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Before You Restart Your Engines


Ready…Set…Wait!

Did you know that long periods of inactivity or improper cleaning of surfaces can wreak havoc on your printer?

COVID-19 has caused many printers to sit idle in less than perfect environments which can cause several issues:

  • Dry Ink may compact or solidify.
  • Paper or media may become damp or damaged which can cause poor image quality and jamming.
  • Systems that have been turned off for a period of time, once restarted will often have Windows OS software attempting to update in the background. This may cause slow performance issues.

To avoid common problems, Key Digital are here to help with advice and support available at your fingertips. When you are ready to start printing again, our knowledgebase of articles will help you get up and running.

The main steps to ensure proper printer performance are to:

Stabilise the environment. Make sure the temperature and humidity are within specifications.

Turn on your printer then your Digital Front End if one is present.

Allow the printer to come to ready. Check for messages on the display and follow all prompts.

Replace paper or media that appears damp, wrinkled or damaged.

Test the performance by running a job or two.

Cleaning your print devices

How to properly clean your print devices is an area that Key Digital has focused on during this pandemic.

The following guidance is applicable to surfaces of Multifunction Devices, Printers, and Presses (e.g. panels, buttons, user interfaces, display screens, touch screens, doors/access handles).

  1. Wear disposable gloves made of latex or nitrile gloves when cleaning and disinfecting surfaces.
  2. Turn off the device and unplug the device before cleaning. Do not clean a product while it is powered on and plugged in as it may cause electrification.
  3. Moisten a clean, soft, lint free, cotton cloth with a mixture of 70% isopropyl alcohol and 30% water (also known as rubbing alcohol). Do not use fibrous materials, such as paper towels. The cloth should be moist with no free liquid to ensure dripping does not occur.
  4. Do not spray any liquids directly onto the product.
  5. Gently wipe the moistened cloth on the surfaces to be cleaned. Take care to prevent moisture from entering inside the product or between gaps around the control panel or buttons. Disinfectant entering the product may result in extensive damage or failure due to corrosion.
  6. When cleaning a display screen or control panel, carefully wipe in one direction, moving from the top of the display to the bottom. Do not rub the control panel strongly as it can be easily scratched or cracked.
  7. Ensure surfaces have completely air-dried before turning the device on after cleaning. No moisture should be visible on the surface of the product before it is powered back on.
  8. Discard gloves after each cleaning. Clean hands immediately after gloves are removed.

Happy printing and stay safe!