Workflow for photo engraving/banding issue

[Avraham Monina]

Sorry to be a pain but I cant seem to get rid of this issue,
I posted a question about banding a few days ago and did not get a straight answer on how to fix the issue, so I figured I will a different question that may eventually lead to a solution, can someone share with me (and everyone else) your workflow, the steps you take from opening the file (photo) to printing the photo? please try to include as much details as possible, stuff like what was the original DPI of the photo and such.
And yes I searched all over the place for answers and could not find one, I even emailed Epilog yesterday and I am still waiting for an answer.
I mainly get banding when I print from a photo, if its a vector theres no banding.
Thank you all for your help!!

Avraham
p.s. I have a Mini24/ 35Watts

[Mike Null]

Avraham

I suggest you do a search for this topic as it has been posted many times previously. Perhaps you'll find an answer there.

Try: banding on photos

[Bill Overturf]

Just something to check we have a Xenetech and we were getting banding on everything. Turns out the belt that moves the laser head was loose. I have no idea how Epilogs are made but it might be worth looking at.

[Avraham Monina]

Mike, I did search and found many discussions but nothing that gave me a solution, Bill how I can check if its too loose? It dosent seem loose but maybe I dont know how to check.
Thanks for the reply!
Avraham

[Guy Hilliard]

I have found on my Universal that deliberately engraving out of focus ( + 0.050" -> +0.150") will eliminate the banding with little or no effect on the quality of the engraving.

[Avraham Monina]

So I made some progress, it seems like the banding occurs when there is more engraving in the line, if you look at the image you will see that where the white starts the banding stops but under that theres banding , theres also banding on the of the photo(not pictured) where theres alot of engraving and no white areas at all, is this a sign that the tube is going bad?? I really hope not
anyone knows the answer to this?

Avraham.
206853

[Mike Null]

Avraham

In all my previous reading on this topic I can't recall any mention of tube problems.

[Avraham Monina]

Mike,
I did hear here and there that it might be the tube, its just does not seem it would be a resolution issue, because if it was then I would have banding on the whole photo not just where its heavy engraving, but Im not 100% sure.

Avraham

[Mike Null]

Have you eliminated all the mechanical possibilities? Pulleys, belts, lens, mirrors, gears, encoder?

If it engraves everything else well then it is highly unlikely you have a tube problem.