Inkjet News

Test Post

2010-11-16T05:42:00.001+10:00

Test post

How an Inkjet Printer Carries on with its Job

2009-03-02T15:08:00.001+10:00

A Close Look at How an Inkjet Printer Carries on with its Job

True enough, computers are quite incomplete without the printers. They are very necessary especially in printing out documents which are required for some business proposals, office and school presentations, and a lot others. What you will of course want is a printer that works in the most perfect condition, right? If they don't, you are most likely to get pissed off and end up frustrated.

That is why it also follows that you take good care of your printing equipment or else it will not provide you with your desired results. Now here is the questionódo you actually know how an inkjet printer functions? What are the relevant parts and how do they work hand in hand? Perhaps you are already very curious. Read on and buckle up because you are about to learn a lot from this article.

Uncovering some Basic Factors

For sure your mind has been wondering as to how a printer is able to produce an output. You simply feed it with a paper and then hit the printing configuration button and after which you just have to wait for the printed material to come out. Surprising and intriguing, right? The very reason as to why many users prefer this type of printer is because of the very vivid and lively print quality that it is able to generate. You don't get to hear a disturbing sound as the equipment goes on with its laborious task.

The basic knowledge that most people may have is that when there is a document being printed, there is at least a very faint sound that can be heard due to the movement of the inside parts. This printer nevertheless makes use of a technological breakthrough that allows it to print a document without the necessity to touch the paper physically. This is hence very much unlike with how the dot matrix and the other character printers work since they utilize the striking of the ribbons in creating images and texts.

Basically all of the printers that are classified under this type have the same routine. There are very tiny droplets of ink which are pushed or jetted through several holes and they mark onto the paper in a very organized and controlled fashion. In reality, this manner has brought about the term "inkjet".

A Brief Flashback

Since its initial inception, the reliability, speed, and size of those ink droplets have remained in constant motion towards improvement. Here are a couple of printer brands that have struggled for success.

Epson firstly came out with the so-called micro-piezo technology in the year 1993. Its Epson Stylus 800 was the very first printer in history to be equipped with a multi-layer actuator print head.

HP also came up with a thermal jetting system which allowed the print head to somehow act like a normal control room does. The nozzles were then heated using electricity that prompted the explosion of the ink onto the paper. However, this did not take the brand on equal footing with Epson in terms of printing speed.

It was in the 1990s when HP, Epson, and Canon developed the print heads that applied the minute ink droplets which therefore enhanced both the resolution and dpi.

It is simply amazing to note how inkjet printers came to being. Nevertheless, they are cost-efficient, fast, and highly reliable.

Health & Wellness

2009-01-22T04:11:00.001+10:00

Importance of Recycling Inkjet

2008-11-05T08:55:00.001+10:00

The Importance of Recycling Inkjet Cartridges!

Experts estimate that almost 350 million cartridges end up in landfills each year.
This staggering number has an adverse effect on the environment, as well as, the economics of the situation of buying cartridges. Recycling is a Good Idea
Surveys conducted suggest that almost ninety percent of cartridges are thrown into the trash after the ink cartridge becomes empty.
Moreover the quantity of cartridges that are ending up in landfills is increasing at the rate of ten percent every year. This is owing to the increasing use of printers for documentation purposes. Also, with regards to production, laser toner cartridges require almost ¾ of a gallon of oil to be manufactured.
Most discarded cartridges have some remnants of printer ink, toner powder, that can easily seep into the ground causing widespread soil damage. As can be imagined these pointers will have a disastrous effect on the environment and thus every effort should be made to recycle cartridges in one way or the other. For all the reasons listed above, recycling inkjet and laser toners, seems like such a good idea.
Economic Benefits to Recycling Apart from the all the environmental benefits, there are various economic benefits associated with recycling inkjet cartridges. The biggest benefits will be in terms of prices. Take the scenario, wherein, a minimal amount of ink cartridges are being thrown away, while a majority of them are being recycled. The prices of cartridges will definitely go down. If consumers recycle or reuse their laser toner cartridges or any other cartridges then they will definitely derive a long term benefit from it.
Lots of Options As a consumer if you are exploring options of recycling inkjet or laser cartridges and do not want to throw them away, then you have the option of refilling them yourself with a DIY Refill Kit, getting them refilled through the mail. Also, many local office stores also have a refilling facility available; you can also deposit the cartridges that you want to send in for recycling. Many a times, you might be offered a few schemes that are usually being promoted by various companies who offer you something in exchange for your inkjet or laser toner cartridges.
Importance of the Process: After reading this article, you must have understood the importance of recycling inkjet as well as any other type of cartridge. The great thing is that you will be doing a service to the environment if you do so and the fact of the matter is that there are numerous alternatives that are available before you even think about throwing away your cartridges. There will always be somebody out there who will be willing to accept your cartridges and get them refilled for you or recycled for you. The importance of this process cannot be denied.
About the Author: John C. Arkin, the contributor of Printer Ink Cartridges Articles. More information on the subject is at Importance of Recycling Inkjet and Laser Toner Cartridges, and related resources can be found at Laser Toner Cartridges.

