Squid Inkjets Blog

Welcome to squidinkjets.com.au

2007-09-12T18:01:00.000-07:00

Welcome to squidinkjets.com.au webblog. We specifically focus on ink cartridges and laser toners of many well known brands and how it relates to the optimization of its use. You will be interested in this blog if you are a frequent printer user as we provide OEM and compatible ink cartridges and laser toners. If you are interested in improving your knowledge on printers, ink and laser toners, this is the right blog for you. This blog will help you understand more about your printer and associated tools. You can find additional information in our learning centre, FAQs or on our sitemap. We encourage you to also find more information about printers, ink and laser toner from other website such as Wikipedia.We hope you will enjoy our blogs and visit this area regularly. We welcome you to introduce yourself to our team and the community.

Shareware

2007-09-12T17:41:00.000-07:00

What is shareware?

Shareware software allows you to 'Try before buy' a popular option for most home and small business users. Some shareware are free, however the author may will want your details for future promotions and authorised emails sent from their site. But most shareware has a nominal price associated, and the free trial period ends after either – a certain number of uses – a certain number of days - the shareware will have some features disabled - or a combination of any of the latter. In addition there is demo software which demonstrates some of the features of the software but demo software is not shareware offering only a structured demonstration of the software for you to follow.

Problems with shareware:

Many shareware programs contain ads, adware, spyware and other noxious software. If you are going to use shareware you need to have on your computer working and updated: antivirus software (paid versions including: Norton Antivirus, PC-Cillin, McCafee) and/or anti adware/anti spyware/ anti worm software such as Microsoft's free antispyware.
Other problems include the software not being fully windows compliant and causing bugs on your computers performance, plus the problems you can have with any software when it is time to remove it from your computer.

Is shareware equivalent to commercial software?

That is the dilemma, as are and some aren’t. That is why you have to try it before you buy! Good luck with your trials ...

IMPORTANT INFORMATION & TIPS FOR INKJET CARTRIDGES

2007-09-05T04:40:00.000-07:00

TIP #1: STORE YOUR INKJET CARTRIDGES UPRIGHT !
This simple step will solve fifty percent of your printing problems. During shipping, cartridges tend to get bumped or upturned. This allows the ink to move to the opposite end of the cartridge where it is retained in a sponge that is inside your cartridge. The problem now is that the ink must move all the way down to the sponge to print. So please store the cartridge upright at least a few hours before installing.

TIP #2: RUN YOUR PRINTHEAD CLEANING FUNCTION WHEN INSTALLING!
When installing a new cartridge, make sure to remove any tape that is on the cartridge (over the printhead and vent holes)। Place cartridge in your machine. You should always perform the printhead cleaning cycling on your machine 2-3 times in a row to get a good flow.

TIP #3: GETTING FULL COLOURS AND FLOW
If the above tips helped but you think you should be getting fuller colours try this। Using the Paint program or similar, draw 3 large boxes. Create one box blue, one box red and the last yellow (and one black if that is a problem colour). Print the colour boxes at the highest resolution (dpi) possible, this forces the cartridge to push the ink out at a greater volume and once a good flow is achieved, you shouldn't have another problem with that cartridge again.

TIP #4: ANOTHER GREAT TIP FOR PRIMING CARTRIDGES
Take a paper towel and fold up several times to make it thick and soft and place it on a hard surface like your kitchen counter। Remove the cartridge from the printer and place it on the paper towel with the printhead down (this is the upright position). While applying even pressure, push the cartridge down on the towel then rock the cartridge front to back. If you lift the cartridge up you should see small spots of ink on the paper towel. This motion pushes any dried particles out of the printhead so it can print properly. Perform the rocking motion several times before replacing the cartridge in the printer and reprinting. Adding hot water (from the tap) to the towel also helps.

Pigmented Ink

2007-09-05T04:33:00.001-07:00

The previous blogs have discussed carbon ink and iron gall ink. However, there are still various other types of ink; pigmented ink and dyes in ink. This blog will discuss specifically pigmented ink, while dyes in ink will be the topic for the next blog.

Pigmented inks have certain types of agents, which assure pigment adhesion to the surface. They also prevent mechanical abrasion removal. These agents are generally referred as resins or binding agents.

This type of ink is very beneficial when printing on paper since the pigment settles on the paper surface. This is really required as more ink on the surface makes less ink needed to create similar colour intensity. The ink’s main element is pigment, which contains different colours. Pigment size is significant for diffusing ability. Certain qualities such as saturation, hue, and brightness are inherent parts of ink. They vary depending on the type and source of the pigment.

Numerous vendors try to offer pigmented ink to combine the brightness of dye and the extreme light fastness of pigment. This type of ink can print in almost any paper except those with glossy surface. Pigmented ink is known to produce print with some mottles. It is caused by unequal absorption level of pigment and dye component. Another disadvantage of pigmented ink is it produces a big amount of metamerism, which is caused by uneven reflection and absorption of the two components.

The latest archival ink is composed from 100% pigment; therefore it is named pigment ink instead of pigmented. Unlike dye ink, pigment inks are not influenced by colour enhancement papers. Unfortunately, they are not preferable for glossy paper.

Iron Gall Inks

2007-09-05T04:27:00.000-07:00

Iron gall ink is also known as iron gall nut ink. The ink colour is purple-black and made from tannin of vegetables and iron salt. It was used as the standard ink for writing and drawing in Europe since the 12th century till the 20th century.

Iron gall ink was considered as the best ink, which was used for many centuries, and became important in the 1100s. Unlike carbon ink, iron gall ink is hazardous to the paper and corrosive. Any document written on this ink will become brittle and fade to brown. Johann Sebastian Bachs original scores were made of this ink. They are in a threat to destruction caused by the property of iron gall ink. Most of his works are stored in the German State Library, and a quarter of them is in the process of decay. There are several factors that cause the writing fades: the ingredient proportion of the ink, the amount of ink put down on the paper, and the paper’s composition. In addition, there are two process of degradation, which cause corrosion: cellulose iron(II)-catalysed oxidation and acid catalysed hydrolysis.

