Poster Printing

We are equipped with a Hewlett-Packard DesignJet Z6100ps plotter-printer serving faculty, staff, and students. The DesignJet prints on 42" wide, roll feed, heavy coated inkjet paper (a bright photo-glossy surface), with a printable area of 41.5". The printer's 2400 x 1200 dots per inch color output, combined with special-purpose paper produces high-quality output that is ideal for banners, signs, posters, and displays. Printing is charged at $5.32 per linear foot.

*** Our current poster printer now uses UV-resistant inks - posters will not fade under normal conditions. ***

Click Here to submit an online request for poster printing.

The basic process to print a poster is:

1. Users must first submit the online poster printing request form (you will need to provide a shortcode for recharge).
   

2. Prepare your poster using an approved application: Powerpoint, Keynote, and PDF formats. Please inquire about all other applications before starting your project. Also, please keep in mind that although the paper is 42" wide, the actual print maximum is 41.5". One dimension (height or width) must be less than or equal to 41.5".
   
   
3. Save your the file to USB thumb drive (or other portable media) to take to 2428 Randall Lab.
   
   
4. Visit the CaTS office between 8 am and 4 pm (closed for Lunch 12:00pm - 1:00pm), Monday-Friday, and see a consultant who will help load your file and show you a preview. Any print jobs that are not completed by 4:45pm will have to be picked up the following business day.
   
   
5. Once you approve the preview and your funding arrangements are verified, your file will be printed.

The procedure is "first come, first served," from the time you arrive at our office with your file ready to print, However, jobs submitted by local departmental users will have the highest priority. The consultants will make their best effort to print your file. However, we cannot guarantee results in every circumstance. Be prepared with an alternate plan to use the plotter at the Media Union or a commercial printer, if necessary.

Before you come in to print, be sure to...

1. Finish your poster completely. Your poster should be proofread and in a finished state when you arrive. Correcting typos after you have printed the poster requires reprinting and is wasteful, expensive, and time consuming. Pages will be printed to the resolution and size specified by the electronic file format. We will not scale or retouch documents.
   
   
2. Allow enough time. Most jobs take approximately 30 minutes to print; however, in some cases the process can take more than an hour. We will not accept new print jobs after 4:30 pm. In addition, the printer may be in high demand for several days before a conference.
   
   
3. Know your software. You should be familiar with the software application you have chosen. Consultants are not able to give you detailed instructions on its use, especially when others are waiting to preview and print their posters.
   
   
4. Have funding arrangements in place. Printing is charged against a U-M account, at $5.32 per linear foot to cover the cost of the paper, ink, printer maintenance, and administration. Increments of a foot are rounded up to the next half foot. Billing arrangements should be made in advance. We do not accept cash, checks or credit cards.
   
   
5. Optionally, have a poster tube. Printed posters are susceptible to damage if mishandled. The plotter prints using water soluble ink and could run or smear if exposed to the elements. Bring a 42-inch long (or longer) poster tube if possible. If you don't have your own poster tube, we will be happy to provide you with a cardboard poster tube if we have some available.

Resources:

• UofM Print Style Guide
• Tips on color choices