hp LaserJet printer family Printed on at least 50% Total Recycled Fiber with at least 10% Post-Consumer Paper copyright 2000 Hewlett-Packard Company printed in USA print media guide *5963-7863* *5963-7863* english 5963-7863
Contents Overview Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3 How HP LaserJet printers work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4 Alternate sources of information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4 General Information Guidelines for purchasing and using print media . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5 Types of print media to avoid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6 Testing small amounts of print media . . .
Common paper grades and basis weights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .44 Weight equivalence table . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .45 Print media specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .46 What the specifications mean . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .46 Paper . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .50 Envelopes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Overview Introduction HP LaserJet printers quickly and quietly produce documents with excellent print quality. A variety of print media, including paper, envelopes, labels, and overhead transparencies can be used in your HP LaserJet printer. However, to ensure consistent performance and long-term reliability, the print media must be designed for use with laser printers. There are many choices of high-quality print media available to laser printer users.
How HP LaserJet printers work HP LaserJet printers use laser and electrophotographic technologies. To print a page in a laser printer, the print media must be picked from the input tray one sheet at a time and transported through the paper path. While passing through the paper path, a scanning laser beam writes an electrostatic image onto a rotating photosensitive drum. As this image passes the developing station, a dry, powdery toner is attracted to the imaged areas.
General Information Guidelines for purchasing and using print media HP LaserJet printers are designed to be flexible in the types of print media they can use. However, it is advisable to use good quality media, and specifically, HP paper that is designed to work with your HP LaserJet printers (see "Purchasing HP print media"). This section is designed to help you select media that works best with your HP LaserJet printer. Note Properties of print media are subject to change.
Types of print media to avoid The following characteristics can affect the performance of your HP LaserJet printer unless the paper or other print media you are using is specifically designed to work with your HP LaserJet printer. l Print media that is very rough, highly textured, or heavily embossed. l Print media with multipart forms. l Print media that offsets or discolors. l Print media that is damaged, curled, wrinkled, or irregularly shaped. l Paper that is extremely shiny or glossy.
Testing small amounts of print media If you are planning a large purchase of print media, first print a small quantity in your printing environment. Subject the print media to the temperature, humidity, and printing applications in which the print media will be used.
Paper “Plain paper” is a misnomer. All papers are designed and manufactured for a specific use. Papers designed for the electrophotographic process used by laser printer and copy machines are usually called laser, photocopy, or xerographic grade papers. High quality laser and photocopy papers are usually made from 100% chemical wood pulp and are characterized by a smooth surface, controlled electrical properties, heat stability, and cleanliness.
Reading a ream label A ream label is placed on the outside of the paper wrapping. The ream label usually indicates basis weight, size, number of sheets, grain direction, and grade. The printing surface of the paper might be indicated by an arrow on the ream label, although some manufacturers do not specify a print side. Paper should be loaded into the printer so that the surface indicated by the arrow will be the printing surface.
Paper types This section describes the following paper types: l l l l Recycled paper Archival paper Colored paper Coated paper l l l Specialty or converted paper Preprinted forms and letterhead Embossed and debossed paper Recycled paper Recycled paper is a combination of unused fibers and pre- and postconsumer waste paper. Printed waste paper is usually washed to remove most of the inks and other contaminants. A recycled sheet of paper might contain dark specks or appear gray or dirty.
you are using, it cannot adjust the output colors for colored paper. To manually adjust the output colors, see the service manual for your printer. Coated paper Clay or other pigment-coated papers must be specifically designed for laser printers. The electrical properties must be controlled and the surface designed not to blister during fusing, and the coating must not flake or shed particles that can contaminate the printer.
Cutout: The area where material has been removed by punching or die-cutting. Cutouts can interact with paper path sensors or can result in contamination from toner if printing is too close to a cutout location. Perforations: A series of holes or slits made in media to provide a controlled tear for separating one portion of the sheet from another. It is recommended that micro-perfs be used, as they provide better strength and reduce nesting, debris, and dusting.
