epson print head alignment

[NeilPrintArt]

Hello
I have always been confused as to how to properly do a head alignment on a large format Epson and was hoping for some advice..

I am using an Epson P10000 (44")

The "EU Users Guide" states.....
Notes on Head Alignment
Adjustments are made depending on the paper loaded in the printer.
Make sure that the paper is loaded correctly, and that a Select Paper Type is selected.

The "Epson America Users Guide" states...
Alignment varies depending on the loaded media.Align the print head using the media on which you want to print and select the correct paper type as the setting.

This seems to suggest that an alignment needs to be done for each media? Or does that mean that I should do an alignment once, while been careful to select the correct media type on the control panel, and that adjustment is then automatically carried over to all other media types and their various thicknesses?

From the control panel (or the desktop 'printer utility') it is possible to select either auto or manual alignment and I have read that better results can be achieved by the manual option?

But the control panel seems to only offer a 'bi-directional' alignment. The Service Program offers an 'Auto Uni-D Adjustment' and a 'Auto Bi-D Adjustment' and a "Manual Bi-D Adjustment". The Service Program stipulates using Epson Premier Gloss Photo 250. Am I right in assuming the idea is that technician should do Uni and Bi adjustments in Service Program and then any later "end user" adjustments done on control panel are "tweaks" of base alignment?

The reason for all of this is currently struggling to get fully sharp reprints of previously printed files. If I look at prints with a loupe I think I see 'ghosting'.

The machine also recently had a new head put in

Any advice grateful received

Neil   

[JRSmit]

Normally, at least in my experience, after head replacemnent thectechnician should do a head alignment. And for using auto head alignment the Epson double weight matte is the species paper.
Hoever, for papers that are much thicker and of need largercplaten gap, head alignment mist be done. In case of glossy papers maniak head alignment is the only route.

[NeilPrintArt]

Normally, at least in my experience, after head replacemnent thectechnician should do a head alignment. And for using auto head alignment the Epson double weight matte is the species paper.
Hoever, for papers that are much thicker and of need largercplaten gap, head alignment mist be done. In case of glossy papers maniak head alignment is the only route.

Thanks for this
Yes technician should have done head alignment but didn't. He convinced me that alignment not needed because nothing changed with the carriage or chassis. I was sceptical at the time and remain so.
I remember on my previous machine (9890) Epson Double Weight Matte was the specified paper for alignment. But that is not mentioned in any of the P10000 literature I can find, and that paper is not locally abvailable to me - I would need to get it bought in especially and that would take weeks. 

[NeilPrintArt]

Normally, at least in my experience, after head replacemnent thectechnician should do a head alignment. And for using auto head alignment the Epson double weight matte is the species paper.
Hoever, for papers that are much thicker and of need largercplaten gap, head alignment mist be done. In case of glossy papers maniak head alignment is the only route.

"However, for papers that are much thicker and of need larger platen gap, head alignment must be done"
"Alignment varies depending on the loaded media.Align the print head using the media on which you want to print"
These 2 statements lead me to believe/assume that best practice is to do a head alignment with a 'thin' media (for example Epson Double Weight Matte which has a thickness of 8.3mil) as well as another head alignment on a thicker paper (for example Epson Premier Luster which has a thickness of 10 mil).

Or maybe I should overcomplicate the whole thing and do alignments for each platen gap setting? (on my current machine the platen gap options are 1.2, 1.6, 2.1 and 2.4 - which correspond I think with the old settings of narrow, standard, wide and wider?) 

[Terry_Kennedy]

I have always been confused as to how to properly do a head alignment on a large format Epson and was hoping for some advice..

The part that is confusing is that the various manuals are not updated in sync with changes to the firmware. Firmware FM014G9 / 13-Oct-2016 / 14-Sep-2016 introduced major changes to the manual / automatic adjustment menus, which were tweaked further in subsequent firmware releases.