HP DesignJet 8000s User Manual

							
7 How do I get the best image quality
●Test the image quality
● Interpreting the print quality
● Manage media types
● How do I calibrate my printer
● Adjust heater and print mode settings
Different types of media may give better image quality  based on specific mechanical and electrical settings
in your printer. To optimize image quality you can perform  a series of test prints for the media type that you
are using. Based on the results you can then  adjust the printer settings for the media type.
To adjust the printer settings for  a media type, you can modify existing media types or create new ones.
Before creating or modifying a media type for the m edia you intend to use, check the image quality using
the preset values to determine the overall quality that  you get with one of the existing preset media types.
Some media types may require no printer setting adjustments.
● Load your new media and select a media type that 
is similar to the media you are loading. See How
do I… 
Install a media roll in the printer .
● Print an image that you have already successfully 
printed on other media types. See How do I… 
Testthe image quality.
If the image quality is satisfactory you  can use the preset media type for printing.
If the image quality is  not satisfactory, create a new media type  or modify the one selected. See How
do I… 
Manage media types .
● Calibrate the printer for the media type. See 
How do I calibrate my printer
.
● Change the media type settings. See How do I… 
Manage media types
.
● Print your test image again to check the overall image quality with the new settings.
If you are still not satisfied with the image quality,  you may need to make more adjustments to printer
settings, such as the print mode or the heater temp erature. For a description of image quality problems
that you may see and the re commended solution, refer to 
The problem is print quality.
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Test the image quality
To check the overall image quality, use an image that you have printed on other occasions with satisfactory
results. If the image quality is satisfactory, no ca librations are required. If the image quality is not
satisfactory, then you may need to adjust the media ty pe settings. Also use the Nozzle print to check that
there are no printhead nozzles out. The image below illust rates an example print that includes all printhead
colors and would determine the quality  of printed output in all six colors.
NOTEUse the nozzle print pattern to check that all  printhead nozzles are working correctly after
cap cleaning or any major servicing task.
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Interpreting the print quality
Below are examples of the print results you may see in your test print and the recommended action.
If the print quality is satisfactory , you can print on the media without  changing printer or heater settings.
If you see banding in one color (in the black colo r in the image above), then there are printhead nozzles
out. Print the  NOZZLE PRINT/RECOVER  pattern and then print your image again to check that the
printhead is printing correctly. See How do I… 
Print the nozzle print pattern .
If you see banding in all colors then you need to calib rate the printer for the media you have loaded. If you
have selected a preset media type, we recommend that  you create a new media type before modifying the
settings (See How do I…
Manage media types ) and then calibrate the printer. See How do I calibrate my
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printer. Banding may be present in the form of white lines  (as in the image above), or in the form of darker
lines.
If you still see banding in all colors after perfo rming the calibrations, then try adjusting the heater
temperature and/or print mode settings. See How do I… 
Adjust heater and print mode settings .
Manage media types
You can create new media types, or you can modify  or delete existing media types by using the  MEDIA
REG  menu.
Tip We recommend that you do not modify the pres et media types that came with your printer.
You can copy a preset media type with characteri stics that are similar to the new media that you
want to use, and use the copy to create a ne w one before changing the settings. This means that
you will only have to make changes to one or tw o parameters and you will not need to set new
values for all of the parameters.
Copy a media type to create a new one
1. Press the  ONLINE key.
2. Press the 
 key to enter the  MEDIA REG menu.
3.Select the  COPY MEDIA  option with the  and  keys, and press the  OK key.
4. Select a media number using the  and  keys, and press the  OK key.
Only numbers for media types th at already exist are displayed.
5. To create a new media type from the copy, press the 
 key to enter the  MEDIA REG menu.
6.Select the  PASTE MEDIA  option with the  and  keys, and press the  OK key.
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7.Select a media number using the  and  keys.
NOTE If the number on the right is followed by  an asterisk (*), the number displayed
already contains media type information.
8. Press the  OK key to confirm.
9. Press the  OK key to create the new media type.
Create a new media type
Tip We recommend that you do not modify the preset  media types that came with your printer.
You can copy a preset media type  with characteristics that are similar to the new media that you
want to use, and use the copy to create a new  one before changing the settings. This means that
you will only have to make changes to one or  two parameters and you will not need to set new
values for all of the parameters.
To create a new media type:
1. Press the  ONLINE key.
2. Press the 
 key to enter the  MEDIA REG menu.
3.Scroll to the  SELECT MEDIA  menu with the  and  keys.
4.Press the  OK key to select a media type number.
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5.Select a media type number using the  and  keys, and press the  OK key.
NOTE If a number is not available, then a new media type with that number has already
been created.
Select another number.
