If you're planning extended time away where your printers will be out of action you'll need a plan of attached to avoid printer issues upon your return.
The following points are a general rule of thumb based on the type of printer. Please check your printer's manual for specific requirements.
Aqueous Printers (Photographic)
- Turn the printer on at least once every two weeks to prevent the print head from clogging.
- When the printer is turned on, it will automatically perform a clean. Do not turn off printer until the cleaning is complete or the print head may not be capped properly, which will cause it to dry out.
- Remove any media still in the printer before storing the machine. Leaving media inside the printer for long periods of time may cause pinch roller to malfunction and can also damage the media.
- Ensure the print head is capped and in the right position over the capping station. Failure to do so can result in poor quality printing and malfunction.
- Close all covers and put an anti-static cloth or cover over the printer to prevent dust from entering the printer. The print heads are very small and even the finest dust can cause problems.
When returning from the break, power on the printer and wait for the printer go through any cleans as it starts up. Print a nozzle pattern and clean print head if required.
Solvent Printers:
- Leave your printer powered on. It will do necessary cleans and ink circulation to keep it functioning.
- Adequate ink must be left in the ink cartridges (this includes your maintenance cleaning cartridge if you have one in your model) to ensure automatic maintenance cycles can be performed.
- Empty your printers waste bottle. As the printer does it's ink circulation it will dump cleaning solution and waste ink. If you start with the bottle near full then you may run into issues with an overflowing bottle, empty it to avoid a nasty mess.
- Make sure to perform a manual clean before going on holidays, as described in the user manual, using the recommended cleaning sticks and cleaning liquid to ensure the print heads will be well protected.
- If your machine contains special colours such as white or metallic replace these cartridges with cleaning cartridges. This ensures that your lines don't clog up from inactivity.
DTG Printers
These printers by nature are quite high maintenance machines. How you leave the machines for your shutdown will depend on the time you will be away.
Regardless on the time you are planning on leaving the machine:
- Adequate ink must be left in the ink cartridges (this includes your maintenance cleaning cartridge if you have one in your model) to ensure automatic maintenance cycles can be performed.
- Empty your printers waste bottle. As the printer does it's ink circulation it will dump cleaning solution and waste ink. If you start with the bottle near full then you may run into issues with an overflowing bottle, empty it to avoid a nasty mess.
- Make sure to perform a manual clean before going on holidays, as described in the user manual, using the recommended cleaning sticks and cleaning liquid to ensure the print heads will be well protected.
Additional to the above:
1-2 Weeks Downtime: Replace your white inks with cleaning cartridges to prevent the lines clogging up due to inactivity. Leave the printer powered on so it can continue to do maintenance cycles on the colour lines. Upon return go through the reverse process to flush the lines and then prime with the white inks ready to go.
2+ Weeks Downtime: Put the machine into Storage mode. This requires cleaning cartridges in all lines. Once the process is complete you are safe to switch off the printer. Once you are returning it is a reverse process to flush the lines and prime the lines with the inks.
When you return to work remove and give your inks a gentle shake. Change out the cleaning cartridges for white inks if you've done this. Run nozzle checks and head cleans as required.
Even if you aren't lucky enough to get a break over the Christmas period be mindful that those who supply you probably will be closed. In this case make sure your inks, maintenance parts and media are all in stock and will get you through this time.
The team at Graphic Arts Supplies are ready to take you holiday orders and offer further advise on shutting down your printers if required. Please call us on 08 8363 4466.