The Pitfalls Of Refilling Ink Cartridges

As the owner of a business who sell computer consumables 24/7 and a writer of computer related articles sometimes there is some crossover

. This is one of those articles... basically we have started offering a refill service both in store and a refill by post service on our website and as such I have been learning a great deal about the processes involved.

Thanks to adverts such as those commissioned several years ago by JR Inkjet (the ones featuring motoring journalist Quentin Wilson), there are a great many people who believe that they are immediately qualified for the task. Whilst refilling is certainly good for both your pocket and the environment, it is also an exact art that when improperly executed can yield terrible results.

Many companies will tell you that all you need is a drill piece, a universal ink and some sticky tape but if you're looking for a result that's half decent this is, unfortunately, not entirely accurate. The printer manufacturers spend a great deal of time and money ensuring that inks are specifically formulated for each individual cartridge and that the cartridges they offer are as difficult to refill as possible and as such a good degree of working knowledge is required.

Preparing a cartridge is key and can affect the outcome just as much as the physical refilling and even though all manufacturers don't follow the same steps that we do, the following equipment is used each time we refill a cartridge to keep the quality as close to the original as possible.

- Centrifuge - This literally spins every last drop of ink out of the printer cartridge so that when you refill you don't have two differing ink types mixing together inside the cartridge.

- Steamer - Removes any blockages that may have formed in the cartridge print head by focusing a concentrated jet of steam towards the bottom of the cartridge.

- Ultrasonic Bath - Breaks down any remaining blockages; these machines incidentally are similar to those used to clean surgical instruments in the healthcare industry.

- Replacement sponges - These are useful as not only to you often get a better quality by using fresh sponges but additionally some cartridges can have their capacity increased by the use of a different sponge.

- Replacement lids ' On all cartridges we refill we have to remove the lids to get to the sponge and replace them when we are done. This method prevents cross contamination due to overfilling common when using a 'drill and fill' technique often employed in home refills.

Once the cartridge has been prepared it is important that it is refilled using ink that is a very close match to the manufacturers' original specification rather than simply using a 'universal' ink. Ideally the refill should be performed under vacuum conditions so that there is no air present in the cartridge - This results in the ink spreading more evenly throughout the sponge and then making direct contact with the nozzle plate so that the print head immediately starts to rehydrate. By refilling outside of vacuum conditions you risk the possibility of trapped air which can have a serious effect on the print quality.

Even with the all the training and equipment I have purchased, refilling can make quite a mess; our local customers are used to seeing the staff here with a substantial quantity of ink on their person (although the face tends to get the best response) but this is normally considered a occupational hazard. If you fancied having a go then we do have some excellent kits for sale, but since we guarantee to be the cheapest in Torbay, the smart advice would be to leave it to your ink splattered friends at Refresh.

by: Chris Holgate

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