How to Prevent Clogs and Improve White Underbase Vibrancy in DTF Printing

Customer Question:

I’ve been experiencing issues with clogs in my printhead, and I’m also noticing that the white underbase in my DTF prints isn’t as vibrant as I’d like. Will the products I’ve purchased from BCH Technologies help with both of these problems?

Answer:

Tackling Printhead Clogs

Clogs in printheads are a common and persistent problem for DTF printers, especially when regular maintenance is neglected or when subpar consumables are used. Unfortunately, there isn’t a single “magic” product that will eliminate clogs, but there are several practices and products that can significantly reduce the likelihood:

• Cleaning Solution Maintenance: We recommend using a high-quality printhead cleaning solution on a regular basis. This can be done through manual flushes or by saturating a cleaning swab and wiping the nozzle plate carefully.

• Proper Parking Positioning: Ensure your printhead parks correctly on a well-moistened capping station. If the cap top dries out or warps, it won’t seal the printhead correctly, which can lead to dried ink and clogs.

• Humidity Control: Maintain a printing environment with humidity levels between 40% and 60%. Low humidity contributes to faster ink drying in the nozzle area, thereby increasing the risk of clogs.

• Flushing Schedule: If the printer remains idle for 24-48 hours, consider running a nozzle check or a small test print to keep the ink flowing.

At BCH, we offer specialized cleaning kits and solutions that are formulated for DTF ink systems. These help dissolve dried ink and flush out particulates without damaging the delicate nozzle plates.

Enhancing White Underbase Vibrancy

For vibrant white under base performance, both hardware setup and software configuration play crucial roles:

• White Ink Quality: Ensure you're using high-opacity, DTF-specific white ink. We offer white inks renowned for their density and flow stability. Inferior ink often results in washed-out or uneven underlayers.

• RIP Software Settings: The RIP software should be configured to lay down a solid white base before any color printing begins. Key settings to adjust include:

  • Ink Limit (make sure the software lays down enough white ink)

  • Underbase Choke (adjust how much white ink overlaps under colors)

  • Dot Gain and Resolution (improves smoothness and coverage)

• Shake and Stir: DTF white ink contains heavy titanium dioxide pigments, which tend to settle to the bottom. Always shake your white ink bottle before filling and agitate the printer’s white ink tank (if possible) before starting a print job.

Also, check for filter obstructions or pre-dampers that might restrict ink flow, which can reduce the actual ink volume delivered to the film.

Addressing printer issues can be a complicated affair due to the hands-on nature of the problems. Therefore, we're unable to provide remote troubleshooting, suggestions, or support for printer repairs. We offer an in-person evaluation and repair service via our local diagnostic facility (https://bchtechnologies.com/printer-repair-service). Given the high demand, we operate on a first-come, first-served basis. So, it might take a few weeks before we can get your printer to drop it off. Our services are structured to repair either a whole printer or specific parts, with clear instructions on how to proceed. However, we acknowledge that our rates aren't the most economical. Thus, we highly recommend that you resort to self-help via online research. You can start by checking out YouTube or visiting our YouTube channel's homepage (https://youtube.com/@bchtechnologies). Look for specific videos using the search icon next to "About" on the right-hand side of the menu bar. I receive dozens of queries every day asking about videos for specific topics. Having created videos over the past nine years, it's challenging to remember every single one. Therefore, using YouTube's search function would be most efficient. Plus, YouTube might suggest relevant videos from other channels that could assist you.

Thanks again for taking the time to reach out to us! Your dedication to improving your DTF output helps push us to create better products and more valuable content. Keep printing, and let us know how we can support you further.