6. Press the  key and the  OK key to define the name of the new media type.
7. Define the name of the new media type using the  and  keys to select the ch aracter to be set, and
the  and  keys to change the character.
8. Press the  OK key to confirm the media type name.
9. Press the  OK key to confirm the new media type.
Modify media type settings
To modify the settings of a media type:
1. Press the  ONLINE key.
2. Press the 
 key to enter the  MEDIA REG menu.
3.Scroll to the  SELECT MEDIA  menu with the  and  keys.
4.Press the  OK key to select a media number.
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5.Scroll to the media type option you want to modify by using the  and  keys.
6.Press the  OK key to modify the value.
7. Press the  OK key to confirm. The message below will only  be displayed for newly created media types.
8.Press the  OK key to create media type 01 and the  * (asterisk) indicates that the media type has already
been created.
Press the  CANCEL key to cancel the process. T he front panel displays the top menu.
Delete a media type
Media types from 02 to 20 can be selected. Media  type 01 is defined as the standard media and cannot be
deleted.
To delete a media type:
1. Press the  ONLINE key.
2. Press the 
 key to enter the  MEDIA REG menu.
3.Select the  DELETE MEDIA  option.
4.Press the  OK key to select the  TYPE using the  and  keys.
5.Press the  OK key to confirm.
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How do I calibrate my printer
You can adjust the mechanical and electrical settings of your printer based on a series of printed patterns.
These patterns allow you to calibrate your printer setti ngs for the media you are using. Based on the results
of these patterns, you  can optimize the perform ance of your printer.
Calibrate media advance
Your printer was calibrated at the factory to ensure  that it advances the media accurately when using
supported media types in normal environmental conditions.  However, you may find it useful to recalibrate
in certain circumstances:
● Unsupported media: different media manufactur
ers provide media types with a wide range of
properties such as media thickness or stiffness,  which may benefit from calibration. You can expect
the best print quality when using HPs recommended media types.
● Abnormal but stable environmental conditions: if you 
are printing in unusual conditions of temperature
or humidity (see Tell me about… 
Specifications ), and those conditions are expected to remain stable,
recalibration may be worthwhile.
However, media advance calibration assumes that y ou have an image quality problem and that you have
already followed the appropriate troubleshooting pr ocedure for that problem. If you have no particular
problem, there is no need to perform the calibration.
NOTE This procedure describes media advance calibration for all media loaded in the printer.
If you need to calibrate media advance for a spec ific media only, then define advance using
the  MEDIA REG  option.
1.Load media widths larger than A1 size and longer than 1 m.
NOTE If you intend to use  TENSION winding on the take-up reel, set media advance in
tension winding mode.
A longer print length is required in the tension winding mode.
2. Press the  ONLINE key.
3.Select  M_ADV  using the  key.
Select MEDIA ADV PRINT  and press OK.
Select the print mode you usually use for the media you are calibrating.
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Selectable print modes are:
●NORMAL
 — standard and high speed print modes (720 x 720 dpi – 8 passes).
● H-QUAl
 — high quality print mode (720 x 720 dpi – 16 passes).
● H-DENS
 — high density print mode (720 x 720 dpi – 16 passes).
● DRAFT
 — draft print mode (360 x 720 dpi – 4 passes).
● FINE DRAFT
 — fine draft print mode (540 x 720 dpi – 6 passes).
● 3 TIMES
 — high quality, high density print mode (720 x 720 dpi – 24 passes).
4. Press the 
 or  keys to select the  ROUGH print mode, and press the  OK key.
5. Press the  OK key to print the pattern.
In this example,  the color is black.
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Five patterns are printed in 0.5% steps in a range of 99.00% to 101.00%.
●A — Dark lines are visible; the value is too low.
● B — No lines are visible; the value is correct.
● C — Light lines are visible; the value is too high.
NOTE
Select a mean value if the media advance va lue is different in every color. If you
have an image that uses one particular color,  then set the value based on that color.
Different values between the left and right  sides of the media may be caused by skew.
6.From the printed result, select the  best media advance calibration value.
7. Press the 
 key, and then the  OK key to display the current media advance calibration value.
8. Enter the media advance calibration value, and press the  OK key.
Select the number you want  to change by using the 
 and  keys and change the numeric value using
the  and  keys.
If you need more precise media advance ca libration, then you will need to print the DETAIL pattern
as follows:
9. Press the 
 key, and then the  OK.
10. Press the  and  keys to select the  DETAIL pattern.
Select the same print mode as for the  ROUGH pattern you printed previously.
11. Press the  OK key twice to print the  DETAIL pattern.
12.From the printed result, select the  best media advance calibration value.
Five patterns are printed in 0.10% steps in a range of -0.20% to +0.20%.
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