Metal Printing Basics
General Inkjet Printing Guideline
A PDF Version is available here
Printer Compatibility
• Any printer that has a straight pass-through will print on the metal.
• All Epson printers produced since 2000 have the ability to feed straight-through.
• Canon and HP have selective printers that will work with a straight pass through.
• Many, but not all, printers that have a “J-curve” media path are acceptable for .005” thick Fine Art Metal sheets.
Ink Compatibility
Fine Art Metal sheets are compatible with all ink jet systems, including dye and pigment-based inks.
Image Quality
The Fine Art Metals have individual characteristics completely unlike that of common ink jet papers. Please Keep this in mind when preparing your imagery for print. Utilize your proof set-up to gauge a general idea for your final color and tonal representation. Also, an image resolution of a least 300 is strongly recommended to obtain full detail in the final print.
Recommended Printer Settings
For best image quality we recommend selecting the following:
Media Type: Select Premium Luster Photo, Photo Paper Plus Semi-Gloss, or similar depending on the printer you use.
Print Quality: Use your advanced settings and select 2880dpi, High Accuracy, and Highest Gradation. Turn off High Speed where applicable. Choosing higher settings on you printer will yield better results.
Color Management: It is strongly suggested to use a color managed workflow. ICC profiles are available for free at
www.booksmartstudio.com in the Fine Art Metal Section. Allow Photoshop or other imaging software to determine colors and turn off printer color management.
Loading the Metal
The printable side of the metal faces up toward the label on the black pouch. Each sheets will need to be loaded individually, one at a time, into the printer. Take care when loading the sheets to avoid scratching from the printers internal mechanics. Ensure that the sheets is straight. It may take several attempts loading the metal before the printer accepts it, the most common issue with front, straight-through loading is a skew error. Avoid bending or warping the metal as it may cause the sheets to jam or scratch during the printing process. It is recommended to wear white gloves while loading the sheets to avoid fingerprints on the surface.
- More Printer Specific Instructions can be found at www.booksmartstudio.com -
Handling
Avoid touching the printable surface of the sheets. Hold sheet by the edges. It is strongly recommended to wear white gloves. After printing allow ink to dry for at least 20 minutes before coating or lamination. Lay print flat, in a clean place. Do not place anything over the print as it may cause smudging or scratching. Keep in mind the ink is not absorbed into the metal as it would be with common papers.
Print Protection
To protect the printed sheet, either use cold lamination or a spray coating.
Clearstar coatings are the perfect spray coating for the metals, all tests were conducted with this spray.
Recommended application of spray coating: Clearstar AFA Semi-Gloss is applied first with 2-3 coats followed by Clearstar AFA Gloss with 2-8 coats depending on the desired gloss level.
It is not recommended to leave the printed metal unprotected from moisture and UV rays.
Storage
Store Fine Art Metal sheets in their original pouch in a cool, dry place. Avoid moisture and high humidity. Keep any unused sheets in the original package until ready to print. Lay sheets flat to avoid warping.
Trouble Shooting Tips
Settings Problems
Blotchiness
Make sure your media setting for your printer is set for a high quality paper such as Premium Luster or Photo Paper Plus Semi Gloss. Also confirm that you are printing on the correct side of the metal.
Incorrect Color
Make sure you have selected to work with an ICC profile and the printer’s color management controls are turned off.
Image looks Blurry or Jagged
Check that you are working with a high quality version of your image. A resolution of at least 300ppi is strongly recommended.
Washed Out
Confirm your media setting is correct.
Mechanical Printer Problems
Metal Stopped feeding at the End
It is possible that the metal can get caught in the printer prohibiting it from being guided forward during printing. This will cause a high density of ink where several passes of the print head traveled over one area.
Printed Image is Smeared
Touching wet ink or handling with wet hands can smear ink. Allow at least 20 minutes after printing for ink to set. Even after ink dries, the image is not waterproof until it is coated.
Headstrikes
Headstrikes can occur anywhere on the printed area. If the metal has been bent or warped in any way it may cause it to rise up to the print heads causing scratched from the contact. Printers that have the front tray lower than the level the actual print come out may cause the metal to warp down as it come out of the printer. This may cause headstrikes over the last few inched of the print. It is suggested you place a book or box on the tray to support the metal as it come out.
Not Feeding into Printer
If the metal sheet is not loaded correctly it may not be able to identify where the leading edge is, thus the printed area will not be placed with the margin as you set it. Make sure the metal is properly loaded and recognized by the printer before sending your print from the computer.
Vertical Scratching
The internal printer mechanisms may be scratching the metal as it feeds forward while printing. If your printer has “pizza wheels”, those small metal wheels that guide the print as it comes out of the printer, they may also be scratching the ink off the metal surface.
Print is Crooked
Confirm you are loading the metal into the printer straight, and that is was not skewed when the printer aligned it.
If you do not see an answer to your printing problem with Booksmart Fine Art Metal please either submit the issue via the contact us area on this website or call us at 1.800.761.6623.
