Recovering Nozzles by Swabbing

Introduction

If a nozzle or group of nozzles do not recover from standard AMS practices swabbing with Isopropyl alcohol (IPA) may be required.

Maintenance Equipment

Safety glasses with side shields
Gloves (for example: Ansell Microflex 93-260)
Foam Tipped Swab (3010118211)
Isopropyl alcohol - IPA (>= 98%)

NOTE

Tip: To help locate nozzles that need recovering remove the nozzle check print from the vacuum table and place it on the floor under the carriage in the maintenance area. Make sure it is in the correct orientation so the colors are aligned. The print represents a projection of the jetting performance of each printhead. This makes it easier to trace a nozzle or group of nozzle outs back to the area on the actual printhead nozzle plate that requires swabbing.

Before you begin

Click on Move carriage in the printer UI and then open the maintenance Access door.

Procedure

Dip the foam end of the swab in a small container of Isopropyl alcohol (IPA) solution.
Use the lip of the container to wipe away any excess alcohol from the swab.
IMPORTANT
Keep swabs clean prior to use. Do not dip a used swab in the Isopropyl alcohol (IPA) solution.

Do not let the seam on the foam contact the bottom of the printhead. This can damage the printhead. See the next figure.

Proper Swab Orientation
Position the foam end of the swab at one end of the printhead as shown in the next figure.
Slowly move the swab from one end of the double printhead to the other. Hold the soaked swab against the area of the printhead where nozzles require recovering for 10 seconds.
Rotate the swab by 180 degrees and repeat step 6 for the same printhead.
Use a new dry swab to clean around the openings for the printhead. Run the swab around the perimeter of the opening. See path in figure below.
Use the tip of the swab for the short ends. Turn the swab to the seam side to clean the long ends.
Take special care to remove ink from the gap between the metal plates of the printhead and carriage base plate. See area indicated by the white ellipses in the figure above.
Repeat the steps for the next printhead that needs recovering nozzles.
IMPORTANT
Never use the same swab on two different color channels.

Never "scrub" the printhead with a swab as this will drag debris into other nozzles.
Continue until all printheads are cleaned.
Close the Maintenance station drawer.
Do an AMS on the color channel(s) that were swabbed.
This is important to clear any debris from the printhead before a nozzle check is printed.
Print the Nozzle Check Print and evaluate. Repeat swabbing process, if necessary.