Head protection plate crumpled _ Printer Cleaning Issues Part 15 ARTJET 2026

Head protection plate crumpled – Printer Cleaning Issues Part 15

So far, I have summarized the information related to UV Printers below. If you click on the article, you will be taken to the link for related information.

I. Background information

We’re updating previous content.

The full text of Part 24 of the Ink Supply Issues series can be found through the link below.

24 articles on ink supply issues,

This article describes problems and solutions that can occur when the captop and head positions are not aligned, as shown in red in the full table of contents for ink supply problems.

When ink flows from the main ink bottle through the ink tube to the damper, it flows through the print head to the captop, then through the motor pump to the waste ink tank.

The first session covered the captop lower tube,
The second session covered how to replace the captop,
The third session covered the damper.
In the fourth hour, the pump motor and the yellow tube.
In the fifth hour, Captop and head position.
In the sixth hour, how to manually align the captop and head position.
In the seventh hour, the capping station is not level and how to level it.
In the eighth hour, the problem of the Captop surface drying out and its solution.
In the ninth hour, the problem and solution that occurs when deteriorated ink remains inside the Captop.
In the tenth hour, the problems caused by too frequent pumping and cleaning.
In the eleventh hour, the symptoms and solutions that occur when the main ink tube torn.
In the twelfth hour, how to replace the motor pump tube.
In the third session, why white cleaning did not work well and tips for improvement.
In the fourteenth hour, we discussed real-life cases where white cleaning did not work well and how to resolve them.

You can check the details by clicking the link.

Today, I will explain the reason why pumping did not work even after using all my knowledge.

II. Problem symptoms _Head protection plate crumpled

This equipment has been in use at Hongik University’s Sejong Campus for 1 year and 5 months.
The equipment delivered to the school is used by students, but the general public can also use it after a brief training session.
This is a place where various problems can arise when working with multiple users.

We checked over the phone and tried to work together, but the pumping did not work.

When I poured alcohol on the captop and pumped it, the alcohol came out, but the ink did not flow into the waste ink tank.

The company representative said,

“Team Leader, I’d like to request an AS visit. I don’t think I’m capable of handling this.”

“It seems simple, but… Okay, I understand.”

III. Problem-solving process _Head protection plate crumpled

Believing it would be a simple solution, I began to carefully inspect the print head.

1. Head Bottom and Captop Position

I started by inspecting the bottom of the print head and the captop.
Visually, there wasn’t anything particularly wrong with the position.
When I poured alcohol on the captop and pumped it, the alcohol flowed into the waste ink tank,
so I determined that the captop and head were correctly positioned.

2. Captop and Captop Tube

When the pumping suddenly stopped working properly, especially when the alcohol flowed well but no ink flowed out,
it was often due to a loose captop lower tube, allowing air to enter.
Since the captop hadn’t been replaced in over a year,
I also replaced the captop lower tube with a new one, making sure it was firmly connected.
I expected this to resolve the issue, but no matter how long I pumped, no ink flowed into the waste ink tank.

3. Motor pump tube

I also replaced the yellow tube (motor pump) because it hadn’t been replaced in over a year.
I poured alcohol over the captop and pumped it, but the problem didn’t go away.

4. Ink Supply to the Damper

The yellow tube, the lower captop tube, the captop, and the head and captop location—all parts of the captop were inspected and consumables replaced.
In other words, the lower parts of captop was all normal. All that remained was to inspect the upper parts of captop.
I was certain this wasn’t the cause, but couldn’t find it, so I inspected the upper part.
After removing the damper from the head, I pulled ink with a syringe to check for air leaks. The ink flowed smoothly into the syringe without any air bubbles.
I also pressed the head firmly into place.
Still, the pumping issue remained.

IV. Is it because of this? _Head protection plate crumpled

1. Head protection plate

Before starting the repair, I looked at the bottom of the head and saw that the aluminum was slightly protruding, but it looked fine.

I thought, “This shouldn’t be a major problem,” so I started checking other areas first.

But when the problem persisted, I wondered, “Could the slightly protruding head be caused by the aluminum?”

