Epson SureColor F2100 Series User Manual

Epson

®

SureColor

®

F2100 Series
User's Guide

Contents

Epson SureColor F2100 Series User's Guide ........................................................................................... 9

Introduction to Your Printer...................................................................................................................... 10

Printer Usage Guidelines.......................................................................................................................... 19

Basic Printing ............................................................................................................................................ 25

Printer Features ................................................................................................................................. 10

Optional Equipment and Replacement Parts................................................................................. 11

Notations Used in the Documentation ................................................................................................ 12

Printer Part Locations......................................................................................................................... 12

Printer Parts - Front/Top ................................................................................................................ 13

Printer Parts - Inside...................................................................................................................... 14

Printer Parts - Back........................................................................................................................ 15

Control Panel and LCD Screen ..................................................................................................... 16

Using Your Printer .............................................................................................................................. 19

Storing Your Printer............................................................................................................................ 20

Handling Ink and Cleaning Cartridges................................................................................................ 21

Handling White Ink ............................................................................................................................. 22

Handling T-shirts (Media) ................................................................................................................... 23

Overview of the Printing Process ....................................................................................................... 25

Required Equipment .......................................................................................................................... 26

Pre-treating a T-shirt .......................................................................................................................... 28

Pre-treatment Solution Safety Precautions.................................................................................... 28

Preparing the Pre-treatment Solution ............................................................................................ 29

Diluting the Pre-treatment Solution................................................................................................ 32

Pre-treating a T-shirt with a Roller ................................................................................................. 32

Pre-treating a T-shirt with a Pre-treatment Machine ...................................................................... 33

Fixing the Pre-treatment Solution (Heat Press) ............................................................................. 34

Creating Your T-shirt Design.............................................................................................................. 34

Data Creation and Transmission Guidelines ................................................................................. 35

Printable Area for Each Platen ...................................................................................................... 35

Preparing Your Printer........................................................................................................................ 38

3

Attaching the Grip Pad to the Platen.............................................................................................. 39

Removing the Grip Pad from the Platen ........................................................................................ 43

Attaching or Removing Spacers .................................................................................................... 46

Installing the Platen ....................................................................................................................... 54

Attaching the Platen Frame Hooks ................................................................................................ 57

Loading a T-shirt ................................................................................................................................ 59

Loading a T-shirt on the Grip Pad.................................................................................................. 60

Loading a T-shirt on the Platen...................................................................................................... 63

Repositioning the T-shirt ........................................................................................................... 68

Loading a Sleeve on the Sleeve Platen ......................................................................................... 69

Loading a Shirt on the Medium-Grooved Platen............................................................................ 73

Adjusting the Height of the Platen.................................................................................................. 78

Starting a Print Job ........................................................................................................................ 81

Cancelling a Print Job.................................................................................................................... 82

Finishing a T-shirt............................................................................................................................... 82

Removing a Printed T-shirt ............................................................................................................ 82

Fixing the Ink ................................................................................................................................. 84

Fixing Conditions (Heat Press) ................................................................................................. 84

Fixing Conditions (Heat Tunnel)................................................................................................ 85

Printing from a USB Memory Device ....................................................................................................... 86

USB Memory Device Requirements................................................................................................... 86

Connecting and Printing from a USB Memory Device ........................................................................ 87

Maintenance............................................................................................................................................... 89

Maintenance Guidelines..................................................................................................................... 89

Maintenance Safety Instructions ........................................................................................................ 90

Print Head Maintenance..................................................................................................................... 91

Performing a Nozzle Check........................................................................................................... 91

Cleaning the Print Head................................................................................................................. 94

Print Head Alignment ......................................................................................................................... 95

Aligning the Print Head.................................................................................................................. 96

Fine-tuning Print Head Alignment.................................................................................................. 99

Using the Ink Cleaning Solution ....................................................................................................... 100

Disposing of Used Consumables and Optional Parts....................................................................... 102

4

Waste Ink Disposal Guidelines.................................................................................................... 102

Replacing the Waste Ink Bottle ........................................................................................................ 103

Cleaning the Suction Cap................................................................................................................. 107

Replacing the Head Cleaning Set .................................................................................................... 113

Replacing the Wiper Unit and Anti-drying Caps........................................................................... 114

Replacing the Flushing Pad......................................................................................................... 119

Washing the Ink Tubes..................................................................................................................... 124

Shaking and Replacing the Ink Cartridges ....................................................................................... 128

Cleaning the Encoder Strip (Carriage Scale) and Replacing the Air Filter........................................ 132

Cleaning Around the Print Head....................................................................................................... 138

Cleaning the Platen Path.................................................................................................................. 141

Storing the Printer ............................................................................................................................ 144

Cleaning the Printer.......................................................................................................................... 145

Moving or Transporting the Printer ....................................................................................................... 148

Transportation Preparation .............................................................................................................. 149

Moving the Printer ............................................................................................................................ 149

Setting Up the Printer After Transport .............................................................................................. 151

Using the Control Panel Menus.............................................................................................................. 152

Accessing the Printer's Menus ......................................................................................................... 152

Maintenance Menu Settings............................................................................................................. 153

Printer Setup Menu Settings ............................................................................................................ 155

USB File List Menu Settings............................................................................................................. 155

Printer Status Menu Settings............................................................................................................ 156

Administrator Menu Settings ............................................................................................................ 156

Solving Problems .................................................................................................................................... 159

Product Status Messages ................................................................................................................ 159

Solving Printer Problems.................................................................................................................. 165

Printer Does Not Turn On ............................................................................................................ 165

LCD Screen Shuts Off ................................................................................................................. 165

Solving Printing Problems ................................................................................................................ 166

Nothing Prints.............................................................................................................................. 166

Cannot Print Over a Network....................................................................................................... 167

Print Head Moves But Nothing Prints .......................................................................................... 167

5

Platen Height Error Is Displayed While Printing........................................................................... 168

Message Is Displayed After Cleaning the Encoder Strip (Carriage Scale) .................................. 168

Printing Is Slow or Stops Intermittently ........................................................................................ 169

Cannot Access the USB Memory Device .................................................................................... 169

Red Light Shines Inside the Printer ............................................................................................. 169

Forgot the Network Password ..................................................................................................... 170

Solving Print Quality Problems......................................................................................................... 170

Nozzle Check Pattern Prints Incorrectly ...................................................................................... 170

Overall Print Quality Is Poor ........................................................................................................ 171

Lines Are Misaligned ................................................................................................................... 172

Grainy or Unclear Printout ........................................................................................................... 173

White Ink Quality Is Poor ............................................................................................................. 173

Ink Stains Appear Outside the Printed Areas............................................................................... 175

Printer Status Sheet or Logs Print Incorrectly.............................................................................. 175

Uninstall Your Product Software....................................................................................................... 175

Uninstalling Product Software - Windows.................................................................................... 175

Uninstalling Product Software - Mac............................................................................................ 176

Where to Get Help............................................................................................................................ 177

Technical Specifications ........................................................................................................................ 178

Windows System Requirements ...................................................................................................... 178

Mac System Requirements .............................................................................................................. 179

Printer Specifications ....................................................................................................................... 180

Electrical Specifications ................................................................................................................... 180

Environmental Specifications ........................................................................................................... 181

Dimension Specifications ................................................................................................................. 181

Ink Cartridge Specifications.............................................................................................................. 182

Cleaning Cartridge Specifications .................................................................................................... 183

Pre-treatment Solution Specifications .............................................................................................. 184

Ink Cleaning and Tube Cleaning Solution Specifications ................................................................. 184

Safety and Approvals Specifications ................................................................................................ 185

Notices ..................................................................................................................................................... 186

Important Safety Instructions............................................................................................................ 186

General Product Safety Instructions ............................................................................................ 186

6

Ink Cartridge Safety Instructions.................................................................................................. 188

FCC Compliance Statement............................................................................................................. 189

Software License Terms................................................................................................................... 190

Binding Arbitration and Class Waiver ............................................................................................... 200

Trademarks...................................................................................................................................... 203

Copyright Notice............................................................................................................................... 203

A Note Concerning Responsible Use of Copyrighted Materials................................................... 204

Copyright Attribution.................................................................................................................... 204

7

Epson SureColor F2100 Series User's Guide

Welcome to the Epson SureColor F2100 Series User's Guide.

For a printable PDF copy of this guide, click here.

9

Introduction to Your Printer

Refer to these sections to learn more about your printer and this manual.

