Double Printing in the X-Axis Direction – Control Board / Software Issues Part 6
✅ Who Should Read This
- Users experiencing overlapping image output in the X-axis direction during UV printer printing
- Users with irregular print errors where some sections print normally while others show double printing
- Maintenance personnel who need to determine whether the issue is caused by the electronic board or mechanical components
- Anyone who wants to understand how head carriage position recognition works and the role of the liner scale
⚠️ Precautions (Protecting Expensive Parts)
- The liner scale is an extremely thin film — wiping it hard with a rough cloth or alcohol can cause damage
- If the liner scale graduations are scratched or damaged, the sensor will fail to read the position and print errors will repeat
- During maintenance work, ink splashing onto the liner scale can contaminate the graduations — always protect it during any service work
- If the issue is physical damage rather than contamination, the liner scale must be replaced, not cleaned
🧭 Key Summary
- If double printing in the X-axis occurs only in specific sections, liner scale contamination is likely
- The head carriage reads the liner scale graduations to determine its current position
- If the graduations are obscured by dust or foreign matter, position recognition fails and images overlap in the output
- The first step is to clean the liner scale with a soft cloth. If it’s damaged, replacement is required
📋 Control Board / Software Issues — Full Series List
We are documenting control board (including head board) and software issues in order. This list is updated with each new part.
06Double Printing in the X-Axis Direction
This series covers control board (including head board) and software-related issues.
Part 1 covered “printing motion occurs but no ink comes out.”
Part 4 covered “printing starting from the wrong position.”
Today, we’ll explain the issue of double printing in the X-axis direction.
I. Symptom — Double Printing in the X-Axis Direction
As shown in the photo below, the issue appears as overlapping print output in the X-axis direction.
Some sections print normally, while other sections show the image overlapping in the X-axis direction.
The pattern is irregular.
II. Cause & Solution — Double Printing in the X-Axis Direction
1. Contamination on the X-Axis Liner Scale
The X-axis liner scale was wiped with a soft cloth, and during the process, what appeared to be a thread-like fiber was found attached to it.
2. Normal Print Result
Printing was performed again after cleaning, and the output was normal as shown below.
The cause of the problem is explained below.
- The thin film that was wiped with a soft cloth is called the liner scale
- Although invisible to the naked eye, the film contains a large number of fine graduation marks
- On the back of the head carriage, there’s a liner scale reader that reads these graduation marks
- When printing, the reason ink is ejected at exactly the right position along the X-axis is that the liner scale reader continuously reads the liner scale to detect the carriage’s current position
- However, if the graduation marks on the liner scale are obscured by dust or other contaminants, the liner scale reader can no longer detect its current position
- The head carriage continues to move by inertia, but having lost its positional reference, it ejects ink at incorrect positions
- As a result, some sections print normally while other sections have image data ejected at the wrong position, causing double printing in the X-axis direction as shown in the photos above
If some sections in the X-axis print normally while others show double printing, a specific section of the liner scale may be contaminated. Wiping the liner scale with a soft cloth is the first solution to try.
However, in the following cases, the liner scale must be replaced:
- When the liner scale graduation marks are physically damaged by a sharp object — not contamination
- When the liner scale is contaminated with ink and the ink cannot be removed no matter how carefully it’s cleaned
For these reasons, always take care when placing or removing materials on the flatbed to avoid damaging the liner scale. During maintenance work such as replacing dampers or the cap top, be careful to prevent ink from splashing onto the liner scale.
III. UV Printer Basics · Troubleshooting · Product Guides
We have organized our UV Printer content below. Click an item to read the full post.
1) Ink Supply & Cleaning Issues
2) Head Related Issues
For deeper technical knowledge: Print Head Basics — 9 Articles
3) Mechanical Issues
4) RIP Software
5) UV Printable Products — Full Summary
IV. ARTJET UV Printer
After more than 5 years of selling and servicing ARTJET UV printers, there’s one thing we’ve come to feel is most important.
Next to product stability, the most important thing is the accumulation of troubleshooting data.
Any machine can develop problems depending on the operating environment, working conditions, and user experience level. What truly matters on the production floor is not “a machine that never breaks down” —
It’s how quickly and how accurately the cause can be identified and resolved when a problem occurs.
ARTJET continuously collects and organizes real-world problem data from the field to support faster and more accurate troubleshooting.
🎥 View Print Quality Samples
💰 ARTJET Pricing & Sales Conditions
(Note: Exterior design has been updated)
※ This article is based on actual field cases. Results may vary depending on the environment and equipment configuration.
핑백: Double Printing in the Y-Axis Direction — Electronic Board / Software Issue (Part 7) ARTJET 2025