What are Continuous Inking Systems?

Continuous ink supply system is referred to as continuous supply, which is a new ink supply method that has only appeared in the field of inkjet printers in recent years. Continuous ink supply system, which uses an external ink bottle and a duct to connect to the printer's ink cartridge, so that the ink bottle continuously supplies ink to the ink cartridge, which is called "continuous supply". The biggest benefit of the continuous ink supply system is that it is affordable, and the price is much cheaper than the original ink. Secondly, the ink supply is large and the ink is easy to add. Generally, the capacity of a single color is 100ml, which is at least 5 times more than the original ink cartridge. The quality of its three-line ink supply is steadily increasing. A better ink supply does not block the nozzles. It can be cleaned several times with a broken line, which provides a strong guarantee for the survival and development of continuous ink supply.

Continuous ink supply system

Continuous ink supply system for short

Most of the supply systems use the siphon principle, that is, in two containers filled with liquid and connected by a siphon, the liquid always flows from the high pressure container to the low pressure container. We know that during the printing process, the printer's ink cartridges will continuously send ink to the nozzles. While the ink is being transported, the pressure inside the ink cartridges is also decreasing. It is necessary to suck in the same volume of air to maintain the pressure balance. The air replenished by the ink cartridge vent holes is replaced with ink. The ink cartridge is also refilled with ink of the same capacity as the ink is delivered to the head. The external ink cartridge can be replenished at any time, so that the ink cartridge in the printer can always ensure that enough ink is supplied to the print head. In addition, some have also developed an automatic ink supply system that uses the capillary principle in fluid mechanics. According to the manufacturer, its ink supply is more stable than the siphon continuous supply system and can be applied to all types of inkjet printers. The actual effect of this product has yet to be tested.

From the principle of the continuous supply system, we can know that the continuous supply system is composed of three parts: the outer cartridge (ink bottle), hoses and brackets, and the inner cartridge (ink bag).

Outer cartridge

The external ink cartridge is a large-capacity ink container placed outside the printer. It is generally formed by plastic injection molding. The external ink cartridge has a large capacity, usually more than 100ml per color. There is also a small-capacity continuous supply system for home users. The external ink cartridge has a capacity of approximately 50ml per color. External ink cartridges are generally equipped with ink filling holes for easy ink refilling, and a vent hole to maintain pressure balance inside and outside the container. For external ink cartridges, controlling the ink level is a very important issue. If the ink level is too high, it will cause excessive pressure in the external ink cartridges and cause the ink to flow into the waste ink tank in the printer. If the surface is too low, the ink in the inner ink cartridge will flow back to the outer ink cartridge through the pipeline, which will cause air from the print head to enter the inner ink cartridge, causing tiny bubbles in the ink cartridge, and these tiny bubbles will cause the printing to be disconnected. To avoid these problems, the ink level of the external ink cartridge is usually slightly lower than the printer nozzle. However, as the ink is consumed, the ink level in the external ink cartridge will continue to drop. This requires the height of the external ink cartridge to be adjusted in time, or at any time. To refill the ink, in order to solve this problem, many manufacturers have designed pressure regulating devices on the external ink cartridges. Some manufacturers use springs, and some manufacturers use the principle of atmospheric pressure to add a balance chamber to the ink cartridges for automatic pressure adjustment. It can keep the liquid level constant. The external ink cartridge that adopts automatic pressure adjustment is called a constant pressure ink cartridge, which can be directly fixed on the printer casing (Figure 2), and it is also very convenient to move.

2.hose

The hose is also called a discharge pipe (Figure 3). It is a pipe that transports the ink from the outer cartridge to the inner cartridge. It is actually a set of siphons. The outer cartridge and the inner cartridge are connected one by one according to the color. , Hoses are usually 4 or 6 stick in a row, there may be various brackets or fixing blocks on the hose to facilitate installation and fixing. In addition, some manufacturers have added an ink control valve to the hose to control the ink switch and flow rate.

