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Solid Ink Compared to Laser and Inkjet

The Ink

• Non-toxic ink is resin-based, similar to a crayon, so the sticks are safe to handle by anyone
• No-mess ink won’t stain your clothes or your skin
• Capacities of ink sticks can be up to 1,000 or 2,200 pages depending on the device
• Load up to 5 sticks at a time (depending on device) of each colour in a solid ink device for long, uninterrupted printing
• Stringent manufacturing of the ink ensures colours will be consistent – 100% of all ink is inspected, not a statistical sampling, which is commonly used

The Mechanics

• Simple design consists of only three major assemblies: the print head (transfers ink to print drum), the print drum (transfers image to paper), and the controller (the brain that tells everything what to do)
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• Short paper path means solid ink printers are fast and reliable
• Ink is instantly fused onto the paper using heat and pressure, which is why solid ink produces such great image quality on any kind of media. Toner and inkjet ink soak into the paper, so the image is dependent upon the type of paper used
• Constant evolution of solid ink technology has resulted in solid ink printers and multifunction printers that are reliable, fast, and economical

What are the advantages of using solid ink?

• More consistent print quality page after page and on any media
  InfoTrends color printer technology comparison (PDF)
• Easier to use with no cartridges to load and unload, and no mess
• Less waste with no cartridges to dispose of, and far less packaging
• No paper curling or wrinkling that often plagues inkjet and colour laser printers
• Fewer parts so there’s less that can go wrong
• No special paper needed, unlike some inkjet printers
• Faster than inkjet technology
• A wider range of colours are printed by solid ink than most colour laser devices

How a Solid Ink Printer Works >>