Tag: refill toner

One of the main questions people will ask when they purchase ink cartridges is how long the cartridge will last. To answer this question properly, you must first look at different aspects of the cartridge. Understanding this information will help you determine how long you should expect ink cartridges to last.

Why Does Cartridge Size Matter?

The first thing to look at is the actual size of the ink cartridge. Ink cartridges come in many different sizes.

There are even several different sizes available for one particular brand and model of printer. Larger cartridges could give you better value and last longer.

When you are looking at this information, make sure you keep an eye on the volume of the cartridge rather than the capacity

Choosing a cartridge that has a higher volume will naturally last longer than one with a lower volume.

CartridgeWorld , if your cartridge is an all-in-one model, you can expect for it to run out faster than if the colors were separate. Most of the time, when a color runs out in one of these cartridges, it will stop working altogether.

 

How Does your Printer Affect the Cartridge?

Your printer and how often you print could also be an indicator of how long your ink cartridge will last.

According to WiseGeek , different types of printers and print jobs require different types of ink.

Many printers are limited on the size of cartridges and only offer one solution. If this is the case, the
overall quality and performance of your printer could determine the lifespan of your cartridge.

For example, lower quality printers often have a lower capacity cartridge to go along with them. This will cause them to not last as long.

Likewise, if you print frequently, you can expect to run out of ink sooner rather than later.

The amount of printing you do on your printer is a key factor in how long your cartridge will last as is the type of documents you print.

Printing high-quality color photos will drain an ink cartridge much faster than printing black and white documents.

 

Surprisingly, there are actually things you can do to make your ink cartridges last longer. In fact, you can learn quite a few tips from the Frugal Living website.

When it comes to maintaining your cartridges, start by allowing the printer to clean the nozzles and print heads every time you change out a cartridge.

This will help you avoid clogs, which could affect your print quality and make it harder for an ink cartridge to function properly.

In addition to this, make sure you use your ink cartridge regularly. Avoiding use of your printer could cause some of the ink to dry up or for clogs to occur.

This could mean you will need to run the printer through its cleaning system, which will use up more of the ink.

If you are experiencing an issue with ink residue, a damp cloth can sometimes be the answer. However, you will want to check with the manufacturer’s suggestions for this issue because some cartridges may require a different type of maintenance.

For those planning to store their ink cartridges, you should make sure they are stored in a place that is dark and dry.

You will also want to take note of the expiration dates so that you make sure you use them before that time. Turning the cartridges on their side is also the best decision because it can help keep clogs from occurring.

According to ColorTonerExpert, there are several other things you can do to store your cartridges properly. Here are some of the top tips they suggest:

1.) Avoid touching the print head

2.) Keep the Tape

3.) Know the shelf-life

4.) Keep it in the package

5.) Avoid the light as well as heat

 

Can you Revive a “Dead” Cartridge?

When your ink cartridge runs out of ink, one of the first things you may attempt to do is shake the cartridge.

For some cartridges, this could allow you to print several more pages of print. Unfortunately, this is not always the case.

This is actually a tactic that can be easily used for toner cartridges, which are filled with powder instead of regular ink.

Over time, the powder can become lodged in the cartridge and shaking it could dislodge some of it.

For other types of cartridges that use ink rather than powder, it is much less likely that you will be able to revive a cartridge by shaking it.

Sometimes, however, it is possible to print a few more pages by simply cleaning around the area where the ink is dispersed.

You can also try this trick to unclog an inkjet cartridge.

This is all information that can help you determine how long you should expect your ink cartridge to last.

The important thing to remember is that you should follow the instructions the manufacturer gives you in order to give it the longest lifespan.

In the end, following this information can allow you to get the most value from the ink cartridges you purchase.

One of the interesting aspects of laser printers and copiers is the toner. 
Rather than the printer applying ink, the paper actually “grabs” the toner.
The toner itself is not ink, but rather an electrically-charged powder made of plastic and pigment.

How does toner work?

The two ingredients of toner, plastic and pigment, each have a simple role in the printing process.

The pigment provides the color, while the plastic allows the pigment to stick to the paper when the plastic is heated and melts.

The melting process gives laser toner an advantage over ink, in that it binds firmly to the paper fibers, resisting smudges and bleeding.

This also provides an even, vivid tone that helps text appear sharp on paper.

Another advantage of toner is the cost. Offices usually choose laser printers because the cost of replacing the toner cartridges is less than inkjet printer cartridges, and laser printers tend to cost only slightly more than inkjet printers.

Anatomy of a toner cartridge

The design of a toner cartridge varies with different models and manufacturers, but the following components are commonly found in most toner cartridges.

Toner hopper:The small container which houses the toner

Seal:A removable strip that prevents toner from spilling before installation

Doctor blade: Helps control the precise amount of toner that is distributed to the developer

Developer:Transfers toner to the OPC drum

Waste bin:Collects residual toner wiped from the OPC drum

Wiper blade:Wipes away residual toner applied to the page

Primary charge roller (PCR):Applies a uniform negative to the OPC drum prior to laser-writing. It also erases the laser image

Organic photo-conductor (OPC) drum:holds an electrostatic image and transfers toner onto the paper

Drum shutter:protects the drum from light when outside the machine and retracts the drum into the printer

How does the cartridge work?

In most cartridges, the toner hopper, developer and drum assembly are all part of the replaceable cartridge unit.

When an image or text is being printed on paper, the printer gathers toner from the hopper with the developer.

The developer, composed of negatively-charged magnetic beads attached to a metal roller, moves through the hopper gathering toner.

