&#; DTF problems and their solutions

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The technique DTF technique is increasingly used by our clients. And rightly so. They know that with a low investment they can start stamping on different surfaces. In both cotton and polyester fabrics. Also in wooden products, mugs or objects such as skateboards...

If you have already switched to DTF or you are interested, we want to help you. We have compiled the main DTF problems to give you solutions. With these tips, you will be an expert and will have your printer in perfect condition. Interested? Let's get started!

DTF printer parts

Before knowing the most common DTF problems, it is necessary to know the parts of the printer.

• Ecotank. Container where the ink tanks are located. You must make sure that the ink occupies at least one third of its capacity.
• Residual ink reservoir. To prevent the pad from filling up, a waste ink reservoir, i.e. the liquid from head cleaning and maintenance, is added. It is necessary to empty this container to prevent breakdowns.
• Dampers. Refers to the cartridges on the head. These are attached to the Ecotank with a tube.
• Header. Part that takes care of the printing, so it needs special care. Later we will explain its maintenance and how to change it if necessary.
• Capping. Where the printhead rests and the waste ink is discharged. This accessory keeps the head in good condition.
• Wiper. Rubber tab that cleans the head when it comes out of the capping.

You know the parts. Now, let's solve the DTF problems!

No color is displayed

If this is the first time you turn on the printer, you may have this problem. We explain how to solve it:

• INITIAL INK LOADING: The first step is to load the inks into your DTF printer. DTF printer. To do this, open the cap of one of the tanks and fill it with its corresponding ink. You must load it with the correct color, usually marked with stickers. Keep all caps closed except the one you are filling or you may contaminate some ink. When the tanks are full, turn on the printer and press the drop icon for a few seconds. Initial loading will begin. It can last about 20 minutes.

It may happen that the initial charge is not completed correctly and no color appears during printing. To fix it, open the Resetter software provided with your printer purchase. Click on 'Particular adjustment mode', go to the 'Ink charge' option and click 'OK'. In the drop-down menu choose 'Initial ink charge', check 'Not increment waste ink pad counter' and click 'Ink charge'. It will ask you to restart the printer and it will perform the upload.

• ECOTANK LOCKOUT: Most often you have activated the lockout that cuts off the ink supply from the Ecotank to the printhead. This causes it to run out of ink when it runs out in the dampers. Make sure that this lock is deactivated before printing.

Does not print white ink or any of the colors

This is the most common problem. Most of the time this happens because of the white ink sediment, the main cause of all evils. The solutions to this problem are these:

• TANK SHAKING: Before performing any type of action, both printing and maintenance, you must shake the tanks to avoid sedimentation. It is a simple but effective action. You will avoid quite a few problems. Some current printers already have it as standard.

• HEAD CLEANING: Before starting to print, perform a simple head cleaning. If you usually have the printer active, this will be enough. Just go to 'Printing Preferences', 'Utilities' and 'Printhead Cleaning'. Perform a nozzle test to check if all colors are coming out correctly.

• BLAST CLEANING: If after a normal head cleaning, no white or color appears, you should do a blast cleaning. This cleaning will completely empty the circuit and the dampers. It will then refill it, generating pressure and unclogging the injectors.

• DAMPERS SHAKING OR REPLACEMENT: Every 15 days, it is recommended to shake the dampers. Turn on the printer and when the printhead unlocks, turn off the power. Tip! Use a power strip so as not to damage the connection by pulling. Place the head in the working position. Remove the screw from the cover and with the help of a flat screwdriver, loosen each dumper. Now shake them to avoid sediments. Check that there is no air inside. If they have air in them, you can absorb it using a syringe. If the dampers have a lot of sediment you may need to change them. You only have to loosen the tube and put in the new one. Reassemble everything and you're done.

• FLUSHING: Flushing consists of passing the cleaning liquid through the nozzles of the head . We will differentiate two types of Flushing, one without removing the head and the other by disassembling it completely. Let's look at the differences:

Flushing without removing the head

1. Turn on the printer and when the printhead moves, turn off the power using a power strip. Remove the screw and printhead cover from the printhead.
2. Place absorbent paper and move the head on top. Remove the cartridges with the help of a flat screwdriver, keeping them in order.
3. Now pour some liquid into the container and fill the syringe a little.
4. Insert the tube into the injector and, without excessive pressure, start injecting the liquid.
5. Repeat the operation on the clogged injectors.
6. Then put everything back in place.

