EA-HG Toner: Save and Produce Better Quality Laser Prints from this High Grade Toner Technology

What is the EA-HG (Emulsion Aggregate High Grade) toner as utilized on the Xerox Phaser 6140 color laser printer? The Xerox EA-HG toner is probably the smallest sized toner (particles) available in the market today. Because of its miniscule size - ranging from 3 to 5 microns in diameter, the toner can produce fine prints as well as deliver higher contrast and sharper print detail. Moreover, the use of EA-HG type of toner requires only 20% to 30% less toner per page of printout compared to conventional toner formulations. More importantly, this toner technology is eco-friendly as its manufacture emits 65% less carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.

Now what makes EA-HG technology different from conventional toner technology? The traditional method of manufacturing toner relies heavily on producing pallets composed of various substances (polymer resins, colorants, etc.) that are are mixed and jet milled to come up with the correct toner size applicable to a particular laser printer. This system results in toner particles with jagged edges - not uniform in shape, and featuring sizes that are 11 microns across each particle. Toner particles are re-milled and pass through a series of sieves in order to produce the size that is appropriate for laser printing. Due to its irregular shape, toner particles do not roll freely into the dots or images formed on the OPC drum, resulting to a lot of wasted toner.

The EA-HG toner technology employed by Xerox Corporation on the other hand manufactures toner through chemical and water based emulsion. The systems utilized allow toner particles to grow in a controlled environment. Thus, technicians can literally create toner particles of any size: from 3 to 10 microns, and shape: spherical or oval, to fit Xerox laser printer specifications. This increases print efficiency, as the mentioned toner features help ease the transfer of toner particles from the cartridge as it rolls over to the cavities made by the laser scanning assembly on the cylindrical OPC drum surface. This further reduces toner waste and elevates print quality while sustaining yield rating.

The Xerox 113R00722 toner cartridge that loads the Phaser 6180 laser printer costs as much as $90, and is rated 3,000 pages at 5% page coverage. But with an expected toner efficiency, the print capacity could be boosted to as much as 3,750 pages or around 25% more. The cost of the toner cartridge can really be a big financial drain, but with the use of superior quality toner, users are guaranteed of uncompromising print quality and more pages from a particular gram load of toner. So if the user seeks unparalleled image quality over printouts, the EA-HG toner should be the answer.

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Xerox Phaser 6180 series laser printer?

The unit's color toner cartridges can be recycled

for another cycle of printing using a compatible toner refill kit.

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Kit refills the following 6180 cartridges: 113R00722 113R00719 113R00720 113R00721 113R00723 113R0024 113R00725 113R00726. Save up to 50% from the retail price of the OEM cartridges when you buy the rainbow pack.

Using a Xerox toner cartridge from another printer series? Check out our Xerox compatible toner refill kits.

The Drum Recovery Blade: Its Function and Contribution to Print Defects

Streaking and line-associated image defects appearing over printouts are often attributed to an aging printer cartridge drum. The mentioned defects often transpire with high yield toner cartridges that are rated beyond 5,000 pages at 5% page coverage such as the C500H2KG unit that loads the Lexmark C500 series of laser printers. Drum life is designed to last as long as the volume of toner supplied with the cartridge unit; to even outlive the rating of the cartridge with its set life cycle of 30,000 pages. Therefore, when streaking and line image irregularities manifest over printouts even prior to the depletion of toner supply, said defects cannot be entirely blamed on the drum unit. The wear and tear the drum unit endures over large volume printing likely has its impact on a particular drum component called the Drum Recovery Blade that works to clean the drum surface of residual toner after every print cycle.

