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Guidelines for printhead maintenance

Introduction

To keep the printer in optimal condition it is very important to perform printhead maintenance regularly. Next to that, printhead maintenance can be performed at any time to solve quality problems, or after paper jams and crashes.

You can start printhead maintenance from the operator panel. There are different ways to perform printhead maintenance:

NOTE

Automatic, manual and periodic maintenance use a more intense purge and wipe to clean the nozzles, which consumes more ink than the purge and wipes taking place during operation .

Automatic maintenance

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.

Initiated by

Performed by

Action

Operator

Printer

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

  2. Option to print a nozzle classification chart to automatically optimize the nozzles.

Manual maintenance

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

Table 1. Every week

Initiated by

Performed by

Action

Operator

Printer and operator

  1. The operator can clean the matrix plate.

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

Initiated by

Performed by

Action

Operator

Printer and operator

  1. The operator can clean the maintenance station, including the wiper and clean wall.

  2. The operator can clean the matrix plate.

  3. The operator can clean the platen.

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

  5. Option to print nozzle classification charts to automatically optimise the nozzles.

Periodic maintenance

Periodic maintenance is a variety of maintenance actions that have to be performed by the operator. Periodic maintenance has to be done once a month. The operator panel gives a warning. Cleaning the M&C scanner has to be done once a week.

IMPORTANT

You must perform all periodic maintenance once a month (or otherwise specified) when indicated, to guarantee the printer functions.

Initiated by

Performed by

Action

Printer

Printer and operator

  1. The operator must clean the maintenance station, including the wiper and clean wall.

  2. The operator must clean the matrix plate and black protection cover.

  3. The operator must clean the mirrors.

  4. The operator must clean the M&C scanner.

  5. The operator can clean the platen.

  6. Vacuum the chiller.

  7. Clean the ink unit (if necessary).

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

  9. Option to print nozzle classification charts to automatically optimise the nozzles.

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