Importance of Recycling Inkjet

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New applications for the inkjet - Silicon Forest - The Oregonian - OregonLive.com

2008-10-23T08:13:00.001+10:00

Lets hope that this is not the only medical

application for inkjet technology!

Another example crossed my desk last week -- a Corvallis company called Home Dialysis Plus has licensed inkjet technology for kidney dialysis: HP's inkjet technology will be used within HD+'s dialysis machine proportioning system to mix the correct amount of water and concentrated dialysate (a salt and electrolyte solution) in real time, and pump the dialysis solution into the dialyzer. Mixing the solution in real time helps to filter toxins over a longer period. In addition, HP's smart memory chip technology will be used to ensure that the correct dialysate prescription is being delivered consistently so dialysis can take place while the patient is sleeping.

New applications for the inkjet - Silicon Forest - The Oregonian - OregonLive.com

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Flock Browser - Blogging with Flock | Flock

2008-10-22T08:15:00.001+10:00

Does your browser do this?

Your browser can also automatically publish blog posts to a notification service, such as Technorati. A notification service alerts people when you post a new blog.Flock's blog editor works with Blogger, Blogsome, Livejournal, Typepad, Wordpress and Xanga. Flock also supports a variety of third-party, self-hosted blogging software.

Flock Browser - Blogging with Flock | Flock

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Databazaar Blog : Canon PIXMA iP100 Photo Inkjet Marries Mobility With Quality

2008-10-18T05:42:00.001+10:00

Canon PIXMA iP100 Photo Inkjet Marries Mobility With QualityBy Kara SoosPrinter News: No, it's Not a Box of Tissues, it's the Canon PIXMA iP100 Inkjet Photo PrinterDbz341pn500Traditionally, mobility and quality don't belong in the same sentence let alone the same printer. But Canon's PIXMA iP100 tries to bridge these two worlds by offering a tiny printer not much larger than a box of tissues that can print high-quality documents and photos.The Canon PIXMA iP100 offers 9600x2400 dpi resolution thanks to specialized inkjet nozzles that provide detailed printing you won't normally find with mobile printers. You can print wirelessly to the PIXMA iP100 using an IrDA (infared) port, or you can purchase an optional Bluetooth adaptor. Add those connectivity options to the PictBridge port you're accustomed to on photo printers, and you have a pretty wide range of connections from which to choose. Canon also emphasizes the printer's mobility with an optional lithium ion battery for outlet-free printing and an optional car charger.The Canon PIXMA iP100 isn't just a photo printer or just a mobile printer. It's both.SummaryInkjet mobile photo printer best for mobile professionals and photographersMSRP: $249.99ManufacturerPress ReleaseCanon PIXMA iP100 Mobile Printer Appeals To Today's On-The-Go LifestyleProduct PageCanon PIXMA iP100SuppliesInk CartridgesPGI-35 (Black), CLI-36 (Color)Specs that matterRelease Date: April 14, 2008Notable Features: Wireless connectivity, two black inks for better photo detail, borderless photo printing, small size, accessories to boost the printer's mobile capabilities, Auto Image Fix technologyGreen Features: Energy Star, 4-in-1 and 2-in-1 printing, ink saver mode, RoHS compliant, power supply made from recycled plasticPages Per Minute: 20 (b/w); 14 (color)Seconds Per Photo: 50 (4 x 6-inch photo)Resolution: 9600x2400 dpiInterface: USB 2.0, PictBridge, IrDA, Bluetooth (optional)Compatibility: Windows, MacintoshDimensions: 12.7 x 2.4 x 7.2 inchesWeight: 4.4 poundsWarranty: 1 year