Preprinted forms and letterhead To avoid multiple-feed and jamming problems when using preprinted forms, embossed paper, and letterhead paper, observe the following guidelines: l Avoid using low-temperature inks (the kind used with some types of thermography). l Use forms and letterhead paper printed by offset lithography or engraving. l Print forms with heat-resistant inks that will not melt, vaporize, or release undesirable emissions when heated to 205° C (401° F) for 0.1 second (0.
Envelopes CAUTION HP Color LaserJet and HP Color LaserJet 5 printers do not support envelopes. Printing envelopes can damage the printer. See the user guide that came with your printer for detailed instructions about printing envelopes. You can print many sizes and styles of envelopes on most HP LaserJet printers by using manual feed, a multipurpose (MP) tray, an optional envelope tray, or an optional envelope feeder.
Envelope construction Because of their construction, some envelopes will not feed through the printer dependably. Observe the following guidelines when purchasing and using envelopes: l Make sure the envelope’s leading edge, which enters the printer first, is straight, with a sharp, well-creased fold that has no more than two thicknesses of paper. Envelopes that exceed 90 g/m2 (24 lb) basis weight can cause jamming.
Many envelopes will feed through your HP LaserJet printer without problems. However, some envelope constructions (as shown in the figure below) will not feed reliably. Problems can occur when the envelopes are folded more tightly than normal, causing a thick leading edge near a corner. Folding inconsistencies at the manufacturer can cause some envelopes to feed well and others to jam. Purchase envelopes with the quality and consistency that you require.
Results of envelope testing HP tests many types of envelopes to determine which ones print acceptably in an HP LaserJet printer. Some of the test results are listed below. l Commercial or Official envelopes (also called Business or Regular), with diagonal seams and standard gummed flaps, performed the most reliably. l Envelopes with double-sided seam construction, which have vertical seams at both ends of the envelope instead of diagonal seams, tend to be more flimsy than diagonal-seam envelopes.
Adhesive labels Labels are multiple-layer media typically consisting of a face sheet (the printable surface), pressure-sensitive adhesive, and a liner (a carrier sheet coated with a release agent). Labels used in your HP LaserJet printer must be specifically designed for laser printers. If labels other than those compatible with laser printers are used, there is a significant risk of labels peeling or adhesive contamination that can severely damage your printer.
Liner The liner is the carrier sheet for the label material. This must provide stability for the reliable pick-up and transport of the label stock through the printer. Recommendations l Regularly inspect your labels after printing for any indication of label edges lifting or adhesive contamination on the print surface. If either of these problems are observed, it is recommended that you discontinue use of that box or lot number and discuss the problem with your label supplier.
Overhead transparencies Overhead transparency film must be designed specifically for use with laser printers. Photocopy transparency film might not be compatible with laser printers because of higher temperature and stiffness requirements. Color laser printers also require different film than monochrome printers for proper color reproduction and fusing needs. Overhead transparency film is very smooth and must have a topcoat to provide the proper electrical and toner adhesion properties.
Conditioning print media After purchasing print media, you might have to prepare it for usage. Print media needs some time to stabilize in a new environment. To prepare print media, keep it in its protective packaging and store it in the environment in which it will be used. For small quantities, such as one or two reams, store the print media for one to two days. For larger quantities or if the change in the environment is large, a week or more may be needed.
Manual duplexing Manual duplex printing, in which sheets that already have been printed are refed into the printer, requires both operator and software intervention. (See the software application user guide for more information.) Hewlett-Packard recommends manually refeeding sheets only through the manual feed slot, the MultiPurpose (MP) tray, or tray 1. Do not refeed sheets from the paper cassette trays. Using the paper cassette trays can cause jams, misfeeds, and printquality problems.
4 Pre-bar code and presort all envelopes. Meter the envelopes or use precanceled stamps. (In addition to helping in the overall performance of the laser-printed document, bar coding and presorting can offer advantageous postal charges. Please contact your USPS business office to find out more about this.) 5 Avoid text-on-text contact. This can be avoided by printing single-sided, and then folding the document with the fold to the outside.
