PRINTING WITH A WHITE RESIN UNDER-PRINT Initial Notes Before you begin the process of printing a Full Color Image with a White Resin Under-Print, there are a few points you should address first. 1. All steps outlined are written with the assumption that you are using DCS's Colorbyte Software. 2. The process of preparing a file for a White Resin Under-Print, assumes that you have a certain background knowledge with various functions in the Colorbyte Software. If you do not, please refer to your Color Byte Resource Guide when necessary. For your convenience, some of the main functions you may need to perform are as follows:- - Connecting numerous paths of a Vector Image; - Pasteurizing and Vectorizing a Rastor Image; - Editing the colors of Rastor and Vector Images; - Using the Stroke and Fills Tool; and - Using the Contour Cuts Function. It should also be noted that some of the above functions are carried out in the Prismscan module. This module is an additional feature obtained through our Pro Package software, and not offered in the standard Foundation Package. Please contact your DCS Materials Distributor for more information on how to obtain the DCS Colorbyte Pro Package if necessary. 3. Before printing your files, you should ensure that you have the most recent Firmware and Print Driver. These can be obtained through "Downloads" on the DCS Website at www.directcolorsystems.com. 4. Finally, please read through all the steps before beginning. This will give you a complete understanding of the process. It will also help you determine if there are any additional functions required before continuing to the next step, such as those listed above in Note 2. Updating the File for a White Resin Under-Print 1. Open your Full Color file in Colorbyte and save it, ensuring that you specify in the name that it is the color file. 2. Duplicate the color image that will have a white resin under-print. Once duplicating the image, determine if it is a Vector or a Rastor image. Depending on the type and make up of the image you have, you may find that you will have to edit it before continuing. It is suggested that you change a Rastor Image to a Vector Image so you can create an outline around the image. 3. Change the duplicated image's color to black. If your duplicated image is still in the form of a Rastor Image, you will have to use Prismscan to edit the image's colors. 4. Line up your duplicated image over the top of your full color image. To get the maximum accuracy required, zoom in on the edges of the image so you can line it up exactly over the top of your full color image. 5. Create an Outline around your black image. Go to the "Stroke and Fill Tools" function which is illustrated as the tip of a fountain pen on your template bar on the left-hand side of the screen. Once you click on this icon, click on the same icon a second time. Once you are in this menu, titled "Line Style Selection" menu, create a Thick outline set at a width of 0.016 of an inch with an Extended Line Style and Point Corner Style. 6. Once the outline is in place, you must now check its color. At the top right of your screen you will see a colored box indicating the color of the image you have selected, being black. There is also an outline around this box which needs to be white. If this is not the case, simply go to your color palette and right click on the white color panel. 7. At this point, repeat the above steps for any other images you wish to do a White Resin under-print for, and delete anything else on the file you do not wish to have a White Resin under-print. Once you have done that, re-save your file using Save As, making sure that this time you indicate that this is the White Resin File. Printing the Full Color 1. Open the file containing your Full Color Image, which is the first part that will be printed to the INTM. 2. Make sure you have your Full Color Ribbon installed in the printer and then go to "Print" and the "Preferences" Tab at the top. Once in this screen make sure that the Print Mode is set at "Sign Blank Area", include "Bitmaps", the "Fit To Printer" box is unmarked, and that Anti-Aliasing is set at "Fine". 3. Now go back to the "Printer Page" tab, and then go to "Setup / Options / Sign Printer Setup". 4. Make sure that the Ribbon Indicator is set at the Full Color Ribbon (YMC) and not grayed out. Then click on the "Set Installed Ribbon" Tab and make sure the Full Color Ribbon is indicated there as well. 5. Now click on the "Set Ribbon Swapping" Tab and then mark the "Enable Ribbon Swapping" Box. Ribbon # 1 should automatically come up as your Full Color Ribbon. Then change Ribbon # 2 to the White Resin Ribbon and click OK. 6. Check that your Speed and Heat settings are all correct and then proceed to print to the INTM. Printing the White Resin Under-Print 1. Once the Full Color component has finished printing, the INTM will retract back to the starting position. 2. Now open your White Resin file, which should only contain black images. 3. Then go to your Print menu and then to the "Preferences" tab. This section should be the same as your Full Color Image, except for the Anti-Aliasing, which should be changed to "None". 4. Now go back to "Print Page" tab and then got to "Setup / Options / Sign Printer Setup". This time the Ribbon Indicator should automatically show your White Resin Ribbon and be grayed out. Then go to "Set Installed Ribbon" and change the indicator from the Full Color Ribbon to the White Resin Ribbon and click OK. 5. Click OK again until you come out to you initial Print Menu and then swap your Full Color Ribbon with your White Resin Ribbon. It is suggested that you forward the White Resin Ribbon a few times as to ensure you get a fresh part of the ribbon for your print. 6. After clicking OK to Print, the White Resin will print to the INTM over your Full Color Image and then prompt you to place the material into the Printer as usual. Final Notes 1. After printing, if you find that some of the White Resin is showing at the edges of your Full Color print, this will mean that you will have to slightly adjust your White Resin file. However, before doing so, it is suggested that you try another print to make sure that it the problem isn't mechanical with the machine itself. If you determine that it is the file that will need to be adjusted, there are two possible options you will have to do this. - Firstly , you can move the appropriate images on your White Resin file. If only one side of your Full Color Images shows part of the White Resin, there is a good chance that you will find that the White Resin has actually not aligned to your full color image correctly. Therefore, to adjust this, measure the amount it is out by. Then select the appropriate image in your White Resin file and then move it by right clicking on the center of the image and adjusting its 'x' or 'y' axis. - Secondly, you can widen the outline around the images set-up for the White Resin Under-Print using the "Stroke and Fills Tool". It should be noted when widening the outline, the amount of White Resin showing on the actual print will need to be doubled when increasing it. The reason for this is that when applying an outline it is divided in half over the edge of the object you are outlining. 2. After you have printed an image, or if you have a problem during the process and wish to start the print over again, you will have to go back in to the "Sign Printer Setup" Menu. When you are in this menu, go into "Set Ribbon Swapping", unmark the "Enable Ribbon Swapping" Box. Then click OK out of this Menu, as well as the "Sign Printer Setup" Menu, and then start the printing process again. 3. The process of doing a White Resin Under-Print is still being developed further. Possible future changes to DCS 12-24's Firmware and Print Drive may cause the above instructions to change. These changes will be kept update as much as possible and be displayed on the DCS website at www.directcolorsytems.com. 4. Finally, if you experience any problems, or wish to comment on any of the above instructions, please contact our technical department at DCS on (860) 829-2244.