Knowledge Base Article
AdvancedJET AJ-1000i 104" Eco-Solvent Inkjet Printer
Title
What is a Profile?
Summary
When outputting a design to your printer, the software needs to be able to translate commands to the device (such as how much ink to fire and when). These commands tell the machine how fast to feed the material, at what speed the print carriage travels, and what heat settings are needed for the print platen. Other variables include theproperties of thematerial being printed on, how the ink chemsitry reacts to it, how the different process colors of ink blend together to form other colors, and how long the print takes to dry. A Profile is a combination of all of these variables, among others.
Details
Question
What is a Profile?
Answer
When outputting a design to your printer, the software needs to be able to translate commands to the device (such as how much ink to fire and when). These commands tell the machine how fast to feed the material, at what speed the print carriage travels, and what heat settings are needed for the print platen. Other variables include the properties of the material being printed on, how the ink chemistry reacts to it, how the different process colors of ink blend together to form other colors, and how long the print takes to dry. A Profile is a combination of all of these variables, among others.
Similar to a Strategy/Toolpath in the milling world, poor print quality can usually be traced back to a poor Profile. The number of variables involved between different types of ink, software, and materials, including different feeds and speeds, can all lead to hundreds of possible combinations; all making a different Profile. Similar to a snowflake: no two profiles or strategies are the same.
If the print quality is not satisfactory, the first thing to identify is the Profile and if it was designed for the specific ink, print head, and material combination you want to use. Generic profiles will yield generic results. Some materials are more forgiving than others and the quality will be acceptable if you accidentally choose the wrong Profile (e.g. - matte calendered vinyl), but always be aware of which Profile you choose and what variables were used in its construction. Profiles for Roland printers can be located in the Roland Profile Center - www.rolandprofilecenter.com
What is a Profile?
Answer
When outputting a design to your printer, the software needs to be able to translate commands to the device (such as how much ink to fire and when). These commands tell the machine how fast to feed the material, at what speed the print carriage travels, and what heat settings are needed for the print platen. Other variables include the properties of the material being printed on, how the ink chemistry reacts to it, how the different process colors of ink blend together to form other colors, and how long the print takes to dry. A Profile is a combination of all of these variables, among others.
Similar to a Strategy/Toolpath in the milling world, poor print quality can usually be traced back to a poor Profile. The number of variables involved between different types of ink, software, and materials, including different feeds and speeds, can all lead to hundreds of possible combinations; all making a different Profile. Similar to a snowflake: no two profiles or strategies are the same.
If the print quality is not satisfactory, the first thing to identify is the Profile and if it was designed for the specific ink, print head, and material combination you want to use. Generic profiles will yield generic results. Some materials are more forgiving than others and the quality will be acceptable if you accidentally choose the wrong Profile (e.g. - matte calendered vinyl), but always be aware of which Profile you choose and what variables were used in its construction. Profiles for Roland printers can be located in the Roland Profile Center - www.rolandprofilecenter.com
Modified
April 24, 2020