Head Cleaning
A maintenance procedure that flushes ink through the printhead nozzles to clear clogs and dried ink. DTF printers require regular head cleaning, especially for the white ink channel. Over-cleaning wastes ink, so run nozzle checks first to diagnose whether cleaning is actually needed.
Related Terms
The component in a DTF printer that sprays microscopic ink droplets onto the film. Common DTF printheads include the Epson i3200, Epson XP-600, and Epson i1600. Printhead quality directly affects print resolution, speed, and reliability. Regular maintenance prevents clogging.
A diagnostic print pattern that tests whether all printhead nozzles are firing correctly. Missing lines or gaps in the nozzle check indicate clogged nozzles that need cleaning. Running daily nozzle checks is a critical maintenance habit for DTF printers.
Specialized pigment-based ink used in DTF printing to create the opaque white underbase layer. White DTF ink contains titanium dioxide particles that are heavier than colored ink pigments, requiring regular agitation or circulation to prevent settling and clogging.