HP LaserJet Printer Family - Print Media Specification Guide

2 Guidelines for using media 17
Printing on both sides of the paper
Two-sided printing, also known as duplex printing or duplexing, can be either an automatic
or a manual process.
Note The print quality for color duplex printing has been optimized for 90-g/m
2
(24-lb) and heavier
paper.
Automatic duplexing
Automatic duplexing requires an HP LaserJet printer that is designed especially for duplex
printing. See the support documentation for your printer model or duplex accessory for
information about supported paper. (For example, when duplexing on the
HP color LaserJet 8500 printer, 90 g/m
2
to 105 g/m
2
[24 lb to 28 lb] media is
recommended.)
CAUTION Duplexing on adhesive labels, envelopes, or overhead transparencies can damage your
printer.
Manual duplexing
Manual duplex printing, in which sheets that already have been printed are fed again into
the printer, requires operator intervention. (See the software application support
documentation 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
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, HP
recommends that you 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. For specific properties that are required for the paper
used for laser-printed mailings, please contact your United States Postal Service
business office.
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
).