ImagesMagUK_January_2021

www.images-magazine.com 18 images JANUARY 2021 In part two of his series on buying a secondhand DTG printer, Colin Marsh discusses what visual checks you need to make before handing over any cash as part of the general maintenance, it’s a tell-tale sign that it may not have been looked after correctly. Most purpose-built DTG printers will show how many total prints they have done in the ‘Settings’ or ‘About’ menu. A re-manufactured DTG printer may not do this, but you can, in most cases, print a page count if the printer is a DIY or re-purposed Epson build. The spectrum can be quite wide; I have seen Ricoh Ri 6000s with 85,000 prints on the clock in as little 18 months that are still printing perfectly, and others with just 2,000 prints that require some serious attention due to poor operator maintenance. The nozzle check These come in all shapes and sizes, but the main point of a nozzle check is to see how the print head is performing. Ask to see a nozzle check printed and take a close look at the results – these are best done onto a sheet of clear acetate to allow the white ink to be viewed correctly. You are looking for complete lines with no gaps or sections missing. Don’t be fooled by any explanation of why parts of the nozzle check are missing, or if it is showing any signs of deflection. Nozzles do occasionally misfire, but you are looking for a 98% perfect nozzle check or you could be looking at replacing the print head(s). Print head The surface of the print head and surrounding areas should be clean and have no dried or congealed ink deposits showing. Most nozzle plates are gold or chrome in colour and should have no scratches, dents or any other signs of surface damage. The construction of print heads differs so it is important to make sure the correct cleaning solutions have been used. Cleaning a print head with anything other than what is recommended can result in the head being damaged; usually delamination of the nozzle plate is the first sign of this. The heart of a DTG printer is its print head (or heads). No matter which one you Colin Marsh Industry experts provide insight and guidance in all areas of digital garment and textile printing Digital helpdesk A s with cars, a shiny clean printer always looks good on the outside, but it could be hiding a whole load of trouble if it has not been cared for. I wouldn’t recommend buying one unless you take the trouble to view it first. For example, water-based ink mist hovers around inside a DTG printer – if this has not been cleaned off Always ask to see a secondhand DTG printer in action before purchasing [Clockwise from top left] A poorly maintained DTG printer; inside a DTG printer carriage assembly that has been properly maintained; a typical example of a well looked after maintenance station; a perfect nozzle check