Printer Features
Notations Used in the Documentation
Printer Part Locations

Printer Features

The Epson SureColor F2100 Series printer includes these special features:

High productivity

• High-speed printing using high-density 360 dpi nozzles

• Available 600 ml large-capacity ink cartridges (250 ml cartridges are included with printer)

Reliability

• Built-in White ink circulation system to improve White ink performance and reduce maintenance

• Built-in automatic fabric wiper system automatically cleans the surface of the print head nozzles for
consistent print quality

High Resolution

• UltraChrome DG pigment ink optimized for textile printing for smooth gradations and high color
reproducibility

• High-density white printing using White ink and pre-treatment solution developed specially for Epson
pigment ink textile printers

Easy-to-use setup and operation features

• Easy T-shirt loading and platen height adjustment

• User-friendly design allows you to perform all everyday operations from the front of the printer and
check operating status through the transparent printer cover

• Large, easy-to-read, color LCD display

• PC-free, direct printing from a commercially available USB 2.0 memory device connected to the
printer

• Easy-to-use Garment Creator software

Optional Equipment and Replacement Parts

10

Parent topic: Introduction to Your Printer

Optional Equipment and Replacement Parts

You can purchase genuine Epson ink, paper, and accessories from an Epson authorized reseller. To
find the nearest reseller, visit proimaging.epson.com (U.S.) or proimaging.epson.ca (Canada), select
your product series and product, and click the Where to Buy button. Or call 800-GO-EPSON (800-463-

7766) in the U.S. or 800-807-7766 in Canada.

Option or part Part number

Cleaning cartridge (700 ml) T736000

Pre-treatment solution (20 liter) C13T736100

Printer maintenance kit C13T736200

Print head cleaning kit C13S092001

Waste ink bottle T724000

Printer air filter C13S092021

Large garment platen (16 × 20 inches [40.6 × 50.8 cm]) C12C933921

Medium garment platen (14 × 16 inches [35.5 × 40.6 cm]) C12C933931

Medium-grooved garment platen (14 × 16 inches [35.5 × 40.6 cm]) C12C933961

Small garment platen (10 × 12 inches [25.4 × 30.5 cm]) C12C933941

Extra small garment platen (7 × 8 inches [17.8 × 20.3 cm]) C12C933951

Sleeve platen (4 × 4 inches [10.2 × 10.2 cm]) C12C933971

Large platen grip pad C13S210075

Medium platen grip pad C13S210076

Small platen grip pad C13S210077

Grip pad tool C12C934151

Pre-treatment roller set C12C891201

Replacement rollers (3) C12C891211

Hard roller C12C891221

UltraChrome DG ink cartridge - Black (600 ml) T725100

11

Option or part Part number

UltraChrome DG ink cartridge - Cyan (600 ml) T725200

UltraChrome DG ink cartridge - Magenta (600 ml) T725300

UltraChrome DG ink cartridge - Yellow (600 ml) T725400

UltraChrome DG ink cartridge - White (600 ml) T725A00

1-year extended Epson Preferred Plus service plan EPPSCF2KB1

Parent topic: Printer Features

Notations Used in the Documentation

Follow the guidelines in these notations as you read your documentation:

• Warnings must be followed carefully to avoid bodily injury.

• Cautions must be observed to avoid damage to your equipment.

• Notes contain important information about your printer.

• Tips contain additional printing information.

Parent topic: Introduction to Your Printer

Printer Part Locations

Check the printer part illustrations to learn about the parts on your printer.

Printer Parts - Front/Top
Printer Parts - Inside
Printer Parts - Back
Control Panel and LCD Screen

Parent topic: Introduction to Your Printer

12

Printer Parts - Front/Top

1 Airflow vents

2 Printer cover

3 Ink cartridge cover (left)

4 Platen

5 Moveable base

6 Hooks (to hang platen frame)

7 Parallel adjustment plate

8 Height adjustment lever

9 Fixing lever

10 Spacer b

13

11 Spacer a

12 Ink cartridge cover (right)

13 Tweezer holder

14 Ink cartridges

15 External USB port

16 Control panel

Parent topic: Printer Part Locations

Printer Parts - Inside

1 Encoder strip (carriage scale)

2 Carriage shaft

3 Flushing pad

14

4 Air filter

5 Print head

6 Anti-drying caps

7 Suction/cleaning cap

8 Fabric wiper unit

Parent topic: Printer Part Locations

Printer Parts - Back

1 AC inlet

2 Waste ink outlet (left)

3 Tube clamp

15

4 Waste ink bottle holder

5 Waste ink bottle

6 Waste ink tube

7 Waste ink outlet (right)

8 LAN (Ethernet) port

9 Data light

10 Status light

11 USB port

12 Air inlet

Parent topic: Printer Part Locations

Control Panel and LCD Screen

Control Panel Buttons and Lights

1

2

3

4 LCD screen

5

6 Left arrow button

power light

power button

cancel button

moveable base button

16

7 Up/down arrow buttons

8 OK button

9 Menu/right arrow button

10 USB memory device port

11 start button

12 start light

13

maintenance button

14 error light

LCD Screen

1 Message display

2 Offest head alignment status

3 Printer temperature alert

4 Print job name

5 USB memory device status

6 Platen size

7 Waste ink bottle status

17

8 Head cleaning set status

9 Ink cartridge status

10 Total prints (current print job)

11 Preview operation (when printing from a USB memory device and this icon is displayed, press the

down arrow button to preview the image)

12 Time before next automatic cleaning

Parent topic: Printer Part Locations

18

Printer Usage Guidelines

Follow the guidelines in these sections as you use your printer, consumables, and print media.

Using Your Printer
Storing Your Printer
Handling Ink and Cleaning Cartridges
Handling White Ink
Handling T-shirts (Media)

Using Your Printer

Follow these guidelines as you use your printer:

• Operate the printer only within the specified operating temperature and humidity range.

• Check to make sure you maintain the specified humidity range, especially in dry areas.

• Do not install the printer next to heat sources or directly in the path of exhaust from a ventilator or air
conditioner. Failure to observe this precaution could result in the print head nozzles clogging.

• Do not install your printer on the same electrical line as a heat press or other appliance that draws a lot
of electrical power.

• Do not bend or pull the waste ink tubes; otherwise, ink may leak inside or outside the printer.

• Waste ink must be allowed to drain freely into the waste ink bottle. Cut waste ink tubes down to size to
fit the installation space, if necessary.

• If an error occurs and the printer is turned off without first resolving the error, the print head may not be
capped on the right side, which may cause the print head to dry out. If an error occurs causing the
printer to turn off, turn on the power until capping is performed automatically.

• When the printer is on, do not disconnect the power cable or cut the power at a power strip or circuit
breaker. The print head may not be capped properly. If this occurs, turn on the power until capping is
performed automatically.

• Do not remove ink cartridges while the printer is operating.

• The suction cap, wiper unit, flushing pad, tubes, encoder strip (carriage scale), and air filter require
periodic maintenance. Replace or clean them if you see a message telling you to do so. Print quality
declines if maintenance is not performed.

• Do not move the movable base or the platen manually.

19

• Turn the printer off at the end of the day after you are finished using it. The printer runs maintenance
that may take up to 5 minutes before turning off.

Note: To keep the print head in the optimum operating condition, ink and cleaning solution are also used
in maintenance operations such as head cleaning in addition to printing.

Parent topic: Printer Usage Guidelines

Related references

Environmental Specifications

Related topics

Maintenance

Storing Your Printer

Follow these guidelines if you need to store your printer for a long period:

• If the printer is not used for an extended period of time, place the printer into storage mode. If the
printer is stored without performing this operation, the print head nozzles may become clogged.

• We recommend that you print once a week if the printer is not used for a long time without performing
the prolonged storage operation.

• If you do not use the printer for a long time, make sure you perform a nozzle check before printing. If
clogged nozzles are detected, clean the suction/cleaning cap and then clean the print head.

• Even if the printer is not turned on, ink that has accumulated in the waste ink tubes may leak out.
Make sure the waste ink bottle is installed even when the printer is not on.

• Make sure that the print head has been capped (the print head is positioned on the right side) before
storing the printer. If an error occurs and the printer is turned off without first resolving the error, the
print head may not be capped on the right side, which causes the print head to dry out. If this occurs,
turn on the power until capping is performed automatically.

