Sublimation printing on shirts, tumblers, mugs, and Aluminum is trending. It has become a great business and growing day by day. But if your printer remains idle for a long time, it may get clogged, so if you are facing the same issue, then no need to get disappointed. It has a quick and easy fix.
This article will show you how to overcome this issue and unclog the sublimation printer.
So, let’s start by elaborating on the reason for clogging.
How to Know If Your Printer Is Clogged?
As the sublimation printers can have a different problem and stop working correctly. First, have a dummy print on regular copying paper. If the sublimation print is the same as the given instructions, it means sublimation ink is moving from the print head and other pipelines.
Albeit, when the sublimation ink doesn’t come on the paper surface accurately, it indicates an issue in the printhead. Also, the sublimation print will fade, and the color vanishes quickly.
If there is a problem with the printhead, we will move forward in the following way.
Sublimation Printer Unclogging [3 Ways]
There are various methods employed to unclog the sublimation printers by experts. Three out of them are discussed below;
First, you must know that some sublimation printers possess automatic cleaning systems for the nozzle and printhead—for example, Epson and the latest versions of Sawgrass, i.e., SG 500 and SG 1000.
But what to do when you have converted a regular printer to a sublimation printer? You must arrange a cleaning system and install it into a converted sublimation printer or make a preventive cleaning schedule.
Otherwise, you will have to face clogging issues and compromise on the quality of the sublimation print.
Method – 1: Hot Water Running
The first step is to go to the printer’s maintenance menu and click on the ‘cartridge replacement’ option.
When you are in the cartridge replacement option, open the front side of the sublimation printer as there is a lot of electrical connection inside the body of the sublimation printer, so unplug the printer now.
Slide the printhead out from the printer until the wastage pad is visible. On the wastage pad, all the sublimation ink sticks due to clogging. Therefore we have a light color print.
Grab a syringe and fill it with boiling water. Pour some drops on the wastage pad, and the sublimation ink will dissolve into water and flow out.
If excess water is on the pad, wipe it with a lint-free cloth. When dry, slide the printhead over the wastage pad to its original position.
When the cleaning step is complete, start a dummy printing to check the ink flowing from the nozzle.
Note: This method is suitable for a printer that is idle for months only.
Method – 2: Prime Ink Method
Similarly, in this method, first of all, you have to enter into maintenance mode. After unplugging the printer, open the lid. Now, remove the cover of the printhead. Place a clean paper towel beneath the printhead and slide it without bringing wrinkles on the towel.
Now fill the syringe with air and pass it through the nozzle. This is the easiest method and less dangerous. Some people start using toothpicks which can damage the nozzle. So, choose only the air-filled syringe method. If air passes smoothly, it means the nozzle is clear.
But if you feel pressure from the nozzle, don’t push hard. Otherwise, the printhead will be broken.
When the nozzle is clear, slide the printhead back to its original position. Remove the paper towel gently.
Method – 3: Printing Purge Sheet
This is one of the easiest methods and costs only some seconds.
Our last method is simple and takes a few seconds. Print the purge sheet with the premium presentation matte setting and perform a nozzle check. This is the only step. This method is helpful when the print suddenly gets fades and lines appear.
You have to arrange a package from the ink manufacturers for purging sheets. It will clear the clogging and remove fading issues.
Tips to Have A Smooth Sublimation Printer
To have a smoothly working sublimation printer, follow the guidelines below.
Clean Nozzle-Heads Regularly
Almost in all types of sublimation printers, clogging of the nozzle head is a common issue, so it has to be adequately cleaned. When the sublimation printing business is on top, the sublimation ink keeps flowing, and no clogging is observed.
But, when there comes a brake in sublimation printing, the ink starts drying and causes clogging in the nozzle head.
In some sublimation printers, such as Ricoh SG 3110DN, you must manually clean the nozzle, printhead, and rollers.
But in the case of Sawgrass VJ 628, the nozzle head is checked automatically and cleaned more efficiently.
Blocked Print head Problems
The clogging in the nozzle and printhead causes missing lines and streaks on the sublimation print. So, regular cleaning is necessary to have bright and vibrant colors.
