What is printer ink made of?

Ink is a liquid or paste that contains pigments or dyes. Pigments give ink its colour and comes from a variety of sources containing nitrogen compounds – commonly known as dyes. Ink is used to produce text or an image.
Over 90% of inks are printing inks, in which colour is imparted by pigments rather than the dyes used in writing inks.
 

How is ink different to toner?

Both ink and toner are used for home and business printing, however the way they are applied to paper is different.
Ink is a liquid tinted with pigments and dyes, used in inkjet printers. There are two types: dye-based (colourants dissolved into liquids) or pigment-based (fine powder suspended in liquid).
Inkjet printers spirt tiny drops of ink through miniscule nozzles, onto paper.
Toner, on the other hand, is a very fine powder made from polyester; a type of plastic. In a laser printer, the laser creates an electrostatic template of your image on a rotating metal drum, which carries an electrical charge.
A cartridge dispenses toner onto the drum, but the toner sticks only to certain areas where the laser changes the drum’s electrical charge.
 

How is printer ink made?

Varnish is a clear liquid that is the base of any ink. Different varnishes are made for different inks, but they are all made by mixing the resins, solvents and additive, often at high temperatures, to form a homogeneous mixture.
Resins, which binds the ink ingredients together, react together and make the varnish more viscous.
Pigments are then mixed into the varnish and then ground to break up any clumps. The colours are spread evenly through the ink.
You can see the amazing ink manufacturing process here, courtesy of The Printing Ink Company.
 

How are the different colours formed?

Black ink is made from carbon black while white pigments, including titanium dioxide are used alone or to adjust characteristics of coloured inks.
Traditional printers use four colours of ink: cyan, magenta, yellow, and black. Newer printers often have additional inks, such as light cyan, light magenta, or grey to improve image quality.
 

Why is printer ink so expensive?

The price of printer ink has been well documented over the years. But you shouldn’t be fooled into thinking that buying cheap cartridges will save you money.
Purchasing a printer and buying official ink or toner cartridge replacements is the best way to ensure that your machine lasts longer and operates to the best of its ability. Although this may seem like the more expensive option, it will actually save you money in the long run. To help you manage your spend on ink, check out our handy tips blog post.
So now you know how ink and toner cartridges are made! If you need any support on which printer consumable is best for you, don’t hesitate to give our expert team a call.

Why is it important to clean a laser printer?

Printing is vital to all businesses so ensuring your laser printer is thoroughly cleaned is crucial as it allows your machine to continue working efficiently.
Cleaning a laser printer is easy with the correct equipment, however they are prone to dust and debris. As laser printers use toner cartridges, cleaning can be a messy job as they are filled with black powder.
If you are not confident of your ability to clean the printer correctly, you should contact a qualified professional. In some cases, performing your own maintenance may void your printer’s warranty, so make sure to consult your manufacturer guide before undertaking any cleaning yourself.
 

What you will need to clean a laser printer:

Ensure you have the proper cleaning equipment before you get started. You will need a disposable toner cloth to easily remove toner particles; a dust mask to avoid inhalation of the toner powder, and latex gloves to protect your hands and prevent irritation.
 

Follow these easy steps to clean a laser printer:

You should always check your machine’s individual manual first, as some printers have a specific cleaning mode, but here is a general guide.

1. Switch your printer off, unplug and allow to cool down
Laser printers can get very hot if they have been on for a long period of time, so it’s important to give them time to cool before you get to work.

2. Put on your latex gloves and dust mask
You’ll want to avoid serious health problems by making sure toner particles are not inhaled. Gloves should be tight-fitting to avoid skin irritation.

3. Remove the imaging drum
Once cool, you can open the back of the printer and carefully remove the imaging drum, which is usually brightly coloured, and place in a dim area to protect it from the light.

4. Remove the toner cartridge
Take out the toner cartridge by following the steps in your manual. Use the toner cloth to remove excess powder from the cartridge. While doing this, the fine-particle powder can get into the air. Sometimes the particles can take 15 minutes to settle if an air-conditioning system is running. It is a good idea to wear a mask to avoid inhalation.

