As part of our commitment to your success, we want to make sure that you are getting optimal performance out of your RICOH Ri 2000. In this article, we're offering some great tips and knowledge to guarantee the best possible experience with DTG
1. Always leave your printer on to allow automated maintenance procedures to run. While shutting down the machine after a long day of printing may seem harmless, DTG experts understand that doing so without the proper preparation is dangerous.
The printer doesn't just sit idle when not in use, it actually follows a strict and optimized schedule of self-cleaning to stay in peak condition and ready for use at a moment's notice. Of course, the machine can be shut off when the need arises, but the proper steps must be taken- especially for moving or long-term storage.
When powering down the machine for more than 12 hours, the lines will need to be filled with cleaner fluid and the printhead must be protected by the carriage cap with cleaning solution applied. Refer to Section 8.3 of your User Manual or contact Technical Support for more information.
2. Always shake new white ink cartridges for about a minute before installing them in your printer. Ink works best when it's circulating and mixed evenly; this is especially important for white ink since a smooth and bright underbase makes the colors stand out.
Shaking the white cartridges daily is a great practice with multiple benefits- not only does it improve the quality of the prints, but it also extends the lifetime of open cartridges and reduces ink build-up. Refer to the User Manual, page 18, for more information.
3. Make sure your white ink is at 5% or above when you are done printing for the day or plan to leave your printer idle for longer than a few hours.
The Ri 2000 needs to conduct automated maintenance procedures on the white printhead every three hours, which is necessary to keep the nozzles clean and functional.
During the maintenance cycle, the printer pushes out dried ink that has been sitting on the surface of the printhead and puts fresh ink in its place, the leftover residue is then wiped off. While this reduces user maintenance requirements and increases part life, it will no longer operate when running out of ink.
Your printer will prompt you when a cartridge becomes low on ink, this is a reminder to make sure you have replacement ink available to continue operation.
If you do not have replacement ink available, you can fill your printer with cleaning fluid. Refer to Section 8.3 of your User Manual.
4. Perform a nozzle check daily so you can spot and quickly address potential issues with the printer. Nozzle checks are quick, easy, and will save you a lot of trouble in the long run.
If your nozzle check isn't perfect, there's no need to panic. Just run an automated head clean or two to see if you are able to clear them. It's a lot easier to recover nozzles if you catch them early.
Making sure that you aren't missing nozzles before starting each set of prints will guarantee the best output and prevent wasting materials and time troubleshooting.
5. Perform maintenance as instructed by the printer prompts and maintenance guide. While your needs will vary depending on your print volume, environment, and preventative habits, there are three general categories of maintenance: daily, weekly, and monthly.
Your daily maintenance is simple and takes less than five minutes-- shake your white cartridges, run a nozzle check (and cleans, if needed), and make sure the machine is in its 'Ready' state. Check the status menu for any messages: make sure the cartridges are above 5%, the waste ink is below 100%, and you're all set.
Weekly maintenance is done once or twice a week depending on your print volume and is a little more involved, taking around 10 minutes. Just release the printhead(s), power off the machine, and thoroughly clean off the maintenance station(s) and encoder strip(s). Finally, power on and run jig maintenance. We recommend at least twice a week for the white ink side, and once a week for the color ink side.
Monthly maintenance also takes around 10 minutes and involves regreasing the rods holding the printheads. Simply release both printheads and shut down the printer, then wipe any excess grease off the rods and apply a new thin coat. Make sure its distributed evenly and then clean off the encoder strips which may have picked up some residue. While here, check the fan filters to see if they are in need of a replacement.
Failure to perform maintenance will reduce the effectiveness of autocleaning procedures which will in turn lead to printer damage, so the time investment is well worth it.
6. Visit the downloads page regularly to ensure that you're up to date with the latest firmware, user manual, and RIP software. Improvements are always being made and we want to make sure that everyone benefits; if you want the best from your printer, don't let outdated software hold you back.
7. Always perform auto height adjustment when changing substrates that you are printing on. If you're printing on a thick fabric like a sweatshirt and then switch to a regular T-shirt, recalibrating the height will keep the platen at the optimal distance from the printheads to produce the best quality prints.
If the height isn't readjusted, the printhead could be too far from the fabric causing blurry images or too close to the fabric causing a collision. Improper height settings may also lead to overspray which could damage the printer over time.
BONUS TIP: Contact our Technical Support team whenever you have questions about your machine, we're here to help!
Technical Support can be reached by phone at 1-877-626-2538 Ext. 2, or by email at Tech1@ricohdtg.com.
Business hours are Monday - Friday, 6:00 AM - 5:00 PM Pacific