The Drum Recovery Blade functions like the wiper blade of a car that clears the windshield of rain water or snow during blizzards to improve road visibility. When the wiper's wear out, certain sections of the windshield are not effectively cleaned; to therefore compromise road visibility. The same thing happens to a defective recovery blade. Since the component could no longer effectively clean the drum from residual toner, print defects materialize. The recovery blade inside the cartridge is composed of a thin Mylar (plastic sheet) that is devised to collect excess toner sticking on the drum surface and consequently transfer collected toner into the cartridge's waste chamber. Being thin-skinned, the component easily deteriorates and warps. In this condition, the recovery blade could no longer maintain a tight seal; causing toner to splatter on the paper path.

Consumers are always privy to misconceptions, like the assumption that toner refills (even with the use of compatible toners such as the toner supplied with the Lexmark C500 high yield toner refill kit) can cause toner leaks. Always be guided that toner refills on used toner cartridges will never cause toner leaks. Instead, an old, damaged cartridge recovery blade is behind toner leaks inside the printer on most occasions. Moreover, never assume that OEM toner cartridges are always free from defects. Toner leaks can also transpire with genuine cartridges, particularly when the thin Mylar recovery blade is not properly aligned during installation.

Universal Toner for Laser Printers - Is that Possible?

Why do we need a universal toner for our laser printers in the first place? The general concept is to only have a one - toner formulation standard that could be used for laser printers. The reason is obvious so a user can refill the empty OEM toner cartridges without the risk of getting fake or low quality toner. This is like when your car runs out of gas, you simply do not buy a tank full of gas but you go to the service station and gas-up your tank. But because we have over a hundred toner formulations in the market, selecting the exact toner formulation that suits your printer's specification is a hard bargain. We pick one reliable toner product reseller and when the result is satisfactory, we immediately stick to them.

Gas is entirely different from toner because gas comes from substances extracted out from the innards of the earth. So, whether oil comes from the Middle East, Asia, Europe and the Americas all exhibit the same characteristics, being fossil based. However, in the process of refinery, it produces by-products like regular or premium quality gas (for cars and classified as leaded or unleaded), diesel for heavy equipment and utility vehicles, high-octane for aviation use, and bunker fuel to run our oil-fed power plants. With a universal toner, a user can only be given a choice for general use (for regular laser printers), high-speed toner for very fast printers and special toner for photo printing. This arrangement suits well with most consumer demands.

Is the creation of a universal toner really possible? Of course it is probable, particularly when aided by government legislation. But such move will stunt the growth of the laser printing industry, remember that toner is a formulation of substances and by creating a standard it deprives manufacturers of the desire to improve the product. And how can HP Hewlett Packard coax Samsung, Brother, Lexmark, Canon to name a few to accept their toner formula and vice-versa. Certainly each printer manufacturer believes on their toner product as the best in the industry and no amount of laboratory tests could sway their belief otherwise. Besides, having only one toner formula would void their printer design, requiring OEMs to rearm in order to suit the new toner standard.

So, in the end a universal toner is no longer necessary as each laser printer exhibits different specifications, not only from toner formulation but also in granule size (in microns) and melting properties as well to sustain print quality requirements. And the only option left for the industry is to weed out unscrupulous toner retailers to help consumers make a precise choice.

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To produce decent laser prints and yield at a reasonable price, refill OEM toner cartridges with toner refill kits. The toner refill kit line of Laser Tek Services is cheaper by as much as 80% than the prevailing retail price of OEM toner cartridges.

Understanding the Laser Printer's Specified Duty Cycle

More than anything, a laser printers ‘maximum duty cycle’ is likely considered as a mere marketing ploy used by printer manufacturers to sell the product. But in reality, duty cycle refers to the workload (in terms of maximum number of pages) the equipment can handle before unit servicing is required. In analogy, this works like the average car that needs an ‘oil change’ every 1,000 or so miles to protect the moving gears from damage due to the already used and dirty oil. In effect, the car's maintenance will be dictated by the number of miles traveled and not by time – as the car could have been left unused in the garage for specific periods. Laser printers follow the same maintenance frequency - just like the HP 1100 that has a specified duty cycle of 3,000 pages, to therefore need a new maintenance kit - not monthly, but after the rated capacity is breached.


