If you use a vinyl cutter as a part of your sign making business (or just within your own business), we know that you want to do everything you can to take care of it. After all, it is an investment and you want to maximize your return on investment (ROI) on that purchase. Still, you might be wondering what type of maintenance
However, what is the best way to keep your vinyl cutting plotter clean? Plus, how can you do so without damaging it, potentially costing you in terms of production while it is being repaired? How can I maintain it to avoid costly repairs and the hit to our revenue?
Keep on reading this post in order to find out. We will also let you know where you can find some of the very best material racks, plotter items, chemicals, and much more. After all, having the right products and a reliable supply chain will keep your business running smoothly, instead of having your productivity reduced.
Cleaning Your Vinyl Cutting Plotter
What do you need to make cleaning your vinyl cutter as easy as possible?
We recommend an adhesive cleaner that is meant for vinyl cutters. Look for one that has the right solvent mixture as to not harm your equipment. Also, choose one that is mild in odor, non-hazardous, hypoallergenic, and biodegradable. It is important to keep in mind to test on an inconspicuous area to determine if the cleaner will not remove any seals.
If you run out of cleaner, a temporary alternative we suggest using is paper towels or tissues with rubbing alcohol and a toothbrush or wire brush. Soak your tissue or paper towel in the rubbing alcohol and latch down your wheels. Then, put the tissue on the wheels and hit the down arrow key. This process will help in the meantime until you get your hands on a proper adhesive fluid remover.
It is important that you commit to cleaning the wheels about once a week to maintain things in good working order. This procedure will keep your wheels from getting coated in adhesive, which can cause you to have serious tracking problems. When you start having tracking problems, it can impact the quality of your work or increase the time it takes to complete projects. Either way, not cleaning off adhesive on your plotter can end up costing your business time and money.
If you have noticed a serious build-up of glue, use tweezers or even some adhesive removers to get rid of the build-up as soon as possible. To maintain your grit rollers, use the wire brush to scrub them lightly. Try going in a slow circular motion, which will get rid of paper scraps and more without causing any damage. Make sure that you do not interfere with any of the paint while doing this type of cleaning and removing of buildup. The point of doing this type of cleaning means you will not have buildup on your plotter and thus reducing the efficiency and clarity of your projects.
Daily Maintenance to Consider
Of course, keeping your vinyl cutting machine in good health also means doing a bit of preventative maintenance.
Make sure that you always lift up the pinch rollers before you head out for the day. If you leave them down for too long, you could actually create indentations. Ignoring this process will mean that your plotter will not last as long as it should. To maximize the amount of work you can get out of your plotter, it is important to make maintenance processes a part of your daily routine.
Also, always wipe off any dust with a dry cloth to prevent it from building up. Dust can end up negatively impacting the ability of your adhesive to stick to your signs or other materials once they are cut.
Finally, make sure that you always keep the tip as free from debris as you can.
You can use a can of compressed air, blow on it with a fan or even blast it on a cool setting of a hair dryer for two seconds to send any leftover vinyl, dust, and dirt flying away.
Looking for a Vinyl Cutting Plotter?
We hope this overview has explained some of the best ways to keep your vinyl cutting plotter clean. Remember that the overall goal here is to extend the life of your plotter. Taking good care of things will also help to prevent problems from slowing down your production levels because your plotter is not working and down for repairs.
Of course, having the best products on hand in the first place is just as important. Whether you are on the hunt for plotter items, hand tools, adhesive removers or even banner stands, we have the inventory you need to meet the demands of your sign production. The goal is keep up a supply chain of all your plotter needs that will allow your business to grow and meet the requests of your customers in a timely fashion.
Check us out to find the products you have been looking for to make your business run that much smoother.
Simple Solutions International offers a full selection of plotter blades and plotter pens as well as a variety of useful tools for use in plotting and sign making such as plotter adapters, masking film, spray mask, and other sign making tools and accessories.