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Author Topic: Where failed print head complaints come from  (Read 14910 times)

Scott Martin

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Re: Where failed print head complaints come from
« Reply #40 on: May 09, 2012, 09:52:54 am »

This thread is all about complaints about print head failure, not clogging that can be fixed by cleaning. That's an important distinction. IMO, there's a clear correlation between usage and print head failure. If people are knowledgeable about this, they can avoid premature failure. Thus this thread.
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Scott Martin
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Light Seeker

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Re: Where failed print head complaints come from
« Reply #41 on: May 09, 2012, 04:08:22 pm »

Scott, I'm one of the intermittent users you are targeting, and I appreciate the advice. In the last two weeks I've done a fair bit of printing, which will likely be followed by a few weeks of inactivity. Going forward I plan to print at least one of two images per week, just to exercise everything.

A question. . . .   would it be wise to print on both matte and gloss, to ensure that all the ink channels have some activity (i.e. matte and gloss black)?

Terry.
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Scott Martin

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Re: Where failed print head complaints come from
« Reply #42 on: May 09, 2012, 10:15:56 pm »

A question. . . .   would it be wise to print on both matte and gloss, to ensure that all the ink channels have some activity (i.e. matte and gloss black)?

Hmm, a good point I hadn't considered. One 8x10 each is kinda of a pain but would likely be more thorough than a basic nozzle check...
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Scott Martin
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Wayne Fox

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Re: Where failed print head complaints come from
« Reply #43 on: May 09, 2012, 11:28:19 pm »

It seems logical on a Canon since those inks do not share the same channel/nozzles it would make sense, and certainly may help extend the life of the heads by a considerable length of time.

On an Epson it actually may be problematic since they do share the same nozzles and switching inks sometimes results in cleaning cycles.
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Scott Martin

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Re: Where failed print head complaints come from
« Reply #44 on: May 09, 2012, 11:45:41 pm »

may be problematic since they do share the same nozzles and switching inks sometimes results in cleaning cycles.

Exactly. 4-5 Auto Nozzle checks might be a better idea, and more realistic on an Epson...
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Darrel

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Re: Where failed print head complaints come from
« Reply #45 on: May 10, 2012, 01:30:54 am »


On the subject of failed Canon 8300 printheads, I had my right go about a month past warranty which Canon replaced after some prodding.  When I tried to print it gave the "execute printhead cleaning message, if message still displayed replace printhead".  It was still in usage warranty "a", and a few cleanings did not resolve anything.  Is this the symptoms of a low usage failure? My left mdot count was over double of my right. I am generally conscious to print out things weekly.

I wish canon had a test print utility to print out a nice solid swath of solid color for each of the colors all in one go.
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enduser

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Re: Where failed print head complaints come from
« Reply #46 on: May 11, 2012, 01:32:02 am »

This is leading to a great fall in confidence in digital art printers.  We have Scott saying he is alarmed by how many of them (Epson owners) have had to throw theirs in a dumpster 6-18 months after their initial purchase ... and now we have to print frequently to preserve the life of Canon heads, etc.

I know a few sign shops that have the usual printers they use and they also have some Epsons and Canons such as we use for clients wanting photo work.  These printers see no work for weeks at a time.  I know art print shops where a particular machine might be idle for a few weeks.

Seemingly out of nowhere we are all advised to use them even if we don't have a current job for them.  And we'd better factor in extra warranty costs as well.  The point I'm making is that all this, plus wiper replacement and flushing box cleaning is probably necessary but WHO KNEW?   Most of this new info is not provided in the maker's literature, so whatever method you use to calculate cost of goods is going to have to be loaded up with the cost of all these new discoveries, and what might yet be divulged, if we're lucky.

I think it is well past time when Canon and Epson should be publishing updated maintenance and running instructions for these machines.
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Jeff Magidson

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Re: Where failed print head complaints come from
« Reply #47 on: May 11, 2012, 10:30:02 am »

This is leading to a great fall in confidence in digital art printers.  We have Scott saying he is alarmed by how many of them (Epson owners) have had to throw theirs in a dumpster 6-18 months after their initial purchase ... and now we have to print frequently to preserve the life of Canon heads, etc.

I know a few sign shops that have the usual printers they use and they also have some Epsons and Canons such as we use for clients wanting photo work.  These printers see no work for weeks at a time.  I know art print shops where a particular machine might be idle for a few weeks.

Seemingly out of nowhere we are all advised to use them even if we don't have a current job for them.  And we'd better factor in extra warranty costs as well.  The point I'm making is that all this, plus wiper replacement and flushing box cleaning is probably necessary but WHO KNEW?   Most of this new info is not provided in the maker's literature, so whatever method you use to calculate cost of goods is going to have to be loaded up with the cost of all these new discoveries, and what might yet be divulged, if we're lucky.

I think it is well past time when Canon and Epson should be publishing updated maintenance and running instructions for these machines.

I don't disagree with anything you have said, except that a potential buyer must also use some common sense. In the case of a of Canon 44" printer: the printer weights about 350 lbs, it contains about 4 liters of ink that costs about $1,900 to refill in total, it is clearly a production machine.  With those facts, it should be understood that it is not meant to sit idle for weeks or months at a time. If you cannot see turning all the ink over in a years time... this machine is probably not for you.  
« Last Edit: May 11, 2012, 10:49:22 am by Jeff Magidson »
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enduser

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Re: Where failed print head complaints come from
« Reply #48 on: May 12, 2012, 01:40:23 am »

Well said Jeff, and the important thing is that buyers know all this stuff before they make a purchase.   The excellent things revealed in this forum so far have great value, but many of the hints, observations and suggestions are mostly without firm values attached.  An example is, how often and what should we print to get maximum head life.  If any quantitative knowledge is inside Canon and Epson HQs it needs to be available to buyers.
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Clearair

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Re: Where failed print head complaints come from
« Reply #49 on: May 12, 2012, 08:57:40 am »

Darrel

There is,

Try the colour calibrate printer to re set printer accuracy. This is used on initial set up of the machine, you must have seen this.
I do this half yearly and it showed up a recent issue very well, as you get a print out of colour swatches that the printer uses to sort itself.
These are clear blocks of colour from the print heads and in my case showed a muddy red channel just when I was struggling with a new graphics card, monitor calibration and custom canvas profile all on a weekend.
And it got stuck on one calibration run due to a small crease in the profiling roll, would not end job so had to pull the power. OK as print carriage at a standstill.

I have never engaged the cleaning A or B manually before.
It took 2 A cleans,1 B clean to clear the contamination from the head.

Nozzle checks show nothing and the ink carts were clean.

Supplier says they have seen this before but no understanding of why it happens.
B clean sorts problem.

I do not print commercially and the printer is often idle for a month but with the power on and a sine wave UPS so that if there is a power failure it will still be on when this is restored.
Plus to save a crash while printing.
It is 4 years old, original print heads still in place.

I had the printer standing for two months while away over the winter and power off as I wanted to cover it.
On start up all looked good. Seems that there may have been a slight ink
cross contamination at the heads while idle.

Canon iPF6100

Regards


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