Posts tagged ‘Ink Cartridges’

All You Need to Know About Thermal Printers

By sizes paper, 22 December, 2009, No Comment

If you have receipts coming from groceries, boutiques and even restaurants, chances are those receipts are printed using thermal printers. Unlike most printers that would need a toner or ink, thermal printers use heat to transfer the image to the paper. Currently, most of the thermal printers that are available in the market are those that can only print text and images using one color, often black. There are a number of thermal printers now available that can print two colors: black and red. These are called two-color direct thermal printers. These work by applying heat in two different temperatures on the paper to create the change in the color.Aside from receipts, thermal printing technology is also used in most fax machines that are available in the market. It is also used in the medical field for printing ultrasound imaging results.How do Thermal Printers Work?A thermo-sensitive paper is inserted between the thermal head and the rubber roller that would feed the paper through the printer. The thermal printer then sends a current of electricity to the heating resistor located on the thermal head.In effect, there is still some form of ink or coloring just like all types of printer. The difference is that for thermal printers, the ink or coloring is embedded on a special paper designed specifically for thermal printing.Common Thermal Printer BrandsIBM Rimage Wasp Zebra Epson Advantages of Thermal PrintersThermal printers are highly favored by many business establishments for printing of the receipts because they are able to print faster than most other printers. Prior to the introduction of thermal printers, business establishments would print receipts with dot matrix printer. These printers can be quite noisy and annoying for both the user and those within the establishment.Another advantage for using thermal printers is that it is more economical. Unlike most printers where you would need to buy ink cartridges, toners or ribbons, thermal printers do not need to have cartridges to be replaced with paper supplies. You will just need to replace the paper that is used for the printer.Disadvantages of Thermal PrintersOne disadvantage of using a thermal printer is that it can only work with a specialized paper, which can be more expensive than ordinary bond paper that is used by other printers. Furthermore, texts that are printed on thermal papers are not permanent. Over time, the printed text fades. Manufacturers of thermal paper have stated that the average length of time for the printed text to last on a thermal paper is fifty years. This makes thermal printers not a viable choice if you are printing business documents.

Four Ways to Use Your Printer and Ink Cartridges

By sizes paper, 14 December, 2009, No Comment

There are literally hundreds of reasons that you may want or need to use a printer and ink cartridges at home. Following are just a few of those reasons.
1. Correspondence
Inkjet printers and the ink cartridges they use are necessary when letter printing is necessary.
There are many different situations in which you may need to send someone a professional-looking letter: making reports to your local Better Business Bureau, contacting attorneys, submitting formal complaints, and more. I’m afraid that paper and pen wouldn’t cut it in any of these instances.
If you are actively in the wired age, then you certainly have an email account. Sometimes it would help to print out some of those emails, wouldn’t it? Ink cartridges and printers solve this issue.
2. Mass Printing
Want to send out a letter with each of your holiday cards letting your friends and family know what is new with you? If you are running a marathon for charity, it would be nice to be able to send a letter to all of your friends and family explaining what you are doing and asking for donations.
With printers and ink cartridges, you can print out a large quantity of items or documents with very little effort. You can even so far as to print out coloring pages for your kids or printing flyers for the garage sale you are planning on holding at the end of the month.
3. Organization
Owning a printer gives you a limitless opportunity to better organize your home or office. There are many different types of printer paper available for your inkjet printer. For example, there is paper available that allows you to make your own labels.
Get ready to get organized! You can use these labels to organize the spices in your cupboard, or maybe you need to label some of the DVDs in your movie collection. Instead of handwriting the labels for your office files, use your printer to print out more professional labels.
4. Decorate
There are many resources on the Internet that you can refer to so that you can bring up your own decorative images. You can buy high quality, heavy stock paper and then use your inkjet printer to print your very own prints. Then, buy a frame and hang your creation on the wall!
Another idea is to use your printer and ink cartridges to print images onto paper that has an adhesive on the back of it. Then you can stick these images onto magnets and use them on your refrigerator.

