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Ensure a high quality cleaning and keep your print heads safe

Which print heads can be cleaned with ultrasonic devices?

Which cleaning solvent should be used in the ultra sonic cleaner?

Which temperature settings should be used during cleaning?

How long should you leave each print head in the ultrasonic device?

Why use pumps during ultra sonic cleaning?

Can the print heads be immersed in solvent during the cleaning process?

Can the solvent be re-used several times?

Ensure a high quality cleaning and keep your print heads safe

Cleaning inkjet print heads represents a challenge for most print shops. Our extensive experience in this field has convinced us that there is no standard method for safely cleaning Spectra, Xaar, Seiko or Hitachi print heads. Most print shops use ultrasonic devices that were developed for other industries. However, these devices can damage the print heads if used wrongly.

The following frequently asked questions should help you clean inkjet print heads without any risk of damaging them while prolonging their life span.

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Which print heads can be cleaned with ultrasonic devices?

All Spectra, Xaar, Konica, Hitachi solvent and UV print heads can be cleaned using ultrasonic devices with good results. Digiprint Cleansonic includes a series of adapters to fit each print head. Epson DX4 (solvent) and DX5 print heads can also be cleaned with ultrasonic devices, though with less success.

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Which cleaning solvent should be used in the ultra sonic cleaner?

We recommend using the cleaning fluid supplied by the printer manufacturer. The minimum and maximum solvent levels are clearly indicated on Digiprint Cleansonic.

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Which temperature settings should be used during cleaning?

We recommend setting the temperature to 26°C on the ultrasonic cleaning device. The temperature should never exceed 35°C. Maintaining the temperature during the cleaning process is key. During cleaning, some devices get warm and regardless of the original settings, expose the print heads to a much higher temperature, which can cause damage. Digiprint Cleansonic enables the operator to set the temperature at the exact level required and maintain the actual temperature, even during long operation.

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How long should you leave each print head in the ultrasonic device?

We recommend cleaning each print heads in the ultrasonic device for 5 minutes. Leaving a print head in the ultrasonic bath for too long can damage its coating. Digiprint Cleansonic allows the operator to set precisely the cleaning time and stops automatically at the end of the process.

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Why use pumps during ultra sonic cleaning?

Leaving a print head in an ultrasonic bath without pumping cleaning solvent through it, doesn’t ensure proper cleaning and unclogging. Digiprint Cleansonic features two different pumps that are both connected to the print head with the adapter. Both pumps can be used alternatively during the cleaning procedure to ensure the heads are cleaned and all the nozzles are unclogged.

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Can the print heads be immersed in solvent during the cleaning process?

The print heads should never be immersed fully in solvent as this might damage some electronic parts. Only the nozzle area should be immersed in solvent according to the marks indicated on Digiprint Cleansonic .

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Can the solvent be re-used several times?

The solvent in an ultrasonic cleaning device should be kept clean as it goes through the print head nozzles. With a standard ultrasonic device, it is difficult to maintain the solvent clean and it needs to be changed often. Digiprint Cleansonic features a filter that will clean the solvent automatically during the operation. Therefore, the solvent can be re-used several times without risk of damaging the print heads.

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This entry was posted on Tuesday, April 15th, 2008 at 23:10 and is filed under Print heads. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.