For Press investors, the large-format digital printer. It’s one of the most heavily invested and relied upon pieces of equipment in your print shop. And while your printer may be seem to be your greatest and most profitable ally, prolonged neglect can cause your printer to go down.

When the printer is down, production stops, yet jobs continue to roll in. This disruption of your shop’s workflow can quickly snowball into an array of production concerns, all of which are in direct conflict with client demands. And while occasional hiccups and support calls are inevitable, many common tech calls can be avoided by practicing a thorough and regular preventive maintenance regimen designed to keep your printer healthy and happy—and the profits to keep rolling in.

Manufacturer’s Recommendations

When developing a preventive maintenance regimen, the owner’s manual that came with your printer serves as an excellent starting point. Most manufacturers provide specific maintenance schedules for each model in their lineup that outlines recommended daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly maintenance procedures. Follow manufacturer’s recommendations closely, they will be the most relevant and accurate your specific machine.

Manufacturer’s websites can also be a wealth of information. For example, RolandDg offers extensive maintenance documentation on its website.

The Maintenance Kit

It’s important that your shop keep certain items on hand to ensure your printers receive adequate care and remain well maintained. *NOTE: Consult with your supplier or manufacturer, as some models may require specific maintenance products (maintenance fluids, cleaning cloths, etc.) to prevent damage to the printheads and other integral components of the machine. The following items are universal and provide a solid foundation:

Lint-Free Cloths & Cleaning Swabs—Printer cleanliness plays a crucial role in effective printer maintenance. Lint-free cloths and cleaning swabs are great for cleaning printheads (when applicable) and other sensitive areas where dust accumulation and ink buildup are problematic, such as the wiper, capping station, or platen.

Maintenance Fluid & Isopropyl Alcohol—Use the appropriate maintenance fluid when maintaining the more sensitive parts of your machine (e.g. parts that come in contact with the printhead). Isopropyl alcohol, a staple supply in most every sign shop, can be used to clean the remaining parts of your printer.

Latex Gloves, Ventilation Mask, and Safety Goggles—Performing printer maintenance can be a dirty job, so keep your hands clean and ink-free with protective gloves. You may also want to wear a ventilation mask and safety goggles to avoid harmful fumes and splattering ink.

Oil—Used as a general lubricant for carriage rails and other moving parts.

Various Tools—You will likely need some tools to access certain components of your machine. These may include a set of Allen wrenches (the t-handle sets are great) and screwdrivers with magnetic tips to prevent screw loss in tight areas.

Spare Printer Parts—To prevent costly downtime, keep certain consumables on hand in the event that something needs to be replaced. These may include wipers, media cutting blades, dampers, ink filters, etc. Reorder when necessary to maintain a solid inventory of these important items.
Consider keeping the items in your maintenance kit in one area to allow for quick visual inventory checks. If necessary, keep an inventory checklist to avoid any surprises and reorder supplies as needed. If you have more than one printer, be sure to label replacement parts for easy reference.

Maintenance Basics: Creating a Schedule

Implementing a preventive maintenance regimen requires discipline and consistency, a daily and weekly ritual of sorts. On a daily basis, perform the necessary head cleanings and print nozzle checks to make certain all of your nozzles are firing. This will provide a frequent glimpse into printhead health, allowing you to take notice and appropriate action when things start to go awry. Monitor your prints throughout the day to ensure nozzle health and perform additional cleanings as needed.

In addition to required daily maintenance, it’s also important to practice a weekly maintenance routine reserved for deeper cleaning and thorough inspection. Put it through its paces during the week, then give it a little care before heading off for the weekend.

Solvent & Eco-Solvent Printers

An effective preventive maintenance regimen for solvent and eco-solvent printers should include daily nozzle checks and cleanings, along with weekly inspection and/or cleaning of the following:

Printheads—In addition to performing daily nozzle checks, you should visually inspect the printheads to ensure cleanliness. Check for excess ink buildup on the carriage plate and around the perimeter of the printhead left behind from the wiping mechanism. If neglected, the ink will continue to build, causing clogged nozzles and possible contact with the media surface while printing. Use a firm cotton swab and maintenance solution to remove ink and a lint-free cloth to clean the bottom of the carriage plate. Be careful to avoid direct contact with the printhead if recommended by the manufacturer.

Wipers—Wipers play a key role in a printer’s health and performance, and are one of the most frequently replaced parts of a printer. After ink is purged through the printhead during a cleaning cycle, the wiper travels across the head, removing the excess ink. Pay close attention to your print quality and visually inspect the wiper for any defects, ink buildup, or deformities. Clean with a swab and maintenance fluid and replace when necessary. Capping Station—The capping station is where the printhead comes to rest while the printer is inactive. It is surrounded by a rubber seal that prevents the printhead from drying out. Inspect the seal for defects and remove ink buildup with a swab and maintenance fluid to ensure a tight seal.

Platen & Media Clips—Over time, the platen and media clips accumulate ink buildup, dust, and powder residue from repeated media cuts. Clean with a lint-free cloth and isopropyl alcohol.

Waste Ink Tank—Residual ink purged through the printheads during head cleanings funnels down to the waste ink tank. Monitor the tank’s ink level and empty when necessary, disposing of the ink properly. Clean the tank with isopropyl alcohol and reattach.

Pinch Rollers—Dirty pinch rollers may cause unsightly tracking marks in your prints. Overspray from the printheads can leave an invisible layer of ink on the rollers, which then transfers to the media. While this may not need to be done weekly, clean with maintenance fluid and a lint-free cloth when necessary. Allow adequate drying time after cleaning as the maintenance fluid will take longer to evaporate than isopropyl alcohol.

Some solvent and eco-solvent printers are also equipped with advanced maintenance diagnostic features (either linked with the RIP or standalone software),so, the operator should always monitor the status and provide stey-by-step maintenance procedures.

Additional Considerations for All Printers

In addition to the above recommendations for general maintenance, it’s also important to familiarize yourself with the calibration of your printers (e.g. bidirectional alignment, step calibration, nozzle alignment, etc.). If troublesome printing defects remain after thorough cleaning and maintenance, print your calibration test patterns, make the necessary adjustments, and reevaluate your print quality.
Common Theme

As you read these tips, it’s easy to see that practicing a preventive maintenance regimen aims to encourage the flow of ink and limit the amount of ink buildup in your printer’s system. Ink is the lifeblood of your printer, and the chance of clogged nozzles and other printing defects increases dramatically if the printer is neglected and dried ink continues to accumulate.
By implementing a smart preventive maintenance regimen, your printer will remain a healthy, happy, and dependable ally that lives up to its word of delivering profits. Happy printing!

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