DTG K3 - Problems with printing sufficient white

4410 Views 19 Replies 7 Participants Last post by kevrokr, Aug 30, 2010

chiuaua

Discussion Starter · Aug 28, 2010

Hello,

In general our Kiosk 3 works OK when we are printing continuesly...However as soon as the printer is not operating for 24 hours or so, we have problems with printing sufficient amount of white ink. After 3 hours of 10+ white square prints and 20 head cleans the printer works ok again, however we don't want to have this procedure done every day.

I noticed that there are small air bubbles in the pipe that goes from the white ink bottle, and after these 10 prints and head cleans they slowly disappear.

How can we get as close as possible in getting rid of these air bubbles?

Thank you in advance for all replies,

Regards
Žiga

1 - 20 of 20 Posts

FatKat Printz

· #2 · Aug 28, 2010

Not with the open system~ you can't get the air out (from our experience) with and open ink system.

Are you maintaining your WIMS system? I don't know much about the WIMS but I know that you must keep up on the maintenance.

Are you priming your dampers after you add ink? because ink fills and head cleans aren't enough.

So if you aren't ready to move to a closed ink system.. just prime the damper pull the ink to remove the

air bubbles and then one head clean and you should be good to go.. you can do this on a daily basis instead

of constant print tests and head cleans.

you prime the white dampers~ take a syringe 10 cc with the round top not the pointed one hold to the end of the damper where it plugs into the print head (hold tight) and gently pull (if all you are getting is air when you reached the end of the syringe) remove it and set aside the syringe and reset before putting it back onto the damper. Keep doing this till all bubbles are gone or you get the damper full of ink and you pull solid ink. do a head clean and then re-check by doing a nozzle check

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Reactions: 2

IYFGraphics

· #3 · Aug 28, 2010

:welcome:We're glad to have you aboard!

I'd guess your K3 has the WIMS system on it? is it running when the printer is shut down? or do you just turn the entire printer off, is it running it's maintenance?

Reactions: 1

Belquette

· #4 · Aug 28, 2010

The problem jetting white ink is created by the ink delivery system itself.
We would be glad to assist you in rectification the issue if you continue to have erratic jetting.

chiuaua

Discussion Starter · #5 · Aug 29, 2010

Hello guys,

thank you very much for all replies.

After flushing the dampers we did Epson's original head clean a couple of times and the printer works perfectly now even after a day.

I read through the forums that some of you have moved to ''a closed ink system''. Would one be so kind to briefly explain this process? I guess you get rid of internal air issues that way?

Thank you,

Žiga

IYFGraphics

· #6 · Aug 29, 2010

chiuaua said:
Hello guys,

thank you very much for all replies.

After flushing the dampers we did Epson's original head clean a couple of times and the printer works perfectly now even after a day.

I read through the forums that some of you have moved to ''a closed ink system''. Would one be so kind to briefly explain this process? I guess you get rid of internal air issues that way?

Thank you,

Žiga

I'll let the folks who have switched answer your question, but I believe that a K3 with WIMS would require removing the WIMS system to do the switch, which if it's still under warranty would void what warranty you have left on the printer.

Hope this helps.

Belquette

· #7 · Aug 29, 2010

After flushing the dampers we did Epson's original head clean a couple of times and the printer works perfectly now even after a day.

I read through the forums that some of you have moved to ''a closed ink system''. Would one be so kind to briefly explain this process? I guess you get rid of internal air issues that way?

The changeover only involves adding a few quick disconnects and fittings that interfaces the closed ink bags.

Here are some links on that topic.
Why Closed Ink Delivery
A Solution to Clogging
White Ink Printing on DTG printers -The plain truth of it all

Reactions: 1

chiuaua

Discussion Starter · #8 · Aug 29, 2010

Hello guys,

thank you,

correct me if i'm wrong, so we can do this conversion in-house without problems after just purchasing bagged inks from Belquette? Are those bags compatible with K3 printer?

