HP Designjet Z6200 1067mm Photo User Manual

							12 Accessories
Order accessories
The following accessories can be ordered for your printer.
NameProduct number
HP Designjet HD Scanner CQ654A
HP Designjet PostScript®/PDF Upgrade Kit CQ745A
HP Designjet Z6100/Z6200 User Maintenance Kit Q6715A
HP Designjet External Hard Disk CN501A
HP Designjet Z6200 1067-mm (42-in) Take-up Reel CQ752A
HP Designjet 1524-mm (60-in) Media Bin Q6714A
HP Designjet 1067-mm (42-in) Spindle CQ753A
HP Designjet 1524-mm (60-in) Spindle CQ754A
HP Jetdirect 635n IPv6/IPsec Print Server J7961G
The following software can be downloaded for your printer.
Name Download from
HP Instant Printing Pro
http://www.hp.com/go/hpinstantprintingutilitypro/
Serif PosterPro
http://www.hp.com/go/PosterDesignerPro/
HP Designjet accounting tool
http://www.hp.com/go/designjet/accounting/
ENWW Order accessories
143
Accessories
 
						

							13 Troubleshoot print-quality issues
●General advice
●
Troubleshooting tools
●
Lines are too thick, too thin, or missing
●
Lines appear stepped or jagged
●
Parts of lines or text are missing
●
Lines are printed double or in the wrong colors
●
Lines are blurred (ink bleeds from lines)
●
Lines are slightly warped
●
Dark or light horizontal line s across the image (banding)
●
The image is grainy
●
The image has a metallic hue (bronzing)
●
The printed output is not flat
●
The print smudges when touched
●
Ink marks appear on the paper
●
Defects near the top of a print
●
Colors are inaccurate
●
The output is completely blank
●
The output contains only a partial print
●
The image is clipped
●
The image is in one portion of the printing area
●
The image is unexpectedly rotated
●
The print is a mirror image of the original
●
The print is distorted or unintelligible
●
One image overlays another on the same print
●
Pen settings seem to  have no effect
●
The image has a wood-grain  appearance (aeroworms)
144 Chapter 13   Troublesh oot print-quality issues ENWW
Troubleshoot images
 
						

							General advice
Use the following approach when you have any print-quality problem:
●To achieve the best performance from your printe
r, use only genuine HP supplies and accessories,
whose reliability and performance have been thor oughly tested to give trouble-free performance
and best-quality prints. For deta ils of recommended papers, see 
Order paper on page 50.
● Make sure that the paper type that
 you select on the front panel is the same as the paper type that
is loaded in the printer. Make su re that the paper type has been calibrated. Also make sure that
the paper type that you select in your software  is the same as the paper type that you loaded in
the printer.
CAUTION: If you have the wrong paper  type selected, you might expe rience poor print quality
and incorrect colors, and damage to the printheads might occur.
● Make sure that you are using the most appropri
ate print-quality settings for your purposes. See
Select print quality on page 82. You are likely to see lower prin t quality if you have moved the
print-quality slider to the  Fast end of the scale, or set  the custom quality level to  Fast.
● Make sure that your environmental conditions (temperature, humidity) are in the recommended
range. See 
Environmental specifications on page 206
.
● Make sure that your ink cartridges and printheads have not passed their expiration dates. See
Maintain the ink cartridges on page 136
.
● Avoid touching the paper while printing is in progress.
Troubleshooting tools
To access the troubleshooting tools in
 the Embedded Web Server, select the  Support tab. The first two
tools can also be accessed from the fron t panels Image quality maintenance menu.
Optimize print quality
This option ensures that printer and supplies are adjusted to deliver optimum print quality. Click  Next
to execute all calibration and recovery routines  automatically. The whole process consumes 80 cm
(31.5 in) of paper and may take up to 20 minutes.
NOTE: This option can also be selected from the front panel. From the main menu, select , then
Optimize print quality .
ENWW General advice
145
Troubleshoot images
 
						

							Optimization suggested actions
This option suggests a series of recommended action s to improve print quality, based on the results of
internal checks. These actions may include reseatin g a printhead, changing paper to run a specific
calibration, cleaning  some printer component, etc. Exec ute them in the proposed order.
TIP:Use this option if you want to save time by acti ng directly on the causes of your problem, or if
your problem persists  after the automatic Optimize print quality  process.
NOTE:This option can also be selected from the front panel. From the main menu, select , then
Optimization su ggested actions.
Most-common issues resolution
This option is designed to help you resolve some  of the most common print-quality issues that users
encounter in large-format printing:
● Dark or light horizontal line
s across the image (banding)
● Graininess
● Poor line quality
● Inaccurate colors
In the first window, select the print-quali ty issue that you are experiencing and click  Next.
A list of suggestions for corrective action appears  along with help to guide you through each action.
Lines are too thick, too thin, or missing
1.Check that the paper type that you have loaded
 corresponds to the paper type that you selected
on the front panel and in your software.
2. Make sure that you are using the appropriate 
print-quality settings for your purposes. See 
Select
print quality on page 82.
3. If you are using a HP-GL/2 driver and the resoluti
on of your image is greater than the printing
resolution, you might notice a loss  of line quality. You can find the Max. Application
Resolution  option on the Windows driver  Advanced tab, under Document Options >
Printer Features . If you change this opt ion, reprint your job if 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 72.
146 Chapter 13   Troublesh oot print-quality issues ENWW
Troubleshoot images
 
