Spare Ink and Printheads For maximum productivity and minimum down time, ColorSpan recommends stocking extra ink reservoirs and print- heads. When the ink supply runs low, or a printhead needs to be replaced, having spares will ensure that printing can resume as quickly as possible.

Since ink and printhead usage will vary depending on the amount and types of printing you do, experience will help you determine how to stock an efficient spare inventory. For exam- ple, in a “2x6” configuration (two six-color sets of ink), ColorSpan recommends stocking two six-color sets of ink reser- voirs, plus six printheads (one for each color). Both ink reservoirs in a pair tend to run out of ink at the same time, so two spares per color would allow you to continue printing with a minimum of delay. The printheads tend to need replacement one at a time, so one spare per color would be sufficient most of the time.

Tip

To clean a printhead with jet-outs, see “Cleaning Ink

 

Jets” on page 5-3.

 

 

Printhead Handling Tips

◆DO hold the printhead by the plastic body only.

◆DO clean the printheads with a clean lint-free cloth moistened with plain water.

◆DO NOT touch the ink jet nozzles on the bottom of the printhead.

◆DO NOT touch the electrodes on the back of the printhead. The printhead is fired by an electrical signal. The electrodes that carry this signal are easily contaminated.

◆DO NOT set the printhead down anywhere before you install it.

◆DO NOT wipe the printhead with any fiber-cellulose material, such as a paper tissue.

◆NEVER APPLY ISOPROPYL ALCOHOL ON THE PRINTHEAD OR SERVICE STATION. USE PLAIN WATER. Alcohol reacts with pig- mented inks, rendering the printhead unusable. To clean ink clogs, see “Cleaning Ink Jets” on page 5-3.

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Ink System Overview