Dell W5300n Dell™ Workgroup Laser Printer W5300 User's Guide - Page 37

Print media guidelines Storing print media Identifying print media sources and specifications Print media is paper, card stock, transparencies, labels, and envelopes. Your printer provides high quality printing on a variety of print media. Selecting the appropriate print media for your printer helps you avoid printing problems. This chapter provides information on how to help you make print media selections, how to care for the print media, and how to load it in the standard tray or optional trays. Paper For the best print quality, use 75 g/m2 (20 lb) xerographic, grain long paper. Try a sample of any paper you are considering using with the printer before buying large quantities. When loading paper, note the recommended print side on the paper package, and load paper accordingly. See Loading print media in standard and optional trays and Using and loading the multipurpose feeder for detailed loading instructions. Paper characteristics The following paper characteristics affect print quality and reliability. We recommend that you follow these guidelines when evaluating new paper stock. Weight The printer can automatically feed paper weights from 60 to 135 g/m2 (16 to 36 lb bond) grain long. Paper lighter than 60 g/m2 (16 lb) might not be stiff enough to feed properly, causing jams. For best performance, use 75 g/m2 (20 lb bond) grain long paper. To use paper narrower than 182 x 257 mm (7.2 x 10.1 in.), we recommend that the weight be greater than or equal to 90 g/m2 (24 lb bond). Curl Curl is the tendency of print media to curve at its edges. Excessive curl can cause paper feeding problems. Curl usually occurs after the paper passes through the printer, where it is exposed to high temperatures. Storing paper unwrapped in humid conditions, even in the paper tray, can contribute to paper curling prior to printing and can cause feeding problems, also. Smoothness The degree of smoothness of paper directly affects print quality. If the paper is too rough, the toner does not fuse to the paper properly, resulting in poor print quality. If the paper is too smooth, it can cause paper feeding problems. Smoothness needs to be between 100 and 300 Sheffield points; however, smoothness between 150 and 250 Sheffield points produces the best print quality.