Cleaning the printer components

About this topic

This topic describes how to clean the following Microplate Labeler printer components:

•	Print roller. Accumulations of dirt on the print roller can impair the forward movement of the labels and ribbon and the impair the print quality.

•	Printhead. Substances can accumulate on the printhead leading to degradation of print quality.

Note: If the Microplate Labeler is fitted with a cab SQUIX printer, go to the printer touchscreen Help menu to view a video of how to clean the printhead.

When to do this

Clean the printhead and print roller when you replace the rolls of ribbon and labels. Cleaning the printhead regularly helps to ensure a consistently good printed image and prevents premature wear of the printhead.

If the printer components appear damaged, contact Agilent Automation Solutions Technical Support.

Before you begin

Remove the labels and ribbon before you attempt to clean the printer components. For details, see Loading labels and ribbon.

 

To avoid risk of electric shock, turn off the Microplate Labeler and disconnect the power cord before performing any maintenance or cleaning.

 

 

The printhead is hot after use. To avoid risk of injury, ensure the printhead has cooled down before cleaning.

 

 

To avoid damage to the printhead, do not use sharp or hard objects to clean printhead. Do not touch the protective glass layer of printhead with your fingers.

 

Ensure that you have the following:

•	Isopropyl alcohol and soft cloth to clean the print roller

•	Cleaning pen from the Media Kit to clean the printhead

Alternatively, you can use a cotton swab dipped in isopropyl alcohol.

Procedure

The following figure shows the locations of the printer components referenced in this procedure.

Figure. Printhead and print roller locations

 

To clean the printer components:

1	Ensure the printhead lever (1) is turned counterclockwise lifting the printhead (2).

2	Use the special cleaning pen to clean the printhead surface (2). The printhead is the narrow bar that presses the image through the ribbon and onto the label as the media move into position on the print roller.

Alternatively, if you do not have the cleaning pen, use a cotton swab dipped in isopropyl alcohol.

3	Use isopropyl alcohol and a soft cloth to remove any deposits from the print roller (3).

 

Allow the printhead to dry for 2–3 minutes before using the printer.

 

Related topics

 

For information about...	See...
Shutting down the Microplate Labeler	Starting up and shutting down.
Removing and installing the labels and ribbon in the printer	Loading labels and ribbon
Resetting the label counter	Resetting the label counter in the Diagnostics software
Cleaning the Microplate Labeler exterior	Cleaning the device exterior
Cleaning the applicator head vacuum pads	Cleaning and replacing the vacuum pads
Troubleshooting hardware problems	Troubleshooting hardware problems
Reporting problems	Reporting problems