• Close all the covers on the printer to prevent dust and debris from getting in. If the printer will be not be
used for an extended period of time, protect it with an anti-static cloth or other cover. The print head
nozzles can become clogged if dust gets on the print head, and you may not be able to print properly.

Parent topic: Printer Usage Guidelines

Related references

Handling White Ink
Handling Ink and Cleaning Cartridges

20

Related tasks

Storing the Printer

Related topics

Maintenance

Handling Ink and Cleaning Cartridges

Follow these guidelines as you handle the ink and cleaning cartridges:

• When using the 250 ml installation ink cartridges included with the printer, most of the ink is consumed
during initial ink charging. Be sure to have replacement cartridges handy.

• After the ink charging process has begun, do not open covers, press buttons, or do anything else to
interrupt the process. If interrupted, the ink charging process will restart and the cartridge may no
longer have enough ink to complete the initial charge.

• Store ink and cleaning cartridges at room temperature, out of direct sunlight, and use them before the
expiration date printed on the packaging.

• To ensure print quality, use ink and cleaning cartridges within one year of installing them.

• Allow ink cartridges and cleaning cartridges that have been stored at low temperatures for an
extended period of time to return to room temperature over a period of four hours before use.

• Do not touch the IC chips on the cartridges.

• The IC chip on each cartridge stores information, such as ink levels, to allow the cartridge to be used
after being removed and re-installed.

• Install ink and cleaning cartridges into all the slots on the printer or the printer cannot print.

• Do not leave the printer without cartridges installed in all the slots, even when the printer is not in use.
The ink in the printer may dry out.

• If you remove an ink cartridge before it is empty, wipe off any ink from the ink supply port using a
cleaning stick in the maintenance kit. If ink dries on the supply port, the cartridge may leak when it is

21

reinstalled. Also make sure that the supply port is free of dust when storing cartridges (the port does
not need to be capped since there is a valve inside). Do not put tape over the supply port.

• Removed ink cartridges may have ink around the ink supply port, so be careful not to stain any
surfaces with ink.

• Do not dismantle or remodel ink cartridges. You may not be able to print properly.

• Do not drop ink cartridges or subject them to impacts. It may cause ink to leak.

Note: To maintain the quality of the print head, the printer stops printing before ink cartridges are
completely expended. The ink cartridges may contain recycled materials; this does not affect printer
functions or performance.

Parent topic: Printer Usage Guidelines

Related references

Handling White Ink

Related tasks

Shaking and Replacing the Ink Cartridges

Handling White Ink

Follow these guidelines as you handle the white ink cartridges:

• White ink particles may settle in the ink system, which must be maintained. Do not print without
maintaining the White ink system; print quality may decline or the printer may not work properly.

• Remove the White ink cartridges at the start of every working day or every 20 hours, and shake them
well before reinstalling them.

22

• When storing cartridges, lay them down flat. If you store cartridges standing upright, pigments may
settle and reduce print quality.

• If you do not use the printer for more than two weeks, print a nozzle check. Alternately, you can also
replace the White ink with cleaning cartridges (Maintenance > Replace White Ink). If the printer is left
without replacing the White ink, the print head nozzles may become clogged.

Note: White ink is consumed during maintenance even when printing only with color ink.

Parent topic: Printer Usage Guidelines

Related references

Maintenance Menu Settings

Related tasks

Washing the Ink Tubes
Shaking and Replacing the Ink Cartridges

Handling T-shirts (Media)

Follow these guidelines as you handle and store printed T-shirts:

• Avoid storing T-shirts in direct sunlight, or in locations that are subject to excessive dust, heat, or
humidity. If T-shirts are stored in a hot place after printing, the printed surface may soften and become
sticky.

• Do not dry clean printed T-shirts.

• Turn printed T-shirts inside out before washing and let them dry inside out.

• To maintain the best quality, printed T-shirts should be air dried. Tumble dryers may reduce image
quality over time.

• Do not use bleach. It may cause discoloration.

• Do not iron directly onto the printed surface.

• Do not use organic solvents, such as alcohol.

• Do not rub the printed surface against vinyl or chloride-based artificial leather. The colors may transfer
to the leather.

• Do not rub surfaces printed with color ink against surfaces printed with White ink; the color may
transfer. If this happens, use a soft cloth or brush with a small amount of household detergent to wipe
away the transferred color.

23

• If you have applied pre-treatment solution and fixed the ink, we recommend soaking the T-shirt in
water and washing it before wearing it to remove any remaining traces of pre-treatment solution.

• If pre-treatment solution is applied to a white or light-colored T-shirt, the treated side may turn yellow.
Print soon after applying the pre-treatment solution and wash in water. Avoid direct sunlight if you
store the T-shirt without printing.

• For light-colored T-shirts, let the pre-treatment solution air dry before heat-pressing; otherwise,
staining may occur.

Parent topic: Printer Usage Guidelines

Related topics

Pre-treating a T-shirt

24

Basic Printing

Refer to these sections to learn how to perform basic print functions.

Overview of the Printing Process
Required Equipment
Pre-treating a T-shirt
Creating Your T-shirt Design
Preparing Your Printer
Loading a T-shirt
Finishing a T-shirt

Overview of the Printing Process

This section explains the basic workflow from preparing a T-shirt for printing to post-treatment after
printing.

1. Preparing the Required Equipment

Prepare the equipment you need for printing.

2. Pre-treating the T-shirt

When printing with White ink, apply pre-treatment solution to the T-shirt before printing and make sure
the pre-treatment solution is completely dry before printing. If the T-shirt is creased, use a heat press
to smooth it.

3. Preparing the Printer

Turn on the printer and make sure it is functioning properly.

4. Creating Your Garment Design

Create the data you want to print and use the Garment Creator software to send it to the printer.

5. Loading the T-shirt (Media)

Load the T-shirt onto the platen or grip pad.

6. Printing

Check that the start light is on before you start printing.

7. Removing the T-shirt

Remove the T-shirt from the platen or grip pad.

25

8. Post-treating the T-shirt

Fix the ink to the T-shirt.

Parent topic: Basic Printing

Related references

Required Equipment

Related tasks

Preparing Your Printer
Starting a Print Job
Removing a Printed T-shirt

Related topics

Pre-treating a T-shirt
Loading a T-shirt
Creating Your T-shirt Design
Finishing a T-shirt

Required Equipment

To print on a T-shirt using this printer, you need the equipment listed here, depending on your print
project.

Heat press (commercially available)

A heat press is required before you can print on a T-shirt. A heat press is used to remove creases
from T-shirts, and to fix the pre-treatment solution and ink. Your heat press needs to be larger than
your platen and able to sustain a temperature of 338 °F (170 °C) or more for 90 seconds. Check the
accuracy of your heat press temperature with a probe; temperatures exceeding 356 °F may result in
dull colors. For best results, use a heat press with a piece of parchment (silicone) paper or a Teflon
(fluoro-resin) sheet at low pressure to allow the steam to escape.

Heat tunnel (commercially available)

A heat tunnel is used to fix the ink after printing. A heat tunnel is not necessary if you have a heat
press.

Heat-resistant release sheet (commercially available)

A heat-resistant release sheet is placed over the T-shirt to prevent any pre-treatment solution or ink
from sticking to the heat press. You can use parchment (silicone) paper, Teflon (fluoro-resin) sheets,
or other types of heat-resistant material. Parchment (silicone) sheets tend to produce a matte effect
and fluoro-resin sheets tend to produce a glossy effect. You can also use the sheet with the grip pad
tool to load T-shirts on a platen covered with a grip pad.

26

T-shirts (commercially available)

For best results, use a T-shirt that is 100% cotton with thick and tightly-woven (ringspun) material.
Printing on materials with high polyester content will result in more subdued colors. Since the print
quality cannot always be guaranteed for some types of fabric, perform a test print first.

Pre-treatment solution (available from Epson)

Pre-treatment solution is necessary for printing White ink. If pre-treatment solution is not applied to
the T-shirt, White ink does not appear correctly or adhere to the T-shirt. Also, colors that are printed
on the White ink do not develop properly. For best results, use a paint roller or sprayer to apply pre­treatment solution to the T-shirt.

Note: Using non-Epson pre-treatment solution may yield poor color, image quality, or washability.

Note: Pre-treatment solution must be diluted with distilled water at a minimum 1:1 ratio. The amount

of water added can vary depending on the material type and color of the garment.

