Image Registration, Perpendicularity, Skew, and Magnification
Problem
The image on the printed output is misregistered, or is perpendicular, skewed, or magnified.
For information, refer to
Alignment Options.
Solutions
1. If using trays 1, 2, or 3, try switching to tray 6 or 7 or optional tray 8 or 9.
Note: Trays 6-9 have better registration and skew performance.
2. Create or use an existing Alignment Profile.
Before creating a new and/or using an existing manual alignment, read all the information in the
Alignment Profiles.
• Use Center Line Stock for Alignment Profiles. If the problem occurs when using this stock, call the Customer Support Center.
• To create a New Alignment Profile, perform the following:
a. From the PredictPrint Media Manager application, select > .
b. From the Alignment tab, select the New button.
A New Profile Properties window displays.
c. Enter the Name you want to assign to the profile.
d. Perform the Auto Alignment procedure.
e. Run a set of test prints to evaluate the output and evaluate the results.
f. If necessary, depending on the results, perform a Manual Adjustment.
g. When making manual adjustments to multiple items, use the following guidelines:
▪ Adjust the image in the following order: Registration, Perpendicularity, Skew, and Magnification.
▪ Choose only one option at a time, then run a set of test prints to evaluate the output. Determine if the printed output for the selected option is acceptable and if it is acceptable, then select and adjust the next alignment option.
▪ After each option is selected, always run a set of test prints and evaluate the output. Determine if the output for the selected feature is acceptable, and if it is, continue to adjust another alignment option, as required.
• To use an existing Alignment Profile, perform the following:
Note: The option may be found by selecting > > > > .
a. From the Stock Properties of the desired stock, select > .
b. Select Use Default or Select from List.
If using Select from List, make a selection from the list of saved Alignment Profiles.
3. Change the Aligner Roll Pressure setting.
Tip:
Changing the default setting of 0 (zero) is a temporary solution because environmental conditions vary from day to day. Upon completion of the print job, the recommendation is to return the option to its default setting.
• Use this feature to adjust the aligner roll pressure.
• Some types of coated paper slip and skew, thereby misregistering the image on the output prints. In this case, you may need to increase the Aligner Roll Pressure to apply more force to hold down the paper to compensate for the slippage and skewing.
• Some lightweight papers may have too much roll pressure applied to them, causing edge damage to the output prints. In this case, you may need to decrease the roll pressure to apply less force to hold down the paper.
• To change the Aligner Roll Pressure setting, perform the following:
a. Switch On the Pre Gate Roll Adjustment.
Important:
This option must be On to allow for the custom setting of the Aligner Roll Pressure option.
▪ Access the option from > > > > .
▪ Select On under the Pre Gate Roll Adjustment from the drop-down menu.
b. Adjust the Aligner Roll Pressure.
▪ Access the feature from > > > > .
▪ Based on the output, increase or decrease the Aligner Roll Pressure in increments of five or ten.
▪ After each incremental adjustment, run test prints and evaluate the output prints to determine if additional adjustments are required.
4. Change the Regi-Loop setting.
Note: Use Regi-Loop only if Alignment Profile or Aligner Roll Pressure did not correct registration and/or skew problems.
• Use this feature to adjust Regi-Loop.
• When paper feeds through the press, it stops once and pressure is applied in order to correct registration and skew. The loop created when paper is stopped and pressured is Regi-Loop.
▪ To correct for registration and skew, and if the degree of skew varies from sheet to sheet, increase the Regi-Loop value to increase pressure on the Lead Edge (LE) of the paper. Increasing the value too much may cause unintended folds or scratches on the Lead Edge paper.
▪ In hot and humid environments, decrease the Regi-Loop value to lower the pressure on the Lead Edge of light weight paper to avoid ripping the paper.
• This feature is accessed from > > > > .
• Based on the output, increase or decrease the Regi-Loop in increments of 0.3 mm. After each incremental adjustment, run test prints and evaluate the output to determine if additional adjustments are required.
• If feeding paper from tray 1, 2, or 3 and repeated
Regi-Loop adjustments do not make any improvements in a registration problem, return the
Regi-Loop value to its default and adjust the
Pre Gate Roll Adjustment setting.
5. Change the Pre Gate Roll Adjustment setting.
• This feature is enabled only when printing on paper that is 290 mm or larger in landscape, or on front and back sides of trays 1, 2, or 3, or the back sides of trays 6–9.
• Use this feature to adjust the behavior of the pregate roll mechanism. When paper feeds through the press, it stops once and pressure is applied in order to correct registration and skew. The pregate roll is one of the mechanisms that applies pressure to the paper.
• The settings available for the this feature include:
▪ System Default: The pregate roll setting is automatically switched according to paper weight.
▪ On: To hold the paper with the pregate roll for paper weight 220 g/m² or less, select this option only if the Regi-Loop adjustments did not correct misregistration or if Alignment Profile did not correct image skew.
▪ Off: For paper weight 221 g/m² or greater where the leading edge of the paper is torn, select this option to release the paper from the pregate roll.
Note: Selecting Off disables the Alignment Roll Pressure setting.
• After changing the setting run test prints and evaluate the output.
6. Change the Fuser Speed Adjustment setting.
• This feature is used to adjust the fusing speed to improve print quality when the image is distorted, stretched, or shrunk.
▪ If the image is shrunk, increase the fuser speed. If the fuser speed is set too high, it may cause paper jams.
▪ If the image is stretched, decrease the fuser speed.
• This feature is accessed from > > > > .
• Increase or decrease the fuser speed in increments of 0.1%.
• After each incremental adjustment, run test prints and evaluate the output to determine if additional adjustments are required.