Weak image quality ..

[Volusian]

sorry but im a total newbie to subli printing ... i will ask here first before i ring BMS ....

Got my new setup yesterday from BMS .. Ricoh A4 and sublijet R inks etc ..

I am more than used to printing from Photoshop and getting good results photographically so this is the main image program i will be using.

I set the Ricoh up yesterday ... subli inks installed .. registered etc .. Powerdriver installed ok.

Brought a brightly coloured portrait photo up on CS6 and printed to Trupix paper but a weak looking image was produced to look at ..

Transferred to a mousemat as a test and the image was pretty weak to say the least ... looked very weak and washed out. I used the recommened heat / pressing setting etc for the mousemat ..

Is there some in depth information online regarding Powerdriver settings etc using photoshop CS6 i can read up on ... ?

Dont really want to waste lots of paper & blanks etc on test prints ....

Anyone help please .. ?

[Paul]

Hi. Are you sure you printin on the right side of your paper??

[bms]

Quick comments:
1. Print on whiter side of paper (face down in tray)
2. When you print select the PowerDriver printer, not the Ricoh printer
3. Presumably you're using our mousemats (sublimation ones). Make sure press is hot at 190 degrees (increase temp if necessary) and press for at least 75 seconds with mmedium pressure. Cut a mousemat into 4 pieces just to experiment whilst you're learning the ropes to avoid wastage.

[purpledragon]

wow 75 seconds ????? if i did 75 seconds my blacks would definatly be brown not often i disagree with you martin but uisnt 75 secs a little long i get perfect results on 50 seconds

[sharyn]

I think most of us have had a turn at printing on the wrong side of the paper! Speaking from experience it can produce a faded washed out image:redface:
Finding the correct side to print on can be a bit difficult with some papers. I think the correct side is usually a bit smoother ..is with what I use
I only press my mouse mats at 190 degrees and for 45 seconds Works for me. All a bit of trial and error though.
these guys and gals on here are very helpful.

[Paul]

If you cannot recognize printable side then lick two fingers and grab the shee of paper. One side will stick to your finger. This is coated, printable side.

[bms]

wow 75 seconds ????? if i did 75 seconds my blacks would definatly be brown not often i disagree with you martin but uisnt 75 secs a little long i get perfect results on 50 seconds

I was suggesting 75 seconds as a means of over pressing in terms of time in case the OP was getting a faded image because it was not long enough. This would demonstrate the inks would saturate into the mousemat piece and confirm that it was not the inks or the printer. Sometimes pressing for the specific recommended time can result in a faded image if, for example, the press is not hot enough.

[Martinx]

Does RGB or CMYK have a bearing on this?

[Volusian]

Think I've sorted it now. I didn't have some settings right and also hadn't installed the ICC file from Sawgrass. Thanks for all your help.