Flushing by disassembling the head

1. Turn on the machine and turn it off from the power strip when the head moves, in order to release it.
2. Take it to the work area and remove the cover.
3. Remove the dampers. Now you must release the right cover that holds the head flex cables with the help of a screwdriver.
4. The next step is to remove the rear piece. Use a screwdriver to loosen the tabs located on each side. To release the head, remove the three screws using a magnetized screwdriver.
5. Remove the head and place it upside down taking special care not to touch the silver part at any time or you will damage the head. Carefully release the flex cables at the same time.
6. Use a swab to clean along the edge of the head that may have dried ink on the edge.
7. Now use the syringe with the cleaning fluid to push it through each of the nozzles. Place a bucket or container underneath so as not to make a mess. You must apply pressure, but not too much. You will see the ink come out and then the cleaning fluid.
8. When you are finished you must reassemble the head. You must place the cables correctly. Put the screws, protectors and finally put the dampers in place.

If, after exhausting the previous ways, ink still does not come out of any of the channels, you should probably replace the printhead. You have already read just above how to disassemble it. It is not complicated. Mount the new one and you will have the perfect printer again. We recommend that, when replacing the head, you also change the dampers.

Stains on paper or smudged design

Friction may occur during printing. As a result, the design is smeared because the ink is wet. It can also happen that the ink does not adhere to the film, leaving a kind of paste of mixed inks. Let's see how to solve it:

• PRINT ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE FILM: The film has a more porous side, which allows the ink to remain stable. Usually it is the matte part, but sometimes it is difficult to know which part of the film is printable . If you have made a mistake, you will see that the ink is mixed. It is because you are printing with too much ink or on the wrong side. But don't worry. Wipe the film with a cloth or paper, turn it over and print. You do not have to discard the film.

• TRAY PLACEMENT: Improper placement of the front tray can also cause this problem. If there is a sag or the front of the film is tripped, it will lift and the head will rub against the design. Make sure the tray is in contact with the printer, but does not obstruct the output.

• DRY INK ON THE HEAD OR WIPER: DTF ink is a gummy ink that deposits and solidifies. To keep the head clean, the wiper goes up and the head passes through the rubber removing any debris. The problem is that both the wiper, the capping and the head itself end up having gummy residues on the edges and must be removed . To do this, you must perform the operation of unlocking the head as in other maintenance. With the help of a screwdriver lift the wiper lever. You will see that it is full of dried ink. Clean it using tweezers and a swab dipped in cleaning fluid. Do it also on the capping, you will see that there is solid ink on the edge. As for the head, we have explained above how to clean the edges of the head when it is disassembled.

Problems with film loading

One of the most recurring DTF problems is a failure to load the film. Either because the printer fails to pick it up or because it passes it by. One of the most effective solutions is to place a board or a few sheets of foil in the tray to stiffen the film. This will ensure that the printer loads it correctly.

Another problem is dirt on the paper loading rollers, located on the right side, facing the front of the printer. To clean them use kitchen paper impregnated with alcohol. Bring it in contact with the roller and press the 'Feed Paper' button. Now clean the lower roller by rolling it.

Finally, if nothing has worked for you, the last trick is to put some painter's tape on the back of the bottom corner of the film. It will prevent it from slipping when loaded.

Lights on the DTF printer panel

On the front panel of the printer you may encounter two types of errors, in addition to those related to the paper.

• PAPER AND INK LIGHTS BLINKING ALTERNATIVELY: This is because the printer understands that the maintenance pad, which fills with waste ink, has reached the end of its useful life. As you know, the printer comes modified so that that ink goes into a waste ink tank and not into the pad, but the printer doesn't know that. To solve the error you must open the Resetter software that we have sent you with the antivirus deactivated. Enter 'Particular adjustment mode', choose 'Waste ink pad counter', press 'OK'. Press 'Check' to read the counters. Now click on the two holes and click 'Initialize'. It will ask you to turn the printer off and then turn it on. Now if you press 'Check' you will see the counters reset to zero and you will no longer get the error.