Ensuring Your Inkjet Cartridges & Printer Operates Well

By sizes paper, 6 December, 2009, No Comment

Inkjet printers are great inventions and today they are in most homes that have computers. Many small businesses also use them for their business printing needs due to the low cost of the printing equipment and the inkjet cartridges required for printing.
If you want to ensure that your inkjet prints onto the paper for the best quality printed output possible, there are a few things you should keep in mind. First and foremost, ink dries when it contacts air. Because there is always some ink in the inkjet nozzle, if you do not use your printer often, you can end up with clogged ink nozzles and have to run the cleaning maintenance routine several times to unclog the inkjet nozzle, if it can be unclogged at all. The simple, easy solution to this problem is to use the printer frequently. If you print a full color page or two at least once or twice per week, you shouldnt have this problem, but there are many users that infrequently use their printers only to learn their ink wont distribute properly. So, just print a test page once a week as a minimum. Sure, it wastes a little bit of ink but it prevents having to possibly discard the entire ink cartridge and avoids the expense of buying a new one.
For the best quality ink distribution, be sure you use the correct paper for your printer. Paper looks like it is all the same and it is easy to select the wrong type of paper unless you realize that some paper is specifically for laser printing and the inkjet will not perform as well on this type of paper. Choose general purpose or inkjet paper and youll be ensured good results from your inkjet printer.
If you notice your inkjet is not printing as clearly as it has been in the past, you probably need to perform routine maintenance by running the software applications which came with your printer. The ink nozzle alignment maintenance ensures that the ink is being distributed exactly where it should be by making certain the position of each nozzle is exactly right. If one ink distribution nozzle is misaligned, you can have streaked printing. This is most noticeable when printing pictures, but it can result in fuzzy text print as well. The routine is simple and easy to run and will provide you with step-by-step instructions to follow. The printer will really do all the work for you.
So, remember to keep your ink cartridges working optimally to use your printer regularly or print a test page regularly. Remember also to use the right paper for the type of printer you are using. And remember to align the nozzles periodically. This will help ensure you get the finest possible output from your home or small business inkjet printer. After all, you want your printing to look professional and neat; thats why you purchased an inkjet printer in the first place!

Choosing a Printer – Inkjet or Laser?

By sizes paper, 4 December, 2009, No Comment

Choosing a printer – inkjet or laser?

The right printer is an essential part of your home or office computer set up. The buying process can be a confusing one, not least because leading manufacturers seem to release a new model of each type almost every day, and lets not forget the huge range of ink cartridges and laser toner, which seem to change on an hourly basis!

So, what is the best choice? Well, unfortunately there is no definitive answer for this question as it really depends on your individual needs. What you can do however, is clue yourself up on the advantages of each type, and make an informed decision when purchasing.

We’ve listed the two types of printer below, and included a simple list of the pro’s and con’s of each. After all, there is no sense in us waffling on when all you’re trying to do is buy the right printer!Inkjet Printers – Pro’s

Cheap to buy. Main brand printers retail from as little as £30 (US$60).

Choice. Wide range available, from specialist photo printers to all in one printer/scanner/copier devices.

Footprint. An inkjet printer generally has smaller dimensions than a laser, often making it more suitable for the home office.

Ease of use. Designed primarily for the home and small office market, inkjets tend to be simple to use and have easily accessible features.

Paper options. Just about every printer manufacturer also offers its own range of printer paper. Depending on the desired finish you can choose anything from standard inkjet copier paper, to matt or gloss photo paper specifically designed for this type of printer.Inkjet Printers – Con’s

Cost per copy. Despite the low initial purchase price of an inkjet printer, the cost per printed page remains high when compared to laser printing due to the higher relative cost of ink cartridges vs. laser toner. This issue however is not particularly serious for home users, who print in low volumes. It becomes more of an issue the more pages you print. Buying your ink cartridges from www.accentyourpc.co.uk could help to minimise this difference even further.

Efficiency. Since inkjet printers spray ink on to the page, the result is that much of the ink cartridge is wasted through absorption when using standard paper. High quality prints often require multiple coats of ink to ensure the correct density and therefore maximum clarity.

