Brother DCP-L3510 Printer Printing Issue

Hello CCB31,

I will try to help you regarding your issue.

The presence of vertical white streaks, even during photocopies, usually indicates a hardware problem with the scanner unit or the drum, especially if it only affects black and not the other colors.

Here are a few things to check:

1. Cleaning the drum: If your printer uses a separate drum (which is often the case with Brother), it may be dirty or damaged. Even if it’s not reported as at the end of its life, a scratch or a deposit can create this type of streak.

2. Scanner glass or acquisition strip: Since the issue also appears in photocopying, check that the scanner glass (including the small strip on the left often used for scans) is perfectly clean and free of dust or scratches.

3. Try with another drum or cartridge: Sometimes, a new cartridge can be defective. If possible, test with another consumable.

If the problem persists despite this, it may unfortunately indicate a hardware defect (print head or scanner optics) requiring technical intervention. After 3 years, your printer is probably no longer under warranty.

Best regards,

Romain

Hello,

I think the reference is not accurate "DCP-L3510 DWC"???

Laser or inkjet..?? see below for inkjet...

____________________________________________________________

Either there is a blockage in the ink holes at the print head...

Or the command coming from the electronics is faulty

The ink comes out through a multitude of holes in line, like a comb...

There are as many lines of holes as there are colors used

Each hole is closed by default... it opens at the right moment to let a Picodrop pass, to create the image or form a character...

If the hole is clogged or remains closed, it will create a white band... (the color of the paper) either clogged by dirt, or not commanded by the electronics...

In the case of dirt, it can be cleaned by passing a paper towel soaked in "window cleaner," by sliding it under the head, in the path of the cart... Several back and forth movements will scrub and clean the head... A fluffy paper could be the cause...? it might take 24 hours to work

Otherwise, it's the print head or the electronic board... depending on the age, you should claim the warranty... otherwise, you should consider buying another printer...

Thank you!

It's actually the DCP-L3510 CDW, a laser printer.

I already tried cleaning the LED heads with a dry cloth but no change. For a laser printer, are there print heads?

The white band appeared 3 months after purchase. Customer service sent a lot of procedures via chatbot, but nothing changed.

The printer should be less than 3 years old. The black ink is used every week while the other colors are used very little (but have no issues).

OK, this reference does exist in Laser...

In my opinion, during the warranty period, it would be better to raise concerns and request intervention from the competent customer service...

-- No, there is no print head on laser printers... it’s a beam of "light" laser that projects the image onto a photosensitive drum... which attracts the powder (toner) to the areas to be printed, rolls it onto the paper... which then goes through a "fusing unit" that fixes the powder onto the paper (at the output) this is a brief summary of the Laser printing process...

The drum can make several passes to print one page... it is cleared after each one by exposure to "high voltage" on the corona wires... Each color has its own drum... In yours, there should be four... and it's the black that is misbehaving... Dust is the worst enemy of this equipment... so it would be best to start with this issue and clean the inside with a long-haired soft dry brush... A small blower is also nice for reaching the corners, or a can of compressed air...

Dust may have settled on the corona wires, black, or even toner powder...
This is visible with grazing light on the corona wires, there is like a little grain of sand... that needs to be removed, either by manually sliding the slider, or with sandpaper (from a body shop, corundum paper) or with a razor blade, without pressing, just gliding over the wire... the risk being to cut the wire.

Here’s a link on this topic https://support.brother.com/g/b/faqend.aspx?c=be&lang=fr&prod=dcp7010l_eu&faqid=faq00000435_001

and YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eocYS90Cb5M exotic

Thank you very much for all your answers!

I have already tried the Corona wire and inspected the drum but without seeing anything. I'm hesitant to touch it too much for fear of making things worse. Today, I received a new drum (generic brand) to ensure that's not the issue. I made 2 prints and the streak was still present.

The black cartridge had already been changed right after the problem appeared.

Yes, the printer is no longer under warranty but I informed them while it was still covered. They sent me tons of procedures and tests to perform without any results, so I gave up.

I will try again tomorrow with the new drum and all your advice...