HELPS TO UNDERTSAND MACHINE BETTER
DTG Glossary
Refers to the process of initiating an initial ink load into the printer system, itself –this is often done during initial setup to move ink from the cartridges into the internal lines, dampers and print head. Failing to perform this step upon initial setup will prevent any ink from owing, during test prints– it will not have moved from the carts to the print head, so there will be a lot of air in the system. The Ink Charge feature can also be used on many systems to ush cleaning solution in the system, for the purposes of regular cleaning or ink ow maintenance. Some systems require you to use “new” cartridge chips to perform an Ink Charge – options include: using a physical chip reset tool to revert the chips to “new” status, using a brand new set of using carts or converting your machine to the “chipless” Firmware (where available).
This refers to the chemicals used to break down ink and clean your machine. Cleaning Solutions come in a wide range of strengths – more mild solutions should be used for wet capping a print head or system uses, whereas stronger solutions should be reserved for more difficult situation where exposure will be limited to short term bursts.
This refers to the process of running an automatic cleaning cycle, from the printer interface itself (or from the Adjustment Program or associated printer software). On most Epson based systems, this forces the printer to go through a series of capping station pump cycles and wiper blade passes to push a small amount of ink through all the channels and attempt to clear the nozzle plate of any obstructions. Some systems allow for varying levels of Cleaning Cycle intensity. NOTE: Cleaning Cycles, while often effective, are not a substitute for manual maintenance! You still need to physically scrub your capping station top and wiper blade, regularly. Do not rely solely on auto cleaning cycles, or you will and yourself in a tough situation, down the road.
A Channel is line of ink running to a print head, which is then distributed through a series of nozzles in the nozzle plate. DTG printers most often come in a 4, 6 or 8 channel conguration, although larger systems exist. The most frequent setup is an 8-channel conguration (generally four white channels plus one for each CMYK).
A Cartridge holds the ink, while it waits to be fed into the printer system. Some cartridges are “closed”, meaning they contain an internal bladder and are usually replaced when empty. Some cartridges are “open”, meaning they can be relled easily. Open ink cartridges can either be standalone or be connected to a bulk CIS system.
The Capping Station often resides on the right side of the printer, and is
responsible for all aspects of system ushes and cleaning cycles. The Capping Station raises up
slightly to create a perfect seal around the print head nozzle plate, then a lower pump activates
to pull ink or cleaning solution through the nozzles. Any buildup of ink around the edges of the
capping station (or blockage in the lines beneath the assembly) can prevent a seal from forming
and will render any attempt at cleaning cycles, ineffective.
– This refers to the process where bordering colors blur into each other to create messy edges and muddled colors. The root cause is generally either be too much ink being laid down and / ornot enough time allowed for the ink to gel. Some RIP software allows you to add a small delay between each scan line pass or reduce the volume of ink being printed (there are a number of approaches, including lowering the print resolution or controlling actual volume curves). Many time, bleeding can be caused by an over-abundance of white ink being printed in the Highlight – heavy, wet white ink has a tendency to ood into other areas of solid color.
– This refers to the horizontal or vertical stripes which appear in an image, after printing. Vertical lines for printers where the print head moves left-to-right along the X-Axis (ie, nearly all printers on the market), and horizontal for printers where the print head is stationary and the platen moves in and out repeatedly (ie, Kornit printer). Banding is often an indication of dropped channels or nozzles, but can sometimes be attributed to improper step distance along the Y-Axis. In he latter case, some RIP software allows you to compensate by adjusting the step distance, between scan lines.
This refers to the resolution of the artwork, itself – most DTG printers prefer artwork to be at 150-300 DPI (Dots Per Inch). While this ensures the artwork le will be crisp, it has no impact on the actual print resolution!