HP Smart Install Technology - An upgrade to the Energy Star?

Photo by clix

Just when consumers think of laser printers that carry an ENERGY STAR rating as the ‘end all’ in terms of energy efficiency, HP introduced the Smart Install technology. Under an Energy Star classification, printers are programmed to automatically switch from printing mode to standby mode in between print jobs. This mechanism helped minimize energy consumption since all of the unit's electrical devices are shut-off when the unit is on standby mode; except for the fuser assembly that continues to consume energy.

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Laser Printing Technology Harnessed to Fight MALARIA

Photo from naturegirl78 

Laser technology employed in the manufacture of laser printers is so precise that ensuing images over printouts duplicate the original. Laser printers utilize the same basic laser scanning device that is used to track down mosquitoes even in mid-flight and shoot them down. This is according to Nathan Myhrvold, Microsoft’s former chief technology officer in a demonstration at the annual Technology, Entertainment and Design (TED) Conference in Long Beach, California. The first ever laser based mosquito anihilator is manufactured from an assortment of parts coming from laser printers, digital cameras and projectors, and is now readily available in stores and shopping stalls.

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The "Little Extras" Means A LOT in Color Laser Printing

Photo by wagg66

In our present state where offices rely heavily on electronic communication to transmit data and do business, clutter of office equipment is evident. Office equipment includes fax machines, printers, scanners, PCs and all other mechanisms that add to the physical disarray in an office setting. So in almost all offices, the shift to multi-function printers (MFPs) has become a necessity not only to reduce equipment count and minimize footprint but also to save in the process of procurement as well. A multi-function printer is the all-in-one equipment that serves as the network printer, the document scanner and the fax machine.

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What's in store for Single Pass Color Laser Printer users?

New generation color laser printers are equipped with single pass print engines, the latest breakthrough in laser printer design. This actually represents an improvement in printer technology, where all the 4 color cartridges simultaneously supply toner powder in one stroke, and allows paper or media a single pass to complete image development. Under the old multi-pass technology, paper goes through 4 passes (one pass for each of the Cyan, Magenta, Yellow and Monochrome toner cartridges). The single pass print engine technology guarantees the performance benefits below, though at a cost that is more hefty than the multiple pass units:

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Monthly Duty Cycle: Can your laser printer really print that much?

       Photo by cinz

In a meeting held by a conglomeration of laser printer vendors, Buyer’s Laboratory Information (BLI) and Testing Advisory Committee (TAC) is one in the belief that a printer’s monthly duty cycle is grossly overstated. A case in point is the Xerox 7750 which comes with the recommended ‘monthly duty cycle’ of 150,000. This however is otherwise confusing since the rated capacity does not in fact reflect reality. Should the user consistently push the printer to its optimum capacity then this would result in frequent maintenance work and servicing. Equipment subjected to this type of use will certainly not endure the three-year lease in equipment life.

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Biodegradable Plastic: How it can expedite the decomposition of toner cartridges?

 Photo by e-magic

The battle lines for the containment of garbage has eluded mankind since the civilization started with the Egyptians. The sad part however, is that the modern world have created materials that may take centuries to decompose which ultimately become a burden over dumpsites and landfills later on. No effective garbage disposal system has been in place since burning still happens to be the most relied upon method for reducing the volume of trash, just like in the days of antiquity.  This practice of course releases fumes and gases to the atmosphere and consequently poses inherent risks to human health while causing severe pollution to the environment. A case in point are the millions (around 110 million to be exact) of toner cartridges that form part of the e-garbage in the United States annually. 

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Brother HL 3040cn Laser Printer: Speed and Connectivity at a Modest Price

Printer manufacturers often highlight the physical design and footprint of the equipment released to the printing market. While aesthetics and space saving features are fine attributes that add value to the investment, this is only good for stand-alone PC and printer configurations as workplaces nowadays require connectivity and just can't rely on printers that would perform haplessly when networked with several other PC and printer peripherals. Not the Brother HL 3040cn LED (Light Emitting Diode) laser printer. The innovative unit peer-to-peer bridges both worlds of aesthetics and sensible network connectivity. When connected via configuration, the printer can be used directly over the network or as a shared printer where printing jobs are first directed towards a central server.

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Straight Paper Path Technology: How it speeds up laser printing?

Photo by liewcf

Laser printers have always dazzled consumers because of the speed by which the machine turn out laser prints. Add the superb quality of the printouts, then you have the perfect printing machine that any office truly deserves. However just like any mechanical run equipment, the printing equipment has its own share of performance irregularities. In the case of the laser printer the most notorious mechanical failure is the tendency for paper fed to jam in the course of printing. This can be expected because the movement of paper inside the printer follows a ‘snake like’ pattern, particularly with critical turns that require precise roller synchronization.