Databazaar Blog : Canon PIXMA iP100 Photo Inkjet Marries Mobility With Quality

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INKJET: General Information

2008-04-14T07:29:00.002+10:00

INKJET: General Information # 1
From: mrinkjet@mrinkjet.com.au

.

Inkjet cartridges are much smaller than toner cartridges and operate a different technology. Rather than a toner powder; an inkjet cartridge uses ink similar to that used in a pen. Inkjet cartridges are getting more common for printers. Original and compatible, refilled & remanufactured Cartridges can be purchased. Remanufactured cartridges are processed through another machine, which also uses patented world-first technology. This machine recycles both used and faulty cartridges. Remanufactured cartridges commonly cost 30 to 50 percent less than new cartridges. Moreover, they often contain up to 20 percent more ink. Remanufactured inkjet cartridges are recycled cartridges that are remanufactured to meet or exceed OEM specifications. The cartridges are inspected, disassembled, cleaned, and refilled. Remanufactured cartridges are also available in bulk packaging.

Compatible Canon inkjet cartridges and refills are available for all Canon Bubble Jet Color printers with the same high quality printer ink that all of our remanufactured ink cartridges offer.. Compatible cartridges are mainly available for printers that use simple reservoirs as ink cartridges (such as Canon and Epson) because they are easy to copy. Hewlett Packard (HP) and Lexmark integrate the print head into the inkjet cartridge and protect it by patents, making it difficult for companies to make generic version of these ink cartridges. Now most OEM’s are following HP’s lead!

Inkjet cartridges are increasingly becoming more sophisticated and complex in their construction and longer lifetimes are also required of cartridges, particularly those for use with printers having an off-carriage ink reservoir which replenishes the cartridge's ink supply. This has lead to greater sophistication in the so-called "servicing" of cartridges by a printer. Inkjet cartridges are extremely popular: most computer users are familiar with inkjet printers, as they provide relatively high quality printing and can be used in a variety of industries. The principle which inkjet cartridges use is very straightforward and easy to understand.

Recycling can save millions of gallons of oil every year. Recycling won’t work if we don’t close the loop. Many charitable institutions around the world have initiated ink cartridge recycling programs, which fund hospitals, school activities and other social concerns

OEMs and remanufactures employ different methods and focus on different priorities when dealing with collected cartridges. While some OEMs do not offer collection schemes for inkjet cartridges, OEMs recycle the cartridges that they do collect. OEMs wish to recycle the materials to fulfill their environmental responsibilities, while 3rd party supplies companies need the cartridges for remanufacturing. Despite these efforts, many cartridges do wind up in landfills.

TIP: Printing too many photos from an air show or blue ocean scenes will kill your cartridge faster than you can say "blue skies," as dominant colors (say, "blue") are used faster than the others. Therein lies the reason Epson backed the study: the company is singing the praises of its single-ink cartridge approach, an approach which is necessarily more efficient in terms of wasted ink because there's only one color per cartridge, and thus only one cartridge to replace when that color runs out. Epson and many other manufacturers use these types of printer cartridges in their printers. These types of cartridge designs allow manufacturers to easily produce compatible cartridges, further increasing savings over the long-term use of your printer. Epson has a solid reputation in the office stationary mart and worldwide one can get them at online stores and they are available with specific dealers of the company. If used and maintained well they give value for money.