Treatment can prevent this decaying. However a damage produced by the acidic ink cannot be repaired by any treatment. Corrosion can be slowed or even stopped only for some period. Some people think that the item does not need any treatment for any consequences. Others consider that the best solution is the procedure of non-aqueous. Some other think that the last solution may preserve texts written with iron gall ink. This treatment contains calcium bircarbonate, calcium hydroxide, magnesium bicarbonate, magnesium carbonate, calcium phytate, and distilles water at various temperatures. These treatments have many potential side effects. A mechanical damage might happen and it can make the paper grow weak. The paper colour may change and the ink may bleed. A change of the texture or the formation of the ink might happen from the aqueous treatment.

Despite of the damage it may cause to the paper, this ink formula is water resistance and permanent, which made this ink as the standard ink in Europe for more than 700 years. The use decreased when new water proof ink for more suitable writing in paper available in the 20th century. In this century, iron gall ink is produced by artists, who are interested in the old methods.

Carbon Ink

2007-08-22T01:11:00.001-07:00

Gum arabic and lampblack or soot, were the common substance used for creation of Carbon ink. Gum Arabic was able to keep the particles of carbon in suspension and then adhere to the paper. When it is seen in sunlight or bleached, the particles of carbon do not fade for a long period. The use of carbon ink doesn’t damage the paper. This ink gives benefits of chemical stability and will not give any threat on the paper strength. However, this type of ink is not the right choice for permanence and preservation. Carbon ink tends to smudge in a humid surrounding and can be washed off. The best technique to preserve documents from carbon ink is to have them stored in a dry surrounding.

The recent research has created carbon ink made of carbon nanotubes successfully। They suspend the carbon nanotubes by using polymer. It is the same composition to the traditional ink. Inkjet printers can use this ink as it can produce patterns, which are electrically conductive.

Ink and Its Content

2007-08-14T18:37:00.000-07:00

Many believe that injesting ink in small quantities is harmless, however, this is incorrect and a dangerous assumption. Ink can be very dangerous to the health of the person who swallowes it. Several types of ink, such as printer ink and pen ink can be hazardous. Although it will not lead to death, ink injestion is responsible for certain side effects, for example: severe headache and damaged nervous system. These side effects come from a chemical called p-Anisidine, which is used in the creation of ink colour and shine. It was announced by the poison control centre that any person who injests ink should contact the poison control centre or a local hospital immediately.

In this modern world, it is very rare to find a house or an office that does not have any printing machines. Consequently, purchasing ink in cartridge or getting the cartridge refilled has become a part of the daily shopping schedule, identical to purchasing a bottle of ink many years ago.

Carbon ink and iron gall ink are the two most famous black writing inks in the history. These two inks will be described in the next blogs.

History of Ink

2007-07-24T19:30:00.000-07:00

We would like to provide you with some information regarding ink as it is the main stream of our business. The history of ink will be the starting point of the ink blog series.

As the starting point, a definition on ink is pertinent . What is ink? Ink is a liquid, which contains a variety of pigments used to colour a surface to produce text or images. Ink is used within a pen or brush or quill for writing or drawing purposes. Lithographic printing and letterpress use thicker type of inks.

China had developed texts and pictures from blacking the raised surface of carved stone in the era of 5000 years ago. A combination of lamp oil, pine smoke, as well as gelatin from animal musk and skin was the formula of that early ink. Minerals, plants like berries were used to create ink colour from other early cultures.

Sharon J.Huntington, gives the detail of the historical journey of ink in an article of a Christian Science Monitor:

"An ink recipe was produced approximately 1.600 years ago. This recipe became a popular one and used for many centuries. Tannin from gallnuts, which grow on trees, was mixed with iron "salts". Ferrous sulfate is a type of iron salt, which is very important in the process. This mixture then combined with a thickener. The ink will be bluish black when set on a paper. It fades after some times and became a dull brown."

Approximately AD 800 to 1500 sheepskin parchment was written by scribes in medieval Europe. In the 12th century, the ink recipe was made of hawthorn branches, which were left to dry after being cut in the spring time. Then the bark was soaked for eight days in water after crushed from the branches. This water then boiled by adding wine to get a thick form and black colour. Special bags were provided to place the ink in order to hang it in the sun. For the final step of the ink, the dried combination then mixed with wine and iron salt over a fire.

In Europe, Johannes Gutenberg had to develop a new ink type for the printing press in the 15th century. There were two types of ink well known at that era: the writing ink used by the Greek and Roman made of water, glue and soot, and the ink from the 12th century with various mixture of gum, gall, ferrous sulfate and water. Unfortunately, none of them could produce printing output without forming blurs. An ink from the combination of turpentine, soot and walnut oil was created. It produced oily ink with varnish-like result. This was the special ink created for printing press.

Paper Choosing Tips

2007-07-24T19:26:00.001-07:00

We will give you some tips in choosing paper in this blog.

During the initial period of printers, there was only copy paper acknowledged in that era. Photo paper was only recognized by photographical studio. After some time, it was established that people could create their own photos with a lab quality at home, by using these photo papers. Glossy and matte were not a deciding matter at the time. People only knew that photo paper worked better than copy paper as it is thicker and shinier.

