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Print Quality Troubleshooting Checklist
   

When faced with a Print Quality problem, use the following checklist as a guide in troubleshooting the problem:

 

1. Problem reproduction

 

-Reproduce the problem that the customer is seeing using their original settings. You can use the Demo Print in order to do it.

 
2. Printer configuration:
 
  -Print Mode: Set to "Max. Quality" (in the Printer and in the driver).
-Dry time: Set to "Automatic".
-Select the correct media setting when loading the media.
 

3. Hardware check list
Firmware Revision

 
  -Check if the latest version of the Firmware is installed. If not Install the latest Firmware revision (See Service Upgrade).
 

4. Printheads
Printhead Troubleshooting Process:

 
  -Check the Printhead status in the front-panel.
-If (xxxx)replace is displayed, the faulty Printhead must be replaced.
-If the (xxxx)recover is displayed recover the Printhead (See How to fix the Nozzle Defects).
-If you don't have any samples yet, reproduce the original problem with the correct Printer settings.
-Print the Diagnostic Print ( See Printing the Diagnostic Print) using the exact settings and Media that the Customer used when faced with the Print Quality problem.

 
Printhead Alignment and Check:
 
  -Perform the "Printhead Alignment" from the Printer Setup menu / Utilities/Calibrations/Printhead Alignment, using the same media with which you were experiencing problems.
 
5. Media
 
 

-Make sure that you use HP media.
-Store media according to its Environmental Specifications.
-Select the correct media type through the Front Panel when loading it.

 
6. Driver print quality configuration:
 
 

-To clarify if the reason of the problem is related with the print mode defined with the Non-HP Driver try the following:
-Print the same sample using the Non-HP driver and their normal media.
-Print one of the internal demos or Diagnostic Print using HP Media and configuring the Printer as indicated previously.
-If the output obtained using the HP Solution is good and the one obtained through the 3rd party solution is bad, HP support organization should communicate to the customer that the problem is not in the Printer and that they should address it through the 3rd party vendor support structure.

 
7. Service Accuracy Calibration
 
  Perform the Service Accuracy calibration using HP High-Gloss Photo Paper.
 
  WARNING: Do NOT use any other type of media apart from HP High Gloss Photo Paper when performing the Service Accuracy Calibration.

 

8. If the problem is in Production Mode, perform the banding Calibration on the Media and Printmode in wich the problem appears (See Banding Calibrations)

 

9. If the customer is using HP media which is not present in the front panel menu, advise him to download the appropriate media profile.
 
10. There are two production limitations which affects both the 5000 and 5500 Series printers:

 

-Enrichment Issue.
-Ink Marks on Printouts.

These problems cannot be solved but they can be reduced.

 
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