Print speed. Inkjet printers are much slower than laser printers in general, especially when printing in colour.

Longevity. Inkjet printers tend to be produced on the cheap in order to keep retail prices down. The quality of components can be much lower than laser printers. The fact that they spray ink to the page also means that they are liable to clogging over time. An inkjet printer will rarely outlast a laser if both are subjected to equal use.

Accuracy. Spraying ink on to a page from ink cartridges is much less accurate than the precise methods of a laser printer. This results in a slight blur effect on most printed pages.

Vibration. The movement of the ink cartridges or print nozzle across the page whilst printing can often lead to a strong vibration effect if the printer is placed on a computer desk. This can prove to be an annoyance for some people.

Ink drying time. It stands to reason that the ink is sprayed on to the page wet. Consequently, pages require a little time to dry before being picked up. Ignoring the drying requirements can see smudges appearing across your printed document. Inkjet prints also do not stand up to rain very well, which whilst not normally a problem, if you print the address on an envelope with an inkjet, postal workers may have a hard time reading it on occasion!Inkjet Printers – Summary

If you print mainly at home and in lower volumes, consider an inkjet printer. They are versatile thanks to the range of combination devices, and the cost per copy, whilst relatively high, is probably largely irrelevant to you thanks to the low purchase price. A wide choice of paper gives you a good selection of finishes for your photo prints and the quality is likely to be more than satisfactory for framing and display.Laser Printers – Pro’s

Cost per copy. Laser technology makes very efficient use of toner when printing resulting in a low cost per copy. Whilst toner cartridges appear expensive, you can usually print somewhere in the region of 4,000 pages before replacing your laser toner cartridge. Compared to an approximate average yield of 300 pages for a typical ink cartridge costing roughly a third of the price, the long term savings are highly apparent. Laser copier paper is also generally cheaper than the equivalent paper designed for inkjet printers.

Efficiency. These printers work by attracting the laser toner (ink) on to the page using an electronic charge. Since the printer is able to calculate the precise pattern of the print, only the exact amount of laser toner required is applied. This results in very little wastage.

Print speed. Laser printers are able to print at very quick speeds, in some cases up to 35 pages per minute. Compared to approximately 10-15 pages per minute for an inkjet printer, this represents a significant advantage during large print runs, or when production time is critical.

Longevity. A properly maintained laser printer can last for many years and print in excess of a million copies during this time providing you use the recommended original laser toner cartridges.

Accuracy. The electrostatic technology behind laser printers ensures that the ink is applied to the toner in a highly precise manner. Since the ink is not sprayed but attracted to the page via an electronic charge there is little margin for error.

Print quality. Once the toner has been attracted on to the page it is then heated causing it to fuse with the paper. This produces a clean and clear finish which is water resistant and has a natural sheen. Photo paper can be used to give a gloss or matt finish to an image printed on a colour laser printer.

Networking features. Laser printers often have built in networking designed for environments where multiple users require the ability to print over a network.

No ink expiry. Whilst ink cartridges for inkjet printers can dry and be rendered useless if left unused for an extended period, laser toner does not suffer from this issue.Laser Printers – Con’s

Expensive to buy. Traditionally, laser printers cost more to acquire than their inkjet counterparts. However, this trend is now changing with mono laser printers starting to appear on the market for as little as £100 (US$200). Colour laser printers however, remain relatively expensive, priced at around the £300 (US$600) for an entry level model.

Footprint. Laser printers tend to be larger in size than inkjet models, which can cause an issue for home users, yet presents less of a problem in the office environment.

Electricity requirement. Laser printers have a higher power requirement than inkjet printers which may be noticeable on your electricity bill over time.

Warm up time. If a laser printer has not been used for a while, it requires time to warm up the printing drum before a print can be output. This time varies considerably, but is extended if the printer has been switched completely off to save power.Laser Printers – Summary

For home users who print mainly text documents a mono laser printer may be an economical choice. The initial purchase price aside, you are likely to see a better return on your investment over time. Until colour lasers reduce significantly in price, users wishing to undertake colour printing at home may be better served with an inkjet printer for the time being.

