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What are star wheel / pizza wheel marks on my photo?

Learn about those little pin hole marks you might see running the lenght of your print


Inkjet Pizza Wheel Star Wheel Marks

Wheel marks have been an issue on certain paper types for many years. They are mostly evident on semigloss and glossy surfaces, and especially on softer coatings. They also are more apparent in the darker colors.

There is no fix for the wheels, because they are at the end of the paper feed path and touch the paper regardless of how it's loaded into the machine. The up-side of the problem is that at viewing distance, and especially when framed, these small marks are all but invisible.

Image Above: "Star Wheels" on an Epson inkjet printer. The sit at the end of the paper path, above where the paper exits the printer. Their purpose is to stabilize the sheet and keep it tracking straight through the print process.

Last updated: June 12, 2021