Need Help Mimaki CJV150 Missing 1 Nozzle

[Mathew Atkin]

Hi Everyone, I am new here and am looking for a bit of help with our Mimaki CJV150. I have found a lot of posts here very helpful.

For some reason our 5 month old CJV150 is missing 1 black nozzle. Its strange as the machine has only been used by myself and has never had any head strikes. I have performed the following.

Soft, Normal & Hard Clean. I have also performed 2 nozzle washes. 1 for 1 minute and another for 5. Usually the odd missing nozzle in the past has come back with normal use however this one is not coming back.

Should I be worried? Is there any other advice anyone can give. All help will be truly appreciated. I have uploaded a photo to show everyone. Thank You

 

[iPrintStuff]

Try just doing an over night nozzle wash, set it up, then once the head is soaking in the liquid just unplug it. Leave that overnight.

I take it you’re following the correct maintenance daily/weekly? Is there any sign of some fluff etc on the head?

One missing nozzle shouldn’t really be an issue, though obviously it’s ideal if you get it back!

 

[Mathew Atkin]

Hi,

Yes we do daily cleans around the head and capping station. Once a week we also put some of the cleaner into the cap to flush any dried ink through.

I cannot see any obvious signs of fluff on the head. Is it safe to leave the head to soak overnight?

Another question our tech told us the pre-wash cartridges in the cleaning cartridge slot. Is this correct?

Thanks Again

 

[APCInk]

Matthew, one missing nozzle out of 1440 will not effect your prints. I would bet that if you keep printing as usual the nozzle will eventually come back.
Although as previously mentioned it is best to have them all firing. And yes, it’s fine to use the flush cartridge as a maintenance cartridge. Leaving the head soak overnight will not hurt the head. But I would not do it for just one missing nozzles. Try a 99 minute soak first. You can also do a strong ink fill to try to force the nozzle back open. I ask my customers to do 2 cleanings a week that includes cleaning the wiper, the cap, 5 minute head soak and clean around the outer perimeter of the head using a pillow swab (be careful to not rub the swab over the nozzles). 2 things that printers like #1 they like to run #2 they like to be cleaned. Hope this helps. Make a great day!

 

[Mathew Atkin]

Matthew, one missing nozzle out of 1440 will not effect your prints. I would bet that if you keep printing as usual the nozzle will eventually come back.
Although as previously mentioned it is best to have them all firing. And yes, it’s fine to use the flush cartridge as a maintenance cartridge. Leaving the head soak overnight will not hurt the head. But I would not do it for just one missing nozzles. Try a 99 minute soak first. You can also do a strong ink fill to try to force the nozzle back open. I ask my customers to do 2 cleanings a week that includes cleaning the wiper, the cap, 5 minute head soak and clean around the outer perimeter of the head using a pillow swab (be careful to not rub the swab over the nozzles). 2 things that printers like #1 they like to run #2 they like to be cleaned. Hope this helps. Make a great day!

This is a great help, Thank You. The tech that installed the printer did not tell us to soak the head. For cleaning he literally said clean around the Head, Cap & Wiper and the machine would do the rest if left powered on. Is a strong ink fill the same as a strong clean in the cleaning settings?

We are planning on moving offices in the next few months. The machine is upstairs so will need to be tilted at angles to get back downstairs. Would it be a case of flushing the system prior to moving the machine and making sure there is no ink in the machine at all? Also would any calibrations need redoing? It is only being moved about 3 miles.

Thanks for your help much appreciate you taking the time to help.

 

[iPrintStuff]

There might be a page about that in the maintenance manual. You’ll need to flush the machine then I believe there’s a part you need to lock the head In position. I believe it’s fairly straightforward

 

[Mathew Atkin]

There might be a page about that in the maintenance manual. You’ll need to flush the machine then I believe there’s a part you need to lock the head In position. I believe it’s fairly straightforward

Thank You I will take a look through.

 

[APCInk]

The carriage on a CJV150 locks automatically when in sleep mode or completely turned off. If you want you can tape the carriage in place, but it’s really not needed. You can flush the lines if you want, but I don’t think it’s necessary. We relocate printers for customers all the time, plus we transport our demo units to trade shows and we don’t flush the lines. Just get it plugged in as soon as possible. Be careful of the casters as they break easily. Also remember to remove the waste tank and put a clothe or paper towel where the waste ink flows into the tank. If you want you can do the end user calibrations > drop position correct and media compensation. But we never had to do maintenance mode calibrations after moving a printer. Yes, it’s important to clean around the parameter of the head to remove any ink build up.

