B.2. Selecting the Right Paper

B.2. Selecting the Right Paper

Laser printing is a process involving laser light, electrostatic discharge, toner, and heat. In addition, as the paper passes through the printer it undergoes considerable sliding, bending, and twisting motions. A high- quality printing paper matching the printer's requirements withstands all these stresses, enabling the printer to turn out clean, crisp printed copy consistently.

Remember that all paper is not the same. Some of the factors to consider when selecting paper for the printer are as follows:

Condition of the Paper

Avoid using paper that is bent at the edges, curled, dirty, torn, embossed, or contaminated with lint, clay, or paper shreds

Use of paper in these conditions can lead to illegible printing, misfeeding, and paper jams, and can shorten the life of the printer. In particular, avoid using paper with a surface coating or other surface treatment. The paper should have as smooth and even a surface as possible.

Composition

Do not use paper that has been coated or surface-treated and contains plastic or carbon. The heat of fusing can cause such paper to give off harmful fumes.

Bond paper should contain at least 80% pulp. Not more than 20% of the total paper content should consist of cotton or other fibers.

Paper Size

Cassettes and a MP tray are available for the paper sizes listed in Table B.2. The dimensional tolerances are ±0.7 mm (±0.0276 inches) for the length and width. The angle at the corners must be 90° ±0.2°.

Table B.2 Paper Sizes for Paper Feeding

Multi-Purpose tray

Size

Cassette or

 

Size

multi-purpose tray

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Monarch

3-7/8 × 7-1/2 inches

Legal

8.5 × 14 inches

 

 

 

 

Business

4-1/8 × 9-1/2 inches

Letter

8.5 × 11 inches

 

 

 

 

 

International DL

110 × 220 mm

ISO A4

210

× 297 mm

 

 

 

 

 

International C5

162 × 229 mm

ISO A5

148

× 210 mm

 

 

 

 

 

International B5

176 × 250 mm

JIS B5

182

× 257 mm

 

 

 

 

 

Executive

7-1/4 × 10-1/2 inches

Custom

148

× 210 mm to 216 × 356 mm

 

 

 

 

 

Commercial 9

3-7/8 × 8-7/8 inches

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Commercial 6-3/4

3-5/8 × 6-1/2 inches

Other sizes of paper can be fed manually.

 

 

ISO A6

105 × 148 mm

The minimum size of manually fed paper is 80 × 148 mm

JIS B6

128 × 182 mm

(3.1 × 5.8 inches), fed lengthwise. The maximum size is 216

 

 

× 356 mm (8.5 × 14 inches).

 

Hagaki

100 × 148 mm

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Oufuku-Hagaki

148 × 200 mm

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

B-2