Print media guidelines, Paper, Paper characteristics – Dell 3100cn Color Laser Printer User Manual
Page 51
Print Media Guidelines
Print media is paper, transparencies, labels, envelopes, coated paper among others. Your printer provides high-quality printing on a variety of print media.
Selecting the appropriate print media for your printer helps avoid printing troubles. This section describes how to select print media, how to care for print
media, and how to load the print media in the standard and optional 250-sheet tray module or 500-sheet tray module.
Identifying Print Media Sources and Specifications
Paper
For the best print quality in color, use 75 g/m
2
(20 lb) xerographic, grain long paper. For the best print quality in black and white, use 90 g/m
2
(24 lb)
xerographic, grain long paper. Before buying large quantities of any print media, Dell recommends trying a sample first.
When loading paper, identify the recommended print side on the paper package, and load the paper accordingly. See "
Loading Print Media in Standard and
Optional Trays
" and "
Loading the Multipurpose Feeder
" for detailed loading instructions.
Paper Characteristics
The following paper characteristics affect print quality and reliability. Dell recommends that you follow these guidelines when evaluating new paper stock.
Weight
The tray automatically feeds paper weights from 60 to 105 g/m
2
(16 to 28 lb bond) grain long. The multipurpose feeder automatically feeds paper weights
from 60 to 216 g/m
2
(16 to 56 lb bond) grain long. Paper lighter than 60 g/m
2
(16 lb) might not be stiff enough to feed properly, and could cause paper jams.
For best performance, use 75 g/m
2
(20 lb bond) grain long paper.
Curl
Curl is the tendency of print media to curve at its edges. Excessive curl can cause paper feeding problems. Curl usually occurs after the paper passes through
the printer, where it is exposed to high temperatures. Storing paper unwrapped in humid conditions, even in the paper tray, can contribute to paper curling
prior to printing and cause feeding problems.
Smoothness
The degree of paper smoothness directly affects print quality. If the paper is too rough, the toner does not fuse to the paper properly, resulting in poor print
quality. If the paper is too smooth, it can cause paper feeding problems. Smoothness between 150 and 250 Sheffield points produces the best print quality.
Moisture Content
The amount of moisture in the paper affects both print quality and the ability of the printer to feed the paper properly. Leave the paper in its original
packaging until you are ready to use it. This limits the exposure of the paper to moisture changes that can degrade its performance.
Grain Direction
Grain refers to the alignment of the paper fibers in a sheet of paper. Grain is either grain long, running the length of the paper, or grain short, running the
width of the paper. For 60 to 135 g/m
2
(16 to 36 lb bond) paper, grain long fibers are recommended. For papers heavier than 135 g/m
2
(36 lb bond), grain
short is preferred.
Fiber Content