Frequently Asked Questions

Maintenance is easy. Every day after work, cap the print head properly — leaving it exposed to air too long can dry it out and cause clogging.

If the printer will not be used for a while, add some pure water (not mineral water) in the head capping to keep the print head moist, and clean it thoroughly before using the printer again. This simple routine keeps the printer in good shape.

• Linear slide: apply solid lubricant every two weeks.
• Ink pad: replace every three months to prevent rubber aging and to stop air from entering the nozzle and ink cartridge.
• Print head: after work every day, wipe the print head, the surrounding ink, and the bottom of the operating platform with a wet wipe. Wet paper towels must not be used.
• Belt gear: apply solid lubricant every month to prevent the belt from drying out and wearing.
• Turntable shafts: apply solid lubricating grease to the four shafts under the turntable every three months to prevent rust.

Always cap the print head at the end of each working day. For longer idle periods, add pure water to the capping station to keep the head moist, and perform a thorough clean before resuming printing. We host two live streams every week on the YouTube channel "Joan Colorido" covering maintenance tips — feel free to join.

Enter factory mode in the software and raise the moisturizing and ink-suction parameters under the ink-station settings; this lifts the ink station to align with the carriage head.

1. Check whether the pulley and drum collide.
2. Open the mainboard panel at the back of the printer and check for abnormal noises or flickering lights.

If both check out fine, please contact us promptly.

Gearbox oil change guide: Because the gearbox has a cast-iron housing, the standard recommendation is ISO VG 220 gear oil. Unscrew the drain plug at the bottom to completely drain the old oil before refilling with fresh oil.

Where there is a significant annual temperature difference, select oil viscosity based on local ambient temperature — e.g. ISO VG 68 in summer. Adjust the grade for your winter conditions accordingly.

Before storing, clean the print head thoroughly, cap it properly, and add pure water to the capping to keep it moist. Keep the printer in a dry, dust-free environment at room temperature. Before restarting, clean the head again and run an ink fill / nozzle check to confirm everything flows correctly.

Because winter air is dry and temperatures are low, the inside of the ink nozzles can dry out and clog, causing imperfect printing.

First rule out ink shortage. It is recommended to print one millimeter of the problematic color at the front of the job first, so the dried portion of the nozzle is ejected first, preventing defects in subsequent printing.

The ink in the print head has solidified due to prolonged disuse.

• Method 1: Click "ink fill" in the software; it automatically fills ink — let it soak for 1–2 hours.
• Method 2: Pour cleaning fluid (special cleaning fluid) onto the ink pad, then close the print head and let it soak for about one day.

If neither method works, replacing the print head with a new one is recommended.

The recommended curing temperature for polyester is 175–185 °C; you can adjust within this range according to actual requirements. Cotton is steam-cured at 102 °C.

Socks that have been washed and dried will not have a noticeable smell.

Generally, there are no strict requirements. Formats such as JPG, Adobe Illustrator (AI), TIFF, and PDF can all be used. The standard design draft size is 25.78 cm × 47 cm.

For new clients purchasing equipment, we provide on-site installation and training services. For the first on-site service, the first 5 days are free of charge, but clients need to cover all related travel costs (flights, hotel, meals, etc.).

For any subsequent on-site services, in addition to travel expenses, we charge an additional service fee of $280 per day. An appointment is required in advance, as our technicians may be busy with other installations.

Most clients prefer to resolve issues through our online support, which is efficient and prompt.

Ink is priced at $15 per liter; one bottle holds one liter. Only a small amount of ink is needed for one pair of socks (about 600 pairs per liter).

The printer does not include a computer or an AI camera system; a separate computer is required. Recommended configuration:

• Motherboard: Gigabyte H510
• CPU: Intel i7-10700
• RAM: 32 GB
• Hard Drive: 500 GB (Samsung)
• Mouse & Keyboard: 1 set
• Computer Case: 1 set
• Monitor: 24-inch Philips
• Operating System: Windows Enterprise Edition

There is no issue at all — any overspray will not be visible on black areas. If you need to print on socks with colored toes or heels, our smart AI camera system can be used; this system is sold separately.

Yes, color calibration is included. Our ICC profiles are aligned with the colors of the original files.

Lead time: 10–15 days after order confirmation and payment. This excludes transit time.

Standard sock tubes are 82 mm (3.228 inches) in diameter. If you need a larger size, 90 mm (3.543 inches) is available. The four-station printer comes standard with 4 rollers; equipping both sizes requires an additional fee.

No. The printing speed with rollers of different sizes is basically the same.

This camera system captures the colors on socks for positioning. It detects colored parts (e.g., black toes and heels), skips these areas, and prints only on the white parts — allowing more colorful designs. The system is sold separately.

For overseas customers, we ship a small transformer together with the printer.

