I had to say it, didn't I?

[realJSOP]

I wrote a program that exercises an inkjet. All you gotta do is set up a scheduled task, and let it go. It even uses the same sheet of paper over and over (as long as you put it back in the paper tray until the sheet is full). Here's the CodeProject article: Keep Your InkJet Print Head Clean[^] BTW, someone posted in the article's comments about a better way to clean your print heads than even running this program.

".45 ACP - because shooting twice is just silly" - JSOP, 2010
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You can never have too much ammo - unless you're swimming, or on fire. - JSOP, 2010
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When you pry the gun from my cold dead hands, be careful - the barrel will be very hot. - JSOP, 2013

[Lost User]

Yes, but be careful with the Epson printers. I purchased one of those All-In-One Epson inkjet printers and the cartridge dried out and damaged the print head. The printer was useless at that point. Epson stated that the print head had to be replaced and it was gong to be more than the initial cost of the printer.

When you are dead, you won't even know that you are dead. It's a pain only felt by others. Same thing when you are stupid.

[Lost User]

JSOP to the rescue! :cool::thumbsup:

When you are dead, you won't even know that you are dead. It's a pain only felt by others. Same thing when you are stupid.

[glennPattonWork3]

Did that at home, but buy an extra set of cartridges as the ones you get with the darn things tend to be sample size only!

[TheGreatAndPowerfulOz]

Keep it kid-sister safe!

#SupportHeForShe Government can give you nothing but what it takes from somebody else. A government big enough to give you everything you want is big enough to take everything you've got, including your freedom.-Ezra Taft Benson You must accept 1 of 2 basic premises: Either we are alone in the universe or we are not alone. Either way, the implications are staggering!-Wernher von Braun

[OriginalGriff]

And downloaded! :thumbsup:

Bad command or file name. Bad, bad command! Sit! Stay! Staaaay...

[OriginalGriff]

Yeah, they use a piezo head technology: http://www.therecycler.com/posts/epson-reveals-secrets-behind-development-of-micro-piezo-technology/[^] which is similar in many ways to the shared wall piezo from Xaar I used to use. And if you gum them up good and proper you can't clean them properly without damage - the droplet volume is controllable between 30 and 80 picolitres which means that the holes and tubes are really narrow and easy to damage. Very, very reliable in normal use though.

Bad command or file name. Bad, bad command! Sit! Stay! Staaaay...

[OriginalGriff]

Didn't you know that little girls have always flocculated? :laugh: They don't stop doing it either: watch them at a club or pub and they always flocculate to the loo...

Bad command or file name. Bad, bad command! Sit! Stay! Staaaay...

[Lost User]

I agree. I think the Epson printer with JSOP's solution will make a good combo. I'm thinking about modifying his solution into a Windows multi-threaded service to schedule maintenance for several printers at one time. I have several inkjets at home that can benefit from it. Maybe I'll try to add the test print functionality to it as well and have that as an option for scheduling.

When you are dead, you won't even know that you are dead. It's a pain only felt by others. Same thing when you are stupid.

[realJSOP]

Look at the comment about physically cleaning. I think it's better than periodically running ink through the heads.

".45 ACP - because shooting twice is just silly" - JSOP, 2010
-----
You can never have too much ammo - unless you're swimming, or on fire. - JSOP, 2010
-----
When you pry the gun from my cold dead hands, be careful - the barrel will be very hot. - JSOP, 2013

[Rob Philpott]

Rubbing alcohol? What the hell is that, I want some!

Regards, Rob Philpott.

[TheGreatAndPowerfulOz]

lmao

#SupportHeForShe Government can give you nothing but what it takes from somebody else. A government big enough to give you everything you want is big enough to take everything you've got, including your freedom.-Ezra Taft Benson You must accept 1 of 2 basic premises: Either we are alone in the universe or we are not alone. Either way, the implications are staggering!-Wernher von Braun

[Dave Kreskowiak]

Allow me to rephrase, isopropyl alcohol.

A guide to posting questions on CodeProject

Click this: Asking questions is a skill. Seriously, do it.
Dave Kreskowiak

[dandy72]

I know a guy who bought 3 such color laser printers in one go (for home use), just for the included cartridges. Out of toner? Move to the next printer...

[Nish Nishant]

Yeah, that's more economical, although the new printers come with starter cartridges that are often 30-40% capacity of a normal one.

Regards, Nish

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Website: www.voidnish.com Blog: voidnish.wordpress.com

[Gary R Wheeler]

My company builds commercial ink-jet printing systems. You would not believe the amount of effort that goes into keeping heads clean and running defect-free. Of course, when our customers have paid $2.5M for one of these suckers, they do have certain expectations :sigh: ...

Software Zen: delete this;

[Roger Wright]

I hate to say it, but, "You told you so!" ;P

Will Rogers never met me.

[Rob Grainger]

and they wonder why we're heading for an environmental crisis. Sheesh.

"If you don't fail at least 90 percent of the time, you're not aiming high enough." Alan Kay.

[dandy72]

Even then, purely from a cost perspective, it still makes more sense to buy a whole new printer.

[dandy72]

You can place that blame squarely on the printer manufacturers. Still that doesn't mean the printer is headed for the scrap heap. You can still sell it (and make back a few bucks in the process), or give it away.