Frequently Asked Questions
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Why is my printer missing in DirectRip?
Windows 11 updates have caused some Freejet customers’ DirectRip installations to lose access to the R2400 device driver.
See the Printer Missing in DirectRip after Windows 11 Update article for a set of preliminary checks and to download a utility that will resolve the Windows Update issue.
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How do I stop my Error & Ink lights from flashing back and forth?
When these two lights are flashing back and forth, with one on while the other is off, we need to reset the waste ink pad counter before we can continue printing.
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What should I do when my ‘Ink’ light turns on?
There is nothing that you need to do when your Freejet printer’s ‘Ink’ light comes on.
The ink light will come on from time to time because part of the print head’s supporting electronics monitor ink usage and have noted that nearly a cartridge worth of ink has been used for one or more of the 8 ink lines.
Since FreeJet printers use a bulk ink system rather than ink cartridges (to reduce your ink cost and maintenance time) you can safely ignore the ‘Ink’ light. Your printer includes an Ink Reset feature that will automatically notify the ink monitoring system that a new ink cartridge has been installed, and the ink light will then turn off. Note that the ink light will flash just before the reset is completed, but nothing needs to be done by the operator as this is an automated function.
You also have an option to perform a manual ink light reset process with the following steps:
- Press ‘Function’ + ‘Stand-by’
- Pause for 4-5 seconds
- Press ‘Function’ + ‘Stand-by’ a second time
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Why is my FreeJet only printing the white underbase?
To run a full ‘double pass’ print with no manual interaction (a white underbase followed by the color & highlight layer) it’s necessary that the Layer setting be set to ‘B’.
FreeJet 330TX If your Freejet is set to ‘A’ and you’re in the middle of running a 2-layer print, just tap the ‘Stand-by’ button after the underbase has finished printing — once the gantry has settled back to its rear home position. The gantry will then move to the front ‘Print ready’ position and the color layer will print.
See the below video for details on how to change the Layer setting to ‘B’ so you won’t need to tap Stand-by between layers.
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How do I make my image have more pop?
Color vibrancy is mainly determined by two factors: pretreatment and color strength.
If a garment is not properly pretreated then too much ink may be absorbed into the fabric. When working with unfamiliar garments, it’s often necessary to experiment to find the proper pretreatment amounts.
Increasing color strength by a few percentage points can also add more vibrancy to colors.
However, adding too much ink by boosting the color strength may cause the ink to bleed so it’s best to optimize pretreatment before boosting color strength.
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When should I refill my Freejet printer’s ink bottles?
Since we know that the Freejet printer’s ‘Ink’ light does not indicate that we need to refill the printer’s ink bottles, how do we know when they should be filled?
The chromed bracket holding the ink bottles on the rear of the printer has a vertical slot cut out at each bottle position, so we can visually monitor the ink level for each color channel. We want to make sure that the ink level in each bottle is at least halfway up the distance of that slot (represented by the red lines in the below image), and recommend checking the levels at the beginning of each printing day and refilling at this time, as needed.
Be careful not to overfill the ink bottles, as doing so can cause leakage of ink into the body of the printer, through the outer sheath that carries the ink tube into the printer’s chassis. Only fill each bottle until the ink level reaches the top of the bracket — no higher than that.
Freejet Basics 11 articles
- How to Change the FreeJet Layer Setting
- How to Mount a Shirt on the Freejet Adult Platen (video)
- Freejet: How to Print a Nozzle Check
- How to Perform a Freejet Head Cleaning (video)
- Priming a Freejet for White Ink Separation (video)
- Routine Startup of the Freejet 330-series (video)
- Unboxing the Freejet 330TX & 330TX PLUS
- Freejet 330-series: Setting Up a Print in DirectRIP
- Initial Startup of a New Freejet 330TX Plus
- Setting Up a Freejet Print Job: The Basics
- Control Panel Quick Reference
OmniDTF Basics 10 articles
- OmniDTF Film Skewing Solutions (video)
- OmniDTF Accessories & Supplies
- OmniDTF Environment Options (video)
- OmniDTF: Hardware Controls Brief
- Transferring a DTF Print
- Ethernet Configuration for OmniDTF (video)
- OmniDTF Printhead Alignment (video)
- OmniDTF: Setting Up a Print (video)
- OmniDTF System Shutdown (video)
- OmniDTF Daily Startup & Production Notes (video)
Manuals 13 articles
- OmniDTF User Manuals
- OmniDTF Hardware – Assembly Manual
- Direct Treater Air User Manual
- Shoe Platen User Manual
- DTF for Freejet Instructions
- Stahl’s Hotronix Clam/Hover Manual
- Wagner Spray Gun Owner’s Manual
- Freejet 330-Series Quick Reference Guides
- Hat Platen User Manual
- Direct Heat Vacuum Platen User Manual
- DirectRIP User Manual
- Direct Treater Dual User Manual
- FreeJet 330-Series User Manuals
Freejet Maintenance 8 articles
- Replacing Freejet Dampers (video)
- Testing Freejet Ink Flow through Dampers (video)
- Cleaning the Freejet Encoder Wheel
- Monthly Maintenance: Freejet 330-series (video)
- Weekly Maintenance: Freejet 330-series (video)
- Daily Maintenance & Wet Cap: FJ330-series (video)
- Maintenance Log Sheets
- Installing Freejet Support Kit Parts
OmniDTF Maintenance 9 articles
- Banding Solutions for the OmniDTF
- OmniDTF Consumables & the Support Kit
- Monthly Maintenance: OmniDTF (video)
- Weekly Maintenance: OmniDTF (video)
- OmniDTF Film Skewing Solutions (video)
- How to Shut Down & Wet Cap the OmniDTF with No Power and No PC (video)
- OmniDTF Printhead Alignment (video)
- OmniDTF System Shutdown (video)
- Maintenance Log Sheets
Solutions 9 articles
- Banding Solutions for the OmniDTF
- OmniDTF Film Skewing Solutions (video)
- How to Shut Down & Wet Cap the OmniDTF with No Power and No PC (video)
- Printer Missing in DirectRip after Windows 11 Update
- Direct Treater Air Troubleshooting Guide
- DirectRIP “Can not open file” Error
- Freejet Grinding Noise Solutions
- How To Reset the Waste Ink Pad Counter
- Head Strike Avoidance & Recovery
Freejet Software 10 articles
- How to Manually Change DirectRIP’s Resolution Setting (video)
- How to Use DirectRIP’s Dot Size Feature (video)
- How to Use DirectRIP’s Color Strength Feature (video)
- How to Use DirectRIP’s Fuzziness Feature (video)
- Installing & Configuring DirectRIP for the Freejet 330-Series
- Freejet 330-series: Setting Up a Print in DirectRIP
- Installing Freejet DTF Environments
- How to Save DirectRIP Print Job Settings
- How To Reset the Waste Ink Pad Counter
- How To Install the Adjustment Program
Level Up 10 articles
- Pretreatment Deep Dive (video)
- Print Pro Queue Manager Deep Dive (video)
- Updating Print Pro DTF Environments for the OmniDTF
- DTF for Freejet Instructions
- Installing Freejet DTF Environments
- The Freejet Ink Delivery System Explained
- How to Save DirectRIP Print Job Settings
- Installing Freejet Support Kit Parts
- Doubling Up the White Underbase
- Alternative Platens