 

[GSM903]

We run a JV150 and do a nozzle wash once a week for 60 minutes or so and a daily clean around the capping station and the wiper.
Every now and then we see a nozzle drop out ( like you have ) and after a few soft cleans it usually reappears. When it doesn't we do a disway wash and find it usually sorts it out straight away.

 

[APCInk]

Sorry, forgot to address the original question. As others have said, that one nozzle should not matter much, but there are a couple of other things you can try:

1. Ink Fill on only the Black
- MAINTENANCE => FILLUP INK => SOFT
- In the "Soft" Fillup you can choose to fillup just one color (i.e. the black). Sometimes this can open up a stubborn nozzle clog.

2. Map out the missing nozzle with NOZZLE RECOVERY
- MAINTENANCE => NOZZLE RECOVERY
- Print the patterns, then locate missing nozzle
- Register the missing nozzle (black should be in either H1-D or H1-E column I think)
- Printer will print as normal but will use other good nozzles to map around the missing one.

Hope this helps.

 

[Mathew Atkin]

Sorry, forgot to address the original question. As others have said, that one nozzle should not matter much, but there are a couple of other things you can try:

1. Ink Fill on only the Black
- MAINTENANCE => FILLUP INK => SOFT
- In the "Soft" Fillup you can choose to fillup just one color (i.e. the black). Sometimes this can open up a stubborn nozzle clog.

2. Map out the missing nozzle with NOZZLE RECOVERY
- MAINTENANCE => NOZZLE RECOVERY
- Print the patterns, then locate missing nozzle
- Register the missing nozzle (black should be in either H1-D or H1-E column I think)
- Printer will print as normal but will use other good nozzles to map around the missing one.

Hope this helps.

We run a JV150 and do a nozzle wash once a week for 60 minutes or so and a daily clean around the capping station and the wiper.
Every now and then we see a nozzle drop out ( like you have ) and after a few soft cleans it usually reappears. When it doesn't we do a disway wash and find it usually sorts it out straight away.

Brilliant, I will be at the office again tomorrow and will give both your suggestions ago. I will let you know what happens. It is certainly being stubborn.

Thanks Again

 

[greysquirrel]

5 month old printer should be covered by a warranty. That does not mean they will replace the head for one missing nozzle but if you claim its been there since install, they might.

 

[Solventinkjet]

5 month old printer should be covered by a warranty. That does not mean they will replace the head for one missing nozzle but if you claim its been there since install, they might.

In my experience Mimaki honors their warranty better than most companies.

 

[Mathew Atkin]

Unfortunately I tried everything you guys suggested all with no luck. I think that nozzle has just decided it doesn't want to work anymore. Thanks for your help I will speak to mimaki and see what they say.

Thanks Again
Mathew

 

[APCInk]

Hey Matthew,

Sorry, perhaps I didn't explain well - When you Map out a Nozzle using Nozzle Recovery, it will still show as missing in the Test Draw, it's just that during printing, the printer will replace it out with other nozzles. Every once and a while nozzles in a head do seem to just die... It's like having dead pixels on an LCD screen I think. Mimaki will generally not replace a Head under warranty unless several nozzles are missing (you can map out 10 per color).

 

[Solventinkjet]

Mapping the nozzle should do the trick unless you have already used 10 maps for that channel.

 

[Mathew Atkin]

Hey Matthew,

Sorry, perhaps I didn't explain well - When you Map out a Nozzle using Nozzle Recovery, it will still show as missing in the Test Draw, it's just that during printing, the printer will replace it out with other nozzles. Every once and a while nozzles in a head do seem to just die... It's like having dead pixels on an LCD screen I think. Mimaki will generally not replace a Head under warranty unless several nozzles are missing (you can map out 10 per color).

Mapping the nozzle should do the trick unless you have already used 10 maps for that channel.

I see, That makes sense. I will keep checking test prints over the next few months. If more nozzles stop working then ill contact mimaki to see what they say. More than likely the nozzle may decide to start firing again as that has happened to us in the past.

Thanks for all your help everyone.

 

[GSM903]

Curious as to how long did you do a nozzle soak for?

 

[Mathew Atkin]

Curious as to how long did you do a nozzle soak for?

It was for about 4 hours prior to using the machine. I have however left it again over night and will see today when I go to the office if that has worked If not I will take it that nozzle has died.

 

[Mathew Atkin]

Overnight head soak made no difference, Unfortunately I think it has died. I will map new nozzle and make sure we don't start loosing more.

Thanks for your help.