The printhead is the heart of any Mimaki solvent wide-format printer. Keeping it in peak condition is a straightforward process requiring less than 10 minutes of daily care. By establishing a consistent maintenance routine before and after your production runs, you ensure your machine stays reliable and your print output remains it's best.
Pre-print Inspection:
Before you start you printing for the day, a quick check can prevent costly errors. Ensure your media is positioned correctly and taut. The pinch rollers should be sit across the media in between the arrow positions and against the grit rollers. This avoids potential media 'arching' which can lead to media jams and a head strike.
Perform a nozzle check using the test print option on the printer and check for any missing nozzles. Should there be a gap, running a soft or normal clean should restore these.
End of Day Maintenance:
Printing can cause dust, debris and ink to naturally build up on the print head carriage and in the carriage station. An end of day clean can be completed in under 10 minutes and can help save in unwanted repair charges and replacement parts. A basic toolkit containing wide cleaning swabs, gloves, lint free cloths and Mimaki cleaning solution is all that is required. This toolkit can be used to clean the cap rubber, wiper blade, printhead carriage and media clamps.
Step by Step Guide
1. Access the Station: Move the head carriage via the control panel by selecting [Station Maintenance] within the Maintenance menu.
2. Clean the Capping Station: Apply a moderate amount of solvent solution to a wide swab. Important: Never re-soak a used swab; always use a fresh one to prevent contamination. Thoroughly clean the rubber rims of each cap. If the cap pad (the internal sponge) is oversaturated or blocked, it should be replaced.
3. Clean the Wiper: Using a fresh swab, wipe away excess or dried ink from the wiper blade. A clean wiper is essential for a successful head-wipe cycle.
4. Clean the Printhead Perimeter: Caution: Do not touch or swab the nozzle plate itself, as this can cause irreversible damage. Instead, use a swab and a small amount of solution to clean the metal borders of the head to remove ink mist and debris.
5. Clean the Media Guards: Gently rub the guards with a clean swab to remove any dried ink that could snag or mark your media.
Maintenance can vary between Mimaki solvent printers. We recommend that you take the time to familiarise yourself with the maintenance steps for your printer which can be found in the maintenance manual for the model. If you have any questions regarding your machine, please give our Service team a call on 0191 256 6889 for further advice.
Your Print Specialists provides everything you need to keep your printer in top condition. Check out our range of maintenance consumables.
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