The Ink Technologies blog is set up to help users answer questions they may have without having to enlist others.  There are 8 categories of helpful blogs written by one of our printer experts.  Each is full of useful information that tackles the typical questions and most common issues that standard users encounter.

For broad questions about ink and toner, refer to the categories ‘Ink Cartridge Tips’ and ‘Toner Cartridge Tips’.  These categories will provide simple comparisons and facts about different features and functions of printers and cartridges, as well as basic instructions, such as installing a cartridge.  

There are categories that are designated specifically to assist users when the printer is not working the way it is supposed to.  These categories are ‘Error Messages’, ‘Print Quality Troubleshooting’ and ‘Other Troubleshooting’.  Regardless of the age or price of your printer, sometimes things just don’t go right.  The blogs in these categories will not only help users diagnose the issue, but hopefully even repair it unless it is a problem that requires a technician.

The category ‘Choosing Your Printer’ is a basic guide to the perks and drawbacks of certain features and types of printer.  There are so many options on the market, the blogs in this category will break down the benefits of different kinds, and help users understand what type of printer will be most suited for their needs.  For instance, would your home office be better complimented by an inkjet printer or a laser printer?  Should wireless be a factor in your decision?

The final category is ‘FAQ’, also known as frequently asked questions.  The blogs in this category explain to the average-Joe the technical terms and internal operations of printers.  Most users do not know the inner-workings of these kinds of machines, and this category is there to put it into Layman’s terms.

Technology advances so rapidly these days that it becomes increasingly difficult to keep up.  There are so many formats to access the internet or print from home.  Wireless options seem to be the most favorable as the limitations are minimal, as no cables are required.  Ethernet connections are desired in a work environment because it allows multiple computers to connect to a single printer through a network.  So where does Bluetooth fit into all of this?

Bluetooth is software that converts data into radio waves and transmits them to another Bluetooth capable device, which then converts the signals back to data.  It is similar to the IrDA connection, or infrared, which sends signals from one machine to another, but requires a line of site.  The Bluetooth signals can go through walls, doors, people and even levels of a building, depending on the type of software installed.  One type has a range of about 33 feet while the other can transmit information from up to 325 feet away.

Users have the opportunity to create a PAN using a Bluetooth printer, which is basically an at-home personal network.  That way, a Bluetooth capable laptop, tablet and cell phone can all be connected to a Bluetooth capable printer and freely send images or documents to be printed.  Some units come with this software built-in while others require a separate adapter.  Either way, it is important for consumers to make sure the Bluetooth network is secure.

With Bluetooth capabilities, a user could take a picture on a cell phone or tablet that is connected through Bluetooth to the printer, and with one touch of a button, send the picture to be printed from the living room.  This expands the number of tasks that can be completed and the overall convenience of completing them.  It is for that reason that most new models of printing equipment has Bluetooth already built in.

Standard printers are a necessity in most offices regardless of the nature of the business.  However, there are a few specific job positions that require a thermal printer, which is typically small enough to be carried in one hand.  Some examples of work environments that use thermal printers on a daily basis are gas station pumps, tickets kiosks, lottery machines, any establishment with cash registers or credit card machines and warehouses that print shipping labels.

There are four essential components of these devices, all of which must be properly functioning to produce sufficient labels or receipts.  A controller board is basically a built-in computing system that controls the overall functionality of a thermal printer.  Most printers have a controller board.  A platen, which is a roller system made of rubber that feeds the paper through the unit.  The thermo sensitive paper will typically be on a roll, as to avoid a need for a paper tray.  A thermal head is the component that generates heat and actually prints on the paper, but it is the spring that puts pressure on the head, forcing the contact between head and paper.

When an image is sent to the thermal printer, the head selectively heats specific areas of the paper when it is passes through, which then blackens.  There are dual-color thermal printers that can produce black and another color, almost always red.  The way this works is the paper is heated at two different temperatures, creating different colors.  A dye is the implanted onto the paper, grasping the heated fibers and creating a permanent image.

