Poster Printing

Revised April 2011

Instructions for the PAAW 125 Plotterusing PowerPoint 2010

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Read BEFORE you begin…• Create your poster in Microsoft PowerPoint with only one slide.

Do not change the default slide size.• Have the edges of your poster meet the edges of the default

slide. (Do NOT stretch out past the slide size.)• Most posters are 44” W x 36” H. The largest available size you

can create is 56”x 36” or 36”x 56”, as limited by the roll of paper and PowerPoint. – If your poster does not fit perfectly on a slide, fit it to where the

poster is as large as it can be on the slide (not stretching) and orient the slide (rotate) as necessary.

• You only get one chance to print unless there is an error caused by the plotter itself. Please check your work before printing.

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FIRST: Convert document to Adobe PDF

1. Open your PowerPoint file, save it to the T: Drive

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Continue: Convert document: Adobe PDF

2. Click the file button, and select “Print.”

3. In the Print dialogue box, change the name of the printer to “Adobe PDF.”

4. Click the drop-down arrow in the Full Page Slides section. Check the “Scale to Fit Paper “ option

5. Click “Printer Properties” (just below Printer section).

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Continue: Convert document: Adobe PDF: Properties

6. In the layout tab:a) “Orientation” needs to be “Portrait”

(yes, illogical when printing a landscape poster, but necessary)

b) Click “Advanced…”

7. Under “Graphic”, the “Print Quality” to 600 dpi (this will keep your poster ink from smearing).

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Continue: Convert document: Adobe PDF: Paper Size

8. Under “Paper/Output”, click on the drop-down arrow to the right of “Paper Size”

9. Select “...PostScript Custom Page Size”a) A box will pop upb) In that box, enter:

i. Width: 36ii. Height: 44

c) Change “Paper Feed Direction” to “Short Edge First”

10. Click OK twice (to go back to the Properties dialog box)

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Continue: Convert document: Adobe PDF:Settings

11. Under the Adobe PDF Settings tab:a) Default Settings: Standardb) Adobe PDF Page Size: Letterc) It should come up as pictured by

default, but check in case it was changed for a previous print job.

d) Click OK

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Continue: Convert document: Adobe PDF

13. Save your new PDF in the T:\ drive, in the Student Files folder.

Your PDF will open automatically with Adobe Reader.

NOTE: The SSPA Labs’ computers have Deep Freeze installed. The “T-drive” is the one place where files can be stored. All other changes to the computer are erased upon restart. We recommend that you also save your file to your flash drive or mail it to yourself.

12. Click the file button, select “Print”, and then click the print box. A “Save As…” dialog will show up.

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Printing: Turn on the printer

Press the button on thefar right, near the top

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Printing: Start

In Adobe Reader: 2. Change the name of the printer to HP Designjet 5500ps 60PS33. Click Properties1. Click File, then Print

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Printing: Changing page size1. Under Layout tab, click Advanced…2. Change the paper size to “PostScript Custom”3. Select “Edit Custom Page Size”4. Make sure the proper dimensions are there:

• Width: 36”• Height: 44”

5. Click OK twice (go back to the Properties box)

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Printing: Changing the quality

1. Click on the Device Options tab2. Change the Print Quality to

Productivity3. Click OK (go back to the Print dialog)

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Printing: Check it over

Preview your image carefully.• The Preview: Composite

window should show your document sideways, with 36” x 44”

• The printer Name: should be changed to HP Designjet 5500ps 60PS3

Your poster here

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Printing: Print1. When you are positive that your file is ready to print, press OK.2. Check the screen on the plotter to see if it is receiving the data.3. If something looks horribly wrong (not including typos, etc.) press cancel on the plotter4. When the poster is starting to droop behind the bar, move it in front of the bar, or else

your poster will smudge.

Move your poster in front of this bar to avoid smudges!

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Printing: Catching1. Once the plotter has stopped printing, pick up the poster by

holding the edge closest to floor and hold it away from the plotter (step back two or three steps)

2. Leave some slack (the poster will be pulled back into the plotter momentarily).

3. Do NOT pull. You will hear a definite slicing noise from the cutter when the plotter is done. After cut, you may need to gently pull to help the poster release from the plotter

4. KEEP INK SIDE AWAY FROM YOUR CLOTHING, and let the poster float down in front of you, ink side away

5. Lay the poster down on the floor in front of the room and let it dry for 30 minutes

6. Roll the poster with the printed side out so the edges don’t curl when posted.

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Notes

• It is possible to print about 25 normal sized posters (36”x44”) per roll of 100 feet (that would be short edge in first)

• Best paper: HP Universal Instant-dry Semi-gloss Photo Paper, Q6580A, 36” x 100 feet

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Notes: Toner• Color / Order #

– Black / C4940A– Cyan/ C4941A– Light Cyan / C4944A– Light Magenta / C4945A– Magenta / C4942– Yellow / C4943

• UV Printhead & Cleaner / Order #– Black / C4960A – Cyan / C4961A – Light Cyan / C4964A– Light Magenta / C 4965– Magenta / C4962A– Yellow / C4963A

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