How to Fix Cyan Fading and Alignment Issues on an Epson XP-15000 DTF Printer

Question:
I have an Epson XP-15000 that I converted for DTF printing. After not using it for about a month, my print quality has declined even though I haven't changed any settings. The cyan color looks faded on the right side of the film, and when I run the Epson alignment function, I notice a lot of stripes in the square test boxes. The nozzle check looks perfect. I've already done a printhead cleaning using your adapter for the XP-15000, switched to unidirectional printing in Acrorip, and cleaned both the encoder strip and the transparent encoder disc on the right side of the printer. These steps helped a little but didn't completely fix the issue. Could this be related to the sensor located underneath the printhead?

Answer:

1. Understanding the Cyan Fading Issue

The fading of the cyan color on one side of the film-especially if the nozzle check is perfect-suggests that this isn't a clog or ink delivery issue. Instead, it's more likely related to printhead alignment, platen height, or mechanical calibration.

Since you already switched from bidirectional to unidirectional printing and saw improvement, you're on the right track. In DTF printing, even small mechanical misalignments can lead to color shifts or banding, particularly with denser colors like cyan. This happens because the ink is deposited unevenly when the printhead travel speed or timing isn't perfectly calibrated for film media.

Tip: If your prints are slightly off only on one side, try adjusting the "paper feed calibration" or "bi-directional alignment" in the Epson driver menu. Even with DTF RIP software (like Acrorip), the printer's internal alignment data still affects output precision.

2. About the Bottom Sensor

You mentioned the sensor at the bottom of the printhead-this sensor is actually a page width detector, not a color alignment or calibration sensor. Its purpose is to detect the edge of the film or paper and ensure that the printer knows where to start and stop printing.

If your printer were failing to print across the full film width (for example, only printing on part of an A3 sheet while ignoring the rest), then that sensor could be the culprit. However, in your case, since the print covers the full width and only the color density varies, the bottom sensor isn't related to the problem.

3. Possible Mechanical Causes

Here are a few other things to check that could cause fading or uneven density even with a perfect nozzle check:

• Platen Height or Uneven Surface:
  If the DTF film is not laying completely flat, the printhead distance from the surface will vary during printing. Even a small tilt in the platen can lead to reduced ink density on one side of the film. Try verifying that the print bed or film feeding area is perfectly level.

• Encoder Strip or Disc Contamination:
  You mentioned cleaning these already-which is excellent. A dirty encoder strip can cause positional errors during head movement, leading to overlapping or misaligned passes. Ensure that both the strip and disc are spotless and dry (no residual cleaning solution, as it can scatter the light from the optical sensor).

• RIP Software Settings:
  Check your Acrorip channel balance and ensure that the color order and head mapping match your printer's configuration. Sometimes, after firmware updates or long idle periods, these mappings can reset or shift slightly, affecting how each color channel fires.

• Environmental Factors:
  Temperature and humidity changes can affect DTF ink behavior. If your printer was idle for a month, the ink in the lines may have thickened slightly, especially with pigment or film transfer inks. Even if the nozzle check looks fine, ink viscosity differences can affect output during long passes. Try purging a small amount of cyan ink from the damper or performing one power clean to refresh the flow.

4. Print Alignment and Testing

When running the Epson alignment test, the extra stripes you see in the box patterns typically indicate bi-directional timing misalignment, not printhead failure. In your alignment sheet, if you can identify the square (such as #2 or #3) where the pattern looks most solid and aligned, that's your correct setting. Once you confirm it, rerun a short DTF color test print to verify consistency.

If your alignment pattern improves but the fading persists, that suggests a film feeding calibration issue. Try adjusting the paper feed using Epson's built-in "Paper Feed Adjustment" option under Maintenance > Print Head Alignment. You can fine-tune how the film advances between passes, which helps even out density issues.

5. Final Recommendations

From your description and photos, your alignment seems quite close to perfect already, and the cyan fading isn't severe. The problem may simply be a minor calibration imbalance caused by inactivity or platen level variation. Since the varnish sensor doesn't apply here and you've already covered the essential cleaning steps, I'd suggest focusing on:

• Ensuring a perfectly flat film feed.

• Running the alignment once more using unidirectional mode.

• Testing with a small section of film to monitor changes in density across the print.

Addressing printer issues can be a complicated affair due to the hands-on nature of the problems. Therefore, we're unable to offer remote troubleshooting or repairs. However, we do provide an in-person evaluation and repair service at our local diagnostic facility (https://bchtechnologies.com/printer-repair-service). Due to high demand, our services operate on a first-come, first-served basis, and it may take a few weeks before we can accept a drop-off. We can handle both complete printer repairs and part-specific diagnostics with clear follow-up instructions.

That said, for DTF users who prefer self-repair, we recommend exploring our BCH Technologies YouTube channel (https://youtube.com/@bchtechnologies). Use the search icon next to "About" on the right-hand side of the menu bar to look for topics like "DTF alignment," "XP-15000 banding," or "printhead maintenance." After nearly a decade of producing tutorials, this is the fastest way to find relevant step-by-step guidance-and YouTube's recommendations may even point you to additional resources.

Thank you again for your thoughtful question and continued support of BCH Technologies. We truly appreciate your dedication to quality printing and are always glad to help you maintain the best results possible with your Epson XP-15000 DTF printer.