This information researched and supplied by:
Rick Bullock Mister Inkjet Australia
www.mrinkjet.com.au mrinkjet@mrinkjet.com.au

The Funny side of Inkjet Pprinting

2007-11-01T12:51:00.000+10:00

Another use for MrInkjet's Ink: Fabric Printing

2007-10-25T16:59:00.000+10:00

Soft Expressions is a Family-run Business

Soft Expressions is a 7 year, family-run business dedicated to meeting the needs of our customers through our brick and mortar store in Anaheim, CA and our website. Education is our emphasis so that you as a computer quilter and fabric artist have enough information and wonderful products to pursue your creativity.

Soft Expressions has roots in Sharla Hicks' 25 year background as an artist whose interest turned to creating art quilts with traditional roots. Sharla has always shared with others what she loves thus she became a quilt teacher in 1981. She has an extensive background in art, using the sewing machine to create the art quilts she loves to make and exploring software and how it fits into the quilting world today. After adding computer quilting to her repertoire of quilting classes, Sharla wrote her 7 book Computer Quilting Made Easy Series . Marketing demands turned her free lance teaching career into a formal publishing and mail order company. With the help of her family she printed, collated, bound, and shipped every book. Thus Soft Expressions was born.

After many hit and miss attempts at marketing her books through traditional channels, Sharla's Website was born. From the beginning Sharla's goal for her website has been to educate the quilting community about how the computer fits into the quilting scene for both the traditional quilter and the art quilter. Sharla continues that goal today by publishing her free to subscribers, Computer Quilting BYTES Newsletter with its tutorials and how-to information. She continues to expand her line of software as more and more titles become available to the quilter.

Early 2004 brought another turn in the business as Sharla opened her brick and mortar showroom in Anaheim, CA. Here you will find over 150 of feet of wall and shelf space devoted to her greatest love, embellishments for the quilter who wants to expand their style with paints, dyes, threads, beads, yarns and more. Also you will find books, books, and more books. Keep an eye out for new products to be added daily as the year progress. If you stop by be sure to visit our Quilt Gallery that will change monthly and studio space available for customer use.

The added addition of the Brick and Mortar Store brings new energy to Soft Expressions ability and goals of bringing you the latest changes and innovation for the quilter.
From Soft Expressiond

Big Savings! Importing from China!

2006-03-24T08:13:00.000+10:00

Remanufactured Inkjet Cartridges
Available from Utec

With key partnerships in the global empties collection companies, we select only those empties that can pass the strictest incoming QC standards. With the 100% post-production print test and the tailor-made remanufacturing processes tackling different cartridge structures, UTec clients greatly benefit from one of the lowest defect rates in the industry.

http://www.union-tec.com/utec/protype.asp?txttype=62

Inkjet Primaries

2006-03-14T12:34:00.000+10:00

Why are red, blue, and yellow inkjet primaries?

For a subtractive printing process, the 'optimum' primary colors for a 3-ink system would be closer to magenta, cyan, and yellow. However, these are not generally used. Why?

I don't know the precise answer but it is no doubt a tradeoff between cost and which colors are used most often. For non-photo printing, the straight red, blue, and yellow are far more useful since they can be use by themselves or in simple combination to produce a wide range of vibrant, if not realistic colors. For example, pure red is far more likely to be used for simple graphics than magenta. To make something that looks like pure red using magenta and yellow requires a precise combination - not easy to do with an inkjet printer!

Printer and Photocopier Troubleshooting and Repair Collection
Version 2.48
Copyright © 1996-2001
Samuel M. Goldwasser
--- All Rights Reserved ---
For corrections/comments/suggestions, please contact me via the Sci.Electronics.Repair FAQ Email Links Page.
Reproduction of this document in whole or in part is permitted if both of the following conditions are satisfied:
1. This notice is included in its entirety at the beginning.
2. There is no charge except to cover the costs of copying

Discount Inkjet Cartridges & Toner

2006-03-09T09:06:00.000+10:00

Economical and environmental concerns change consumers’ buying
pattern.

