Printing Handbook

Printing is fun, because it is the moment that all your hard work of writing and designing and editing is finally put on physical paper. A well printed product, however, is not the product of chance. To be a good print manager, you must pay close attention to details. You need to check and double-check and then monitor the output of the printing machines to avoid unnecessary waste.

The CUPS Print server software enables you to use a computer as a print server. The computer on which you install the CUPS software is the server which accepts jobs from client computers on the network. The server processes the jobs and sends them to the printer.

Here's a short description of common Paper Sizes.

You might find it helpful to read more about some common Printer Settings and what they mean.

A little about Ink Consumption

Printer use each month…

• Check the quantity of paper. Do you have enough to complete the job?
• Check ink/toner levels. Do you have spares if you run out partway through the job?
• Check your energy source.
  • Generator. Do you have enough diesel?
  • Solar power. Do you have enough power stored in your batteries or enough sun to power your job? Be careful not to run too many other things while you print if your power is limited.
• Know the recommended minimum and maximum operating temperature for your printer. Check the temperature of the room. Our general rule is that we do not print on a laser printer if the room temperature is above 30°C. Operating in temperatures greater than this may result in premature failure of certain components due to the buildup of heat inside the printer.

Here's a helpful tip: When you send a job to the printer, try sending one or two pages first, to verify that the print settings are correct. Then, send the larger job, but still verify the output every time you send a print job. Much paper and toner has been needlessly wasted because of carelessness.

Here is a short list of things to check when you are printing something:

• Is the printed page clear and legible?
• Is it printed straight?
• Is it centered on the sheet?
• If it is printed duplex:
  • Is the orientation correct on both sides?
  • If the document has page numbers, are they in the correct order?

Printer Logbooks