Purchasing HP print media In the United States you can purchase HP Paper and Tranparencies through HP’s website at http://www.hp.com/ljsupplies/ or contact your local reseller. To order outside of the U.S., please contact your local sales office.
Letter 50 sheets per box C2934A A4 210 by 297 mm (8.3 by 11.7 in) 50 sheets per box C2936A HP LaserJet Soft Gloss Paper Type: 32 lb weight, coated paper Compatible with: HP Color LaserJet printers and HP LaserJet black and white printers Suggested use: Documents with photographic images or graphics and charts, engineering designs, brochures, sales material, pamphlets, and calendars Size Quantity HP part number Letter 216 by 279 mm (8.5 by 11 in) 50 sheets per box C4179A A4 210 by 297 mm (8.
A4 210 by 297 mm (8.3 by 11.7 in) 250 sheets per ream 8-ream carton CHP415 A3 297 by 420 mm (11.7 by 16.
HP LaserJet Paper Type: 24 lb weight / 96 brightness Compatible with: HP Color LaserJet printers and HP LaserJet black and white printers Suggested use: Letterhead, high-value memos, legal documents, and direct mail or correspondence Size Quantity HP part number Letter 216 by 279 mm (8.5 by 11 in) 500 sheets per ream 10-ream carton HPJ1124 Letter 216 by 279 mm (8.5 by 11 in) 200 sheets per ream 12-ream carton HPJ200C Letter, three hole 500 sheets per ream 216 by 279 mm 10-ream carton (8.
HP Printing Paper Type: 22 lb weight / 92 brightness Compatible with: HP Color LaserJet printers, HP LaserJet black and white printers, and HP InkJet printers Suggested use: Correspondence, and all documents printed with HP LaserJet and InkJet technology Size Quantity HP part number Letter 216 by 279 mm (8.5 by 11 in) 500 sheets per ream 10-ream carton HPP1122 Tabloid 279 by 432 mm (11 by 17 in) 500 sheets per ream 10-ream carton HPP1722 A4 210 by 297 mm (8.3 by 11.
HP MultiPurpose Paper Type: 20 lb weight / 90 brightness Compatible with: HP Color LaserJet printers, HP LaserJet black and white printers, copiers, and fax machines Suggested use: Copier and fax needs, correspondence, drafts, memos, and e-mails Size Quantity HP part number Letter 216 by 279 mm (8.5 by 11 in) 500 sheets per ream 10-ream carton HPM1120 Letter 216 by 279 mm (8.5 by 11 in) 500 sheets per ream 5-ream carton HPM115R Letter 216 by 279 mm (8.
HP Office Paper Type: 20 lb weight / 84 brightness Compatible with: All office equipment, such as laser and inkjet printers, copiers, and fax machines Suggested use: Copier and fax needs and high volume printing Size Quantity HP part number Letter 216 by 279 mm (8.5 by 11 in) 500 sheets per ream 10-ream carton HPC8511 Letter, three hole 500 sheets per ream 216 by 279 mm 10-ream carton (8.5 by 11 in) HPC3HP Letter 216 by 279 mm (8.
HP Office Recycled Paper Type: 20 lb weight / 84 brightness Compatible with: All office equipment, such as Laser and inkjet printers, copiers, and fax machines Suggested use: Copier and fax needs and high volume printing Size Quantity HP part number Letter 216 by 279 mm (8.5 by 11 in) 500 sheets per ream 10-ream carton HPE1120 Letter, three hole 500 sheets per ream 216 by 279 mm 10-ream carton (8.5 by 11 in) HPE113H Legal 216 by 356 mm (8.
Guidelines for shipping and storing print media The performance of HP LaserJet printers depends on the condition of the print media used. This section contains recommendations for shipping and storing media, and provides information about environmental effects on media. Shipping media When shipping print media through different environments, use plastic wrap to wrap all cartons on the shipping pallet. When shipping media across bodies of water, also wrap individual cartons.