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Of Toner Powder, Laser Printer Emissions and the Ideal Location for Laser Printers

Photo by The Artifex

Toner powder per se is non-toxic. Therefore, the material is deemed non-hazardous to laser printer users who come in closer contact with it. However in the process of laser printing, as the fuser melts toner at 200 degrees Celsius, fumes and gases are emitted. Experts claim that the inhalation of these gases can cause minor inconvenience to the person operating the laser printer. Therefore it is in the best interest of all users for laser printers to be located in an area where gases and fumes can be contained.

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Understanding Paper Jams Much Better

Photo by stuartpilbrow

The media (paper) transport system in a conventional laser printer comprises of 5 major processes, as follows:

1 Pick-up

2 Image Registration

3 Laser Imaging

4 Fuser or baking and

5 the Printed Document

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EAHG Toner - Generate High Quality Laser Prints Even at the Fastest Print Speeds

Photo by Viernest

It took some time before the print speed of laser printers could reach the 50 pages per minute or ppm plateau. Toner technology could not match the rapid advances made on print engine design which therefore explains the lag. The culprit behind this delay is the awfully longer time it takes for toner particles to fuse and bond permanently to paper fibers. So in effect, printer manufacturers had to retard print speed to accommodate the fusing process and allow it to run its normal course while preventing toner from flaking or smearing. However with the development of the EA-HG or the Emulsion Aggregate High Gloss toner by Xerox in the late 90’s, laser printing turned a different route.

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HP and the “All In One” Toner Cartridge

The laser printer is a brainchild of Gary Starkweather at the Xerox facility in Webster, New York (1969). The invention of this toner-based printing equipment changed the way people thought of mass printing. However, it used to be that Xerox distributed only laser printer types that catered to large corporations and establishments which made laser printing restrictive to most consumers. It took 15 years before Hewlett Packard (HP) launched its LaserJet models in 1984 that truly made laser printing almost affordable to regular consumers. Thus, the HP LaserJet is the prototype of laser printers we are using today and this is made possible with of the development of the ‘all in one’ toner cartridge.

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Epson Stylus Photo PX810FW: The flagship all-in-one Inkjet Printer

Photo by Darwin Bell

Current trends reveal that while the color laser printer industry is moving towards the release of more affordable and innovative units, the Epson Stylus Photo PX810FW InkJet priner is not. Traditionally, InkJet printers are priced way, way below most color laser printers but the PX810FW is sold with a price tag of over $400. And to think that some color desktop laser printers are available for $300, certainly a more expensive InkJet printer will be a puzzle to most users. Well, here’s the catch.

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Why does Newsprint easily discolor?

Photo by ImageAbtraction

Why indeed does newsprint media discolor when left exposed to the elements? The is due to the wood compound called lignin, the natural substance that binds the cellulose fiber together in trees. Lignin is sensitive, easily degrades and turns brown when exposed to sunlight. This is the reason why paper processed through the mechanical pulp method easily discolors and the best example is the cheap and non-archival paper we all know as the newsprint. Moreover, trees contain as much as 30% lignin and therefore when not treated properly succumbs to discoloration, a paper character that is not suited for hard copy documents.

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New LTS Toner Refill Kits for Ricoh Aficio AP3800 and more!

For this post, we are featuring new Ricoh compatible kits available from Laser Tek Services’ (LTS) line of toner refill kits. Leading the pack is the Ricoh Aficio AP3800 Toner Refill Kit which comes supplied with high grade compatible toner powder stored in 4 color-specific bottles. Compatible toner powder can be used to refill empty Ricoh OEM cartridges 885372 (monochrome), 885373 (yellow), 885374 (magenta) and 885375 (cyan), and recycle these for another cycle of printing. LTS recommends refilling cartridges for up to 3 times. Check our site for a complete list of laser printers compatible with this refill product.

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How the toner cartridge completes the laser printer imaging system?

Photo by Makenosound

The imaging system of a laser printer is a toss-up between the OPC photoreceptor drum and the laser scanning assembly. After the image is formed on the OPC drum, toner powder is introduced simultaneously. Through the action of static electricity, toner literally jumps into the paper media and the whole (paper and toner) thing moves into the fuser to permanently bind toner to paper. The laser printer component responsible for supplying a sufficient amount of toner to the photoreceptor drum is the detachable toner cartridge.

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