9.2.4

Carrying out Maintenance on an Inkjet Printer 

As inkjet printers don’t handle such high print volumes as laser printers, maintenance is focused on stocking paper and replacing or refilling ink cartridges, which never seem to last long. Manufacturers recommend not cleaning the inside of the case since you are likely to do more harm than good. Soft, damp cloths can be used to clean the printer’s exterior. 

Paper Handling and Duplexing Assembly 

The majority of inkjet printers support only one paper path and one input and output tray, although some have automatic duplexers and accessory trays. There are two basic types of printers: those that load from the top and output from the bottom, and those that have both input and output bins at the bottom and turn the paper (an “up-and-over” pattern). 

A laser printer’s paper pickup mechanism is similar. Load rollers move the top sheet against the paper stack, while separation rollers prevent more than one sheet from entering. 

Sensors detect when the paper is sufficiently advanced. During each pass of the print head, the stepper motor controlling the paper-feed mechanism advances the paper. 

When duplex printing is selected, the eject rollers deliver the paper to the duplex assembly or the output bin. For bulkier media, some inkjets with curved paper paths may have a “straight-through” rear panel. 

The paper trays on inkjet printers tend to be smaller than on laser printers, so they need to be restocked more frequently. While most inkjets can use “regular” copier/laser printer paper, premium grades of paper stock, specifically designed for inkjets, can produce better results. Make sure the paper is correctly oriented when loading the printer if this type of paper is designed to be printed on only one side. 

Replacing Inkjet Cartridges 

Inkjet print heads are often considered consumables. Most (but not all) thermal print heads are built into the ink cartridge, so this is unavoidable. The piezoelectric print heads of Epson printers are non-removable and designed to last a lifetime. 

Ink levels are detected by sensors in the cartridge reservoir. For each of the CMYK inks, a colour printer needs at least four reservoirs. Black and coloured ink may be contained in separate cartridges, or each ink may be contained in its own cartridge. A wider colour spectrum is supported by some inkjets using light magenta and cyan inks. 

Other Inkjet Maintenance Operations 

Periodically, there may be two other maintenance operations to be performed. 

Print head alignment—If the output is skewed, calibrate the printer using the property sheet’s print head alignment function. Ink cartridges are typically replaced automatically when they need to be replaced. 

Print head cleaning— In the output, a blocked or dirty nozzle will appear as a missing line. If the problem persists, use the printer’s cleaning cycle (accessed via the property sheet or control panel). Inkjet cleaning products are available on the market if it does not work.