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Card Stock & Label Guide
Laser Printers
April 2004
www.lexmark.com
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Edition: April 2004 The following paragraph does not apply to any country where such provisions are inconsistent with local law: LEXMARK INTERNATIONAL, INC. PROVIDES THIS PUBLICATION “AS IS” WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. Some states do not allow disclaimer of express or implied warranties in certain transactions, therefore, this statement may not apply to y
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Contents Overview .......................................................................................... 5 General Information........................................................................ 6 The Industry .................................................................................................. 6 Print Volumes ................................................................................................ 6 Print Material Testing .............................................
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Lexmark C912.............................................................................................. 49 Lexmark E220 .............................................................................................. 51 Lexmark E320, E322.................................................................................... 53 Lexmark E321, E323.................................................................................... 55 Lexmark T420 ......................................................
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Overview Lexmark has had many years of experience in successful card stock and label design, testing, and cross education programs with print material vendors and converters. This document provides guidelines to help you select appropriate print materials for the following Lexmark laser printers: all Optra™ models, the 4039 12C, the 4039 10 plus, all 4029 models, all 4019 models, WinWriter™ 600 (4035 5W), and the Lexmark™ C510, C720, C750, C752, C910, C912, E220, E320, E321, E322, E323, T420
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General Information The Industry The paper and label industry includes several different types of businesses: manufacturers, converters, and distributors. Manufacturers produce the base stock. If the base is for labels, manufacturers may ship it on large rolls or in a cut-sheet form. Converters take the base stock and convert it into cut-sheet products. Converters may work from rolls with or without the adhesive applied, or they may take a base stock and convert it to meet their customers’
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Print Material Testing Choosing print materials can seem complex. Unfortunately, it is not possible to write a simple “cookbook” explaining how to select print materials, because there are too many variables you need to address for each specific application. Be aware that critical factors at the vendor—such as the physical characteristics of the base stock and the manufacturing processes—may change over time. Print materials can significantly affect printer reliability and downtime. Using m
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Adjustable Tray designed for the Optra S, Optra T, and Lexmark T printer families prints on a range of paper sizes including A6 and 3-inch by 5-inch index cards, 3-inch by 7-inch punch cards and 4-inch by 6-inch post cards. Environment Lexmark printers meet or exceed all industry emission regulations and standards. Continuous printing on some papers or other media may create fumes that are not a problem with occasional printing. Make sure your printer is located in a well ventilated area. Te
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Perforations and Die-Cuts If your form has perforations, the perforation line should stop 1.6 mm (0.06 in.) from each edge of the form to avoid separating the form in the printer path, resulting in a jam. The location of the perforation affects initial pick strength. Perforations closer to the edge may increase the number of jams. For pressure sensitive materials such as labels, minimize the number of perforations that go through the backing material, or liner, since these can also affect th
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Basic Form Design When designing forms, include a non-print area of 8.38 mm (0.33 in.) at the top and bottom of the form and 6.35 mm (0.25 in.) on both sides of the form. In general, portrait orientation is the preferred layout, especially if you are printing bar codes. If your forms require landscape orientation, be aware that variations in paper path speed may produce spacing variations when printing bar codes. Note: We do not warrant uninterrupted or error-free operation of a product. War
