Sharp AR-C260 Programming manual

Page
COLOUR ADJUSTMENT
USER'S GUIDE
Adjusting the Colour Balance................................2
Colour Adjustment Flow Chart ..............................2
Printing a Test Page and Checking the Colours ..3
Printing a Test Page ..............................................3
Checking the Colours .............................................4
Using the Colour Balance Settings .......................5
Using Easy Calibration ...........................................7

2
Adjusting the Colour Balance
As the printer is used, ambient conditions and the depletion of consumables (the toner cartridge and drum
cartridge) can gradually cause changes to occur in the four colour components of colour images, cyan,
magenta, yellow, and black. This results in deviations in the colour balance.
These deviations in the colour balance occur gradually over a long period of time. Ambient conditions
(temperature and humidity) and the number of times the printer is used can have a large effect on colour
deviation.
The printer has two colour adjustment functions for the purpose of correcting deviations in the colour bal-
ance. These functions are executed from the key operator programs. For details on using key operator
programs, see the Key Operator’s Guide.
When should the colour balance be adjusted?
•Colour adjustment can be performed whenevera noticeable change occursin the colourbalance.
• Colour adjustment should always be performed when one of the toner cartridges (cyan, magenta, yellow,
or black) is replaced.
Colour adjustment functions
The printer has the following two colour adjustment functions:
• Colour Balance settings
This function is used to adjust each of the density levels (low, mid, and high) of the four colour compo-
nents, cyan, magenta, yellow and black. Use this mode when the colour deviation is large.
• Easy calibration
This mode is used for fine adjustment of the grey balance at the mid density level of the colours cyan,
magenta, and yellow. Use this mode to correct minor colour deviations.
Colour Adjustment Flow Chart
Use the key operator program on page 3 of the Key Operator’s Guide to
print a test page
Do the colours on the test page match the colours on the standard
colour chart included with the printer? (see page 4)
No Yes
How much do the colours differ?
Large difference Small difference
Using the Colour Balance set-
tings (see page 5)
Using Easy Calibration
(see page 7)
Print a test page (see page 3)
Colour balance is successfully adjusted

3
Printing a Test Page and Checking the Colours
Printing a Test Page
Follow these steps to print a test page from the operation panel.
1Enter the key operator programs.
To enter the key operator programs, see “Using
the key operator programs” on page 3 of the Key
Operator’s Guide.
2Touch the [PRINTER SETTINGS] key.
3Touch the [COLOUR ADJUSTMENTS] key.
4Touch the [TEST PRINT] key.
5Load A4 or letter-size paper in the tray and
touch the [EXECUTE] key.
When the [EXECUTE] key is touched, "SELF
PRINT IN PROGRESS" appears in the display.
After a brief interval, a colour test page will be
printed (see below).
Test Page (printed by printer)
The top line of the test page shows the four colours (cyan, magenta, yellow, and black) at low density, mid den-
sity, and high density. The bottom line shows processed grey* at low density, mid density, and high density.
*Processed grey is the colour obtained when the cyan, magenta, and yellow colours on the top line are com-
bined together.
KEY OPERATOR
CODE CHANGE
PRINTER
SETTINGS
A
CCOUNT
C
ONTROL
Y
SETTINGS
ST PRINT PRODUCT
K
N/W SCAN
N
SETTING
S
OPERATI
O
SETTIN
G
ENERGY SAVE
R
E
INTERFACE SETTINGS
COLOUR ADJUSTMENTS
OK
COLOUR
DJUSTMENTS
EASY CALIBRATION
TEST PRINT
EXECUTE
Low Density Mid Density High Density
C M Y Bk C M Y Bk C M Y Bk
Low Density Mid Density High Density

4
Checking the Colours
The standard colour chart included with the printer is used to check the colours on the printed test page.
Follow the steps below to check the colours.
Low Density Mid Density High Density
C M YBk C M YBk C M YBk
Low Density Mid Density High Density
Low Density Mid Density High Density
Place the colour chart on
the printed test page as
shown. Check the density
of the colours on the test
page and see if they are
adjusted to the same level
as the colours on the
standard colour chart.
If the result of the comparison is that:
•There is a large deviation in the colour densities use the Colour Balance settings
(see the following page).
•There is a small deviation in the colour densities, use Easy Calibration (see 7 page).
Test page (printed by the printer) Standard colour chart (included with the printer)