Discount ink cartridges and toner cartridges invade
the market of OEM cartridges.
Discount ink cartridges and toner cartridges are in great
demand these days. Due to the drop in price, many families and
small business owners can buy an inkjet / photo printer for
under $100 and a discount laser printer for under $200.

Increased number of printer ownership means that there is a
larger aftermarket for printing supplies.
Nevertheless, consumers who bought a cheap printer would soon
find out that their spending did not end there, but rather have
just begun. For examples, many OEM laser toners are selling at
$100 a piece, the same price of an inkjet printer or one-half
of that for a discount laser printer. A family who print a lot
of color photos with their photo printer can easily spend more
than $100 on OEM ink cartridges in several months.

Think about
this, it is absurd that one would spend more on replacement
cartridges than on the printer itself in such a short period of
time. As a result, many consumers are looking for economical
alternatives to expensive OEM cartridges.
There are two main groups of discount ink cartridges and toner
cartridges in the market these days: compatible cartridges and
remanufactured cartridges.

Compatible cartridges are also
called generic cartridges. They are manufactured with the same
specification of name brand cartridges but without the brand
name. These cartridges are offered at one-half or one-third of
the price of OEM cartridges.
On the other hand, remanufactured cartridges are name brand
cartridges which have been through one cycle of service. They
are usually disassembled, cleaned, repaired and refilled before
releasing to the market again. Consumers who buy remanufactured
cartridges are not only concerned about the price, but their
benefit to the environment as well.

One consumer was quoted
saying “I buy the remanufactured cartridges because it is good
for the environment. The lower price is just a bonus”.
It is a well known fact that printer manufacturers cut price in
printers but maintain a very high profit margin from cartridge
sales. Instead of lowering the price of OEM cartridges to make
them more competitive, they use different tactics to ban the
use of compatible and remanufactured cartridges from
third-party manufacturers.

For examples, printer manufacturers
may install software in your computer that warns you of the use
of compatible cartridges as if they could damage your printers.
Some manufacturers incorporate smart chips into their
cartridges so that consumers cannot refill or recycle their
cartridges. Others have sued the third-party manufacturers of
printer cartridges or smart chips claiming that they have
violated patent technology.

Consumer advocates have pointed that that these tactics only
serve to protect the profits of printer manufacturers but
provide no benefits to the consumers at all. In fact, consumers
should have the freedom to choose the replacement cartridges
they use.
There are many compatible and remanufactured cartridges in the
market today.

Be a smart consumer, you should always compare an
apple with an apple. For example, some manufacturers produce
compatible cartridges without the smart chips. These cartridges
are usually cheaper than 100% compatible cartridges with new
replacement chips. However, compatible cartridge without new
replacement chip may have problem communicating with the
computer as the latter would think that the cartridge is always
low in ink. It is also wise to shop only with vendors who can
provide a good refund policy and extended warranty.

To learn more about different types of printer cartridges and
to see if they are available for your printer model, please
visit http://inkjets.4reviews.net/.

About The Author: Kwan H Lo is the owner of http://inkjets.4reviews.net, an online review site promoting high quality discount ink and toner cartridges.

Inkjet Primeries

2006-01-29T16:36:00.000+10:00

Inkjet Primaries

Why are red, blue, and yellow inkjet primaries?
For a subtractive printing process, the 'optimum' primary colors for a 3-ink system would be closer to magenta, cyan, and yellow. However, these are not generally used. Why?
I don't know the precise answer but it is no doubt a tradeoff between cost and which colors are used most often. For non-photo printing, the straight red, blue, and yellow are far more useful since they can be use by themselves or in simple combination to produce a wide range of vibrant, if not realistic colors. For example, pure red is far more likely to be used for simple graphics than magenta. To make something that looks like pure red using magenta and yellow requires a precise combination - not easy to do with an inkjet printer!
Printer and Photocopier Troubleshooting and Repair CollectionVersion 2.48Copyright © 1996-2001Samuel M. Goldwasser--- All Rights Reserved ---For corrections/comments/suggestions, please contact me via the Sci.Electronics.Repair FAQ Email Links Page.
Reproduction of this document in whole or in part is permitted if both of the following conditions are satisfied:1. This notice is included in its entirety at the beginning.2. There is no charge except to cover the costs of copying.

