In order to be granted a reimbursement for plotting, you need to follow these steps below:
This workflow will ensure for worry free, trouble free, stress free plotting. The Advanced Technology staff have worked hard to put together a fool proof method to ensure accurate high quality fast plotting.
Step 1: Creating your PDF
From your graphics program print a PDF. Do not save or export a PDF from your graphics program.
Do this by going to File > Print then selecting the Adobe PDF printer from the dropdown menu in that print dialog.
Set the Document Size:
When you print the PDF from your graphics program, set the correct document size that you want plotted. Plotting a PDF directly from the graphics programs reduces errors that can occur and optimizes your file for fast high-quality plotting. MAXIMUM recommended document size = 42" x 60"
Leave ½" Spacing around your document:
When you setup your document- leave 1/2” free space around the boarder. If you do a full bleed, the document may rotate to fit it on the page
Step 2: Open your PDF in Acrobat
Set the document’s orientation to the plotter:
Orient your PDF in the Acrobat Pro window in the direction you want it to come out of on the plotter. To quickly rotate your page, in Adobe Acrobat, press Ctrl+Shift+R.
This means that the vertical axis of your screen will be in the direction that paper feeds through the plotter, and the horizontal axis of your screen will be the width of the paper.
1: In Adobe Acrobat, choose the plotter you wish to plot to.
2: Make sure Actual Size is selected.
3: Check on Choose paper source by PDF size AND Use custom paper size when needed
4: Keep Auto portrait/landscape selected
5: Click Print to send your PDF to the plotters.
Do not set your page size using the Page Setup or Properties buttons. Just let Acrobat read your PDF to determine your page size and pass that along to the plotter.
*If your print preview size is off, don’t worry. Refer to the NOTES AND BUGS below.
If you have problems with your plot, please refer to our troubleshooting page.
Acrobat Software Bug:
The print preview dimensions in the Acrobat plot preview window are not always accurate to what will be printed. If you see dimensions in the print preview that don’t match your document, check them again in the document. If they are correct, but the print preview shows other numbers, you can print the document anyway and the plotter will still use the correct size.
If you are unsure about any printing or plotting settings, please see an Advanced Technology staff member or a student print monitor. We are happy to answer questions at any time.
Draft plotter ARCH-Series Paper size Bug:
Currently, ARCH series papers will always rotate to come out with the longest dimension along the roll length on the draft plotter. While we work on a solution to this, if you want to print an ARCH-D (36"x24") or ARCH-C (24"x18") in a landscape orientation, you must crop your page, even a small amount, so that it’s size doesn’t exactly match an ARCH series paper. A 36"x24" sheet should only cost $4.44. If the price shows in the release station as $6.66, follow these instructions to correct this issue:
In Acrobat, press the pink Edit Pages button in the right hand toolbar, then click on the Crop Page button that will appear on the toolbar above your page. Crop the left or right side of your page by at least 0.1" and the page will print correctly. Since the printer’s left/right margins are roughly 0.14", there will be no visible difference in the result.
Bristol Plotter Splotches:
Near the end of a roll of Bristol paper, the paper curls sharply. This can cause the paper to curl up at the beginning of a print job and strike the head, leaving a few small splotches of ink on the leading edge of your print. If you’d like to avoid this, add an extra inch to the top edge of your document and trim off those marks after the print. This typically only happens on the last 10 yards of a roll, but older rolls have more curl trained into them, and the problem can occur further out from the end.
If you notice this happening on one of your prints, cancel any additional prints you’ve released and add the extra space to the top of your document. This issue will continue happening until the roll is changed.
Printing color/line weight tests:
You must print to the same device that you are planning to use for your final document. Colors and line weights will match only between device types (i.e. all Presentation plotters, or all photocopiers). Print test strips prior to plotting to ensure colors and line weights match your intention.