Pre-treatment roller set (commercially available)

A paint roller can be used to apply the pre-treatment solution to the T-shirt. The tray is used to allow
the pre-treatment solution to soak into the roller. Choose a paint roller made of short polyester fiber
with excellent liquid absorption. When using a paint roller, make sure to apply the pre-treatment
solution evenly, or the white print quality may not be as bright or printed colors may appear distorted.
Use a different paint roller for each color.

Distilled water (commercially available)

Distilled or purified water is used to dilute the pre-treatment solution.

Pre-treatment machine (commercially available)

A pre-treatment machine is used to spray the pre-treatment solution onto the T-shirt. Using a pre­treatment machine is quicker and easier than using a paint roller; however, more of the pre-treatment
solution may be used because of overspray.

Sticky tape or lint roller (commercially available)

Use sticky tape or a lint roller to remove lint from the print surface of the T-shirt. Take care not to pull
fibers up from the T-shirt.

Parent topic: Basic Printing

Related references

Optional Equipment and Replacement Parts

Related topics

Pre-treating a T-shirt

27

Pre-treating a T-shirt

Follow the instructions in these sections to prepare your T-shirt for printing.

Pre-treatment Solution Safety Precautions
Preparing the Pre-treatment Solution
Diluting the Pre-treatment Solution
Pre-treating a T-shirt with a Roller
Pre-treating a T-shirt with a Pre-treatment Machine
Fixing the Pre-treatment Solution (Heat Press)

Parent topic: Basic Printing

Pre-treatment Solution Safety Precautions

If you are printing with White ink, pre-treatment solution must be applied to the T-shirt. Observe these
precautions when applying the pre-treatment solution:

• Always wear gloves when applying the pre-treatment solution. If pre-treatment solution comes in
contact with your skin or enters your eyes or mouth, take the following actions:

• If you get pre-treatment solution on your skin, immediately wash it off using soap and water. Consult

a physician if your skin is irritated or discolored.

• If pre-treatment solution gets in your eyes, rinse immediately with water. Failure to observe this

precaution could result in bloodshot eyes or mild inflammation. If problems persist, consult a
physician.

• If pre-treatment solution gets in your mouth, consult a physician immediately. If swallowed, do not

induce vomiting and consult a physician immediately. If vomiting is induced, solution may get caught
in the trachea which can be dangerous.

• Store the pre-treatment solution out of the reach of children.

• After working with the pre-treatment solution, wash your hands thoroughly.

• Store the pre-treatment solution at room temperature and away from direct sunlight.

• Do not put waste pre-treatment solution in the waste ink bottle as it will solidify if mixed with waste ink.

Caution: Pre-treatment solution is classified as industrial waste and must be disposed of by an industrial
waste disposal company according to local laws and regulations. When handing over the pre-treatment
solution to an industrial waste disposal company, make sure you include these safety precautions.

Parent topic: Pre-treating a T-shirt

28

Preparing the Pre-treatment Solution

Prepare the pre-treatment solution for application to the T-shirts.

1. To attach the tap, cut the cardboard along the perforations and remove the tap from inside the

cardboard box.

2. Pull the cap section out of the hole in the cardboard.

Note: Make sure you pull the cap section out of the hole in the cardboard. If the cap is opened
without being pulled out, the pre-treatment solution may spill out.

29

3. Remove the cap.

4. Remove the tap from the bag and turn the tap's handle section until the hole is visible as shown.

Note: If you cannot see the hole or if the tap is damaged, contact Epson.

30

5. Attach the tap.

6. Remove the cap from the end of the tap and turn the lever until the hole is facing down.

7. To pour the solution, tilt the cardboard box and pour the pre-treatment solution into the desired

container.

8. When you have finished pouring the solution, put the cap back on the end of the tap.

9. Store the cardboard box with the tap side facing up.

Parent topic: Pre-treating a T-shirt

31

Diluting the Pre-treatment Solution

Before applying the pre-treatment solution to a T-shirt, make sure you dilute it correctly with distilled or
purified water as described here.

Caution: If you do not dilute the pre-treatment solution, it leaves noticeable traces on the T-shirt or the
printed surface cracks after washing. If the pre-treatment solution is too weak, White ink does not adhere
to the fabric and the desired print quality may be poor.

When fixing ink with a heat press: Start with a 1:1 ratio of pre-treatment solution to water and test by
increasing the water up to a ratio of 1:3. If the printing area is letter-size or smaller, start with a 1:2 ratio.
If the printing area is larger than letter-size, start with a 1:3 ratio.

When fixing ink with a heat tunnel: Start with a 1:2 ratio of pre-treatment solution to water and test by
increasing the water up to a ratio of 1:3.

Before applying pre-treatment solution to the entire T-shirt, test it on a non-visible area.

Parent topic: Pre-treating a T-shirt

Related references

Fixing the Pre-treatment Solution (Heat Press)

Pre-treating a T-shirt with a Roller

To prevent colored T-shirt fibers on the roller from sticking to other T-shirts, use a different roller for each
color.

Note: Do not apply too much pre-treatment liquid; otherwise, the print quality may decline.

1. Fill the tray with diluted pre-treatment solution and dip the roller in it.

2. Spread out the T-shirt on a flat surface.

3. Squeeze the pre-treatment solution out of the roller by pressing it against the edge of the tray.

32

4. Apply the solution evenly in both directions as shown to an area larger than the target print area. It is

important to finish in the shoulder-to-shoulder direction; this aligns the fabric fibers to the direction of
the print head movement.

5. Fix the pre-treatment solution with a heat press and parchment (silicone) paper.

Note: The T-shirt fibers must be pressed flat to produce even whiteness. Even if you use a heat
tunnel to fix the ink, use a heat press with parchment (silicone) paper to fix the pre-treatment solution
before printing.

Parent topic: Pre-treating a T-shirt

Related references

Fixing the Pre-treatment Solution (Heat Press)
Diluting the Pre-treatment Solution

Pre-treating a T-shirt with a Pre-treatment Machine

Since pre-treatment machine models may vary in operation and controls, you should consult the pre­treatment machine documentation.

1. Pour the diluted pre-treatment solution into the pre-treatment machine as directed by the

manufacturer.

2. Place the T-shirt on the pre-treatment machine platen.

3. Set the controls to adequately cover the desired printed area with pre-treatment solution. (On 1 to

100 dial controls, this may be 30 to 45.)

4. Fix the pre-treatment solution with a heat press with parchment (silicone) paper.

Note: The T-shirt fibers must be pressed flat to produce even whiteness. If you use a heat tunnel to
fix the ink, use a heat press for a short period of time at high pressure to flatten the T-shirt fibers
before printing.

33

Parent topic: Pre-treating a T-shirt

Fixing the Pre-treatment Solution (Heat Press)

If you are using a heat tunnel to fix the ink, you must use a heat press before printing to remove creases
from the T-shirt and to fix the pre-treatment solution. Always place a heat-resistant release sheet, such
as parchment (silicone) paper, between the T-shirt and the heat press.

Note: Do not wet the T-shirt or leave it in a humid location for a long time after fixing the pre-treatment
solution, or White ink may absorb into the wet sections and cause poor print quality. If the T-shirt is left
for an extended period of time in a humid location, press it for 10 to 25 seconds with parchment (silicone)
paper just before printing.

The fixing conditions vary depending on the amount of pre-treatment solution used. The following
guidelines are approximate.

Note: If the pre-treatment solution is not completely dry after the suggested amount of time, extend the
duration while carefully checking if the pre-treatment solution is dry. Make sure the T-shirt is completely
dry before loading it for printing; otherwise, the print quality may decline.

Application area size Temperature Time Pressure

Letter/A4 and smaller 338 °F (170 °C) 45 seconds 6 Psi (4.2 N/cm2)

Larger than letter/A4 45–90 seconds

Note: Optimum conditions may vary depending on the type of heat press used; make sure to test in
advance to determine the correct conditions for your heat press.

Parent topic: Pre-treating a T-shirt

Creating Your T-shirt Design

After creating the data, use the Garment Creator software to transmit it to the printer.

Visit your product's support website at epson.com/support (U.S.) or epson.ca/support (Canada) and
select your product to download the Garment Creator software and utilities.

Follow the guidelines in these sections when creating your T-shirt design.

