Epson ET-3830 Pizza Wheel Dots on Sublimation Prints: Causes, Cleaning Methods, and Possible Fixes

Question

I keep getting tiny pizza wheel dots on sublimation prints made with my Epson ET-3830. The problem started after a sheet of sublimation paper was pulled backward into the printer, almost as though the printer were trying to duplex the page, even though I have never intentionally used duplex printing.

Since then, I have been seeing random dots in different areas of my prints. The dots are so small that I usually cannot see them on the sublimation paper. However, after I heat-press the design onto a tumbler, the marks become much more visible. They are especially noticeable in white or light-colored areas.

I have already tried two cleaning products. I also attached ribbon to a card, applied Windex, and moved it back and forth under the wheels to clean them manually. Some ink came off, but after printing and pressing another tumbler, I found both new marks and some of the old ones. In fact, the problem now seems worse than before.

I cannot find a setting for bidirectional printing on the Epson ET-3830, and I also cannot find an ink-coverage screen like the one shown in your video, Printer Secrets You Never Knew [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-mHXXV2tP1o&lc=UgzvFYNxgujN3gxPfR54AaABAg].

What may be causing these dots, and what else can I do to stop them?

Answer

Based on your description, the marks are very likely being caused by contact between the freshly printed surface and the printer's exit rollers, star wheels, paper guides, or another contaminated part of the paper path. These marks are commonly called pizza wheel marks because the small toothed rollers can leave repeating dots that resemble the pattern made by a pizza-cutting wheel.

The fact that the problem began immediately after a sheet was pulled backward into the printer is especially significant. That event may have transferred wet sublimation ink onto parts of the paper path that normally remain relatively clean. It may also have bent, shifted, or contaminated one or more star wheels, guide rollers, paper-eject rollers, sensor flags, or duplex-path components.

Why the Dots Become More Visible After Heat Pressing

Sublimation ink can behave differently from standard document ink. A tiny amount of ink deposited onto an area that appears almost invisible on the printed sheet can become much darker and more noticeable after heating.

During pressing, the sublimation dye turns into gas and transfers into the polyester coating on the tumbler. Even a very small dot can spread slightly or become more saturated as it transfers. This is why the marks may be difficult to see on paper but very obvious after pressing.

White areas make the problem especially noticeable because there is no printed background color to hide the transferred contamination.

The Paper May Have Contaminated the Exit Star Wheels

The most likely cause is dried or semi-dried sublimation ink on the small star wheels near the paper exit.

These wheels are designed to touch the page lightly while minimizing smearing. However, sublimation printing often uses heavy ink coverage and slower-drying paper. If the ink remains wet when it reaches the exit rollers, even light contact can transfer ink onto the wheel. The contaminated wheel can then deposit that ink onto later pages.

The sheet that was pulled backward may have made the problem much worse. If the printed side traveled backward through the paper path, it may have rubbed directly against rollers and guides that do not normally contact the wet printed surface.

Once several wheels become contaminated, the dots may appear in different places depending on the paper position, print width, paper skew, and which rollers contact the page.

Why the Marks May Appear Random

Pizza wheel marks do not always form a perfectly straight or evenly spaced line.

They may appear random because:

• Different wheels contact different parts of the page.

• The paper may move slightly from side to side.

• Only certain teeth on a wheel may be contaminated.

• The wheel may rotate intermittently rather than continuously.

• Ink buildup may transfer for one print and not the next.

• The page may curl upward and touch components unevenly.

• Heavy ink areas may remain wet longer than lighter areas.

• A contaminated guide may leave a smear or dot only when the paper flexes.

Therefore, random-looking dots can still originate from the exit wheel system.

Cleaning May Have Redistributed the Ink

Your ribbon-and-card method may have removed some contamination, but it may also have spread softened ink onto neighboring wheels or surrounding plastic surfaces.

Windex and similar cleaners can loosen dried ink, but if the dissolved ink is not fully removed, it can migrate to another part of the mechanism. A damp cleaning strip can also push contamination deeper into the wheel assembly or transfer it from one wheel to another.

This could explain why you now see more dots than before. Some wheels may be cleaner, while other areas may have picked up diluted ink residue.

