Keep Your Printers in Top Shape as Long as Possible With Our Tips

Taking care of your printer and keeping up with regular maintenance is key to keeping your shop running smoothly. Let’s face it — when a printer’s down, so is your production, and downtime costs money. By staying on top of maintenance, you can avoid frustrating delays, stick to your schedule, and keep your print shop profitable. Like any other machine, printers last longer and perform better when you care for them.

Before diving into the printer maintenance checklist, it’s important to establish a system for regularly maintaining your machines. A good routine requires consistency and clear communication. In addition to completing maintenance tasks, your staff must track and report on your printers’ performance. Setting up reliable timelines and reporting systems helps your shop run smoothly, keeps deadlines on track, and makes life easier for everyone.

Consider This …

— Before you do anything else, ask yourself, “When was the last time my printer had a maintenance check.”

If the answer is “uhhh…” or your previous maintenance check falls outside of the last year, it’s probably worth having a professional take another look. Routine maintenance includes cleaning the printhead or print drum, removing accumulated dust, and lubricating moving parts.

We recommend you keep a detailed log of all your maintenance checks, including what vendor or employee last serviced your printer. That way, you have a record you can easily refer to if an issue ever pops up.

Life moves fast, and it can be tough to remember every detail by memory. A well-documented maintenance schedule takes away the guesswork, so instead of trying to remember the last time your printer was serviced, you can actually focus on completing your customer’s orders.

— Do you have a system to ensure timely maintenance?

Printer maintenance should be performed daily, weekly, monthly and quarterly. Posting maintenance due dates on calendars or setting digital reminders will help you easily stay on top of maintenance tasks while trying to juggle everything else that goes into managing a business.

If you have a larger print shop, consider designating a maintenance supervisor and assigning them to post calendars and check to ensure the maintenance is completed. This frees up mental space for you to manage your shop’s day-to-day operations.

— Do you have protocols when issues arise during the maintenance process?

What do you do when maintenance is performed, and a part needs replacement? After establishing effective systems for keeping up with printer maintenance, work on creating an SOP to follow should a problem arise.

Whether you use sticky notes on your desk or have order forms to request parts, communication is key to keeping your printer running smoothly. If your employees are doing the maintenance, clear communication makes it easier for them to give updates and request support. A replacement part purchase request form, or even simply a communal whiteboard, can help you easily stay informed. They can also note this information on the maintenance log for quick reference.

How to Keep Your Printers In Check

Now that you’ve established maintenance systems and timelines let’s review what you need to do to maintain your printer. Follow this quick checklist to achieve the highest-quality printing in your shop.

Daily

Perform test prints to monitor print quality.
Clean print heads with a cleaning solution.
Check nozzles, caps, and wiper blades to ensure they’re residue-free.
Check ink levels and gently shake ink cartridges to ensure proper mixing.
Wipe down your entire print station to remove excess powder residue.
Check temperature and humidity levels to confirm they’re correct.

Weekly

Wipe down the platen and exterior of the printer to keep it free of dust and residue.
Gently wipe the encoder strip with a lint-free cloth. Be careful not to scratch or damage the encoder strip when cleaning.
Inspect rollers and belts to ensure their proper care and performance.
Check the waste tank and empty if necessary.
Check supplies and determine if you need any items, such as cleaning solutions, wipers, or cleaning swabs. Place orders to keep supplies well-stocked.

Monthly

Organize spare printer parts and check for proper labeling.
Conduct a deeper cleaning of internal components (e.g., ink delivery systems).
Lubricate key parts according to your manufacturer’s guidelines.
Check for software and firmware updates.
Conduct a comprehensive inspection of all components.
Replace parts with significant wear, such as belts and rollers.

Annually or Long-Term

Schedule a professional service check for a thorough look at the performance of your machine to prevent major breakdowns.

Seasonal Adjustments: Depending on your location, you may experience more humidity or dryness during certain times of the year. Pay close attention to humidity levels and have the equipment to regulate your printing zone, such as a humidifier/dehumidifier, A/C or heater, or fans to circulate the air for proper ventilation. Your shop’s environment can affect the ink and performance of all printer types.

Proper Storage: If your printer isn’t used for an extended period, store it with ink cartridges installed to prevent air from entering the lines unless the manufacturer recommends otherwise.

But Wait, There’s More!

Here are a few more tips for specific printer types ….

DTF Printers: Check your film and adhesives every week to ensure proper care and storage of these materials. Temperature and humidity can compromise the quality of your materials. Monitoring them regularly helps you avoid downtime with production caused by damaged materials.

Dye Sublimation Printers: To prevent sublimation transfer paper from warping, keep it in a cool, dry place. Don’t touch the coated side of the transfer paper with your fingers. The oils from your fingers can leave residue, compromising the print's quality.

Why Are Machine Malfunctions Happening In Our Shop?

Even with proper care and maintenance, your printer might experience issues. Knowing what to look for and how to resolve problems quickly eliminates unnecessary headaches.

One of the most common issues in any printer is inconsistent color or ink saturation. Typically, this is the result of clogged or dirty print heads. Most printers have an automatic cleaning feature you can run to solve this issue. However, sometimes, buildup gets stuck in places that your auto-clean feature might not reach. If you experience persistent streaking, color inconsistencies, or banding with your prints, use a cleaning solution and a cleaning swab to wipe the printer head by hand, carefully moving the solution-soaked swab over hard-to-reach spots to remove build-up and residue.

When an error code pops up, your machine’s software will alert you to the problem. You can clear this by checking your printer settings or performing a more detailed printer cleaning. Be sure that your printer software is up to date. If you’re unsure how to fix a particular error code, review the machine operations manual or contact your printer’s customer support for assistance.

Yes, Help Is On the Way

Arcus printers are easy to maintain and built to last. Each model is built with production-grade quality, ensuring durability and performance. It offers a low cost per print, allowing you to save both time and money while creating high-quality products. The customer service our expert team provides is one of the key reasons garment and textile decorators purchase our printers. When you can’t resolve an issue, rest assured that our team is ready to step in and help you find the solution.

The benefit of purchasing an Arcus printer doesn’t stop with our top-level customer service. Each printer comes with industry-leading training. How often have you bought a new product and used a small fraction of the benefits because you don’t know what it can do? We’ll guide you through the features and systems your printer offers so you can get the most out of your purchase based on your business needs.

Arcus Printers, a division of Axiom America, offers a comprehensive range of customer services to support your printing needs:

Technical Support: We provide unparalleled technical assistance to ensure your printing equipment operates efficiently.
Manufacturing Consulting: Our experts offer manufacturing consulting services to help optimize your production processes.
Customer Support: We’re committed to building relationships rooted in trust and support, treating customers like family.

Conclusion

Consistent maintenance extends the lifespan and performance of your printer, keeping your print shop profitable and helping you produce the highest quality products. Establishing clear guidelines for the maintenance and care of your machines enables you to achieve success!

Contact Arcus Printers if you encounter any issues with your current DTF, UV-DTF, or Dye Sublimation printers or if you’d like to upgrade your shop with a new printer, including DTF, Dye Sublimation, and UV DTF, as well as printing supplies to keep you going.