Hardware SC-F170 or Software RIP

Hello! How are you doing?
I'm new to the world of sublimation and I have an Epson SC F170.
I'm having an issue with sublimating mugs. When printing light colors, there appears to be some sort of noise in the design. This is noticeable from the printing stage, and when sublimating, it becomes even more visible. After doing some research, I was told it could be a hardware issue with this printer, specifically due to the dithering, and that some people have managed to fix the problem with various solutions. I've tried several things, from the design itself to the ICC profile, but the dots still appear.
I have an F170 and work with Photoshop. I know it’s not the designs because I use high-resolution images.
I believe I have a good ICC profile; I feel comfortable with it... but could it still affect light colors?
I’ve tried several Photoshop solutions like noise reduction, resolution (600 dpi), indexed color, and Gaussian blur.
I also know it's not the sublimation method because the dark colors come out fine. It only happens with light colors. I understand that the dithering might not be completely removable, but is there any way to reduce it a bit?

I also read that it could improve with a RIP software, but I’m not familiar with that subject. What do you think?

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THANK YOU

Hey not sure if you found solution already but you might want to look at the control for White Point Density which can be used to reduce "graininess" in photographic prints by ensuring that dots be kept slightly closer together in highlights. This control is likely hidden within your RIP software.