The Epson 9880 is used to print transparencies for silkscreen. Information about preparing a file to print is available on the Digital File Preparation tab.

Click on the screenshots to enlarge them.

Useful Videos

Printing Silkscreen Transparencies: Method 1 (using Printer Color Profiles; most reliable)

Photos & Bitmaps

First, set up your transparency as outlined in the Digital File Preparation section. Your photo must be a bitmap to show up for silkscreen.
1. Important:
  NEVER resize your image after you bitmap it. Always do all resizing before bitmapping.
Open up your bitmap in Photoshop (File >Open)
Important:

Convert your bitmap back to Grayscale by going Image > Mode > Grayscale. This method won't work if you don't do this.
In the dialog that pops up, set Size Ratio at 1.
Go to File > Print
Select the following:
1. Under COLOR MANANGEMENT
  1. Printer: Epson 9880
  2. Color Handling: Printer manages colors
  3. Choose Normal Printing
  4. Rendering Intent: Relative Colormetric
2. Under POSITION AND SIZE (scroll down)
  1. Scale: 100% (this is important for the dot resolution)
  2. Position: Where on the print area you want it to be (top, middle, bottom). Center is always safe.
3. Under PRINTING MARKS
  1. These can be useful, especially for registering CMYK prints. The registration, description and crop marks can help (but remember you will have to cover them up on your screen)
  2. Description can be useful to remember which transparency is which. It will put your file name on your transparency; especially useful for CMYK separations to remember which is which.
Now press on the PRINT SETTINGS button at the top, beside "COPIES"
You should see the below dialog box. If you get a smaller dialog, press "Show Details"

We will now go through each menu and make sure everything looks ready to print. Click on "Layout" to scroll through these menus.
1. LAYOUT: everything can stay as default
2. COLOR MATCHING: Choose EPSON Color Controls
3. PAPER HANDLING: keep default
4. COVER PAGE: keep default
5. PRINTER SETTINGS
  1. BASIC
    1. Page setup: Roll Paper (if you are using transparency roll)
    2. Media type: Ultra Premium Presentation Matte
    3. Print Mode: Black
    4. Output: Fine 720 dpi
    5. Make sure to UNCHECK high speed
  2. ADVANCED COLOR SETTINGS: can stay as default
6. ADVANCED MEDIA CONTROL: keep default
7. ROLL PAPER SETTINGS: keep default
Now we are going to set up our paper size. Under Paper Size (fourth menu from the top), scroll all the way to the bottom and press "Manage custom sizes"
1. Press the + (plus) button on the bottom left
2. You can now enter the Paper size.
  1. Width: Width of your roll
  2. Height: make this 2 inches bigger than your image height.
  3. Nonprintable area: can keep default, or Google your printer's margins.
3. Double click on the name (Usually Untitled) in the left sidebar to rename your setting. It's easiest to rename it width x height (i.e. 8.5 x 11)
4. Press "OK". Make sure your new paper is now selected in the "Paper Size" menu.
Turn the printer on, and let it do its thing until it says Ready.
Load your roll paper in the printer (click for instructions)
Press Print!

Texts and Lines (Vectors)

Printing Silkscreen Transparencies: Method 2 (using Epson Color Profiles; faster and easier but less reliable)

First, set up your transparency as outlined in the Digital File Preparation section. Your photo must be a bitmap to show up for silkscreen.
Open up your bitmap in Photoshop (File >Open)
Go to File > Print

Ideal Printer Maintenance Schedule

After every printing session, press and hold the "Menu" button on the printer to quickly clean the heads.
Bi-weekly or weekly, do a deep clean. Press Menu > Maintenance > Power cleaning. This takes about 10 minutes and requires you to be present.
Every semester, do a professional clean