Overall, these specialty devices are only needed in certain professions or locations, but having one that reliably prints is imperative, especially in areas that do not have employees near them, such as a car wash or ticket kiosk.  It is also important to have a thermal printer that can reliably produce perfectly legible prints.

Printers have many features that simplify the printing process as well as a number of versatile capabilities that allow users to expand the types of projects they do.  Sure, a printer will be an excellent addition to a home or office as it has fast speeds and delivers crisp and clear professional documents.  But what else can these machines do?

It is versatile paper handling options that give users an outlet to explore creative tasks.  For instance, the settings can be changed to print on labels.  Printers can print on envelopes as well, which will make sending out Thank You cards to multiple people considerably easier.  Speaking of cards, these machines can make them provided the right paper.  It is as simple as downloading a template on the computer and creating a design, then pressing “print”.

Transparencies are in a class of their own.  These sheets can be inserted into the printer and be processed just like standard paper.  Most people use it for shapes and images, as words do not always show up crystal clear.  Words are unnecessary though, as anyone with a marker can write on a transparency.  Units with copying capabilities can scan a page out of a textbook and have it printed directly onto the transparency.

Though most people know this type of paper from the projector that teachers often use in high school or college, there are a few other uses for this specialty paper.  The aircraft industry has been known to use transparencies in order to clearly show the engineers what renovations need to be made to the aircraft or new designs.  A number of churches that are a bit more technologically savvy use projectors to show an outline of the sermon, or the main points. 

It seems that regardless of how much the electronic industry grows and how advanced the technology gets, a simple transparency and projector will remain relevant.

The technicalities of computers and printers can be confusing for most people, especially when talking about the various software programs that are used.  Words like printer driver and spooler get tossed around without the general public understanding what these programs are capable of and the overall purpose that they serve.  This article is meant to explain the difference between a driver and a spooler.

A driver is required for printing, and each machine has a unique one.  Computers give print commands that are not conducive to every printer, thus the driver interprets and converts the words into language the printer can recognize and process.  All printing devices will come with a drive to install in the computer’s operating system.  Sometimes, when a machine is a bit older, the drivers are outdated and a new one will need to be downloaded.  This can be done from the manufacturer’s website, free of charge.

A spooler also helps to simplify the printing process, but is designed for task management, especially in a networked atmosphere.  With multiple people sending prints to the same printer, it is crucial to have easily accessible queues that can be manipulated by the user if needed.  Tasks can be deleted from the queue with the spooler program and certain jobs can be given a higher priority than others.  That way, if the boss printed a single page, but 4 other workers have 20-page documents in the queue, priority settings will get the bosses page printed out first.

Though a spooler can take up a chunk of hard drive space, it will increase the efficiency in an office by allowing users to continue working once they have sent a print job to the queue.

Both the driver and the spooler are imperative software programs for any personal printer or office unit.  They differ in purpose, but are equal in importance.

For corporations that require its offices to have heavy-duty large-format industrial printers that will efficiently and accurately deliver banners, maps, blueprints or other oversized images, HP offers the top-of-the-line machinery.  Though these devices are expensive upfront, the final products will justify the thousands of dollars spend to obtain them.  Price ranges are based on the color capabilities, maximum size of prints and built-in features, such as an automatic cutter and finishing options.

The DesignJet Z6200, for instance, comes in two different models- one that can produce 42-inch prints and the other that stretches the maximum length to 60 inches.  The smaller of the two printers is nearly $9,000 and the bigger can be as high as $15,000.  For big corporations, this price tag is secondary to necessity.

So, what line of work requires these high-priced, large-format printers?

