Basic Information
All new students should familiarize themselves with the locations and costs for printing and plotting in the Design Building.
Locations
The Design Building has two plotters, a color printer, and a black & white printer located in Room 260A.
Students may print or plot from the computers located in the Trimble Lab (Room 260) and the Plotting/Printing Lab (Room 260A). There are also computers located in Room 235.
Costs
You will need money on your U-Card to print or plot ANYWHERE on campus. Download the GET Mobile: ID Card Management App on your phone, or go to https://www.umass.edu/ucard/ to deposit money on your UCard.
A UPrint touch-screen service, located in the Design Building Room 260A, will prompt you to use your UCard to pay for your plot or print job. After paying, the UPrint service will send your job to the plotters or printers for printing.
Please review the breakdown of approximate printing and plotting costs, listed below:
Black & White Printing (Printer Name: \\eds-pcprint\UPrint-(B&W)):
- 8.5" x 11" (letter): $0.05 single side, $0.08 double-sided (duplex)
- 8.5x14 : $0.07 per page
- 11x17 : $0.10 per page
Color Printing (Printer Name: \\eds-pcprint\UPrint-(Color))
- 8.5" x 11" (letter): $0.35 single side; $0.56 double-sided
- 8.5" x 14" (legal): $0.50 single side; $0.80 double-sided
- 11" x 17" (tabloid): $0.70 single side; $1.12 double-sided
Plotting (Printer Name: \\eds-pcprint\DB-T1700PS)
- 18x24 : $4.53
- 24x36: $7.02
- 36x48 : $11.76
- Other custom sizes: Price varies ($0.97 per square foot)
Refunds
The department grants refunds for printing or plotting failures that result from machine errors, such as paper jams and mechanical malfunctions.
Refunds are not granted for printing failures that result from user errors, such as an incorrect file set-up or printing in a page size that is incompatible with the plotters and printers. (Please see acceptable page sizes in the next section, "How to Plot.")
To request a refund, visit the Design Building Main Office, Room 210. You will be asked to fill out and submit a refund request form to the LARP Communications and Technology Manager.
How to Plot
The best way to plot successfully is to reduce your document's file size to 15 MB or less, plot in standard page sizes, and seek training and help from the LARP Digital TA (kgoswami@umass.edu).
Step 1: Open Adobe Acrobat Desktop App
Open your document PDF file in the Adobe Acrobat App on the computer desktop. *Do not try to plot your file from a website browser.
You may need to log into Adobe on the classroom computer in order to open the Adobe Acrobat App.
Step 2: Confirm Document Dimensions
In the Adobe app, review the page size dimensions of your document PDF file.
In a later step, you will be asked to specify the page size of plot. To avoid plotting failures, be sure that your PDF file is set up in the same dimensions you want it plotted as. For example, if you want your document plotted as "24x36," you should set the dimensions of your PDF file as "24x36."
Step 3: Reduce File Size to 15MB or Less
Confirm that your document file size is not greater than 15MB. If your file size exceeds 15MB, the plot will fail. Therefore, you must reduce the file size to 15MB or less.
TIP! If your file contains multiple boards, save each board as a separate file. Then, print each file individually. This is a good way to print at a lower file size without compromising the quality of your design.
Step 4: Select the "\\eds-pcprint\DB-T1700PS" Printer
To plot your document, go to "File" in the upper left corner of the Adobe Acrobat app, and select the "Print" icon.
When the main Print box appears, go to "Printer" in the top left corner of the box and select "\\eds-pcprint\DB-T1700PS" in the drop-down menu.
Keep the main Print box open to continue to Step 4.
Step 5: Specify Document Orientation
It is very important that you specify the orientation of your document.
In the main Print box, go to the section titled "Orientation" and select "Portrait" or "Landscape," making sure that your selection matches the actual orientation of your document PDF file.
(Most plots are prepared in Landscape orientation).
Step 6: Specify Page Size
1. First, Always Select "Actual Size"
In the main Print box, go to the section titled "Page Sizing & Handling" and select "Actual Size" for the scaling preference.
2A. Setting Up Standard Page Sizes
Standard page sizes are set dimensions that are most compatible with the plotters. These sizes are 18x24, 24x36, and 36x48.
To select a standard page size, select "Properties" in the upper right corner of the main Print Box. Once you are in "Properties," select "Document Size." In the drop-down menu, select one of the following Architectural Size options:
- "Arch C" for 18x24
- "Arch D" for 24x36
- "Arch E" for 36x48
2B. Setting Up Custom Sizes
Alternatively, you may use "Custom Size" to manually enter the page size dimensions. Some students even prefer to use Custom Size for entering standard page sizes. However, this option is required for plotting in unique sizes like "34x46" or "36x70."
To use Custom Size...
- Select "Custom...," located below "Document Size" to the right of "Margins/Layout."
- The "Custom Size" box will appear, prompting you to enter the "Width" and "Length" of your document.
- Enter the dimensions (Ex: 36x70 would be entered as Width: 36.00, Length: 70.00).
- *Please note that the paper in the plotters has a maximum width of 36 inches. Therefore, the width you enter cannot exceed 36 inches; otherwise, the document will not plot.
- A length greater than 48 inches (such as 36x70) should plot, but please consult the LARP Digital TA to ensure it will work.
- Finally, enter a unique name for your Custom paper size in the box located below "Name."
- Select "Save" and click "OK."
- Return to the main Print box.
REMEMBER!
To avoid plotting failures, be sure that your PDF file is set up in the same dimensions you want it plotted as. For example, if you want your document plotted as "24x36," you should set the dimensions of your PDF file as "24x36."
Step 7: Print
Once you have completed and reviewed all the previous steps, select "Print" on the bottom, right corner of the main Print box.
Need Help?
Please schedule a plotting tutorial with the LARP Digital TA if you are new student or have not plotted before!
LARP Digital TA
The LARP Digital TA, Krashang Giri Goswami, provides plotting, printing, software, and computer assistance. Students should schedule a plotting tutorial with the TA at the beginning of their coursework, so they can know how to plot for studio pin-ups, reviews, and presentations.
Digital TA Office Hours
- Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays | 4:00 p.m.–6:00 p.m.
Students may drop-in during office hours or schedule a meeting in advance.
Have More Questions?
Please contact the LARP Communications and Technology Manager, Caitlyn Dittmeier (cdittmeier@umass.edu or visit the Main Office room 210, M-F, 9AM-5PM).