Change the media settings

[Automatic advance correction]

Prints yellow or black markers on the media that the printer uses as guidance to optimize the media step accuracy. Select [Normal]  to print the yellow markers or [Enhanced]  to print the black markers. Select [None]  when you do not want to print markers. Always use [Normal]  as a default, as this will work to optimize media step accuracy automatically for most media types. When the printer cannot read the yellow markers, due to the media type used, a message appears on the operator panel. Select [Enhanced]  to print the black markers which the printer can detect more easily. The use of markers has influence on the width of the print: [None]  adds no width but uses the 5.3mm default margin, [Normal]  (11mm margin), [Enhanced] (20mm margin).

NOTE

• This setting is enabled for the print modes [High quality] , [Specialty] , [Backlit] , and [Reliance] .

• The [Enhanced] value uses black markers for the correction. These markers are visible with the naked eye, unlike the yellow markers. So take note that these black markers are visible on the output and have to be cut out.

[Vacuum power] 

Controls the suction of the media on the platen. Per media category default values are used for each of the five zones available. Only change the vacuum power when you encounter problems:

• Make sure the values for zones A, B, and C are always higher than for zones D and E.

• Increase the vacuum power with steps of 10% when the vacuum power appears to be too low, e.g. when media is not flat on the printer platen.

• Decrease the vacuum power with steps of 10% when the vacuum power appears to be too high, e.g. when the leading edge of the media is blocked halfway across the printer platen, or when dark tracks are visible around the swath boundary and graininess is poor within swaths.

• Do not set the values below 30% when [Winding tension]  is set to [No tension bar]  or [Locked tension bar].

• Always re-calibrate the media after you changed the vacuum power.

Location of the zones A, B, C, D, E, with (1) media transport direction:

[Winding tension] 

Controls winding. For printing without winding or for winding without tension bar select [No tension bar] .

For certain media types it is necessary to wind the media with a tension bar in order to let it run smoothly. Select [Tension bar] for media that is weak and buckle-sensitive but not too stiff. Select [Locked tension bar] for media that is very stiff . Depending on what is selected here, the operator panel will display a request for taping media, locking, or placing a tension bar.

[Automatic media jogging ] 

Controls automatic media jogging. When automatic media jogging is enabled, media between the pinch wheels in the drawer and the transport pinch is spooled forward after the media has been idle on the platen for 120 seconds. This prevents dents on media made by pinch wheels. Enable automatic media jogging when your media is sensitive for formation of dents by pinch wheels.

NOTE

When you cut the media directly after printing, the media is automatically spooled back into the drawer. Then the media is not idle on the platen for 120 seconds, so [Automatic media jogging ]  does not apply.

[Carriage elevation ] 

Controls the height of the carriage. When [Automatic]  is selected the optimal carriage height is automatically determined based on the [Media thickness ]  set in the media profile. It is advised to select [Automatic]  as this will result in the best print quality. Only select [Highest]  when you are experimenting with new media that can touch the carriage.

[Manual loading] 

For future release - Controls the feeding of media. When you load new media, the media is automatically fed and transported in the printer. Enable this setting to manually feed and transport the media.

[Suitable for printer cutter ] 

Controls the use of the printer cutter. Disable the use of the automatic cutter when it is not suitable for the media type, for example with textile, canvas or heavy banners. When disabled the printer will request the operator to cut the media manually.

[Outer core diameter ] 

Fill in the outer core diameter of the media roll in millimeters. With this information and the [Media thickness ]  the printer can calculate the remaining media length.

[Media thickness ] 

Fill in the thickness of the media before the media is loaded for the first time This value represents the total thickness of the media, e.g. for self-adhesive vinyl, PVC including the liner. With this information and the [Outer core diameter]  the printer can calculate the remaining media length.

Next to this, the media thickness determines the printhead carriage height. The media thickness must be set correctly in order to perform printhead carriage calibration.

IMPORTANT

Incorrect media thickness can lead to a carriage crash and can damage the machine, which may void your machine warranty service.

NOTE

The media thickness must be set correctly and is crucial for good print quality. Incorrect media thickness can lead to print quality artefacts like banding or unsharp fonts.

[Moist sensitivity] 

Controls the time the printer waits to spool the media forward: where [1] is the longest time (1800 sec.), [2] (250 sec.), and [3] the shortest time (120 sec.). Moist sensitivity is disabled when the value is set to 0. By spooling the media forward the part of the media that is on the platen and not rolled up onto the roll, which might have been affected by humidity or moisture, is not used to print on. It is advised to use the moist sensitivity setting when you use paper based media that is sensitive to and exposed to temperature and humidity variation. This way you prevent printing on waved and wrinkled media and the print quality is not compromised.

