Mimaki CJV30-160 Not Printing two colors

[PenguinJeff1031]

We have had our Mimaki about four years and never had a bit of trouble with it until now...We don't use it as much as most places i am sure, only running through about 450 feet of media per year, but I am mindful to keep it active at all times...My problem is that one day out of nowhere, the machine stopped printing Cyan & Black...When it first happened, I could run two or three nozzle washes and they would start working...Now they do not work at all, despite doing every cleaning there is to do...I read on a previous forum here that it could be the capping station, but I do not want to 'shotgun' this thing to find the answer...It is an expensive machine, and wildly underused, but it is still the only thing we have and I have a lot of new clients and want to keep them...Suggestions?

 

[Solventinkjet]

If you haven't changed the cap top, wiper and dampers in 4 years, you should just change all of it. Those are maintenance items that go bad after a while and will definitely cause this issue. Also, while you are in there, you might as well flush the pump tubes to make sure they aren't clogged. If you change all of those parts and flush the pump tubes and the problem persists, then it would be time to do a head soak and possible flush the head to recover it. If it is clogged to much it may not recover 100% and then you have to decide whether you can live with the quality it's at or install a new one. Hopefully it is just a simple clog and a head soak will recover it.