Ideas to tackle static electricity issues when printing onto plastic substrates with a Mutoh DTO printer (426UF, 626UF, 461UF, 661UF)
Which print effects may be related to static electricity when printing onto plastic substrates?
- Ink drops end up in wrong places causing blurred printing
- Small ink drops or ink satellites are deflected back to the nozzle plate/print head carriage, where they can accumulate and potentially cause nozzle deflection, nozzle clogging and ultimately cause ink dripping.
Tips:
- Make sure always to verify the relative humidity in the working environment. To ensure optimum printing conditions, Mutoh recommends to print with 40% - 60% relative humidity at all times.
In North Europe, particularly between November and April achieving 40% may prove to be challenging without properly humidifying the workplace. - Remove static build-up using a soft cloth moistened with alcohol. Use alcohol with a high purity to avoid stains.
- Avoid flooring which promotes the build-up of static electricity like for example carpets.
- Ensure the printer is connected to an outlet with proper grounding.