Print Mode Selection, Static Electricity

Print Mode Selection

Many cut-sheet media will work well in Production Mode. Some materials, because of their weight or other physical properties, may give the best output in High Quality mode. Depending on the application requirements (viewing distance, image content, level of acceptability for image quality, etc.). Plan for some amount of experimentation the first time a media type is used.

As noted above, media that is not flat may show some output anomalies from inaccurate dot placement. This inaccuracy stems from the bidirectional print method, which requires a flat surface in order to place dots in the same place when printing on both directions. The typical visible defect is a grainy appearance. For these cases, the printer has Unidirectional print modes that apply ink only in one direction. This slows the overall throughput of the printer, but may allow you to use media that would otherwise be unworkable.

Static Electricity

Static electricity is often a problem when working with cut sheets, particularly of synthetic materials. The media materials are often nonconductive, so static charges cannot dissipate on their own. Besides minor personal discomfort from static shocks, static attracts foreign particles to the media surface that prevent ink from adhering where expected. Static can also attract ink droplets to areas of the media surface that were supposed to remain unprinted. Low humidity levels in the printer and media storage environment can exacerbate the issue.

A number of active and passive methods can be employed to minimize static:

∙Maintain a humidity level of 40-60% rH in both the printer and media storage areas.

∙Drape copper tinsel over the media stacks and attach the tinsel to a grounding point. This will help discharge the static from each sheet as it is removed from the stack.

∙Wipe down the media surface with greater than 90% isopropyl alcohol (IPA) prior to printing. This will remove any foreign particles that were attracted to the media by static.

∙For extreme static problems, careful use of an antistatic spray may be warranted. We have found K2r Static Stopper to provide good results. Alberto-Culver Static Guard may also be used. Lightly spray and do not allow the antistatic spray to pool on the media. Note that the ink-adhesion properties of some media may be negatively affected by the spray, so use the minimum amount necessary to achieve results. Adhesion decreases were typically around 10% and typically occurred on media that already had poorer adhesion properties without the spray.