Environmental considerations HP LaserJet printers are designed to operate in a wide range of environmental conditions. For best performance, store and use media at 20° to 24° C (68° to 75° F), with a relative humidity of 45 to 55 percent. Follow these guidelines when media is used in an environment outside those temperature and humidity ranges: l DO NOT expose the media to extremes in humidity or temperature.
34 Guidelines for shipping and storing print media
Troubleshooting Introduction Print-quality and media-handling problems usually result from print media that does not meet the specifications described in this guide, has been stored improperly, or is not in good condition. The following sections further explain the possible causes of and solutions to print media problems.
Troubleshooting checklist Ask the following questions to determine if the print media is causing print-quality problems: l Does your media meet the specifications outlined in this document? (See "Types of print media to avoid" and "Print media specifications".
Basic troubleshooting If you cannot determine the cause of your print defects by using information from the previous section, try the following procedures: 1 Try print media from another lot or from a different manufacturer. 2 Flip the paper over in the input tray, or turn it from front to rear (both, if necessary). 3 If you have an envelope print-quality problem, print a sheet of paper to determine if the problem is caused by the variable thickness of your envelope.
Paper problems This section provides information about conditions that can indicate paper problems. These conditions include high occurrences of jams, high numbers of multiple feeds, and post-image curl. CAUTION Do not reuse jammed paper. Doing so can damage the printer. Frequent paper jams The following table lists possible causes of frequent paper jams and suggested actions. Note To recover from a paper jam, follow the directions listed in your HP LaserJet printer user guide.
Frequent multiple paper feeds The following table lists possible causes of frequent multiple paper feeds and suggested actions. Cause Action(s) Paper is added in small amounts l to the input tray. l Add only large amounts of paper to the input tray, and avoid mixing paper types in the input tray. Try another ream of paper. Change the paper type. Make sure that the paper is properly acclimated (see "Conditioning print media"). Change the paper type. Change the paper type. l Change the paper type.
Reducing post-image curl When an HP LaserJet printer prints a sheet of paper, the sheet develops a curvature called post-image curl. Generally, the higher the moisture content of the paper, the greater the curl. Both the paper and the printer affect the amount of post-image curl. In the papermaking process, stresses that can cause curl are manufactured into the paper, so different papers will have differing amounts of post-image curl.
Envelope problems High rates of jams, gray areas printing on envelopes, or wrinkling can indicate problems with envelopes. Frequent envelope jams Overfilling the envelope tray and misadjusting its guides are the most common causes of jams. However, if the envelope tray is properly loaded, the envelopes might be causing the problems. To recover from an envelope jam, follow the directions listed in your HP LaserJet printer user guide. CAUTION Do not reuse jammed envelopes. Doing so can damage the printer.
Gray areas on envelopes Cause Action(s) Envelope has seams or multiple l layers. The toner density setting in the l printing software might be too light. Avoid printing over seams or other multiple layer areas. Reduce background (gray shading in non-imaged areas) by adjusting the toner density setting of the print to a darker setting. See the documentation that came with your printer.
Technical specification tables U.S. paper grades The U.S. paper grading system has evolved from custom and usage, resulting in similar papers having differently stated weights. For example, a 24-lb bond paper is exactly the same weight as a 60-lb book paper, or a 60-lb text, or a 33-lb cover. This is because basis weight is defined as the weight of 500 sheets of paper cut to basic size.
Common paper grades and basis weights The following table helps clarify differences in weights among paper grades. Note the difference in basic size for each grade, which affects the weight of 500 sheets of that grade. Note The specifications in the following table are general and may not be optimal for your HP LaserJet printer. Refer to the documentation that came with your HP LaserJet printer.