						

							5.Try aligning the printheads. See Align the printheads on page 71
. After alignment, reprint your
job if the problem has been solved.
6. Select the 
 icon on the printers front panel, and then View loaded paper  to see the paper-
advance calibration status. If the status is P ENDING, perform a paper-advance calibration. See
Perform paper advance calibration on page 46.
If the problem persists after you co mplete these actions, contact your  customer service representative for
further support.
Lines appear stepped or jagged
Use the following procedure if lines in your  image appear stepped or jagged when printed:
1.The problem might be inherent in the image. 
Try to improve the image within the software
program that you are using to edit it.
2. Make sure that you are using appro
priate print-quality settings. See 
Select print quality
on page 82.
3. If you are using an HP-GL/2 driver, hange your 
image-rendering resolution to 300 dpi or 600
dpi, depending on your printing need. The  Max. Application Resolution option in the
Windows driver dialogs  Advanced tab, under Document Options  > Printer Features .
Parts of lines or text are missing
A high-quality large-format print job often requires  a large amount of data, and in some specific
workflows, the output might not look  like you expected. Here are some suggestions to help you to avoid
this problem:
● Select a smaller page si
ze and scale to the final page size in the driver or on the front panel.
● Save the file in another format, such as TI
FF or EPS, and open it in another program.
● Use a RIP to print the file.
● Reduce the resolution of the bitmap images in your software.
● Select a lower print quality in order to re
duce the resolution of the printed image.
● On the  Advanced  tab of the Windows driver dialog, select Document options,  Printer
features , and then establish the following settings:
◦ Set Send job as bitmap to  Enabled (HP-GL/2 driver only).
◦ Set Max. Application resolution  to 300.
NOTE:These settings are described for troubleshooting purposes only and might adversely
affect the final output quality or the time necessa ry to generate the print job. Therefore, restore
these settings to their default values if  they do not help to solve the problem.
ENWW Lines appear stepped or jagged
147
Troubleshoot images
 
						

							Lines are printed double or in the wrong colors
This problem can have various visible symptoms:
● Colored lines are printed do
uble, in different colors.
●The borders of colored blocks are the wrong color.
Use these steps to correct this kind of problem:
1.Align the printheads. See 
Align the printheads on page 71
.
2. Make sure that you are using appro
priate print-quality settings. See 
Select print quality
on page 82.
Lines are blurred (ink bleeds from lines)
148 Chapter 13   Troublesh oot print-quality issues ENWW
Troubleshoot images
 
						

							Humidity can cause ink to soak into the paper, making the lines look blurred and fuzzy. Try the
following remedies:
1. Make sure that your environmental conditions (temperature, humidity) are 
suitable for high-quality
printing. See 
Environmental specifications on page 206 .
2. Check that the paper type that yo
u select on the front panel is the same as the paper type that you
are using. To check, select the 
 icon from the printers front panel, and then select  View
loaded paper .
3. Try changing to a heavier paper type, such 
as HP Heavyweight Coated Paper, HP Super
Heavyweight Coated  Paper, or Digital Fine Art paper.
4. If you are using glossy paper, try changi
ng to a different type of glossy paper.
5. Align the printheads. See 
Align the printheads on page 71
.
Lines are slightly warped
The paper itself might be warped. This can happen  if it has been used or stored in an extreme
environment. See 
Environmental specifications on page 206 .
Dark or light horizontal lines across the image
(banding)
Try the following remedies if your  printed image suffers from added hori zontal lines as shown (the color
may vary):
1. Make sure that the paper type yo
u have loaded corresponds to the paper type that you select on
the front panel and in your software.
2. Make sure that you are using appropriate pr
int-quality settings for your purposes. See 
Select print
quality on page 82. In some cases, you can overcome a pr int-quality problem merely by selecting
a higher print-quality level. For instance, if  you have set the print-quality slider to Fast, try setting it
to  Best . If you change the print-quality settings, reprint your job if the problem has been solved.
3. Print the Image Diagnostics Print. See 
The Image Diagnostics Print on page 72
.
ENWW Lines are slightly warped
149
Troubleshoot images
 
						