It is also possible that cleaner remained on the rollers. When another sheet passed through, the moisture may have reactivated dried sublimation ink and transferred it back onto the page.

Avoid Excessive Liquid Inside the Printer

Be cautious when using Windex, alcohol, or commercial cleaning solutions inside the paper path.

Too much liquid can:

• Damage roller coatings

• Leave residue

• Swell or harden rubber components

• Affect optical sensors

• Carry ink deeper into the printer

• Loosen adhesive

• Damage electronic parts

• Cause corrosion over time

A nearly dry lint-free cleaning material is generally safer than a saturated strip.

Do not spray liquid directly into the printer. Apply a small amount to the cleaning material outside the machine, and remove as much excess liquid as possible before using it.

Inspect More Than the Visible Pizza Wheels

The visible star wheels may not be the only contaminated components.

A page that traveled backward may have touched:

• Upper paper guides

• Lower paper guides

• Eject rollers

• Pinch rollers

• Duplex-path rollers

• Plastic ribs

• Sensor flags

• Paper-output guides

• The underside of the printhead carriage

• The paper support surface or platen

A tiny drop of ink on a plastic rib can repeatedly touch the paper as the page bows upward. This can create marks that look similar to pizza wheel dots even though the star wheels are not the direct cause.

Use a flashlight and inspect the entire accessible paper path. Look for blue, cyan, magenta, black, or other colored residue on plastic parts and rollers.

Check Whether the Paper Is Curling Upward

Sublimation paper can curl when it receives a large amount of ink. If the printed surface bows upward, it may contact the pizza wheels or internal guides more strongly than normal.

Curling becomes more likely when:

• The room is humid

• The paper has absorbed moisture

• Ink coverage is heavy

• The paper is thin

• Borderless printing is used

• The print begins near the leading edge

• The paper has been stored uncovered

• The paper is loaded with the incorrect side facing up

Try using fresh, dry sublimation paper stored in a sealed bag or container. Load only a small number of sheets during testing.

Also confirm that you are printing on the coated side recommended by the paper manufacturer.

Reduce Ink Density During Testing

Heavy ink coverage increases drying time and makes roller marking more likely.

For testing purposes, use a design with moderate ink coverage and avoid a large solid background. If the dots disappear on lighter prints but return on heavily saturated designs, wet ink contact is probably a major part of the problem.

You may also be able to reduce color density through the printer driver, application, ICC profile, or color-management software. However, changing ink density can alter the final sublimation colors, so make small adjustments and create test prints before changing production settings.

Use the Correct Paper Type Setting

The selected paper type affects ink volume, print speed, platen behavior, and drying time.

Many sublimation users choose a matte presentation paper setting or another coated-paper option because it provides better ink output. However, some settings lay down a large amount of ink, which can increase the chance of wheel marks.

Test different compatible paper settings and compare the results. A setting that applies slightly less ink may reduce the problem.

Do not change multiple settings at once. Otherwise, it will be difficult to determine which adjustment made the difference.

Increase Drying Time Where Possible

Some Epson drivers include settings related to ink drying time, paper-thickness adjustment, or print-head movement. The exact options vary by operating system, driver version, and printer model.

Look for settings such as:

• Ink Drying Time

• Drying Time per Print Head Pass

• Thick Paper

• Prevent Paper Abrasion

• Paper Thickness

• Quiet Mode

• High-Speed Printing

• Bidirectional Printing

Not every Epson ET-3830 driver displays all of these options.

If an ink-drying option is available, increasing the delay may allow the ink to dry slightly more before the page reaches the exit wheels. This slows production but may reduce marking.

Bidirectional Printing on the Epson ET-3830

The bidirectional option may not be labeled "Bidirectional Printing." Epson often refers to it as "High Speed."

When High Speed is enabled, the printhead prints while traveling in both directions. When it is disabled, the printer generally prints in one direction only.

Depending on your operating system, you may find the setting under:

• Printer Preferences

• More Options

• Advanced Settings

• Print Quality

• Quality Options

• High Speed

If you see a High Speed checkbox, try clearing it and perform another test.

