Why Your Epson ET-8550 Printhead May Have a Small Dent (DTF Conversion Q&A Guide)

Question:

I'm working on an ET-8550 DTF conversion, and I noticed that my printhead has a small dent. Why would this happen, and will it affect printing performance?

Answer:

Regarding your question: during an ET-8550 DTF conversion-particularly when performing the trick shown in the "Upgrade Printhead with Nipples for Improved White Ink Flow" tutorial-you might discover a small dent on the metal plate of your printhead. This can be concerning at first, but here's what's actually happening.

The metal surface of Epson printheads is extremely soft. Even light pressure can deform it. In fact, it's common to accidentally create dents simply by setting the printhead down on a hard surface without padding or by brushing it against a tool. Many technicians, including myself, have dented printheads just by placing them on a tabletop during maintenance.

The important thing to understand is this:
a small dent almost never affects print quality.
This is because the working nozzles sit in very tiny, precise channels beneath the surface. The dented area would need to align exactly with a nozzle opening-and be deep enough-to cause performance issues such as missing lines or banding. The probability of accidentally striking a nozzle zone is extremely low.

If print quality is still normal and no new lines or gaps appear in your test patterns, the dent is purely cosmetic and does not require repair. However, to help avoid future damage:

• Always place a soft, clean cloth or foam pad under the printhead during removal or modification.

• Avoid touching the plate with tools or screws while installing nipples or adapters.

• Store the printhead facing upward when it's not mounted.

No specific error codes (such as 0x9A, 0xF3, or 0xEA) are associated with dents. Those codes are more related to mechanical obstructions, carriage movement issues, or sensor faults-not cosmetic surface damage.

Addressing printer issues can be hands-on and complex, and because of that, we're unable to offer direct remote troubleshooting or repair guidance. We do offer in-person diagnostics through our local repair facility, which you can find here: printer repair service (https://bchtechnologies.com/printer-repair-service). Due to heavy demand, repairs are done on a first-come, first-served basis and may take a few weeks after drop-off. We handle full-printer repairs as well as specific component work, with clear instructions on how to proceed. Our rates may not be the lowest, so we strongly encourage self-help options first. A great place to start is YouTube-either general searches or our channel's homepage (https://youtube.com/@bchtechnologies). Use the search icon next to "About" to find videos on specific topics. With nine years of uploaded content, even I can't remember every video, so YouTube's search tool is often the fastest way to locate the exact tutorial you need.

Thank you again for your support and for engaging with our educational content. We truly appreciate your involvement and look forward to helping you continue your DTF journey.