5
Using the Colour Balance Settings
The colour chart included with the printer is used to adjust the Colour Balance settings. Follow these steps
to adjust the settings using the operation panel.
NOTE: •Keep the Colour Chart in the place near printer. Do not discard it.
•Do not expose the Colour Chart to direct sunlight.
Colour balance is the utility to set the print image to the recommended status. But if you do not feel the im-
age is distorted, you need not use colour balance.
1Enter the key operator programs.
To enter the key operator programs, see “Using
the key operator programs”on page 3 of the Key
Operator’s Guide.
2Touch the [PRINTER SETTINGS] key.
3Touch the [COLOUR ADJUSTMENTS] key.
4Touch the [COLOUR BALANCE] key.
5Load A4 or letter-size paper in the tray and
touch the [EXECUTE] key.
When the [EXECUTE] key is touched, "SELF
PRINT IN PROGRESS" appears in the display.
After a brief interval, Test Pattern1 will be printed
(see the following page).
6Place the colour chart on Test Pattern 1, com-
pare the colour densities, and then adjust the
colour balance in the following screen.
For a detailed explanation of adjusting the colour
balance, see “Adjusting the colour balance”on
the following page.
How to use the keys in the screen:
: Use the and keys to select
the colour (Y,M,C, or Bk) in “LOW
AREA”, “MIDDLE AREA”or “HIGH
AREA”that you wish to adjust.
: Use the and keys to select
the density level (+4 to -4) that
matches the density level in the stan-
dard colour chart.
: Use the key to return all values
to the default settings.
+ALL : To adjust all values simultaneously,
select “ALL”with the key and
then adjust the values with the
and keys.
7Touch the [OK] key.
Your settings will be saved and you will return to
the Colour Setting screen. Print a test page as
explained on page 3 and verify that the colours
match the colours in the standard colour chart.
The processed grey on the bottom line of the test
page provides a good indicator of the colour bal-
ance when performing fine adjustment of the
colour densities.
KEY OPERATOR
CODE CHANGE
PRINTER
SETTINGS
A
CCOUNT
C
ONTROL
Y
SETTINGS
S
T PRINT PRODUCT
K
N/W SCANN
E
SETTING
S
OPERATI
O
SETTING
S
ENERGY SAVE
E
INTERFACE SETTINGS
COLOUR ADJUSTMENTS
OK
COLOUR BALANCE
O
EXECUTE
OK
KEY OPERATOR PROGRAMS
COLOUR BALANCE
Y M C Bk Y M C Bk Y M C Bk ALL
LOW AREA MIDDLE AREA HIGH AREA

6
Adjusting the colour balance (additional information for Step 6 on the previ-
ous page)
1Place the colour chart on test pattern 1 and compare the colours.
For the placement of the colour chart, see page 4.
2In column 1 of test pattern 1, locate the colour density level that is the same as “1”in the colour
chart. Mark that level with a pencil or pen to help you remember it.
If none of the levels in column 1 match “1”in the colour chart, do the following:
•If the density level of “1”in the colour chart is darker than the maximum value (+4) in column1, mark “+4”
in column 1.
•If the density level of “1”in the colour chart is lighter than the minimum value (-4) in column1, mark “-4”in
column 1.
3Repeat the above step for columns 2 through 12 of test pattern 1, comparing each column with the
corresponding colour in the colour chart.
4Enter the levels that you marked on test pattern 1 (each level corresponds to a value from +4 to -4
as indicated on the right ) in the following screen (the screen in Step 6 on the previous page).
How to use the keys in the screen
: Use the and keys to select the colour (Y,M,C,or Bk) in “LOW AREA”, “MIDDLE
AREA”or “HIGH AREA”that you wish to adjust.
: Use the and keys to select the density level (+4 to -4) that matches the density level
in the standard colour chart.
: Use the key to return all values to the default settings.
+ALL : To adjust all values simultaneously, select “ALL”with the key and then adjust the values
with the and keys.
5Perform Step 7 on the previous page.
If you selected “+4”or “-4”for a colour that does not have a density level that matches the level in the co-
lour chart, repeat steps 5 through 7 on the previous page.
1212
High Density
CMYBk
Low Density
CMYBk
Mid Density
CMYBk
Test pattern 1 (printed by printer) Colour Chart (included with printer)
Column 12
Column 1
Colour density level
Y M C Bk Y M C Bk Y M C Bk ALL
LOW AREA MIDDLE AREA HIGH AREA