Today the decision is not that simple, as printer manufacturers make it challenging. There are more than 50 different papers to choose from if you combine the different photo paper types from the big brands. If you go to a store for photo paper, there will be an endlessly range of gloss levels to choose, while it is difficult to tell their difference except for the price. Premium Photo Paper sounds great but all is not as it sounds, it is only a standard paper for HP. The only lower type of paper produced by HP is Everyday Photo Paper. The best photo paper HP produce is Premium Plus, but the best gloss type still has to be decided for your printing needs. Other manufacturers, such as Epson, make it easier by naming Premium on the best photo paper they have, this is also the case with their ink cartridges. Epson have created impressive names for their products with various prices and give the idea that you have to pay more to get more. There are solutions on this problem:

1. There is some free paper samples provided when a printer is bought to give the consumer an idea what is preferable, for their needs. Use these samples if possible. It is very helpful, as it is a good chance to test your printing need for free and to find out the types of papers required.

2. Find out which type of gloss you need and stick with it.

3. If you only print intermidently, then consider taking a small pack such as a 25 pack paper instead of taking a big pack of 100. The 100 pack papers might be cheaper per page; however, it can result in wasted paper if the print results are not what is required.

4. Consider the type of photos that will be printed before buying the paper. Many people print a lot of 4 x 6 pictures. If printing out 4 x 6 is done at a printing studio then having a 100 pack of photo paper at home is not really necessary.

5. If all of these attempts fail, then get the photo paper with the same brand as your printer.

Hopefully you will not face the last tips.

Paper Feature

2007-07-09T19:09:00.000-07:00

There are some important factors to consider for paper features, which can be used as a reference in choosing paper for different purposes.

1. Weight
Papers have various weights for different specific needs. It can be very light such as newspapers or very heavy like a cardboard. Standard business papers have a weight range from 20 to 24 lbs. Greeting cards and cover pages have a range from 60 to 70 lbs.

2. Thickness
The handling characteristic of the paper is affected by the thickness as it is the most applicable for photo papers. Thicker paper is stiffer. It can survive against tears or creases. Thickness is measured in .001 inch or mil.

3. Brightness
What is meant by brightness is the light amount reflected from the paper's surface. Higher brightness value is achieved when more light is obtained; meaning crisper text is obtained, as well as a better background for color photos and vivid images.

4. Opacity
It is opacity's task to explain how well the paper can block the light through it. When the paper is more opaque, it will not show much on the other side of what has been printed. This is important in paper selection for newsletters, brochures, calendars and other purpose that require printing on both sides.

5. Finish
The finishes nowadays are more sophisticated. A wide range of finishes are now available, such as matte, glossy, semi gloss, soft or satin gloss. The right finish has to be chosen for the perfect printing output look. High gloss is often preferred for color, while matte finish is chosen for black and white photos.

6. Scoring
Some papers come with scored line. It will be easier to fold when it is used for greeting cards or brochure. It is perfect for a professional look.

7. Smoothness
The appearance of text and images on the paper is affected by the smoothness. A sharper image will be presented well on a paper with smoother finish. This type of paper delivers crisper text. Special papers for photos are designed with smoothness and brightness, so images on the surface reflect excellent colors.

Hopefully, now you know which type of paper you need for which application.

Photo Paper

2007-07-09T18:34:00.000-07:00

This blog follows on in the series we are providing of paper blogs. Photo paper is the theme of this blog.

Photo paper fits in the category of inkjet paper. Photo paper is specifically manufactured for the purpose of photographical printing. The highest quality of this paper can produce a photographical printout, which matches or even exceeds the quality of the traditional printing material. For example, Cibachrome for positive transparency colour prints and Fuji Crystal Archive for photo printing from negatives. However, traditional silver based papers are still much better than inkjets papers for monochrome photographs printing.

Typically, photo paper is categorized into glossy, semi matte, and matte finishes. The thickness varies. There is not much difference from office papers for general purpose with the lighter weight photo paper, even though these papers are cheaper and considered as the lowest quality for photo paper.

Special papers for photographical printing are thicker and contain coatings for quick drying properties. Typically, these papers can only be printed on one side, since the special coating is only on one side. There are papers which are suitable for double sided printing but these are limited.

Generally, glossy photo paper is the most popular version for users. It has the highest colour density and the widest colour gamut. The shiny finish coat gives a vivid look to the photo. The shiny side has a smooth surface. Compared to glossy photo paper, matte photo papers are less shiny, and produce prints which give off less glare. Most commonly, this paper is used for superior text results. Although they are different to the touch, the result will look similar when displayed under a glass photo frame. There are papers with the imitation of canvas texture available. These papers are produced in order to increase the resemblance to oil paintings.

Photo papers differ in terms of colour gamut and longevity. Usually, colour profiles are provided by the ink supplier for the ink system, especially when it performs with special papers. Longevity is dependant on the combination of the paper and the ink. Special substrate is required for maximum life. The substrate of the paper will be cotton based, or wood free, or the combination of them.

Although an ideal measuring scale is provided for the papers' glossiness, there is still no official designation of what constitute semi matte or glossy. Hewlett Packard, Epson and Kodak are leading paper manufacturers and they have different terms to describe their papers; Everyday is for HP, Premium High Gloss belongs to Epson and Kodak has Ultima.

Which type of paper do you prefer?

by Mary and Ali

Inkjet Paper

2007-06-25T23:03:00.000-07:00

As simple as the title, this blog describes inkjet paper.

Inkjet papers are designed specifically for inkjet printing. These papers are classified based on the weight, smoothness, brightness as well as the opacity.

The papers require the right degree of absorbency in order to receive the ink and to avoid it spreading sideways. This type of papers will produce a successful inkjet print. Reformulation of many papers for office general purpose with weight of 21 - 27 lb has been done. Therefore, these papers can work well either with inkjet or laser printers. Since the ink load is light, this type of paper is only acceptable for text printing. Solid colours, which are found in graphics or photographs, make the paper buckle. In addition, double sided printing is impossible since the print will be shown through one side to the other. The poor colour gamut leads to the colour being "muddy". That is the other reason why this category of paper is unsuitable for photographic use.