5. Speak to a qualified engineer to clean internal parts
Areas of your laser printer, such as the internal surfaces and the corona wires, can be very dangerous to handle. For this reason, you should speak to a trained engineer about cleaning the electrical areas of your machine.

6. Clean surfaces with isopropyl alcohol wipes
These wipes dry very quickly and are preferred for cleaning electrical items. They are great for dissolving greasy marks after you have removed printer parts.

7. Reassemble parts
Now you are ready to insert the new toner cartridge. When this is done, you can close the printer, plug the cord back in and turn the printer on.
So, there you have it, a safe and easy method to cleaning your laser printer. If you need any support with your current model, please contact our expert team and we’ll be happy to help.

Saying goodbye to your printer is never easy, especially if it seems to be working fairly well. However, failing to replace or upgrade your printer at the right time could translate into tech headaches and hours of downtime later on. Here are some signs it’s time for a new printer:
 

Poor Print Quality

Inconsistent or poor print quality is often the first indication that your printer may need replacing. Common problems are poor ink application, fainted print, blurry or no print. If you’re experiencing any of these issues then make sure to check your printer heads before investing in a new printer. Dirty printer heads and low ink supply could also be the culprits behind poor print quality. If everything appears fine, and you’re still getting low-quality prints, it’s time to start looking for a new printer.
On average, repair costs exceed the original cost of printers by 3 times.
 

Insufficient Speed

Slow printing is another sign you may need a new printer. Printer speeds generally range from 1 to 50 pages per minute (PPM). Higher PPM counts are typical of more expensive models. Printers with noticeably slower printing usually need to be upgraded or replaced. Before you invest in a new printer, however, make sure you have the latest software updates installed. Outdated software can cause slow printing and overall poor print quality.
 

Higher Cartridge/Printing Costs

Cartridge costs can be another determining factor in printer replacement. Older printer’s burn through ink and toner faster than many newer models. If you’re spending a significant amount of your budget on ink or toner for an older printer, it could be time for an upgrade. This will help you cut operational costs.
 

Growing Needs

Sometimes your needs outgrow your current printer, often at work or home offices. Older models may not have all the functionality you need or be capable of keeping up with increased printing volume. Your business may also have other printing needs that cannot be accommodated by an older printer. Most printer models made after 2013 offer near-photographic quality, wireless networking and the capability to read removable media. If you can benefit from any of these offerings, investing in a newer model could be a great business decision.
 
Many people are apprehensive to replace a printer that appears to be in working condition. However, proactively solving your printing problems and upgrading your equipment could save a lot of time and money later on. Also, repair components could become obsolete in the not so distant future. Pay attention to your printing, and decide if you could benefit from a newer model.
 

Local Experts

If you’re shopping for a new printer for home or business, give us a call today. We take the time to listen to your needs and will help you find the right printer for you or your business.

These days, it is more convenient than ever to capture moments with our devices, from tablets to smartphones and digital cameras. Our hard drives are overflowing with hundreds upon hundreds of photos. Storing countless digital images on these devices is a great way to keep track of memories, but it is always nice to create hard copies of our favourites to display at home, at the office, carry with us or share with loved ones.
While just about anyone can print photos from the comfort of their own home, following a few simple tips will help achieve optimum quality while keeping costs down and preventing wasted materials such as ink and paper.
 

Choose the Right Printer

For photo needs, the two main types of printers to choose from are inkjet and laser. Inkjet options use ink while laser printers operate with a toner cartridge containing fine powder along with a heated fuser. For basic document printing in black and white, laser printers are the best fit. However, inkjet printers are more popular for colour images and the most suitable for printing photos. Inkjet printers produce significantly more vivid images with minimal pixilation and typically cost less than laser printers.
 

