Technical Document #1007

Subject: Using the Epson Stylus Color 1520 & Epson Stylus Color 3000 Printers

Product: All Digital Formation Products

Last Updated: October 5, 2004

Overview

This document describes how to set up the Epson Stylus Color 1520 and Epson Stylus Color 3000 printers for optimum use with Digital Formation software.

Details

The Epson 1520 and Epson 3000 are very suitable printers for continuous plotting out of Digital Formation software. However, the settings that should be used are not obvious. These printers can be used with standard 8.5 x 11 inch (Letter) Z-fold paper (standard computer paper). You put this into either printer using the tractor feed option - which ensures that the paper will remain properly aligned.

From Digital Formation software:

Select the File | Printer Setup option to select the Epson 1520 or Epson 3000.
Set the paper size to Letter (8.5 x 11 inch).
Set the paper feed mode to "Manual feed slot (banner)". Do not use the "Tractor feed" mode, as this will insert vertical margins to each page.

You may now print as usual to the printer. Plots will be sent from Digital Formation software as multiple pages, but each page will "butt-up" with the next, resulting in a clean, continuous presentation.

Conclusions

By setting the correct driver options, these Epson printers are an excellent option for continuous color plotting from Digital Formation software.