To keep your DTF printer in top working condition and ensure optimal print quality, regular maintenance is essential. By following this easy-to-use maintenance schedule, you’ll not only improve the performance of your printer but also extend its lifespan, minimizing downtime and costly repairs.
Maintenance of InkSonic DTF Printer (R1390, L1800)
Maintenance Tasks of R1390, l1800
Task | Every 2 day | End of the day | Weekly | As Needed |
---|---|---|---|---|
Turn on | ✓ | |||
Printhead Cleaning | ✓ | |||
Nozzle Check | ✓ | |||
Turn off | ✓ | |||
Clean Around the Printhead | ✓ | |||
Clean Wiper Blades | ✓ | |||
Clean Capping Station Top | ✓ | |||
Flush Capping Station Top | ✓ | |||
Empty Waste Ink Bottle | ✓ | |||
Clean Pinch Roller | ✓ | |||
Clean Encoder Strip | ✓ | |||
Fill Ink | ✓ | |||
Grease Carriage Rail | ✓ | |||
Clean Encoder Disk | ✓ | |||
Power Ink Flush | ✓ | |||
The Capping Maintenance | ✓ | |||
Ink Cartridges Replacement | ✓ | |||
Ink Pad Replacement | ✓ | |||
White Ink Filter Replacement | ✓ | |||
Waste Ink Pad Counter | ✓ |
Task Details
Proper maintenance of your DTF printer is key to keeping it running smoothly and ensuring high-quality prints. Each task in the maintenance schedule serves a specific purpose to improve performance and extend the life of your printer. Below is an explanation of the role each maintenance task plays:
1. Turn on
Turn on the device, and the white ink circulation will automatically start. This is to prevent white ink from settling, it is recommended to activate the white ink circulation system on a daily basis.
2. Printhead Cleaning
If the nozzle test reveals that less than 90% of the channel nozzles are functioning properly, it is necessary to perform a printhead cleaning. This task involves draining the capping station, wiping the print head surface, and preparing it for the nozzle test or printing.
Once the printhead cleaning is completed, it is recommended to perform another nozzle check to ensure that at least 90% of the channel nozzles are functioning properly.
3. Nozzle Check / Test Printing
Before initiating a print job, it is essential to perform a nozzle test to ensure consistent and high-quality prints. A poor nozzle condition can lead to issues like banding or overspray in the printed output. If you can't see a continuous line in the nozzle test result, try cleaning the nozzle in different ways until the line is continuous and clear.
4. Turn Off
Turn off both the front and rear power at the end of each day or when not in use. This helps to save energy and prevent unnecessary wear on components and help extend the machine's lifespan.
5. Clean Around the Print Head
It is crucial to clean around the print head when it's dirty to remove any ink build-up. Ink accumulation from the wiper can potentially damage the print head if left unattended. Avoid using alcohol for cleaning purposes.
6. Clean the Wiper Blade
Similar to cleaning around the print head, it is important to clean the wiper blade. A clean wiper blade is essential for achieving a good nozzle check. Any residue build-up on the wiper blade can potentially harm the print head and hinder the effectiveness of the head cleaning process. Avoid using alcohol for cleaning purposes.
7. Clean the Capping Station Cap Top
Regularly cleaning the capping station cap tops is one of the most critical maintenance tasks. If there is a significant build-up of ink, your head cleaning may not be effective, and the printer may not draw out the proper amount of ink. Avoid using alcohol for cleaning purposes.
8. Flush the Capping Station Cap Top
Flush the campping station when needed, fill the cap with a cleaning solution and use the clean button to flush out the cap. This ensures that the print head is properly seated on the cap. Avoid using alcohol for cleaning purposes.
9. Empty the Waste Ink Tank
If the waste ink bottle becomes full, it can result in overflow, leading to a dirty work surface. Additionally, ensure that the waste ink tube are not in contact with the waste ink in the bottle to avoid negative pressure. Otherwise, the waste ink might reverse its flow and potentially contaminate the printhead, circuit board, and other components. This can result in damage to the print head, motherboard, and other critical printer components.
