Many DTG printers today are utilizing what can easily be called the DTG IV Bag Ink System. That is because if you have ever been to a hospital and been hooked up to one, you know it looks exactly like an intravenous drip system used to administer drugs into a patient. In this case, that patient is the DTG printer.
These type of ink deliver systems are great to help gravity feed your print, but they can cause issues because it is often easier to “forget” the inks are there and never touch it again until the ink runs out. This will cause you more headaches than you want, but the headaches are easily avoidable.
If you do utilize this type of ink delivery system, follow these simple Tips.
TIP #1: Before hanging the bag, make sure to agitate and mix the white ink well to ensure it is entirely mixed up. You can easily see if it is homogeneously mixed.
TIP #2: DO NOT LEAVE THE BAG HANGING OVERNIGHT! When you are done printing for the day, take the white ink bags down and lay them on their side. The reason for this is that the Image Armor E-SERIES inks do separate faster than Dupont, but that’s by design. What we are seeing is that most people hang the bags and forget about them and DO NOT MIX the white ink after hanging. Since the inks can separate, the heavier particulates that make up the white ink will sink to the bottom and into the IV lines easier. These “heavier” ink solutions can then be pulled into the print heads and dampers causing head failures. NEVER, EVER LEAVE WHITE INK BAGS HANG OVERNIGHT OR OVER THE WEEKEND IF YOU ARE NOT PRINTING. Removing them will cause you to be reminded to mix the ink in the bags prior to hanging them back on your IV stand/hooks.
TIP #3: Never re-use an ink bag. Many people buy bulk ink and want to re-fill their own bags. Image Armor does not recommend this as it can lead to multiple problems. Residual white ink in the bags can cause series issues within the DTG printing system as it might not be fresh, of the right “mix”, etc. It is NOT recommended to ever re-use an IV bag. ALWAYS USE A FRESH BAG WITH FRESH INK.
IN CONCLUSION:
We want to ensure that our users have the most issue free, easy to use inks on the market. Following these simple steps above will help us all achieve that goal. Remember – if you’re printing, hang the bags, if not, take them down.
