A printhead strike on DTF film can happen when the film wrinkles, lifts, or moves too close to the printhead.
A common reaction is to run a normal cleaning cycle right away and print a nozzle test.
That may not be the best move.
After the Printer Printhead touches the film, the nozzle plate may already be covered with ink, powder residue, or material from the film.
If you immediately run repeated cleaning, some of this contamination may stay around the nozzle area and make the clogging problem worse.
The safer approach is to clean the printhead surface and maintenance area carefully before returning to normal testing.
Move the Carriage Back to the Maintenance Position
Return the print carriage to its normal maintenance position.
Do not keep moving the carriage across the film until you know the film is flat and the cause of the strike has been removed.
Check the film path as well.
Make sure there are no wrinkles, raised edges, or loose areas that could cause another collision.
Pull Ink Through the Printhead
Use the printer's normal ink-pulling or ink-loading function according to the machine manufacturer's procedure.
This helps move ink through the printhead before you start cleaning the nozzle surface.
Avoid forcing excessive pressure through the printhead.
Different printheads and ink systems use different maintenance methods.
Soak the Cap Pad With Cleaning Fluid
Move the carriage away from the maintenance station.
Add the correct cleaning fluid to the cap pad or maintenance pad.
Use only cleaning fluid that is compatible with your ink and printhead.
Return the carriage to the maintenance position so the nozzle plate can sit over the wet cap.
Let it soak for the amount of time recommended for your printer.
This helps soften dried ink and residue around the nozzle surface.
Pull Ink Again and Wipe the Nozzle Plate
Run the normal ink-pulling process again.
Move the carriage away from the cap station.
Use a clean lint-free cloth or approved cleaning material to gently wipe the printhead surface.
Do not scrub hard.
Do not use a dirty cloth.
The goal is to remove ink and film residue without pushing contamination into the nozzle area.
Run Normal Cleaning and a Nozzle Test
Once the printhead surface is clean, return the carriage to its normal position.
Run the standard cleaning cycle.
Print a nozzle test and check for missing or broken lines.
If the nozzle test is still poor, continue with a step-by-step Printer Troubleshooting process instead of running many cleaning cycles in a row.
A useful Printer tip is to deal with the contamination from the printhead strike before treating it like a normal clog.
That can reduce the chance of turning a simple film strike into a more serious nozzle problem.