Post-head cleaning operation
After you perform the head cleaning, check for the printed pattern to confirm the issue is resolved. If not, repeat the same head-cleaning procedure to remove the clogged ink from the nozzle heads.
Prevent Wastage of Ink in Sublimation Printing Machine
When you perform maintenance on the sublimation printer, a lot of sublimation ink is wasted. As you inject a new pack of sublimation ink aftercare, this becomes a burden.
Some printers, such as Virtuoso SG400, have built-in storage tanks to collect the sublimation ink flowing while cleaning.
Therefore, you may preserve the sublimation ink by designing and installing your storage tank. You have to take this essential step to avoid the wastage of resources.
Influence of Temperature on Sublimation Print
Each sublimation ink and sublimation paper requires a specific temperature for its storage. This is usually mentioned in the guidelines provided by the sellers.
The excess humidity will also affect the transfer paper and sublimation blanks. While using a heat press, the moisture converts to steam and affects the sublimation print quality.
Therefore, you must sustain a suitable temperature and humidity level in your workshop using an air exhaust machine or any indoor moisture controller.
Keep Your Workshop Clean
Keeping the sublimation printing workshop clean and free from dust particles is essential.
If this dust mixes with sublimation ink or sticks on the surface of sublimation paper, it will affect the image quality. The sublimation print will be blurry and dull.
If mistakenly, a sublimation paper falls on the flooring, don’t use it as it contains dust particles.
However, you can place a clean plastic cover on the floor, holding the paper and preventing the sublimation from the ground touch.
Be Cautious! With refillable ink cartridges
When using a refillable sublimation ink cartridge, you must be very careful while refilling.
You may encounter two main enemies for sublimation printing.
Dust
When the dust particles and other debris of tissue papers get into the sublimation ink cartridge, the quality of the resulting sublimation print could be better. It also causes blockage in the lines and nozzle.
Air Bubbles
The second problem when refilling the sublimation ink is the entrance of air bubbles. To avoid air bubbles, you have to shake the ink bottle very well and wait to settle it before refilling.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Why is My Epson Sublimation Printer Printing Lines?
This is a prominent issue observed in nearly each Epson sublimation printer. When an Epson printer gets clogged, it starts printing lines, and there may be any of the following reasons.
- Usage of low-quality paper.
- The sublimation ink is about to end
Do Ecotank printers get clogged?
Sublimation ink of Ecotank is sprinkled into its chamber, where it remains until it is used. It would have to evaporate for it to dry out, so it’s unlikely. However, the print heads could still dry out or clog and dry.
What Causes Printers to Clog?
When the sublimation printer sits idle for a long time, the sublimation ink gets dried, and dust and debris accumulate in the printhead. They will cause clogging in the nozzle, and sublimation ink doesn’t come to the paper accurately.
How Long Does It Take to Unclog Sublimation Printer?
Generally, it takes 15 minutes to 1 hour to unclog the sublimation printer.
The time required to unclog the sublimation printer depends upon the nature of the problem. You have to know the reason for clogging. If the printer has not been used for long, then sublimation ink drying is why. If the printer is not cleaned regularly, then dust is the issue.
What Can I Do to Prevent My Printer from Clogging?
You can follow various guidelines to keep the sublimation printer working correctly.
- Keep cleaning the printer regularly
- Ink cartridges must be full
- Clean the roller
- Flush the lines with distilled water
- Try to use water-based sublimation ink.
How Often Should I Clean My Printer Rollers?
Almost every month.
If you have a high load of business, you need to clean the roller more often. Cleaning the roller is relatively easy. You must remove the paper tray and wipe them with a dry cloth. You can make a schedule for cleaning the rollers to have better results.
Conclusion
If you have a full-time business in sublimation printing, get ready to face minor issues while printing. Sometimes, the sublimation prints show missing lines, faded colors, a messy outlook, and many other problems observed during sublimation. Most probably, you will face a clogging issue in the sublimation printer.
A thorough discussion in the above blog post can guide you to unclog the sublimation printer. You have to understand and follow the step-by-step guidelines.
If you still have any queries, leave a comment below, and we will also discuss that.
Related Article: How to Convert an HP Printer to a Sublimation Printer