Solid ink is basically wax. Whereas other printer cartridges are filled with different types of ink, solid ink sticks, are exactly that- solid sticks of ink. For this reason, if you ever take a look at a page printed by a solid ink machine, the texture of the print feels waxy to the touch.
Solid ink technology has been around since This prompted Tektronix to find a solution. They initially experimented with water-based cartridges before, in , they released their first solid ink printer, the Phaser III. Tektronix went on to produce a couple more models throughout the s before, in , Xerox bought the printing division of the company and, with it, the rights to the solid ink technology.
When they were first launched, solid ink printers were aimed at graphic designers. The melted wax also creates a glossy surface across the top of the paper. Unlike inkjet and laser printer cartridges, solid ink sticks mean that there is no empty cartridge to dispose of once the wax runs out. This means that less waste is created and there is no need to worry about finding a way to recycle your empty cartridges.
Solid ink sticks, can last forever. Unlike cartridges for inkjets and laser printers, solid ink sticks are heated to melt a print onto the page.
As they are thermal based, solid ink printers can take a good number of minutes to heat up before the first print and also need to pause and reheat in between prints.
This can be very frustrating if you are in a hurry. We have a Xerox ColorQube in our office, and it drives me insane! This means that the printer cannot be moved until this cycle is finished.
Lastly, not all of the sticks are used in the printing process and is left to waste, in a separate tray. That is unless you are very impatient like me! Solid ink printers are a good choice if you almost always have to print in colour every time, as the coloured sticks will last a little longer than coloured ink and toner cartridges. As a result, you can realise lower running costs when compared with inkjets and laserjets, whilst getting a really high quality colour print.
If you are wondering how quickly solid ink printers warm up, here is a video that also shows the print quality:. I have been working in the printing industry with TonerGiant for over 12 years and am the resident technical printer expert. I'm also a big fan of all gadgets and technology. How permanent is the black? I am an artist and do not want my printed images to fade over time or in bright sunlight. Hi Donald, there is a great article with questions and answers about Solid ink on the Xerox website that suggests very little fading over time.
Everyone knows that color makes a bigger impact and we tend to remember it longer. Cost of printing in color is one of the main factors we prefer to print mostly with black and white. But Xerox Solid Ink Technology has come up with a solution. Know why everyone from busy office managers to school photographers are making the switch to solid ink.
In Tektronix introduced a new kind of printer that used ink supplied in a solid form. Ten years later, Xerox acquired the technology, and as of they continue to offer a line of solid-ink printers. Solid-ink printing has several advantages that make it attractive for business, including good print quality at speeds up to 40 pages per minute and less packaging waste compared to inkjet and laser models.
The technology also has a few downsides, such as the time needed to heat the ink. When you turn it on, a solid-ink printer must warm and melt the ink before it can print a page. This delays the very first page you print, although subsequent pages print at the equipment's rated speed.
In addition to the warmup time, a Xerox owner's manual recommends that, to move the printer, you first turn it off and wait 30 minutes for cooling; otherwise hot liquid ink may spill internally. The pigments can mix together during a spill, causing muddy, distorted colors that are hard to remedy.
Xerox is currently the only manufacturer of solid-ink printers, and is the exclusive supplier for the ink block refills.
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