In terms of office users, the increase in print volume seen in any typical office justifies the purchase of a laser printer, colour or mono, from the outset. Choosing an inkjet for business would almost certainly be false economy unless it is required for a special task such as large format printing on paper of A3 size or above.Don’t forget, when your cartridges do run out, visit www.accentyourpc.co.uk for the best deals on ink cartridges and laser toner.

Stay tuned for our next article!

How to Deal With Paper Jams

By sizes paper, 3 December, 2009, No Comment

How to Create Birthday Party Invitations on Your Home Printer

By sizes paper, 2 December, 2009, No Comment

When you’re preparing for a birthday party for your friend, child, parent, or spouse, you’ll probably find that the costs associated with all that planning can exceed your budget pretty quickly. One way to save money is by creating your own birthday invitations at home. Not only can you save money this way but you can also take the time to pre-print the party details and to create something creative on the cards that will make them truly unique. Supplies You’ll NeedFirst, you’re going to need some printer paper. You can either purchase card stock paper that is blank which you can fold into the appropriate card shape after printing or you can buy blank cards that are ready for printing. The latter has become a very popular option. Of course, most of these blank cards are available via online stationery stores so you’ll have to place your order early. Second, make sure you have sufficient ink for the task, including colored ink cartridges. Be sure to purchase matching envelopes if they do not come with the cards you buy. Having some labels you can use for printing is also a wise idea.Setting Up the Card PrintingMost of the cards or paper you purchase will come with instructions for printing. If not, your best choice is to go into your Publisher program (or similar free software) and select the choice for greeting cards. You should update the paper size information to meet the dimensions of the cards you’ll be using so the printing will appear on the card correctly. Do a few test prints on blank cheap paper first. Using Mail Merge & LabelsTo make your task of sending the invitations easier, you should consider having address labels printed. Then you can just affix the labels to the invitations and/or to the response cards so you don’t have to spend all that time writing out the addresses by hand. To do this, you should follow these instructions:• Choose the “Mailings” option from the tool bar.• Select “Start Mail Merge Process” from the options available in the new tool bar.• Under that option, select the type of document you want to create. In this case, pick “Labels.”• Enter the information about your purchased labels into the new box that opens in the middle of the screen.• Choose “Select Recipients” from the toolbar. You can either access a list you’ve already created, create a new list, or import contact information from your Outlook address book.• Print off the labels. Consider doing a test print on blank paper first to make sure everything lines up correctly before you waste those labels.

How to Choose the Right Paper for Your Printer

By sizes paper, 30 November, 2009, No Comment

Most inkjet and laser printers can print on a variety of surfaces, including labels, photo paper, business cards, stickers, and t-shirt transfers. However, most of your printing probably involves old-fashioned white paper and, when it comes to this medium, you may have more options than you realize. One of the advantages of laser printers is their ability to print well on almost any paper; if you own an inkjet printer, though, you should choose your paper carefully.Inkjet printer paperAlthough standard all-purpose paper will do the job, your results will probably be better if you use paper specifically made for inkjet printers. The quality of your printout is affected by two major factors: brightness and absorption. BrightnessWhen a type of paper is advertised as being brighter than average, that really means that the surface of the paper is smoother than average: it’s the smoothness of the page that determines how much light is reflected from it, which, in turn, determines how bright your images appear on the page. The brighter (or smoother) the printer paper, the better your printout will look. AbsorptionSimilarly, the less ink that is absorbed by the printer paper, the better your document will look: as the paper absorbs ink, the tiny dots on the page feather, or spread outside of their borders. This causes the edges of images and text on the page to look fuzzy and soggy. To counteract this problem, better printer papers are coated with a waxy substance that prevents the ink from being absorbed by the paper. Since coated paper allows for much more precise detail in a print job, some printers will print at a higher resolution on coated paper than on standard paper.

www.sizespaper.com