Documentation / Wide-format plotter
Epson SureColor T3170
Compact 24-inch plotter for small drawing offices. Sits on a desk, prints posters and A1 drawings.
On this page
1. Specifications 2. Installation 3. Drivers and integration 4. Maintenance schedule 5. Common faults1. Specifications
| Type | Piezo inkjet, wide format |
|---|---|
| Media width | Up to 610 mm (24 in) roll |
| Speed | A1 line drawing in about 34 seconds |
| Resolution | 2400 x 1200 dpi |
| Inks | Four cartridges, pigment |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi, Wi-Fi Direct, Ethernet, USB |
| Media handling | Roll plus single-sheet feed, auto cutter |
| Footprint | Desktop, roughly a metre wide |
2. Installation
- Unlock the carriage before power-on — the lock is a plastic tab on the right side, easy to miss.
- Charge the ink system on first power-up and leave it alone for the full cycle.
- Load the roll into the top compartment and let the printer measure it. Do not force it past the sensor.
- Join the network from the panel, print the network status sheet, note the address.
Keep the transport locks and packaging until the machine has run a full week without fault. Wide-format and industrial units are shipped with several restraints, and a missed one shows up as a media fault days later.
3. Drivers and integration
- Install the full driver package: the plain print driver has no media handling and no roll options.
- For occasional users, the built-in AirPrint profile prints, but always to the default media — it cannot pick the roll.
- The device supports direct printing from CAD via a supplied plug-in. Worth setting up if drawings come from AutoCAD daily.
4. Maintenance schedule
Intervals assume normal duty. Dusty warehouses and continuous shifts need the shorter end of every range.
| Weekly | Print at least one page. Piezo heads left idle for weeks clog, and clearing them costs more ink than the page would. |
|---|---|
| Monthly | Nozzle check. Clean only if the pattern shows gaps. |
| Every 6 months | Wipe the roll compartment and the cutter rail. |
| Yearly | Check the maintenance box level; it is a user-replaceable cartridge. |
5. Common faults
Faint or missing lines after a break in use
Dried nozzles. One cleaning cycle, then a nozzle check. Three cycles maximum, then rest the machine an hour.
Media feeds crooked
The roll flanges are not tight against the core, or the leading edge is uneven.
Prints stop halfway with a media error
The measured roll length ran out. The counter is an estimate — reset it after loading a fresh roll.
Wi-Fi drops overnight
Band steering on the access point. Fix the printer to 2.4 GHz and reserve its address.
Colour bands on large fills
Alignment. Run the automatic head alignment from the panel with plain paper loaded.
Isolate the machine at the mains before reaching into the media path. Thermal printheads and fusers hold heat for a long time after the last job, and cutter blades stay under spring tension.