Print Quality from Scal5pro to laser

[midgetgem1980]

I’m hoping someone here maybe able to help me as I’m a newbie with this software. For the past 5 years I have used the silhouette studio software with a cameo. I have recently upgraded to a silver bullet along with the scal5 pro software.

Question is, I have rebuilt all my designs on this software and when I send to print on my inkjet printers they are fine but when I attempt to print on my laser mono printer the font is pixelated and not good at all. I never had this problem before and all fonts and dimensions are exactly the same.

Am I missing something basic. I have also posted this on the SCAL forum.

TIA Mel x

[Gigi]

Sounds like a printer issue to me - as I don't recall hearing this happening before. Can you upload a file of something that is not printing correctly for us to try? Since it is printing fine on your inkjet, that is what makes me believe you have a setting off on your printer. Is it a new printer? Check your print quality settings. Strange that the dimensions are the same yet they appear pixelated.

Temporarily stumped but don't think it's a SCAL issue. If you find out otherwise please let us know. Am really curious. And am happy to print out the file on my laser to see what happens or even if I can recreate the problem.

[midgetgem1980]

It has me stumped too... Its not a new printer, less than a year old, its the one i have always used for this print job.

Picture one is how it looks on the inkjet and picture two is the laser... I'm ok using the inkjet on the light coloured card, although i do work with kraft card also and these type of prints tend to show up better with the laser.

Thanks for helping out

Mel x

[Gigi]

Have you replaced the toner on the laser printer - it doesn't look as pixelated to me as it does when the toner is running out or not working well. Have you tried cleaning that? Do you remember when you last changed the toner? Sometimes you can get a bad one too - that has happened to me with colored toner before. Hoping a new toner will make it work better....... I dont know if your toner has a cleaning function but would try that as well.

Last thought is the card stock you are using. Some just do not print well on lasers. I am guessing that you have used what you are successfully before, but throwing it out there in case as I have come across a few that just do not look good on a laser -it's rare but it happens.

Good luck.

[midgetgem1980]

Yeah the toners half full and was just fine over christmas, and i printed off something this morning completely unrelated and it was fine.

Same with the card its what I've always used but i did try some others just on the off chance. Never mind i'll stick with the inkjet for now for the tags. I have my scratch card holders to test run tomorrow and they are foiled so that will be interesting to see if it effects them. Glad i decided to test runs on all my products before re opening now.

Thank you for the help x

[Gigi]

Hmmm - will keep thinking. When you printed unrelated things, did you use the same card stock?
Maybe someone else will have a thought. it's perplexing.

Double check your print settings in SCAL to be sure nothing has changed there - or maybe making a change will make a difference. File>Print Settings>Properties

Good luck.

[midgetgem1980]

Yeah I tried an unrelated item on the same card this afternoon, checked all my settings more than once... I'm stumped.... never mind i can work it the other way for now..

Mel x

[Gigi]

Will keep thinking......... strange!

[pigtailpat]

Look at your print driver settings. Usually, all printers have a specific setting for cardstock, which you are supposed to manipulate and check when the pop up for the printer shows on the screen. If you ever used any word processor on the computer, you will understand what I am referring to.

[pigtailpat]

one more thing, not all printers can handle cardstock very well. You need a printer with a direct pass through.

look at: https://beatbowler.com/best-printer-for ... ck-review/

[midgetgem1980]

pigtailpat Yes i have gone through all these settings. I have used this printer previously with these designs when working with silhouette studio software. It has the flat feed pass, i always use it for the card. I'm not doing anything different to what i have previously apart from a change of software and i rebuilt all my designs in the scal. Thats what's got me stumped....

[MeFlick]

Can you tell us what brand of printer the laser printer is? Have you searched that printer's help/FAQ site for help with the issue? Are you saying if you print something from another program NOW to that same printer, that you don't have any issues with that print - everything looks fine. (Not what has happened in the past, but now that you are encountering issues.) Typically, if you are having a printer issue, it should be with the printer not the software unless you have some setting off somewhere.

Have you done a printer cleaning on the laser printer? Are you using that printer manufacturer's toner ink or are you using refilled, off-brand, etc.? Is your paper a brand designed to be used in a laser printer specifically? Is the card stock a little "rough" - laser toner will sink in more to the paper then inkjet ink will. Have you checked to see if the printer is set to best quality, make sure economy mode is not on, etc. Have you ever replaced the imaging drum or the fuser? Both can and will eventually need to be replaced in a laser printer. Both can cause printing issues. However, you should have issues when printing to that printer from any program.

If you truly believe that it is only when printing from SCAL and you have no issues printing to that printer from other programs then I would recommend that you log a support ticket directly with Craftedge and see if they can give you any help/insight. There forum gets very little use, and seldom anyone from Craftedge - at least in my experience in the past so it is always better to log a support ticket directly with them to rely on help via their forum.

[midgetgem1980]

It's a Brother HL-L5200DW. I've been through all the help on brothers website.

Yes if i print something right now from the same printer from a different program its perfect. It's all been cleaned. The paper is suitable, its a super smooth that i have used forever. Printing at HQ1200...

I'm going to take your advice and open a support ticket, i did wonder about the forum as no one seems to be on there.

Thank you for your help. I'll let you know how i get on.

Mel x

[MeFlick]

Thanks, yes I would definitely log a support ticket with SCAL’s developer, Craftedge and see if they can give you any help since you seem to only have the issue when printing from their program. Please let us know, what, if anything, you figure out.

[Gigi]

Yes please let us know - I am so curious about that. And great idea to contact Craftedge - would love to see this resolved and know why.