Who can use the DesignJet?

Faculty, staff, and graduate students from any department affiliated with Virginia Tech.

How much does it cost?

Biology Department: $10
Out-of-Department: $30

How do I pay?

Submit an Interdepartmental Service Request (ISR) in HokieMart

  • Instructions for entering an ISR in HokieMart can be found here
  • If do not have HokieMart access, then you will need your faculty advisor or fiscal technician to enter an ISR for you
  • The supplier is “Biological Sciences Poster Printing”
  • When entering the account number (not fund), please enter 1244R
  • Please DO NOT attach the poster to the PO in HokieMart
How do I print my poster?
  1.  Submit your ISR
  2. Submit a poster by emailing us directly at biohelp@vt.edu. Please remember to attach your poster to the email.

Note: When attaching your poster, PLEASE ONLY SEND US A PDF. Instructions for generating a poster file and saving as PDF can be found below.

When should I submit my order? 
  • For all orders, submit payment a week before poster(s) are needed to give ISR adequate time for approval
  • For < 8 posters: submit poster file(s) 2 business days before needed (Business days are Mon-Fri excluding Holidays)
  • For > 8 posters: please contact us 2-3 weeks before the posters are needed to make sure we can accommodate your request
How should I design my poster?
  • Any errors in layout or spelling are the responsibility of the submitter. We take NO responsibility for proofing of any posters and must charge for any reprints caused by errors of the submitter.
  • Avoid filling large areas and backgrounds with solid colors and tiny patterns (especially black) as any text and fine details on your poster will be lost/hard to read once printed.
  • Please also make sure that all content is not directly near the edges of the document to prevent it from being cut off during printing.
  • Colors will appear differently across device screens and will not look the same once printed. Try to stick to poster printer-safe colors using the list here.
How do I setup a PowerPoint document to be printed with the DesignJet?

After starting a new document in PowerPoint, go to the Design Tab and click on “Slide Size”. You can then change the slide’s dimensions.

We use a 42 inch roll of poster paper and the maximum length of a poster is 55 inches, so keep poster dimensions under 55 by 42 inches.

When finished creating poster in PowerPoint, click File > Save As and save the document as a PDF file type for submission to us.