Decoding Wide-Format Ink and Media Guarantees

The job comes in. The materials are bought. The printing is completed. The installation is done. But what happens when something fails along the way?

The majority of jobs any given shop produces will go off without any major complications — or, at most, it will be something easily adjusted or corrected. However, what happens when the ink or media itself is the pain point? What do media and ink warranties, or guarantees, actually cover?

How Do They Work?

Warranties and guarantees can vary between manufacturers, so first and foremost, take a look at the contracts with your specific suppliers, and even have a chat with your representatives so you have a good idea of how their individual policies work. Then, make a note of it in your own manuals and files, so when and if a problem does arise, you and your staff already know what the next steps should be.

To get an idea of what you should be looking for, we talked to Ricardo Nava, vice president of sales – Hardware & Services, at Media One (PRINTING United Expo booth C1628) He explains what is — and isn’t — covered and what wide-format print service providers (PSPs) should be on the lookout for.

The first thing to consider is the overall coverage. What, exactly, is covered? “Traditionally, if there is a defect on the media or the inks, we will warranty both,” Nava explains. “There has to be a vetting process from the technical group assessing the defect or issues, and then implementing the warranty or replacing the product or parts if it applies.”

In plain language, that means that they will examine inks or media a printer submits a claim for, and a technical team will determine if it is a genuine defect causing the problems. If it is, the warranty will kick in, and the product will be replaced. If they determine it’s not a product failure, it won’t be covered.

Fortunately, defects don’t happen that often. Nava notes that in 20 years in the industry overall, he has seen only one actually defective ink lot that needed to be replaced, and the manufacturer, in that case, replaced the printhead the ink damaged. Most of the time, he notes, the quality control systems at media and ink companies will catch defective products long before they ever make it to a customer for use.

That said, if a printer does believe they have received a defective product, Nava explains, “If the ink or media has a defect and affects the printer, then, as Media One, we stand behind this issue and take responsibility and will replace any affected parts — even if the printer is not under warranty. But this only happens if we provide the inks and/or media to the customer. If the customer is sourcing the inks or media from a third party and this affects the printer, then we help the customer troubleshoot and fix the issue, but we can’t pay for damaged printer parts caused by third-party defective ink or media.”

What Nava says is a good reminder that wide-format PSPs should understand the guarantees and policies not just of the primary substrate and ink provider, but of the printer and every third-party product in use throughout the shop. That includes washes, chemicals, inks, substrates, foils, tapes, glues, and anything else being used to produce the finished product. There are far more consumable products being used in the average print environment than most printers consider. Each of them has their own warranty guarantees and processes.

Seek and Understand

So where do you start? “My advice is to always ask suppliers for their written warranty statement and clearly understand what is covered, for how long, and what the process is if an issue occurs,” Nava says. “I also recommend using the consumables provided or approved by the equipment manufacturer whenever possible, as they are typically tested and supported with the system. If using alternative consumables is necessary, or chosen, printers should confirm with the consumable supplier whether they provide any warranty or guarantee on their products, what issues are covered, and what the claim process looks like.”

Fortunately, most wide-format PSPs will never encounter an actual defective product during operation. But most is not all, and when it does happen, media and equipment manufacturers have processes in place to ensure compensation or provide replacements. Knowing those policies and processes can mean the difference between a swift resolution and months of frustration trying to track down what to submit where. Taking the time now to create documentation will save headaches in the future.

Documenting Your Media Guarantee Process

What should you have in your documentation in the event you need to submit a warranty process for your inks or substrates? Here is an outline of the information you should gather for every manufacturer of every consumable you work with to have available in your company files.

1. The name of each supplier and product. Have a separate entry for each product, even from the same supplier — you can nest multiple products under one supplier, but listing out the specific products with model/lot/version information ensures you have quick access to information if something goes wrong.
2. Where and how that product is used in the shop. Is it ink for the wide-format output device? Solvent used for cleaning? Adhesive used in the finishing process? Have that information clearly spelled out.
3. What is the warranty period for that product? Sometimes, consumables might sit for days or weeks before use — ensure you know how long each product is guaranteed for, or you might run into a situation where you find a defect, but it’s out of warranty, leaving you without any recourse.
4. The name and contact information for the supplier/manufacturer rep you work with. Having that information kept with the product information will make it easier and faster to find if a warranty claim is needed.
5. The contact information that is specific to warranty or guarantee claims. While your representative likely has and can provide that information, it is likely it is a different department that handles claims. Acquiring that information ahead of time can save you steps and time.
6. Are there any conditions attached to a warranty claim? For example, does the manufacturer require that their product was used exclusively in that application for a warranty to be in effect, or will any use of third-party alternatives at any time void it? Does the product have to be used on specific equipment in specific configurations to be in effect? You will want to document all of the terms and conditions.
7. Is labor included in a warranty claim? While most claims likely will likely just result in replaced product, if something is damaged, such as a printhead, will the warranty cover the labor to have it replaced, or just the parts? Is downtime considered and lost wages and/or jobs because of a defective product? Most media and ink guarantees explicitly do not cover these things, but make sure to check with your suppliers.
8. The specific information that manufacturer requires for a claim. Do they require you to submit the actual product to them for testing? If so, where must it be sent? Do they need pictures or documentation of what the defect was or damage caused? Document the requirements for each manufacturer, and note that even within a manufacturer it might be different for different products or categories, which is why it is important to have a separate listing for each product.
9. Get a rough idea for the response time for warranty claims. Are you looking at a few days? Weeks? Months? Especially in situations where hardware, such as printheads, is damaged by defective products, more time means the equipment is offline longer. You will want to know timelines up front so you can plan accordingly.
10. Finally, in your documentation, have a section for notes, and encourage your operators and staff to contribute. This doesn’t just have to be pulled out when something catastrophic goes wrong. Allow them to note when a product is just sensitive to temperature or humidity, for example, and what the ideal conditions are to ensure jobs run at the highest quality. Then it becomes a living document, so when and if the worst does happen, you have not just contact information, but detailed notes to share with the manufacturer to track what went wrong and why it wasn’t just operator error but a true defect.