Loading

Guidelines to maintain the print quality

Introduction

To keep the printer in optimal condition it is very important to perform printhead and system maintenance actions regularly. These maintenance actions can be performed at any time to solve print quality problems, for example after a media crash.

You can start the maintenance actions from the operator panel. Depending on the situation there are three different scenario's to choose from:

  1. Automatic maintenance

  2. Manual maintenance

  3. Periodic maintenance

Depending on the chosen scenario a number of maintenance actions will be done automatically by the printer and/or the operator.

For more details see video Guidelines to maintain the print quality

Maintenance videos

The maintenance actions are explained in separate maintenance procedure videos.

Click on Instruction videos or scan the following QR code to visit the instruction videos main page.

Table 1. Overview of maintenance actions to maintain the print quality

Action

Procedure

Automatic nozzle optimization

Video: Automatic nozzle optimization

Clean the nozzles

Video: Clean the nozzles

Clean the maintenance station

Clean the maintenance station

Video: Clean the maintenance station

Clean the matrix plate area and the black protection cover

Clean the matrix plate area and the black protection cover

Video: Clean the matrix plate

Clean the MC Scanner

Clean the MC scanner

Video: Clean the MC scanner

Clean the platen

Clean the platen

Video: Clean the platen

Clean the buffer plate

Clean the buffer plate

Video: Clean the buffer plate

Vacuum the chiller and check the fluid level

Vacuum the chiller and check the fluid level

Video: Vacuum the chiller and check the fluid level

Clean the ink unit

Clean the ink unit

Video: Clean the ink unit

Clean the mirrors

Clean the mirrors

Video: Clean the mirrors

Clean the ruler

Clean the ruler

Video: Clean the ruler

Automatic maintenance

This is the shortest of the three maintenance procedures. Automatic maintenance is performed fully by the printer, the operator only has to start the procedure. Always start with automatic maintenance first in case of print quality problems.

Action

Procedure

The printer performs a purge and wipe to clean the nozzles.

Video: Clean the nozzles

You can select the option [Automatic nozzle optimization].

A test pattern will be printed that will be checked by the system to obtain the best print quality.

Video: Automatic nozzle optimization

Manual maintenance

When automatic maintenance has not worked sufficiently then start manual maintenance in case of print quality problems. Manual maintenance is mainly done by the operator. You can also start manual maintenance in case of a paper jam or crash. For more information, see Improve quality.

Table 2. Incident-based (quality problems, paper jam, crash)

Action

Procedure

Clean the maintenance station

Clean the maintenance station

Video: Clean the maintenance station

Clean the matrix plate area.

Clean the matrix plate area and the black protection cover

Video: Clean the matrix plate

Clean the MC scanner.

Clean the MC scanner

Video: Clean the MC scanner

Clean the platen.

Clean the platen

Video: Clean the platen

Clean the buffer plate.

Clean the buffer plate

Video: Clean the buffer plate

The printer performs a purge and wipe to clean the nozzles.

Video: Clean the nozzles

You can select the option [Automatic nozzle optimization].

A test pattern will be printed that will be checked by the system to obtain the best print quality.

Video: Automatic nozzle optimization

Periodic maintenance

Periodic maintenance is a variety of mandatory maintenance actions that have to be performed by the operator. Periodic maintenance has to be done when the operator panel gives a warning. This is al least once a month, and depending on the ink usage, between 7 and 30 days.

IMPORTANT

You must perform all periodic maintenance indicated on the operator panel, to guarantee the print quality.

Action

Procedure

Clean the maintenance station

Clean the maintenance station

Video: Clean the maintenance station

Clean the matrix plate area.

Clean the matrix plate area and the black protection cover

Video: Clean the matrix plate

Clean the mirrors.

Clean the mirrors

Video: Clean the mirrors

Clean the MC scanner.

Clean the MC scanner

Video: Clean the MC scanner

Clean the platen.

Clean the platen

Video: Clean the platen

Clean the buffer plate.

Clean the buffer plate

Video: Clean the buffer plate

Vacuum the chiller and check the fluid level.

Vacuum the chiller and check the fluid level

Video: Vacuum the chiller and check the fluid level

Clean the ink unit.

Clean the ink unit

Video: Clean the ink unit

The printer performs a purge and wipe to clean the nozzles.

Video: Clean the nozzles

You can select the option [Automatic nozzle optimization].

A test pattern will be printed that will be checked by the system to obtain the best print quality.

Video: Automatic nozzle optimization

For more information on how to start automatic, manual and periodic maintenance, see Start automatic maintenance, Start manual maintenance, Start periodic maintenance.

Clean the nozzles by purge and wipe

In all three maintenance procedures the nozzles are cleaned by a purge and wipe action. During the purge actions every nozzle is refilled with new ink. The old ink including any pollution will be pushed out to the printhead nozzle area. Next a wiper removes the ink including the nozzle pollution from the nozzle area. This results in an optimally cleaned printhead.

Automatic nozzle optimization

In all maintenance procedures you can select the option [Automatic nozzle optimization].

During printing the system uses a mechanism called PAINt, to check if all nozzles are functioning. If a nozzle is detected as fail, PAINt will compensate this failing nozzle by a good working nozzle. PAINt can detect the majority of the causes for a failing nozzle during the print.

When you enable [Automatic nozzle optimization] the printer will create a test print on which each individual nozzle will print a pattern. A camera will scan the printed pattern. If the camera detects a missing pattern and PAINt did not detect this nozzle as failing, the nozzle will be switched off permanently. The failing nozzle is compensated by another nozzle for all print jobs, which results in a good print quality.

Use a smooth, white, opaque, non-reflective media when you select Automatic nozzle optimization.