Data Creation and Transmission Guidelines
Printable Area for Each Platen

34

Parent topic: Basic Printing

Data Creation and Transmission Guidelines

When creating data and transmitting it to the printer using Garment Creator, follow these guidelines:

• For best results, select sRGB colors when creating data to be printed on a T-shirt. sRGB colors are
closer to the actual print results.

• You can print in these formats from Garment Creator: TIFF, JPEG, PNG, BMP.

• You can transmit data only when the printer is not printing.

• While the printer is receiving data, only these operations are possible:

• Turning off the power

• Moving the platen

• Cancelling a print job

Note: When a USB memory device is connected to the printer, printing starts after saving the data to the
USB memory device. This saves you from having to send data again when printing data repeatedly. If
you continue to send data while a USB memory device is connected to the printer, the previous data is
overwritten.

Parent topic: Creating Your T-shirt Design

Printable Area for Each Platen

Each platen provides a different size of printable area. You do not need the platen frame when a grip pad
is attached to the platen.

Platen size Printable area

Large 16 × 20 inch (406 × 508 mm)

Medium/medium­grooved

Small 10 × 12 inch (254 × 305 mm)

Extra small 7 × 8 inch (178 × 203 mm)

Sleeve 4 × 4 inch (102 × 102 mm)

Inside the platen frame, you cannot print on the areas shown in gray.

14 × 16 inch (356 × 406 mm)

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Sleeve platen

1 0.47 inch (12 mm) margins

2 Platen frame

3 Printable area

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Medium-grooved platen

1 0.24 inch (6 mm) margins

2 Platen frame

3 Printable area

4 Rectangle part (you cannot print on this area if this part is removed [for zippers])

5 2.60 inches (67 mm)

6 7.79 inches (198 mm)

7 6.65 inches (169 mm)

8 1.61 inches (41 mm)

9 6.33 inches (161 mm)

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L, M (standard), S, and XS platens

1 0.24 inch (6 mm) margins

2 Platen frame

3 Printable area

Parent topic: Creating Your T-shirt Design

Preparing Your Printer

Before transmitting print data from the Garment Creator software, check the printer's status and make
sure that the print head nozzles are not clogged.

Perform a nozzle check to check for clogged nozzles and run a cleaning if necessary.

Attaching the Grip Pad to the Platen
Removing the Grip Pad from the Platen
Attaching or Removing Spacers
Installing the Platen
Attaching the Platen Frame Hooks

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Parent topic: Basic Printing

Related tasks

Performing a Nozzle Check

Attaching the Grip Pad to the Platen

A grip pad prevents the T-shirt from moving around during printing and can reduce print misalignment.
We recommend attaching a grip pad to the platen supplied with the printer. You do not need the platen
frame when a grip pad is attached to the platen.

A medium-size (standard) grip pad is included for the medium-size platen that comes with the printer.
Other grip pad sizes are available for optional platens.

Note: Do not attach grip pads to extra small garment, sleeve, or medium-grooved garment platens.

Caution: If using a grip pad to print on thin fabric with a polyester blend ratio of 50% or more, ink may

bleed through to the grip pad.

1. Peel off one section on the back of the grip pad backing as shown.

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2. Place the grip pad on a flat surface with the back facing up, then place the platen in the center of the

grip pad.

3. Flip the platen over and rub the section of the grip pad where you removed the backing to adhere it

to the platen.

4. Carefully lift the grip pad and peel off the other two sections of the grip pad backing.

40

5. Carefully adhere the rest of the grip pad to the platen and rub each section to adhere it.

6. Peel off the grip pad backing from all the edges.

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7. Fold over the long edges of the grip pad and adhere them to the back of the platen.

8. Fold over the corners of the grip pad and adhere them to the back of the platen.

9. Fold over the short edges of the grip pad and adhere them to the back of the platen.

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10. Turn the platen over and firmly press down on the edges of the grip pad to make sure they are firmly

in place.

Parent topic: Preparing Your Printer

Related references

Optional Equipment and Replacement Parts

Related tasks

Attaching the Platen Frame Hooks
Removing the Grip Pad from the Platen
Loading a T-shirt on the Grip Pad

Removing the Grip Pad from the Platen

You can remove the grip pad from the platen.

Grip pads that have been on the platen for a long time may be hard to peel off. You can use a
commercially available spatula to assist in removal.

Caution: Do not apply hot air to soften the glue. You can damage the platen or other parts.

1. Place the platen on a flat surface with the back facing up.

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2. Peel off the edges of the grip pad.

3. Flip the platen over and hold it down with one hand.

44

4. Using your other hand, peel off the grip pad.

If any glue remains on the platen, soak a soft cloth in diluted neutral detergent, wring it out thoroughly,
and wipe off the glue.

Caution: Do not use solvents such as alcohol to remove the glue. You can damage, warp, or discolor
the platen or other parts.

Parent topic: Preparing Your Printer

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Attaching or Removing Spacers

You may need to attach or remove spacers, depending on the platen type and the fabric thickness. You
need a Phillips-head screwdriver.

1. If the platen is not in the forward position, press the moveable base button to move the platen

forward.

2. Turn off the printer.

3. Remove the platen from the printer, if necessary.

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4. Check the installed spacers and determine which spacers you need based on the platen and fabric

you are using.

• When using the large garment, medium garment, small garment, or extra small garment

platen:

Attach spacers a and b for fabric with a thickness of up to 0.28 inch (7 mm).

47

Attach only spacer a for fabric with a thickness between 0.2 to 0.5 inch (5 to 13 mm).

Attach only spacer b for fabric with a thickness between 0.35 to 0.67 inch (9 to 17 mm).

Remove both spacers for fabric with a thickness between 0.59 to 0.95 inch (15 to 24 mm).

• When using the sleeve platen or medium-grooved platen:

Attach only spacer b for fabric with a thickness of up to 0.31 inch (8 mm).

48

Remove both spacers for fabric with a thickness between 0.24 to 0.55 inch (6 to 14 mm).

5. Rotate the fixing lever as shown to loosen it.

49

6. Remove the screw securing the parallel adjustment plate.

Note: Keep the screw in a safe place (you will need it if you are attaching both spacers).

7. Remove the parallel adjustment plate.

Caution: Be careful not to drop the parallel adjustment plate; it is a precision component.

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8. Remove the height adjustment lever.

9. Remove or attach the spacers beneath the height adjustment lever.

Removing

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Attaching

Note: Make sure the protruding sections of the spacers are aligned with the hole as shown.

10. Replace the height adjustment lever.

52

11. Reattach the parallel adjustment plate. Reinstall and tighten the screw that was removed in step 6 if

you attached both spacers.

12. Rotate the fixing lever as shown to tighten it and secure the height adjustment lever.

Parent topic: Preparing Your Printer

53

Installing the Platen

After you have removed or attached spacers as necessary, you can install a platen on the printer.

1. Align the platen to fit into the holes in the moveable base and place the platen on the printer.

• Install a large garment, medium garment (standard), small garment, or extra small garment platen
in any orientation. Then go to step 3.

• If you are installing a medium grooved platen, make sure the cut out section faces the front as
shown. Then go to step 3.

54

• If you are installing a sleeve platen, install it as shown. Then go to step 2.

55

2. Pass the fixing band under the parallel adjustment plate and align it with the groove on top of the
platen and secure it tightly. Make sure the end of the fixing band is on the side of the platen.

56

3. After installing a platen of a different size, perform a head alignment.

Parent topic: Preparing Your Printer

Related references

Optional Equipment and Replacement Parts

Attaching the Platen Frame Hooks

You can attach hooks to the printer to hang the platen frame when it is not in use.

Note: Do not use the platen frame when a grip pad is attached to the platen.

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1. Insert the ends of each hook into the holes in the front of the printer as shown.

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2. Make sure the front of the printer extends past the surface of the table or stand. Then hang the
platen frame from the hooks.

Parent topic: Preparing Your Printer

Loading a T-shirt

Refer to these sections to load a T-shirt into the printer.

Loading a T-shirt on the Grip Pad
Loading a T-shirt on the Platen
Loading a Sleeve on the Sleeve Platen
Loading a Shirt on the Medium-Grooved Platen
Adjusting the Height of the Platen
Starting a Print Job
Cancelling a Print Job

Parent topic: Basic Printing

59

Loading a T-shirt on the Grip Pad

Before printing, carefully load a T-shirt on the platen with a grip pad attached. Do not use the platen
frame with the grip pad.

