What Happened
If your FieldPrinter printed two lines that appear slightly offset or shifted from each other, with a gap of roughly 0.5 inch or more between them, this is most likely caused by the robot using a slightly different position reference between two print sessions.
This can happen even if the robot was not physically moved.
Why This Happens
Before printing, the Dusty FieldPrinter scans a set of control points on the floor to figure out exactly where it is. This process is called stationing.
If the FieldPrinter stations a second time during the job, even from the exact same spot, but scans different control points than the first time, it may calculate a slightly different position. That small difference is enough to cause lines to print shifted from where they should be.
Think of it like recalibrating a measuring tape from a different starting mark; even a small difference in the reference point leads to an offset in the result.
How to Fix It
- Reprint the affected area. R-station the robot using the same control points as the original session, then reprint the shifted lines.
- Check the control points. Ensure to scan the same control points each time they station from the same location.
How to Prevent It in the Future
- When re-stationing from the same location mid-job, always scan the same control points as the original stationing
- After re-stationing, verify the FieldPrinter's reported position matches what it was before
- If something looks off before printing resumes, it is worth re-stationing rather than risk a misprint
Still Seeing Issues?
If the lines are still shifted after re-printing, or if you're not sure what caused the problem, please contact Dusty support.