ProblemSolving:PrintMakingStudio

Hello and welcome to the problem solving section of the Publication Station Wiki. Here you can find all the solutions to the most common problems when printing with any given technique you are working with. This page is dedicated to the PrintMaking Studio (BL.00.01). Use the menu above to navigate the page and find your solutions. Good Luck!

Tutors and PALs

If you are in need of assistance and do not feel comfortable using the machines by yourselves, you can always ask for help from the tutors or the student assistants. We (the Publications Station Staff) are here for you and can help you to do anything. That includes playing by the rules and experimenting with new techniques and materials - we are always curious to see what you come up with. Anyway, just keep in mind that we are here for you. Better safe than sorry!

RISO

Here you can find solutions to the most common problems you might encounter with the RISO printer, from paper jams to handling files correctly. Good luck and don't hurt them too much. They are susceptible machines and they can smell fear.

The Master is not printing

File is paused

If the master is not printing after sending it to the RISO, check the DATA MAP button on the Riso screen (see image below). If It says PAUSE, click on the button and after the new window opens, click OUTPUT. If you can't click the OUTPUT button, CLEAR your job and send it again.

File is locked

If the file is locked - not paused - then click on the DATA MAP button, and click OUTPUT. If the OUTPUT button doesn't work, click CLEAR JOB and send the file again.

Paper Jam

Everyone is scared of paper jams. Do not worry, it happens often. It is possible to avoid this by adjusting the file or the printer. The reasons why the paper jams in the printer are many and that can be understood by where the paper is getting stuck.

Paper Stuck on the Drum

If the paper gets stuck on the drum, it might be for two reasons:

• The printable area is larger than the master
• The printable area has large full-colour areas

How can you fix these problems?

Make sure you have a white border around your image, especially if you have big full colour images. The RISO cannot print full-bleed A3 artwork so always make sure to leave a 10mm clear border all around the page. You can add the border by using Photoshop or by scaling the image before printing by changing the printing settings.

(image of borders for the page on Photoshop)

In addition, if you have large areas of ink on the page, make the opacity lower by 10% on Photoshop before printing. To do so, open the file on Photoshop, select the layer you want to print and lower the opacity on the side toolbar (see image below).

(image of photoshop opacity)

Paper Jam in the Entrance

If the paper gets jammed from the backside, it might be because of the type of paper either being too thin or too thick. When feeding the paper to the riso machine, make sure that the back paper switch is in the right setting for the right type of paper. You can go to "link" to see how to set it up.

In case the switch is in the right setting, just take out the paper and try to print again at a lower speed. To change the printing speed press... (ask Wilco)

Full Masters Drawer

Master Jam

If you see a warning which says "Full Master Drawer", that means that it needs to be emptied. To do so, open it by applying pressure on the blue handle, throw the masters away in the big paper bin and put the drawer back in place - you should hear a slight clicking noise.

(put images of emptying the master drawer)

Empty Ink Cartridge

If the ink cartridge is empty, you can switch it really easily. First of all, open the front door and twist the ink cartridge out by following the instructions. After that, look for a new full one (ask for the assistants where they are kept) and make sure it is the right colour. Twist the cap off and use it to close the empty cartridge. Put the new ink in the drum by locking it in place. That's it!

(image sequence)

Empty Master Roll

If the master roll is empty, first look for a new one in the low cabinet. If you can't find it, look for it near the ink or ask for it from tutors. Unwrap the roll and open the master roll drawer. Take the empty roll by releasing the blue handle and sliding out the remaining piece of the master sheet.

(image)

To put a new one in, align it in place and