The average maintenance servicing required for a laser printer is typically at least every 3 months; whether the the printed capacity has been reached or not. So in the case of the HP 1100 and its duty cycle of 3,000 pages, maintenance is required after the unit is subjected to a workload of 45 pages (daily printout) or 1,000 pages (printed monthly) for offices operating a 22 working day month. However if the printing load is really low, it may take a year to breach the 3,000 print mark. In this case, maintenance can be performed annually.

Based on the facts supplied, it is therefore advisable to acquire a laser printer that suits your printing frequency and volume. Remember that printers have only a 5 year life cycle in line with the sensitive components that decline in function following the mandated period; particularly the OPC Drum’s photosensitive properties or the mechanical rollers that deteriorate even when not in use. Therefore, for a printer rated 10,000 pages monthly for its ‘duty cycle’ where the user can only print say 1,000 pages monthly, the printer's capacity is obviously underutilized as well as too large and expensive for the need. Know that the printer's ‘duty cycle’ is commensurate to its cost. That is just like buying an ice machine with a 200 kg capacity for a 20 kg ice requirement. In the end, the user loses the laser printer's competitive edge as parts deteriorate due to age (not because of use) and actual replacement of the printer's sensitive component must be implemented to sustain the printer.

In the case of the HP 1100 toner cartridge (C4092A), the rated capacity is only 2,500 pages at 5% coverage and is 20% less than the printers ‘duty cycle.’ Refills using a compatible toner refill kit can be administered on an empty OEM cartridge that delivers similar print quality and yield, but is awfully low at only $6.95 compared to the OEM at $65. The cost difference is substantial enough at around $58 and this could pay part for the maintenance kit needed by the printer.

Lesson learned: pick the laser printer with a ‘duty cycle’ commensurate to the user's printing requirement.

HP Compatible Toner Refill Kits - Helps Reduce Printing Costs for Small Medium Sized Businesses

Emerging printer toner technologies continued to evolve despite the challenges of the global financial crisis. This gave fresh assurance to Small and Medium Sized Businesses (SMBs) that are out to redeem lost business opportunities. SMBs serve as the pulse of the economy, thereby indicating present economic conditions. Among the major expense items confronting SMBs today are business printing expenses that actually eat up at least 3% of annual revenues. The periodic purchase of printer consumables such as toner and ink cartridges - particularly for businesses with high print volume requirements, can significantly affect bottom lines each month. Nonetheless, the emergence of moderate priced printer consumables from the aftermarket surely helped SMBs streamline expenditures, allocate funds to revenue earning activities and prepare for upcoming growth. This will in turn increase productivity, define collaboration alternatives, reduce wholly environmental impact and to a degree, offer broader flexibility as these business units now rely on new found technology to prepare for the expected economic turnaround.

Leading the pack is industry giant Hewlett Packard and its LaserJet laser printer series. An advocate of SMBs, HP in fact packaged its Laserjet printers with print management tools that would help trim printing costs and reduce energy use. These are features deemed useful to small and medium sized enterprises. Since its introduction in1994, the Laserjet series has generated unprecedented consumer loyalty to the brand; given the over 35 million units sold worldwide. In fact, industry impresarios label HP LaserJet's success as one for the books; among the great computer industry accomplishment stories. This is really a true assessment of success since many technology companies and their respective product lines have come and gone over the last quarter of the century. Yet HP continues to surge ahead, despite the fierce competitive environment, and everybody classifies this feat by HP as one of the greatest business triumphs in the high-tech revolution.

Running on the same wheels of success are aftermarket consumables - particularly toner refill kits. These third party printer consumables are actually DIY (do it yourself kits) toner refill products. The kit comes supplied with compatible toner which serves as an alternative to expensive OEM toner found in cartridges. Replenishment of the toner chamber's toner supply extends the serviceable life of cartridges by as much as 3 printing cycles. Moreover, the refill of empty toner cartridges favorably stirs user consciousness as it delivers a clear signal towards the preservation of our shrinking non-renewable resources and the environment. And so with the simple recycling of OEM toner cartridges, the release of CO2 into the air is minimized. Manufacturing 100 toner cartridges releases around one metric ton of CO2 (carbon dioxide) into the atmosphere which is equivalent to a Boeing 747 cruising on an eight-hour extended trip covering 5,000 miles – more than the regular New York to Paris flight at only 3,626 miles.

