Support
Commissioning
A step-by-step guide to commissioning FastJET, Stormjet, and Skywalker machines on South African print floors.
What Commissioning looks like in a working print week
The Commissioning page sets out the main checks for bringing FastJET, Stormjet, and Skywalker machines into working order. It covers the practical steps needed on South African print floors before profile work and customer production begin.
Commissioning starts with the machine state, the ink set, and the media that will be used first. On South African sites, inland dust, coastal moisture, unstable power, and long-distance freight all change the checks done before any ICC work. FastJET, Stormjet, and Skywalker units need a readable nozzle pattern, stable feed, and confirmed RIP settings before production samples mean anything.
Take clear photos before panels are removed or cables are shifted. A commissioning record should show the carriage area, ink supply, pinch rollers, control screen, and the first test output so faults can be tracked against actual machine condition. That record helps when a restart follows cleaning, parts changes, or a power interruption during setup.
Checks before first colour target
After commissioning, the next action should be obvious from the machine notes and test prints. That may be ink charge verification, feed alignment, heater confirmation, or a repeat nozzle test after cleaning. One stable setup that holds through ordinary shift use is worth more than extra variables introduced too early.
Before moving on to profiling, match the commissioning notes with the press condition, the media loaded, and a swatch or test image that can be printed again later. Check cable routing, RIP queue settings, and head height once more before a machine is sent into customer work. ICC work starts from a test print on your usual roll, together with the RIP version you run.
- Nozzle, feed, and heater checks logged
- Setup photos taken before adjustments begin
- Fault notes tied to machine model
Site conditions that affect setup
Commissioning on Gauteng sites often includes dust control around rails, boards, and ink areas, while coastal shops need closer attention to moisture, media storage, and cleaning frequency. Courier schedules from Johannesburg, Durban, and Cape Town can also shape when parts, inks, and fresh media arrive for test work. A machine that has been running for months should be described differently from a fresh installation or a unit returning from storage.
Power interruptions matter because head capping, heater recovery, and RIP jobs may not return to the same state after shutdown. Temperature around the printer changes how solvent and eco-solvent inks settle during early setup, especially when doors stay open for loading. A customer demonstration should use a controlled file and repeatable settings, not the first random artwork available on site.
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Commissioning notes worth keeping
For Commissioning, send site photos, machine model, RIP details, and what has already been tried. Use a subject line that names the actual fault.
Save the final settings once the printer reaches a repeatable test result. Record pass mode, resolution, bi-directional alignment, feed compensation, head height, and the media name while that information is still on screen or beside the machine. Those notes make later profile work easier and help separate a media issue from a hardware fault.