• PAPER AND INK LIGHTS FLASHING AT THE SAME TIME: This error is an indicator that something is wrong. There is a possible solution. Clean the encoder tape with an eyeglass wipe or a little alcohol. This is located on the metal guide.

This error can also happen when you move the head carriage without having unlocked and removed the power. In this case, with the printer turned off, return the carriage to the origin and start it even though you may have damaged it.

With competitive price and timely delivery, cncvicut sincerely hope to be your supplier and partner.

Software Problems

Some of the problems we encounter do not stem from the DTF printer or its maintenance, but from an incorrect configuration of the Digital Factory.

There are several points to consider.

• SOFTWARE AND DRIVERS UPDATE: The guys at CADlink are updating them to fix bugs and add functionality. We recommend that you have both the software and drivers updated. For the software go to 'Help', 'Check for updates' and follow the on-screen steps to update. For drivers go to 'Devices', 'Manage devices', choose your device and click on the world icon. If there are updates it will ask you if you want to install them, follow the steps on the screen and you are ready to go.

• DOES NOT PRINT TOO MUCH WHITE: In the software you have different print modes that you can modify and even create new ones. Basically, in the color settings, you can increase the percentage of white ink and the amount of white that will print underneath the black color. We have done a test using two different color modes. One at 80% ink density and 40% below black. The second, with 100% density and 100% below black. The differences can be seen at a glance.

• FAILURE TO PRINT BECAUSE OF PORT FAILURE: Sometimes, after printing has been launched, a failure in the port configuration may appear. If this happens, right-click on the file to be printed and click 'Remove error'. Now go to 'Jobs', 'Manage Queues', and in your printer click on the drop down and choose the correct port. Close and you are ready to print.

Here is a visual explanation of how to solve each of these DTF problems:

Conclusions of the DTF problems

&#;What are the parts of the DTF printer?

-Ecotank: Container where the ink tanks are located.
-Residual ink reservoir. Liquid reservoir from head cleaning and maintenance.
-Dampers. Cartridges that are located on the head.
-Header. Part that is in charge of printing.
-Capping. Where the waste ink is discharged.
-Wiper. Rubber tab that cleans the head when it comes out of the capping.

&#;&#;&#;&#;Why is no color coming out of the DTF printer?

The safety caps on the tanks may be closed. Also that you have activated the lockout that cuts off the ink supply. Another problem is that the initial charge has not been completed correctly. To solve it, open the Resetter software. Click on 'Particular adjustment mode', go to the 'Ink charge' option and click 'OK'.

&#;Why doesn't one of the DTF printer colors come out?

Most of the time, it is caused by the sediment of the white ink or one of the colors.
We give you some solutions. You can agitate the tank to prevent sedimentation, clean or replace the heads, perform a jet cleaning, agitate or replace the dampers or clean the injectors.

Why does the DTF printer smudge the paper or the design?

This problem arises during printing, when there is friction. As a result, the design is smeared because the ink is wet. It can also happen that the ink does not adhere to the film.

Why doesn't the DTF printer load the film?

It may be because the printer fails to pick it up or because it passes it by. One of the most effective solutions is to place a board or a few sheets of foil in the tray to stiffen the film. This will ensure that the printer loads it correctly.

&#;Why are the lights on the DTF printer flashing?

One reason is that the printer detects that the maintenance pad has reached the end of its useful life. It can be corrected from the software. As you know, the printer comes modified so that that ink goes into a waste ink reservoir and not the pad. In case the lights flash at the same time, clean the encoder tape with alcohol.

With this DTF maintenance and troubleshooting manual, we hope we have helped you to solve the main difficulties of this technique. If you have any questions or if we have left anything out, please leave us a comment so that we can help you and other users can see it.

If you have any questions or if we have left anything out, leave us a comment so we can help you. You can also contact our Customer Service department.

