You want a dye-sublimation printer that performs every day and stays reliable. The good news: by performing a few basic preventative maintenance routines on your wide-format dye-sub printers, you can both prolong the life of your investment and keep its day-to-day quality consistent.

Most owners and operators can handle this routine housekeeping themselves. These are simple things to do — and they'll save you serious money on expensive break-fix repairs over the long run. (When you buy a dye-sub printer, always ask your vendor what preventative maintenance training resources they offer.)

Keep It Clean and Covered

Keep your dye-sub printer in a clean area, free from lint, dust, and dirt. Cover it when not in use, and gently vacuum the inside of the print cabinet area as often as needed. Dust and lint are quiet enemies of a healthy printhead.

Exercise the Printer Daily

Exercise your inkjet printer every day — even a simple nozzle check keeps it in shape. It is far cheaper to print a basic color chart, test pattern, or nozzle pattern than to fix a clogged head. A few seconds of ink is nothing next to a service call.

Control Your Humidity

Dye-sublimation inkjet printers operate best in 35–45% humidity, which is why they're usually located in their own clean, humidified room to maintain consistent conditions. Along with a room humidifier, you can place a humidor sponge inside your printer at rest.

Inspect the Ink Delivery System

Periodic cleaning and inspection of the overall ink delivery system is a must. Check these components frequently — they're what keep your printer in top operating condition. (We'll cover cleaning the wipers, capping station, and flushing system in more detail in future tips.)

Training Is Part of the Purchase

Training is one of the most important aspects of buying a wide-format dye-sublimation printer — from the vendor, and from your local reseller or systems integrator. They should help with proper installation and provide training resources that make you self-sufficient in day-to-day operation.

A lot of their technical resources should be available to you. If you need help with preventative maintenance, they should show you and your operators how to perform the basic procedures at installation and during operational training.

Ultimately, it's your responsibility as the owner of any digital printing or finishing equipment to learn how to best operate and maintain it. If you don't know how to run and maintain your equipment, you're setting yourself up for a tough time keeping it operational.

Use the Resources Available to You

Dye-sub printer manufacturers publish detailed instructions and procedures for both preventative maintenance and technical repair. Beyond that, there are now plenty of good YouTube videos, blogs, and public forums on maintaining digital printing equipment. Many simple components — a printhead wiper blade, for example — are available on the open market and are simple to replace on most modern wide-format dye-sub printers.

The bottom line: by keeping your dye-sub printer properly maintained and learning how to protect that investment, you can gain many years of good use, produce high-quality output, and dramatically reduce your exposure to costly repairs.

Need a Hand?

If you'd like help setting up a maintenance routine — or with anything color or workflow related on your wide-format equipment — reach out.
billo@aldertech.com — 720-933-4413