How Does Your Print Stack up? Six Paper Quality Tips to Keep in Mind. Plus, How to Prevent Paper Jams.
Paper plays a crucial role in the overall presentation of your final product, so it’s important to know how to choose the right paper for your print job.
It can be tricky because the paper you select will affect the image quality as well as the serviceability of your office equipment.
High-speed copiers and printers (50+ prints per minute) require higher quality paper than a 15 prints-per-minute device. Color quality can vary substantially depending on the grade of paper stock; and service calls for poor copy quality can often be avoided by using paper made specifically for color reproduction.
Features That Can Affect Image Quality and Serviceability:
- Brightness: The whiter the paper, the blacker or more colorful the print appears. This is because the contrast between paper and image makes the entire print appear to be of higher quality.
- Opacity: Paper that’s too thin allows backlighting to wash out or overshadow the printed image. This is especially important with double-sided printing as that can detract from legibility.
- Dust: Poorly cut or processed paper can carry dust that builds up inside the printing equipment, and can affect print quality and lead to jamming. Avoid using inexpensive, poor quality paper that can end up costing you more with service calls.
- Finish: Paper must allow the toner to penetrate the surface. Paper that is too porous will result in a fuzzy-looking image. Very slick paper will produce sharp and colorful images, but can leave excess ink on the fuser rollers and require occasional cleaning.
- Paper Care: Paper should be stored flat, in unopened reams in an atmosphere similar to the one that it will be used in. Otherwise, the paper will have a tendency to increase in size, warp, curl or stick together.
- Recycled: Recycled paper is an eco-friendly option, but the composition of the recycled material can vary significantly. Each sheet has a history all its own. Some recycled paper works, some doesn’t. It is important to ensure that the recycled paper is designed for printing/copying.
Don’t Get Caught in a Jam
The internals for each device are electronically set depending upon specified paper weights. Paper that is outside of the stated specifications can cause issues with friction applied to the paper as it passes through the printer which can cause paper to jam. Be sure to check the user’s guide for required paper weight requirements.
Here’s a tip for loading any paper you do select to avoid the aggravating backups and wasted paper. Fanning the paper and “knocking up” the edges so that they are all aligned can help to prevent misfeeds and jams. The paper stack should always be flat and with the edges aligned.
Save Time and Skip the Laminating
Toshiba’s AquaAce™ paper is the laminated paper that doesn’t need to be laminated!
It is a revolutionary laser paper with the look and feel of a laminated sheet. It will produce magnificent double-sided color prints that are extremely durable, resist water, tearing, smudging, and fading—even in harsh weather and direct sunlight.
This remarkably silky, bright white, glossy paper has a variety of useful qualities that allow you to save time and money by printing in-house.
Available in letter-size (8.5” x 11”), legal-size (8.5” x 14”),ledger-size (11” x 17”) and banner-size (12” x 47.24”), this waterproof and UV resistant synthetic paper enables you to print signs, posters, banners and more.
To learn more about how you can set yourself apart with Toshiba Color and AquaAce, contact your local Toshiba representative today.