The setting of the printer's driver has to be adjusted to suit the paper, for any type of paper. Therefore, the printer will deliver the correct amount of ink.

Now you know what to do with your printer and the papers required in getting the quality print that you desire.

by Mary and Ali

The Coated, Uncoated and Wove Papers

2007-06-25T19:46:00.000-07:00

This blog follows on in the series of blogs pertaining to the process of paper making.

By the final step of the paper making process, the papers are not yet coated. The coated papers have a thin layer of material for example china clay, either on one side or on the both sides, to produce a more suitable surface for a higher resolution print. Uncoated papers are very seldom utilized for screens above 150 lpi, as this type of paper is not really suitable for this application.

Polishing by calendering may be performed for both coated and uncoated papers. There are several types of coated papers: matt, semi-matt or silk, and gloss. Gloss papers are the best on optical density for a printed image.

The paper is processed onto reels if it is required for printing applications. The fibers within the paper principally run in the machine. In general, these sheets are cut "long grain", for example: the grain is parallel to the longer length of the sheet.

Fourdrinier-type machines produce woven papers. A pattern, which has similar density in the paper grain, is created by the wire mesh, which transports the web. Appropriate rollers in the next stages of the machine can create wire patterns, which imitate the hand made laid paper.

When it is made by hand in a mould of rows of bamboo or metal wires, woven papers do not display "laidlines", which are small lines left on paper. These lines are very close to each other, they move perpendicular to the "chainlines" that are further apart. Handmade papers display "deckle edges", or feathery and rough borders.

Follow the journey of papers and get to know more about papers in our next blogs.

by Mary and Ali

The Making of Paper

2007-06-14T22:44:00.001-07:00

This blog contains the process of making paper from beginning to end.

The first process of paper making is the fiber processing. Woods are composed of fibers, which are attaching to one another. During the pulping process, the fibers are separated by chemicals or a mechanical process or the combination of both processes.

The intention of the chemical process is to break down the chemical structure of lignin from the wood. Lignin binds the fibers together. This chemical process unbinds the fibers and creates the pulp. The pulp is then bleached to generate a white paper for commonly used for writing and the purpose of printing. Unbleached pulp produces strong papers utilized for bags and boxes. However, the chemical process is more expensive than the mechanical process. The mechanical process only produces a low yield of approximately 40% - 50% from the original wood, whilst the chemical process produces stronger papers because it conserves the fibers length. Another benefit of this process is that the main heat and electricity to carry out this process is produced by the burning of the lignin in the removal process. The papers produced by this process are known as "woodfree" papers.

There are two types of mechanical pulping, they are thermomechanical pulp and mechanical pulp. The former is known as TMP and the latter is known as groundwood process within America. In thermomechanical pulp, woods are chipped and then tossed into steam heated refiners, the chips will be squeezed and fiberized. The lignin is not removed in this mechanical process, therefore the yield is very high, more than 95%. However, this process results in the papers becoming yellow and brittle. This type of pulp has a short fiber and produces weak papers. Although a large amount of electricity is required, the cost is much less than the chemical process.

Paper recycled can be produced by either the chemical or mechanical process. It is created by applying water and the mechanical action in order to break down the hydrogen bond and separate the fibers. Most recycled papers contain good quality fibers.

The pulp may contain some kind of filler such as chalk or china clay to improve the quality of papers for writing and the purpose of printing. Other additives for the sizing purpose can be mixed in the pulp during the manufacturing process. The sizing purpose is to reach a certain level of surface absorbency to suit the ink.

The drying process varies, depending on the paper making process. However the concept is similar, it can be done by pressing the sheet to remove the water by force. On the paper machine, when the water is removed, an absorbent called felt is utilized to collect the water in the paper machine. When making papers by hand, blotter sheets are utilized. In this case drying involves air and heat to remove the water. In the earlier time of papers, drying was done by hanging the paper like in a laundry. In the modern time, various drying machines are utilized for the drying process of papers. The most common one is the steam-heated can dryer.

After the drying process, the papers then go through the sizing process in order to reach certain physical properties for the various purposes it will be used for.

by Mary and Ali

History of Paper

2007-06-08T21:36:00.000-07:00

There are three vital components, which need to be considered in order to reach a perfect printing process. They are; printer, quality ink and paper. We have discussed both printers and ink previously. The topic for this blog is paper. This blog mainly describes the origins of paper and the historical timeline to now.

Paper is a substance of thin material made of vegetable fibers such as pulp, rags, straw, or other fibrous material. These vegetable fibers are natural. To reach a desirable physical output for paper, it is combined with certain synthetic fibers like polypropylene and polyethylene.

Etymologically, the word paper comes from Greek language for ancient writing material of the Egyptians called papyrus, which is taken from the papyrus plant. The plant originates in Egypt. Later it was sold to Greece and Rome. Papyrus can only grow in a subtropical environment. Therefore, places outside Egypt made their parchment out of sheepskin or calfskin.

Paper is believed to be one of the four Great Inventions of China. In the dynasties of Shang and Zhou, paper was not present, bone and bamboo were utilized. The characters were written on the strips of bamboos and rolled together. However these materials are heavy. There was a light material that was used for documents; silk. However, these materials were rare and expensive. Paper was invented in the Han dynasty, it was inspired from wasp and bee hives.

It was in the second century, when the paper was already used, even only for the purpose of wrapping. It was the perfect wrapper for precious goods such as bronze mirror and medicine. Paper was used as writing material in the third century, although the function as wrapper was still continued.