3.Inner cartridge

The ink cartridge installed inside the printer is called the inner cartridge, and its size and shape are similar to the original ink cartridge. It can be installed in the printer's ink cart instead of the original ink cartridge (the inner ink cartridge modified by the original ink cartridge can also be used). Internal ink cartridges cannot be used universally. Internal ink cartridges of specific models can only be installed in specific printer models.

The inner cartridge is a very important part in the continuous supply system. It is necessary to ensure the continuity and smoothness of the ink supply and to prevent ink leakage. This is a difficult point in the design and production of the inner cartridge. Most of the inner ink cartridges in 2009 used non-cotton ink cartridges. Compared with cotton ink cartridges, its inks are less prone to air bubbles, and air is more difficult to enter the nozzles. The problem of disconnection after installing and removing ink cartridges will be reduced, and the life of the ink cartridges will be longer Some of them have the disadvantage of leaking ink easily. There are also some manufacturers' internal ink cartridges that do not use the conventional ink cartridge design, but use ink sacs, which are almost directly connected to the ink outlet of the ink cartridge. This design makes the installation of the internal ink cartridge easier and the wiring More convenient.

All continuous supply systems or automatic ink supply systems are mostly composed of these three basic components. The differences between them are mainly the differences in the internal structure of the internal and external ink cartridges, as well as the differences in workmanship and shape. The continuous supply system is basically a "detail determines success or failure" product. In many cases, we can tell the quality of the product with the naked eye. A good continuous supply system must be a product with good materials, fine workmanship and beautiful appearance.

The important role of ink in the continuous supply system is undoubted. The cost advantage and effect of the continuous supply system must ultimately be reflected through the ink. In 2010, the bottled inks used for desktop printing in the market were all compatible inks produced by third-party manufacturers. The reason why the market for development and growth could not be separated from the maturity of compatible ink technology.

Ink is classified by solvent and can be divided into two types: water-based ink (using water and water-soluble solvents as the main component to dissolve the color base) and oil-based ink (using water-insoluble solvents as the main component to dissolve the color base); Based on the classification, it can be divided into dye-based ink (dye-based ink) and pigment-based ink (pigment-based ink). This means that some pigment inks may be water-based inks or oil-based inks, but currently the most used are water-based dye inks and water-based pigment inks, and the most used in continuous supply systems are water-based pigment inks. Different solvents and color base inks cannot be mixed in the same ink cartridge, and similarly, they cannot be mixed in the same continuous supply system. The ideal situation is that a continuous supply system uses only the same type of ink of the same brand to prevent problems caused by mixed inks.

At present, there are dozens of domestic manufacturers of compatible inks, and the quality varies, but several domestic major brands of professional ink manufacturers are still trustworthy. It is worth mentioning that Hongcai 6 pigment ink, which is the standard ink for many continuous supply systems, has set a record of continuous printing of 500 pages of pictures (on ordinary paper) for 7 hours. It has smoothness and color Reduction has been recognized by many professional users. In addition, Tianwei and Gegege inks also have a good reputation among users, but the price is slightly higher, and there is also a pigment-based ink called S ink (brand entJet) that users are very strong, Its color reproduction ability is comparable to Hongcai 6, and the price is even cheaper.

Inkjet printer capable of using continuous supply system

In theory, all inkjet printers can use continuous supply system, but most of the current (2010) mature continuous supply products are designed for Epson inkjet printers, and some are designed for Canon's split ink cartridge models of. Continuous supply systems for HP, Lexmark and Lenovo inkjet printers are relatively rare, and the technology is not mature enough. The main reason for this is that most of Epson's printers use split-type ink cartridges. It is relatively easy to modify the continuous supply system, and Epson's micro-piezo print head has a long life, and the value of the modified continuous supply system is great. The Canon, HP, Lexmark and Lenovo inkjet printers mostly use integrated ink cartridges, which are difficult to modify and costly, and the thermal foaming nozzles they use have a shorter life, reducing the value of retrofitting continuous supply systems. Because the cost-effectiveness of the continuous supply system is very obvious, it also has great benefits for users of Canon, HP, Lexmark and Lenovo inkjet printers. Manufacturers of continuous supply systems are definitely reluctant to let go of this huge market. Therefore, many manufacturers are also developing continuous supply systems for Canon, HP, Lexmark and Lenovo printers. There are also continuous introductions of such continuous supply systems in the market. The prospects of applying continuous supply systems to Canon, HP, Lexmark and Lenovo printers are still optimistic

