HP Designjet T1120ps 1118 mm User Manual

							General advice
When you have any print-quality problem:
●To achieve the best performance from your printer, use only genuine manufacturers supplies and
accessories, whose reliability and performance have been thoroughly tested to give trouble-free
performance and best-quality prints. For details of recommended papers, see 
Order paper
on page 136.
●Make sure that the paper type selected in the front panel is the same as the paper type loaded into
the printer. To check this, use the View loaded paper key 
 on the front panel. At the same time,
check that the paper type has been calibrated. Also make sure that the paper type selected in your
software is the same as the paper type loaded into the printer.
CAUTION:If you have the wrong paper type selected, you could experience poor print quality
and incorrect colors, and perhaps even damage to the printheads.
●Check that you are using the most appropriate print-quality settings for your purposes (see
Printing on page 55). You are likely to see lower print quality if you have moved the print-quality
slider to the Speed end of the scale, or set the custom quality level to Fast.
●Check that your environmental conditions (temperature, humidity) are in the recommended range.
See 
Environmental specifications on page 192.
●Check that your ink cartridges and printheads have not passed their expiration dates: see 
Maintain
the ink cartridges on page 130.
Print quality troubleshooting wizard
The Print Quality Troubleshooting Wizard can help with the following problems:
●Horizontal lines across the image (banding)
●The whole image is blurry or grainy
●Lines are too thick, too thin or missing
●Colors are inaccurate
To start the wizard:
●From the HP Printer Utility for Windows: go to the Support tab, and select Print quality
troubleshooting.
●From the HP Printer Utility for Mac OS: select Support, then Print quality troubleshooting.
●From the Mac OS Print dialog: go to the Services panel, select Device Maintenance, then
select Print quality troubleshooting from the list of maintenance tasks.
●From the Embedded Web Server: go to the Support tab, select Troubleshooting, then select
Print quality troubleshooting.
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							Alternatively, or if you have other print quality problems, you can continue reading this chapter.
Horizontal lines across the image (banding)
If your printed image suffers from added horizontal lines as shown (the color may vary):
1.Check that the paper type you have loaded corresponds to the paper type selected in the front
panel and in your software. To check on the front panel, use the View loaded paper key 
.
2.Check that you are using appropriate print-quality settings for your purposes (see 
Printing
on page 55). In some cases, you can overcome a print-quality problem merely by selecting a higher
print-quality level. For instance, if you have set the Print Quality slider to Speed, try setting it to
Quality. If you change the print-quality settings, you may wish to reprint your job at this point in
case the problem has been solved.
3.Print the Image Diagnostics Print. See 
The Image Diagnostics Print on page 163.
4.If the printheads are working correctly, go to the front panel and press the View loaded paper key
 to see the paper advance calibration status. If the status is DEFAULT, try performing paper
advance calibration: see 
Recalibrate the paper advance on page 149.
If the problem persists despite all the above actions, contact your customer service representative for
further support.
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							Lines are too thick, too thin or missing
1.Check that the paper type you have loaded corresponds to the paper type selected in the front
panel and in your software. To check on the front panel, use the View loaded paper key 
.
2.Check that you are using appropriate print-quality settings for your purposes (see 
Printing
on page 55). Select the custom print-quality options in the driver dialog (Mac OS Print dialog), and
try turning on the Maximum detail option (if available). You may wish to reprint your job at this
point in case the problem has been solved.
3.If the resolution of your image is greater than the printing resolution, you may notice a loss of line
quality. If you are using the PCL or HP-GL/2 driver for Windows, you can find the Max. Application
Resolution option in the driver dialogs Advanced tab, under Document Options > Printer
Features. If you change this option, you may wish to reprint your job at this point in case the problem
has been solved.
4.If lines are too thin or missing, print the Image Diagnostics Print. See 
The Image Diagnostics
Print on page 163.
5.
If the problem remains, go to the front panel and select the Ink menu icon 
, then Printhead
information to see the printhead alignment status. If the status is PENDING, you should align the
printheads. See 
Align the printheads on page 172. After alignment, you may wish to reprint your
job in case the problem has been solved.
6.
Go to the front panel and press the View loaded paper key 
 to see the paper advance calibration
status. If the status is DEFAULT, you should perform paper advance calibration: see 
Recalibrate
the paper advance on page 149.
If the problem persists despite all the above actions, contact your customer service representative for
further support.
Lines appear stepped or jagged
If lines in your image appear stepped or jagged when printed:
1.The problem may be inherent in the image. Try to improve the image with the application you are
using to edit it.
2.Check that you are using appropriate print-quality settings. See 
Printing on page 55.
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							3.Select the custom print-quality options in the driver dialog (Mac OS Print dialog), and turn on the
Maximum detail option (if available).
4.If you are using the PCL or HP-GL/2 driver for Windows, you can change your image rendering
resolution to 300 dpi or 600 dpi depending on your printing needs. You can find the Max.
