Should You Remove the Star Wheels When Converting an Epson XP-15000 for Sublimation Printing?

Question

I watched your video about the six-step Epson XP-15000 DTF conversion, including relocating the CSIC board, waterproofing the printhead, and removing the star wheels. Should the star wheels also be removed when converting the XP-15000 for sublimation printing?

Answer

Yes, removing the star wheels is generally recommended for sublimation printing as well, especially when using an Epson XP-15000 for ink-intensive printing. This applies to printing methods such as direct-to-film, or DTF, and sublimation when the artwork uses heavy ink coverage.

Star wheels, sometimes called pizza wheels or exit rollers, are the small toothed wheels located along the printer's paper-output path. Their purpose is to hold the paper down and help guide it as it exits the printer. In ordinary document or photo printing, the ink often dries quickly enough that these wheels do not cause a noticeable problem.

However, sublimation designs frequently contain large areas of solid color and require significantly more ink than ordinary documents. When the printed sublimation paper passes underneath the star wheels before the ink has dried, the teeth can touch the wet surface and leave marks across the design. These marks may appear as:

• Small dotted lines running through the print

• Repeating tracks across dark or heavily saturated areas

• Smearing or ink transfer from one area of the image to another

• Tiny white or dark impressions that become visible after heat pressing

• Ink buildup on the wheels that later transfers to another print

Removing the star wheels reduces the chance of these tracking marks appearing on ink-heavy sublimation prints. It is especially helpful when printing designs with dark backgrounds, large blocks of color, high saturation, or edge-to-edge artwork.

Star-wheel removal is not necessarily required for every sublimation setup. A printer producing lightly colored designs with relatively low ink coverage may operate without obvious wheel marks. Print quality is also affected by the sublimation paper, ink formulation, color profile, print-quality setting, room temperature, humidity, and drying time. Nevertheless, when converting an XP-15000 into a dedicated sublimation printer, removing the star wheels is usually a sensible preventative modification.

Keep in mind that the star wheels also help control the paper as it leaves the printer. After they are removed, very thin, curled, damp, or poorly loaded paper may lift or move differently through the output area. Use flat, compatible sublimation paper and load it correctly. Avoid stacking freshly printed sheets immediately because the wet printed surface may contact the back of the next sheet and cause smearing or ink transfer.

You should also allow each print sufficient drying time before handling or heat pressing it. Star-wheel removal prevents the wheels from touching wet ink, but it does not solve problems caused by excessive ink saturation, incompatible paper, incorrect color-management settings, or insufficient drying time. If a print remains extremely wet after exiting the printer, review the media setting, print-quality setting, ICC profile, and ink limits in your printing software.

When removing the star-wheel assembly, work carefully around the paper-output mechanism. Do not force plastic tabs, bend the paper guides, or allow loose parts to fall into the printer. After the modification, manually inspect the paper path and confirm that no disconnected component interferes with the carriage, encoder strip, output tray, or paper-feed system.

No specific printer error code was mentioned in this question. Star-wheel marks are normally a mechanical print-quality issue rather than an electronic fault, so the printer may not display an error message even when the wheels are damaging wet prints.

Addressing printer problems and conversion-related issues can be complicated because many of them require hands-on inspection and testing. For that reason, we are unable to provide individualized remote troubleshooting, repair instructions, or ongoing repair support. 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, the facility operates on a first-come, first-served basis, and it may take several weeks before an appointment or printer drop-off becomes available. Our services can cover either an entire printer or certain removable components, with instructions provided for the appropriate service process. However, we recognize that professional repair may not be the most economical option for every situation, so we strongly encourage customers to begin with independent research and self-help resources.

A good place to begin is YouTube, including the homepage of our BCH Technologies YouTube channel [https://youtube.com/@bchtechnologies]. To locate a particular subject, use the search icon located near the "About" section on the channel's menu bar and enter the printer model, conversion type, part name, or symptom. We receive dozens of questions each day asking whether we have a video about a specific issue. Because we have published videos for more than nine years, it is difficult to remember every video individually. Using YouTube's channel-search function is usually the fastest and most effective method. YouTube may also recommend useful videos from other creators that address the same problem.

Thank you again for watching our videos, supporting BCH Technologies, and taking the time to ask this question. We appreciate your participation and hope this information helps you prepare your Epson XP-15000 for cleaner, more consistent sublimation printing.