When the head was installed in the machine, the aluminum was only slightly protruding, but after removing it and looking underneath, the dent was more severe than I expected.

It appears another user had hit the material while printing and manually pressed down on the protruding area to minimize the protrusion.

2. Is the head broken?

Other users often encounter instances where material hits the print head, and if this protective plate breaks,

“Do I need to replace the print head?” To answer this question,

the aluminum plate underneath the print head is a secondary device to protect the print head nozzle.
It’s simply a protective plate bolted to the print head.
While this aluminum plate is helpful, the print head will still function without it.
However, if the print head hits the print head with material during printing, it’s more likely to break.

However, there are a few variables.

A dent in the head protection plate indicates a severe impact to the sensitive head, possibly damaging the head itself.
If the plate is removed and the machine is operated, it will function immediately, but the impact may cause abnormalities over time.
If this type of impact occurs, consider the head as temporary and expect it to need replacement soon.

I removed the four bolts connecting the head protection plate to the bottom, removed the aluminum, tightened the bolts, and resumed pumping. This resolved the issue.

V. How to remove the protective plate _Head protection plate crumpled

1. Caution

If the print head hits the material and the aluminum protrudes, as shown in the photo above,

do not push the aluminum upwards by hand.

It may work fine a few times, but after a while, the aluminum you pushed back will protrude downwards again,
and may get caught in the material, causing a bigger problem.
Furthermore, if the protective plate is separated like this, the head and captop will not be sealed, preventing the printer from pumping.

Do not cut off the protruding part with nippers.

Even if you cut it with nippers, it won’t be clean.
The sharp edges that aren’t cleanly cut can scratch the material during printing. This scratching can cause the protruding acrylic to become entangled with the material, leading to a bigger problem.
The sharp edges can tear the captop rubber, and if the captop is damaged in this way, the printer will not pump.

2. Video of removing the head protection plate

Please refer to the video below for instructions on how to remove the aluminum from the head.

The video below only covers the head itself. If it’s already installed in your printer, follow the steps below.

1. Manually move the head carriage and lower the captop.

With the SW connected, press the left button to send the head carriage toward the platen.
As the capping station lowers, the captop holding the head will lower, preventing interference when installing the head later.
Exit the SW and turn off all buttons, including the Power button on the touch panel.
Because this involves working with the head, turn off the main switch on the back.

2. Print Head Removal

This involves removing only the head protection plate, re-tightening the bolts, and then reinstalling the head.
There’s no need to disconnect the data cable.
Remove only the damper, which is required for head removal, and re-insert it.
Remove the four fixing bolts holding the head to the carriage and lift the head upwards, with the data cable and damper still connected.

3. Remove the protective plate and reattach the bolts.

With the exposed head facing you, remove the four bolts on the protective plate with a screwdriver.
After removing the protective plate, be sure to reinstall the bolts in their original locations.

4. Head Installation

Reinstall the head, with the protective plate removed, onto the head carriage in reverse order.
Be careful not to shift the data cable installation location during installation, and ensure all markings of datacable connection area are aligned properly before installation.
After installing the head onto the carriage, press firmly to ensure the damper is firmly seated.
Now, move the carriage near the starting point of the flat bed. (If the head carriage is placed at the far right or far left, be careful not to pass the X-axis limit sensor of X axis, which could cause a malfunction when connecting the SW.)
Turn the main switch on and the touch panel’s power button on (since you touched the data cable during head operation anyway). Verify that both lights on the board turn off simultaneously within 7 seconds before connecting the SW.

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/0fOp5oFUJQU

VI. ARTJET UV Printer

One thing I’ve noticed after five years of sales and maintenance of ARTJET UV printers is that troubleshooting data is second only to product stability.

All products have issues, whether they’re caused by actual equipment problems or consumer error. Product stability hinges on how quickly and easily you can resolve those issues.

ARTJET compiles all troubleshooting data.

You can see the product print quality by clicking here.

Click here for ARTJET pricing and terms of sale. The exterior design has changed.

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INKJET UV Printer & Laser Cutting Machine