SMBs can rely on the toner refill kits for their printing requirement because it has been engineered to duplicate the printing capability of the OEM toner in terms of print quality and yield. HP toner refill kits should give SMB’S a double thumbs-up because it generates savings of up to 90% the retail price of a regular toner cartridge - that is on top of the cost-saving features available with HP LaserJet printers.

Optical Sensor + Reset Gear: The Safety Devices of the Brother TN 350 Toner Cartridge

The optical sensor built into the Brother MFC 7220 laser printer prompts the user when toner supply is really low. The sensor monitors toner supply levels by shining a light beam across a toner cartridge window. If no toner is detected, the ‘low toner’ light consequently blinks. The optical sensor works like the photo switch outfitted with streetlamps that switches on automatically during late afternoons (when the surroundings are dim) and turns the light off on early mornings when there is already sufficient natural light. Only that in the case of the toner cartridge, the amount of toner filling the chamber is employed to block the light beam delivered by the sensor; thus, the printer continues to operate. But once toner is depleted, the light beam connects, completes the circuit and the ‘low toner’ prompt appears.

Another safety feature of the Brother TN 350 toner cartridge is the reset gear that accurately monitors the number of pages printed by the printer. This counting device is activated depending on the number of revolutions made by the cartridge developer roller. Once the rated capacity is reached, the device turns off the printer automatically. It takes 18.5 revolutions of the developer roller to print a single page where a cartridge rated 2,500 pages (like the TN 350) actually makes 46,250 turns to complete the rated capacity. Once the developer roller reaches its revolution capacity, printing operations desists regardless of the amount of toner still left in the cartridge.

The mentioned safety features are integrated into the laser printer and toner cartridge combo to reduce the likelihood of damage to sensitive imaging components of the toner cartridge. These may all sound like a plus factor to printer manufacturers, but on the contrary these are integrated into the design to help sustain the cartridge's functional life cycle and on the aftermarket side, allow 3 or more toner refills on the cartridge. Without such devices, the cartridge will go on printing even when empty of toner, to eventually bring damage to the cartridge.

Printer manufacturers put in an extra 20% to total toner supply, precisely to bar the cartridge from printing when the toner chamber is empty. In case toner left in the cartridge is still more than half its capacity, then something must have triggered the cartridge to stop working. To override cartridge safety devices, the user will simply have to shake the cartridge vigorously to free clumped toner inside and so that printing could continue. In case the culprit is the developer roller, adjusting the reset gear would resolve the issue. However, if the cause of the stoppage is the optical sensor, placing a black electrical tape right across the cartridge window will solve the problem. But if printouts are diagnosed with fading prints, the primary cause therefore is low toner supply which can only be solved by replenishing the cartridge's toner supply with a compatible Brother toner refill kit.

Fact: Only About 52% of Laser Printer Users know that Toner Refill Kits Exist!

This is the sad state of our printing industry since nobody really cares about the plight of empty toner cartridges. Research points out that around 165 million toner cartridges were saved from landfills, but still the bulk of 700 million cartridges end up ditched into dumpsites and landfills worldwide, and the figure is to likely increase by12% annually. With each cartridge weighing around 1.5 kilograms on the average, this translates to e-garbage equivalent to around 825,000 F430 GT3 Ferrari Sports Cars in weight alone. Incessant dumping proliferated because not all laser printer users have been duly informed about the availability of compatibles in the aftermarket or the operation of recycling centers in our country.