Choose the Right Paper

To ensure the best results, there are the three key components to consider when selecting the proper paper:
Paper Finish – Choose between matte or glossy over standard printing paper
Paper Thickness and Opacity – Go with thicker paper and a higher opacity.
Colour Brilliance – There are two scales used to measure paper whiteness: the ISO Brightness scale and TAPPI scale. Typically, the brighter the paper, the better quality a photo will print initially—if the ISO scale reads over 104 or the TAPPI scale reads over 92, this indicates the addition of fluorescent whitening agents, which degrade over time. For longer-lasting photos, choose paper with lower values.
 

Adjust the Settings / DPI

Printers have different settings such as “normal” or “fast.” When printing photos, change the setting to “best” mode. While it may take two to five times longer for the photos to print, the difference in quality will be worth it. The photo resolution settings should also be set to 300 DPI or the highest possible setting, and the image to be printed should align with the same aspect ratio as the paper being used. Otherwise, the image may not match the size of the paper, resulting in the printer cropping or stretching the image to fit. This will likely distort the photo and require additional prints to correct the mistake, using more materials.
 

Edit First, and Only Print One Copy

Be sure to make any and all edits to photos prior to printing, despite the fact that it may be easier to spot flaws after the photo comes out, to save money on paper and ink. Once edited, only print the photo once. Spend the time to fully edit each photo (think cropping, lighting, etc), to ensure you don’t have to continue edits through multiple prints, saving paper and ink, along with time and money.
 

Independent advice on a range of printers for business and home

We are here to help with local, friendly advice. Our experienced and impartial staff will take the time to understand your printing needs and recommend the right printer and supplies for you—whether you’re printing a single photo for a frame or an entire album.

When you spend 40 hours a week with the same people, it’s only natural that some of your co-workers’ habits occasionally get on your nerves. While it’s generally best to learn to accept their quirks, there’s also a certain etiquette you and your colleagues should employ when it comes to shared materials – fridges, sinks, cupboards and office equipment. Here are a few tips to make sure you’re showing respect for your peers with your printing habits:
​Let People with Fewer Documents Print First
Many people print from their desk computer to a shared printer fleet and aren’t aware of others printing. But for offices where there is a designated computer for printing, it’s courteous to let people with fewer documents print first. If you know your colleague is printing an urgent, shorter document, the polite thing to do is allow them to print before you. Conversely, if you have a particularly long document that isn’t time-sensitive, you might want to wait until an off time to do your printing, or use a less popular printer.

Fill Paper Trays and Replace Empty Cartridges

Just as you wouldn’t – or shouldn’t – take the last drop of coffee without refilling the pot, don’t leave empty paper trays or empty cartridges for another person to remedy. This is just common courtesy, but many people make it their mission to avoid this simple task. If you notice the printer runs out of paper after your print job, replace it with more paper. If you have a low ink or toner warning, either let your office manager know you need to order more cartridges, or replace it yourself. These are simple tasks that take just a few minutes, so don’t hinder your own and everyone else’s productivity because the printer runs out of materials.

Don’t Leave Your Papers in the Printer for Hours

Simple office printing etiquette includes picking up your prints in a timely manner. Although this may seem intuitive, all too often, extra or forgotten documents have been left in the tray. This is especially frustrating for someone who picks up the entire stack and then has to sift through to find which pages are theirs. Unsurprisingly, this is also how many documents get lost. So after you’ve printed something, pick it up. Don’t leave your papers to sit in the tray for hours or days at a time.

Don’t Remove Someone Else’s Prints from the Tray

Yes, if a document has been left in the tray for hours then it’s fair game, and you can take it out. But, imagine going to the printer after you’ve sent a job to print, only to find the document has been removed by someone else. This is incredibly frustrating, especially if the document is time-sensitive, and you have to return to your desk and re-print it. So, if you see someone else’s print in the tray, or you’ve mistakenly taken it with your own documents, just return it back to the tray for them to retrieve.
Being considerate and mindful when using the office printer is a small way to make your work environment more respectful and pleasant – while also making sure you’re not impeding productivity.
Your printing habits and office etiquette are up to you. But for everything else printer-related, reach out to your local, friendly experts.