Perhaps the company handles advertising needs and produces the banners, posters and general signage that local shops and establishments are looking for to promote.  Engineering companies may also use wide-format printing services to generate crisp and precise blueprints for upcoming projects.  Blueprints must be extremely accurate to reflect that building coordinates, and high-end wide-format printers will be able to provide this consistently.  Map designers that take years to carefully documents every street, river and highway in an area must be able to count on a printer to mirror each line and curve on the map.  The higher the price of the printer is, the better the quality and accuracy is that will be produced.

DesignJet Z6200 printers are examples of the best on the market in terms of speed and quality.  Customers will be impressed with the output from units such as these, thus returning to your establishment for further large-format printing needs.  Which, in turn, will generate the revenue that allows the machine to ultimately pay for itself.

If a malfunctioning printer in the home or office uses a Windows operating system, which is a product of Microsoft, there is software that can be downloaded to run the initial troubleshooting scrape.  This software is known as Microsoft Fix It and can save users the trouble and money of hiring a technician to come out to solve a simple problem that could have been taken care of without that extra service.

The first step once this software is downloaded is to choose the area that is generating the problem, whether it is the Microsoft Office or Media Player or Windows.  Once you have selected an area, a list of options should come up to better identify what the user is trying to accomplish and how the error is hindering the completion of the task.  Select an option that is most applicable.

Once the search is narrowed down, Fix It will provide a list of solutions that can be run to troubleshoot and ultimately fix the problem if possible.  Here is a list of some of the possible options:

Windows Performance on slower computers

The software will automatically improve the overall speed of the entire system by installing upgrades.

Printer Network

A interruption in a printing network can be cleared with the Microsoft troubleshooting software.

Internet Explorer freezing

Fix It will instantly remove any add-ons that are causing the browser to freeze or stop responding.

Email Issues

It eradicates the undeliverable email problem by allowing for Microsoft Services Sign In process to be completed.

Desktop Shortcuts

When the shortcuts on the desktop or the clock are not synchronizing, Fix It will automatically adjust them to function properly.

Though there are so many different issues that computers and printers can have when using Microsoft operating systems, this simple software can eliminate much of the headache.

Anyone on the market for a fast-paced printer that can handle the fast pace of an office and large daily volumes will find the best match in the laser printer category.  Though inkjet printers are reliable and deliver precise resolutions, it is the laser technology that can work quickly enough to be considered for a work environment.  Monochrome machines will always be a bit faster than one with color capabilities, but all feature the same technology. 

The way laser printing works is more complex than inkjet printers, yet can be explained with basic science.  Many parts are required within a laser printer, and all must be properly functioning to achieve the highest quality.  However, the drum and the fuser are the primary components to the success of one of these machines.

A laser beam is defined as being an extremely focused and concentrated beam of light.  Similar to the force that causes a strike of lightening, static electricity is the base of this method.  It gives an electrical charge to the drum assembly, which is also referred to as a photoreceptor.  The positive charge is sparked by something called a corona wire.  This wire holds an electric charge and passes it on to other parts of the machine when needed. 

Once the drum is charged, a laser beam shoots onto the drum surface.  The laser basically ‘draws’ a pattern by turning the parts struck with the laser into a negative charge.  This is when the toner enters the picture.  It is giving a positive charge by the corona wire, allows the toner particles to stick to the area with a negative charge.

The drum then rolls over the sheet of paper, which has been giving a negative charge by the corona wire, and thus pulls the positively charge toner off the drum because the paper’s charge is stronger.  The paper then passes through the fuser, consisting of heated rollers, and melts the toner onto the paper, allowing it to fuser with the fibers on the paper.

Laptops have all but replaced desktop computers in the home, though PCs still dominate the office industry where portability is not required.  In more recent years, though, all computers have seen a drop in sales in lieu of handheld devices, such as smart phones and tablets.  With these tiny electronics that can do virtually the same things as a computer but fit in your pocket, the days of printing hard copies to travel with are limited.  However, the printer industry has made leaps and bounds in the advancement of this handheld technology dominated by applications and simple complexity.