The Chinese and English versions can be switched freely.

Online technical support is completely free. We typically set up a dedicated WeChat or WhatsApp group for each client; technicians usually respond within 30 minutes when available.

The warranty period is one year. All parts are covered except the print head (Epson print heads are extremely sensitive to temperature changes and impacts). For other parts, Ningbo Colorido sends replacement components free of charge during the warranty.

Spare parts: Free parts are included in the contract at purchase, so most issues can be resolved by swapping out the faulty part.

Support options: remote software help, video-call repair guidance, and YouTube live troubleshooting. For bulk purchases, we provide on-site installation and technician training.

Socks that have been washed and dried will not have a noticeable smell.

The 8-color system includes C, M, Y, K, LC, LM, LK, and OR. Ink costs $15 per liter, and one liter prints about 600 pairs of socks.

We recommend starting with 60 liters: 8 L each of C/M/Y/K/LC/LM/LK and 4 L of OR. As ink is a liquid, shipping for 60 liters is charged separately.

Total ink consumption is the same (~60 liters) under both the 4-color (C/M/Y/K) and 8-color (C/M/Y/K/LC/LM/LK/OR) setups.

The 4-color system reproduces about 70–80% of colors, while the 8-color solution reaches 85–95%. The 8-color solution performs particularly well on difficult colors such as brown, tan, and gray — printing more evenly with less graininess and color banding.

Our ink is OEKO-TEX® certified, which proves its safety and compliance. This certification usually meets customers' requirements for non-toxicity and safety.

1. Hardware: Split the No. 2 print head ink lines, add lines for four more colors, and configure large-capacity main cartridges, secondary cartridges, and intermediate lines.
2. Firmware: Provide the current firmware (no parameter changes needed); our software company will customize the 8-color layout.
3. Neostampa calibration: We provide the 8-color ICC profile. Update Neostampa to the latest version and test ICC readability; we will regenerate a matching profile if needed.

The machine uses the Epson I1600 print head.

2 heads for the four-roller machine; 4 heads for the two-roller machine.

About $460 per unit. They are also available online from Epson.

Usually 8 months to one year, but some clients have used the same head for over 2 years.

Enter factory mode in the software and raise the moisturizing and ink-suction parameters under the ink-station settings; this lifts the ink station to align with the carriage head.

1. Check whether the pulley and drum collide.
2. Open the mainboard panel at the back and check for abnormal noises or flickering lights.

If both check out fine, please contact us promptly.

• Linear slide: apply solid lubricant every two weeks.
• Ink pad: replace every three months to prevent rubber aging and air entering the nozzle.
• Print head: wipe daily with a wet wipe (not wet paper towels).
• Belt gear: apply solid lubricant every month.
• Turntable shafts: apply solid grease every three months to prevent rust.

Dry, cold winter air can dry out the inside of the nozzles and cause clogging. First rule out ink shortage. Then print a 1 mm strip of the problematic color at the front of the job so the dried portion of the nozzle is ejected first, preventing defects in the actual print.

The ink in the print head has solidified due to prolonged disuse.

• Method 1: Click "ink fill" in the software and let it soak for 1–2 hours.
• Method 2: Pour special cleaning fluid onto the ink pad, then close the print head and soak for about one day.

If neither works, replacing the print head is recommended.

1. Use Pantone color cards to pick colors close to your pattern; make them into small blocks in one image (at sock size) as a reference, noting color numbers.
2. Print again using the same type of stockings.
3. After printing and drying, find the colors closest to the reference and replace them in your pattern.

Printing color misalignment — please contact Ningbo Colorido directly.

This indicates the oven is not fixing color sufficiently — during heating, socks collide and colors stick. Adjust the oven temperature: cool down, then set again, repeating to find the appropriate temperature.

For polyester: 175–185 °C (adjust within this range). For cotton: steam-cure at 102 °C.

The standard design draft size is 25.78 cm × 47 cm. The CO80-210PRO can accommodate print lengths of 60–70 cm; the system is adjustable to your specific requirements.

Generally, no strict requirements. Formats such as JPG, Adobe Illustrator (AI), TIFF, and PDF can all be used.

Gearbox Maintenance & Oil Change Guide:

• Oil specification (standard): ISO VG 220 gear oil (cast-iron housing).
• Oil change procedure: Unscrew the drain plug at the bottom, drain old oil completely, then refill with fresh oil.
• Seasonal adjustment: Summer → ISO VG 68; Winter → ISO VG 32 (or lower viscosity).

The oven needs its gearbox oil changed every six months.

Please refer to the oven speed guide image in your user manual, or contact us for the speed–time correspondence table for your specific oven model.

Considering the possibility of loose screws on the oven connection line, it is recommended to try tightening the connection screws. If the error persists, please contact our technical team.