NOTE

When you cut the media directly after printing, the media is automatically spooled back into the drawer. Then the media is not idle on the platen and exposed to humidity and moisture, so [Moist sensitivity]  does not apply.

[Extended carriage travel] 

Controls the time in between swaths by extending the carriage travel. The extended carriage travel setting can allow a longer swath duration of the carriage. When the carriage travel time is extended the ink has more time to settle on the media before it is cured. Increase the value of this setting when you have issues with adhesion for prints with a smaller image width (but no problems with a larger width). For most media types a higher value than [1500 ms] is not needed.

• [Off]: extended carriage travel is not activated. Productivity is most important, which means that a smaller image will have a smaller swath that only covers the image width and will not cover the complete printer platen width of 1.6 m/64 inch.

• [1100 ms]: carriage travel that covers about 1 m/39.4 inch of the printer platen width.

• [1500 ms]: full carriage travel. The carriage will always travel the full 1.6 m/64 inch printer platen width in [High quality]  and [Specialty]  mode, regardless of the image width.

• [2250 ms]: the carriage stops briefly at the sides lengthening the swath duration thus improving adhesion, but also impacting the productivity.

• [3000 ms]: the carriage stops for a longer moment at the sides lengthening the swath duration even more thus improving adhesion, but also impacting the productivity more.

[Printer platen temperature] 

Controls the temperature of the platen. Tune by decreasing or increasing the temperature to decrease the visibility of swath boundary artifacts or to improve ink adhesion. In case of gloss banding, which cannot be fixed via the precure power setting, optimize the printer platen temperature.

[Precure power] 

Controls the curing intensity of the LED for the first part of the curing zone. Default value is 0. Tune by decreasing or increasing the setting and minimize gloss banding, especially in dark areas. When you turn the [Precure power ]  completely off ink adhesion can improve, but this can result in gloss banding. The LED is off when the value is set to -5. Tune with small steps of 1 or 2 at a time.

CAUTION

Changing the curing settings can result in insufficient curing of the UV-ink layer. When you have changed the settings, wear Océ Colorado 1640 approved nitril gloves the first time you handle the printed output to prevent any possible contact with uncured ink.

IMPORTANT

Changing the curing settings can result in insufficient curing of the UV-ink layer. Especially in combination with the [Moist protection]  setting there is a risk the printer can get polluted. When the machine is polluted make sure you clean it or call your local service representative.

[Throughcure/Postcure power] 

Controls the curing intensity of the LED for the subsequent part of the curing zone. Default value is 0. Increase to get rid of smudges or not fully cured ink. Decrease to minimize the appearance of a white haze on dark areas. Decrease to limit heating of the media. The LED cannot be turned off.

CAUTION

Changing the curing settings can result in insufficient curing of the UV-ink layer. When you have changed the settings, wear Océ Colorado 1640 approved nitril gloves the first time you handle the printed output to prevent any possible contact with uncured ink.

IMPORTANT

Changing the curing settings can result in insufficient curing of the UV-ink layer. Especially in combination with the [Moist protection]  setting there is a risk the printer can get polluted. When the machine is polluted make sure you clean it or call your local service representative.

[Advance correction/Step correction] 

Controls the average step size for the selected media and print mode. Only change this setting when media calibration and [Automatic advance correction]  do not help enough in improving the print quality. Decrease, smaller step, to minimize light lines. Increase, bigger step, to minimize dark lines. When both light and dark lines are present, you cannot correct it via this setting.

NOTE

The [Automatic advance correction] setting will still work when you use [Advance correction] .

[Saturated ink cut mode] (only available in [Backlit] mode)

Controls the passes when printing in [Backlit] print mode. When the setting is enabled the number of passes is doubled, from 8 to 16, in order to give the ink more time to settle on the media. Only enable this setting when you have to cut in a [Backlit] application and you see chipping across the edges.

[Print strategy] 

Controls the print strategy used for layering the ink at swath boundaries. By using the right print strategy, the ink is positioned in such a way you reduce artefacts and optimize the print quality. The [Print strategy]  setting only works in [High quality]  print mode. For all the other print modes [Automatic] is the default. It is advised to always select [Automatic], as this will give the best results. Only for specific media and when you are an advanced user you can change the setting.

• [Automatic]: automatically selects [Print strategy 1] when the [Printer platen temperature] is under or equal to 32 degrees Celsius. Automatically selects [Print strategy 2] when the [Printer platen temperature] is higher than 32 degrees Celsius.

• [Print strategy 1]: results in optimal quality when printing with lower printer platen temperature. Can show some gloss lines at swath boundary.

• [Print strategy 2]: results in optimal quality when printing with higher printer platen temperature. Reduces dark lines at swath boundary, can show some mottle-like artifacts.

• [Print strategy 3]: reduces gloss lines at swath boundary and improves text quality, but it can increase banding (darker/lighter lines) and graininess.