Why go through the trouble of getting on a computer to print a copy of an email or an invoice or whatever paperwork you may need for the day when you can just pull it up on the spot using your tablet?  But what if you could download an application that would make printing as simple as entering an email address, would you print more then?  Studies show that users that have tablets with easy print apps are twice as likely to print as users that do not have tablets at all.  This also has a lot to do with the ability to take a picture and send it to a printer immediately.

With Epson Connect, users have 2 separate options:

The Epson email print technology allows anyone to send an email, PDF or photo from a handheld device to any Epson printer that is enabled for this feature.  All you need is the email address of the printer (all are assigned one), and you could send the picture you just took of your baby in Ohio to your Aunt in Texas and cousin in Europe.

The Epson iPrint is an application that can be downloaded to an iPhone, Android or Blackberry.  Once the app is installed, users can easily print webpages, photos and PDFs to their printer.  The device will automatically scan for enabled printers when the app is installed.

There are a number of steps in the remanufacturing process.  A high standard of quality is held during this process to ensure that users get the best results out of these cartridges.  Because these rebuilt toner cartridges are made up of 40-75% of recycled materials, the end user price is considerably lower than a brand new product.  When a toner cartridge is empty, rather than wasting its reusable parts by throwing it in the trash, using a recycling program allows the remanufacturing industry to build more cartridges, ultimately saving the consumers money.

When an empty cartridge comes in, it is carefully inspected for any damage.  Because such a high standard is held, overused, scratched or dented materials will be replaced.  Even when a cartridge has been used to the point of no return, certain parts within it can still be used in the printing process.  Those components are removed and prepped to be installed in another cartridge.

A powerful machine is used to precisely split the empty cartridge without causing damage.  Once this has happened, trained professionals use industrial cleaning solvents to wipe away any residue or dirt that has built up.  When the thorough cleaning process is completed, the cartridge is sent through another piece of equipment which automatically refills the toner hopper, which is the cavity that holds the toner powder.  Each cartridge is filled until a specific weight is reached.  The hopper is then sealed tightly so no toner can leak out.

The assembly process is next, which is performed by technicians.  Many parts are needed, including the OPC drum, PCR, roller, wiper blade and chip.  The cartridge will be made of used and brand new parts.  When the assembly is finished, extensive testing is done as well as quality control to ensure these cartridges produce the same results as a brand new product.  It is packaged securely and shelved, ready to save consumers a ton of money!

There are many small parts that make up a printer.  With so many moving pieces, it is hard to believe these machines don’t fail more often!  There are few parts more important than the fuser though, because if it is not working properly, the whole process is ruined.  The fuser is basically a set of heated rollers.  The toner is put on the paper with laser through electrical charges, but it is the fuser that heats the toner particles and fuses them to the fibers that are in each blank piece of paper.

Sometimes, though, the fuser malfunctions or the temperature needs to be changed.  Users will start to notice loose toner on the finish product.  The toner may brush right off the paper or potentially even smudge when you grab the paper off the output tray.  This issue could represent a number of malfunctions, but changing the temperature settings on the fuser is a good way to test.  Also, let’s not forget that different thicknesses of paper may require more or less heat.

The steps to altering the temperature are simple.  Go to the main menu on the printer display control panel.  Select the ‘print quality’ option.  It should then give a list of items, sort through until you find the ‘fuser mode’.  Typically, the options will be low, normal and high.  The standard is ‘normal’, but if the toner is loose on the paper you can try cranking it up to ‘high’.  On the flip side, if the paper is coming out singed or discolored, you can turn it down to ‘low’. 

Whichever you select, be sure to run at least one test page.  Make sure the coloration is correct and rub your finger over the print.  No toner should come off on your finger if the fuser is set to the correct temperature.  If whatever problem you are having continues after you have tried adjusting the temperature, it may be an issue that requires professional help.