Application Resolution option in the driver dialogs Advanced tab, under Document Options
> Printer Features.
Lines print double or in the wrong colors
This problem can have various visible symptoms:
●Colored lines are printed double, in different colors.
●The borders of colored blocks are wrongly colored.
To correct this kind of problem:
1.Reseat the printheads by removing them and then reinserting them. See 
Remove a printhead
on page 118 and Insert a printhead on page 121.
2.Align the printheads. See 
Align the printheads on page 172.
Lines are discontinuous
If your lines are broken in the following way:
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							1.Check that you are using appropriate print-quality settings. See Printing on page 55.
2.Reseat the printheads by removing them and then reinserting them. See 
Remove a printhead
on page 118 and Insert a printhead on page 121.
3.Align the printheads. See 
Align the printheads on page 172.
Lines are blurred
Humidity can cause ink to soak into the paper, making the lines blurred and fuzzy. Try the following:
1.Check that your environmental conditions (temperature, humidity) are suitable for high-quality
printing. See 
Environmental specifications on page 192.
2.Check that the paper type selected in the front panel is the same as the paper type you are using.
To check on the front panel, use the View loaded paper key 
.
3.Try changing to a heavier paper type, such as HP Heavyweight Coated Paper or HP Super
Heavyweight Plus Matte Paper.
4.Select a paper type that is slightly thinner than the paper you have loaded; this will persuade the
printer to use less ink. Here are some example paper types in ascending order of thickness: Plain
Paper, Coated Paper, Heavyweight Coated Paper, Super Heavyweight Plus Matte Paper.
5.If you are using glossy paper, try changing to a different type of glossy paper.
6.Align the printheads. See 
Align the printheads on page 172.
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							Line lengths are inaccurate
If you have measured your printed lines and find that the lengths are not sufficiently accurate for your
purposes, you can try to improve line length accuracy in the following ways.
1.Print on HP Matte Film, for which your printers line length accuracy is specified. See 
Functional
specifications on page 190.
Polyester film is about ten times more dimensionally stable than paper. However, using film that is
thinner or thicker than HP Matte Film will reduce line length accuracy.
2.Set the Print Quality slider to Quality.
3.Maintain the room at a steady temperature between 10 and 30°C (50 and 86°F).
4.Load the roll of film and let it rest for five minutes before printing.
5.If you are still not satisfied, try recalibrating the paper advance. See 
Recalibrate the paper
advance on page 149.
The whole image is blurry or grainy
1.Check that the paper type you have loaded corresponds to the paper type selected in the front
panel and in your software. To check on the front panel, use the View loaded paper key 
.
2.Check that you are printing on the correct side of the paper.
3.Check that you are using appropriate print-quality settings (see 
Printing on page 55). In some
cases, you can overcome a print-quality problem merely by selecting a higher print-quality level.
For instance, if you have set the Print Quality slider to Speed, try setting it to Quality. If you change
the print-quality settings, you may wish to reprint your job at this point in case the problem has been
solved.
4.
Go to the front panel and select the Ink menu icon 
, then Printhead information to see the
printhead alignment status. If the status is PENDING, you should align the printheads. See 
Align
the printheads on page 172. After alignment, you may wish to reprint your job in case the problem
has been solved.
5.
Go to the front panel and press the View loaded paper key 
 to see the paper advance calibration
status. If the status is DEFAULT, you should perform paper advance calibration: see 
Recalibrate
the paper advance on page 149.
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							If the problem persists despite all the above actions, contact your customer service representative for
further support.
The paper is not flat
If the paper does not lie flat when it comes out of the printer, but has shallow waves in it, you are likely
to see defects in the printed image, such as vertical stripes. This can happen when you use thin paper
that becomes saturated with ink.
1.Check that the paper type you have loaded corresponds to the paper type selected in the front
panel and in your software. To check on the front panel, use the View loaded paper key 
.
2.Try changing to a thicker paper type, such as HP Heavyweight Coated Paper or HP Super
Heavyweight Plus Matte Paper.
3.Select a paper type that is slightly thinner than the paper you have loaded; this will persuade the
printer to use less ink. Here are some example paper types in ascending order of thickness: Plain
Paper, Coated Paper, Heavyweight Coated Paper, Super Heavyweight Plus Matte Paper.
The print is scuffed or scratched
The black ink pigment can be scuffed or scratched when touched by a finger, a pen or some other object.
This is particularly noticeable on coated paper and matte proofing paper.
Glossy paper may be extremely sensitive to the basket or to anything else that it contacts soon after
printing, depending on the amount of ink used and the environmental conditions at the time of printing.
To reduce the risk of scuffs and scratches:
●Handle prints carefully.
●Avoid stacking prints on top of each other.
●Disable the automatic cutter before printing, so that the print will not fall into the basket. See 
Turn
the automatic cutter on and off on page 53. Alternatively, leave a sheet of paper in the basket so
that freshly printed sheets do not make direct contact with the basket.
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							Ink marks on the paper
This problem can occur for several different reasons.