The Diamond Sutra, which is one of the first printed books in the world, reveals the usage of paper in China. Although paper was already found in the second century, using it as toilet paper was only invented in the sixth century. The reason it was not used for toilet paper prior to the sixth century was because they wrote the names of the sages and quotations of Chinese Five Classic. Therefore, they had no courage to use paper for toilet use. Later toilet paper became an important commodity in China, especially in the kingdom environment. In the AD 851, an Arab who traveled to China wrote that the Chinese are not very clean, they don't wash themselves, and they only wipe their body with paper.

During the Tang dynasty paper was used to preserve the flavor of tea. During the Song Dynasty paper was introduced for the first time in the world as paper printed money and bank note. However, during this era paper money was only dedicated for official government use and wrapped in special paper envelopes.

According to archaeological research in America, paper was already found in the fifth century by the Mayan. They called it amatl, it was widely used by the Mesoamerican until the Spain conquest. The technique of making traditional paper is still conducted in a small quantity.

Paper was spreading slowly outside China. People outside China saw the paper and tried to manufacture it themselves. Other countries required the "process" of the paper making but the Chinese didn't want to share their secret. The paper that they produced was very thin unlike the western papers, and it could only be written on one side.

Books were invented in India, from palm leaves. Korea transferred the technology then it was imported to Japan by a Buddhist priest. After the defeat of the Chinese in the Battle of Talas, the invention spread to the Middle East. From there it spread worldwide. Baghdad was the first producer and produced a thicker paper.

Some historians speculate that the Chinese were less developed than the western continents in the ancient time. When papyrus was already manufactured for papers, the Chinese still relied on bamboos which were not a very efficient material for writing. The Chinese advanced and superseded the Western continents in the invention of paper during Han Dynasty. Europe made advancements in the invention of paper and printing during the Renaissance era.

In the 1400's paper was affordable for urban and rural people but books remained expensive until the 1900's. In spite of this, poor families could afford to buy some books in the 1700's if they wanted to. Steam-driven paper making machines were invented in the 1900's. It enabled making papers with fibers out of wood pulp. Together with the invention of fountain pen, the mass production of pencil and the invention of steam printing press, wood based paper created a major change in the society of many industrialization countries. Cheap paper resulted in letter writing becoming a popular and universal activity. Writers became a high status job.

Throughout this long journey, papers have come to provide multiple functions. To represent a value such as currency and cheques, for entertainment such as book and magazine, for packaging such as paper bags and envelopes, for cleaning and hygiene such as toilet paper and facial tissue, for construction such as papier-mache and origami, and other uses such as sandpaper and blotting paper.

Guess what paper will be used for in the next 100 years.

by Mary and Ali

Toner Refill

2007-06-04T18:10:00.001-07:00

Refill and remanufacture have been discussed in the previous blogs in a wider scope; about Ink and Toner. This blog is also about refilling and manufacturing but it is focused only on toner.

Firstly a review of our previous blogs. Toner and ink have many differences. Toner requires powder whilst Ink requires a liquid or solid ink. Toner has to be heated while ink does not require this process. Ink requires a period of time untouched to dry after the print, while toner is dry immediately after the print. The price is significantly different between the two mediums. Toner is significantly more expensive than ink, either OEM, compatible, or remanufactured.

The price of toner is extremely high, so that home users prefer to use ink printers instead of toner printers. Toner printing is preferred in office environments because of the efficiency of use and time. However the internal price remains expensive even for office supplies

Some companies refill their own toner when the cartridge is empty. Refilling toner can be done two to four times for each toner cartridge, without sacrificing the print quality. They only need to get a bottle with toner powder that is specifically formulated and pour the powder through the right hopper.

The toner components are durable. The toner can be refilled two to three times without any component replacement. The manufacturers designed it to be durable regardless of the printing style of the users; text, graphic or a mix of the two. This is to avoid any complaint from the customers. Manufacturers want to make sure the internal components stay "healthy" before the toner powder runs out. Otherwise they owe the customers a replacement, therefore they build the cartridge and components for multiple usage, this enables the cartridge to be used and refilled when the cartridge is empty.

The first attempt to refill the toner in the early time of toner printer was quite crude. The process was to take the empty cartridge and drill a hole in it. Then pour the powder through this hole, sealing it with a tape a simple but risky solution. This method is known as "drill and fill".

There is a risk in doing this drill and fill technique. It is caused by the tiny plastic debris from the drilling process. The bits of plastics fall in the toner bin and cause trouble in the printing process. Some companies do not practice due diligence when selecting the type and quality of the toner powder, which they refill the cartridge. Sometimes they use copier toner powder for their toner printer. Copier toner has a different electrical charge. It delivers nearly solid black page with grayish white text. Toner requires the appropriate toner formulation for every machine; printer, fax or copier.

Drill and fill operation has been replaced by companies that specialize in toner remanufacturing. Lessons learnt on the process of refilling toner cartridge enabled a doctrine on the "correct" way of refilling toner to be created. The doctrine stated that some parts of the empty cartridge have to be replaced. They are the photo optic drum which is the heart of the cartridge, the developer roller/magnetic roller sleeve, the silicone wiper blade, and the primary corona. The toner bin has to be vacuumed and the proper toner powder poured into the tank and everything has to be sealed. This method gives the same quality and quantity on printing as what the new cartridges offer, at a much cheaper price.

Later on, it was found that the top of the cartridge can be popped out with a special tool. A fresh toner can be dumped in. In addition, replacement and cleaning was not really necessary, the refilling can be done two or three times a year, while the quality stays the same.

So, are you thinking to switch to toner printer since refilling toner can be done in such easy way?

by Mary and Ali

Toner

2007-05-23T22:31:00.000-07:00

Toner is a term that exists in the printing and cosmetics world. This blog describes only about toner in printing field as our company is involved in this area.

