. There has been 3 technicians look at the machine as well as a software specialist look at the fiery. They could not figure out the problem and act like I should figure out the problem. The fact that this happened so suddenly after 2-1/2 years leads me to believe the problem lies in the 4100 whether it is hardware or software.

Most of the jobs I print directly from InDesign to the Command Workstation hold cue. Currently, I have a small booklet to print that does not match samples that I have from previous printings. Also, one time I had to outsource the book to another printer because I was too busy. Their sample matches my old sample and both are different from the current printing.

 

[namelessentity]

Have you tried dropping PDFs into the Fiery? You should be eliminating as many variables as possible by using a PDF workflow and not using drivers imo.

 

[marlin64]

Have you tried dropping PDFs into the Fiery? You should be eliminating as many variables as possible by using a PDF workflow and not using drivers imo.

So I took the file in InDesign and exported as a pdf file. Dropped that into Command Workstation and printed the file. It still has the magenta cast the same as if I printed directly from InDesign to Command Workstation.

 

[azehnali]

how does the full width array print look like
how does the fiery calibration sheet look like

 

[marlin64]

how does the full width array print look like
how does the fiery calibration sheet look like

Both look good.

 

[EdwardB]

Both look good.

can you screen-shot/photograph the curve? (my curves are a little wonky)

is your calibration actually matching the setup in your job? (this made me realize that my calibration is a little old LOL)

do you have Image Enhancement or anything turned on?

 

[marlin64]

I am not have image enhancement or anything else turned on. The calibration was not set to the paper calibration. I set it to that and it still has the same output. The paper was calibrated earlier today. I did first thing that after I noticed the color was off.

 

[DYP]

You may have already done this, but this is what I would do.

First set Uniform Density back to factory default. Then do a new uniform density.

After that I would create a new calibration including G7. Then create a new paper output profile on top of that calibration.

 

[azehnali]

if the full width array and calibration sheet print out are good then your fiery is the issue
what are you using to calibrate the fiery?

 

[azehnali]

also if the issue is only magenta you can turn down the magenta in diagnostics
your techs should know that

 

[Madpioneer22]

I am having color problems with my Versant 4100. Up until 4 months ago my 4100 printed great. Since then there seems to be a color shift. It seems like it is printing with too much magenta. Blues are shifting into the purples. The blue sky in photos has too much pink (magenta) in them. I have had technicians in 3 times to try and fix with no solution. I have had a software specialist look at the fiery with still no solution. I am at the point where I can not trust the color to be accurate.

I have calibrated the stock, I have cleaned the toners, I have cleaned the fuser, etc. with no luck. I can apply a curve to lessen the magenta cast but that has an effect on all the colors. In some instances it makes photos appear more yellow than they should.

Is this a wide spread problem with the 4100 or is this isolated to my press? Has anyone had this issue and if so do you have a solution?

Thank you for any advice.

Print shop I work at has a 4100 since December 2024. A few months ago machine had a jam just going into the fuser right below the 1st BTR & power supply board(s). Machine had just over 200K impressions. Was printing on 130# cardstock, paper jammed, folded at the end and apparently slammed with enough upwards force to somehow short a board? for the 1st BTR & drums. After that when trying to print, first sheet out good, second sheet completely missing black, 3rd sheet completely missing cyan, 4th sheet missing magenta, 5th sheet yellow absent, 6th sheet out blank. Installed new drums only to find out each drum was shorted out after multiple sheet runs. No fault codes what so ever! Technician was on the phone with 1st & 2nd Tier engineers trying to determine what could short one drum after another. Engineers had no answer, nor had they had any inquires of that nature before. In other words, baffled, stumped... Using vague schematics Technician was able to determine 1st BTR board/drum power supply boards needed replacement. Had two techs onsite using voltage meters to check many boards during replacement. Complete new transfer belt unit which includes power supply boards was installed. Once replaced, up and running again machine had all kinds of color issues, some as you mentioned above. It took weeks, but a tech finally talked to an engineer and the solution was to set color parameters as a 3100. I can't tell you exactly was was set, and to what degree, tech territory there. But after that machine was printing as it was when first installed. I asked if this was a recent discovery fix or something that was known, but never put out as a bulletin or common knowledge? No conclusive answer... Not sure any of this will help, but this is what I found out about 4100 color issues.

 

[PaulF]

You may have already done this, but this is what I would do.

First set Uniform Density back to factory default. Then do a new uniform density.

After that I would create a new calibration including G7. Then create a new paper output profile on top of that calibration.

We had the same issue with colours and creating a new calibration solved the problem.

We also had problems with density until an engineer said reset Uniform Density to factory default then run two new uniform density adjustments.

 

[azehnali]

wow
thats crazy
But you guys dont know exactly what they did ?