10. Clean Pinch Rollers
Film residues or debris can cause the rollers to miss turns, resulting in misalignment on the white and CMYK heads. To clean the pinch rollers, use a dry microfiber cloth or lint-free wipe. However, when replacing the film with a new one, clean the pinch rollers thoroughly by rotating them 360 degrees while cleaning to ensure a complete and effective cleaning process.
11. Clean Encoder Strip
The encoder strip, which is responsible for providing position feedback to the printer, can be cleaned using isopropyl alcohol. Wipe both sides and confirm there are no dents or ink splash.
12. Fill Ink
R1390/L1800 printer are equipped with an ink visualization function next to the ink tank. Please keep a close eye on your ink levels. Please add ink in time to avoid empty ink when the ink remaining is low to avoid nozzle clogging. Please note that InkSonic printers only support the use of InkSonic ink for after-sales support. Any issues or problems that arise from using other brands of ink are not covered in warranty.
13. Grease Carriage Rail
If you hear a squeaky noise, it's time to grease the rails. Use a heat-resistant gel or paste-based grease. Avoid using the sprayer.
14. Clean Encoder Disk
Gently clean the encoder disk using a lint-free cloth or cotton swab lightly dampened with isopropyl alcohol. Be careful not to apply excessive pressure or scratch the surface of the disk. Rotate the encoder disk as you clean it to ensure that the entire surface is thoroughly cleaned. Check for any debris, dust, or ink residue on the disk and remove it using a cloth or cotton swab. Allow the encoder disk to dry completely before plugging in and powering on the printer.
15. Power Ink Flush
If you observe significant missing nozzles or more than 50% of channels are not functioning properly, it is recommended to perform a power ink flush. To carry out this task, use a syringe to draw 3ml-5 ml of ink from the ink sac and 10ml of ink from the waste ink tube. Then, initiate the ink flush task. This procedure helps clear any potential blockages in the ink system and ensures optimal ink flow.
16. The Capping Maintenance
When performing nozzle extraction or cleaning tasks, ink can drip inside the capping or onto the metal frame. To maintain the cleanliness of the capping, regular wiping with alcohol is needed. There may be ink residue left after scraping the nozzle so it should be promptly cleaned using a dust-free cloth.
17. Ink cartridges Replacement
Regularly check for any signs of a broken ink sac or ink leakage.
If you notice any such issues, it is important to promptly replace the ink sac to prevent ink leakage onto the print head. Ink leakage can potentially damage the print head and lead to its burnout. Regular monitoring and timely replacement of the ink sac help maintain the integrity of the ink system and prevent any potential damage to the printer components.
18. Ink Pad Replacement
The ink pad is designed to absorb and contain the ink that is not used for printing or that is generated during cleaning cycles. Over time, the ink pad can become saturated and reach its maximum capacity. When this happens, the ink pad needs to be replaced to prevent ink overflow, which can lead to ink leakage, smudging, or other printing issues. Ink pad replacement is necessary for DTF printers due to the accumulation of excess ink and waste ink during the printing process.
19. White Ink Filter Replacement
White ink used in the printing process often contains particles or impurities that can clog the printer's printhead or cause inconsistent ink flow. The white ink filter is designed to trap and remove these particles, ensuring that only clean and smooth ink passes through to the printhead.
The white ink filter can become clogged with accumulated particles, affecting the performance and print quality of the DTF printer. When the filter is clogged, it can lead to issues like nozzle clogs, ink flow disruptions, or inconsistent white ink coverage on prints. Regularly replacing the white ink filter when needed to help maintain optimal print quality and prevents potential damage to the printhead.
20. Waste Ink Pad Counter
Each waste ink pad has a pre-set maximum usage limit, typically ranging from 100 to 300 cycles. For most printers on the market, the waste ink pad must be replaced when it reaches that maximum number. However, InkSonic provides a simple solution, simply follow the guide on the manual to complete the waste ink pad initialization and then it is good to go.