LexJet Adds Latex: HP’s L25500 Latex Inkjet Printer Now Available at LexJet

HP's environmentally friendly HP L25500 latex inkjet printersHewlett-Packard has selected LexJet as an authorized reseller of the 60-inch and 42-inch wide HP Designjet L25500 latex inkjet printers. With the addition of the L25500, LexJet expands its portfolio of inkjet printing technology, fitting perfectly into a range of LexJet printable inkjet media already developed to be compatible with latex inks, including LexJet’s Simple line of vinyl for vehicle, specialty, window, wall and other sign and display applications.

The HP L25500 can print on a wide range of media, papers and textiles, including media optimized for solvent and low-solvent inks. Designed for both indoor and outdoor graphic production, the HP Latex Inks are durable, odorless and emit very low levels of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) so that no special ventilation is required. Moreover, the inks do not require special handling, are non-flammable and non-combustible. The printer uses internal radiant heaters and forced airflow to cure the inks, speeding up turnaround times on printed graphics.

The HP L25500 utilizes six ink colors with print resolutions up to 1,200 dpi, combined with HP Double Swath technology with three pairs of HP 789 Designjet Printheads and the HP Optical Media Advance Sensor for saleable output up to 246 square feet per hour.

The printheads have a simple snap-out, snap-in design for easy replacement. A built-in automatic printhead service station and automatic nozzle testing system, plus large 775 mil ink cartridges, eliminate the need for daily maintenance and ensure long periods of uninterrupted production. Used HP 789 Designjet Printheads and HP 780 Latex Ink Cartridges may be returned and recycled through HP’s free and convenient Planet Partners Program.

For more information about the HP L25500, and to find the right printer for your business and its applications, contact a LexJet customer specialist at 800-453-9538.

Maintenance Tips for Solvent Inkjet Printers

Solvent Inkjet Printer MaintenanceWhile solvent printers are much like aqueous printers, in most cases they require a little more manual maintenance. Also, there are no solvent printers that use thermal printheads; they all use piezo-electric printheads.

Since piezo-electric printheads are not designed to be replaced regularly, they must be well maintained.  Most piezo-electric aqueous printers are designed to maintain themselves, and are therefore designed so that the user cannot gain access to the printheads.

Solvent printers are a different animal in the sense that most require weekly and sometimes daily maintenance to the printheads themselves. This is primarily due to the fact that the solvent inks tend to dry out much sooner on the bottom of the printhead than aqueous inks do.

Regular Maintenance
Regular maintenance refers to the maintenance required on a daily or weekly basis to keep the printer running optimally. The first and most important thing to keep in mind is the shape of the shop and whether or not it’s ship-shape.

Because the printhead array on an aqueous printer tends to be densely packed, losing a nozzle or two does not usually affect print quality to the same degree it does with solvent and UV-curable printers. If you lose a nozzle on a solvent or UV-curable printer, you really notice it.

Solvent ink in particular evaporates quickly, which can then dry and clog the nozzles. Moreover, dust and other contaminates tend to migrate toward leftover ink on the printheads (dust gravitates toward liquid), creating another potential clogging hazard.

That’s why one of the most important maintenance items is to operate the printer in a clean environment. As far as it’s possible, printers should be segregated from other finishing and production areas. Cutting, trimming, and routing create airborne particulates that are looking for an opening to clog.

An air scrubber or HEPA filter, like the Predator 600 Portable Air Scrubber, has proven to be a cost-effective and efficient way to help remove potentially harmful VOCs (volatile organic compounds) from the air, and the pungent smell associated with them. It will also help keep dust and other contaminates to a minimum.

Moreover, an air scrubber aids in the drying process by providing and maintaining regular air circulation. Oftentimes, failure in the field can be traced to prints that weren’t thoroughly dried before they were finished, shipped, and installed.

While every printer is different, these procedures typically include the following routines…

Cleaning the Printhead
When a printhead is clogged, the printer typically comes equipped with a cleaning sequence that it runs to clear the clog. This sequence consists of purging air from the printhead while simultaneously wiping the printhead with a rubber wiper blade.

In most cases this clears all clogged nozzles, although sometimes it takes several cycles. In some cases, normal cleaning cycles just aren’t enough to clear all clogs, especially if the clog is due to ink that has completely covered the nozzle. In this case, you may need to manually clean the printhead.

The proper procedure for manually cleaning printheads varies by printer model, but usually consists of wiping the bottom of the printheads with a wipe soaked in cleaning solution to minimize nozzle clogs. The cleaning solution varies from printer to printer, but usually consists of the manufacturer’s flushing solution, or a solution similar to the inks used in the printer, just without the pigment.

Some printer manufacturers recommend using lint-free cleaning wipes to wipe the bottom of the printhead, while others prefer a cleaning swab. You should never deviate from the using the cleaning solution and wipe recommended by the printer manufacturer as doing so may cause permanent damage to the printheads as well as void your warranty.

Cleaning the Wiper Blade
Inkjet Printer Wiper BladeThe wiper blade is responsible for wiping the bottom of the printhead during a cleaning cycle in order to remove any excess ink or debris from the bottom of the printhead to reduce nozzle clogs. Throughout the day, most printers run multiple cleaning cycles in order to provide optimal print quality.

Most printer manufacturers recommend cleaning the wiper blade every morning with a lint free cloth or lint free swab. This will reduce the probability of debris getting wiped into the nozzles of the printhead during cleaning cycles.    

Replace the Capper
Printer Capper Wiper MaintenancePeriodically, the printer’s capper or capping station needs to be replaced. The capper is a moist pad that the printhead rests on top of when it’s not printing to ensure that the printhead does not dry out. Over time, the capper will consume too much ink and need to be replaced. Your printer manufacturer should sell replacement cappers, and only cappers approved by the printer manufacturer should be used on your printer.

Replace the Damper
The damper is an ink reservoir that exists between the ink cartridge and the printhead. The damper also has a filter that reduces the amount of contaminants that will enter the printhead. Over time, the damper’s filter can clog and will eventually need to be replaced.

Replacement dampers are typically sold by printer manufacturers as well as printer resellers. You should steer clear of third-party dampers as they may void your warranty and damage your printhead.

Heat vs. Quality
Unlike aqueous printers, solvent printers rely upon heat to aid in the ink curing process. Since every media is different, you must find different combinations of heat and pass count for each given media. If creating a profile for a new media, try starting with a high heat setting. If the media tends to wave, buckle or warp, reduce the heater settings on the printer.

If you find a heat setting that works well for your media, but the ink tends to collect on a certain area of the print media, try increasing the pass count. While increasing the pass count will slow down your print speed, some media demand that you have a relatively high pass count for maximum ink absorption.

Clearing the Air

The Predator 600 Portable Air Scrubber helps maintain a safe and clean work environment and can actually help speed production.

Solvent printing was a godsend to the wide-format printing industry. While it would be a boon for the outdoor-durable print, it would bring its own set of health and environmental issues. The early solvent inks were just short of running uranium through the printer; just ask anyone who went to a trade show in the early part of this century and had an opportunity to breathe in the fumes. But since the introduction of solvent inks, the formulations have evolved to be less noxious, smelly, and flammable.

Though many of these newer solvents are milder, and are sometimes referred to with the misnomer eco, they still contain ingredients that can be harmful to those who operate them. If you check the Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) for substances that are potentially harmful to humans, including carcinogens, you needn’t look far. But never fear, since the effects of solvent fumes and outgassing can be greatly mitigated by taking the appropriate steps. Moreover, you can do the environment a favor by taking proper care in the disposal of your ink waste.