DTF Printer Common Faults and Solutions

When you have a DTF (direct-to-film) printer, you need to maintain and look after the machine regularly to prolong the life of the printer and produce consistent, high quality textile prints. When a printer is not working properly it can lead to workflow interruptions, printer damage, job delays and lost revenue.

 

Routine maintenance saves ink, avoids wasting fabric and transfer film and saves valuable time. Timely maintenance can minimize the frequency of print head cleaning and nozzle checks, or worse, premature replacement of print heads and other components. Ensuring your thermal transfer equipment is clean is an important part of your daily routine. Doing so will protect your business investment and save on repair and damage costs.

 

DTF Garment Printing

Direct-to-film printing or DTF printing is a process where designs are printed onto film and then transferred to garments for printing. The design is printed onto the DTF transfer film by a DTF printer, sprinkled with a hot melt powder adhesive, then heated and dried for storage or transfer printing. The adhesive is bonded to the garment by melting during heat pressing.

 

Inkjet failures or unsmooth ink output and broken lines are the most common problems in the daily use of DTF printers. Below are the troubleshooting steps.

 

 

Common symptoms or problems

The best form of maintenance is continuous operation. If running intermittently every 2 or 3 days, the ink will need to be stirred and an automatic print head cleaning run before printing. DTF white ink is particularly prone to separation and needs to be stirred daily. Always consult your printer manual and the manufacturer's technician before beginning troubleshooting.

 

Nozzle blockage
Problem: The print head does not eject ink.
Cause: Ink dried in the nozzle or there may be air bubbles
Solution: Run the printer's automatic cleaning process. Use good quality ink. Maintain proper humidity and temperature.

 

Nozzle blockage is a common problem, and manufacturers use an automatic printhead cleaning system to help reduce downtime. The automatic printhead cleaning command will also be executed when the printer is switched on if it has not been used for a period of time. Automated processes consume the least amount of ink.

 

Use high-quality DTF ink

DTF ink quality directly affects the life of the printhead of DTF printers. Low-quality inks can jeopardize device performance as they are poorly filtered and contain low quality components used to maintain viscosity and other ink characteristics. Low-quality inks often lead to clogged and burnt-out nozzles, requiring expensive print head and control mechanism repairs.

 

Voltage stability and static electricity of DTF printer

The stability of the voltage used by DTF printers is critical. When the external voltage is too high or unstable, it can affect the printhead. This may cause the printer to burn the printhead or fail to recognize the printhead. It is vital to use a power regulator to ensure the stability of the power supply to the DTF printer.

 

Maintaining the ideal temperature and humidity
Problem: The ink dries quickly on the print head, nozzles and material.
Cause: Low humidity.
Solution: Refer to the manufacturer's guide for humidity level. Install a non-wetting humidification system.

 

Electrostatic discharge (ESD) - static electricity - is usually caused by drying conditions and fabric movement across the printing surface. Static electricity can damage print system circuitry and affect print quality. Maintaining the ideal temperature and humidity is critical to eliminate static electricity. Manufacturers recommend ideal temperature and relative humidity level for optimum performance. The larger the machine, the more sensitive it is to humidity. Humidifiers and dehumidifiers will help you to regulate the humidity level in the room and keep it within the selected range.

 

 

Ink cartridge failures
Problem: Ink not jetting, inconsistent jetting or missing colors
Cause: The ink seal on the cartridge is blocked or there are air bubbles at the cartridge outlet.
Solution: Open the ink seal. Perform nozzle cleaning to release air from the cartridge. Check that the cartridge is securely seated.

 

Sometimes new cartridges are disconnected or missing colors. It may be that the cartridge hole seal has not been cleaned or that there are air bubbles at the cartridge outlet. In this case, it is necessary to open the air hole seal or clean the nozzle once or twice to get the air out of the nozzle baffle. In some cases, when you replace the cartridge with a new one, the printer still indicates that there is no ink. This can happen if the cartridge is not pressed into place or if the sensor cartridge is not returned. Remove and reinstall the cartridge or reset the sensor sprint manually. For more information, refer to the operating manual or consult a technician.

 

Monitoring of ink shelf life
Problem: Poor color quality, missing colors, blocked nozzles or supply lines.
Cause: Expired ink.
Solution: Check the "use by" date of your ink and discard the expired stock.

 

All inks have an expiry date. However, people often find it difficult to consistently keep track of the exact date in their busy work schedules. Expired ink can degrade, separate or settle irreversibly. It can clog or damage nozzles. Checking delivery dates and setting up automatic notifications can help you monitor ink shelf life.

 

Pay special attention to white inks

White ink settles more quickly than other inks. If you intend not to use white ink for a long time, refer to the manufacturer's instructions and use a cleaning solution or distilled water instead. When you are ready to start using white ink again, empty the cleaning fluid or water and then fill the cartridge with white ink. Also, at the end of each day, gently stir all white ink cartridges.

 

Daily 5-minute DTF cleaning routine

- Wipe down the exterior of the machine. Use a lint-free cloth and a mild detergent or isopropyl alcohol.
- Clean the interior gently with manufacturer-recommended swabs or lint-free cloths. Do not use cotton swabs.
- Check the gasket on the capping station and clean it if necessary. Ink build-up can cause blockages.
- Without touching the printhead, wipe off excess ink from both sides of the printhead.
- Keep the wiper on the capping assembly clean and check that it is flexible.
- Do not use paper towels to wipe the printhead. The many fine fibrous hairs on the surface of the paper can easily get into the nozzles. This can lead to clogging and ink dripping, which can affect printing results. Wipe the nozzle surface only with the material recommended by the manufacturer.

 

 

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us, Hanrun Paper^® is always at your service.

---

Contact Us

Global sales e-mail: info@hanrunpaper.com

Global sales WhatsApp:  0086 189 3686 5061

Address: No.10 building, Baijiahui Innovation Community, 699-18 Xuanwu Avenue, Nanjing, China