Why Printhead Color Is Wrong?–Fix Guide
Factors Affecting Printhead Color Differences
Ink Drop Size of the Printhead
Different printheads may produce variations in ink drop size and jetting speed due to differences in printhead chip circuits, piezoelectric crystals, or nozzle structures.
These variations, whether caused by manufacturing differences or wear and tear after long-term use, are issues that cannot be fundamentally resolved.
If the variation between two printheads is too large, another situation may occur:
Some printheads, when printing a single drop, may actually eject two drops, resulting in a satellite drop. This makes the size difference of ink drops between printheads even more noticeable. In double-head printing, this can lead to inconsistent textures in the printed images.
However, we can try to adjust the voltage so that two ink drops from a printhead merge into one drop, then further adjust all printheads’ voltages to keep their ink drop sizes consistent.
Feathering
Image source: flexopedia.net
Display Effect:
Image edges appear blurry, and transitions show “fogging” or “sawtooth” patterns, reducing detail clarity and sharpness.
Adjustment Suggestions:
• Equipment: Clean the printheads regularly; check nozzle alignment and spray angle consistency.
• RIP/Software: Optimize feathering algorithm parameters; enable “intelligent feathering” or “variable droplet” processing.
• Ink: Use low-spread, high color density inks; control surface tension.
• Media: Choose coatings with uniform surface and proper absorbency to avoid excessive ink penetration.
Banding
Image source:inkjet-accelerator.fujifilm.com
Image source:dgparts.blogspot.com
Banding refers to horizontal or vertical color bands or streaks that appear in overlapping areas during multi-pass printing or in regions where multiple printheads overlap.
Causes:
• Inconsistent ink output at printhead overlap areas
• Synchronization errors or mechanical vibration during multi-pass printing
• Voltage/waveform differences between printheads causing uneven ink ejection
• Unevenness or tilt of the print platform
Display Effect:
Obvious horizontal or vertical bands appear in the image, especially visible in solid backgrounds or pure color areas.
Adjustment Suggestions:
• Equipment: Calibrate printhead alignment gaps; check stepper motor accuracy and platform levelness.
• RIP/Software: Enable “banding compensation” algorithms.
• Printhead: Perform regular printhead linearization calibration to ensure consistent droplet ejection across all nozzles.
• Media: Use materials with stable tension and minimal deformation to avoid paper shifting.