1. If the platen is not in the forward position, press the moveable base button to move the platen
forward.

2. Load the T-shirt so that the shoulders are facing the front of the printer, as shown.

3. Gently pull the T-shirt over the edges of the grip pad to flatten it.

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Note: Do not pull the T-shirt too much; otherwise, the print quality may decline.

4. Move the grip pad tool across the T-shirt vertically and horizontally from the edges as shown to
flatten the printing surface. Repeat as needed to remove any slack or creases from the surface.

Note: If the grip pad tool gets dirty, wipe it with a damp cloth.

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Note: If the T-shirt is coated with pre-treatment liquid or the grip pad tool catches on the fabric, you

can use a heat-resistant release sheet with the grip pad tool as shown.

Note: The printer detects the highest part of the garment surface. If there are any wrinkles, creases,
or slack, a platen height error may occur or print quality may decline. Stretch the T-shirt to remove
the slack, however, do not stretch the T-shirt so much that the printed image will be distorted.

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5. Tuck the T-shirt around the platen so that it does not drape over the movable base.

Parent topic: Loading a T-shirt

Related tasks

Attaching the Grip Pad to the Platen

Loading a T-shirt on the Platen

Before printing, carefully load a T-shirt on the platen using a platen frame.

1. If the platen is not in the forward position, press the moveable base button to move the platen
forward.

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2. Remove the platen frame.

3. Load the T-shirt so that the shoulders are facing the front of the printer, as shown.

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4. Gently pull the T-shirt over the edges of the platen to flatten it.

Note: Do not pull the T-shirt too much; otherwise, the print quality may decline.

Note: Do not use the grip pad tool to smooth the surface when you are using the platen frame.

5. Replace the platen frame.

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6. Gently pull the edges of the T-shirt outside of the frame to remove any slack.

Note: The printer detects the highest part of the garment surface and adjusts the height accordingly.
If there are any wrinkles, creases or slack near the inside edge of the frame, a platen height error

66

may occur or print quality may decline. Stretch the T-shirt to remove the slack, however, do not
stretch the T-shirt so much that the printed image will be distorted.

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7. Tuck the T-shirt around the platen so that it does not drape over the movable base.

8. Reposition the platen frame a final time to make sure the garment is securely held down but not
stretched.

Repositioning the T-shirt

Parent topic: Loading a T-shirt

Repositioning the T-shirt

Under certain printing conditions or with some T-shirt materials, the print surface may swell with
absorbed ink if the pre-treatment solution is not completely dry on the T-shirt. This results in the height

68

sensor being triggered in the middle of printing. If this happens, try placing the T-shirt over the platen as
shown.

If the sensor is still triggered, try the following:

1. Check that the platen height is set to position 3 for a standard T-shirt.

2. Remove the frame and smooth out the creases and slack.

3. Reduce the width of the White ink in the printer's Garment Creator software or the RIP software so
that the white under-base print does not extend outside the image.

Note: Be careful not to touch the T-shirt while printing as it can easily move out of position.

Parent topic: Loading a T-shirt on the Platen

Loading a Sleeve on the Sleeve Platen

Before printing, carefully load a sleeve onto the sleeve platen.

69

1. If the platen is not in the forward position, press the moveable base button to move the platen
forward.

2. Remove the platen frame.

3. Slide the sleeve over the platen.

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4. Gently pull the sleeve over the edges of the platen to flatten it.

Note: Do not pull the sleeve too much; otherwise, the print quality may decline.

Note: Do not use the grip pad tool to smooth the surface when you are using the platen frame.

71

5. Replace the platen frame as shown. Make sure the small holes in the frame are at the front and
back.

6. Gently pull the edges of the sleeve outside of the frame to remove any slack.

72

7. Tuck the sleeve around and under the frame so that it does not drape over the movable base.

8. Reposition the platen frame a final time to make sure the garment is securely held down but not
stretched.

Parent topic: Loading a T-shirt

Related references

Optional Equipment and Replacement Parts

Loading a Shirt on the Medium-Grooved Platen

Before printing, carefully load a shirt onto the medium-grooved platen.

1. If the platen is not in the forward position, press the moveable base button to move the platen
forward.

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2. Remove the platen frame.

3. Load the shirt so that the shoulders are facing the front of the printer as shown.

• For polo shirts: Make sure that the collar or button section of the shirt fits into the cutout on the

platen. Then go to step 6.

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• For shirts with zippers: Go to steps 4 and 5 to remove the middle piece of the platen. Replace

the platen and make sure that the zipper section of the shirt fits into the removed section on the
platen.

4. Remove the screw as shown.

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5. Slide the middle part of the platen back, then lift it up to remove it.

Note: Keep the removed screw and part in a safe place.

6. Gently pull the shirt over the edges of the platen to flatten it.

Note: Do not pull the shirt too much; otherwise, the print quality may decline.

Note: Do not use the grip pad tool to smooth the surface when you are using the platen frame.

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7. Replace the platen frame.

8. Gently pull the edges of the shirt outside of the frame to remove any slack.

Note: The printer detects the highest part of the garment surface. If there are any wrinkles, creases
or slack near the inside edge of the frame, a platen height error may occur or print quality may
decline. Stretch the shirt to remove the slack, however, do not stretch it so much that the printed
image will be distorted.

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9. Tuck the shirt around the platen so that it does not drape over the movable base.

10. Reposition the platen frame a final time to make sure the garment is securely held down but not
stretched.

Parent topic: Loading a T-shirt

Related references

Optional Equipment and Replacement Parts

Adjusting the Height of the Platen

If the print surface is too far from the print head, print quality declines and ink may mist on the inside of
the printer. To prevent this, adjust the platen to its optimum height.

The optimum platen height is one position from the first Ready message on the LCD screen or two
positions from the last Platen Height Error message. For example, if the printer displays a Platen
Height Error message at position number 1, select position number 3 as the optimum platen height. If
the printer displays a Ready message at position number 2, select position number 3 as the optimum
platen height.

Position number LCD message

P Platen Height Error

1 Platen Height Error

2 Ready

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Position number LCD message

3 Ready (optimum platen height)

Note: The positions above assume that the printed surface of the garment is the highest surface on the
platen. Seams, collars, zippers, pockets, and other raised areas will require a higher platen height and
result in reduced print quality.

Caution: Incorrect platen height settings cause excessive ink mist buildup inside the printer. If you
notice ink mist accumulating, adjust your platen height settings.

1. If the platen is not in the forward position, press the moveable base button to move the platen
forward.

2. Rotate the fixing lever beneath the platen as shown to loosen it.

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3. Rotate the height adjustment lever to adjust the height of the platen to one of these starting
positions:

• When printing on T-shirts using the large garment, medium garment, small garment, or extra small

garment platens with spacers a and b attached, select 3 on both spacers.

• When printing on T-shirts using the large garment, medium garment, small garment, or extra small

garment platens with spacers a and b attached and a grip pad attached, select 4 on both spacers.

• When printing on shirts using the sleeve platen or medium-grooved platen with spacer b attached,

select 3.

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• When printing on sweatshirts or thick fabric, select 8.

Note: If you remove both spacers, the height adjustment position numbers are no longer visible. To
find the optimum platen height, move the height adjustment lever to the left until it stops then move it
3 positions to the right. Use this position as a starting place for making further height adjustments.

4. To select a different adjustment height, rotate the height adjustment lever to the desired position.

5. Rotate the fixing lever as shown to tighten it and secure the height adjustment lever.

6. Press the moveable base button to move the platen into the printer.

7. If Platen Height Error is still displayed on the LCD screen, repeat steps 1 through 6 and move the
height adjustment lever one step to the right to lower the platen until Ready appears.

Parent topic: Loading a T-shirt

Related tasks

Attaching or Removing Spacers

Starting a Print Job

When the printer has finished receiving data, the start light turns on and you can start the print job.

81

1. Check that the shirt is loaded correctly.

2. Make sure the start light is on.

3. Press the start button.

Parent topic: Loading a T-shirt

Related topics

Loading a T-shirt

Cancelling a Print Job

You can cancel a print job or cancel data that is being received by the printer using the printer's control
panel.

Note: You cannot cancel printing from the Garment Creator software once the computer has finished
sending data to the printer. See the Garment Creator online help for more details.

1. Press the cancel button on the printer's control panel.

2. Press the up or down arrow button to highlight Yes, and press the OK button.

Printing stops immediately and data is deleted.