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Card Stock Card stock is a rigid, stiff material that can have a wide variety of constructions. Orientation of paper fibers (grain direction), moisture content, thickness, texture, and other properties can significantly impact printing, as can preprinting, perforation, creasing, and other features common to forms. For example, preprinting introduces semi-liquid, volatile components that must withstand the high temperatures used in laser printing. Perforation and creasing may cause nesting, o
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Use the following table to compare the weights of various types of card stock. Card Stock Weights Comparison Guide Basis Weight (lbs/ream) Printing Index Bond Offset Cover Bristol Bristol Tag Metric 431.8 x 635 x 508 x 571.5 x 647.7 x 609.6 x Equivalent 558.8 mm 965.2 mm 660.4 mm 889 mm 774.7 mm 914.4 mm 2 (g/m ) (17 x 22 in.) (25 x 38 in.) (20 x 26 in.) (22.5 x 35 in.) (25.5 x 30.5 in.) (24 x 36 in.) 75 20 50 —— — 50 90 24 60 —— — — 105 28 70 —— — — 108 29 — 40 —— — 118 31 80 —— — — 120 32 ——
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Most printers feed paper short-edge first. If your printer supports larger paper sizes, such as 11x17 in. or A3 mm, it may feed some paper sizes long-edge first. Refer to your printer documentation for more information. For materials fed short edge first: GRAIN SHORT IS RECOMMENDED FOR STOCK GRAIN LONG IS RECOMMENDED FOR STOCK 2 2 HEAVIER THAN 135 g/m LIGHTER THAN 135 g/m Feed Feed Direction Direction Grain Direction Grain Direction For materials fed long edge first: GRAIN LONG IS RECOMM
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between 100 and 400 Sheffield points (150 to 250 is optimal). Using media higher than 300 Sheffield could result in printing degradation. Offset Powders We do not recommend using offset powders or other foreign materials to speed drying. Offset powders are used by print shops to prevent printed pages from sticking together. Powder is usually sprayed on the printed page right before it reaches the stacker on the offset printing press. This powder provides an intermediate layer between two she
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Labels Labels (also called pressure sensitive materials) are multi-ply materials consisting of a “sandwich” of various combinations of face sheets (printable stock), adhesives, and removable protective backings (liners). The multiple layers can result in thick, difficult-to-handle materials. Labels are among the most difficult print materials for any printer to reliably feed and print. The heat, pressure, and paper paths required by laser printers create a particularly difficult environment f
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Printing on Labels Use full label sheets only. Partial sheets (with areas exposed by missing labels) can cause labels to peel off during printing, resulting in a paper jam. Partial sheets can also contaminate your printer and cartridge with adhesive and can void the printer and cartridge service warranties. Do not feed labels through the printer more than once. Doing so may result in adhesive contamination to the cartridge and other components. Depending on your printer model and the number
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P/N 56P2109. This wiper makes it possible to print on both sides of paper labels specifically designed for duplexing. In addition, you can use this wiper to simplex paper labels and duplex paper in the same printer. When ordering a new cartridge, be sure to order the cartridge that includes the correct fuser wiper. Figure 1. Optra S Rib Locations (rib width = 2mm) Figure 2. Optra T and Lexmark T Rib Locations (rib width = 2mm) Duplexing Paper Labels 17 16 mm 20 mm 11 mm 21 mm 15 mm 13 mm 27 m
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Label Components Labels are composed of three basic parts: the liner, the adhesive, and the face sheet. Labels may also have topcoats that affect printing. Choosing appropriate materials for each of these label components will help ensure reliable printing. Liners The liner, also known as the carrier or backing, is the material onto which the label is attached. The liner carries the label through the printer and directly affects feed reliability. Liner weights and construction vary based on
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gloss appearance. High gloss, glazed surfaces may increase skew and are more difficult for the printer’s feed mechanism to handle reliably. Some Kraft liners may produce acceptable results; however, we strongly recommend extensive testing of pressure sensitive constructions using Kraft liners. Tissue-backed or plain bond liners reduce toner contamination inside the printer and improve feed performance. Slick, non-porous liners are harder to feed and increase toner buildup in the fuser and o
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Face Sheet (Printable Stock) Paper, vinyl, and polyester are the most common materials used for printable stock. Your forms supplier can provide information on whether the printable stock you want to use can withstand temperatures of 225°C (437°F) [temperatures vary between printers; check the section for your specific printer] and pressures to 25 psi. Carefully test the stock to ensure it functions satisfactorily with your printer. Topcoats Topcoats for non-paper labels may be either wate