							4.Check the paper-advance calibration status on the front panel. If the status is PENDING, you
should perform paper-advance calibration. See 
Perform paper advance calibration on page 46.
5. Try aligning the printheads. See 
Align the printheads on page 71
. After alignment, reprint your
job if the problem has been solved.
If the problem persists, contac t your customer service representative for further support.
The image is grainy
1.Check that the paper type you have loaded corresp
onds to the paper type that you select on the
front panel and in your software.
2. Check that you are printing on the correct side of the paper.
3. Make sure that you are using appro
priate print-quality settings. See 
Select print quality
on page 82. In some cases, you can overcome a prin t-quality problem merely by selecting a
higher print-quality level. For instance, if  you have set the print-quality slider to Fast, try setting it
to  Best . Alternatively, you could try unidirectional pr inting. If you change the print-quality settings,
reprint your job if the problem has been solved.
4. Try aligning the printheads. See 
Align the printheads on page 71
. After alignment, reprint your
job if the problem has been solved.
5. Check the paper-advance calibration status on the front panel. If the status is PENDING, you
should perform paper-advance calibration. See 
Perform paper advance calibration on page 46.
If the problem persists, contact your customer  service representative for further support. See 
HP
Customer Care on page 176.
The image has a metallic hue (bronzing)
Bronzing describes an image that  has a metallic hue when it is viewed from specific angles. Bronzing
occurs most commonly when you print pigmented inks  on non-matte paper, such as photo paper. If you
are using standard print-quality options and the imag e contains the bronzing effect, move the slider to
Quality . See 
Select print quality on page 82.
If you are experiencing bronzing  when printing grayscale images on glossy paper, try using the Full
Set of Inks  printing option. To do so from the Windows driver, click the  Color tab and select  Print
In Grayscale , and then select the  Full Set of Inks option from the drop-down menu.
150 Chapter 13   Troublesh oot print-quality issues ENWW
Troubleshoot images
 
						

							The printed output is not flat
If the paper does not lie flat when it comes out of the printer, but instead contains shallow waves, 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. Make sure that the paper type yo
u have loaded corresponds to the paper type that you select on
the front panel and in your software.
2. Try changing to a thicker pape
r type, such as HP Heavyweight Coated Paper, HP Super
Heavyweight Coated Pa per, or thicker Digital Fine Art papers.
The print smudges when touched
The black ink pigment can smudge when a finger or pe n touches it. This is particularly noticeable on:
vellum, translucent bond, film s, productivity photo paper, and natural tracing paper.
Try these remedies to  reduce the smudging:
● Try to print in an environment that 
is not too humid for the printer. See 
Environmental specifications
on page 206.
● Change pure black objects in your image to a dark
 color, such as dark brown, so that they are
printed with colored inks instead of black ink.
● Use HP Heavyweight Coated Paper.
● Increase the drying time. See 
Change the drying time on page 49
.
Ink marks appear on the paper
This problem can occur for several different reasons.
Smears on the front of coated paper
If a lot of ink is used on coated paper, the  paper absorbs the ink quickly and expands. As the
printheads move over the paper, the printheads come  into contact with the paper and smear the printed
image.
ENWW The printed output is not flat
151
Troubleshoot images
 
						

							Whenever you notice this problem, cancel the printing job immediately. Press the  Cancel key on the
front panel and also cancel the job from your co mputer software. Otherwise the soaked paper might
damage the printheads.
Try the following suggestion s to avoid this problem:
● Use a recommended paper type. See 
Supported paper types on page 31
.
● If the image you are printing contains intense 
color, try using HP Heavyweight Coated Paper.
● Try to increase the margins by
 relocating the image within the page by using your software
application.
● If necessary, try chan
ging to a non-paper-based materi al such as transparent film.
Smears or scratches on the front of glossy paper
Glossy paper can be extremely sensitive to the bin  or to anything else that it contacts soon after
printing. This depends on the amount of ink  that has been deposited on the paper and the
environmental conditions at the ti me of printing. Avoid any contact with the paper surface and handle
the print with care.
Ink marks on the back of the paper
Ink residue on the platen or the input rollers is likely to mark the  back of the paper. See Clean the
platen on page 133.
Defects near the top of a print
In a defect that affects only the start of a print, wi thin 5.5 cm (2.2 in) of the leading edge of the paper,
a band of inconsistent color appears:
Use these steps to avoid this problem:
1. The easiest solution may be to increase the ma
rgins by relocating the image within the page in
your software application, so that the area of the  paper affected by the problem (at the start of the
page) will be blank.
2. Align the printheads. See 
Align the printheads on page 71
.
3. Make sure that you are using appro
priate print-quality settings. See 
Select print quality
on page 82.
152 Chapter 13   Troublesh oot print-quality issues ENWW
Troubleshoot images