Note: If you are transmitting data from a USB memory device or printing from the USB File List
menu on the control panel, you can print the same data continuously after the specified number of
copies have been printed. To print different data, press the cancel button to cancel the data
received by the printer.

Parent topic: Loading a T-shirt

Finishing a T-shirt

Follow the instructions in these sections to remove your T-shirt from the printer and fix the ink.

Removing a Printed T-shirt
Fixing the Ink

Parent topic: Basic Printing

Removing a Printed T-shirt

After you print an image on a T-shirt, remove it from the printer.

82

Caution: Do not touch the printed surface when you handle the T-shirt; the ink is still wet.

1. Remove the platen frame.

2. Hold the T-shirt by the shoulders and carefully remove it from the platen; the ink is still wet and can
be easily smudged.

3. Use a heat press or a heat tunnel to fix the ink on the T-shirt.

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Parent topic: Finishing a T-shirt

Related topics

Fixing the Ink

Fixing the Ink

After printing on a shirt, you must fix the ink using a heat press or a heat tunnel. If the ink is not
sufficiently fixed, colors may come out in the wash or when rubbed.

Note: If you have applied pre-treatment solution, we recommend washing the shirt before wearing it.

When using a heat-press, it is best to insert a heat-resistant sheet between the fabric and the heating
element. When using a heat press on shirts that have plastic buttons or zippers, place a heat-resistant
sheet over the buttons or zippers to prevent them from being damaged by direct exposure to the heat
press.

Fixing conditions differ between the heat press and the heat tunnel. Optimum conditions vary depending
on the type of heat press or heat tunnel used and the amount of ink, so use the values in these sections
only as a guide.

Fixing Conditions (Heat Press)
Fixing Conditions (Heat Tunnel)

Parent topic: Finishing a T-shirt

Fixing Conditions (Heat Press)

The conditions under which you must fix the ink with a heat press differ between White ink and color ink.
Make sure that you meet these conditions for fixing the ink.

Optimum conditions vary depending on the type of heat press. Test and check the results in advance to
determine the correct pressure.

Ink type Time Temperature Pressure

Color 45 seconds 338 °F (170 °C) 6 Psi (4.2 N/cm2)

White

Larger than A4 size with
White ink

Note: If the ink is not completely dry after 90 seconds, extend the duration while carefully checking if the
pre-treatment solution is dry.

Up to 90 seconds

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Parent topic: Fixing the Ink

Fixing Conditions (Heat Tunnel)

Optimum conditions vary depending on the heat tunnel. Test and check the results in advance to
determine the correct temperature and duration.

Note: The temperature in the tables here refer to the temperature of the fixing surface of the T-shirt, not
the internal temperature of the heat tunnel. If the surface of the T-shirt exceeds 356 °F (180 °C), the T­shirt and the print surface may change color.

Fixing color ink

Type of heat tunnel Temperature Time

Batch 320 °F (160 °C) 3.5 to 5 minutes

Conveyer 3.5 to 4.5 minutes

Fixing White ink

Type of heat tunnel Temperature Time

Batch 320 °F (160 °C) 5 minutes

Conveyer 4.5 minutes

Parent topic: Fixing the Ink

85

Printing from a USB Memory Device

You can save print data from Garment Creator on a USB memory device and then connect the device to
the printer for printing.

Note: Data on the USB memory device is saved as filename Epson_repeat_print.prn. You can save
print jobs from the Garment Creator software to any location on the computer or the USB memory
device. See the Garment Creator online help for more details on saving data.

USB Memory Device Requirements
Connecting and Printing from a USB Memory Device

USB Memory Device Requirements

Make sure your USB memory device meets these requirements.

Note: Connections that use an extension cable, a USB hub, or a card reader cannot be guaranteed.

• FAT device compatible with Windows

• Format type: FAT 32

• No security functions such as encryption or passwords

• Memory capacity: Up to 128GB

• Partitions: 1

Requirements for data

• Data name: Up to 255 single-byte characters

• Data size: Up to 4GB

• Number of data items: Up to 256 (.prn files only)

Note: The printer only searched the root folder on the USB memory device for files with a .prn file
extension. If the data is saved in a sub-folder or named with a different file extension, it does not display
when the USB memory device is connected to the printer.

Parent topic: Printing from a USB Memory Device

86

Connecting and Printing from a USB Memory Device

You can print from a USB memory device connected to your printer.

1. Make sure the power light on your printer is not flashing.

Note: Do not connect or disconnect a USB memory device when the power light is flashing.

2. Connect the USB memory device containing the saved data to the USB memory device port on the
control panel.

3. Press the right arrow button on the control panel to display the menu screen.

4. Press the up or down arrow button to select USB File List, and press the right arrow button to select
OK.

5. Press the right arrow button to select Select Print File.

6. Press the up or down arrow button to select the file you want to print, and press the right arrow
button to select OK.

7. Press the up or down arrow button to set the number of copies, and press the right arrow button to
select OK.

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8. Load the shirt on the platen and press the start button.

Note: If you press the maintenance button while the start light is on and highlight Reset Print
Count, you can clear the counter for the number of copies displayed on the control panel.

To delete data from a USB memory device, repeat steps 3 through 5, but select Delete Print File
and press the up or down arrow button to select the data you want to delete. Follow the instructions
on the LCD screen to continue.

Parent topic: Printing from a USB Memory Device

Related tasks

Cancelling a Print Job

Related topics

Loading a T-shirt

88

Maintenance

See the instructions in these sections to maintain your printer for optimum results.

Maintenance Guidelines
Maintenance Safety Instructions
Print Head Maintenance
Print Head Alignment
Using the Ink Cleaning Solution
Disposing of Used Consumables and Optional Parts
Replacing the Waste Ink Bottle
Cleaning the Suction Cap
Replacing the Head Cleaning Set
Washing the Ink Tubes
Shaking and Replacing the Ink Cartridges
Cleaning the Encoder Strip (Carriage Scale) and Replacing the Air Filter
Cleaning Around the Print Head
Cleaning the Platen Path
Storing the Printer
Cleaning the Printer

Maintenance Guidelines

To maintain optimum print quality, you need to periodically perform various maintenance tasks, and
clean and replace parts.

Before cleaning the suction cap, replacing the head cleaning set, disposing of waste ink, cleaning the
encoder strip (carriage scale), cleaning around the print head, cleaning the platen path, or replacing the
air filter, have the following equipment handy:

• Gloves (commercially available)

• Maintenance kit (one kit supplied)

• Metal or plastic tray (commercially available) for holding used cleaning items

• Replacement air filter

• Soft cloth

Parent topic: Maintenance

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Related references

Optional Equipment and Replacement Parts

Maintenance Safety Instructions

When performing any printer maintenance procedures, follow these safety instructions:

• Always wear gloves when performing printer maintenance. Should any waste ink or ink cleaner come

in contact with your skin or enter your eyes or mouth, immediately take the following actions:

• If fluid gets on to your skin, immediately wash it off using soap and water. Consult a physician if the
skin appears irritated or discolored.

• If fluid gets in your eyes, rinse immediately with water. Failure to observe this precaution could
result in bloodshot eyes or mild inflammation. If problems persist, consult a physician.

• If fluid gets in your mouth, consult a physician immediately.

• If fluid is swallowed, do not induce vomiting and consult a physician immediately. If vomiting is
induced, fluid may get caught in the trachea which can be dangerous.

• Store ink cartridges, waste ink, ink cleaner, and cleaning cartridges out of the reach of children.

• Wash your hands thoroughly after performing any maintenance procedure.

• Remove any loaded T-shirt from the printer.

• Touch a metal object before starting operations to disperse any static electricity.

• Do not touch the carriage shaft inside the printer. This may cause an operational error or a
malfunction.

• To prevent the print head from drying out, finish cleaning the suction cap and replacing the head
cleaning set within 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, the printer displays a message.

• Do not touch any parts or circuit boards other than the parts you are maintaining. This may cause a
malfunction or decline in print quality.

• Always use new cleaning swabs to avoid getting the printer parts dirty.

• Do not touch the tip of the cleaning swab with your hand. Oils on your hand may compromise cleaning
ability.

• Do not use water or organic solvents such as alcohol on the suction cap or the wiper unit. If ink is
mixed with water or alcohol, it may solidify.

• Do not wipe the suction cap or the anti-drying caps with organic solvents such as alcohol; otherwise, a
print head damage may occur.

