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net2009
HomemadeDTGprinter
ThisdescriptionshowsyouhowdidIbuildaDirectToGarmentprinterwithareadymade
Epsonprinterfromthemarket.Beforeyoutryonyourown,youreallyneedtobeawarethat
itisnotaneasytask.IstronglysuggestyouhaveagreatersearchonInternettodeeply
understandwhatyouaredoingfor.Therewasnoguaranteetoleadyouintosuccesswith
theinformationfromthisdescription.
Basicconcernandplan:
1.Inktype
Thereareseveraltypesofinksinthemarket.Dyebasedinkandpigmentbasedinkare
thebasicandonlythepigmentbasedinkwillsuitableforprintingongarmentwithsome
finishingprocessapplied(resincoating,heatpress,etc.).
Heatpressingisthemainsecretitmakesinkdropsandcoatinglayermaltintofabricto
achievethepermanentandwashingresistantresult.Thecoatinglayerisbasicallyprovide
additionprotectontheprintedimageandgivingadeepermaltintofabrictoholdtheink
dropsstrongerandthereforealongerimagelife.Bythelatterexperimentprinting,theclear
Acrylicenamel(waterbased)isgoodenoughtoprovidesucheffect.Ofcourse,
Polyurethanerelatedresinshouldgiveanevenbetterresulttheoretically,butitismore
costly.
Withinthemainbrandsofinksuppliers,onlyEpsonisclearlystatestheirinkstypeand
detailtoeachcartridgemodel.However,theEpsoninkcartridgecomewiththechipitmay
leadingyoutobuytheirnewinkcartridgesagainandagainbeforeyouactuallyuseoffthe
ink.
EpsonDuraBriteUltrainkisthepigmentbasedink.
TheDTGspecifiedinkisforgarment.Itisnothingmorethanapigmentbasedinkwith
someadditivetoimprovetheperformances.Butchosenarightbrandtomatchtheexisting
printerheadwillbeahardandcostlyissue,whichisoutofscopeofthisdescription.
2.Theoffthepegprinter
ToconvertanoffthepegprintertoaDTGprinteryouneedcutoffallthepartsunderthe
paperfeedingrollandusingthepaperfeedingmotorforyourtransmitioncarrier.So
chooseaprinterwithlessmetalcomponentsunderthepaperfeedingrollandwitha
steppingmotorforpaperfeedingwillmakeyoueasier.AprinterusingDCmotorwitha
positionencoderforpaperfeedingisnotagoodideaforsuchcase.Itmayprovideyoua
lotofproblemunlessyouarereallyknowsaboutit.InthiscaseIchoosetheEpsonstylus
T20printerformyDTGprinter.
3.Myplan
WiththematerialIhave,Idecidetohavearolledexternaltransmitcarrierbadtomoving
theobjectunderthroughtheprinterheadandusingtheoriginpaperfeedingrollerwiththe
steppingmotortodriveitup.And,themodifiedprinterneedstillhavingtheheadcleaning
function
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450
Printingobjectholder(Heightadjustable)
300
85
750
Thesteps:
1.Disassembletheprinterandtakingoutthepaperfeedingrollandthesteppingmotor.
Donot
breakanypartsandanycables.
2.Cutoffthepartunderthepaperfeedingrollerfromtheoriginalcasetoenablethe
printingobject
movingthroughundertheprintingheadfreely.
works.Thisrequireskeepingtheprintersheadparkingbayasitwasandhaveawayto
drivetheheadcleaninggearmovingsynchronalwiththeexternaltransmitcarrier.
Woodenbase
Printer
Feedingbelt
Paperfeedingroller&gearsDisassembledfromprinter
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30
70
225
265
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3.Extendthecableofsteppingmotorfor50cm.Pleasemakesurethatthecable
youchosenhaveenoughdiametersforthecurrentflow.
3.Maketherollertransmitcarrierwiththepaperfeedingrollerandsomeotherrubber
rollers,
whicharecomefromotherresource.
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400
4.Cutofftheprintheadpositionerfromthepapertraygearsystem.Thisgearwillattachto
the
headcleaningunitandmakethecleaningunitmovingon.
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AbigtrickhereisthatEpsonT20printerusesthispieceplastic,saidpositioner,to
determinetheprintheadpositiondataduringthebootupstage.Withoutthispiece
plasticwilldriveyouintocrazy,youwillnevergetprinterworkingforyou.Itis
painfulandtimeconsumingto
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figureitoutifyouignoredthispieceplastic.So,youneedobserveyourprinter
carefullyandhavetheplantomakeitstillfunctioning.
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Positioner
5.Reassembletheprinterheadparkingbayandheadcleaningunit
Printerheadparkingbay
6.Reassembletheprinterheadanditsmovingtracksystembacktoitsposition
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7.Reassembletheprinterheadparkingpositionergearwithatimingbeltorsimilarstuff.
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Cutthisbitoff
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positioner
8.Mountprinterontomytransmitcarrierbase
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9.Extendthepapersensorstrigger
Thisbeltdrivesprintheadpositionerandheadclearingunit
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10.Placethemodifiedcoverback
11.Mountthepowerunit
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12.Thewastedinkcollector
13.Makeagarmentholderwithhighnessadjustable
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14.InstallsoftwaretoPCandfollowtheinstructionprovidedbyEpsontosetup
modified
printer.Thenhavefunwithyourprinter.