Likely Causes

1. High humidity film handling: Condensation affects coating wetting.

2. Ink limit too high: Pooling creates texture.

3. Contaminated film surface: Oils/dust cause repellency.

4. Uneven preheat: Local temp differences change wetting.

Quick Checks

• Acclimate film 2–4 h in room.
• Reduce ink limits 5–10%.
• Wipe film with microfiber anti-static cloth.
• Stabilize RH 40–55%.
• Normalize platen/preheat temperature.

Step-by-Step Fix

1. Lower ink limits / passes — Reduces pooling.

2. Dry cabinet storage for films — Stabilizes moisture content.

3. Clean feed path and film — Removes contaminants.

4. Even preheat or disable if uneven — Prevents localized texture.

5. Change to compatible film lot — Avoids coating incompatibility.

6. Reset to vendor recommended preset — Establishes a known-good baseline to compare against.