Nozzle check test prints are used to determine whether or not ink flow is on track to deliver the outstanding print quality that OmniPrint products are known for. We use nozzle checks to avoid wasting consumable materials if the printer requires more preparatory steps before doing production work.
The below video demonstrates how to print a nozzle check test pattern on a Freejet 330-series printer.
Cleaning the printhead of Freejet printers is automated and can be done from the printer’s control or from its driver software. Running head cleanings is part of the production day startup process and is also useful to keep print quality high in larger production runs.
The below video demonstrates how to perform a head cleaning on Freejet 330-series printers.
White ink pigment is heavier than the pigment of the CMYK colors. Gravity will cause the white pigment to settle at the bottom of ink lines and bottles if the printer is idle for more than a day or two.
The below video demonstrates how to prime the white ink lines in a Freejet printer to flush out separated white ink and fill the white ink lines with opaque white ink to deliver a strong underbase and vivid colors in your prints.
The below video demonstrates the startup process for Freejet 330-series printers that are fully installed and already being used for production work.
This video includes a demonstration of the white ink circulation feature of the 330TX PLUS. This feature minimizes the need for priming the white ink lines for separation.
For both the 330TX and the 330TX PLUS models, it is helpful to shake the white ink bottles regularly to thoroughly mix the white pigment and to counter the development of sediment on the bottom of the white ink bottles from pigment settlement.
It’s recommended that this be done during the shutdown process, but if the printer has been idle for several days then it’s recommended to mix the white ink before starting up the printer, waiting at least 15 to 30 minutes before starting up so any bubbles introduced from shaking the ink can first dissipate.
When finished, use a clean cloth to wipe away any ink that appears to be blocking the breathing holes in the center of the bottle caps.
Problem: An update for Windows 11 has been found to block DirectRip from loading the list of available printers in the Print Setup window, so the R2400 device name is no longer available for selection.
Preliminary checks: There are a few things other than a Windows 11 update that may result in the printer being missing from the available Port options in the Print Setup window. Check these fundamental items before proceeding with the fix for Windows 11.
Confirm that the Freejet printer is completely turned on with the Power light on the control pad lit.
Confirm that the Maintenance tab of the R2400 driver’s Printing Preferences window can send a head clean or nozzle check to the printer.
Confirm that DirectRIP is running as Administrator. If you’re not sure, right-click on the icon for a Run as administrator option.
If the above three points check out, proceed with the fix for the Windows 11 issue.
Solution: Close DirectRIP (if it is running) and then run the “Updater” patch tool linked at the bottom of this article using the following steps:
Download ‘221015_OMNI_DirectRIPForWindows11_USBPortPatch.zip‘ from the below link to the PC with DirectRIP on it.
Double-click on the downloaded .zip file to view its contents in Windows File Explorer.
Click & drag the ‘10_15_2022_OMNI_DirectRIPForWindows11_USBPortPatch‘ folder from File Explorer to the Windows Desktop.
Double-click on the new folder that was copied to your Windows Desktop (‘10_15_2022_OMNI_DirectRIPForWindows11_USBPortPatch‘) to open that folder and display its contents.
Right-click on Updater.exe, then click on ‘Run as administrator‘. If Windows prompts you with the message, “Do you want to allow this app to make changes to your device?“, click the ‘Yes‘ button.
When prompted with the following message, make sure that DirectRIP is not running and then click the ‘Yes’ button.
The DirectRIP folder will be displayed in a new window. Just click the ‘OK‘ button to continue.
That’s it! You can now load DirectRIP and the printer will now be listed in the Print Setup as an available Port to select.
Transferring a finished print to a garment is simple and can be done immediately after DTF printing and curing, or up to a month later. Longer storage times may be possible if carefully stored in an air-tight container and in a climate-controlled environment.
Prepare your heat press for a DTF image transfer.
Some materials may transfer best using parameters outside of these guidelines. Use the settings that bring the best results for your materials.
