Makerspace – Large Format Printing

A Few Things You Can Make

• Posters  
• Maps  
• Menus  
• Signs  

What’s Available?

The Spark has an HP DesignJet Z6dr with vertical trimmer. This printer can print on photo quality paper up to 42” wide, and on plain paper up to 36” wide for lower quality print needs.  

What You’ll Need

• Design: For best results, use an uncompressed PDF designed to be printed at the size you want. Avoid using PNG or JPEG files for anything but photos, or graphics without text or sharp lines. When using images, use the highest resolution available; don't worry about file size.  
• USB: Files are transferred to the printer via USB. We recommend bringing your own, as the Library may not have one for you to borrow.  
• Laptop: You will have access to a laptop at the Library that has Inkscape downloaded on it and access to Canva. We recommend bringing your own laptop, especially if you used a specific software to design your item.  

Project Size

You may print one full-color 24”x36” poster per day. Please contact us in advance if your project falls outside these limits.   

Related Software

• Canva: This free website (some features require a paid membership) allows you to design items for printing. If using Canva, create the document at the size you will want to print it at.  If your document is already smaller than your print size, resize the document in the editor before exporting. When exporting, choose "PDF Print" as your file type.  
• Inkscape: This free software may be a little more difficult to use but is very powerful. Be sure to save a copy of your work as a PDF for printing.  

File Formats

• PDF: this is the standard accepted file format for this equipment. Uncompressed PDF will yield the best results.  
• PNG: is lower quality but may be accepted under certain circumstances. Contact staff for more information.  
• JPG: is lower quality but may be accepted under certain circumstances. Contact staff for more information.  

Safety Considerations

• Do not stick your fingers into any openings on the printer. 
• Members under the age of 9 must have a parent/guardian actively supervising them when using this equipment.