7
Using Easy Calibration
Use Easy Calibration when there is only a small difference between the colours in the colour chart and the
test page printed as explained on page 3.
Follow the steps below to perform Easy Calibration using the operation panel.
1Enter the key operator programs.
To enter the key operator programs, see “Using
the key operator programs” on page 3 of the Key
Operator’s Guide.
2Touch the [PRINTER SETTINGS] key.
3Touch the [COLOUR ADJUSTMENTS] key.
4Touch the [EASY CALIBRATION] key.
5Load A4 or letter-size paper in the tray and
touch the [EXECUTE] key.
When the [EXECUTE] key is touched, "SELF
PRINT IN PROGRESS" appears in the display.
After a brief interval, the test patterns for Easy
Calibration will be printed. (see the following
page).
6Select the grey colour that you prefer from
either of the printed test patterns (test pattern
2 or test pattern 3), and set the X and Y coor-
dinates of that colour in the following screen.
For a detailed explanation of this procedure, see
“Easy Calibration” on the following page.
How to use the keys in the screen
:
7Touch the [OK] key.
Your settings will be saved and you will return to
the Colour Setting screen. Print a test page as
explained on page 3 and verify that the colours
match the colours in the standard colour chart.
KEY OPERATOR
CODE CHANGE
PRINTER
SETTINGS
A
CCOUNT
C
ONTROL
Y
SETTINGS
ST PRINT PRODUCT
K
N/W SCAN
N
SETTING
S
OPERATI
O
SETTING
S
ENERGY SAVE
INTERFACE SETTINGS
COLOUR ADJUSTMENTS
OK
KEY OPERATOR PROGRAMS
COLOUR ADJUSTMENTS
EASY CALIBRATION
TEST PRINT
EXECUTE
MEMO
If you cannot find an acceptable colour of
grey in the test patterns, adjust the colour
balance using the Colour Balance settings
as explained on page 5.
KEY OPERATOR PROGRAMS
TEST PRINT
OK
PLEASE PLACE THE PRINTED TEST PATCH SELECT.
:Touch the , ,
and keys to select the
desired colour of grey.

8
Easy Calibration (additional information for Step 6 on the previous page)
Easy Calibration is performed by selecting the desired colour of grey (processed grey), which is a combi-
nation of cyan, magenta, and yellow.
Test patterns 2 and 3 indicate processed grey colours with the current grey colour as the reference
point or origin (“0”).
•The X axis shows the density of magenta in seven increments from -3 to +3 (-3 to 0 in test pattern 2 and
0 to +3 in test pattern 3).
•The Y axis shows the density of yellow in seven increments from -3 to +3.
•The density of cyan is constant.
1Select the processed grey colour that you prefer from test pattern 2 or test pattern 3.
For example, if you prefer the colour indicated above in test pattern 3, select “+1”for X and “+2”for Y.
2Enter the X and Y coordinates of the colour you prefer in the following screen (the screen in Step 6
on the previous page).
How to use the keys in the screen
:Touch the , , and keys to select the desired colour of grey.
3Back to step 7 on the previous page.
Test Pattern 2 (printed by printer) Test Pattern 3 (printed by printer)
Magenta
(-3~±0)
Magenta
(±0~-3)
Example:if this is
the desired
colour, select
“+1” for X and
“+2” for Y.
Yellow
(-3~+3)
Yellow
(-3~+3)
SHARP CORPORATION PRINTED IN CHINA
2002L KS1
TINSE2365FCZZ