Parent topic: Maintenance

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Related tasks

Removing a Printed T-shirt
Cleaning the Suction Cap
Cleaning the Encoder Strip (Carriage Scale) and Replacing the Air Filter

Print Head Maintenance

You need to maintain the print head if you notice print quality has declined. Print head maintenance
keeps the print head in optimum condition to ensure the best print quality.

Perform the following maintenance as necessary:

• Nozzle Check: Check for clogged nozzles before large print jobs or if you have not used the printer for
an extended period of time. Inspect the printed check pattern and clean the print head if you notice
faint or missing areas.

• Head Cleaning: Clean the print head if you notice faint printing or gaps in the printed result. This
cleans the surface of the print head to improve the print quality.

Performing a Nozzle Check
Cleaning the Print Head

Parent topic: Maintenance

Performing a Nozzle Check

To maintain optimum print quality, perform a nozzle check before printing.

1. If the platen is not in the forward position, press the moveable base button to move it forward.

2. Make sure that spacers a and b are installed.

3. Make sure that the medium-size (standard) platen or grip pad is installed.

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4. Remove the platen frame.

5. Place one sheet of A4- or letter-size plain paper on the center of the platen or grip pad. Secure the

corners with tape.

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6. Set the height adjustment lever to the P position if you are using a platen or the 1 position if you are

using a grip pad.

7. Press the maintenance button on the control panel.

The Maintenance menu appears.

8. Press the right arrow button to select Nozzle Check.

9. Press the OK button twice.

The nozzle check pattern prints onto the paper.

10. Remove the paper and check the printed pattern:

• If there are no gaps in the pattern, the nozzles are clean.

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• If there are gaps in the pattern, clean the print head.

Note: A complete nozzle cleaning is required only if there are more than 3 nozzles missing and
the gaps are adjacent to each other. Otherwise, cleaning is not required.

11. Replace the platen frame.

Parent topic: Print Head Maintenance

Related tasks

Adjusting the Height of the Platen
Attaching or Removing Spacers
Cleaning the Print Head

Cleaning the Print Head

If printouts are faint or have gaps, you should clean the print head to clear the clogged nozzles. Clean
the print head only if print quality declines or image colors are incorrect. Ink is consumed for all colors or
selective color channels, depending on the cleaning method selected.

You can select from three levels of head cleaning:

• Use light or medium level for normal cleaning.

• If you cannot clear the clogged nozzles after cleaning with the light or medium level several times,
check the condition of the suction cap and, if necessary, clean it before using the heavy cleaning level.

Note: The first several cleanings are performed in the same way as for initial ink charging, regardless of
the selected cleaning level. When you turn on the printer, it performs an automatic Power On Cleaning to
clean the print head. You can reset the automatic cleaning start time displayed on the control panel for
certain cleaning levels, or disable automatic cleaning using the printer's control panel settings.

1. Press the maintenance button on the control panel.

The Maintenance menu appears.

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2. Press the up or down arrow button to highlight Head Cleaning, and press the right arrow button to

select it.

3. Press the up or down arrow button to choose one of the following cleaning options:

• Selected Nozzles: Select this option when you see faint printing or gaps in a specific row of
nozzles in the check pattern. You can select multiple nozzle rows, if necessary.

• All Nozzles: Select this option when you see faint printing or gaps in all rows of nozzles in the
check pattern. Go to step 5.

4. To select the nozzle rows for cleaning, press the up or down arrow button to highlight the row
number and press the OK button. Repeat for each row you want to select and then press the right
arrow button.

5. Press the up or down arrow button to highlight the cleaning level, and press the OK button.

Head cleaning starts. When it is complete, the Settings menu closes.

6. Print a nozzle check pattern to confirm that the nozzles are cleared.

Parent topic: Print Head Maintenance

Related tasks

Performing a Nozzle Check

Print Head Alignment

A gap between the print head and the T-shirt may cause ink misalignment that produces grainy or blurry
printouts. This occurs due to the environmental temperature and humidity, inertial force of the print head
movements, direction of the print head movement, and thickness and texture of the media. Ink
misalignment can also occur if the platen feed varies for some reason.

To correct this problem, perform the following procedures from the printer's control panel as necessary:

• Head Alignment (when printouts contain vertical lines or faint text)

• Offset Head Alignment (to fine-tune adjustments after head alignment)

• Feed Adjustment (when printouts contain horizontal lines)

Aligning the Print Head
Fine-tuning Print Head Alignment

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Aligning the Print Head

If your printouts are grainy or blurry and contain vertical lines or faint text, you can realign the print head
for each platen size and each ink color.

1. If the platen is not in the forward position, press the moveable base button to move it forward.

2. Make sure that spacers a and b are installed.

3. Make sure that the medium-size (standard) platen is installed.

4. Remove the platen frame.

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5. Place one sheet of A4- or letter-size plain paper on the center of the platen or grip pad. Secure the
corners with tape.

6. Set the height adjustment lever to the 1 position.

7. Press the right arrow button on the control panel to display the menu.

8. Press the up or down arrow button to highlight Printer Setup, and press the right arrow button to
select it.

9. Press the right arrow button to select Head Alignment.

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10. Press the up or down arrow button to highlight the medium size platen, and press the right arrow
button to select it.

11. Press the OK button.

12. Press the OK button again.

The check pattern is printed.

Note: The check pattern is printed at the same size as the top surface of the parallel adjustment
plate.

13. Look at the printed check pattern, and choose the pattern number with the least amount of white
space between the lines. For example, in the image here, 5 is the best pattern.

14. When C is displayed on the control panel, press the up or down arrow button to select the best
pattern number, and press the OK button.

If there is no optimum number in the check pattern, select 1 or 13 (whichever is better), and perform
Head Alignment again.

15. Select the best pattern number for each of the ink colors and press the OK button when you are
finished.

You return to the Ready screen.

16. Perform an offset head alignment to further fine-tune adjustments.

Parent topic: Print Head Alignment

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Related tasks

Adjusting the Height of the Platen
Fine-tuning Print Head Alignment

Related topics

Loading a T-shirt

Fine-tuning Print Head Alignment

You can fine-tune adjustments after performing a head alignment. Make sure the height adjustment lever
is set to the 1 position.

Each movement of one step in platen height is +3 of Offset Head Alignment value. For example, if you
move the height adjustment lever from 1 to 3, the offset head alignment value is +6. When you subtract
the garment thickness (1 for most T-shirts) from the offset head alignment value, you get a final offset
value of +5. Select this final offset value as the Offset Head Alignment setting.

Position number
(platen height)

1 0 –1 –1

2 +3 –1 +2

3 +6 –1 +5

4 +9 –1 +8

1. Adjust the height of the platen by moving the height adjustment lever (usually to position 3 for T­shirts).

2. Press the right arrow button on the control panel to display the menu.

3. Press the up or down arrow button to highlight Printer Setup, and press the right arrow button to
select it.

4. Press the right arrow button to select Offset Head Alignment.

5. Press the up or down arrow button to select +5 and press the OK button.

6. Press the left arrow button twice to return to the home screen.

Parent topic: Print Head Alignment

Related tasks

Aligning the Print Head

Starting offset value Garment thickness

(T-shirt example)

Final offset value

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Adjusting the Height of the Platen

Using the Ink Cleaning Solution

When cleaning around the suction cap, the encoder strip (carriage scale), or the print head, use the ink
cleaning solution. Use the ink cleaning solution only to clean the suction cap and encoder strip (carriage
scale), and around the print head.

Caution: Always wear gloves when using ink cleaning solution, and follow these safety instructions:

• If cleaning solution gets on to your skin, immediately wash it off using soap and water. Consult a

physician if the skin appears irritated or discolored.

• If cleaning solution gets in your eyes, rinse immediately with water. Failure to observe this precaution

could result in bloodshot eyes or mild inflammation. If problems persist, consult a physician.

• If cleaning solution gets in your mouth, consult a physician immediately.

• If cleaning solution is swallowed, do not induce vomiting and consult a physician immediately. If

vomiting is induced, fluid may get caught in the trachea which can be dangerous.

• If you notice that the cleaning solution has changed color or emits a bad odor, stop using it and open a

new maintenance kit.

• Close the cleaning solution lid securely after use, and store it out of reach of children. Avoid storing it

in locations subject to high temperatures, high humidity, and direct sunlight.

• Wash your hands thoroughly after using the cleaning solution.

1. Remove the lid and the airtight seal from the ink cleaning solution bottle.

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