Inkjet printers were distributed by the American company Hewlett-Packard, although Japanese specialists (Epson, Canon) were also involved in the development. The print head (PG) is the most complex and expensive device. According to the position and duration of its operation, printers can be conditionally divided into three large groups.
Types and Features
- PG in the cartridge. An example is the HP printhead. In this design, it fulfills the only resource for refilling the cartridge by the manufacturer and burns out at the moment when the ink runs out.
- Printers with ink cartridges. The GHG in them is removable and serves as a consumable (CANON printhead, for example). The cost of producing such ink cartridges is much less, and the cost of the most removable and replaceable GHGs at a price of 40-80% of the cost of the printer. This type of printhead is more durable than the first.
- Printers with ink cartridges and GHGs are non-removable, separately printing, which itself does not belong to consumables (for example, Epson). Such heads are considered especially wear-resistant and are designed to work until the end of the printer's life.
Such a concentration of technological innovations of the main mechanism of inkjet printing has led to the fact that cartridges in the cheapest models are estimated at almost half the total cost of the printer, which is absolutely disadvantageous with intensive use of the product. In order to somehow reduce costs, you should master the procedure for refilling cartridges.
Ink cartridge device
In any printer, the print unit consists of two parts:
- ink tank;
- a capillary system that brings ink to the nozzles, and from there, "firing" them on paper.
The ink tank in black and almost all color cartridges is filled with an absorbent sponge (foam). For refueling, this is the most suitable design. In other models, ink retention is due to the pressure difference - external and internal. In some cases, this is due to the presence of a special bag of air.
The print head is an essential part of the unit. Modern cartridges are often equipped with built-in chips that control ink consumption to combat their reuse.
Ink is different for them too. Manufacturers claim that each printer model has its own specific type. Recently, however, ink has already been sold (often in large containers), which, according to sellers, is suitable for different models of inkjet printers.
They belong to the group of standard (simple) and they are suitable for printing simple text, with low resolutions. There are also special inks for high-quality printing on sale, but they are expensive, and they are not suitable for refilling in artisanal conditions.
The print head will last longer if the cartridge is thoroughly cleaned and washed before refilling with ink from a non-original manufacturer. For this, distilled water or special liquids that do not contain alkali are used. If the type of ink does not change during refueling, it is recommended not to wait until the cartridge is empty and refill it in a timely manner.