FatKat Printz

· #9 · Aug 29, 2010

Yes you can do them in-house .. so far they have been used on the K2 and HM1. I haven't read anything about anyone doing it on the K3 but looking at your machine it shouldn't be a problem.
You have a majority of the necessary components to convert.

You would need to remove the WIMS .. check out the forums Mark gave you can see pictures of how the K2 was converted you don't necessarily have to do this.. I see that your where your white ink is.. you would just need to remove the bottle and WIMs and lay the ONE white bag of Belquette ink there.

Maybe Mark will have suggestions for the colors..but I HIGHLY suggest you do this..

TahoeTomahawk

· #10 · Aug 29, 2010

We found that without the Bags, once your white starts to go out on you, it will never get much better until the head is replaced. After cutting open one of the heads, we found that white ink was dried around the inside of the spikes where your dampers sit, kind of like an old drain pipe with heavy build up. So although some white passes through, the build up prevents a lot from actually flowing through it.

When you switch your bags, you may want to try flushing it out real good with straight ammonia or windex, then use the Belquette HMS (Head maintenance solution) overnight to try to break down some of that mess.

TahoeTomahawk

· #11 · Aug 29, 2010

With the bag system, our print heads are still running like new even after 14 months. They still puddle white if we have the levels too high. In Rip Pro, we have the white ink at 85% in our Kiosk, and 72% in our MOD1.

I love the bags, and they love me. It's a win win.

Reactions: 4

Belquette

· #12 · Aug 29, 2010

correct me if i'm wrong, so we can do this conversion in-house without problems after just purchasing bagged inks from Belquette? Are those bags compatible with K3 printer?

Yes, it's made for the same print engine, and it's easy to do in-house.

chiuaua

Discussion Starter · #13 · Aug 29, 2010

Thank you. Those of you who use bagged inks, did you do it with both colour and white inks or only white? Because I feel that converting only the white should be enough as cmyk inks do not tend to clog that much?

Printzilla

· #14 · Aug 29, 2010

I did them all. Why do it half way? The CMYK is less prone to clogging, but it does happen.

TahoeTomahawk

· #15 · Aug 29, 2010

We converted everything. It's just easier to deal with leveling inks. We also see a benefit in the jet ability of the CYMK's, less overspray and distorted prints. Crisper detail, etc.

Printzilla

· #16 · Aug 29, 2010

FatKat Printz said:
Yes you can do them in-house .. so far they have been used on the K2 and HM1.

Who did the HM1? Are there any pics of that setup on the boards?

FatKat Printz

· #17 · Aug 30, 2010 (Edited)

I am not sure? thought I read it somewhere

I have people ask me all the time.. I just don't think everyone is as vocal as we are about this..

also, we converted all at once.. even if your colors are doing fine they will eventually will..

think of it this way when your bottles are low you need to add new ink right?? guess what the bottom part of the ink is old and you add new ink right? shake it up do you have a brand new bottle of ink? NO

with the bags once you are out of ink you are out of ink you put a fresh bag on and use up almost the entire bag.

see pics below ~ the bottles is where I was at when I needed to add ink.

Reactions: 1

chiuaua

Discussion Starter · #18 · Aug 30, 2010

Thank you guys for all the info..

Does anybody have any idea if Belquette inks are also sold somewhere inside EU?

Thank you

Belquette

· #19 · Aug 30, 2010

Thank you guys for all the info..

Does anybody have any idea if Belquette inks are also sold somewhere inside EU?

Thank you

Sure, we can ship direct via USPS and its' very reasonable.
The only thing about that shipping method is there's no tracking number after it leaves the US.
But we have never had a problem yet.

kevrokr

· #20 · Aug 30, 2010

FatKat Printz said:
.. so far they have been used on the K2 and HM1...

I have customers who use the PrintsRite System on their Anajets, T-Jets, and Veloci-Jets also.

Reactions: 2

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