Konica Minolta is aware of its social responsibility and thus designed its replacement cartridges to be refill friendly; thereby extending the lifecycle of each cartridge to at least 3 refills. At the end of the serviceable life of each cartridge, Konica Minolta’s ‘Clean Planet’ program entices its customer base to return used toner cartridges for recycling through parcel services, free of charge. Programs such as ‘Clean Planet” will help decongest our dumpsites, landfills and incinerators from tons and tons of e-garbage.

Recycling not only involves the return of empty toner cartridges to printer manufacturers. The use of toner refill kits to refill used or empty toner cartridges is one form of recycling. Refills can be administered over empty Konica Minolta toner cartridges such as the 1710517-005; allowing the user to save in the process. An OEM toner cartridge for the QMS 2300DL laser printer retails at around $120 and yields some 4,500 pages at 5% coverage, while the equivalent Konica Minolta 2300 toner refill kit is sold online for only $22.00. Since both toner products exhibit similar characteristics, expect print quality and yield performance for both OEM and compatible toner to be similar as well. Most likely, the only factor making customers hesitant from using toner refill kits is the perception that the refill process is difficult. Well, browsing the illustrated instructional material would tell you that refilling an empty cartridge is so easy that it can be completed from between 5 to 10 minutes.

Even though only 52% of laser printer users are aware of the presence of toner refill kits as an aftermarket replacement consumable, this figure will surely continue to rise as consumers will begin to appreciate its benefits.

From Commercial Printers to Laser Printers

It took 60 days to print a single book in 1456.
Today, it would take less than 60 minutes to do just that.

Although the Chinese and Koreans have carried out some form of printing called the moveable wood blocks technique in the early 13th century, it was in 1456 that the Western World saw a more progressive printing technology. The pioneer who made it all possible was Johann Gutenberg, a jeweler who crafted a metal alloy that allows the casting of individual letters. The mirror images of the letters are grouped together into a matrix to produce a single page. The whole arrangement of letters is then applied with ink, and then paper is pressed against it. Gutenberg started his printing business by redesigning a winepress and turned it into the first printing press. And the first books that came out were 200 copies of the Holy Bible.Six Hundred years later, printing has progressed several notches higher; particularly with the development of laser printers. Printing could no longer be singled out to large printing presses of the type operating in Gutenberg’s time. Instead, the task of printing has been delegated with offices and even households through laser printers and inkjet printers. Thanks to the advent of desktop publishing; now with just a push of a few control panel buttons of the laser printer, an office personnel can produce hard copies of documents saved in the hard disk of a personal computer or laptop.

A typical example of a trusty color laser printer is the OKIDATA 3000 series that loads with a toner cartridge accessory to produce those fine laser prints. Instead of liquid ink as employed with inkjet printers, toner powder is loaded into cartridge cavities which in turn supplies toner during printing. This technology has therefore made printing so simple. At the onset, offset printers would charge exorbitant fees to produce several hundreds of documents. But then this is understandable considering all the requirements needed to initiate the printing process. Producing the final print of the document is not really intricate per se. And that is why the cost per page (CPP) for print jobs drops with every increase in copy requirement. But then again, this is hardly felt in laser printing since a single toner cartridge may have a rating of say over 3,000 pages that reduces CPP dramatically - even lower than the CPP of large offset printers. Whether an office requires 100 or 1000 printed pages, the CPP is therefore sustained. The OEM toner cartridge for the OKIDATA 3000 series costs $80, but given its yield of 3,000 pages at 5% coverage, the CPP should be affordable.

A growing number of laser printer users nowadays prefer to refill empty toner cartridges with the use of compatible toner supplied with third party manufactured consumables such as the Okidata C300 toner refill kit. With its 4 pack retailed for only $69.95, the cost of printing will definitely be reduced at this rate. And since no considerable difference in terms of print quality and yield is apparent between the OEM toner and compatible toner, using a refill kit is a practical option.

We are now into the first decade of the current century, certainly printing a whole book today is peanuts compared to what transpired in 1456.