Uneven Surface Stock

[revenent]

Any ideas if any, on how to print on uneven card stock? We have a customer who is trying to print on MPC 4502 and the output is not as solid as on plain paper. The surface of the media is the textured kind.

[blackcat4866]

Re: Uneven Surface Stock

Not that it matters (since I don't work on Ricohs much any more), but it will depend on what model you're talking about.

You'll get better results with a high heat setting such as a Thick1 or Rough media type, and if possible increasing the fixing pressure. I've got a 25cpm Copystar that does a reasonably good job on linen stock. If only the enduser would use linen paper in the tray set up with the Rough media type. Maybe you can help me with this part. How do I get them to understand? =^..^=

[logrady2331]

Re: Uneven Surface Stock

"rough" stock does not reflect light back to the end user evenly. It bounces in different directions as it reflects off the uneven surface. That is why high gloss paper looks so much better. I agree that applying a little more pressure (nip width) and increasing heat/slowing down speed does help, but you are setting yourself up for trouble down the road with the customer. I have had success explaining to the end user what I just told you. Smooth surfaces reflect light/color evenly back to the eye, rough surfaces do not.

[revenent]

Re: Uneven Surface Stock

Thanks for the replies. I fully understand that it is not advisable to set such settings on the machine in the long run but i was hoping that before i explain things to the customer i would like to make a minor improvement to show that something is being done instead of outright telling them that it is a specification

My guess is increasing the fixing temperature slightly might help a little but for reducing the feeding speed i am not so sure about that.

[Bantams]

Re: Uneven Surface Stock

Set one of the paper trays to Cardstock / Thick 1

[TonerMunkeh]

Re: Uneven Surface Stock

Unfortunately that's the problem with getting a small MFP trying to do the job of a machine ten times the price. Set the trays to thick 3 and that should solve the fusing issue. They'll have to live with the speed difference.

With regard to messing with the fuser temperatures - don't. It'll cause more problems than it fixes.

[Hemlock]

Re: Uneven Surface Stock

They need a wet-ink machine.

[teebee1234]

Re: Uneven Surface Stock

Thanks for the replies. I fully understand that it is not advisable to set such settings on the machine in the long run but i was hoping that before i explain things to the customer i would like to make a minor improvement to show that something is being done instead of outright telling them that it is a specification

My guess is increasing the fixing temperature slightly might help a little but for reducing the feeding speed i am not so sure about that.

Generally, when you select a Thick mode, you're increasing temperature and slowing down the print speed. This allows for better heat transfer through the paper.

[Shadow1]

Re: Uneven Surface Stock

Depends on the machine - Thick mode in some increases the fusing temp, in others it slows the speed, and some machines do both. The Pro C900, C720, and C901 are the only Ricohs that I'm aware of varying the pressure / nip band width, and of course those are 10 times the price, and probably wouldn't fit in the same room as most C4002's would be placed in.

Increasing the temp / slowing speed may help, or may make it worse. It will definitely help melt the toner to the page better, so pick-off won't be as big a problem. It will also help give the image a glossy finish, so that may help as well.

There are drawbacks though. The toner will sink into the low places in the texture, exposing more of the high spots on top - you could end up with a more washed and spotty image. Speed will also be an issue - the machine will take a long time to stabilize the changed fuser temp, and / or the lowered speed can be less than half the normal throughput. Higher thick paper modes also disable automatic duplex, and sometimes make manual duplexing difficult, as it adds a lot of paper curl.

Speaking of duplex, that may be your best option: Run single sided sheets in duplex mode. Ricoh machines typically print 2nd side first in duplex mode, but even though the front side image doesn't go through the fuser twice the paper is pre-heated, and toner will stick better... and you get extra clicks for your aggravation.

[nmfaxman]

Re: Uneven Surface Stock

If the manufacturer doesn't support it, neither do I.
Have them pay a Professional Printer to do the ODD stuff and keep

Taking a machine out of spec to make 1 instance work, will affect normal operation overall.
Just a nightmare in the making.

[KenB]

Re: Uneven Surface Stock

Just waiting for aab1 to come along, flappin' his gums about the beauty if inkjet printing.

While the settings our fellow posters suggested will certainly help, this is by far the wrong type (and price) of machine to expect those kind of results. Is this something that a salesman promised, or did it come along afterward?

Another possibility may be to have the customer compromise a bit, and look at different types of paper that will give better looking results, while maintaining some of the texture they want. Some paper companies may actually offer to send them samples to try in order to get their business. (Trying really hard not to make some kind of Dunder Mifflin joke here... )