While we’re still in the right frame of mind to make changes and improvements, here’s a suggestion: Why not resolve to take better care of your large format inkjet printer? Just as proper auto maintenance can add years of service and enhance resale value to your car, taking good care of your wide format inkjet printer can prolong its service life and add to its eventual resale value. I know that this pays off in the automotive realm. When I sold my 2001 Oldsmobile Aurora that I drove and enjoyed for over five years, It had over 160,000 miles on it. But, because it had been well maintained and regularly serviced, I sold it for about 43% more than the suggested resale value for our area.
You can do the same for your Mutoh ValueJet or PrismJET VJ printer. The Mutoh Eco Ultra inks used in these printers strike a good balance between being aggressive enough to produce long term outdoor signage and being mild enough to reduce the headaches traditional full solvent printers can bring. But any printer will clog and become troublesome or useless if neglected or improperly maintained. So what should you do to make sure your printer stays in good working condition? Follow these simple regular procedures:
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Daily: If you’re not using the printer, at least print a nozzle check or test pattern. This will give you an instant read on the state of the nozzles and keep everything flowing nicely.
- For a nozzle check, just hold down the nozzle check button on the printer menu for two seconds.
- To access the other test print options, press Menu. Then press the down arrow to access the Test Print menu and select one of five. “Test5” is the “Color Inkjet Palette” which is the best option for getting a good read on all the heads. If you print nothing else that day, the palette will keep things flowing nicely. You can also keep one on hand to use as a color swatch guide for picky customers.
- Twice Weekly: Use the maintenance swab to clean the wiper in the maintenance station and clean around the cap. This prevents excess ink from building up on the print head.
- Weekly: Clean the front of the print head, behind the print head, and the gap between the head and the Guide ramps.
- Twice monthly: Replace the Flushing Box insert.
There are several articles available on our free Tech Support Blog that provide more helpful tips and instructions about care and maintaining your printer. To make sure you have what you need to maintain your Mutoh machine, we offer a complete PrismJET VJ64 Maintenance Cleaning Kit assembled by our tech support department. If you follow these simple steps, you’ll help insure that your Mutoh ValueJet or PrismJET VJ printer will have a long and productive life churning out signs, banners, and profits.
