Summer is Coming (3/2014)
One time around I talked about "Your Printer in Winter." No different than your car, your printer will feel the difference. Some things to consider for warm weather operation:
- Inks won't dry as well in high humidity so using a dehumidifier or your A/C can help here.
- Printers don't like to work in high temperature environments. All kinds of print anomalies can show up including overspray and dropout.
- Purchase a hygrometer to measure humidity. Consult your printer's manual for details, but 50% is a good place to start.
Generally, a proper ambient temperature for your print environment is 68-75 degrees Fahrenheit.
Questions - call us!
Service Your Printer (5/2014)
As a service company, we hear all the stories, along with too many sad ones:
- "The printhead from China didn't work too well."
- "I tried fixing it and now it doesn't come on."
- "It is missing nozzles and is getting worse!"
We know service is not inexpensive, but often the cost of attempted self-service or waiting too long is even more costly:
- Wasted ink and media.
- Extra employee hours.
- Extra cost due to delaying service.
- Dealing with upset customers when their jobs are not ready.
We can help!
Questions - call us!
Lightning Strikes (6/2014)
This is a time of year where severe weather outbreaks are common. Lightning and power surges can have disastrous effects on your equipment, including:
- Blown mainboards.
- Blown head boards.
- Blown printheads.
- Damage to other electronic systems.
Some thoughts:
- Even a UPS or surge protector may not fully protect your equipment.
- Make sure your surge protector is one of the better ones which include insurance protection - not the $4.95 variety.
- Register the unit with the manufacturer - likely that will be required for any coverage.
- Be aware the suppliers of these are often looking to deny claims and may ask to inspect the unit.
- Carry casualty insurance that covers any such events.
Your best bet? If you suspect storm or surge-related damage, call us BEFORE attempting to make a claim either on a surge protector supplier or on your insurance company.
We are service professionals and can guide you through this process to gain a successful resolution to your claim.
Yes, we can help! Questions - call us!
Your Printer in Winter (9/2014)
This is the time of year where many areas of the country are going into the fall season. Though your printer may be fine it is always good to be aware of the factors that may affect it and your print quality and color fidelity:
- Temperature
- Humidity
- Static (generally a result of low humidity)
In its simplest form, what we are doing is putting ink on substrate, regardless of technology. Though your printer likely has a heating or drying system, it may rely on the drying process completing after printing. A simple analogy - do you dry faster on a cold damp day or a hot dry one? Static in particular can wreak havoc with your printer causing overspray and a host of other issues.
Go ahead and throw open your doors when the cool weather comes in. Just be aware that it may affect your printing processes.
Questions - call us!
