Print defects? Prevent It From Recurring Again.

Print defects that show up on the printed page again and again can be very annoying. Print quality problems not only mess up the output but also increase final printing costs measured in terms of man hours lost to troubleshooting, transparencies wasted in the process and related opportunity costs. This could be likely attributed to a worn out OPC drum and rollers or a fuser heater that could not deliver sufficient heat to melt the toner particles. But with new laser printers, the culprit for recurring print defects is most likely a defective toner cartridge.

Yes, most print defects usually emanate from defective OEM toner cartridges. While manufacturers can guarantee the unfailing performance of its consumables, there is always 2% defect margin. Therefore, it is always advisable for users to order replacement cartridges in pairs (if budget allows) so that print jobs need not be put off in case one cartridge fails and pending the delivery of a replacement unit from the reseller.

Lets take a look at some of the print defects ensuing from a defective toner cartridge. Possible diagnosis of defects can range from low toner supply which is generally manageable to cartridge part malfunction that can be resolved through servicing or replacement and acquiring low quality toner supplied by resellers which should be avoided at all costs.

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Print Defects:

• Blank or black pages
• Thin vertical lines or repetitive horizontal lines
• Vertical white lines and stripes
• Background scatter
• Dirty back page
• Toner smear on one side of the printout
• Vertical fogged stripes
• Bubble print
• Compressed print
• White horizontal line
• Horizontal fogged stripes

Possible Cause: Cartridge is empty, low in toner supply or not properly loaded to the printer.
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Print Defect: Thin and dark vertical lines appearing on the printout.

Possible Cause: Defective Fuser Assembly. Fuser requires maintenance; its capability evaluated and replaced when necessary.
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Print Defects:

• Printed image is skewed
• Printing begins at the center of the page not on top

Possible Cause: Paper tray is not loaded correctly or is overloaded
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Print Defect: Leading edge of paper is curled.

Possible Cause: Type of paper used do not meet the laser printer’s specification
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Some other print defects could be attributed to mechanical parts lapses and computer panel settings which can be corrected using fine troubleshooting techniques.However if the problem concerns low toner supply, use a compatible toner refill kit to replenish toner supply and remedy the situation.