Ink left in cartridges

[Case]

Mimaki's keep track of cleanings and printing to estimate usage from full (display reads 9) down to approximately 10% left (display reads 1). From there, it is up to the tab that sticks out from the side of the cartridge to hit the lever for 'ink end'. Therefore you may see the machine show empty after the reading said 2, never seeing 1. Or you may see it sit on 1 for a long time. The tab is located on the right side of the cartridge near the bottom and towards the back (as viewed from cartridge insertion). The tab is manually activated by the deflation of the bag. The system is designed to allow for some remaining ink to be in the cartridge. Think of the trade off, if you suck air into the system, you are more likely to waste more ink than you will save because you will need prime the system with ink (manually with syringe or using cleanings/fill up ink cycles on the pumps). Don't think of it as waste, think of it as a necessary part of printing. You aren't going to stop the self cleaning cycles either, or you risk having your heads dry out. Granted we all know that the waste ink bottle contains liquid money, but it is necessary.

100% agreed, i think that is basically what i said up above, but you made it sound better.........great explanation......

case

 

[ColesCreations]

To use all ink-

When "near end", use the "add 300 cc" option.

Weigh the cartridge, 400 grams is safe, 385-390 grams IS empty.

 

[MikePro]

Add Remain

when you have the empty installed it should be an option from the menu if I remember correctly.

on a JV3, add remain option pops up on screen when you remove/re-insert a cartridge that the machine has flagged as "near end" (1/9)... at that point(not in Remote mode), you can just:
pullcartridge>re-insert>addremain?>yes>+10cc>enter... and repeat if you wish.

i usually just do this once, +10cc, and only if you can stir the cartridge and still feel a decent amount remaining. if you're worried about getting that very last drop outta it... don't, just think about how you'll be wasting more when you're burning 4x ink while flushing bubbles outta your ink lines when your yellow stops firing.