About CED Plotters

• CED operates a fleet of wide-format inkjet printers, a.k.a. "plotters", from HP and Canon. View a list of our printers »
• All plotters are loaded with 36" wide rolls of 24 lb. bond paper. The corresponding "Media Type" for this paper is "Plain Paper".
• For best results incorporate a one-quarter inch white border around the edge of your document.
• Canon plotters cannot process a page size greater than 126" on the longest edge.
• You can use any software application to design your document.
• When design is complete, convert your document into Adobe PDF. Learn more »
• Misprints resulting from user error are not refundable.

I. Open Your File in Adobe Acrobat

1. Create your file in the application of your choice.
2. Save it as an Adobe PDF file. Learn more »
3. Open the file in Adobe Acrobat.
   • Do not print from other applications that can open PDFs.
4. Select File → Properties
5. Immediately look at the PDF Document Properties.
   • Page Size is displayed as "Width x Length" in inches.
     • In the example below, 46.59" x 35.34" is too wide and will cause a misprint because 46.59" is wider than the 36" paper loaded in the printer.
6. If the preoperties do not match what you expected, open your original document in its original application, adjust, and re-create your PDF.
   • Plotter paper is 36” wide but always allow for a one-quarter inch border when printed. In other words, the design of your document shouldn't be more than 35.5" wide on one side.
   • If your document is exactly 36” wide it may misprint.
   • If it is larger than 36” wide it will misprint.

II. Select Plotter and Identify Default Sizes

1. Select File → Print for the initial print setup.
2. Select the correct plotter in the "Printer" drop-down menu.
3. Inspect the Document Size and the Page Size above the print preview image.
   • By default, Adobe Acrobat defaults sets the Page Size to 8.5" x 11", a.k.a. "Letter" size and the "Orientation" to "Portrait" -- no matter the size of your document.
   • In the example below, note the mismatch between the Document Size (35.3" x 46.6") and the Page Size (8.5" x 11"). This will result in a misprint if we don't adjust our Page Size as described later.
   • "Clipped" misprints normally indicate a discrepancy between the "Document" size, the "Page Size", and/or the size of the paper loaded in the printer.
4. Make sure "Choose paper source by PDF page size" is not checked.
5. Do not select "Print in grayscale" if you are printing color.
6. Side note: The color black may output as a mixture of colors on a color printer, depending on the nature of the document being printed. Black may output as blue-black, red-black, etc. It's a good idea to print a color test first by printing your document at a smaller size. Only by using a black and white printer, or by making all the graphics yourself, can you guarantee that all of the black areas in your document will appear identical.

III. Portrait or Landscape

1. Note the options in the "Orientation" section of the "Print" dialog box.
2. The default setting is typically “Auto portrait/landscape". This is usually the best choice, although you can change it as needed.
3. In some situations, this option can result in a misprint, so test first.
4. When possible, design your original document with the proper orientation in mind so you don't have to worry about this setting.

IV. Mismatched Sizes = Misprints

1. Under "Page Sizing & Handling", select "Actual size" (which is usually checked by default).
   • Note the Document Size and Page Size dimensions above the print preview on the right size of the print dialog box. Mismatched sizes will result in misprints.
     • For example, note the size mismatch in the image below. This print job will print, tiled, on 8.5” x 11” paper. Clicking on the "Poster" button reveals how the document would be split up onto 24 letter-sized sheets of paper if we printed it using these settings. See the example in the image below. Misprints of this nature are not eligible for a refund.
        
     • Note the matching sizes in the image below. This indicates you're on the right path to a successful print job.
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V. Page Size & Handling Options

Under "Page Sizing & Handling", select the option that best suits your print job:

• Fit
  • Reduces/enlarges each page to fit the printable area of the selected paper size
  • Depending on the file, this may misprint with fuzzy images or with some images resized and others not. Resulting misprints are not refundable.
• Actual Size
  • If your document size and page size are the same, this is usually the best choice.
  • Prints the pages without scaling
  • Pages or selections that are larger than the paper size will be cut off. Resulting misprints are not refundable.
• Shrink oversized pages
  • Shrinks large pages to fit the selected paper size
  • Does not enlarge small pages. Resulting misprints are not refundable.
  • If an area is selected and is larger than the printable area of the currently selected paper, it’s scaled to fit the printable area.
• Custom Scale
  • Resizes the page by the percentage you specify
  • Can cause issues. It is better to reformat your document in its original software.