Avoiding Equipment Installation Disasters

When you install your next piece of wide-format equipment, follow these steps to make the process smooth and easy.

It’s a part of every printer’s life: equipment installations. It doesn’t matter what you already have operating in your shop because at the pace wide-format technologies change and evolve, the reality is if you’re not at least considering capital equipment investments every few years to stay ahead of the curve — you’re probably already behind.

Once the purchase decision has been made, the contracts are signed, and the space is cleared, it’s time to clear the floor space and arrange for that shiny new machine. While a majority of the time that will go off without a hitch, there is a “not-zero” chance that something could go wrong to throw the whole operation into the dust. So, what can you do to stay in that “no-problems” zone?

Be Prepared

More than just a song in “The Lion King,” your motto for equipment installations should boil down to one thing: be prepared.

“The biggest mistake we see customers make when preparing for an installation is not doing sufficient pre-installation work,” notes Reed Hecht, group product manager, Professional Imaging, Epson America. “Epson takes pre-installation seriously. As part of the purchase process for a wide-format industrial printer, customers go through a comprehensive pre-installation inspection with our team that reviews images of the site, power requirements, and more, to ensure smooth delivery and installation.”

Even though ensuring you have the right space for the press and the right amount of clearance around it is critical to installation success, pre-installation is about more than making sure you have the proper space. Be sure to keep in mind, says Chris Buckner, service operations manager for Durst Image Technology US, whether you have the right utilities (power, air, network access, etc.) in place.

Buckner notes, “Ensure the requirements are fully understood by the site/client during and after the pre-site. Second, have all the needed parties (e.g. electrician, plumber, HAVC, etc.) ready ahead of time. Third, have prepress, operators, and media-ready for training after the physical install is complete.”

That includes doing more than just making sure there’s a plug in the right area. If you want to ensure smooth, seamless equipment installation, then get the right people involved early in the process.

“The biggest mistake that a print service provider can make while preparing for new equipment is to not involve experienced, licensed personnel when it comes to electric, HVAC, or rigging to prepare their site per the equipment manufacturer's requirements,” stresses Frank Cilia, Field Service Manager at Vanguard Digital Printing Systems.

Of course, being prepared doesn’t end when the installers leave, either. If you want to get the most out of the equipment, it is wise to take advantage of the programs that will help your team get up to speed quickly.

Hecht notes, “Allocate time and space (without distractions) to watch, learn, and become familiar with the equipment. Customers are often too busy during the installation to spend any time with the installer and trainer and, therefore, miss out on learning from [them] about how to use, maintain, and, in some cases, service the equipment.”

Also, it’s not good for brand-new equipment to just sit for a long stretch right after installation. Cilia points out, “A post-installation issue that was seen was a printer that was left unused and unattended for three weeks after it was installed, and, naturally, there were issues when it was restarted. To ensure the printheads were regularly exercised when not being used, a dedicated team member was assigned to perform daily test printing and maintenance.”

While it should go without saying, all of these steps and preparations are just as critical if you want to move a machine as when it is first installed. Buckner shares, “The biggest installation disaster Durst faced was when a client moved and transported a printer without notifying us, and improperly prepared it for transit. Critical steps — such as securing the carriage and capping the print heads — were not performed, resulting in significant issues during installation. Components that typically remain intact were damaged, and adjustments and calibrations rarely required became necessary.”

All of that, he points out, led to unnecessary headaches all around. “On-site technicians and product management had to conduct a thorough inspection, replace multiple components, and perform extensive adjustments and calibrations to restore the machine to factory specifications.” Fortunately, though, it all worked out in the end. “After addressing these challenges, we successfully delivered a fully functional machine back to the customer, ensuring their satisfaction and a positive outcome.”

Tips for Success

What tips do our experts offer to ensure your next equipment installation goes off without a hitch?

1. Take stock of your shop floor and ensure you have the proper space for the equipment you want to install.
2. Hire professionals (plumbers, electricians, HVAC) professionals to inspect the site and make any adjustments required by the manufacturer.
3. Review and plan with the manufacturer for not only where the press will be going, but where it will be delivered and unloaded, as well as how the press should be placed within the space. Don’t leave anything to chance.
4. While installation day can be hectic, and you and your team may not have the chance to really absorb how to operate and maintain the press for peak performance, make sure to take the time in the days following to ensure everyone has the training they need.
5. Don’t let the new press just sit idle, waiting for you to get around to figuring out how to use it. This will lead to potential issues that would have to be resolved later. Even if it means dedicating a person to learning and performing daily maintenance tasks, don’t let your press become a giant paperweight.
6. Don’t try to move your press without getting your manufacturer and installation team involved. There are a lot of moving parts, and you will likely damage something. Even if you realize you just want to move it to another part of your shop for better flow, make sure to return to step one.
7. Enjoy your new press! When it’s up and running without any major problems, it’s time to start funneling jobs to it and seeing just what it can do to help you grow your business!