Toner is a powder that is used in laser printers and photocopiers to produce text and images on printing papers. The first form of a toner was simply made from a carbon powder. The carbon powder then melted with polymer in order to develop the quality of the print result. The particles of the toner are melted by the fuser of the printer, enabling their binding to the paper. The formulation of a toner is varies from one manufacturer to another and from machine to machine. The specific polymer that is used is also different from one manufacturer to another. It can be a Styrene Acrylate Copolymer or a Polyester Resin.

Toner was traditionally made by mixing the ingredient, a slab, which is broken then created and turned into a good quality powder. The air jet milling controls the particle size range. This process produces toner granules, which has jagged shapes and various sizes when it is seen under a microscope. Some companies use a certain kind of chemical process to grow the particles in toner to get better printout. This chemical process produces more uniform shape and size of the toner particles. This new shape and size makes it possible for a more accurate color resolution and more effective use of the toner.

The early toner particle size was 14-16 micrometer in average. To improve the text and image resolution, toner particle size was reduced to 8-10 micrometers for 600 dots per resolution. Reductions on particle sizes are in development for the resolution of a higher standard printout. This process applies new technology such as Emulsion-Aggregation. Toner manufacturers keep a quality control for the particle size to get better toner powder for their printers.

In the early time of toner machines, the toner powder was poured directly into a reservoir in the printing machine. Toner machines nowadays feed directly from a cartridge. The empty cartridges normally refilled by a third party. Normally, a single toner cartridge can print thousands of pages.

As toner is in a form of powder, it can suspend in the air for some times and can cause health problem, especially for those who have respiratory problem such as bronchitis and asthma. The research on bacteria in 1970s found that the health problem is caused by pyrol, which is a contaminant that is coming from the manufacturing process of black carbon for black toner. Manufacturers try to change the manufacturing process, in order to eliminate pyrol from the finished products.

Toner can be washed from the contacted area by cold water, either on skin or on garments. Warm or hot water will soften the toner. The heat will fuse the toner to the skin or the garments. Toner that has fused to the skin will stay for a long period. It can be removed partially by using hand cleaners. Toner that has fused to garments usually cannot be removed.

The extensive process and maintenance to make toners becomes an expensive option for home printer users. Will it be a choice for you?

by Mary and Ali

Remanufactured Cartridge

2007-05-22T22:21:00.000-07:00

Remanufactured Cartridge

A remanufactured cartridge is an Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) cartridge that has been recycled. The original cartridge is used at least once, and then returned via a recycling program. These used cartridges will be cleaned and inspected. The worn parts will be replaced. Then it is refilled, tested and repackaged for distribution. As the damaged parts can be replaced, it means the cartridge can be used endlessly.

This process helps to keep the environment save from pollution because there are parts of a cartridge that can damage our ecology and keeps the cartridge out of landfill. Less energy will be used as cleaning and recycling do not demand much energy. It also helps maintaining our limited resources since fewer natural resources are required compare to make new cartridges.

Remanufactured cartridges are much cheaper than the original ones, saving from 30% up to 50 % off from the OEM price. This constitutes a big threat for big brand manufacturers who earn their profit from selling new cartridges. Big Brand manufacturers have threatened to void the warranty if consumers use remanufactured or compatible cartridges. Antitrust legalities prohibit these manufacturers from voiding the warranty, since there is no proof that the printer can be damaged from using remanufactured or compatible cartridges.

With a good quality control, the consumer will notice no difference between an original cartridge and remanufactured one. Almost all suppliers will guarantee the quality and the quantity of the print result of the remanufactured cartridges. It matches and even exceeds the quality and the quantity of the new ones. The remanufactured cartridges have another benefit of giving more copy per cartridge than OEM ones.

Remanufactured toner and ink cartridges are available for almost any printers that can use a replaceable toner or cartridge. It is an option chosen by over 3 million companies around the world, and they trust their printing daily needs on the quality of these remanufactured.

Is it an option for you?

By Mary and Ali

Printer

2007-05-22T22:20:00.001-07:00

The printer is a device, which is no longer a new issue in this modern era. There are however some people, who still require some information about this machine. Since the printer is an intrinsic component of our business, we will try to provide some details about them.

A printer is a machine that produces output in the form of text or graphic and normally requires paper.

A printer has the following standard components: tray, picker, and ink or toner. The tray is the component where the user places the paper, while picker is the component that feeds the paper through the printer from the tray. Ink or toner is the most important component, as the printer cannot print without it. Ink and toner are not similar. The difference is on the system required by the printer to enable the product to work. Toner requires a heating process, while ink does not require it. Unlike toner, ink needs a cleaning mechanism on the print head.

A printer also has a flexible wire to send signals from the printer processor to the ink or the toner. This tiny wire is flexible but strong. Traditionally, there is a parallel port or a USB on the back side of the printer for a connection to the PC. This type of printer requires a connection with a PC to receive the document source. New printers are designed in a wireless system. This type of printer does not need a connection to a PC. They can interface directly to an electronic media such as memory stick or memory card or digital camera.

Some printers are combined with fax machine and even scanner in one unit. The printer that is combined with a scanner, normally function as a copier as well. Printers are slow devices in general, they are considered as fast when they reach 30 pages per minute, the majority of most printers is less than that. The cost per page print is quite high.

Every printer has a different level of printing quality, speed, cost and noise. As each of them has different technology, some printers are not appropriate for certain media, such as transparency.

There are different kinds of printers: toner-based printers, liquid inkjet printers, solid ink printers, dye-sublimation printers, inkless printer, typewriter-derived printers, teletypewriter-derived printers, daisy wheel printers, dot-matrix printers, line printers, digital minilab, electrolytic printers, microsphere printer, spark printer, and barcode printer. The most common printers nowadays are toner based printers and liquid inkjet printers.

The most common toner based printers are laser printers. They are well known with the high quality printing, good speed, and low cost per page for black and white print. Laser printers are commonly used in office application. Consumer printers do not really like to use these laser printers due to the high initial cost.