History of Inkjet Printers

2006-01-29T16:33:00.000+10:00

Inkjet History

(From: John Nagle (nagle@netcom.com)
The original ink jet printer of this type was the Teletype Inktronic, which introduced the concept of video-type distortions to printing. It appeared around 1970, and was so bad nobody tried again for years.
(From: Tony Hardman (AHED_CIJ@f54x19.demon.co.uk).)
I guess that is why it was used in industrial applications I guess. Were the 'video-type distortions' a deliberate feature or just a coincidence of how they turned out?
Who are/were Inktronic???(apologies to anyone connected with them) I guess that may have been spin off development from some work contracted out by IBM, but it was so....?? (costly/low res/unreliable - choose one) they lost interest. Although one of the very early machines still runs well on a textile mill. It had a large number of jets side by side, and may be multi color too. I've only seen the patents so don't know exactly what it looks like.
I thought original ink jet printer was a chart recorder developed in the last century. It was just a nozzle on deflection mechanism, and was not modulated so it was always printing. It was a lighter mechanism than actually trying to move a pen and so had some performance advantages over other technology available at the time...
The same reason CIJ still sells world wide, even when high resolution DOD is biting at its heals.
Printer and Photocopier Troubleshooting and Repair CollectionVersion 2.48Copyright © 1996-2001Samuel M. Goldwasser--- All Rights Reserved ---For corrections/comments/suggestions, please contact me via the Sci.Electronics.Repair FAQ Email Links Page.
Reproduction of this document in whole or in part is permitted if both of the following conditions are satisfied:1. This notice is included in its entirety at the beginning.2. There is no charge except to cover the costs of copying.

Inkjet Ink Manufacturing

2006-01-29T10:29:00.000+10:00

From the desk of Rick Bullock

Mister Inkjet Pty. Ltd. Australia

mrinkjet@mrinkjet.com

Technical Report
Water-Based Ink Jet Inks: A Quick Study

Everyone who works with inks for the office/desk top printer cartridge market realises that they are water-based, meaning the primary solvent is water. Everyone knows that there are many other ingredients that add significantly to the performance. What may not be known is how these ingredients are used and how they can affect the overall functionality of the product.
The more you know about inks, their raw materials and the processes used to qualify them, the better you are able to understand how they work. This knowledge provides the foundation on which to question your supplier's ink formulation and quality control processes. Knowing the basics of the technology can assure that you receive the highest quality inks available.
Any good ink manufacturer will have implemented a raw materials quality control program, which should be continually monitored and administered. This article covers most of these major ink components, discusses the characteristics each one brings to the formula and the methods used to test them. While all of them are not used in every ink formula every time, they are the building blocks of the majority of inks in use today. Similarly, there can be more than one ingredient of each type in some of these categories (multiple dyes, multiple humectants ... )

"Major" Components

Water
Water is the major component of ink. Water is the foundation on which everything else depends. So, to build a stable system and limit any outside contaminants, you must first ensure that the water used is as pure as possible. The use of a water softener or deionising columns alone to treat water is common with some ink manufacturers. However, such a simplified system can lead to concerns in several areas including longer-term ink storage. A multi-step purification process is preferred. These steps may include charcoal filtering, reverse osmosis and UV light purification to produce water with very minimal contaminants. Checking the water for conductivity is a good way to test purity. A reading of "O" for conductivity is a good standard to base acceptance. Testing for the contaminants in parts per million is another well-accepted method of determining water purity. Testing for purity must be done on an ongoing basis, preferably before each time the water is used to make ink.

