Symptoms of a Cracked Ink Channel Inside Print Head _ Head related issues 10 _ ARTJET 2026
Symptoms of a Cracked Ink Channel Inside Print Head
Head Issue #10 · ARTJET 2026
Head Issue #10 · ARTJET 2026
Field troubleshooting case notes for UV printer issues (Head / Data / Ink Supply)
📌 Before You Start
Who This Post Is For
- Operators/technicians who run and maintain UV printers
- Anyone whose cleaning/pumping looks normal, but a specific color drops out during printing
- Those who need a clear decision 기준 before replacing a head (ink supply vs. internal head issue)
⚠️ Notes & Cautions
- This post is based on a real field case. Similar symptoms can have different causes.
- Excessive cleaning or aggressive syringe suction can worsen print head damage.
- Results can vary by temperature/humidity, ink condition, and operating habits.
✅ Key Summary
Cleaning/pumping is normal + damper ink supply is normal + test image prints normally.
But during real production, a specific color drops out and then recovers as the print continues.In this pattern, there is a high chance of a cracked ink channel inside the print head → in most cases, head replacement is required.
But during real production, a specific color drops out and then recovers as the print continues.In this pattern, there is a high chance of a cracked ink channel inside the print head → in most cases, head replacement is required.
UV Printer Troubleshooting Archive (What I’ve Organized So Far)
I’ve been organizing UV printer troubleshooting topics as below. Each item links to its dedicated post.
How to Approach Print Failures (Two Directions)
1) Ink Supply
Ink supply issues (including cleaning/pumping) were updated recently.
If your printer uses dampers, the following index can help you solve common ink supply problems:
If your printer uses dampers, the following index can help you solve common ink supply problems:
2) Data-Related Issues (Board / Head / Data Cable, etc.)
This section is still being updated. The topics are organized in the order below:
- Part 1: Symptoms & Fix When a DATA Cable Is Contaminated by Ink
- Part 2: 17 Stored Used Heads: How Many Worked After Alcohol Cleaning & What Errors Appeared
- Part 3: A Specific Color Prints Abnormally During Printing
- Part 4: How to Print on Reflective Materials + More Dangerous Causes That Can Clog Nozzles
- Part 5: Real Case: Reviving a White Head Not Used for One Month
[Click here for the “clogged white head” recovery method] - Part 6: Symptoms when a printhead reaches end-of-life and how to swap heads
- Part 7: Why banding appears only on certain solid colors + tips to reduce it
- Part 8: A case where a color still didn’t print even after replacing the head
- Part 9: Print Motion but No Ink Output
Today’s Topic
I’ll share the most typical symptoms of a cracked internal ink channel and the exact inspection flow we confirmed on-site.
I. Symptoms _Symptoms of a Cracked Ink Channel Inside Print Head
The customer mainly produces acrylic goods and prints in a Color → White → Reverse workflow.
On the “abnormal” marked area (the hand), the color first appears yellowish.
As printing continues, the tone gradually returns and looks normal with a reddish tint.
As printing continues, the tone gradually returns and looks normal with a reddish tint.
In short:
Magenta does not fire at the beginning,
then Magenta recovers and prints normally as the job continues.
Magenta does not fire at the beginning,
then Magenta recovers and prints normally as the job continues.
Additional Check (Reference Only)
I previously shared a reference solution for “ink drop-out during printing.”
However, this case was not identical, so it did not solve the issue.
However, this case was not identical, so it did not solve the issue.
On-site Visit Request
“Manager, if you have time, could you visit tomorrow? We replaced the cap top but it didn’t solve it, and the issue is irregular.”
“Okay.”
“Also, when I raise the print head and look underneath, I can see red ink around the protective metal area.”
“Then it might be a burst Magenta ink channel inside the head. I’ll check it on-site.”
II. Inspection & Diagnosis _Symptoms of a Cracked Ink Channel Inside Print Head
Step one is to separate the cause: ink supply vs. data/internal head issue.
1) ARTJET Test Image Printed Normally
Since ink supply issues were possible, we checked the following first. Everything was normal:
- After cap top replacement: cleaning & pumping confirmed normal
- Because the issue involved red tones, we removed the Magenta / Light Magenta dampers and pulled ink with a syringe → ink flowed normally with no bubbles
Conclusion: This was not an ink supply problem.
To check data-side behavior, we printed a test image as well.
The test image printed cleanly without ink loss.
The test image printed cleanly without ink loss.
Note: If the ARTJET test image contains little red/magenta content, it may look normal.
Jobs with heavy red/magenta areas can still show the original dropout symptom.
Jobs with heavy red/magenta areas can still show the original dropout symptom.
2) Print Head Replacement
The XP600 head’s official model name is FA1080-a1. It is an entry-level head with a relatively short lifespan.
The machine had been used for about 1 year and 6 months, which is a relatively good run for this head class.
During replacement, as we loosened the bolts and lifted the head, the head tilted slightly to the side.
At that moment, red ink appeared and pooled from the tilted area.
At that moment, red ink appeared and pooled from the tilted area.
We judged that a Magenta or Light Magenta ink channel inside the head had cracked/burst,
so the head could not hold the ink and it simply leaked out.
so the head could not hold the ink and it simply leaked out.
After installing the new head, we reprinted the problem image and the issue disappeared.
Quick Visual Rules After Printing
- If ink beads appear across all nozzles of a specific channel (out of 6 channels) → suspect damper lifespan, replace dampers first
- If a single ink color spreads across the entire head surface → possible cracked internal ink channel
This case matched the second pattern → head replacement was required.
III. ARTJET UV Printer
Based on over five years of sales and maintenance experience with ARTJET UV printers, one key lesson stands out:
After product stability, the next most critical factor is troubleshooting data.
Every product can encounter issues — whether caused by equipment conditions or user operation.
In real production environments, product reliability depends on how quickly and efficiently those issues can be identified and resolved.
ARTJET continuously collects and organizes real field troubleshooting data to support faster and more accurate problem resolution.
You can view print quality samples here:
[Print quality sample by video]
You can view ARTJET pricing and sales conditions here:
(Note: Exterior design has been updated)
You can also review a complete list of products that can be produced using UV printers here:
[UV Printable Product Guide]
* Note: Exterior design has been updated.