Disabling high-speed or bidirectional printing may improve print alignment and sometimes reduce vibration or paper movement. However, it usually does not directly solve contaminated pizza wheels. It should be treated as a test rather than the primary repair.

Some mobile applications, simplified drivers, and operating-system-provided drivers hide advanced settings. Installing the full Epson printer driver may provide access to additional controls.

Why You May Not See an Ink-Coverage Page

The ink-coverage display shown in a video may come from a specific RIP program, printer driver, firmware version, maintenance utility, or different printer model.

The Epson ET-3830 standard driver may not include a screen that calculates or displays ink coverage. In many cases, the printer does not provide a percentage showing how much of the page is covered with ink.

You can still estimate whether a design is likely to cause trouble by looking for:

• Large solid-color backgrounds

• Full-bleed designs

• Dark photographs

• Heavy black or navy areas

• Multiple overlapping color layers

• Designs printed at maximum quality

• Color settings that increase saturation

A small test image with light coverage can help determine whether the problem is related to drying time and saturation.

Print a Roller-Pattern Test

You can create a diagnostic sheet to determine whether the dots follow a roller pattern.

Print a page containing a light gray or pale solid background across the entire printable area. Allow the page to exit without touching the printed surface.

Inspect it under strong angled lighting or with a magnifying glass. Mark each visible dot with a pencil on the back of the sheet.

Then print the same page again and compare the locations.

If the dots appear at the same horizontal positions across multiple sheets, one or more specific rollers are probably contaminated. If the dots move substantially, paper curl, loose debris, or widespread contamination may be involved.

You can also measure the distance between repeating dots. A consistent repeating interval often indicates a rotating wheel or roller.

Use Plain Paper as a Cleaning Test

After carefully cleaning the accessible paper path and allowing everything to dry, feed several blank sheets of plain paper through the printer.

Do not use valuable sublimation paper for this step.

You may run a blank copy, print a nearly empty document, or use another safe method that moves paper through the path. Inspect the plain paper after each pass.

If colored marks appear, the paper path is still contaminated. Continue only with cautious cleaning and inspection.

Plain paper may also absorb small amounts of remaining moisture or loose ink, but it should not be used as a substitute for repairing a damaged or heavily contaminated assembly.

Check the Duplex Path

Because the original sheet appeared to be pulled backward, inspect the duplex path as much as the printer's design allows.

Even if duplex printing was not intentionally selected, the printer may have reversed the page because of:

• An accidental duplex setting

• A driver default

• A print preset

• An application-specific setting

• A paper-size mismatch

• A feed error

• A paper sensor timing problem

• A partially completed print job

A printed page moving backward can deposit ink onto duplex rollers or guides. Those parts may later contact another page even during single-sided printing, depending on the printer's paper path.

Make sure duplex printing is disabled in both the application and the printer driver. Also check whether a saved printing preset automatically enables two-sided printing.

Check for Paper Scraps and Debris

The original paper-reversal event may have left a torn fragment, coating residue, or debris inside the machine.

Even a very small paper scrap can lift the page into contact with the wheels. It can also hold a sensor flag in the wrong position or redirect the sheet slightly.

Turn off and unplug the printer before inspecting accessible areas. Use a flashlight and check for:

• Torn paper

• Adhesive

• Paper coating

• Loose fibers

• Dried ink flakes

• Labels

• Foreign objects

Do not force the printhead carriage or reach into areas that are not safely accessible.

Examine the Star Wheels for Damage

A wheel may have been bent or shifted when the paper was pulled backward.

Check whether all visible wheels:

• Sit at the same height

• Rotate freely

• Remain aligned with neighboring wheels

• Have intact teeth

• Do not wobble

• Are not touching the paper with excessive pressure

A bent star wheel may contact the paper much more firmly than the others. Cleaning will not correct that mechanical problem.

If a wheel is damaged, misaligned, or loose, the eject roller or star-wheel assembly may need repair or replacement.

Consider the Printhead or Carriage Underside

Although pizza wheel contamination is the most likely explanation, dots can also come from ink buildup underneath the printhead carriage.

If the paper curls upward, it may touch dried ink on the carriage underside or nozzle plate area. This often produces smears, drag marks, or irregular dots.