Fabric Type
Temp (F)
Pressure
Transfer PressTime
Peel Delay (cold peel film)
Finish PressTime
Black & color Cotton
320◦
60-70 PSI Stahl’s 6-7
30 sec
30-90 sec
30 sec
White Cotton
300◦
60-70 PSI Stahl’s 6-7
30 sec
30-90 sec
30 sec
All Polyester
260-280◦
60-70 PSI Stahl’s 6-7
30 sec
30-90 sec
30 sec
If you experience the film coating itself transferring to polyester or poly blend fabrics (example photo), try increasing the temperature to 300 and the transfer press time to 30-45 seconds.
Cut out the image that you want to transfer to a garment from the film roll or sheet.
Place the garment to receive the image transfer onto the heat press.
An initial pre-press of the garment prior to the transfer press can be helpful to remove any wrinkles and slight moisture in higher humidity environments.
Place the DTF print on the garment, with the ink & glue side of the film directly against the fabric, positioned exactly where you want it transferred.
Verify that the collar, shoulders, and any seams are draped off the side of the heat press to ensure proper pressure at the transfer location
Place a silicone sheet or kraft paper on top of the film.
Press the transfer onto the fabric using the above table for temperature, pressure, and duration.
Remove the garment from the heat press, and lay it on a clean, flat, hard surface.
When using cold peel film, delay this step for a minute or so, until the inked area of the garment has cooled down to room temperature. Carefully peel the film away from the garment at a moderate rate.
Place the shirt back on the heat press with a sheet of parchment or Kraft Paper or a white silicone sheet between the shirt and the top of the heat press, then perform a final “finish” press for the duration shown above at the same temperature and pressure as the transfer. This further cures the surface of the print and creates a smoother transition between ink & fabric.
This video demonstrates and explains the importance of cleaning the print head brackets, undercarriage, capping station seals, and wiper blade, along with how to properly flush out the capping station sponges and wet cap the printer.
In addition to the critical preventative maintenance steps detailed in the above video, it’s also recommended to shake the white ink bottles after shutting down the printer.
This both helps to keep the white ink well-mixed and also counters development of sediment from collecting in the bottom of the white ink bottles. Press a clean cloth or finger against the ink bottles’ breather hole to avoid spillage and shake the bottle aggressively for 15-30 seconds to thoroughly mix the ink.
When finished, use a clean cloth to wipe away any ink that appears to be blocking the breathing holes in the center of the bottle caps.
This video demonstrates and explains the initial ink line filling, priming, head cleans, and nozzle check test of a new printer.
Note that although the printer in this video has its ink lines full of ink at the beginning of the initial startup process, the directions are provided for a first-time startup of a new printer with ink not yet in the ink lines.
DTF printing comes with its own unique set of advantages so many DTG printer operations are running some of their print jobs using the DTF technique!
Freejet printers are fully capable of printing vibrant, durable, and profitable transfers. Best of all, expanding your Freejet operation to include film transfer printing is easy, requiring just a few modifications to your software and workflow!
This guide will take you through the process of importing the latest DTF Environments for the Freejet 330TX or 330TX Plus into DirectRIP, so you can try out this exciting kind of garment printing yourself!
Loading the DTF environments into DirectRIP
Download links for the Freejet 330TX and 330TX Plus DTF Environments (.kie files) are listed at the bottom of this article.
Make sure that the file that you download matches your printer model as the different inks in the 330TX and the 330TX Plus require different Environments. Using the incorrect environment can result in ink bleeding or poor adhesion.
In DirectRIP, next to your “Environment” drop-down box, there is an icon that looks like a globe with a wrench for ‘Manage Environment’.
Click this ‘Manage Environment’ icon.
The ‘Manage Environment’ window will open. Click the leftmost icon at the bottom of this window to open the ‘Import Environment Package’ window.
In the window that appears, navigate to where you saved the downloaded .kie file, select it, and click the ‘Open’ button.
The below screenshot examples are for a previous version of Environments for the Freejet 330TX Plus. There will be differences in file & Environment names for later versions, but the process is the same.
You should arrive at this window:
Click the ‘Import Package’ icon. This will import the new environments and the ‘Import environment package’ window will automatically close.
Next, click the green checkmark on the ‘Manage Environment’ window to save the update and close the menu.
That’s it! The environments are now fully installed! You can now use them to print transfers!