Inkjet printers can deliver high quality printing on text and graphic. They are almost silent in operation; the initial cost is lower than laser printers. However, the cost per print is more expensive as the ink needs replacement frequently. These printers are normally sold below the normal price. The manufacturers take the benefit out of the ink cartridge price which they sell at remarkably high rates. Inkjet printers are slower than laser printers in operation. Another disadvantage of inkjet printer is that the print result needs to be dry before it is handled in any way. This is not an issue with laser printers.

SquidInkjets hope with the use of these comparisons, now you may choose the most appropriate printer for your purposes.

by Mary and Ali

Refill

2007-04-30T20:18:00.000-07:00

Refilling is an option you can do when your ink runs dry. It is closely related to ink refill kit. An ink refill kit is a set of specific tools and certain amount of ink to refill the empty cartridge.

It is a much cheaper alternative compare to buying a new cartridge as only fresh ink and some small kits are required for this process. The process needs some tools such as bottles of ink, needles and cartridge holder. Every refill kit set varies depending on the manufacturer and the cartridge type. Some tools are always provided, while others are optional, for example the cartridge holder and needle to withdraw the air out of the cartridge.

Although every manufacturer produces a different type of cartridge, most of them can be refilled 3 to 10 times. Refilling gives you the opportunity to refill your cartridge on your own. It is also recyclable and nature friendly as fewer cartridges will be thrown away.

There is also bad rumor about refilling. It can take 10-15 minutes to refill an ink cartridge for those who are not familiar in doing it. It is a time spender and it is well known with the mess. Many people do not take refilling as an option because of the mess and the story of the bad experience they heard. Many of the unsuccessful refill kit from the past are known as universal kit. This kit is designed for multiple cartridges, while every cartridge is designed differently. Therefore this universal kit doesn't always fit in every cartridge. Big failure followed this universal kit. Although many specific refill kits is provided nowadays, most people still prefer buying new ink cartridge instead of refilling it, because it is still associated with the mess.

There are different quality and types of refilling. Some are safe and successful, while others can damage the printer or produce bad printing result. It is depending on the kit, whether it is the right tool or not, and the refiller.

Now, is it an option for you when your cartridge is empty?

by Mary

Compatible

2007-04-26T23:16:00.001-07:00

'What is compatible?' is not a question for those who are familiar with computer, printer, ink cartridge and the other related tools. For those who are not familiar with this term, we will try to help you in understanding this term.

Compatible indicates a device or product which can work with other devices. Two devices can use the same product without a problem. The product is designed to work with similar systems or devices. This term is well known as device compatibility. For example, an ink cartridge called OEM works with a Canon S200SP. The same cartridge also works perfectly with a Canon S200SPX, Canon S300, Canon S330, Canon I 250, Canon I 350, Canon I 450, Canon I 470D, Canon IP 1000, IP 1500, Canon IP 2000, Canon MP110, Canon MP130, Canon MP360, Canon MP 370, Canon MP 390, Canon MPC190, and Canon MPC 200.

An equivalent device means it has a similar function or ability as another device. For example, Compatible BCI6BK is compatible to OEM-BCI6BK. Compatible BCI6BK performs exactly in the same way as the OEM since they have the same qualities. The difference is only the price. Compatible ink cartridges are cheaper in comparison to the OEM. The OEM is more expensive because it carries a brand name.

The question now is, do you buy a brand product or do you buy a quality equivalent?

by Mary

Lexmark presents new printers

2007-04-23T01:33:00.000-07:00

Lexmark presented new wireless inkjet printers on Tuesday. These printers are planned to be launched on April, May, and June of 2007.

From 12 new printers of Lexmark, 8 will be designed with wireless capabilities. These new models are including the new four-in-one, three-in-one, and single function printers. They will be compatible with 802.11b/g wireless protocols. These new models are provided with a special replacement guarantee, which is known as Lexmark's exclusive Protection Guarantee. The guarantee is valid up to one year. This is a short detail of their new printers.

Lexmark X4550 Wireless All-in-One:
This is a wireless function compact printer. It has a USB 2.0 connectivity and can print with a speed up to 26 ppm (black) and 18 ppm (color). This Lexmark X4550 offers a 4800x1200 dpi resolution. Furthermore, it produces borderless photos with or without computer. These photos can be printed from a USB flash drives, memory card slots, or from PictBridge compatible digital cameras. This printer also has one touch color. It can copy with a speed up to 17 ppm (black) and 11 ppm (color). It also contains 48-bit flatbed scanner. The price is expected to be around $130.

Lexmark Z1420:
This model contains a small footprint for easy placement in your office or house. It is a six color printer with single function. It can print up to 24 ppm (black) and 18 ppm (color). You can print borderless photos up to 8.5x11 inches with this Lexmark Z1420. The cost is expected to be about $80.

Lexmark X3550 Color All-in-One:
This printer provides wireless printing and fast print speeds of 24 ppm (black) and 17 ppm (color). It offers photo printing options and one touch copy/scan. It has a 48 bit flatbed scanner, which is very good in scanning black photo proof sheets. It will be an easy photo print. With or without a PC, X3550 can produce borderless photos just like X4550 model. The price is estimated to be about $80.

Lexmark will offer some "Budget" printers during the fall. They are specially designed for cost conscious printer users such as students. The Lexmark X 2500 Color All-in-One and the Lexmark Z1300 Single-Function Inkjet Printer are "Budget" printers, which will be released by Lexmark. They feature an advanced printhead technology. The Lexmark's evercolor inks will support these models. The price of X2500 will be $60 while Z1300 will be $25.

Unfortunately, they do not announce anything yet on what printer cartridge these new printers will use.