Weight equivalence table The following table shows equivalent weights for different grades of paper. A bolded value indicates a commonly available standard weight for that grade. Note Text and book grades marked with an asterisk (*) actually calculate to 51, 61, 71, and 81 but are rounded to standard book/text weights of 50, 60, 70 and, 80. Bond wt. Text/Book wt. (17 x 22 in) (25 x 38 in) Bristol wt. Cover wt. (22.5 x (20 x 26 in) 28.5 in) Index wt. (25.5 x 30.5 in) Tag wt.
Print media specifications This section contains specifications for the following types of print media: l Paper l Envelopes l Adhesive labels l Overhead tranparencies Some of the specifications are explained in the "What the specifications mean" section.
print quality. If electrical resistivity is too low, poor image transfer and low density can result. Generally, paper has very high resistance, so paper manufacturers add salts or other materials to lower the resistivity. Moisture content Paper is hygroscopic; that is, it will absorb or give up moisture depending on the humidity in the air around it. The moisture content of paper has a great effect on its resistivity.
Surface roughness Surface roughness of papers can affect print quality, feeding, and fusing (toner adhesion). If paper is very smooth, background particles are more easily seen and sheets tend to stick together and create multiple feeds. Very rough papers can degrade transfer of toner onto the page, causing jagged edges or toner scatter. Fusing (toner adhesion) can also be drastically reduced on very rough papers. Roughness is usually measured using an air leak method such as the Sheffield method.
Curl is typically measured by laying the sheet of paper on a flat surface and measuring the height of the corners. There are two types of curl: l In-ream curl is the amount of curl in a sheet of paper before printing. In-ream curl results from the paper-manufacturing process or from exposure to the environment. Paper with excessive in-ream curl might lead to feeding and print-quality problems. l Post-image curl is the amount of curl in a sheet of paper after printing.
Paper The table below summarizes the paper specifications that provide the best performance. Note The specifications listed in this section generally apply to all HP LaserJet printers but check the user documentation that came with your printer for product specific information. Property Specifications Basis weight 64 gsm to 105 gsm (17 lb to 28 lb) typical. See the user documentation that came with your printer for specific printer and input limits. Caliper 0.09 mm to 0.17 mm (3.5 mil to 6.
Envelopes The table below summarizes the envelope specifications that provide the best performance. Note The specifications listed in this section generally apply to all HP LaserJet printers but check the user documentation that came with your printer for product specific information. Property Specifications Basis weight 64 gsm to 105 gsm (17 lb to 28 lb) typical. See the user documentation that came with your printer for specific printer and input limits. Caliper 0.09 mm to 0.14 mm (3.6 mil to 5.
Adhesive labels The table below summarizes the adhesive label specifications that provide the best performance. Note The specifications listed in this section generally apply to all HP LaserJet printers but check the user documentation that came with your printer for product specific information. CAUTION Not all HP Color LaserJet printer support printing on labels. Please refer to your user guide to determine if your printer supports labels.
Overhead tranparencies The table below summarizes the overhead tranparency specifications that provide the best performance. Note The specifications listed in this section generally apply to all HP LaserJet printers but check the user documentation that came with your printer for product specific information. Property Specifications Caliper 0.12 mm to 0.13 mm (4.8 mils to 5.2 mils) for HP Color LaserJet printers. 0.10 mm to 0.11 mm (4.0 mils to 4.4 mils) for HP black and white printers.
Standard media sizes used in laser printers This section lists the English and Metric dimensions of the most commonly used paper, envelope, and card stock sizes. See the user documentation that came with your printer for specific information about the media supported by your HP LaserJet printer. Use only media that is supported by your printer.
Envelopes Size English dimension Metric dimension US #6 3/4 envelope US #9 envelope US #11 envelope Commercial #10 #5 1/2 baronial envelope #6 baronial envelope #7 3/4 (Monarch) A2 announcement envelope A6 announcement envelope B5 C5 DL ISO C5/6 envelope ISO C6 envelope 3.63 by 6.50 in 3.88 by 8.88 by in 4.50 by 10.38 in 4.13 by 9.50 in 4.38 by 5.75 in 4.75 by 6.50 in 3.88 by 7.50 in 4.38 by 5.75 92.1 by 465.1 mm 98.4 by 225 mm 114.3 by 263.5 mm 104.9 by 241.3 mm 111 by 146 mm 121 by 165 mm 98.