The developer collects positively-charged toner particles and brushes them past the drum assembly.

The electrostatic image on the drum has a stronger negative charge than the beads on the developer, so the toner is pulled from the developer onto the drum.

Next, the drum moves over the paper. The paper has an even stronger negative charge than the drum, and pulls the toner particles off of the drum in the shape of the electrostatic image.

Next, the paper is discharged by the detac corona wire.

At this point, gravity is the only thing keeping the toner in place. In order to affix the toner, the paper needs to pass through the fuser rollers, which are heated by internal quartz tube lamps.

The heat melts the plastic in the toner particles, causing the toner to be absorbed into the paper fibers.

Although the melted plastic sticks to the paper, it does not adhere to the heated fuser rollers.

This is possible because the rollers are coated with Teflon, the same material that helps food slide out of non-stick frying pans.

Color vs. Monochrome Printing

Color toner works essentially the same way as monochrome toner, except the process is repeated for each of the toner colors.

The standard toner colors are cyan (blue), magenta (red), yellow and black. The black is needed because the three primary colors (red, yellow and blue) can be combined to form any color except black.

The reason for this is black is not technically a color, but the complete absence of color.

These four toner colors, when combined at varying levels of saturation and lightness, can produce millions of different shades and hues.

This quick guided tour of toner cartridges should help provide a basic understanding of how they work.

The current technology of toner cartridges has allowed laser printers to dominate the office printing market.

In the years to come, new designs of toner cartridges promise to provide more efficient and cost-effective solutions for office and home printing.

 

A toner cartridge is a very important part of a printer. It is very significant to the working of a laser printer. Purchasing one can however prove very expensive.

Finding the right model may also be a daunting task. As a result, many people tend to opt for refills. One thing to note about the same is that toner cartridges are very delicate.

And there is a slight chance you might miss.

The recommendation often given is to leave the task to a trained professional. But really there is no need for that if you can as well know how to go about it?

Below are the three most common methods used to refill toner cartridges. The guide will surely help you avoid the mess.

But first, let’s start with a typical framework of a toner cartridge then look at the refill kits and later have the common practical & procedural approaches.

Most toner cartridges bear integrated compartments that serve to hold the toner, control it as well as monitor the circuitry

They also feature large drums and one or more smaller rollers. Some cartridges have additional features, but most of them bear the top and bottom body parts.

Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) toner cartridges are hard to refill. They are by design not supposed to be refilled by persons who are not professionals.

However, as earlier indicated, this is not impossible. Refill kits vary in sizes, types and models. Also, some are provided with toners and tools necessary for opening and cleaning.

On the other hand others are accompanied by the toner and a syringe.

It is important therefore to look for the refill kit based on the model and type of toner cartridge. It is crucial to specify for instance, if you are looking for a refill kit for a HP Laser Jet 5.

Other tools you need to try and have include: screwdriver, cleaning supplies as well as rubber gloves.

The Toner Refill Approaches

1. Full Service Method

Begin by disassembling the toner cartridge. While at it, wear rubber gloves. Each part of the body should have its own set of screws. Store the screws well after removing them.

Pull the plates of either sides of the toner cartridge straight off. Jiggle the two halves of the cartridge gently back and forth to pull them apart.

Remove the large colored drum from the now open body then pull out the smaller roller behind it. This should reveal a tinny thin strip of metal.

Remove the screws before lifting the strip of metal out with the relevant tool, often a needle-nose plier or tweezers. You should take care not to bend the metal.

At this point, the old toner should be visible in the partition under the strip. Dumb the toner out and clean using canned air or a spirit-soaked piece of cloth.

Then replace the piece of metal and the cartridge rollers in the correct order they were before disassembling. This should come after carefully cleaning all the other components.

Also, cleaning the drum properly will contribute to improved performance.

Next, remove the thin roller on the other half of the cartridge. This is such that it is much easier to dump the toner powder from the body and to clean out the compartment with the air can.  

Again, this will reveal a narrow outlet next to a familiar-looking metal strip. The opening leads to a toner reservoir.

You should then be able to pour the powder into the gap using the included funnel. Feel free to make a panel funnel in case one was not included in the refill kit and use it to direct the toner powder. 

Fill the reservoir until it begins to overflow. Move the nozzle from one side to another to make the toner even.

Next, clean the roller, snap it back into place, and thoroughly wipe down the surrounding area to remove any excess powder.

Finally, reassemble the body parts and end the plates. All parts should snap back into place smoothly with minimal force.

Then, clean stray toner discovered in the crevasses and reinsert back all screws. Once the toner cartridge is reassembled, ensure that the drum rotates smoothly.

 

2. Quick Puncture Method

Some refill kits are designed to let the user refill his/her toner without even disassembling the cartridge. They include a special puncture bit that can be placed in a common drill even though some people use soldering irons

With these tools, the user must make a hole toward the rear of the cartridge where the toner reservoir is.

After the hole is made, the toner powder should be poured straight in with the funnel. Finally about this, the opening should be sealed with duct tape or a purpose-made plug.

Shaking the cartridge from side to side helps distribute the toner evenly.

3. Toner Refill Level Circuitry

Some cartridges have an additional refill step. This is the level circuitry. It comes after either of the steps above.

Some devices have toner level-sensing chips, users often have to slide the old chip out of its mount and replace it so that the printer recognizes that the cartridge is full.

Perhaps next time you call in the expert, stand by, and with this in mind, you won’t have to call him/her again and by extension you will without a doubt save some bucks

But until then enjoy your printing experience and of course we wish you all the best.