Print head realignment for Canon inkjet

[roofrabbit]

I have both a Canon Pixma IP4300 and a Canon i860 inkjet printer. Both of these has a utility for aligning print heads. My problem is that I don't know how often to align the printhead.

Does the printhead have to be realigned after each replacement of an ink cartridge (Canon or otherwise)?

Is there a different answer for the i860 Canon printer (which has no "security" chips) and for the Canon IP4300 which requires "security chips" to be removed & remounted on third-party ink cartridges?

 

[WhiteDog]

Mostly the function is for new printers or replacement heads. With the new models the alignment is automatic, and most users will not have a reason to look at it. You could look at it once a month if you feel like it, or if some issue of registration errors seems to be turning up in prints.

 

[alexandereci]

I personally realign after each refill (each time a cart is taken out) and run a test print also, but that's just me being too OCD perhaps...

 

[fotofreek]

I haven't found a realignment necessary after cart changes, but I do them when I have to remove the printhead for cleaning. Certainly you would have to do one after installing a new printhead.