Horizontal smears on the front of coated paper
If a lot of ink is used on plain or coated paper, the paper absorbs the ink quickly and expands. As the
printheads move over the paper, the printheads may come into contact with the paper and smear the
printed image. This problem is normally seen only on cut sheets of paper (not on roll paper).
Whenever you notice this problem, cancel the printing job immediately. Press the Cancel key and also
cancel the job from your computer application. Soaked paper can damage the printheads.
Try the following suggestions to avoid this problem:
1.Check that the paper type you have loaded corresponds to the paper type selected in the front
panel and in your software. To check on the front panel, use the View loaded paper key 
.
2.Use a recommended paper type (see 
Order paper on page 136) and the correct print settings.
3.If using sheet paper, try rotating the sheet 90 degrees. The orientation of the paper fibers may
affect performance.
4.Try changing to a thicker paper type, such as HP Heavyweight Coated Paper and HP Super
Heavyweight Plus Matte Paper.
5.Select a paper type that is slightly thinner than the paper you have loaded; this will persuade the
printer to use less ink. Here are some example paper types in ascending order of thickness: Plain
Paper, Coated Paper, Heavyweight Coated Paper, Super Heavyweight Plus Matte Paper.
6.Try to increase the margins by relocating the image to the center of the page using your software
application.
Ink marks on the back of the paper
This can happen after a lot of borderless printing, especially with non-standard paper sizes. Ink residues
on the platen are likely to mark the back of the paper.
Clean the platen with a soft cloth. Clean each rib separately without touching the foam between the ribs.
Black ink comes off when you touch the print
This problem may be caused by printing with matte black ink on glossy paper. The printer will not use
matte black ink if it knows that the paper will not retain it. To be sure of avoiding matte black ink, you
can select Photo Glossy Paper as the paper type (in the Photo Paper category).
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							Edges of objects are stepped or not sharp
If edges of objects or lines appear to be poorly defined or lighter in density, and you have already set
the print-quality slider to Quality in the driver dialog (Mac OS Print dialog), select the custom print-quality
options, and try setting the quality level to Normal. See 
Printing on page 55.
Edges of objects are darker than expected
If edges of objects seem darker than expected, and you have already set the print-quality slider to
Quality in the driver dialog (Mac OS Print dialog), select the custom print-quality options, and try setting
the quality level to Normal. See 
Printing on page 55.
Horizontal lines at the end of a cut sheet print
This type of defect affects only the end of a print, within approximately 30 mm of the trailing edge of the
paper. You may see some very thin horizontal lines across the print.
To avoid this problem:
1.Print the Image Diagnostics Print. See 
The Image Diagnostics Print on page 163.
2.Consider printing with roll paper.
3.Consider using larger margins around your image.
Vertical lines of different colors
If your print has vertical bands of different colors along it:
1.Try using thicker paper, choosing from the recommended paper types such as HP Heavyweight
Coated Paper and HP Super Heavyweight Paper. See 
Order paper on page 136.
2.Try using higher print-quality settings (see 
Printing on page 55). For instance, if you have set the
Print Quality slider to Speed, try setting it to Quality.
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							White spots on the print
You may notice white spots on the print. This is probably due to paper fibers, dust or loose coating
material. To avoid this problem:
1.Try cleaning the paper manually with a brush before printing, to remove any loose fibers or particles.
2.Always keep the cover of your printer closed.
3.Protect your paper rolls and sheets by storing them in bags or boxes.
Colors are inaccurate
If the colors of your print do not match your expectations, try the following:
1.Check that the paper type you have loaded corresponds to the paper type selected in the front
panel and in your software. To check on the front panel, use the View loaded paper key 
. At
the same time, check the color calibration status. If the status is PENDING or OBSOLETE, you
should perform color calibration: see 
Color calibration on page 68. If you have made any changes,
you may wish to reprint your job in case the problem has been solved.
2.Check that you are printing on the correct side of the paper.
3.Check that you are using appropriate print-quality settings (see 
Printing on page 55). If you have
selected the Speed or Fast options, you may not get the most accurate colors. If you change the
print-quality settings, you may wish to reprint your job at this point in case the problem has been
solved.
4.If you are using Application Color Management, check that the color profile you are using
corresponds to the selected paper type and print-quality settings. If you have doubts about which
color settings to use, see 
Color management on page 67.
5.If the problem consists of color differences between your print and your monitor, please follow the
instructions in the “How to calibrate your monitor” section of the HP Color Center. At this point, you
may wish to reprint your job in case the problem has been solved.
6.Print the Image Diagnostics Print. See 
The Image Diagnostics Print on page 163.
7.Try using the color adjustment options to produce the colors you want. See 
Color adjustment
options on page 71.
If the problem persists despite all the above actions, contact your customer service representative for
further support.
Color accuracy using EPS or PDF images in page layout applications
Page layout applications such as Adobe InDesign and QuarkXPress do not support color management
of EPS, PDF or grayscale files.
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