HP DesignJet 4500 User Manual

14 How do I... (Image Diagnostics Print
topics)
●Print the Image Diagnostics Print
●
Respond to the Image Diagnostics Print
●
Interpret Image Diagnostics part 1
●
Interpret Image Diagnostics part 2
●
Interpret Image Diagnostics part 3
●
If I still have a problem
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Print the Image Diagnostics Print
The Image Diagnostics Print consists of patterns designed to highlight print quality problems. It helps
you to check whether you have a print quality problem, and if you have, what the cause of the
problem is and how to resolve it.
Before using the Image Diagnostics Print, check that you have been using appropriate print quality
settings (see 
Choose print quality settings).
To print the Image Diagnostics Print:
1.Ensure that you have paper of at least A3 size (29.7 × 42...

If you have horizontal misalignment, you will see something like this:
If you have vertical misalignment, you will see something like this:
If you have bidirectional misalignment, you will see something like this:
Corrective action
1.Align the printheads, using the same paper type with which you were experiencing
unacceptable print quality, if feasible (some paper types are not suitable for printhead
alignment). See 
Align the printheads.
2.If there is no improvement in print quality, contact your...

Interpret Image Diagnostics part 2
The purpose of part 2 is to test whether the printheads and the paper advance mechanism are
working correctly. This part of the print should not be used to check for color consistency or accuracy.
Banding
Banding has occurred when you see repetitive horizontal bands within the printed image. They can
appear as light bands:
or dark bands:
or as a more gradual wave effect:
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Horizontal bands across strips of one color only
If a printhead is faulty, you will see horizontal bands across strips of one color only; or at least the
horizontal bands will be much more noticeable in one color than in the others.
NOTEBanding in the green strips is more difficult to see; and it may be caused by a yellow
printhead or by a cyan printhead. If you see banding only in the green strip, it is caused by a
yellow printhead; if you see banding in the green and cyan strips, it is caused by a...

Here are three examples of a black rectangle in close-up, showing the fine lines of which it is made:
In the first two examples above, there are so many missing lines that the printhead may be faulty. In
the third case there are only a few missing lines, which are acceptable, because the printer can
compensate for such minor problems.
Corrective action
If part 3 shows a problem with one printhead, but part 2 shows no problem, there is no immediate
need to take any corrective action, because the printer...

●Check that your printers firmware is up to date. See Update my printers firmware.
●Check that you have the right settings in your software application.
●If you are seeing a problem only at the top of the page, see 
A defect near the start of a print.
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15 How do I... (paper advance calibration
topics)
Your printer was calibrated at the factory to ensure that it advances the paper accurately when using
supported paper types in normal environmental conditions. However, you may find it useful to
recalibrate in certain circumstances:
●Unsupported paper: different paper manufacturers provide papers with a wide range of
properties such as paper thickness or stiffness, which may benefit from calibration. You can
expect the best print quality when using HPs...

NOTEThere are separate paper advance settings for Optimized for drawings/text and
Optimized for images: each must be calibrated separately.
NOTEPapers from different manufacturers may require different paper advance settings
even if they are of the same type, therefore the calibration will be useful only for the particular
paper you calibrated. Remember that, when you perform the calibration, you will overwrite any
previous paper advance settings for this paper type.
The calibration process in detail...