The first step is to try to find the source of the problem. Is it an ink problem? - or a machine problem? - or a material/vinyl problem?
Like modern cars, ink jet printers are mechanically complex - with even more complex computers controlling their operation. Like fuel & oil is to cars, printers also use consumable items - ink and vinyl - that are typically manufactured by other companies.
And, like cars, there are certain things that tend to go wrong most often. Knowing what goes wrong most often can save a lot of time. In our experience, here are some of the things that we have found go wrong most often:
  A. Most common ink problems - Viscosity, drying rate and sludge.
  B. Most common machine problems - Head assemblies and filters.
  C. Most common vinyl problems - Excess plasticizer and surface contamination.