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By Jerry Barrax, January 27,

Choosing your first vinyl cutter is one of the most important decisions an aspiring sign maker faces. A professional quality plotter can make your dreams realities. A bad equipment decision can lead to frustration and failure. The most common start-up sign shop mistake is buying based only on speed, force, and price. Ten years ago, that wasn't a bad strategy. In the 21st century, you can buy a machine with 500 grams of force that can&#;t cut the mustard in a professional sign shop. So what are the criteria for making this important decision? What drive motor should your cutter have? How important is tracking? Do you need to contour-cut printed images? What other features do you need? What about tech support? To provide these and other answers, we humbly present this guide to choosing your first vinyl cutter.

Drive motors: Stepper or Servo

The engine of a vinyl cutter is its drive motor. The drive motor powers the grit roller that advances and retracts media and moves the blade across the platen. The two kinds of drive motors used are mechanical stepper motors and digital servo motors. As the name implies, a mechanical stepper motor moves in small increments or steps, driven by physical gears. It&#;s an old, familiar technology whose main advantage is economy. The downsides are mechanical noise-which can sometimes be quite harsh- and loss of precision on very small graphics. Large images can be cut accurately, but on characters smaller than a half-inch, the physical size of the gears prevents the machine from being able to plot the path smoothly. This may cause jagged lines that look pixelated instead of smooth arcs. Stepper motors are more economical and allow manufacturers to produce usable vinyl cutters more affordably.

Most entry-level plotters use this older, simpler mechanical drive system like our most recent addition, the MUSE Artisan. The Graphtec Silhouette Cameo series, CE Lite-50 desktop cutter, the Vinyl EXPRESS R Series cutters, and the new MUSE vinyl cutters all use mechanical steppers. As with most things, there are variations in quality among stepper-driven cutters. Some are quieter and more precise than others. The micro-steppers used in the CE Lite-50 and MUSE M15 and M24, for instance, produce surprisingly precise graphics without the noise normally associated with stepper motors.

In cutters driven by digital servo motors, a digital encoder translates the software&#;s commands into ones and zeros. The result is smooth, precise movement of the drive motor and cutting head. This offers three advantages. The lack of mechanical gears makes these machines much quieter in operation. More importantly, the digitally directed movement allows the cutter to turn and pivot along much smaller paths with precision. Letters as small as 1/8&#;* (*Helvetica med. font) are cut just as precisely as larger characters. Trying to cut characters that small with a stepper-driven cutter results in rough edges that are generally not satisfactory to discerning customers. The other benefit of digital servo motors is superior tracking. Tracking is a cutter&#;s ability to maintain a straight path along the length of the vinyl. Digital servo driven cutters typically achieve up to ten times better tracking than stepping cutters So digital servo cutters are a better choice for graphics both very large and very small. 

Tracking

FIG 1. The Q Series and FC cutters are engineered for superior tracking

The drive motor isn&#;t the only element affecting tracking capabilities. The quality of the pinch roller assemblies, presence or absence of a floor stand, and features in the control panel all play a role. As noted above, tracking is critical for efficient production of medium and long graphics such as banners, pin-striping, and partial vehicle wraps. Inferior tracking leads to wasted time and wasted materials.

To choose the right cutter, it&#;s imperative that you know what size graphics you&#;re going to produce. If your business plan is based on scrap book and hobby sized decals, a simple entry-level cutter may suffice. If your plans include graphics less than ten feet long, a desktop or entry-level cutter like an R31, CE Lite-50 or MUSE M15 may be all you need. But if you intend to cut vehicle accent striping, partial wraps or anything else over 10 feet long, it would be wise to invest in a cutter with better media handling and tracking capabilities (Fig 1).

If you look at manufacturers&#; specification charts, you&#;ll see a value called &#;maximum cutting area&#;. Don&#;t confuse this with tracking. Here&#;s the difference between maximum cutting area and tracking, according to Graphtec product manager Neil Zdunkawicz. &#;Basically, the maximum cutting length means the cutter, whatever brand, will be able to move that length of media and it won&#;t skew or jam; however, the quoted accuracy and repeatability specs are not guaranteed if you do that. The longest distance that can be cut and still meet the specifications, whatever they are, is the shorter distance. Due to the wide variety of substrates, blades, and operating environments, manufacturer&#;s typically detail the conditions used to achieve the quoted specifications.&#; Please review the table below to assess the comparative tracking capabilities of the vinyl cutters we offer.