Colourant
Ink colourants are either dye or pigment. They come in various styles and qualities from a wide range of suppliers. Much of the research for inks centres on the colourant itself and the functional characteristics it brings to the ink. Specific dyes and dye combinations require changes in other components of the ink to control performance.
As with anything, selection of a colourant must be based on more than price. Inexpensive dyes can sometimes lead to more work and greater cost in the long run than a pricier purified version. Purified dyes can be pH balanced, filtered, treated by reverse osmosis and/or contain various types of biocides or fungicides that prolong shelf life. Incoming tests on dyes should evaluate, at a minimum, viscosity, pH, surface tension, colour matching and quantitative and qualitative analysis by UV Vis Spectrophotometry. UV Vis analysis should include a minimum absorbance at a given dilution and a test for l Max (or the wavelength of light that has the maximum absorbance). A good additional step includes making specified ink with the new dye and print testing it against a standard. These steps allow the manufacturer to make a determination on the overall useability of the material.

Co-Solvent/Humectant
Co-solvents and humectants usually, including alcohols and glycols, are added to the ink as an additional vehicle or carrier for the colourant. They may also be used to control or limit evaporation of the ink. Most glycols are hygroscopic, which means they can remove moisture from the air. When added to ink, glycols reduce evaporative tendencies. Since the cartridges and print heads used in the office/desk top printers are designed to be drop-on-demand, the inks are exposed at the open orifices to the atmosphere.
Even when the cartridge is in the "parked" position while the printer is not in use, some evaporation of water from the ink can occur through these orifices. Because of this evaporation, the ink's characteristics can change slightly, including its viscosity or the level of concentration of materials (less water, more dye, more surfactants ... ).
The shift in ink characteristics can cause some of the orifices to become partially or completely plugged and result in a line print defect until the cartridge is cleaned. Humectants reduce the evaporation at the orifices and thereby reduce clogged print heads resulting from evaporation.
Humectants are usually tested for viscosity, surface tension and specific gravity. If there are questions concerning the test data received on a humectant, an ink can be formulated and print tested to confirm the acceptance of the material.

"Other" Components

Fixative/Penetrant
The fixative/penetrant component can be a number of materials all designed to facilitate the ink travelling to the paper. Once the ink is in the substrate, these materials can also fix or hold the ink and can reduce feathering or wicking tendencies to a certain degree. Fixative/penetrant materials must be added in a controlled amount to be sure the ink does not permeate the substrate too quickly, causing the colour to be seen on the back of the page.

Surfactants
Surfactants are added to adjust the surface tension of the resultant ink. If the surface tension of an ink is too high, the ink may not wet (or travel) through the cartridge correctly. Sporadic printing may occur under some high use conditions. A high surface tension also may cause the ink to not wet ' out (or penetrate) the substrate effectively, resulting in uneven prints and longer dry times. If the surface tension of an ink is too low, it could drip out of the cartridge and cause flooding of the print head at the orifices during use. Low surface tension can also cause the print to wick or feather excessively on certain substrates and as a result the character will be fuzzy. So, the surfactant must work in combination with the penetrant or fixative. The ink must travel out of the cartridge effectively and print evenly. Once on the substrate, it must be absorbed into the material quickly to adhere and reduce dry time but not so fast that it goes through the paper or feathers excessively.

Resin
Resins are added to give a specific durability to the printed character. Once the ink dries on the substrate, a resin can give it additional abrasion resistance. This effect is not always needed but is available. Care must be taken when resins are used because they can cause additional plugging of the orifices. If there is some evaporation at the orifices, the resin could cause a "film" to form and result in line defects in the print.

Biocides/Fungicides
Since inks are water-based and can be stored for long periods of time, biocides and fungicides are added to eliminate growth of bacteria and fungus in the materials. When these are added, care must be taken that other attributes of the ink, like pH and surface tension, are not adversely affected and the overall performance remains the same.

Buffering Agents/Other
These materials are used to add or control specific characteristics to the ink. For example, some dyes require pH control for longer-term storage so a buffering agent is needed to maintain the range required. Other characteristics include corrosion resistance and ink flow rate.
As you can see, your ink manufacturer needs to understand the "balance" required to make and maintain a high quality product. Having a working familiarity yourself can only enhance the dependability of the product you sell to your customers.

