Your digital printer might experience several issues during a harsh winter. When the temperature goes down, the air becomes dry. And it might lead to various inkjet printing failures, such as ink breaking, ink blocking, flying ink, etc.
Do not worry, you can cope with these troubles using some simple precautions.
In this post, you will learn about some printing failures due to the cold climate and their solutions.
False Nozzle Blocking
One of the most common issues printers have with cold temperatures is false-blocked nozzles. As printing ink starts freezing below 0 °C, the nozzles of the print head become clogged.
It makes the viscosity too high, causing broken lines at high-speed printing.
A simple way to prevent ink from breaking is to maintain a suitable indoor temperature for your printer.
According to OSHA, the temperature should be between 68 and 76 degrees Fahrenheit.
Dry Nozzle Problems
In winter, the air becomes dry. Therefore, the humidity level drops. Nevertheless, this dry environment is not ideal for your print head’s nozzles. They do not get adequate moisture, which causes issues like nozzle condensation and blocking.
In addition to this, a dry environment may cause PP paper to wrap and rub against the nozzle. It might result in damage to the nozzle and the motor. As a result, it’s crucial to see if the humidity inside is suitable for printing conditions.
Static Electricity
Sometimes static electricity is the culprit behind the poor print quality. It is also a common printer issue in the winter due to low humidity.
If you do not take adequate anti-static measures, your inkjet printer might be affected by electrostatic discharge. The ink droplets from the printhead can spray out in any direction. This event is known as “splash ink” or “fly ink.” It will naturally reduce the print quality.
To prevent this issue, ensure your power connection has a correctly established ground wire. A ground wire works as a safe channel for electricity in the case of a short circuit and static electricity.
Keep Dust Level Under Control
Due to the dry environment in winter, dust sticks to the surface of your printer and its components. And if there is static electricity, the dust can reach the nozzle and cause print quality issues. Maintain the room’s humidity level to cut down on dust blowing.
General Printer Maintenance Tips for Winters
Stock up all static-sensitive components, such as toners, DC controllers, and rollers, in a safe place. They are prone to discharge and can damage other components of your printer.
Update the drivers for your printer. It may fail to give the desired result if its software is out-of-date.
Clean your printer inside out with anti-static wipes.
Make sure the nozzles of your print head are clean.
Maintain the temperature of the working area between 20 and 28 degrees Celsius. It will help your printer operate normally.
So these are some methods for resolving difficulties with printers caused by extremely low temperatures. We hope this post helps you operate your printer more comfortably in the winter.