Maintenance is the key to consistency when using direct-to-garment (D2) printers. Maintenance will vary slightly between printers on the market, but the basic concepts are the same. Daily maintenance usually begins with agitating your white ink by gently shaking cartridges or containers, performing a basic clean (a feature built into the system), and then a nozzle check. Printing a nozzle check will indicate whether you have clogged nozzles, air in the head, or if a damper is not functioning. If everything looks good, you can begin printing for the day.
The end-of-day maintenance is comprised of cleaning the capping station seal, the wiper blade, and around the edges of the print head. Typical end-of-day maintenance should take anywhere from five to 15 minutes, depending on your system. Additional weekly maintenance would include cleaning the linear encoder strip as well as cleaning and oiling the print-head rail. Each manufacturer/distributor should have general maintenance guidelines that need to be followed.
When a D2 printer is functioning as intended, the owner has confidence in the product and sells more. Unfortunately, the adverse is also true, so keep your printer well-maintained for a long and happy relationship!
—ColDesi
