Printing Round Labels Precisely

[Mark Anthony]

Hey guys, I recently bought an Epson XP-750 and an CISS to go with it, I love the set up, I'm enjoying it more than my Canon MG5550 for sure!

I figured I'd create some circular labels using some pre-designed circular images I already had made up. Thing is, why the heck can neither the Epson or Cannon print in the same exact place each time, there seems to be at least a 1mm difference each time. The circular prints are not lining up with the round labels, then they are lining up with the round labels! Arrrrrghhhh..... HELP!

I'm trying to avoid printing smaller circular designs on the round labels to accommodate for the discrepancy, doing that just seems like the 'bodged method'.

Is it even possible to print in the same exact place with these printers? Could anyone recommend a printer that can?

Any help is greatly welcomed

 

[cls]

afaik only with the "flatt bed" printing option via utlizing the CD/DVD direct Media Print (for printing on printable optical media) the alingment is the most precisice
you cant really rely on the paperfeed precision its always 1% off in some way.

Only machines from epson that would feed paper reliable exact is via the manual front feed such as the R3000 or Pro 3800/3880 series

 

[The Hat]

I am sorry but I reckon you’re out of luck, to do that sort of registered work you need to get a printer that has a fixed left hand side lay and not one which centres the paper in the middle.

But if you still want to have a bash at over-print on circular labels then you have to keep your image 5 mm smaller that the diameter of the label and the background colour has to be 4 mm larger that the label..

 

[Mark Anthony]

The overprint thought had crossed my mind. Do you have an example of a fixed left hand side printer that would be capable of doing such a job?

Cheers,
Mark Anthony

 

[The Hat]

Many of the older Canon printers have the left-hand lay edge, I use i865, iP4500, iX4000, i9950, and a Pro 9500 but my Pro 1 can still do a pretty good job at near perfect registration, even dough it has the paper path centred.

I hope this helps..

 

[Mark Anthony]

Thanks for the prompt reply The Hat!

So if you were me and you wanted to do what I want to do, which printer would you buy today?

1mm off would play havoc with my OCD lol

 

[The Hat]

If you aid for 1 mm and get it then that’s not a bad shot at all, that’s why it’s important to have at least that margin so as not to waste to many of your labels, the only printers now capable of such registration are the big Pro printers, sorry.

I recently put an A4 sheet through my Pro 1 eight times and the images was very good but the type was slightly thicker, so I tried again and managed it in four goes this time and it looked much better, so it can be done..

 

[Mark Anthony]

It would be interesting to know if you could print a 1mm dot in the same place 8 times, that would be a surefire test and at least prove to me that the Pro 1 could do the job I need it to do. How is the flat bed tray on that? Does it have discrepancy, does it feel firm and can you rest assured that each piece of paper is aligned the same each time without messing around each time aligning them?

Thanks The Hat! You've been a big help so far mate!

 

[cls]

my Xerox ColorQube / Phasers are quite accurate

 

[The Hat]

It’s possible to repeatedly print a 1 mm dot but it would probably get a tad thicker after a half dozen goes I imagine, I have never tried it.

I only use the back paper tray to print with, I found the front tray to be next to useless, terribly slow and not very accrete..