A single line on my digital negative. Why?

[BMT]

I am printing digital negatives (Pictorico) on my Epson Surecolor 800. On the negative there is one line that looks like a scratch running down the entire 8 x 10 piece of film. How can I prevent this? What is this from? I’ve added it to the thread for inspection. I’m not getting banding marks. Is it the roller?

 

[koraks]

Welcome to Photrio!
Sorry to hear/read about your digital negative stripe defect. Does the line extend beyond the image area - in other words, is there any evidence of it being related to a coating issue with the Pictorico?
Has this issue happened once, or do you get it more often?

 

[ced]

Maybe while feeding as it prints some fluff or paper fibres on the rollers scrape the wet ink. As previous comment could be a defect from production.

 

[BMT]

Welcome to Photrio!
Sorry to hear/read about your digital negative stripe defect. Does the line extend beyond the image area - in other words, is there any evidence of it being related to a coating issue with the Pictorico?
Has this issue happened once, or do you get it more often?

This has happened frequently. It has happened with different batches. It extends the whole length of the sheet, beyond the printed part of the negative.

 

[koraks]

It extends the whole length of the sheet, beyond the printed part of the negative.

Ah. When you inspect a stack of unused sheets, do any of them show the same defect?

 

[BMT]

Ah. When you inspect a stack of unused sheets, do any of them show the same defect?

Hi there. No, it's after they go through the printer. That's why it is perplexing. It just looks like a long scratch mark.

 

[mshchem]

clogged print head?

 

[BMT]

clogged print head?

Based off that inference, do you think doing a header cleaning could hurt? I hate to waste the ink and the Photorico.

 

[koraks]

do you think doing a header cleaning could hurt?

You could print a nozzle check; if that's comes out OK, it's not a clogged nozzle/head. I don't think it is in any case; a clogged nozzle does no damage to the media.
Use regular paper for the nozzle check pattern; there's no need to use expensive pictorico for it.

Inspect the paper transport path for any sharp protrusions or foreign objects; looks like something scratches along the length of the film.

 

[DPVisions]

If a nozzle check is good, try using different media and check for the defect. Could possibly be a stuck ejection star wheel dragging across the surface instead of rolling.

 

[BMT]

I went ahead and did a printer head cleaning, etc. Apparently, it worked! No more single line scratch on the negative! Yea! I think I need to do a printer head cleaning rather often; perhaps every time I turn on the printer. My printer sits for some time between uses. Thank you for all your help.

 

[BMT]

I'm also going to try the Fotospeed digital negative film. I've been using Pictorico and unfortunately, I do see some scratches on new media. In this particular case it wasn't the problem, but perhaps a dedicated photo company like Fotospeed will give more care to production. At least I can try.