Other Features:

Considering drive motors and tracking may be all the information you need to make a good decision. But if you&#;ve determined that you need a plotter that will accurately cut small fonts and consistently track in excess of 15 feet, you may still need to narrow the field a bit. Now what? There are other features found on cutting plotters that can greatly impact your productivity. To help you select your best 21st century cutter, here are a few more important criteria to consider.

 

Fig 2: Tangential emulation enables cutting of intricate graphics in thick media like sandblast stencil

• Tangential emulation can be crucial for producing quality stencils for sandblasting monuments or HDU. In normal &#;drag and swivel&#; cutting modes, the blade follows the direction of the blade holder, swiveling and pivoting as it cuts. When cutting thicker materials, this can cause the blade to get bound in corners. This can damage the blade holder and produce incomplete cuts that are difficult to weed. Full tangential cutting lifts and rotates the blade at corners to prevent this, but slows production and causes an annoying problem called &#;vinyl ears&#;. Vinyl ears describes the corners of the vinyl beginning to lift as the graphic is cut. Tangential emulation intelligently orients blade direction &#; without the blade leaving the face of the media. So angled cuts are more precise, and intricate graphics in thick media are neat and easy to weed. This precision is achieved without any loss in speed or productivity. This advanced technology is available on the Q Series and Graphtec FC series cutting plotters (Fig 2). 
• Contour Cutting: As digital printers become more commonplace in the sign and graphics industry, the demand for cutters that can turn printed images into contour-cut decals continues to grow. This is increasingly important for garment decorators who sell printed T-shirt transfers made with printable heat transfer vinyl. The process requires advanced hardware that enables the plotter to optically detect printed registration marks (also known as crop marks) and align the origin of the cut job so that the blade&#;s path traces the contours of the printed image. The plotter should also be capable of accounting for skew so that the cut path aligns correctly over the printed contours even if the media is loaded in the cutter imperfectly. This feature is found on an increasing number of plotters ranging from the humble Silhouette Cameo to Pro Series products from Roland and Graphtec. Different manufacturers use different terms, but all of these technologies require the use of integrated and capable software. Make sure you get the complete package. Buying a cutter with ARMS but not getting the right software is like buying a high-powered sports car without a steering wheel. Click here to read more about the kind of software you'll need for print and cut graphics. Here&#;s a quick summary of vinyl cutters that include this feature. ARMS* is standard equipment on the all MUSE vinyl cutters, and all Vinyl Express cutters except for the R Series. So everything from the MUSE M15 to the Vinyl Express Q64 has built-in firmware for automatic contour cutting. This is not the manual crop mark function found on some low-end Asian imports that requires you to find each registration mark yourself. These are sophisticated automated systems that sync with LXi, Flexi, or Create Space software to find the marks and cut out the images in one smooth, automated workflow. All Graphtec cutters including the Silhouette Cameo scrap-book cutter, and the CE-40 desktop cutting plotter come with some level of contour-cutting. The CE and FC series cutters are equipped with Graphtec's ARMS 8.0 firmware. ARMS 8.0 reduces waste by enabling contour-cutting inside the crop marks. It also expands your creative options because the advanced sensors work on a wide range of media, including glossy and reflective surfaces. Roland Stika hobby cutters have a manual crop mark sensor and Roland&#;s Camm-1 and GR Series cutters now come with registration mark sensors. The CAMM-1 GS24 firmware only supports three crop marks with a maximum distance from front to back of 24". So, to ensure correct print and cut alignment, keep your image files small. Don't send a three-foot long batch of prints to be contour-cut. This cutter works best when contour-cutting small format images like T-shirt transfers. The GR Series cutters use a more reliable Quadralign system that reads four marks and enables longer print and cut jobs. *Advanced Registration Mark Sensor

Fig 3: Advanced Cutters like the Q series and Graphtec FC- machines can produce 'pop-out' decals

