Product

All heads

Symptoms

Swath-bound clouds or blotches and/or tick marks appear on a plate. It can be described at first glance as banding or blotchy solids. It is most visible on output devices running at high speeds and with high power, and it is most visible in solids and at higher power.

The sample images show a Kodak Thermal Gold^™ thermal plate imaged on a Kodak Lotem^® 800 Quantum^™ V-speed platestter with a 2400 dpi thermal 2.5 head. The view is across the drum, from left to right.

Causes

The plate is giving off more ablation than the debris and imaging system can function with. This is currently (February 2007) being experienced with Thermal Gold plates on high throughput devices.

• The whisker jet air line may be clogged.
• The whisker jet may not be providing sufficient air pressure.
• The small hole (air jet) on the face-plate of the debris removal nozzle may be in the wrong place.

Solution

1. Confirm that the debris nozzle and air jet are correctly installed and enabled.
2. Confirm that all debris removal hoses are straight and free-flowing.
3. Confirm that the air pressure is sufficient.
4. Confirm that the debris nozzle has been correctly manufactured. If the debris nozzle has the airjet positioned incorrectly (not centered in the half-moon cutout), replace the debris nozzle.
   Use the following graph:
   

   Correct	Incorrect

   If the nozzle is incorrect, perform the following actions:

   1. Order a replacement nozzle.
   2. Remove the debris removal nozzle from the head.
   3. Using duct or electrical tape, partially cover the hole (as shown in the "Correct" photograph).
   4. Re-install the nozzle.
5. Plot a solid to confirm that the artifacts are gone.
6. If the problem persists, escalate it to the appropriate media specialist.

Technical contact(s)

Kyle Good

Submitted by

Kyle Good

Date submitted

03 Nov 2006