The paper may also rub against the printhead if:

• The paper is curled

• The platen gap is too narrow

• Too much paper is loaded

• The paper setting is incorrect

• The paper is unusually thick

• Ink has soaked the sheet and caused it to buckle

Look for horizontal scuff marks, streaks, or marks that do not follow the regular spacing of pizza wheels.

Avoid touching or wiping the nozzle plate directly. Improper cleaning can damage the printhead.

The Marks May Come From the Pressing Process

Because the dots become most visible after pressing, it is also worth ruling out contamination from the heat press, protective paper, tape, gloves, or tumbler surface.

Perform a controlled test using:

• A freshly cleaned tumbler

• New protective butcher paper

• Clean heat-resistant tape

• Clean gloves

• A clean press surface

• A newly printed design

• No reused protective paper

Reusing butcher paper can transfer sublimated dye from a previous project onto the next tumbler. Tiny transferred spots can look similar to printer-generated dots.

Compare an unpressed print under magnification with the finished tumbler. If the dots are not present in the same locations on the paper, the contamination may be occurring during pressing rather than printing.

A Practical Testing Sequence

Begin by turning off duplex printing in the application and printer driver. If a High Speed option is available, disable it temporarily.

Use fresh, dry sublimation paper and load only a few sheets. Confirm the paper guides are correctly adjusted.

Choose a design with moderate ink coverage and avoid borderless printing during testing.

Inspect and gently clean the accessible star wheels, eject rollers, plastic guides, and duplex-path surfaces using a nearly dry lint-free material.

Allow the printer to dry fully. Then feed several sheets of plain paper and check for transferred color.

Print a pale diagnostic page and compare the position of the dots across several sheets.

If the marks remain in consistent positions, identify which wheel or guide corresponds to each position.

If the wheels appear damaged, bent, or heavily contaminated beyond what can be safely cleaned, the eject or star-wheel assembly may require disassembly or replacement.

Finally, use fresh protective paper and a clean tumbler to eliminate the heat press as a secondary source of contamination.

Why Repeated Cleaning May Not Solve It

Repeated cleaning will not permanently fix the issue if the printer continues depositing wet ink onto the wheels.

You must address both sides of the problem:

• Remove the existing contamination.

• Reduce the conditions that allow new ink to transfer.

That may require a combination of cleaning, reducing ink density, using drier paper, changing the paper setting, disabling borderless printing, allowing more drying time, correcting paper curl, and repairing a bent wheel or guide.

If only the wheels are cleaned but the paper continues to exit while heavily saturated and curled, the contamination may quickly return.

Addressing printer issues can be complicated because many failures require hands-on inspection, controlled testing, partial disassembly, and direct observation of the paper path. For that reason, we are unable to provide individualized remote troubleshooting, repair suggestions, or continuing technical support for printer repairs.

We do offer in-person evaluation and repair through our local printer diagnostic and repair facility [https://bchtechnologies.com/printer-repair-service]. Due to high demand, we operate on a first-come, first-served basis, and it may take several weeks before a printer can be accepted for drop-off. Our services can cover either a complete printer or certain individual parts, and the service page provides instructions on how to proceed. However, we recognize that our repair rates may not be the most economical option for every situation.

For that reason, we strongly recommend using online self-help resources whenever practical. You can begin by searching YouTube or visiting the BCH Technologies YouTube homepage [https://youtube.com/@bchtechnologies]. Use the search icon near the "About" section on the right side of the channel menu to search for your printer model and terms such as "pizza wheel marks," "star wheel cleaning," "sublimation dots," "paper path cleaning," or "Epson ET-3830 rollers."

We receive dozens of questions each day asking whether we have a video covering a particular subject. Since we have created videos for more than nine years, it is difficult to remember every individual video. Using YouTube's search function is usually the fastest and most efficient way to find relevant material. YouTube may also recommend helpful videos from other channels that address the same issue.

Thank you again for contacting BCH Technologies and for describing the problem in such detail. Your observations about when the issue started, what you have already cleaned, and when the dots become visible are extremely helpful. We sincerely appreciate your support of our channel and hope this information helps you narrow down the source of the marks.