22 Guidelines for purchasing and using print media
Manual duplexing
Manual duplex printing, in which sheets that already have been
printed are refed into the printer, requires both operator and software
intervention. (See the software application user guide for more
information.) Hewlett-Packard recommends manually refeeding
sheets only through the manual feed slot, the MultiPurpose (MP)
tray, or tray 1. Do not refeed sheets from the paper cassette trays.
Using the paper cassette trays can cause jams, misfeeds, and print-
quality problems.
Preparing laser-printed mailings
Laser printing technology is being used by more and more postal
customers to prepare their mailings. Laser printers produce
high-quality images; offer advantages in speed, flexibility, and size;
and are the printers of choice for smaller companies and in-home
businesses.
Unlike offset printers, in which the ink is absorbed into the paper,
laser printers use heat to fuse a plastic toner to the surface of the
paper. Because of this difference, Hewlett-Packard recommends that
our customers use the following guidelines to produce quality
laser-printed products for mailings:
1 Ensure that the manufacturer’s recommended toner is used for
the laser printer. Many aftermarket toners do not comply with the
manufacturer’s original specifications. Hewlett-Packard cannot
predict or guarantee the performance of non-HP consumables in
HP products.
2 Paper selection is critical. Several manufacturers have papers
that are specifically formulated for their printers. Good laser
printer papers have the following properties:
• Basis weight of 24 lb (90 g/m
2
)
• Thickness from 4 mils to 4.7 mils (0.004 in to 0.0047 in)
• Smoothness from 100 to 150 Sheffield
In our testing and in the United States Postal Service (USPS)
testing, the new HP LaserJet Paper has been found to be one of
the best of the commodity-grade papers available. The only
comparably performing papers we tested were specialty papers
not usually suited to standard business use.
3 Avoid preparing laser-printed sheets as folded self-mailers. The
laser-printed sheets should be mailed in envelopes. The
envelopes should have an edge or end seam and a minimum
basis weight of 24 lb (90 g/m
2
).