Water-Based Ink Jet Ink
Ingredients Amount Function
Water 50%-90% Ink Solvent
Colourant 1%-15% Colour Source
Co-Solvent/Humectant 2%-20% Ink vehicle, prevents evaporation
Fixative/Penetrant 0%-10% Assist fixing the ink to the substrate
Surfactant 0.1%-6% Surface tension and wetting
Resin 0.2%-10% Durability and adhesion
Biocide 0.02%-0.4% Prevents bacterial growth
Fungicide 0.01%-0.4% Prevents fungal growth
Buffering Agent 0.05%-1% Control ink pH level
Other 0.01%-1% Controls ink specific characteristics

Australian Universal Inkjet Specifications

Equipment used in conducting the following test:

Surface tension Tensiometer with 6 cm ring
Viscosity Brookfield Model LVT with UL
Adapter 72 degree temperature.
pH PHEP #3 ATC Meter
Colour Draw Downs Leneta #806 draw down meter

CYAN
pH 7.0 - 8.0
Surface Tension 34/40 Dynes
Viscosity 1.7 - 2.0
MAGENTA
pH 7.0 - 8.0
Surface Tension 34/40 Dynes
Viscosity 1.7 - 2.0
YELLOW
pH 7.0 - 8.0
Surface Tension 34/40 Dynes
Viscosity 1.7 - 2.0
BLACK
pH 7.0 - 8.0
Surface Tension 34/40 Dynes
Viscosity 1.7 - 2.0
LIGHT CYAN
pH 7.0 - 8.0
Surface Tension 34/40 Dynes
Viscosity 1.7 - 2.0
LIGHT MAGENTA
pH 7.0 - 8.0
Surface Tension 34/40 Dynes
Viscosity 1.7 - 2.0

The reality is that most inkjet cartridge manufacturers make ink that falls in these ranges. Some, about 10%, fall out side of these specifications however, when mixed with our ink the result is to normalize the pH.
Viscosity and surface tension are the same for everyone.

Inkjet Business

2006-01-29T07:28:00.000+10:00

How to start an Inkjet Refilling Business?
Go to www.mrinkjet.com/jetbussu.htm

Ask Mister Inkjet

2006-01-29T06:01:00.000+10:00

Introduction
We started in the Recycling Business because we purchased a Personalised Books program from The States. This allowed us to put a story into a book, which had the persons, friends and family in the book by name together with the person buying the book.
The program needed a laser printer to print the book, and after the first laser cartridge was MT, we had to purchase another from HP. We were a bit shocked at the price, to say the least. After a bit of enquiry, we found we could have the cartridge refilled for about half the price of a new cartridge. We thought if we can have the cartridge refilled, we should be able to refill it ourselves, as we appeared to be reasonably intelligent.
Everyone we asked told us how difficult it was, how we wouldn't be able to do it etc,. After a lot of harassing, we found a company in Sydney who would teach us for a price. I arrived on their doorstep the next day, and had to bully them into taking my money. Imagine that. A company that really didn't want my money!
Anyway, after two days we were into refilling laser cartridges, then we started onto repacking ribbon cartridges. Then we attended a seminar in Brisbane and discovered Inkjet Cartridge Refilling. Brisbane's premier Inkjet Company ran the seminar, and the guru of Australian Inkjet people showed us how to take a printer apart and refill cartridges. What a revelation! Here was a recycling business that even I could understand, and best of all I saw the potential.
After some disappointments with continuity of ink supplies, we decided to import our own ink from the US. After trying various companies, we found one that seemed to want our business, and we are still with them today. We now import their ink, and also make some ink under license to them.
We have been marketing a start up pack for refilling cartridges, which included ink and equipment for starting an Inkjet Refilling Business, and we have been pleasantly surprised by the amount of interest we have received. We decided after researching the business, that we should market a starter kit without the ink, to access other markets.
Only about 40% of people using Inkjet Printers know they can be refilled, and only about 1/2 of them actually refill their cartridges. The potential is enormous in this fledgling industry. We hope this blog will answer questions for people who want to refill their own cartridges, or even start an Inkjet Refilling Business
Regards
Rick Bullock
Mister Inkjet Australia