Platen Gap, for once and for all...

[yann.bouckaert@pandora.be]

Hello,

I'm looking for a clear definition of the Platen Gap value on an Epson printer. I have found two definitions, and documentation from Epson is not consistent to say the least.

1. It is the distance between the print head and the paper
2. It is the distance between the print head and the platen

To me, definition 2 makes more sense. When using plain paper, the difference is irrelevant. Using thick fine art paper, it is VERY relevant.

Using a setting of Platen Gap on "Auto" can work if the paper thickness is entered, or can be measured by the printer or looked up using tables. The printer will then set the print head to a certain height, ensuring a safe distance between the paper and print head to operate. It can go wrong if you manually set the gap to the lowest setting when using a very thick paper.

Even AI chatbots (Chat GPT, Grok and Copilot) do not agree between these definitions :-)

Regards,
Yann

[dgberg]

Not from me but what Epson has to say online.

What is a platen gap on an Epson printer?
Platen Gap. 1.6. 2.1. 2.6. Adjusts the distance between the print head and the paper; displayed when Custom Paper is selected as the Paper Type setting.

[yann.bouckaert@pandora.be]

Hi all,

Just received an answer from someone at Epson. The answer is: platen gap is the distance between the print head and the platen.

My contact says that in documentation they sometimes say it differently, just for the sake of simplification. The “platen gap” value minus “paper thickness” is the real distance between the head and paper. Beware if you're using thick paper.

A good explanation of setting it all can be found in the Epson Media Installer documents at https://epson.com/Support/wa00951

Regards,
Yann

[Kyle D Jackson]

Hi, yeah my read is you're controlling 2 to achieve 1.

(Because logically, if you were instead controlling 1, it would never need adjustment.)