• Perf Cutting: The ability to both cut and perforate vinyl can win lucrative jobs for decal production. This is a two-step process requiring a cutter that can perform a traditional &#;kiss cut&#; (cutting only through the face film) followed by cutting all the way through the face film, adhesive and liner - all without damaging the platen (Fig 3). This 21st century function requires a specially engineered platen and tool holder. These features are found on the Vinyl EXPRESS Q Series, Graphtec FC900, and Roland GR cutters.
• Smart Blade Landing: Some vinyl cutters have built-in media sensors that detect the surface of the loaded film. They can also control the force with which the blade contacts the vinyl. This combination of precise controls can give your blade the precision of a hand held art knife. These abilities are known as Smart Blade Landing in the Q Series. The Graphtec CE cutting plotters and FC series call this feature &#;tool soft landing intelligence&#;. This level of mechanical finesse is indispensable when cutting sensitive materials like window tint film. Because it limits wasted vertical motion of the tool holder, it also speeds throughput and prolongs the service life of the plotter.
• Media Pre-Feed: The ability to automatically advance a user-determined amount of media can save lots of time and money. It can also prevent damage to your vinyl cutter's drive motors. This feature, known as auto pre-feed or &#;area&#;, is normally found in the control panels of intermediate and advanced vinyl cutters. The user can enter the amount of vinyl desired so that, before the cutter begins a job, it feeds forward the specified amount of vinyl. Then retracts it back toward the roll. This process not only enables users to make sure the media is loaded correctly, but also places subtle grooves in the face film. These become subtle tracks that guide the pinch rollers as the cut job is processed. This increases the cutter&#;s tracking capabilities. It also pulls slack from the roll of media so that the plotter isn&#;t working against the weight and inertia of the roll. Cutting from a roll with no slack can produce stress on the drive mechanism and cause errors that interrupt production and damage the machine. If your cutter doesn&#;t have a pre-feed function in the menu, you&#;ll have to remember to do this by hand before sending each cut job.

Auto pre-feed is found in the Vinyl Express Q Series, Graphtec CE, and FC cutters. It is known as the &#;area&#; function on Roland GS-24 and GR Series cutters.

Other features and considerations:

• Adjustable pinch rollers allow you to moderate the amount of pressure applied to media. Optimizing pressure enhances tracking on thicker materials like PVC sand blast stencil. Both the Q Series and FC, and Roland GR Series have adjustable pinch rollers.
• A media cut-off feature allows you to begin each job with a clean straight edge, reducing material waste. It also reduces the risk of damage to the platen caused by taking a blade to the front of your plotter. This nifty function is found in Vinyl EXPRESS Q Series, Graphtec FC, and Roland GR vinyl cutters.
• Warranty coverage. In a perfect world there would be no warranties needed. But ice cream is still fattening, we still have rainy days and Mondays, and vinyl cutters occasionally malfunction. That&#;s why all of our cutters come with warranty coverage ranging from six months to three years depending on the model. You can generally find the basic warranty listed at the bottom of a specifications chart.

Auto pre-feed is found in the Vinyl Express Q Series, Graphtec CE, and FC cutters. It is known as the &#;area&#; function on Roland GS-24 and GR Series cutters.

Help when you need it The final consideration when choosing a vinyl cutter isn&#;t a feature on the equipment, it&#;s a feature of the vendor from whom you purchase it. Like good tracking and precise cutting, it can be critical to the efficient operation of your fledgling sign and graphics business. Choose a supplier who is ready, willing, and able to provide the technical support you&#;ll need as you negotiate the learning curve. SignWarehouse provides outstanding support for our legions of customers. Because we understand that one size doesn&#;t fit all, we offer a variety of Support options, depending on customer preference. Most vinyl cutters offered by SIGNWarehouse come with complimentary Gold Support to help you get up and running. Contact Us for prompt, professional product support. And every SignWarehouse customer receives free lifetime support via access to the Product Support Blog and knowledge base, including video tutorials, drivers, and more. Choosing your first vinyl cutter is a critically important decision. Even choosing your second or third should be done with thoughtful consideration of your needs and goals. Look beyond speed, force, and price. Determine how intricate and how long your graphics will be. Think about whether you need to manage very thin or very thick media. Consider the possible need to contour-cut printed images or produce perforated decals. And of course, weigh the importance of tech support and get the amount you think you&#;ll need to keep it all running smoothly. The more you understand your immediate and future needs, the more prepared you will be to choose the best vinyl cutter to help you meet the challenges of 21st century sign making.

SIGNWarehouse.com

For more auto feeding DTF cutterinformation, please contact us. We will provide professional answers.