• Introduction
• Specifications
• Safety
• Basic Operation
• Powering on or off
• Moving the gantry to home
• Printing
• Best practices with files
• Tutorials
• How do you cancel a print?
• Storage and Tools
• Parts Ordering
• New info abt inventory and parts ordering lives here.
• Cleaning/consumables
• 1 Liter Ink
• 250ml Ink
• Other
• Materials
• Replacing ink
• Daily/weekly/monthly maintenance
• Daily Maintenance
• Weekly Maintenance
• Monthly Maintenance
• Air Purge
• Changing date
• Troubleshooting
• White not printing on test print
• White does not print from files
• Missing teeth on test print
• Rasterlink reporting WRONG percentages of remaining ink
• Disposing of hazardous waste
• Other info
• Terminology
• Ink Cost
• Jig Setup
• Light reflection
• Signage/Label Files
• Support

Want to start UVing? Head over to the Skill Check to see what you need to demonstrate to operate the machine independently!

Introduction

The UV Printer, also known as a Direct To Substrate Printer, is a large format flat bed printer capable of printing on many materials including paper, wood, glass, and plastic.

Specifications

Safety

This documentation is not a substitute for proper training and sign-off. If you don't know how to do something, don't guess! Ask someone who is trained and cleared for use on the machine for help.

• Use vent when printing.
• Keep the floor clear! The gantry WILL bump into objects and people!
• Wear UV googles if material is more than 1/4” thick.
• Wear gloves while servicing the machine.
• Red buttons (x3) are the emergency stops.

Switch for the vent

Stay behind hazard line

KEEP THE FLOOR CLEAR! THIS MEANS YOU!

Hazardous moving parts

UV radiation warning

Gloves and UV googles

Emergency stop button 1

Emergency stop button 2

Emergency stop button 3

Basic Operation

Powering on or off

• Press the green button to power on.
• The machine turns itself on and off throughout the day to circulate the ink.
• NEVER unplug the machine unless instructed to.

Moving the gantry to home

FUNCTION > VIEW > ENTER

Printing

Best practices with files

• Have files in CYMK color mode. The colors will print more accurately.
‣
Show me how
• In illustrator, File > Document Color Mode > CMYK

• The printer can’t print pure white objects. Make white objects slightly off-white.
‣
Show me how
• The printer can only print white as a special plate in Rasterlink.
• If you need to print white there are two ways of doing it
• The Easy Way: Make any white object slightly off-white.
• Select any white objects in illustrator and turn the CYYK color code to 1,1,1,1
• More info here

• The Hard Way: Print white as a Special Plate. Make your file using any color other than pure white and follow these steps.
• Size your artboard(s) to your media.
‣
Show me how
• In illustrator, click the artboard button on the left toolbar OR hit Shift+O

• In the properties tab, resize the board to your media size

• Does your graphic go all the way to the edge? Add bleed.
‣
Show me how

• Don’t have a graphic end exactly at the media’s edge. It’s impossible to print accurately. Instead, push your graphics past the final media size. This is called bleed. There are three ways to do this:
1. Offset your graphic to be larger than the media you are printing on. The UV printer will overprint, leaving no gap between the edge of the media and the print.
2. Offset your graphic in Illustrator and do a manual bleed cut. Draw a rectangle (or other shape) indicating where you want the trim line to be. After the print is complete, cut by hand with a utility knife.
3. Offset your graphic in Illustrator and do a registration cut with the Zund. Draw a rectangle (or other shape) indicating where you want the cut do be BUT DO NOT PRINT THIS LAYER. Add four or more 1/4” black circles to the print. Make another file with the cut outline on. This file will be used so the Zund knows where to cut.
• Always check your digital proof for spelling and grammar! DON’T BE THIS GUY:

Tutorials

How do you cancel a print?

Turn machine off of remote mode > Data Clear > Enter

Storage and Tools

There are critical tools that should never leave the UV area, since they are used for regular machine operations and maintenance.

Liquid storage

Tools, parts, PPE

Desk. DON’T STORE PROJECTS HERE!

Parts Ordering

New info abt inventory and parts ordering lives here.

Parts Contact:

Amy Meltzer

603-518-7433

consumables@itnh.com

Cleaning/consumables

1 Liter Ink

250ml Ink

Other

Materials

Roll Paper

28x22 poster paper

Replacing ink

Daily/weekly/monthly maintenance

Daily Maintenance

Weekly Maintenance

Monthly Maintenance

Air Purge

Video Here

Changing date

• This can be done to get the machine to print ink that’s past 2 months expired
• FUNC>#ADJUST>TIME SET
• If you you see “ADJUST” rather than “#ADJUST” that means the machine is not in service mode and you can’t change the time. To put the machine in service mode follow the steps bellow:
• Power down machine
• Press and hold FUNC and REMOTE while powering the machine on
• Let go after you see “PLEASE WAIT”

Troubleshooting

White not printing on test print

• Check the daily maintenance video for head cleaning
• Perform subtank maintenance

White does not print from files

• Pure white objects can not be printed from raster link
• Rasterlink will not see it because “white” equals “no color” or “no pixels”. Even if you generate a special plate and use “valid pixel” to generate a white layer in Rasterlink, it will not see it.
• Here are some instructions ITNH made for white generation in Rasterlink:

Missing teeth on test print

• Perform head cleaning
• See Daily Maintenance video

Rasterlink reporting WRONG percentages of remaining ink

• I have no idea…ITNH is not talking to us.

Disposing of hazardous waste

Talk to Jacque to schedule a pickup

Other info

Terminology

Scan = Left to Right Feed = Front to Back

Ink Cost

In Properties tab of a job, scroll to the bottom will show Ink Consumption

Bottle cost /  1000cc = $/cc

(2019 pricing = $0.21 x  ink consumption)

Jig Setup

Largest jig size - 26.016 x 16.535

Set position of jig to 0, 0

Offset position 1 - 0.25 x 0.25

Interval Pitch is the distance between objects getting printed

Light reflection

Check Mimaki documentation page - when printing on thick objects, need border of similar thickness to help prevent light reflection back onto heads.

printing on fabric

if your fabric is getting spotty (see picture) turn off the vacuum

Signage/Label Files

Drive Files

Maintenance Sheet

Support

Mimaki Resource Center

Mimaki YouTube

Serial Number: BQ96B155