Comparisons of paper smoothness Smoothness typically is expressed in terms of Sheffield, Gurley, Bekk, or Bendtsen units. HP LaserJet printers generally require a smoothness of between 100 and 200 Sheffield. The figure below compares the different types of smoothness.
Glossary brightness Refers to the reflectance and whiteness of a sheet of paper. Higher brightness papers are more expensive to produce and are usually associated with higher quality. caliper The thickness of a sheet of paper or other print media. carrier sheet The sheet to which labels are temporarily attached. Usually this sheet has a “slick” feeling or appears shiny. curl The level of curvature or wave that a sheet has before or after printing.
toner adhesion properties. It is important to purchase labels from a knowledgeable converter who is familiar with these processes and with laser printing. finish/smoothness Characterizes a paper’s finish. Textured paper causes inconsistent or blotchy print and can wrinkle. Glossy-smooth paper tends to highlight defects and might not hold toner. For best results, use smooth paper.
paper weight Paper weight is measured on a metric scale (called basis weight or grammage) as the weight in grams of one square meter of paper. Basis weight is an important characteristic of paper. Paper that is too light or too heavy can cause misfeeds, misstacking, jams, poor print quality, or excessive mechanical wear to the printer. perforations A hole or series of holes punched through the paper to aid in the separation of one piece of paper from another.
60 – Glossary
Index A C acclimating media 22, 34 accuracy specifications, dimensional 51 acidity specifications 12 acrylic-based adhesives 20 adding paper. See loading paper additives, specifications 48 adhesive labels.
curl definition 49, 59 in-ream 49 maximum, specifications 51, 53 post image, troubleshooting 38 post-image, definition 49 preventing 34 curvature.
fibers composition 48 grain orientation 47 fillers, specifications 48 film, transparency.
I index cards, sizes of 57 index grade 43, 45 InkJet papers 29, 32 inks, heat-resistant 15 input tray, loading 10, 38 in-ream curl 49 inserting paper.
O Office Paper, HP 31 Office Recycled Paper, HP 32 offset media, avoiding 8 offset powders, avoiding 15 offset, definition 61 oil-based inks 15 onion skin inserts, using 24 opacity, definition 61 opening paper reams 23 operations, HP LaserJet printers 5 optional envelope feeder 16 ordering HP print media 26 orientation grain 47 landscape 39 loading paper 10 perforated papers 14 output bin, face-up 39 output colors, adjusting 13 overhead transparencies.
rollers, swelling of 13 roughness definition 62 paper specifications 48, 51 S Sales and Service Offices, HP 6 scanning laser beam, operations of 5 scattered toner, causes of 48 sealers, envelopes 17 seasonal changes, affects of 47 selecting media archival 12 avoiding types of 8 characteristics of 10 coated 13 colored 12 converted 13 die-cut 13, 14 disclaimer 7 embossed 15 envelopes 17 forms, preprinted 15 labels 20 letterhead 15 perforated 13, 14 preprinted 15 purchasing 26 recycled 12 specialty 13 tempera
T tabloid size papers HP LaserJet 28 HP MultiPurpose Paper 30 HP Office Paper 31 HP Premium Choice 27 HP Printing Paper 29 tag grade 43, 45 tears, avoiding papers with 10 temperature specifications printing 8 storing media 34 tenting, preventing 14 terms, definitions 46, 59 testing media disclaimer 7 envelopes 18 recommendations for 8 text grade 43, 45 text-on-text contact, avoiding 24 theory of operations 5 thick paper. See heavy paper thickness.
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hp LaserJet printer family copyright 2000 Hewlett-Packard Company print media guide *5963-7863* *5963-7863* english 5963-7863