Epson inkjet printer

There are three types of printers available for home users, student users, SOHO, and business users: laser printers, inkjet printers, and ink tank printers. With the advantages of "saving", "good", and "multiple", the ink cartridge printer has become the best choice for the current printer.

Ink silo printer definition: Ink silo printer refers to the support of large capacity ink silo, which can achieve a single set of consumables, ultra high print volume and ultra low printing cost, and users can enjoy the original factory warranty service including print head printer.

Ink silo printer advantages: "provincial", "good", "multi"

Advantage one: "Province"

a) Epson ink cartridge printers are equipped with super-large-capacity ink as standard, four-color split, 70ml per bottle, which can realize mass printing of 4,000 pages in black or 6,500 pages in color. According to this calculation, the cost of a black leaflet is 1 cent and 5 cents, and the color is less than 5 cents, which is lower than the printing cost of filling or modifying the continuous supply.

b) Epson ink cartridge printers use Epson's unique micro-piezo print technology. The print head is a durable print head, not a consumable, has a long service life and stable working performance, and can enjoy the original warranty service. Coupled with the original ink tank system, the cost of later use is more economical.

c) Epson ink cartridge printer has a more compact and compact body design than the previous product. The L353 ink cartridge all-in-one printer is 12% smaller than the previous generation, saving more space for users. Fewer raw materials and more environmentally friendly.

Advantage 2: "Good"

a) Epson ink tank printers use the original ink tank system. The system consists of a constant pressure ink tank, a bi-molecular material ink delivery tube and a transport lock. The entire original ink tank system adopts a quasi-sealed light-blocking design, which avoids the entry of dust and greatly reduces the plugging rate; the bi-molecular material ink delivery tube prevents the ink from volatilizing, ensuring that the ink is stored for a long time and presents high-quality printing quality. The system's constant pressure ink tank design can accurately control the ink supply pressure, and the integrated design and reasonable ink delivery pipeline arrangement ensure that the ink supply is continuously stable and the print output is unobstructed. The intimate design of the transport lock prevents troubles such as ink reflow and leakage when moving the printer. The original ink tank design greatly reduces the pressure, impurities, volatility and other issues that cause printing failures, ensuring continuous and stable printing, making users more at ease and convenient to use.

b) Epson ink cartridge products also provide users with peace of mind after-sales protection. Some models are purchased and registered during the promotion period, and the warranty period of the entire machine (including the print head) can be extended to two years. At present, Epson's service network covers more than 260 cities or regions in all provinces across the country. There are more than 500 certified service agencies and more than 2,000 certified maintenance engineers.

c) The original inks used in Epson ink cartridge printers are produced in high-cleanness and dust-free workshops. They are pure and have few impurities, which can effectively avoid plugging of the print head, and the inks are bright. In combination with Epson's micro-piezo printer technology, the highest 5760dpi resolution, allowing users to enjoy truly high-quality output printing.

Advantage three: "more"

a) Epson ink cartridge printers come standard with a large-capacity four-color ink. If you print ISO standard proofs, you can achieve mass printing of 4,000 pages in black or 6500 pages in color, which is several times higher than the print volume of ordinary laser printers.

b) So many prints allow users to worry-free. Large-capacity ink does not require frequent replacement of ink cartridges during use, which not only improves the convenience of use, but also effectively uses resources. It can be said to be the most cost-effective product on the market at present.