Printer Ink 101: Everything You Need To Know
Jan 21, 2022
Where does ink come from?
Humans have used ink – in some form or another – for thousands upon thousands of years. In fact, the earliest use of ink can be traced back to China in 256 BC. Printer ink is simply a modern evolution of the iterations of ink that have been used throughout the ages. Printer ink is made by a whole range of manufacturers throughout the world.
When was inkjet printing first invented?
Inkjet printing first came about during the 1950s, however it wasn’t until the 1980s that this form of printing became available to the general public. Since the eighties, inkjet printers have come a long way, with many innovations in place making them the machines we know today.
What is printer ink made out of?
A variety of ingredients are combined to make printing ink. Dispersants that facilitate the flow of the ink, binding resins, pigments for color, humectants for long-lasting ink, defoamers for controlling foam, chelating and drying agents, and a varnish base are often included in this. Wetting agents, bacteriostats, biocides, and pH modifiers can also be found in printer ink. The items included in printer ink will vary based on several circumstances, such as the company producing the ink.
How is printer ink made?
The printer ink is made by combining all of the above ingredients together. This combination can differ depending on the manufacturer and the type of ink that is being made.
What should you do with your empty ink cartridge?
What should you do with your ink cartridge when it eventually runs out after printing a lot of pages? When you are done using an ink cartridge, it might be a good idea to recycle it. You might be able to recycle the empty cartridge by taking it to your neighborhood supermarket and placing it in a special recycling container, or you could check with the manufacturer of your cartridge to see if they have any recycling programs in place.
What are some ink-saving tips?
There are a few different ways you can conserve ink and make your cartridge go that little bit further. Investing in an ink-efficient printer can be one way to make your cartridges go further, and can be a worthwhile investment, particularly for those printing regularly. During those times that you don’t need a high-quality print, changing printer settings to print pages as a draft can also save ink. Another ink-saving method is to choose fonts that are ink-efficient such as Garamond or Ecofont.
What is CMYK?
You may have heard the acronym CMYK used in regards to printing. This acronym stands for Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, and Black. These inks are used in printing in a range of different combinations to create each of the colours needed in a print. Monochrome printers will have the black ink cartridge, whereas monochrome and colour printers will likely have both a black cartridge and cyan, magenta, and black ink cartridges.
How do I know how much ink my printer has left?
Usually, you will receive an alert when the ink in your printer drops below a predetermined level (usually 20 percent). You may also monitor your printer's ink levels at any time to find out how much is remaining. Typically, to accomplish this, go to your computer's printer settings and select the utilities area. See our blog post on How to Check Printer Ink Levels for further details on how to check printing levels for a variety of printer types.
What’s the difference between toner and ink?
The basic difference between toner and ink is that toner is used for laser machines, while ink is used for inkjet machines. Toner is a fine powdered ink that is electronically charged by a laser beam passing over the drums it is contained in. This powder then transfers to the paper, creating the prints. Inkjet printers use liquid ink droplets that are sprayed through a nozzle onto the printer paper. Wondering whether a laser or inkjet printer is better suited for your needs? Read our article discussing the pros and cons – Inkjet vs Laser: Which Printer Should You Choose?
Where can I buy printer ink online?
Printer ink may be found online in a lot of locations, but it's crucial to make sure you get it from a reliable vendor like Ink Station. We provide a large selection of ink cartridges to fit a variety of machine manufacturers and models.
When it comes to printing ink, there are a lot of different things to know. We hope you learned something new and fascinating about the subject from this post. For people who own an inkjet printer or frequently print pages, learning a little bit more about printer ink may be helpful. This includes understanding what makes it different from toner, how to preserve ink, and what to do with empty cartridges.
