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HP Recommended
DesignJet Z3200

I have a DesignJet Z3200 that is banding dark colors on the outside margins on 24x36 prints. I have tried multiple times to perform the paper advance service calibration, but the plotter stops with the display message advancing paper, and never performs the calibration. Any Suggestions?

 Also, if you put pressure on the paper to tighten it as it advances the banding issue doesn't happen. Would replacing the star wheel assembly help to tighten the paper advance, as it seems there is too much slack in the beginning of the print job. Once the sheet is past the edge of the plotter and hanging the issue begins to subside.

1 REPLY 1
HP Recommended

The service manual shows a specific way to do the calibration.  If you do a google search for "Designjet Z3200 Service Manual it will give you sources to download the manual.  (This link may or may not work:  http://robogravure.com/hp-designjet-Z3200-service-manual.pdf).  Here's just a small part:

 

Paper Advance Calibration  (page 4-6)
The purpose of this Service Calibration is to calibrate the nominal advance
of the media. This calibration is necessary to control the exact movement of
the media in order to avoid print quality problems like banding.
If you need to perform a Paper Advance Calibration to solve a print quality
problem, it is recommended that you first try the Paper Advance Calibration
from the user´s menu, which will calibrate the printer to a specific paper
type.
In order to perform the Paper Advance Calibration, you
must order the Z2100/Z3100/Z3100ps Paper Advance
Calibration Kit, which contains two sheets of HP Universal
Instant-Dry Photo Gloss paper.
24 inch Q6675-60103
44 inchQ6677-60030
When you load the HP Universal Instant-Dry Photo Gloss
sheet, make sure you load it with the skew check.
Perform the Service Accuracy Calibration whenever:
„ Banding is detected in prints.
Service calibrations also need to be performed after removing or replacing
certain printer components. If you have removed or replaced printer
components, check the Service Calibration Guide to Removal and
Installation to see which tests and calibrations you need to perform. Refer to
Page 6-8.
The Paper Advance Calibration is split into two parts and should always
be done in this order:
1 Print Calibration Pattern - The Printer first calibrates the Analog Encoder and
then prints the Paper Advance Calibration pattern.
2 Scan Calibration Pattern - The Printer scans the Paper Advance Calibration
pattern in order to calibrate the nominal advance of the media.
Only scan the Calibration Pattern in the Printer that was
used to print it. Using the Calibration in a different Printer
could cause it to experience media advance problems. After
scanning the Calibration Pattern, it should be discarded.

 

There are several more steps to the calibration process so I would recommend downloading the service manual.  You might not have to use the HP kit.  You could try just buying some paper with similar characteristics first.  

 

You might also first try a different roll of paper, just to rule that out.

I don't work for HP....I just repair their printers.
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