Ink Cartridge on Wikipedia

2007-01-25T00:58:00.000-08:00

An ink cartridge is a replaceable component of an ink-jet printer that contains the ink (and sometimes the print-head itself) that is spread on paper during printing.

Two cartridges docked into a printer

Each ink cartridge contains one or more partitioned ink reservoirs; certain manufacturers also add electronic contacts and a chip that communicates with the printer

About Ink

2007-01-25T00:54:00.000-08:00

Inks are found in almost every aspect of human activity. We read newspapers, magazines, and books on a daily basis. We post lists on our refrigerators, jot things down on our calenders, and leave sticky notes for our coworkers and friends. We make piles of photocopies and print lots of pages from our computers. We buy myriad packaged consumer products printed with ink. We use stamps and money, again printed with ink.

And if you delve into finding out more about ink, you will learn as I did that people use a lot of ink writing about ink--although I calculate that it took only microliters to print the page you are reading. More about that later.

What is ink? I already had a general idea what ink is: It is an organic or inorganic pigment or dye dissolved or suspended in a solvent--essentially the same as paint. I confirmed that fact after digging around a bit, and then learned a whole lot more.

I found out that the first inks were fruit or vegetable juices; protective secretions from cephalopods such as squid, cuttlefish, and octopus; blood from some types of shellfish; and tannin from galls, nuts, or bark from trees. The first man-made ink appeared in Egypt about 4,500 years ago and was made from animal or vegetable charcoal (lampblack) mixed with glue.

Today's inks are divided into two classes: printing inks and writing inks. Printing inks are further broken down into two subclasses: ink for conventional printing, in which a mechanical plate comes in contact with or transfers an image to the paper or object being printed on; and ink for digital nonimpact printing, which includes ink-jet and electrophotographic technologies.

Color printing inks are made primarily with linseed oil, soybean oil, or a heavy petroleum distillate as the solvent (called the vehicle) combined with organic pigments. The pigments are made up of salts of multiring nitrogen-containing compounds (dyes), such as yellow lake, peacock blue, phthalocyanine green, and diarylide orange. Inorganic pigments also are used in printing inks to a lesser extent. Some examples are chrome green (Cr₂O₃), Prussian blue (Fe₄[Fe(CN)₆]₃), cadmium yellow (CdS), and molybdate orange (a mix of lead chromate, molybdate, and sulfate).

Black ink is made using carbon black. And white pigments, such as titanium dioxide, are used either by themselves or to adjust characteristics of color inks. Inks also contain additives such as waxes, lubricants, surfactants, and drying agents to aid printing and to impart any desired special characteristics.

Printing ink is a $10 billion global industry. The Census Bureau tracks about 250 printing ink companies in the U.S., which in 1997 produced 2.2 billion lb of ink with sales of $4 billion.

Older style writing inks, such as in fountain pens, use a fluid water-based dye system. But in the 1950s, when ballpoint pens became fashionable, the writing ink industry shifted to pastelike oil-based dye systems. The thick consistency allows capillary action to keep the ink flowing well, and the inks generally are nonsmearing and quicker drying than water-based systems.

Dyes tend to be preferred over pigments for writing inks because pigments can't be dispersed minutely enough and tend to clog the pen tip. And water-based dye or pigment systems are still used for markers, highlighters, and rollerball pens. A few pen manufacturers, such as Bic (which sells about 3 million pens per day), make their own ink, but most pen manufacturers buy their ink.

That sums up the gobs of information I found on inks. But I still had one burning question: How come ink from the daily paper sometimes smudges off onto your fingers?

I called the Washington Post to find out. Inks dry by different processes, explained Hugh J. Price, the paper's director of production planning. Linseed oil inks dry by air oxidation, which solidifies the vehicle. Inks with alcohol- or petroleum-based solvents dry by evaporation, usually assisted by heating the paper.

Newspapers are generally printed with a mineral oil ink at a very fast rate--several thousand feet per minute. Because newsprint is not heated, that allows little time for the ink to air-dry, Price noted. Instead, the ink is absorbed by the inner fibers of the sheet of paper and remains there a bit damp during most of the transient life of the paper--the vehicle doesn't completely evaporate.

So when you handle the paper some of the ink can rub off onto your fingers. The amount depends on how fresh the newspaper is. Ink on the pages of books, magazines, newspaper inserts, and catalogs doesn't smudge off, Price added, because they are usually completely dried during the print run and are printed on a different type of paper.

As my ink odyssey was winding down, I had a chance to see ink in action during a trip to Brown Printing Co. in Wasesca, Minn., which prints C&EN. I got to see pages of C&EN rolling off the end of one of the presses.

The four colors of ink used--black, cyan, magenta, and yellow--are pumped into different units of a press. The ink sits in a "fountain" where it is picked up and transferred via the etched printing plate to the paper. I couldn't help sticking my finger into one of the fountains to check out the ink. Although I expected the ink to be viscous, I was still surprised at how thick it was when I looked at my fingertip covered with cyan goo.

That made me curious as to how much ink it takes to print C&EN. With data from the press run I had been watching, I calculated that an average size C&EN issue of 80 pages requires a total of only about 68 gal of ink to print just more than 150,000 copies. That works out to about 3,500 gal of ink for an entire year of C&EN. That's about 20 L per page--a bargain.

So what does the future hold for ink? Could ink someday become passé? The advent of personal computers, personal electronics, and the Internet may one day replace libraries full of printed books and periodicals with electronic products.

For example, electrophoretic inks that currently are being commercialized can be corrected, edited, or updated if needed by momentarily applying an electric field. And electronic books (e-books) with digital displays, something similar to a palmtop computer, may be in vogue in a few years.

But the great paperless society hasn't begun to show itself yet--people simply like paper too much. And as long as there's paper, then there must be ink.

Steve Ritter