Two HP Z6100 Issues/Questions

[Wayne_Watkins]

I recently joined an aerospace company as an engineer, and one of my first tasks is to learn the ins and outs of our HP Z6100 printer, which we'd like to use to print 1:1 drawings on matte translucent film. Right now, we've got a roll of satin paper in while we try to figure some things out.

1. Our drawings have feature a 10"x10' grid which, when printed actual size, comes out to about 9 7/8"x10", so the boxes are more narrow than tall. We really need this to be accurate, so this is fairly big deal. I've tried calibrating the paper advance, and the printer is set to the proper media type. We use Solidworks to produce our drawings, and the grid dimensions show as accurate there, so I'm looking for some advice on where to look next.

2. I can't figure out why the machine won't cut the paper when it's done printing. The take up reel is disabled, and the paper isn't on the list of those that don't trigger the cutter. Even using the feed and cut button on the machine just leaves me with a little more paper on the floor, but nothing cut.

Thanks in advance for any guidance.

 

[Steenland]

Hi Wayne,

Size accuracy has been a problem for many with the Z6100, myself included, but losing 1/8" in just ten inches seems excessive! Unfortunately for those of us for whom size accuracy is critical, the Z6100's media advance calibration optimizes for quality (i.e., minimizing visual banding) as opposed to scale. Some older Designjets (such as the CP series) had an option where you could optimize for either size or quality, but that is missing from the Z6100. I was hoping for a firmware update that would add that, but now that the Z6100 has been superceded, I doubt it will happen.

I have found that the size issue varies with media. Some media are very accurate and others are always short, but at least it seems to be consistent. My suggestion would be to try the same file on different types of media. If the 10x10 grid *always* prints 9-7/8 x 10 on every media type, that may point to an issue with your software and/or RIP.

Can't help you on the cutting issue. Haven't had that problem. As far as I know, the Form Feed and Cut button should always cut the media. Is it possible a previous user removed the blade from the cutter assembly?

 

[M&M Displays]

Try "fooling" the printer and select another paper in the profiles. This might work

 

[Wayne_Watkins]

It seems as though I was unintentionally misled at the onset. I was operating under the belief that the correct media profile was selected, but it was not even loaded in the printer from the factory. A quick trip to the HP site to download it and things are much better now.

My new problem is that we have a third-party 54" roll of matte, translucent film that the printer can't find the edges of when initially loaded. I've read that the official HP matte film has a kind of white band or some kind of edging that the printer can see. I've been able to fool it by applying a 1/4" strip of masking tape along each edge, but it only wants to print as far along the roll as I've put the tape. I'd really like to avoid running tape down all 100 or so feet of this stuff. HP only sells rolls up to 36" wide, so are there any suggestions on where I can find something that will work?

 

[M&M Displays]

Wayne
We use HP Premium Vivid Color Backlit Film. We like it a lot. Its not as translucent as matt film but its pretty close. It comes in 36, 42, 54 and 60 inch wide

Part # HEWQ8747A, (36 INCH) ETC...... 48A, 49A, 50A


SILH and Intellicoat both make products for your printer also. Nothing wrong with using a 3rd material. Call Agfa / Pittman @ 1-800-367-3729 and ask for a sales rep near you to stop by. Agfa / Pittman is really good and we have a great sales person. They sell HP, Epson Magic etc....the sales rep should help you out

 

[M&M Displays]

Neal Keating is the rep who covers Pensicola and Heather is the specialist.

Neal is 501-258-1355

 

[Wayne_Watkins]

After switching to the 60" Backlit Film mentioned above, things seemed to be going well until a few days ago, when I printed a drawing that ended up being about half an inch too short. I thought that, perhaps, there was a problem in the way I was converting a file from one CAD package to another before printing, but the result seems to be the same no matter the source software. I've gone through all of the printer settings I can find and nothing seems have changed since the last time it worked properly, nor can I find a setting to change that seems likely to improve things. Perhaps it's time to replace the printer.

I appreciate all of the responses I got for this, though.

 

[M&M Displays]

Do you have a service contract for the printer? If you do I would get on the phone ASAP. Have you done all the firmware updates? We had a sizing issue about 18 months ago, had our service tech in and he saw it. The 1st thing he did was to update the firmware, what ever he did worked

Good luck

 

[Wayne_Watkins]

That was one of the first things I checked a few months ago. I'll see if we still have a service contract on this and will update if anything new comes up.

 

[M&M Displays]

Even if they don't call HP or the company your company bought the printer from..........its time to vent on someone